3 Steps for Preventing Macular Degeneration

By Patrick T Langley

     

    

Sometimes we don't think about how valuable our eyesight is until something threatens the loss of our vision. Macular degeneration is one real threat to our vision as we age. In fact, macular degeneration is the leading cause of fine vision loss in Americans over the age of 60, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition that affects the macula, a part of the eye's retina that provides central vision. Central vision refers to the sharp, focused kind of vision that allows you to see objects clearly. It's necessary for many daily-living tasks, including driving and reading.

Since the damage caused by macular degeneration cannot be undone, it pays to take steps to prevent macular degeneration. Here are three research-proven steps that can help prevent the onset of AMD:

1) Eat Well: We all know that our diet plays a big part in the condition of our overall health, and the health of our eyes is no exception. According to amdalliance.org, research has shown that eating a diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens, can reduce the risk of AMD. Dark leafy greens include kale, collards, and spinach.

The types of fats you take in are also important in preventing macular degeneration. A study done by the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary found that "bad" fats, such as the ones found in processed snack foods, increased the risk of macular degeneration.

Foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly albacore tuna and salmon, reduced the risk of AMD. Thus, try to avoid foods like potato chips, French fries, and prepackaged cakes, pies, and cookies. Try instead to eat two or more servings of fish high in Omega-3s a week.

2) Don't Smoke: Many studies, including a 1996 study published in JAMA, showed that men who smoked twenty or more cigarettes a day had an increased risk of developing AMD compared to non-smokers. If you're a smoker, saving your eye-sight is another reason to quit. Even if you don't think you can quit altogether, reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke daily to less than twenty may help reduce your risk of AMD, though quitting altogether is preferable.

3) Schedule Routine Eye Exams: Since the damage of AMD cannot be reversed, it's important for the condition to be caught early so that treatment can begin. All adults over the age of forty should have an eye exam at least every two years. Adults over the age of sixty should have a yearly eye exam. These exams should be comprehensive, dilated eye exams performed by an ophthalmologist. A skilled ophthalmologist will be able to catch AMD in its earliest stages.

It may be hard to pass up that bag of chips or another cigarette, especially when your eyesight doesn't seem currently threatened. But if you work to keep yourself healthy now, your eyes will stay healthy later.

If you're over the age of forty and haven't had an eye exam lately, look for a board-certified ophthalmologist in your area and schedule an appointment today.

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Corneal Abrasions: Scratches on Your Eyes

By Dr. Charles Simon

     

    

Have you ever had that feeling that there was something scratchy in your eye that you couldn't get out? It may have been a corneal abrasion.

A corneal abrasion is a cut or scratch to the cornea, the clear cover on the front of your eye that covers the iris (the colored part) and helps it to focus light. While they can be painful, they are quite common, and minor ones heal with little consequence to your vision. However, some corneal abrasions can be serious and threaten your eyesight, so it is important to educate yourself about these eyesight ailments.

How do they happen? Essentially anything that touches your eye could cause a corneal abrasion. They are especially prevalent with contact lens wearers. Contacts that are over worn, improperly fitting, or improperly cleaned can be the culprit for abrasions. Say you walk into a branch - there could be wood, plant, or even bug debris that gets stuck in your eye and scratch your corneas. Outside on a windy day? Fast moving dirt and dust particles can get lodged under your eyelid and rub against your eyes. Even rubbing your eyes too hard can cause abrasions, especially if your fingernails touch the eye surface.

Prevention: Protect yourself from these bothersome abrasions. Be sure to wear goggles if you are working with machinery that causes particles to fill the air. Keep your nails neat, and contact lens wearers - keep them clean and remove them before you sleep!
If you are hit in your eye(s), or if you get something in them - pay attention to them for the next couple days. Sometimes irritation doesn't hit you right away. You may notice a sensation as if there is something in your eye that you cannot rinse out, tearing, blurred vision, or spasms causing you to squint.

Contact your eye doctor if you have eye pain or sudden increase in blurred vision - even if you have not knowingly had an accident with your eyes.
 

