Friday, December 5, 2008

Vision Care for the Diabetic

There are a numbers of diseases in which the eyes are at risk of harm.  Diabetes is a disease that has the capability to cause visual problems and even blindness.  Knowing this, your doctor will want to monitor your eyesight regularly.

The way in which diabetes affects the eyes is; that while the pancreas can't produce the insulin required to balance the sugar, this break down of sugars and starches affects the flow of blood effectively.  With a decreased flow of blood to the nerves in the eyes, the flow of oxygen is diminished.  When an organ does not receive adequate oxygen, it begins to kill off nerve endings that are required to sustain the organ's function.  This also affects the eyes.

Depending on the type of diabetes you have your doctor will want to make every effort to ensure you are taking care of all your vital organs and again, this includes your eyes.  The lack of oxygen can cause eye diseases such as retinopathy which causes damage to the retina, or it may cause cataracts, or glaucoma.  Diseases such as this may ultimately cause blindness if left untreated.

Symptoms may not be immediately obvious, therefore when you are diagnosed with diabetes, it is imperative to have them looked at often.  It isn't until the symptoms have gotten so bad many people see their doctor.  By the time they are seen, the damage may already be irreversible.

Knowing some symptoms ahead of time could be of great help.  If you are unsure what to watch for, don't be afraid to ask your doctor or optician.  That's what they are there for. 

Some ways to help prevent your eyes from being affected by diabetes is to;

1. Have your eyes tested regularly
2. Do what is required to keep your sugar balance in check.  If this becomes a problem you should have it checked and your eyes should be a part of what they check.
3. Good nutrition.  A healthy diet as prescribed by your practitioner can help immensely.  Not only in the balance of your sugar, but it also allows for healthy flow of your blood and carries the oxygen required to the organs effectively.
4. Exercise.  Doing what you can to keep the blood pumping can help too.  Your practitioner can help you devise a plan that will suit you best.
5. Avoid smoking and alcohol.  These can cause poor circulation in your blood and minimize the flow of oxygen your organs so desperately need.  Your body is already dealing with a sugar imbalance problem; don't give it more to fight against.

When should you see your doctor?  If at any time you have questions or concerns you should see your doctor.  You can ask for help if you experience any blurriness, seeing of spots or see lights flashing, (any abnormal disturbances) and for certain, if at any time you should lose the vision of an eye or both, see your physician immediately.  Even if it's for a short period of time, this could be a sign you don't want to ignore.

With all the things you need to deal with having diabetes, whether type 1 or 2, it's always best to take care of your self and see your practitioner often.  The best form of prevention is action.  Don't leave things to chance and don't ignore symptoms you are experiencing, even if it seems silly.  There is simply nothing silly about losing your eyesight.

Take care of your eyes; they depend on you, as much as you depend on them.

Medical Disclaimer: This article is designed for educational purposes only and should not be used in any other manner. This information is not intended to substitute for informed medical advice. Nor is it a diagnosis or treatment.

Ruth's passions are people and pet health. She is a wife, a stepmom a dog owner and a business person. Naturally Rebuilding Vision is a new interest Ruth has delved into. Get A Free Report And Join Our Free Lesson-Vision Tip Series:
http://www.rebuild-your-vision.com

This article is not meant to diagnose or treat.  This article is strictly for your information.  Always consult a professional.

 

 

Contact lenses can be both practicle and fashionable!

Contact lenses can be both practicle and fashionable!

Contact lenses are basically a practical device. But there is no reason they won't also be a fashion statement, a technique to change your natural attributes to fit your fancy. The types of contact lenses that make that likely fall into 4 classes. Visibility tints are sometimes a light blue or green cast infused into a contact lens.

The dye is too weak to affect how your eye color looks, but it's acceptable to make the contacts straightforward to see. That helps when inserting them and minimizes the odds of losing one. An enhancement hint, in contrast, is a richer dye that does change the hue of your natural eye color. They will not change your color from, say, blue to brown but can give blue or green eyes a more colourful look. They are nearly opaque and are engineered to change the natural color of your iris, the colored portion of the eye. Brown eyes can be made to look blue, blue eyes can change to brown with the flick of a lens. They come in a collection of colors including hazel, green, or blue and even violet or grey. These types of  contact lenses typically do an awfully effective job not only of shifting or changing color, but of making the effect look extraordinarily natural.

