Spotlight on Conjunctivitis, AKA Pink Eye

By Des Taylor

 

When the transparent membrane (conjunctiva) that lines the eyelid and part of the eyeball becomes inflamed or infected it is commonly referred to as pink eye (conjunctivitis). As a result of the inflammation small blood vessels in the conjunctive become inflamed resulting in a pink or red cast in the whites of the eyes.

Symptoms

Pink eye can make you feel like there is something in one or both eyes and when you wake up in the morning your eyes may be hard to open because of discharge that formed overnight.
Other symptoms include:

· One or both eyes itch
· There is redness in one or both eyes
· It feels like sand is in your eye
· Excessive tearing or weeping from your eye
· A discharge from your eye as you sleep

Causes

There are several different categories of conjunctivitis. They include viral, bacterial, allergic and conjunctivitis caused by an irritant. Both viral and bacterial are very contagious and easily passed from one person to another through physical contact. Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis is more common in children than adults. Allergic conjunctivitis is caused by indoor and outdoor allergens and irritant induced conjunctivitis can be caused by a foreign object or chemicals in the eye.

Treatment

Bacterial conjunctivitis is treated with eye drops or eye ointment prescribed by your doctor. You must use the prescription for the prescribed length of time which is usually several days. There is no treatment for viral conjunctivitis. It usually runs its course in a few days. In the case of viral conjunctivitis caused by the herpes simplex virus, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication.

If you are suffering from allergic conjunctivitis, your doctor may prescribe eye drops, steroids, antihistamines or anti-inflammatory medications. In addition, some allergies are controlled with over-the-counter medicines. If you are treating the symptoms yourself and your condition worsens, speak to a health professional.

Healthy eyes are important to your overall well-being. Conjunctivitis left untreated can lead to inflammation of the cornea, which can affect your vision. The key is early intervention when symptoms begin to show. Children with bacterial conjunctivitis are normally asked to stay home from school for a few days. Call your child's school to see what their policy states.

You can avoid contracting pink eye by washing your hands frequently, limiting contact with infected persons and avoiding allergy triggers. If you suspect that you or a family member has conjunctivitis it is best to be evaluated by your family doctor to receive the appropriate treatment and limit its spread.

Des Taylor is Senior Vice President of Merchandising of Eyeglass World, a nationwide eyeglasses superstore. With over 60 superstores across the country, Eyeglass World is one of the industry's leading eyewear chains. Each Eyeglass World location has a lab in-store which allows them to fill prescription eyeglasses in the same day in most cases. Learn more about prescription glasses at http://www.eyeglassworld.com/eyeglasses/

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Recovery Post LASIK Surgery

By Weldons Dean

 

LASIK recovery time varies from one person to another. Some people heal fast, while for others the recovery process could last for several months. There are many factors that determine the speed of this process; some of the most important factors are:

1- Biological factors, such as the thickness of the cornea. Thicker corneas require more time to heal than thinner corneas.

2- Type of method used to create the corneal flap. For example, corneal flaps that are created with the blade take much longer periods to heal than flaps created with the bladeless laser. The laser creates a much smoother and accurate circle than the blade, which helps through the healing process.

3- Type of laser used to create the corneal flap. An example is the Intralase vs. Ziemer Crystalline LDV. Although both lasers use the bladeless method, however the Ziemer Crystalline LDV is faster and creates a much smoother cut than the Intralase. The Ziemer emits faster light pulses, and creates overlapping bubbles which helps in producing a smoother cut, hence the faster recovery.

4- Post surgery care:
Although most patients may experience clear vision post surgery, the official recovery of the corneal flap takes anywhere between 3 to 6 months to fully recover. It might sound like a long term process for some, but with the right measures adopted during this period, the patients are more likely to recover sooner and with fewer complications.

Post Surgery Recovery Steps and Instructions:

• Day One: in most cases people can resume their daily life and routine a day after surgery. As advised by the doctor, you will be required to go home and sleep for the rest of the day. The doctor will also prescribe antibiotic, steroids, drops and supplements such as fish oil and vitamins to relieve dry eye. You cannot rub your eyes for about 7 days and will have to take extra care while taking showers. You can continue reading, working on computers, watching TV to an extent if you regularly lubricate your eyes. Sweating might be harmful, so be sure that sweat does not enter your eyes while working out.

• Week One: you must discontinue rubbing your eyes. While you work out, sweat shouldn't enter your eyes. Avoid swimming and hot tubs. You are required to pay extra attention while using any kind of lotion, creams, and makeup. Continue to use your prescribed medications and drop regimens. It is important to go for your follow up visits to ensure that your corneal flap is healing smoothly and normally.

• Weeks Four: Patients can now start sports but with proper eye protection and gears. Outdoor activities are also allowed until you have your eyes well protected. Continue to use your prescribed medications, supplements and drops. Visit the doctor for the one month follow up visit.

• 3-6 Months: This is the standard time period which will be taken to stabilize your vision. Don't panic if you still have fluctuating vision. It's just a part of the process and takes time to heal. It is important to keep your eyes lubricated with eye drops throughout the entire healing process to ensure proper healing. It is advised to visit your eye doctor annually to check on the progress of your vision.

The more you follow your doctor's instructions post surgery the better chance you have in a clearer vision, and less complications, and a faster healing process. It is also important to remember that results vary from one patient to another.