For more information on eyeglasses and vision please visit our website: Simon Eye Associates

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The Use Of Lazy Eye Muscle Exercises To Improve Vision Of Ambylopia Patients

By Tommy Sjoberg 

Lazy eye, which is also known as Amyblopia, is an early childhood condition where a child's eyesight in one eye does not develop as it normally should. When a person suffers from this condition, it means the visual sensory organ is not communicating images correctly to the brain. The brain focuses on one eye more than the other, virtually disregarding what we call as the "lazy" eye. The problem is usually in just one visual organ, but can sometimes affect both of them making it the most common cause of partial or total blindness. Fortunately, there are eye muscle exercises available that can help strengthen the muscles and connection of the eyes to the brain.

Usually, an ophthalmologist and an orthoptist treat children with lazy eye. Treatment tends to be more effective the younger the child is. However, there are evidences of new hope for adults with the same condition. There are two treatment approaches: treating an underlying eye problem and getting the affected part to work so that vision can develop. Although corrective surgery is often needed to treat amyblopia, vision exercises can help strengthen and fix a this condition.

Prior to starting lazy eye exercises, consult your ophthalmologist to determine whether these eye exercises will be effective in your particular case.

Types of adult lazy eye exercises

Eye exercises can be very efficient in improving amyblopia and can improve the communication between the brain and the eye. Some of the best lazy eye exercises include:

• Palming
• Tracking
• Focusing
• Rolling

Palming

Palming is an exercise that helps your visual organ to relax. It can be done as a warm-up exercise prior to other lazy eye exercises. With this kind of exercise, cup the palms of one hand over each eye (left over left and right over right) and intertwine your fingers on your forehead. Make sure your eyes are shut while doing this. Perform this for 5 to 10 minutes and breathe deeply.

• Make sure that your hands will block out any penetrating light and help the eyes acquire total relaxation.
• It should remain closed and unfocused. An indication of the it being relaxed is when most of the spots and flecks of color in the field of vision have disappeared already.

Tracking and Focusing

With these exercises, the use of an eyepatch is involved. The strong eye is to be covered with the eye patch as an object is moved up and down, diagonally, and from left to right in front of the field of vision. This allows the affected eye to forcibly track it. Focusing involves drawing the object close to and then moving it away from the face. This exercise will also force the affected eye to shift focus as the object moves. Regular tracking and focusing should be done to maintain progress.

Rolling

Eye rolling exercise helps the muscles of the lazy eye to work. With the stronger eye covered with a patch, sit on the ground with legs folded. The neck and head should be straight while looking in front. Now, without lifting your chin, look up at the ceiling of the room by simply raising your eyes. Hold it for five seconds. Do the same thing below and in all the corners turn by turn. End the exercise by looking at the tip of your nose and squeeze your eyes shut tightly; then slowly loosen the eyelid muscles with the eyes remained closed for a few moments. Afterwards, rub your palms together and cover it over your eyes. That's the time you open your eyes.

To produce significant results, adult lazy eye exercises must be done over an extended period of time. It should also be done consistently to take effect. If you have any questions regarding these exercises, consult your doctor to best meet your concerns.

You can learn more about lazy eyes and the different lazy eye exercises to help strengthen your eye muscles and prevent visual loss.

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Eye Allergies

By Dr. Charles Simon

     

    

Eyes red or itching? Suffering from seasonal allergies? If you're like me, you fled to your local drug store this weekend to stock up on allergy medicine, and found many of the shelves empty. Did you know between 30-50% of Americans suffer from allergies? Moreover, 75% of those allergies affect the eyes! That's a lot of red, itchy, watery eyes in this country.

What causes them? Most allergies are airborne, and that's where they come in contact with your eyes and nose. They are triggered by particles from substances like pollen, ragweed, mold, dust, and pet dander. Some other causes include reactions to preservatives in lubricating eye drops, or from cosmetics. If your eye drops are irritating you, you may want to switch to a kind without preservatives.

Eye allergies are often hereditary, and they occur as a result of other allergic processes. For example, if your eyes are excessively watery as a result of allergies, it's because your body is releasing histamines. Those histamines are making your eyes water, not the allergen. Sometimes the reactions in your eyes are actually over-reactions. If a non-threatening substance gets into your eyes, your eyes can perceive it as harmful. For example: dust. Dust is relatively harmless in small amounts, but if a person is especially susceptible to eye irritation, he or she may experience major tearing, mucous, itchiness, or redness. While that can be extremely annoying, it doesn't mean your vision is being affected.