Frequently colored dyes are boosted with dots, stripes and other features to mimic the mottled look of the iris. The central portion is clear to permit for full passage of light. Since the pupil of even the lightest eye-colored person is still extremely dark the natural effect isn't marred. At the acute end of the range of effects are special melodramatic lenses used for 'eye decoration'. They might be in the shape of slits to supply moggy's eyes or bigger colored areas to make the iris look unnaturally massive. They can be purposely designed in perverted colors like red or white to supply a personality effect for a party or simply for fun. A full range of special-contact lenses are available but virtually all of them still give the facility to improve vision the way regular contact lenses do. They're typically available in soft, RGP, regular wear or extended wear, and other common selections. Some dramatic lenses may be designed only for effect with no 'eyeglasses' capability, but even lots of those are available for people that do need contact lenses.

Could wearing contact lenses actually damage your eyes?

Could wearing contact lenses actually damage your eyes?

Millions of people the world over wear them daily and for years without health issues or maybe discomfort.

Still, about 4% of all contact lenses users experience some form of health issue at some time. Hazards of wearing contact lenses, whilst terribly low, are now not nil. Your percentages can be improved by correct use, though. One overall issue is the undeniable fact that any contact lens will prohibit the amount of air that gets to the eye. With the recognition of seven day or perhaps 30-day successive wear lenses, that problem ( whilst little ) is bigger than it was in the past.

Except for infection, discomfort and blurred vision can happen when a lens is worn for over some days. That irritation can happen to the eyeball itself, and also to the lens and surrounding tissues. GPC produces itching and redness on the encompassing tissue, the result of protein buildup on the surfaces of the lens. Swelling happens on the inside surface of the eyelids and can produce a sticky discharge too. When this happens, you need to can use until your eye care pro declares the lenses are safe to wear again. Regular, careful lens care and correct use can cut back the chances of any re-occurrence.

 

Corneal erosions, while rare, are also far from unknown among contact lens users. A little scratch on the clear tissue over the pupil can occur when tiny particles of grit get between the lens and the eye, sometimes as a consequence of poor cleaning or handling. But it can happen even to the most careful, as airborne or finger-borne material lands on the skin of the eyeball. Little pieces of eyelash, cotton threads, airborne plant material and much more can all wind up in the eye. With a lack of contacts these things are usually washed away by the tears and eyelid collaborating. In a lot of examples, antibiotics are requested since infection is common under these circumstances.

Pollen and other material can also produce allergic reactions that are often amplified by contact lenses. The eyes become red and irritated and over the top ripping can happen, leading to blurred vision and discomfort. Often the reaction is the result of additives in the lens cleaning solution. It occurs more frequently with soft contact lenses. Treatments include removing the lens for a while, changing solutions and using different storage techniques. The lenses themselves could cause issues if they change shape. Whilst rare, formerly well-fitting contact lenses can notice the effects of temperature and age, causing tears and oxygen to less efficiently make it to the eye. This supposed Tight Lens Condition may cause pain, redness and even swelling of the cornea. Correction contains remeasuring the eye and fitting new contacts after the eyes have recovered. The cornea itself can change shape, as can the entire eyeball. The change is delicate, but with contact lenses the tolerations are little.

If corneal warpage ( as it's called ) does occur the result can be discomfort and a rise in the chances of infection. The condition is commoner with gas permeable and hard lenses, which are less flexible than soft contact lenses. If this occurs, healing can take weeks or months, during which time contact lenses cannot be worn. As the eye resumes its ordinary shape, vision can change. In rare cases the astigmatism is permanent. In all cases, following the maker's and your eye care pro's guidance about cleaning, insertion and removal, contact lenses care and wear are your best shot to avoiding issues.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Caring For Your Eyes

Many don't consider all their eyes do for them, until they are in need of help.  With all they see and take in daily, it's an endless collection of information and data.. However, what many fail to 'see' is the need for great care.  The caring for the eyes is so specific; they have medical experts who are designated solely to keeping them well. Many just take our eyes and their vision for granted.  Vision isn't just something you have; it is in fact more of a gift.  Millions of people have had to learn life changing skills due to losing their sight.  Often times, this is something that can be prevented.  With the right knowledge and attitude, you too can have long lasting healthy eyes and enjoyable sight.