Nowadays a large number of people who are suffering from any kind of eye related disease prefers going for What Is Lasik Eye Surgery because of the many benefits it provides. Nvisioncenters offers world class Lasik Eye Surgery to its patients and a large number of people have been benefited by taking its services.

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Children's Vision and Headaches

By Dave Parmee

 

Children frequently complain of headaches. Usually the first consideration in the diagnosis of its source is at the optometrist. Over 80% of our sensory input is fulfilled though our vision, naturally there is a prevailing effort to maximize visual efficiency. This effort can exceed the comfort boundary in cases where there are uncorrected visual defects. Children have no references to make themselves aware that their visual input does not meet the necessary criteria. An eye examination will include testing for an imbalance in the coordination between the eye movements, and differences in the visual performance of each eye. Nowadays we are well aware of the fact that inefficient vision contributes to learning difficulties, low achievement levels at work, failure in sports and other recreational activities. Symptoms other than personal frustration include red and uncomfortable eyes, tension headaches, and unusual head posture when concentrating.

Tension headaches are common in children. It may be difficult to distinguish tension headache from migraine headache.

Characteristics of tension headaches - they occur during times of obvious stress and the pain is continuous without nausea. They can be classed as periodic. Tension headaches are caused by muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, and head. Muscle tension is caused by remaining in one position for a long period of time.

Other types of headache include the sinus headache - a throbbing headache that is worse in the morning or that occurs at the same time each day and may vary with changes in head position. Also fever may be present.
Children with a migraine headache often complain of neck pain. Migraine headaches begin as pain in a localized area, such as around one eye or temple. The pain gradually spreads down one side, or to both sides. As the migraine develops, any movement or sound can cause more severe, throbbing pain. Migraines occur when the arteries in the brain narrow, then widen.

Headaches caused by brain tumor or brain infection can range from mild to severe, and often occur intermittently without any obvious reason. in the presence of a brain tumor the child may begin to experience weakness on one side of the body with uncharacteristic visual problems. Eventually symptoms of brain damage arise such as convulsions and speech problems. The headaches may become progressively more severe. These headaches are usually worse in the morning and get better as the day goes on.

Headaches that follow a blow to the head, especially when accompanied by loss of consciousness, disorientation, or vomiting, can indicate concussion or other serious brain injury. Finally headaches will accompany fever, also in the
presence of raised body temperature.

Once a quick check list of symptoms has been followed through, the most common source tends to be the tension headache, which will lead us back to confirming or eliminating the cause as one of visual defects at your Optometrist.

Dave Parmee is an Optometrist and health and fitness advisor living on the south eastern coast of South Africa. With other medical professionals he has created a comprehensive web-site that makes for easy access and clear concise descriptions of a wide range of common ailments, their cause, symptoms and treatment. This site, Medical directory, can be found at - [http://www.medicalexplain.com/]

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Pupil Disorders Can Reveal Imminent Brain Disease

By Jay Stockman

When a patient walks through the door, the eye care professional must immediately begin evaluating the integrity of that patient; the way s/he carries themselves, their speech pattern, facial features, clarity of their eyes, position of their eyes, signs of squinting, or excessive tearing. These careful observations could alert the practitioner to issues that need attention. The eyes, as we know are the gauges of the inner workings of the body.

The pupils, in particular, characterize the delicate intricacies of the brain, and any abnormalities could prove devastating.

Our basic ocular design is such that both eyes work together in synchrony with each other. That is to say that the eyes are supposed to focus at the same level, move together, process light at the same rate, and both pupils are supposed to react the same to light and accommodation. There are certain conditions that will prevent full symmetrical functioning. For example, the eyes may not move the same way resulting in an eye turn, or one eye may see better then the other resulting in decreased visual functioning. However, the pupils are always supposed to react the same way, at the same time. The one exception to this rule is if an individual is born with this anomaly. Putting that situation aside, all pupils must react identically. If there is a pupil asymmetry, a very serious neurological problem could exist, and that may be life threatening.

To understand how the pupils operate we must first examine the visual pathway. The pupillary reflex starts in the retina. Light enters the eye and is absorbed by the retinal neuroreceptors (similar to camera film); the light then travels through the optic chiasm, the area where the right nerves crosses over to the left, and vice versa. At this junction, the light is split into two pathways on its way to the Lateral Geniculate Body. This is sort of a way station for the optical images sent from the eyes. The next stop on its way is the Edinger-Westfall Nuclei. This is the site where the mechanism that makes the pupils dilate and constrict together is housed. A pupillary anomaly anywhere along this pathway will result in unequal pupillary responses. It should be noted that there are no good causes for a pathway alteration. All are medically serious.

Relative Afferent Pupillary Defects (RAPD) are a serious and troubling finding when examing patients. Most often the eye that has a pupil that does not react properly will have a problem in front of the optic chiasm behind the eye. Some literature has suggested that a dense cataract will prevent light from getting to the retina resulting in a RAPD. However, since even in very dense cataracts some light reaches the retina, most experts will exclude it as a source of a RAPD. The most common source of the problem is optic nerve disease. It should be noted that substantial retinal disease can also result in a RAPD.

