Millions of people around the world wear contact lenses-more than 24 million in the United States alone.
Depending on your lifestyle, your motivation and the health of your eyes, contact lenses may provide a safe and effective alternative to eyeglasses when used with proper care and maintenance.
***
Contact lenses are thin, clear disks of plastic that float on the tear film that coats the cornea, the curved front surface of the eye. The health of the cornea surface and tear film are very important to your comfort and the clarity of your vision when you are wearing contacts.
Contact lenses are used to correct the same conditions that eyeglasses correct:
myopia (nearsightedness);
hyperopia (farsightedness);
astigmatism;
presbyopia.
***
You may not be a good candidate for contacts if you have:
frequent eye infections;
severe allergies;
dry eye that is resistant to treatment;
a very dusty work environment;
an inability to handle and care for the lenses.
Choose an eye care professional who is experienced with contact lenses and with whom you can discuss your needs and expectations. Your eye care professional should diagnose and treat any eye problems that may hinder healthy lens wear and be able to correct problems that arise during lens wear.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Many Adults Fuzzy on Eye Health
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Oct. 19, 2007 -- A new survey shows that many U.S. adults need to upgrade their eye care.
The survey of 1,000 adults shows that nearly half -- 47% -- worry more about losing their sight than about losing their memory and their ability to walk or hear.
But almost 30% indicated that they don't get their eyes checked by an eye doctor or an eye care specialist at least every two years.
The American Optometric Association (AOA), which funded the survey, recommends that adults aged 18-60 get their eyes checked at least every two years and annually at age 61 and older.
A little more than two-thirds of the participants reported wearing corrective lenses and/or having had eye surgery. Among those participants, 79% reported bad habits such as:
* Wearing their contacts while showering, sleeping, or swimming
* Wearing their contact lenses for longer than suggested
Also, 17% of contact lens users indicated that they had never replaced their contact lens case.
Among all participants -- including those with good vision -- roughly three-quarters didn't know that the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. is macular degeneration.
The AOA provides these tips for contact lens wearers:
* Always wash your hands before handling contact lenses.
* Carefully and regularly clean contact lenses as directed by your optometrist (or other eye care provider).
* Store lenses in the proper lens storage case.
* Replace the lens storage case at least every three months.
* Clean the lens case after each use, and keep it open and dry between cleanings.
* Use only products recommended by your optometrist (or other eye care provider) to clean and store contact lenses.
* Always follow the recommended contact lens replacement schedule.
* Remove contact lenses before swimming or entering a hot tub.
* See your optometrist (or other eye care provider) for your regularly scheduled contact lens and eye examination.
SOURCES: American Optometric Association: "Second Annual American Optometric Association American Eye-Q Survey." American Optometric Association: "The Importance of Regular Eye Exams." American Optometric Association: "Contact Lenses." News release, Hill and Knowlton.
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Oct. 19, 2007 -- A new survey shows that many U.S. adults need to upgrade their eye care.
The survey of 1,000 adults shows that nearly half -- 47% -- worry more about losing their sight than about losing their memory and their ability to walk or hear.
But almost 30% indicated that they don't get their eyes checked by an eye doctor or an eye care specialist at least every two years.
The American Optometric Association (AOA), which funded the survey, recommends that adults aged 18-60 get their eyes checked at least every two years and annually at age 61 and older.
A little more than two-thirds of the participants reported wearing corrective lenses and/or having had eye surgery. Among those participants, 79% reported bad habits such as:
* Wearing their contacts while showering, sleeping, or swimming
* Wearing their contact lenses for longer than suggested
Also, 17% of contact lens users indicated that they had never replaced their contact lens case.
Among all participants -- including those with good vision -- roughly three-quarters didn't know that the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. is macular degeneration.
The AOA provides these tips for contact lens wearers:
* Always wash your hands before handling contact lenses.
* Carefully and regularly clean contact lenses as directed by your optometrist (or other eye care provider).
* Store lenses in the proper lens storage case.
* Replace the lens storage case at least every three months.