Understanding what it is you can do to protect your eyes is a valuable tool.  Wearing protective eye wear for example is as sensible, as wearing steel toe boots on a work site.  When you are dealing with materials and things that can ultimately cause harm, even if it seems minimal risk, it's always wisest to ensure their best chance.

If you have a child, you know that being in a car accident won't happen every time you get in to the car, yet, you buckle your kids securely for the off chance something may bring them harm.  Your eyes deserve the same attention.  Knowing what you can do to protect them, and making them a part of your regular routine, will greatly improve the chances of your eyes being well.
 
One of the things you should consider is the use of good sunglass.  Sunglass with a UV protective barrier is essential.  Just as your skin can be harmed by the UV rays, your eyes are also being exposed to these damaging rays.  Not all sunglasses are equal.  Make sure they have the label on them, stating they are protected from the UV rays.  If in doubt about which sunglasses to buy, talk to your optician, he can recommend something for you and your family that will keep your baby blues sparkling and healthy.

Another thing to consider is the use of protective eye wear when doing activities involving tools.  Even a lawn mower can spit up debris and can cause irreparable harm to your eyes. A simple pair of safely glasses can be a great way to keep your eyes healthy.

Something simple to do for your eyes is make sure you give them time to rest.  Reading, watching t.v.,  and time on your computer can cause strain and fatigue to your eyes.  Giving them periodic rest periods is wise.  Don't sit too close to the screen, make sure the light isn't causing a glare or strain on your eyes.

Finally, one good thing you can do to ensure your eyes are healthy is by having your eyes checked regularly.  If there are problems with your eyes, early diagnosis can prevent later prognosis. 

Just a few simple things you can do to keep your eyes seeing as they should; will be the best thing you can do for your eyes.
Your eyes are working for you, do what you can for them.
Kim Cruea

Ruth's passions are people and pet health. She is a wife, a stepmom a dog owner and a business person. Naturally Rebuilding Vision is a new interest Ruth has delved into. Get A Free Report And Join Our Free Lesson-Vision Tip Series:
http://www.rebuild-your-vision.com

This article is not meant to diagnose or treat.  This article is strictly for your information.  Always consult a professional.

Natural Ways to Improve the Vision

The problem in eyes begins with the problem of stress or strain. The traditional approach to treat the problem of poor eye sight is to use contact lenses. This method of treatment can be used in the case of low vision. These days doctor perform surgery to solve the problems related to poor eye vision. The latest technique used by doctors to solve the problems related to eyes is the laser technique.

There are some natural ways to improve the eye vision. The natural ways to treat eye problems are not costly and there are no side effects of such types of techniques.

1. Eye Exercises: Eye exercises  are good ways to improve the vision and to treat minor problems related to eyes. The symptoms of minor problems are tearing, pain and itching in the eyes. The eye exercises which help in improvement of eyes are rolling the eyes, pushing up the eyes, diverting the attention etc.

2. Yoga: The technique of yoga can be helpful for treating eyes. The techniques such as Pranayama prove really beneficial for improvement in eye vision.

3. Wear Sun Glasses: Sunglasses can help one in improvement of vision. One should wear sun glasses while going out. Sunglasses can also protect eyes from pollution and direct sunlight.

4. Put Rosewater in Eyes: The use of rose water in eyes can be very beneficial for health of eyes. Rose water can take out dust from eyes.

5. Consume Sweet Potatoes and blue berries: Sweet potatoes are very good source of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is very good for maintaining good health of eyes. Blue berries are good source of antioxidants and protect eyes from macular degeneration.

6. Use Air Conditioner Carefully: The air conditioner in your home or car should not be installed in such a way that its air should fall directly into your eyes. The direct air of AC can make one's eyes dry. Dryness can create corneal problems in one's eyes. 

7. Consume less Salt: The use of excess amount of salt in food can create problem in your eyes. Cataract may occur in one's eyes due to consumption of more salt in food.

8. Avoid Old Cosmetics: The cosmetics used in eyes such as eyeliner, eye shadow should be changed after every three months to maintain good health of eyes.

Therefore, natural methods to treat or prevent the problems of eyes are best way to handle the problems related to eyes.

Ruth's passions are people and pet health. She is a wife, a stepmom a dog owner and a business person. Naturally Rebuilding Vision is a new interest Ruth has delved into. Get A Free Report And Join Our Free Lesson-Vision Tip Series:
http://www.rebuild-your-vision.com

This article is not meant to diagnose or treat.  This article is strictly for your information.  Always consult a professional.