Medical conditions such as hypertension and hypercholesterolemia can result in a chocking of the optical nerve blood vessels, which will cause a RAPD. Occasional blurring or fading of vision are common symptoms. These are systemic conditions that must be addressed not only because of the RAPD but as a warning sign of serious medical conditions that can become life threatening. Emboli (blood clots) released by an artery or even the heart can cause RAPD, and may find their way into the brain. Patients suffering from diabetes may have an increased likelihood of presenting the signs of RAPD. Any condition that will result in an inflamed optic nerve can cause an RAPD as well.
The bottom line is any asymmetry in pupil reactions should be addressed immediately, and the appropriate referral must be made in an expedient fashion. Patients noticing any difference in pupil size, or reaction need to contact their eye care professional immediately, without delay. A rapid, proper referral may save the life of an individual.

The bottom line is any asymmetry in pupil reactions should be addressed immediately, and the appropriate referral must be made in an expedient fashion. Patients noticing any difference in pupil size, or reaction need to contact their eye care professional immediately, without delay.

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The Risks, Benefits and Side Effects of Lasik Eye Surgery

By Cedric P Loiselle

 

Lasik eye surgery is a popular eye operation performed on several patients nowadays, as this particular operation can correct several problems with eye visions. After the surgery, people do not need to wear contact lenses or correction glasses anymore. This is one of the benefits of a laser eye surgery however, what most people do not realize is that there are also a few laser eye surgery risks and side effects.

Benefits
Since Lasik eye surgery is popular, most of the patients who have had this kind of operation before have been pleased with their results, which means that they have had advantages as an outcome from the surgery. The benefits of this surgery include:

1. Improved vision, therefore, patients are extremely happy that they do not need to wear contacts and glasses anymore.

2. Patients take advantage of their newly fixed vision by exploring and experiencing new careers that they couldn't do before due to the restrictions that their previous vision gave to them.

3. Also, people who have had this operation can enjoy sports and other fun activities where vision was a previous problem due to the glasses or contact lenses that they needed to wear in order to play the game properly. There have also been cases with people wearing glasses or contact lenses where accidents would occur when an item used in the game, for example, a ball, would hit their eye and would either damage their glasses or their eyes itself because the contact lenses will have most likely either fallen out or moved further into the eye.

4. Lasik eye surgery is a safe and effective treatment, and this has been proved by the number of people who have had this operation, plus their positive feedback and results.

5. Some studies show that 93% of patients enjoy a 20/40 vision after the surgery or an even better ratio, leaving patients with the joy of not having to wear contact lenses or glasses.

6. The statistics worldwide of satisfied, pleased Lasik patients is an impressive 95%.

If you want to get the statistics of the clinic where you plan on having your surgery in, then, you can ask the clinic staff or your attending physician for it. It is advised that you do this so that you know if your chosen clinic is a reliable one. It would also be best to talk to a few previous patients of your doctor so that you will have more resources and therefore, you can determine whether you need to find another optometrist or not.

Although the percentage of patients experiencing conflicts with this operation is very small, there are still risks and complications that exist and occur. The laser eye surgery risks and side effects consist of:
1. Eye infections
2. Dry eyes
3. Loss of a clear vision
4. Irregular astigmatism
5. Sensitivity to light
6. Blurry vision
7. Difficulty in seeing at night
8. A glare or haloed vision
9. Discomfort or pain in the eye, such as an itchy feeling
10. Pink or red sightings in the white part of the eye

Despite these risks and side effects, they actually rarely occur. But if these do happen to you, they can easily be treated by medication and other treatments.

This is why you need to find an eye doctor (optometrist/ophthalmologist) that can be trusted so that your money will not go to waste, because Lasik eye surgery cost is very expensive even on just one eye alone.

For more information about laser eye surgery risks and the lasik eye surgery cost, visit our website lasikeyesurgeryx.net/lasik-eye-surgery-preparation.

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Irritated Eyes and Eyes That Itch

By Dr Jeffrey Lewis

 

Dry eye syndrome is a relatively common condition that is caused by irritation or an infection to the tear duct or tear film. It affects approximately 3.2 million Americans across the country.

The result of this irritation or infection can cause a decrease in the production of tears, the immediate evaporation of tears, or even a serious defect in the production of mucus or lipids that are usually found in tear layers.

Many people who develop these symptoms experience extreme redness, irritation, excessive watering of the eyes, dry itchy eyes, and sometimes pain. These symptoms can and often do get in the way of the daily enjoyment of life. It is important that you seek immediate relief for your dry eye condition.

Most people try to use over-the-counter drops that claim to "get the red out" because they are only concerned about the redness in their eyes. But you should be paying attention to any and all irritating symptoms involving your eyes. Your eyesight is not something to be taken lightly. Any abnormal signs could lead to vision problems, perhaps even vision loss. You should take protective measures right away.

These over-the-counter drops may get rid of the redness in your eyes, but they do not treat the other symptoms. If left untreated, your irritated eye condition could get worse. You are then at risk for an infection or even scarring and vision loss.

When looking for a remedy for your dry eye syndrome, make sure you find something that will get rid of all your symptoms. Artificial tears are very effective in treating dry eye symptoms. They not only get rid of the redness, but they also soothe the itching and irritation.

Artificial tears are a basic focus in the treatment of many eye conditions. Oftentimes, people are confused about the best products to use. It is not hard to understand why when you consider the amount of products that are advertised to meet the needs of eye problems. My free e-guide, Dry Eye Relief Doesn't Come in a Bottle, is available to help you learn more about which product choice will be right for you. This informative e-guide has been designed to assist you in discerning which product might best meet your needs.