* Clean the lens case after each use, and keep it open and dry between cleanings.
* Use only products recommended by your optometrist (or other eye care provider) to clean and store contact lenses.
* Always follow the recommended contact lens replacement schedule.
* Remove contact lenses before swimming or entering a hot tub.
* See your optometrist (or other eye care provider) for your regularly scheduled contact lens and eye examination.
SOURCES: American Optometric Association: "Second Annual American Optometric Association American Eye-Q Survey." American Optometric Association: "The Importance of Regular Eye Exams." American Optometric Association: "Contact Lenses." News release, Hill and Knowlton.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
LASIK
LASIK (Laser in Situ Keratomileusis) is an outpatient surgical procedure used to treat myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism. With LASIK, your ophthalmologist uses a laser to reshape the cornea to improve the way the eye focuses light rays into the retina.
The ideal candidate for LASIK is over 18 years of age, not pregnant or nursing, and free of any eye disease. You should not have had a change in your eye prescription in the last year and should have a refractive error within the range of correction for LASIK. You must also be willing to accept the potential risks, complications and side effects associated with LASIK. These include:
Discomfort or pain
Hazy or blurry vision
Scratchiness
Dryness
Glare
Halos or starbursts around light
Light sensitivity
Small pink or red patches on the white of the eye
Almost everyone experiences some dryness in the eyes and fluctuation vision during the day. These symptoms usually fade within one month, although some people may continue to have symptoms for a longer period of time.
The ideal candidate for LASIK is over 18 years of age, not pregnant or nursing, and free of any eye disease. You should not have had a change in your eye prescription in the last year and should have a refractive error within the range of correction for LASIK. You must also be willing to accept the potential risks, complications and side effects associated with LASIK. These include:
Discomfort or pain
Hazy or blurry vision
Scratchiness
Dryness
Glare
Halos or starbursts around light
Light sensitivity
Small pink or red patches on the white of the eye
Almost everyone experiences some dryness in the eyes and fluctuation vision during the day. These symptoms usually fade within one month, although some people may continue to have symptoms for a longer period of time.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Glaucoma: A Closer Look
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve-the part of the eye that carries the images we see to the brain. The optic nerve is made up of many nerve fibers. When damage to the optic nerve occurs, blind spots develop. These blind spots usually go undetected until the optic nerve is significantly damaged. If the optic nerve is destroyed, blindness occurs.
Early detection and treatment by your ophthalmologist are the keys to preventing optic nerve damage and blindness from glaucoma.
What causes Glaucoma?
Clear liquid called aqueous humor circulates inside the front portion of the eye. To maintain a healthy level of pressure within the eye, a small amount of this fluid is produced constantly while an equal amount flows out of the eye through a microscopic drainage system.
Because the eye is a closed structure, if the drainage area for the aqueous humor- called the drainage angle-is blocked, the excess fluid cannot flow out of the eye. Fluid pressure within the eye increases, pushing against the optic nerve and causing damage.
How is Glaucoma detected?
Regular eye examinations by your ophthalmologist are the best way to detect glaucoma. A glaucoma screening that checks only the pressure of the eye is not sufficient to determine if you have glaucoma. The only sure way to detect glaucoma is to have a complete eye examination.
Information provided by EyeCare America. EyeCare America is a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The program provides eye care services to seniors and for those who are at increased risk for glaucoma. More than 90 percent of the care provided by the physician is at no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. Learn more on their website.
Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve-the part of the eye that carries the images we see to the brain. The optic nerve is made up of many nerve fibers. When damage to the optic nerve occurs, blind spots develop. These blind spots usually go undetected until the optic nerve is significantly damaged. If the optic nerve is destroyed, blindness occurs.
Early detection and treatment by your ophthalmologist are the keys to preventing optic nerve damage and blindness from glaucoma.
What causes Glaucoma?
Clear liquid called aqueous humor circulates inside the front portion of the eye. To maintain a healthy level of pressure within the eye, a small amount of this fluid is produced constantly while an equal amount flows out of the eye through a microscopic drainage system.