 

Eye Problems and Its Remedies

Your eyes are the most beautiful and most precious part of your body. It is your window to the world. You can enjoy the beauty of the nature, art people and architecture through these eyes. Most importantly, you can see the smiles of your near and dear ones with them. That makes your eyes the most precious things for you. So, you need to protect your eyes and have clear vision to the world.

Eye Problems

Long hours of reading, watching television or sitting in front of a computer screen without eye protection can deteriorate your natural vision. It can also lead to a number of eye problems, which includes impaired vision, damaged retina, cataract and even complete blindness. Impaired vision refers to the kind of eye problem, in which a person has to wear glasses or contact lenses. Color blindness, astigmatism, macular degeneration, glaucoma, strabismus, Myopia, low vision, eye infections such as Conjunctivitis are common eye problems that people often have to face.

Causes of Eye Problem

There can be many causes behind different eye problems such as inadequate sleep, sitting for long hours in front of computer or television, working in low light, inadequacy of nutrients in food. Apart from this, different kinds of infections are also major causes of eye problems.

Symptoms of Eye Problems

There are many symptoms monitoring, which you can learn a lot amount your eye problems. If your eye health is perfect, then you should have none of these symptoms. The symptoms include blinking, blurring of vision, redness of eyes, headache, bulging eyes, loss of vision, dryness of eyes, swollen eyes and many more. There is a wide array of symptoms indicate different types of eye problems, so you should take good care of your eyes and try to restore natural vision.

Remedies of Eye Problems

If you have any kind of eye problem, you should take care of your eye health. Due to any such problem, if you are not having clear vision, then you should opt for natural vision correction. Natural vision correction refers to the concept of correction vision through natural ways. Through natural vision correction, you can rebuild your vision and enjoy normal eye strength once again. There are many well known institutions that provide you with methods of natural remedies for vision correction. These remedies include a number of eye exercises and a healthy diet rich with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
There are a number of institutions online that provide you with effective remedies of your eye problems. The eye exercises and diets advised by them are really effective. http://www.your-vision-care.com is one such institution, which offers you good advice to improve natural vision.

Regain Your Eye Health

When it comes to the eye health and natural vision improvement, most of the people avoid natural vision correction methods and give much more preference to the doctors or eye specialist.

Natural eye exercises are not the perfect solution to these problems, but still it is better to adopt some natural methods, because they provide a limited satisfaction and do not have any side effects of the medicines. Natural eye exercises strictly avoid the eye problems which are like a hurdle in the day to day life.

There are many solutions to this only problem. After lot many research studies, it has been acclaimed that, there are exercises which can be more then helpful in fighting and deteriorating this eye sight problem to provide a clear visionary power. In medical terms, these solutions are referred as vision correction and vision rebuilding. However, in terms of natural treatment, the names of exercises are so common that someone may not believe that these exercises are extremely helpful in improving the natural vision power.

The recommended exercises for the rebuilding the natural visionary power include:

1. Walk- Walking has been defined as the best possible solution for the re growth of the natural visionary power. Walking if done in the morning and that too on the green lush grass would be more preferable, because this treatment has been admired by the scientists as well. Medical sciences also believe that, walking in the morning is very beneficial for the eyes and also it has many other advantages.

2. Breath- Breathing sounds very weird as a solution for the eyesight weakness because usually everyone thinks that what connection could be there between the breath and eyes. But as per the medical sciences reports, eyes are one of the major oxygen consuming parts of the body.  There are persons who do not breathe properly and comfortably and hence faces eyesight problems and their eyes problem can be resolved as soon as they start breathing properly and adopt it as a habit.

3. Targeting- Targeting here does not mean that practicing on the target board, but it means focusing on the tiny things through which one gains the ability to focus. For example, first of all focus a tree and after that target on a particular branch and slowly focus on a leaf and at last target the tip of that particular leaf. This will increase the ability to focus and shift the sight at a glance.

Protect the eyes of your child with eye exercise

Does your child play video game for long hours? Does he or she sit in front of computer for hours to study or to play? If your answer is yes, then it is the time for you to give a good thought about his or her eye health. At present, eye problem has become one of the most common problems among kids.