As with any medical condition, it is always a wise choice to consult a physician before pursuing any form of treatment. Though the free e-guide provides a wealth of useful information , it is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

If, after using artificial tears or some other eye medication, your eye syndrome gets worse, see a medical professional immediately. This relatively common condition, if left untreated, could cause serious eye problems such as infection or disease.

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Cure Under Eye Bags - Terrific Strategies And Tips

By Jennylyn P Pereira

A lot of people consider dark circles under the eyes to be a visible indication of not getting enough regular sleep but there are a few individuals who have this condition even when they have been sleeping well. People who are prone to this condition need to know what causes the darkening skin and then they can consider how to remove dark circles under their eyes. Advancing age and heredity can both be crucial factors in having skin which shows black circles easily. At times, these dark circles are also attributable to some natural causes.

Some people are born with skin which may be thinner around the eye area and more translucent. This means that black circles are more easily observed on their skin. Age could also play a part because when the body gets older it stops producing as much collagen and the skin loses its elasticity. This makes the skin around the eyes get thinner and stretch out so that dark circles become more obvious. Needless to say, being tired also causes the problem and if that is the case and you are wondering how to get rid of dark circles, you really should try to get more sleep on a regular basis.

Many types of allergies could cause black circles to form beneath the eyes. Allergies to environmental factors like smoke or dust, food allergic reactions and seasonal hay fever type allergies can all exasperate the condition. Fluid retention within your body is another major cause for dark circles and it could happen owing to factors such as diet, hormonal variations, lack of physical activity, too much salt and alcohol. However, it might indicate more serious conditions like hypertension. Anemia is a medical condition caused by deficiency of hemoglobin and this too can cause those dark circles under the eyes.

How to remove dark circles that form beneath your eyes in a holistic and all-natural way is something you should know. These all-natural therapies are inexpensive and can be easily carried out at home. They all will help to tone down or eliminate the circles under your eyes but some might work best for your particular problem. If you are well rested and still have dark circles you should place an ice pack on your eyes. This would lessen any swelling and even the discoloration. You can even use black tea bags as an effective eye pack.

A traditional treatment for obscure circles beneath the eyes is to put fresh slices of cucumbers over the affected area in order to help hydrate and tighten the skin. A necessary vitamin for overall health and one which could help eliminate black circles is vitamin K. It is available in supplement form and also from eating lots of leafy, green vegetables. In certain countries massaging around the eye area with almond oil is actually a traditional folk therapy for black circles. A soothing and refreshing eye pack could be prepared out of crushed mint leaves and this when applied over the eye for about 20 minutes, can help to reduce obscure circles.

Do you want more in-depth information about the top ways to get rid of bags under eyes? In that case, just go to www.wrinkleremovercreams.com immediately.

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Are Some Habits Hurting Your Vision? Learn to Improve Your Vision Naturally

By Eric Crider

Do you have some habits you would like to change? I would imagine that most of us do. We form habits throughout our life. Many have been with us since childhood. If you are smart (or lucky) you have formed good habits along the way.

Educators and other experts advise us that it is really not too difficult to form good habits and avoid poor ones. So, let's see if you have some poor eye care habits. If so would like to form some better, more effective ones, then read on.

But what about those poor habits we developed in childhood and since? Just about anyone will admit that it is sometimes difficult to break an unwanted habit. It takes work.

Many of our poor habits began in childhood and often is a lack of proper training. Some behavior, good and bad, is learned by watching parents, teachers, associates and others. These people, although well intentioned, often are not aware of behaviors children mimic that can form poor habits.

We don't always know how to teach our children good vision habits because we have not learned them.

If parents make the effort to learn eye and vision care at home our children will learn just like they learn brushing their teeth, bathing properly, and encouraging good nutrition.

Most of us were born with relatively good eyesight and healthy eyes. Does it then make sense that poor habits and lack of training contribute to deteriorating vision?

This is true. With some very basic and simple changes we can change some poor habits and form some new good ones and stop eyesight deterioration and possibly some eye disease.

Would you be surprised to know that beginning some regular, simple short eye exercises will help with not only stopping deteriorating vision, but actually improve vision?

This is also true. Would you be surprised to know that if you add eye rest and relaxation to eye exercise your vision can improve? Also true.
If you then add some proper nutrition through foods and possibly other supplements and consultation with an eye professional your doctor may soon be asking you what you are doing that your vision is actually getting better. Now that is something we all want to hear from a doctor.

If you do these things and prove it to be true can you see yourself getting rid of your glasses one day?

Well, in many cases it is absolutely possible. Perhaps, with some simple, but determined effort, you will be one of those who will be able to say: "I used to wear glasses." Will it be worth the effort if it really happens?

If your vision actually does improve through simple exercise and relaxation methods and making a few nutrition changes, along with a few habits, what does that cost?
Exercise - No Cost
Rest and relaxation for the eyes - No Cost
Proper nutrition - Not much cost
Visit to the Eye Doctor - Some Cost (but you were going to the doctor anyway, right?)

Eric Crider is a writer on various health issues including his website at Improve Vision Center an information site to help understand why our vision may be failing and how to naturally stop the deterioration.