Because the eye is a closed structure, if the drainage area for the aqueous humor- called the drainage angle-is blocked, the excess fluid cannot flow out of the eye. Fluid pressure within the eye increases, pushing against the optic nerve and causing damage.
How is Glaucoma detected?
Regular eye examinations by your ophthalmologist are the best way to detect glaucoma. A glaucoma screening that checks only the pressure of the eye is not sufficient to determine if you have glaucoma. The only sure way to detect glaucoma is to have a complete eye examination.
Information provided by EyeCare America. EyeCare America is a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The program provides eye care services to seniors and for those who are at increased risk for glaucoma. More than 90 percent of the care provided by the physician is at no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. Learn more on their website.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Vision Care
Imagine a world without vision. A world that is dark and colorless. Difficult isn’t it? So, what do you do to take care of your eyes? What measures do you obtain to get rid of several small but potential problems which might cause severe consequences? A basic know-how, a little change in your lifestyle and habits could bring a healthy solution to all your eye problems.
Introduction
Our eyes are supposedly considered to be the mirror of our personality. They reflect the kind of person that we are and use expressions to communicate without words. They also help us to see the beautiful creations of God and add a distinct meaning to our life, everyday.
Often, we take a lot of care to make our eyes look beautiful and appealing to others. We use eye-shadows, eye-liners and various other eye make-up products to enhance the external appearance of our eyes. However, seldom do we remember about the basic health aspects of our eyes. Usually, most of us consider the gift of eye-sight as a natural phenomenon and tend to take it for granted. As a result, we forget to take care of our eyes and suffer from various consequences which sometimes lead to impaired vision or even permanent loss of eyesight.
Importance of Vision Care
It is only when we come across a blind person or face eye-problems ourselves; we start thinking of the importance of caring for our eyes. Generally, we think that eye problems are a part of the aging process and deal with them quite casually. It is indeed true that some eye problems occur with age; however, there have been and there are people who have enjoyed problem free vision and healthy eyes even at old age. This has been possible due to adequate care and measures taken and followed on a regular basis. Even if you are not facing any serious problem today, it is always good to imbibe some basic vision care practices, which would help you enjoy a bright and clear vision even at your old age.
Read more
Introduction
Our eyes are supposedly considered to be the mirror of our personality. They reflect the kind of person that we are and use expressions to communicate without words. They also help us to see the beautiful creations of God and add a distinct meaning to our life, everyday.
Often, we take a lot of care to make our eyes look beautiful and appealing to others. We use eye-shadows, eye-liners and various other eye make-up products to enhance the external appearance of our eyes. However, seldom do we remember about the basic health aspects of our eyes. Usually, most of us consider the gift of eye-sight as a natural phenomenon and tend to take it for granted. As a result, we forget to take care of our eyes and suffer from various consequences which sometimes lead to impaired vision or even permanent loss of eyesight.
Importance of Vision Care
It is only when we come across a blind person or face eye-problems ourselves; we start thinking of the importance of caring for our eyes. Generally, we think that eye problems are a part of the aging process and deal with them quite casually. It is indeed true that some eye problems occur with age; however, there have been and there are people who have enjoyed problem free vision and healthy eyes even at old age. This has been possible due to adequate care and measures taken and followed on a regular basis. Even if you are not facing any serious problem today, it is always good to imbibe some basic vision care practices, which would help you enjoy a bright and clear vision even at your old age.
Read more
Dry Eye Forum
I joined this dry eye forum that is hosted by Bio-Logic Aqua Technologies. They make a favorite product of mine, Nature's Tears EyeMist. You will probably see me mention it occasionally, though I am going to try to be fair and balanced.
Visit them!
Visit them!
Welcome!
I wanted to start this blog to post relevant articles and resources for people with dry eyes and other eye problems, like me. :D
I hope to provide some good information to our new community. Make sure to keep checking back for new posts!
Thanks and enjoy!
I hope to provide some good information to our new community. Make sure to keep checking back for new posts!
Thanks and enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)