Sitting in front of the computer or television while playing or enjoying their favorite cartoon shows, they unknowingly strain their eyes. This leads to several eye problems at a later stage. If you do not want your kid to suffer from eye problems or to lose their natural vision, you should deal with the matter seriously.

Kids will always be kids, so you need to take some precautions so that their eyes or vision do not get damaged. If you do not take good care of their eye health, they can suffer from eye problems such as glaucoma, cataracts, short sightedness, color blindness at a very young age. Their eyes can also get infected by germs while playing.
You cannot stop them from having fun in the ground in the fear of their poor eye health. It is therefore, your responsibility to take care of the eyes of your kids. You can also teach your kids some lesson about eye health and hygiene, so that they can guard themselves against any kind of infection.

Apart from this, you can from time to time take your kids for an eye check up. If your kid has been diagnosed with any kind of vision challenge you should help them rebuild natural vision again. Most of the eye problems are curable, so once your kid undergoes a medication he or she will be fit and fine then.

The damage of their natural vision can be corrected through natural vision correction techniques. The techniques include a number of eye exercises, proper diet and proper eye care. There are numbers of institutes online that can help you to improve natural vision of your child.

These websites offer a wide range of eye exercises that are specially designed for improving the visions of kids. They also provide you with important advice about some of our daily practices that can affect our eye health. http://www.your-vision-care.com is one of such site that has been trusted by thousands of people for improving eye health. You too can join the league.

Ruth's passions are people and pet health. She is a wife, a stepmom a dog owner and a business person. Naturally Rebuilding Vision is a new interest Ruth has delved into. Get A Free Report And Join Our Free Lesson-Vision Tip Series:
http://www.rebuild-your-vision.com

This article is not meant to diagnose or treat.  This article is strictly for your information.  Always consult a professional.

 


 

Vision Care and Cataracts

Are you or does someone you know have any of these symptoms?

" Cloudy, fuzzy, foggy, or filmy vision
" Loss of color intensity
" Frequent changes in eyeglass prescription
" Bright lights causing a glare and vision problems at night
" Increased sensitivity to glare from lamps or the sun
" Double vision
" Decreased sensitivity to colours and shades

These are some of the common symptoms people have when they are dealing with cataracts.  These are reasons to see your doctor or optometrist regardless of the time.  Any changes to your vision require attention. 

Cataracts affect thousands of Canadians each year.  It's a debilitating and hard thing to deal with, yet there are ways in which you can treat them.

What are cataracts?

A cataract is a cloudy area that lies within the lens of the eye. Normally the lens would be clear, but this cloudy covering can interfere with your vision and day to day life and needs the attention of a professional to take care of it.

Cataracts are rarely seen in infants or children.  It can however be congenital, which means it may run in the family.  Cataracts form often in adulthood, and can be caused by a number of things.

Some of the things that can cause cataracts to form are; certain medications, diabetes, infections, metabolic diseases, among other factors. Cataracts are treatable, but it is something you need to see a professional about.

Your doctor may order some tests to be done to help determine you're visual concerns.  He/she may order a Glare Test or a test to test Contrast Sensitivity.  There are other tests which they may determine to do, depending on your individual needs.

The need for surgery comes when 'normal living' becomes and issue.  This surgery is usually done as an outpatient procedure and does not necessarily require general anesthesia.  Although, for minor cases there may be some treatments your doctor will be able to try such as; a change of glasses, or using a magnifying lens, not cures, more of an alternative.  Many choose the surgery to reap the benefits of clearer vision again.

Although cataracts can be a nuisance and can hinder life, this problem is one your doctor sees often; he or she will ensure you are led through the process of regaining your sight and your independence once again.


Again, when you find that your sight isn't what it should be, see your doctor.  Your best chance for making it better is 'seeing' it through, not ignoring it.

See your doctor and you will see things in a whole new light!

Ruth's passions are people and pet health. She is a wife, a stepmom a dog owner and a business person. Naturally Rebuilding Vision is a new interest Ruth has delved into. Get A Free Report And Join Our Free Lesson-Vision Tip Series:
http://www.rebuild-your-vision.com

This article is not meant to diagnose or treat.  This article is strictly for your information.  Always consult a professional.