You will learn more root causes of poor eye vision at Eye Exercise and Relaxation

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Eye Exercises To Improve Eyesight - How To Achieve Better Vision Without Glasses

   

By HJ Thomas

 

Are you among the millions of people out there who have lost confidence in corrective surgeries and glasses? Are you constantly spending all your earnings on replacing your contact lenses virtually every year? The good news is that you can try some eye exercises to improve eyesight. Although you may have been suffering from bad vision for sometimes now; all hope is not lost. That is why you need to congratulate yourself if your problem has to do with shortsightedness or farsightedness. These two, as well as some few other cases can be safely addressed through regular exercises and some natural remedies. Cases that cannot be fixed or treated naturally may require corrective surgery; and this may require fixing an appointment with an optometrist.

The root causes of many vision problems are what your attention should be concentrated on; and certainly not the other way round. As a matter of fact, failing to understand the genesis of poor vision may be the reason most of these problems persist. The television is without doubt one of the best known form of entertainment in this modern age; however, did you know it could also cause some severe damages to your eyesight? Regular headaches, persistent migraine, and loss of sleep are some of the warnings that usually precede blurry vision. Actually, there are other root causes; but sometimes it depends on certain situations, which we may not be able to immediately explain in this article.

In order to achieve better vision without glasses, take a look at some of the eye exercises to improve eyesight:

Palming: this method or exercises is aimed at helping you relax after going through a lot of stress. All you need to do is rubbing your palms for a couple of seconds; and make sure you do this until both of them become warm. The next step is to cover your eyes with both palms for three (3) minutes. You can keep doing this as many times as you can within a day; and until you start experiencing improvements.

A foremost medical doctor in the person of W.H Bates pioneered some natural ways of achieving better vision without glasses in 1880. The Bate method involves a series of relaxation techniques aimed at providing natural alternatives to artificial treatment of poor vision.

Actually, there are no better natural alternatives to Eye exercises to improve eyesight anywhere; and that is why the Bates method is being taught in most classrooms these days.

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Can Children Get Laser Eye Treatment?

By Marie R Sioco

 

For the eyes to grow and coordinate correctly, great vision is extremely crucial. This becomes increasingly, specially as a kid reaches the age of 8. When a child begins to have uncorrected eyes, it can result to lasting bad eyesight and perhaps lazy eyes, which is why early eye examinations are necessary for healthy eyesight later in life.

For kids, the most widespread forms of vision correction are glasses and contact lenses.
When it comes to laser eye treatment, is it an appropriate solution for children?
The difficulty with children, specially before school age, is getting them to love and wear their specs. Much to the frustration of their parents, children hate their specs so much that they go out of their way to conceal or damage their glasses. Kids also rarely take care of their belongings and specs are no exclusion. Children's eyeglasses hardly ever last many years even though the frames are quite robust and the lenses are made of polycarbonate, the durable material safety glasses are made of. This all comes with being a kid.

On the other hand, contact lenses are becoming more significant for children as a form of vision correction. Vision correction is maintained without the fear of broken specs with a child wearing contact lenses. It is rather strange that children are not as fazed with contact lens wear as compared to adults who often feel irritation. Most children will willingly hold it in their eyes for the entire day once the contact lenses settle on the eyeballs.

The first time the optometrist fits it into the child is the only drawback with contact lens wear. Children are mostly uncomfortable with doctors and others in the health occupation and optometrists are no different. Trying to put a little piece of plastic into the eye of a weeping, shrieking child is quite a problem. Not only that, but the fear of eye infections associated with contact lenses commonly discourages parents to let their children to attempt this kind of vision correction.

Laser eye treatment has been used infrequently in children as young as the age of 3. Having a permanent form of vision correction at a young age is more likely to increase the chances of normal optical development without the problems connected with traditional methods of vision correction. Due to this, laser eye treatment for children may give the impression of being the most effective means to correct children's eyes.

There are, sadly, a lot of disadvantages to laser eye treatment that must be discussed.
There are a large number of children who wear eyeglasses before school age have very high prescriptions. Hyperopia, astigmatism, or a combination of both are simply a selection of of the most common problems. These problems can be corrected by recent laser eye treatment procedures in adults, although just up to a limited point. Children in need of vision correction frequently have prescriptions much higher than what is recommended for laser eye treatment.

That is not to say that myopia is unusual in children. Many children who wear their first pair of eyeglasses commonly acquire myopia during their first years in school. Myopia frequently begins at a small degree so the correction required now falls into the safe range of corrections possible for laser eye treatment. However, myopia results to changes in vision and it can in fact worsen throughout the years so if laser eye treatment is performed, this would lead to future procedures after a few years. This is why 21 years old is the minimum age for one to undergo laser eye treatment.

This is the right age when your eyes, just like your height, cease changing. Yearly eye examinations are the right approach to ascertain if your vision has stabilized since the exact age at which eyes stop changing varies from person to person. A minimum of 12 months of stable eyesight is needed before laser eye treatment is recommended.

While there have been leaps and bounds in laser eye treatment advances in the past 10 years, the operation required to repair children's eyes have not been fully explored. Currently, laser eye treatment for children is at an observational point; however, with technological improvements, this can be a possibility in the near future.

Find out more about Laser Eye Treatment HQ [http://www.lasereyetreatmenthq.com/] - your source for the latest news and technologies on laser eye treatment, eye surgery, and more.

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Understanding Your Sore Eyes

By Hillary G Glaser

 

It can be argued that our eyes are the most important tool we have - they are literally our visual tour guide through the world. Have you ever been at work and randomly your eyes begin to feel sore? There are so many reasons why this could happen - from diet, to visual strain, to lack of sleep - but how can we alleviate our achy eyes?