Allergies can lead to other health problems, too. Specific to the eyes, your allergies can cause asthma symptoms to flare up or other upper respiratory problems. That, in addition subconsciously scratching your nose and eyes back and forth can cause conjunctivitis, or pink eye.

We cannot control the changes of the seasons and the allergies that come with them, so we have to avoid and treat. If you are affected by pollen, you can try to stay inside in the air conditioning on especially high pollen days. If you are going outside, you can wear wraparound sunglasses to keep pollen and other particles out of your eyes. Avoidance can be hard though, especially during the week when you have to be out and about, so you can treat your allergies with either prescription or over-the-counter treatments. Speak with your doctor to find out what's right for you. If your eyes are really suffering, eye drops with antihistamines may be best for you. Always consult your eye doctor before beginning to use medicated eye drops regularly.
 

Delaware's most trusted eye care provider with 27 years of experience and excellent service.
For more information about eye care and glasses, visit our website Simon Eye Associates

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The Ins and Outs of LASIK Eye Surgery Costs

By Kristen Mozayeni

     

    

Laser vision correction involves an integral part of your body - your eyes. Understandably, one of the first concerns a potential LASIK patient has involves the question, "How much does LASIK cost?" Honest pricing policies are the best to look for, as it minimizes confusion and promotes healthy patient to doctor communicaiton. If you have been deemed an ideal candidate, your eye care doctor will review pricing with you. When it comes to LASIK eye surgery, full disclosure is the best practice.

While discounts and coupons may seem like an attractive offer, these "deals" are typically too good to be true. More often than not, these offices operate using "bait and switch" tactics that lead patients to believe they are getting a better deal than actuality. Many times these offices charge less for LASIK eye surgery due to the sacrifices in technology, a less experienced surgeon, a surgeon who is not even located in that office, and not really caring about the patient as a person. Find a reputable specialist who rejects these "small print" pricing deals and instead remains straightforward in offering honest, competitive pricing after it's determined you are a fitting LASIK candidate.

Many people looking to undergo LASIK vision correction also deal with astigmatism or high prescriptions. These conditions increase LASIK bills in numerous offices. However, an extra fee due to astigmatism is not guaranteed when someone undergoes LASIK eye surgery.

It is possible for LASIK surgery to temporarily affect your finances. Therefore, it is imperative to plan accordingly. Luckily, there are several avenues patients take to pay for LASIK. A few viable financial solutions include:

1. Spending Accounts - Put your HSA (Health Savings account) or FSA (Flexible Spending Account) to work for you when the time for LASIK arrives.
2. Financing - Paying for anything up front is ideal, but if that is not possible, then third party financing is always a viable option.
3. Tax Refunds - Utilize tax refunds to make laser vision correction more affordable.
4. Save, Save, Save - Plan accordingly to pay for LASIK surgery further on down the road. By setting money aside over the span of several months or even a year, your LASIK bill will not stress your finances and will eliminate chances for medical debt.

Whether you're hoping to undergo LASIK or have already been identified as an ideal candidate, it is imperative to treat your body and eyes well. The most important thing someone can do before having laser vision correction is to see a reputable cornea specialist who does not condone sweeping pricing strategies under the rug for later. Be sure to find an office that uses state-of-the-art lasers, unmatched care and honesty and straightforward pricing.
 

More questions about LASIK eye surgery costs? Schedule an appointment with Providence Eye & Laser Specialists' today to see if you're an ideal candidate. We will be happy to discuss payment with you up front, should you be suitable for LASIK.
 

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Find the Best Eyewear to Defeat Eye Issues

By Ramesh Kumarr

Causes of Computer Vision Syndrome

Most of the youth in today's world spends more than two to three hours consistently on a computer or a laptop. It has become a part of everyone's daily routine. For all those individuals who spend more than desired number of hours on a desktop shall soon face the signs and symptoms of computer vision syndrome. Most people complain about frequent headache, burning sensation in the eyes, dry eyes, blur vision, sensitivity in viewing, common strain on the eyes, etc. These are all symptoms of computer vision syndrome. Elongated hours of staring at the computer screen is one of the prime reasons for the cause of this syndrome. Hence, most opticians or eye specialists recommend special glasses for computer users.