The Eyes Have It. They Are More Complex Than Any Computer In The World

The eye is made up of so many parts. Like a camera, what we see from the outside is only a simple picture to what lies beneath. The overall function and design of the eye is much more than just a white ping-pong sized ball with a colourful space and a little black dot. Your eye is the window to the world. It takes thousands of 'calculations' so to speak. What you see is only a small part of the overall picture. The following is a summary of each part and its function.

Check out our site for Vision Care


Part Description Function

Eye socket Hollow space/opening Holds and Supports the function of the eyeball itself

Eyelid Skin over eyeball This skin through muscular automatic and voluntarily movements. It acts in this capacity to help keep the eyeball moist and to keep it clean and free from debris.

Eyelashes Tiny hairs framing at the end of the eyelid. The lashes although decorative are there for much more than holding mascara. Lashes work to catch dirt and minimized it's entrance to the eyeball.

Eyeball Ping-pong sized white part of the eye. The white part of the eye is made up of a tough material called sclera. It covers a huge part of the outer covering for the eye. The eye has noticeable tiny pink threads, (Blood Vessels) which deliver blood to the sclera.

Cornea Clear/Transparent dome. This dome sits in front of the coloured part of the eye. It help the eye focus as light passes through.

The Iris The Coloured Part. Controls how much light goes through the pupil

The Pupil The Little Black Dot Set in the center of the eye, the pupil is actually an opening into the inner parts, the size of this black dot is dependent on the amount of lights it's exposed to.
When the dot is smaller, it's due to brighter light, thereby minimizing the amount of light that enters. When it's larger, this is due to a darker area, in opening, it allows more light in, so you can see a little better in the dark.

Anterior Chamber Not visible. The space between the cornea and the iris. The transparent fluid is there to nourish they eye.

Retina Not visible. Processes what the eye sees. It receives the signals or information which is sent to the brain for understanding.
Your retina is at the far back part of the eye that takes the light the eye receives and changes it into nerve signals so the brain can understand what the eye is seeing.
It uses cells called rods and cones to process light. In all there are about 120 million rods and 7 million cones per eye.

Lens Not visible. Like a camera, the lens processes and captures the image. It is held by fibers which are attached to muscles called ciliary muscles. It actually changes the size and shape of the lens.

Vitreous Body Not visible. This sits behind the lens, and forms two thirds of the eye's volume and gives the eye its shape. It's filled with a clear, jelly-like material called the vitreous humor.
Rods Not visible Works the processing of black, white, and shades of gray.

Cones Not visible. Work to process colour. They only see colours. They are most sensitive to one of three colours; red, green, or blue. Together they are able to differ what they see to form millions of other colours. Those without functioning cones experience colour blindness.

Optic Nerve Not visible. Acts as the messenger in the back part of your eye. It carries the information it sees to the brain for understanding.

Lachrymal Glands Tears. These glands produce tears for flushing foreign bodies from the eyes. This fluid is regulated by blinking.
Your eyes do so much; protect them and SEE how great they really are!!

Message

Ruth's passions are people and pet health. She is a wife, a stepmom a dog owner and a business person. Naturally Rebuilding Vision is a new interest Ruth has delved into. Get A Free Report And Join Our Free Lesson-Vision Tip Series:

Message

Ruth's passions are people and pet health. She is a wife, a stepmom a dog owner and a business person. Naturally Rebuilding Vision is a new interest Ruth has delved into. Get A Free Report And Join Our Free Lesson-Vision Tip Series:

http://www.rebuild-your-vision.com

 

This article is not meant to diagnose or treat.  This article is strictly for your information.  Always consult a professional.

 

 

Prevent The Accident Of Eyes With Proper Diet And Supplements

Based on the analysis conducted by the National Eye Institute, if there will be no advance if it comes to analysis and accident of altered kinds of eye diseases, there will be added humans who will lose their eyes by the year 2020. In fact, there will be an access to as top as 2.1 million. This will aswell possibly access the cases of abasement as the patients will lose their aplomb and abate their superior of life. What one needs may be a change in diet or the accession of supplements that are top in lutein.

Defining Lutein 

Lutein is a appropriate admixture of the animal body. The absorbing thing, however, is that it is not by itself bogus by the body. You will alone be able to accept such affectionate of actinic if you eat vegetables and any affectionate of aliment that accommodate carotenoid. These are the accustomed pigments or colors that you can acquisition in blooming abounding vegetables. Nevertheless, lutein can be begin in altered locations of the body, which cover the eyes, skin, breast, brain, and cervix.