Before we can understand the best remedy to help our throbbing eyes, we need to try and truly understand what the problem is at any given time. One very common problem-area for our sensitive eyes is our very own workplace, and our dreaded computers. There's even a name for it: Computer Vision Syndrome (or CVS). CVS can develop from a few different atmospheres. Primarily, however, it stems from a combination of a poorly lit office, the reflection of the computer screen on our personal lenses, and the strain of staring into the screen for long hours. Whether or not you wear glasses, if ever your eyes randomly begin hurting at work, this is probably the reason.

While Computer Vision Syndrome is often the reason for your tender peepers, it could also be due to the way you eat. Dark leafy vegetables can significantly help protect your eyes and maintain your vision. Another great vegetable to be sure and get enough of in your diet are carrots. While they are the more commonly known choice for eye-protection, the dark green veggies actually preserve your eyesight even better. Lastly, do not slack on your sleep pattern! We all have busy schedules but to lead a healthy life in general - especially in regards to our eyes, we must get at least seven hours of sleep every night.

There are several great things to consider when trying to alleviate some of the eye-strain you're feeling at work. One great rule to remember is called the 20/20/20. Be sure to look twenty feet away from your computer screen every twenty minutes, for at least twenty seconds. You want to make sure that the lighting in the office is the same as your computer screen. This will reduce the glare on the screen in correlation to your eye lens, and cut down on your constant strain. Of course you can also always opt to go out and get some eye drops. Apply per your doctor's recommendation - usually whenever you feel your eyes are dry.

Our eyes are so important to our daily needs. If you're trying all of these tricks, and they just don't seem to be working, maybe you simply need to get your eyes checked. It could be that your prescription is off, or that you don't know yet that you actually need prescription glasses. Whenever wearing glasses, it is always best to opt for the anti-reflective coating if you work on a computer - or just when you're checking your email, or on your Facebook. If you don't need glasses, you can even purchase a pair of cheap eyeglasses with the protective coating and wear them when working on your computer.

Hillary Glaser is a social networking specialist and expert in cross-media promotion, currently working on promoting prescription eyeglasses. She is the Director of Marketing and Special Projects for GlassesUSA.com - the easiest way to buyglassesonline, which now offers free shipping on all US orders with the code FreeShip10.

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New Surgery Sheds Light on Glaucoma

By David D Richardson

 

As the second leading cause of blindness in the world, glaucoma is a serious eye problem. Yet many people are not aware of this vision threatening condition. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), among the 4.5 to 5 million people around the world blinded by glaucoma, only 50% of these people are aware that they have glaucoma. However, with newer treatments available, people with glaucoma do not have to go blind.

In the stepwise algorithm recommended by European Glaucoma Society (EGS), glaucoma is treated initially with topical medications, followed by laser or glaucoma surgery if nerve damage and visual field defects continue to progress. New surgical options such as canaloplasty can decrease the accumulating fluid pressure in the eye while reducing the risk of losing sight.

With traditional glaucoma surgery (trabeculectomy), an eye surgeon must create a hole in the eye to drain excess fluid. With canaloplasty, however, only a small flap is made in the white part of the eye (sclera). A tiny tube is then inserted into the eye's natural drainage (Schlemm's canal). A special gel is then used to open the canal following which a stent is placed to keep the canal open. As a result, fluid is drained and pressure is reduced by up to 36%.

Because canaloplasty opens the eye's natural drainage, it may even reduce the number of eye drops needed for treatment of glaucoma. Similarly, one study demonstrated 96% success rate in combined canaloplasty and cataract surgery. Another benefit of canaloplasty is that with less need for glaucoma medications, patients may save over $1,000 per year on their healthcare costs. Canaloplasty also provides peace of mind as compared to trabeculectomy, there are fewer risks of complications after surgery as well as fewer follow-up appointments.

Patients who might be considered good candidates for canaloplasty are those with "open angle" glaucoma unresponsive to eye medications or those who may be planning cataract surgery (as canaloplasty can be done at the same time as cataract surgery).

Only a consultation with a qualified ophthalmologist can determine if you have glaucoma or would be a good candidate for a surgery such as canaloplasty. Once diagnosed, your doctor will guide you toward a treatment that will best suit your needs.

David Richardson, M.D. was trained at Harvard Medical School, is Board Certified, holds an active license in the State of California, and has performed thousands of eye surgeries. As the first "interventional eye surgeon" in the San Gabriel Valley, he is certified to perform Canaloplasty.

Websites: http://www.David-Richardson-MD.com and http://new-glaucoma-treatments.com/

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Farsighted Eyes - What Your Optometrist Should Have Told You About This Confusing Vision Condition

By Dr. David Kisling, O.D.

 

Eye terminology can be very confusing. When your optometrist diagnoses you or your family members with farsighted vision, that is usually the end of the explanation. Farsighted vision can create so many different effects on your eyesight that it may not even seem to be one visual condition. Being farsighted (hyperopia) usually results in good distance vision, with problems induced by near tasks like reading and computer work. It is a somewhat muddled term since farsightedness is actually an optical error of distance vision, while the symptoms are most common when you use your near vision.