Although most of you might not be able to realize the damage caused to our eyes due to extra exposure to the rays emitted by the screen in the short run, it is important to take out time and learn about it. Eyes constantly adjust to provide a clear vision as and when people move forward and backward against the desktop. In this process, eyes suffer constant pressure and strain. Under such circumstances, computer eyeglasses prove to be of significant use.

What eye specialists recommend?

Eye specialists recommend computer glasses for those diagnosed with computer vision syndrome and other allied side effects. These glasses are meant to be worn while working on the desktop. The functionality of these glasses works out significantly for most avid users of computer. Permanent changes in vision can be avoided with the help of these glasses. Such glasses are also used by people for other recommended activities such as playing piano or gun shooting, etc. Depending on every individual's eyesight, eye care specialists recommend a particular type of computer eye wear for different individuals.

Types of computer glasses for different individuals

Depending on the type of eyesight each individual has, specialists recommend different types of computer glasses. Some require Monofocal glasses also known as single vision glasses, while some individuals make use of Bifocal glasses as per the eyesight requirement. Trifocal glasses are also used by those who require both Bifocal as well as Monofocal lenses. Frequent eye tests can help you understand the health of your eyes and the required treatment for any ailment.

Choosing the right computer eyewear for your use

If constant exposure to desktop glares bothers you, then do not hesitate to get an eye test done. Buy computer glasses and stay free from any worries about your vision being damaged or hampered. Do not let the constant glare trouble your eye sight and worsen the matter. There are many stores online where you can find an exclusive range of computer glasses as well as fashion glasses for all your purposes. You can visit the online website and check out the wide range of attractive glasses available in various designs and colour combinations. Moreover, you can avail all your favourite designs of glasses at reasonable rates and protect your eyes from unnecessary troubles.

Looking Glasses For Computer Users? Buy Computer Glasses Online In India From Sunglassesindia.com.

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A Quick Guide To Cataract Diagnosis

By Jack Grandt

     

Cloudiness on the lens of the eye is known as cataract. The lens of the eye is normally transparent allowing light to pass through to the retina, a light-sensitive tissue that sends nerve signals to the brain, so you can see well-defined images. If part of the lens becomes cloudy, light cannot pass through easily to the retina and your vision becomes blurred. Cataract can occur in one or both eyes but does not spread from one eye to the other.

When you consult an ophthalmologist for cataract diagnosis, he carries out a detailed examination, along with a microscopic examination of your internal eyeballs. Additionally, he does an exam that is designed to spot the presence of cataract. In the process, the ophthalmologist asks questions in regards to your eye history. There is no pain and other conditions related to vision may be discovered.
The ophthalmologist will want to know the symptoms you present. When informing him, try to be as clear as you can. If you have impaired vision, explain the activities it interferes with.

The ophthalmologist will want to know how long ago your last eye exam was. You must inform him about any injuries, previous eye diseases or surgical procedures you have had. Communicate any eye medications you are taking. Additionally, inform the ophthalmologist if your family has a history of retinal detachment or glaucoma.

You must notice the ophthalmologist of major medical conditions you have. Diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, emphysema and asthma can affect your eye health and treatment decisions.
The ophthalmologist will start by examining the exterior surface of your eyeball with a slit lamp, a microscope mounted on a table that allows him to see both the surface and interior of the eyeball with a lot of detail. The slit lamp, for instance, allows him to look at tiny blood vessels in the retina.

Your vision is not affected by conditions that involve the exterior surface of the eye. However, they can be uncomfortable and affect the appearance of your eye. Take as example, a scratch on the surface of the cornea will cause a stinging pain when you blink.

It is during the examination of the interior of your eyeball that the ophthalmologist does a cataract diagnosis. Before this examination, he will use eye drops to dilate your pupils. The reason is that your lens of the eye is situated behind your iris and pupils. With light, your pupils shrink making it difficult for the ophthalmologist to look inside the eyeball. The eye drops evade this reaction temporarily.

In case your cataract diagnosis is positive, the slit lamp allows the ophthalmologist to determine the characteristics of your cataract. Is it diffuse, which means the whole lens is cloudy? Or is your cataract focal, with cloudy patches? To comprehend the process of cataract development, compare it to dust on a car windshield. A layer of dust may cover the whole windshield, and it may be thin or thick, or spots of dirty may appear throughout the windshield. The cloudiness created by cataract may take many shapes as well.
 

Cataract operation risks your eyes. Check out a cataract treatment that is completely safe for you.

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