To further complicate the situation, if your optometrist finds your eye prescription is extremely farsighted, you will not see clear up close or far away. If you are young and have a low or moderate degree of farsightedness your eyesight may be clear for all distances. There is no wonder people have trouble grasping the concept of farsighted vision, and why eye doctors often avoid trying to explain it. Fortunately there is a muscle referred to as the ciliary muscle that surrounds the lens in the eye, and is attached to the lens with small fibers. Active contraction of this muscle loosens the tension on the lens in the eye and increases the eyes focusing power. In lower amounts of farsightedness if you are under the age of forty, the focusing capacity of the eye can accommodate for farsightedness and clear your vision for both distance and near easily. Eye Doctors use the words focusing and accommodation interchangeably to mean the eye muscle has gone to work to increase the power of the eye for near vision.

Even lower amounts hyperopia have been shown to interfere with reading in some children and adults, but normally between two to three prescription units it starts to create visually related symptoms. Kids and teens have an enormous amount of accommodation, and sometimes very large prescriptions for farsightedness are not noticed because they can clear near and distance vision by focusing. Often they will suffer headaches and an unconscious aversion to reading because of the eyestrain and effort constantly being required to keep their vision clear. As we grow older we gradually lose the ability to focus. This degradation of focusing starts between the age of fifteen to twenty, but effects distances so close at first that we never notice because we do not use our vision one or two inches away.

People who are farsighted have a different type of problem than individuals who are nearsighted. They constantly have to focus to keep their distance vision clear and as objects move closer they have to ramp up their focusing efforts even more. This is not a problem if you are young and have lower amounts of hyperopia, but as you age or with larger amounts of hyperopia the extra effort you exert starts to become noticeable. This occurs with reading and computer use initially, due to the added effort of focusing on top of the amount required for distance. In high tech areas like Northern Colorado there is a larger percentage of the population using computers all day and more symptoms from farsightedness are being seen by optometrists. Farsighted vision that is not corrected can be a significant component of Computer Vision Syndrome. Frequently, eye patients will be prescribed glasses or contact lenses for close work that only correct the distance amount of farsightedness. This lessens the amount of focusing needed for near to normal levels. The remaining normal effort to read or work on a computer rarely creates visual discomfort. This is another reason your optometrist may not communicate much about your farsighted vision. It is tough for them to explain why you are having a distance eye glass prescription being recommended when you are only having problems up close.

As farsighted optometry patients enter their early forties they find they have gradually started wearing glasses all the time. Many people mistakenly believe that wearing the glasses have made their eyes weaker, and sometimes feel their eye doctor has made them dependent on the lenses. This is an incorrect assumption, as the loss of accommodating ability would have occurred without wearing glasses, and would have been a problem at an earlier age in the absence of corrective eye wear. This loss of focusing power is a visual condition specified as presbyopia, which patients often confuse with farsightedness. Although it progresses from an early age as explained before, it is only diagnosed when it reduces your focusing capacity so you cannot see at about sixteen inches, the average reading distance.

Optically, the farsighted eye is usually too short and light focuses behind it instead of on the retina for distance. There may also be individual components of the eye that are too weak to focus vision adequately. The lens could be a little short in power, or the clear cornea tissue on the front of the eye could be curved slightly less than normal. A lens with plus, or positive power is used to correct for hyperopia. This is a lens thicker in the middle and thinner on the edges, like a biconvex lens. Best optical design for clear central and peripheral vision is a lens more curved on the front and still curved forward on the back, just to a lesser degree. This results in a lens with a center that sits relatively far away from the front of the eye, with a bulging appearance.

As you move an ophthalmic lens used for farsightedness away from the eye, the eye appears larger, just like the effect produced from moving a magnifier away from an object. This also magnifies the size of the image seen by the eye. Advanced optical designs have eliminated the resulting type of bug eye appearance by using aspheric lens designs. Aspheric lenses start out with a front lens surface spherical in the center (like the curve on a tennis ball) then the curvature gradually decreases or flattens towards the edge of the lens. This is the traditional design that has an accompanying spherical curvature on the back surface of the lens. Newly emerging free form lens technology allows aspherical lens curves to be ground on the back surface of a lens. These lenses are very sophisticated designs using different degrees of asphericity in different tangential lines to compensate for astigmatism in your prescription.

Either way, the flattened lens design allows the lenses to sit closer to your eyes decreasing the magnification or bug eye effect. The aspherical design by the complex quirks of optics also counters several forms of optical aberrations (blurring of vision) that normally occur when you look to the side of a spherical lens using a flatter lens design. A common misconception is that aspherical lenses improve vision. They do not significantly improve vision but they do allow for a thinner, lighter, more cosmetically appealing lens with less magnification. The aspherical design allows these improvements to be achieved without compromising clear peripheral vision. The lenses available to your eye doctor have been undergoing quantum advances in the last five years, probably equivalent to all of the advances made in the prior fifty years. The improvements in lens design are starting to resemble computer chips which double in capacity every eighteen months. The future for lenses has never looked brighter!

Some Farsighted Eye Facts:

• Some people are farsighted in one eye and nearsighted in the other. If the amounts are just right they can see near and distance without bifocals.
• President James Buchannan was farsighted in one eye and nearsighted in the other (and had an eye twitch).
• President Harry Truman was farsighted.
• Latent farsightedness occurs when a child has compensated by sustained focusing for distance for so long they cannot relax their eyes for a true reading of the prescription. Only checking the eye glass prescription after special eye drops have eliminated the eyes focusing capacity can yield an accurate prescription reading.
• Ohio State University has started a study to see if providing prescriptions that are not strong enough for extremely farsightedness infants will help the eyes self correct themselves.
• The eyes tend to become slightly more farsighted (or less nearsighted) between the age of forty to fifty.
• Young to middle age males can develop fluid swelling in the central retina and become farsighted as a direct result of stress.
• Children that are farsighted tend to have brothers and sisters that are farsighted, but not necessarily parents with the eye condition.
• Approximately one in four people are farsighted, but the number is slowly decreasing as nearsightedness is increasing in prevalence.

Contact lenses can be very useful in correcting farsighted eyes for a number of reasons. Unlike eye glasses which bow away from the eye, contact lenses sit right on the surface of your eye and therefore supply very little magnification effect. When you wear contact lenses you are always looking through the optical center of the lens which is the point maximized for good vision. This is by virtue of the fact that contact lenses move with your eye when you look to the sides. With eye glasses you view though the lens at an angle when you turn your eyes, and this creates optical aberrations that degrade your vision. These benefits often frequently result in contact lenses being the primary choice for corrective eye wear for higher amounts of farsightedness in children and teenagers. This is often an age when their appearance is intensely important to their self esteem. Who does not want to look better, especially when the old alternative was bug eye magnifying lenses that weighed a ton and slipped down your nose constantly.

Vision screenings have value in detecting eye prescription problems, but often miss farsightedness because children have a large capacity to focus and pass the 20/20 test. Only a thorough eye exam by your eye doctor can assure you your children and teens have the correct eye prescription for efficient reading and learning in school. Schedule them for an annual eye check up today. And do not forget the new options you have as a farsighted adult.

Do you or your family need help with eyestrain, computer vision problems, eye discomfort or dry eyes? If you need a new Eye Doctor in the Fort Collins area click here Fort Collins Optometrist. If you want to explore further options for correcting your farsighted vision search our website at Fort Collins Farsighted. If your eyes are experiencing dry eye syndrome symptoms we are the Expert Dry Eye Center for the Fort Collins area and all of Northern Colorado. Dry Eye Syndrome can completely disrupt you life and should be treated early for the best success. This area of expertise has allowed us to successfully provide care for some of the most difficult contact lens problems including large amounts of astigmatism, bifocal and multifocal contact lenses, and custom contact lens fittings after laser eye surgery and eye diseases like Kerataconus. We provide general eye care, a complete optical service, and treatment for pinkeye, lazy eye, computer vision syndrome, iritis and glaucoma. Our practice utilizes the latest research studies on eye supplements to recommend eye nutrition changes that can effect macular degeneration and cataracts. Relief is on its way when you contact our patient centered office where your needs come first.

Central location for Fort Collins, Loveland, Wellington, Timnath, Windsor, LaPorte and all of Northern Colorado at 181 West Boardwalk Suite 201. Parking couldn't be any easier! Our staff is second to none when it comes to taking care of your needs, and our patients are welcome to call me personally if they feel they need to. Give us a call and schedule your appointment at (970) 226-0959. We look forward to welcoming you in our office and serving your eye care needs.
Dr David Kisling, Optometry (970) 226-0959
 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._David_Kisling,_O.D.

Presbyopia - Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

 

Presbyopia is one of the most common eye diseases. It usually occurs around middle age and is characterized by reduced or blurred vision. Colloquially, presbyopia is the loss of near vision and can be corrected by using optical instruments such as glasses and lenses. It is estimated that a billion people across the world suffer from this eye disease.

Symptoms of Presbyopia

Presbyopia is typically associated with blurry vision, especially when reading, working on computers, etc. People suffering from it usually have to hold reading objects at a distance to read them properly. If you find yourself reading a book by keeping it at an arm's length, you know that you should see an ophthalmologist for presbyopia treatment.

Causes of Presbyopia
Presbyopia is largely age related. Unlike nearsightedness or farsightedness, which is affected by genetic factors, presbyopia is caused by the gradual loss of flexibility of the eye lens. With age, the muscles controlling the eyes tighten up, losing their elasticity. This means that the eye lens has to try harder to focus on close objects. Also, the proteins that make up the eye lens harden up with age, leading to loss of flexibility. All this contributes to presbyopia.

Treatments and Cures of Presbyopia
The most common and highly effective cure for presbyopia is the use of corrective optical instruments such as glasses and lenses. For patients suffering from presbyopia alone, reading glasses are an apt solution. These reading glasses can be purchased over the counter easily.

Those suffering from nearsightedness as well as presbyopia, farsightedness, etc. can opt for bifocals or progressive addition lenses (PALs). Bi-focals are essentially glasses that have corrective lenses for both near and far vision. Progressive Addition Lenses are the same as bi-focals in function, but offer a more gradual transition between the near and far vision lenses. There is also no vision transition between the two on the surface of the lens.
With age, the flexibility of your eye lens will further deteriorate, so you will need to periodically increase the power of your contact lenses/glasses. Periodic visits to the eye doctor or optometrist are advised to make sure that you are using the appropriate corrective devices.

Another option for presbyopia patients is to opt for surgery. LASIK is one of the most common options and is highly effective. It is also quite affordable and is non-invasive as well.

Along with LASIK, there are several experimental treatments that haven't quite achieved the same success rate as LASIK. One experimental treatment, for example, includes injecting an elastic gel like substance that will replace the natural eye lens. However, since most such treatments are in the experimental stages, it is recommended that you opt for LASIK if you do plan on getting surgery done for this eye disease.

 

 

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