Where Can You Get It

There are assertive kinds of aliment that accommodate lutein. These are the abounding vegetables such as aphotic lettuce, egg yolks (which is axiomatic in its chicken color), and corn. You can aswell acquisition it in carrots.

A physique needs to yield in as abundant as 6 to 10 mg of lutein every day afore you can account from its antioxidant properties. That agency that even if you eat bowls of appearance or lettuce, you will never accept abundant of it. The best way is to yield in supplements that can accommodate you with abundant of such actinic or access the beta carotene levels in your body.

Improve Your Vision

There are a lot of allowances one can get from the compound. It is even accepted to advance the allowed arrangement of a person, so he can become awful aggressive to altered kinds of illnesses. But conceivably the a lot of important of it all is how it can enhance the superior of a person’s eyes and anticipate the development of eye-related diseases.

The admixture can stop or abbreviate the risks of macular degeneration. Since the admixture is mostly begin in macula, which is that baby allocation in the retina that performs axial vision, it has the adeptness to clarify dejected ablaze which can could cause oxidative accent and allure chargeless abolitionist accident to the physique apparent to it, such as the eyes.

Furthermore, the admixture can anticipate the accident of cataract, which is one of the above affidavit for the accident of eyes and commonly associated with diabetes. A being who adds the admixture in their diet will abate their accident of eyes accident to as abundant as 50% compared to those who do not. Moreover, men who bite on broccoli or appearance at atomic alert every anniversary are beneath acceptable to go through avalanche anaplasty than those who alone gorge on them already per month.

Today, eye problems are no best accompanying to age. Anyone can access it. Thus, you ability as able-bodied access your aegis adjoin eye-related diseases.

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Sunday, November 2, 2008

Eyecare Advice

Your eyes are one of the most delicate organs in your body. They are sensitive to light and any number of diseases that incapacitate them. Good eyecare is essential to keeping healthy vision. You cannot rely on age to determine whether or not you need to see an eye care professional. Anyone, of any age, needs to get a yearly check up to ensure that their eyes are working properly.

An eye examination is pretty simple. Eye doctors will check for any number of conditions. One of the primary reasons why people seek out eye examinations is because they are having trouble seeing things at a distance or close up. If you are having trouble seeing, then it may be a case of hyperopia (farsightedness) or myopia (nearsightedness). Myopia means that you can see things close up but have trouble seeing things that are far away. Hyperopia is the exact opposite. You can see things far away but cannot see things close up.

Besides being farsighted or nearsighted there are other conditions and eye diseases to watch out for. These diseases are glaucoma, cataracts, astigmatism and conjunctivitis. Glaucoma is a condition where there is an increase in pressure within the eyes. If you do have glaucoma and need treatment from an eye care professional, then it will mean constant monitoring and frequent checkups every few months. In most cases, it will eventually mean surgery.

Astigmatism is when the cornea is oval shaped instead of its natural round shape, yet it is generally not a major condition. Many people have this problem and must wear special glasses or contact lenses to correct it. Cataracts are definitely a problem. Cataracts occur when the lenses become cloudy and an eye doctor will have to operate to remove the cloudy material. This condition is fairly common in the elderly.

Next on the list of conditions is conjunctivitis. This is a condition where there is an infection of the conjunctiva. Many people know this condition as "pink eye." It can be treated by your family care physician or it can be treated by eye doctors. The usual method of curing this condition is to provide drops that will clear the infection. It should be noted that conjunctivitis is extremely transmittable.

As you can see, eyecare is extremely important to correct diseases of the eyes and for seeing clearly at any range. That is why it is so important to seek out optical eye care professionals whenever there is a problem and even seek them out when there is no problem present. It is important to make sure you see a professional at least once a year to monitor the health of your eyes.

Have you had your eye care checkup this year? It is important to visit a vision specialist at least once a year to ensure that your vision is healthy and that you are wearing the right prescription for your needs. You may have to go to a local vision care specialist but that does not mean that it stops there. If you want to wear contacts then you need to do your shopping elsewhere. You will find discounts not available from your local eye care specialist. To compare just how much you can save on contact lenses by buying online: "Click Here"

Vision

Message

Sometimes we forget the importance of our eyes.  We have two eyes; imagine if we would lose the use one eye?  That would be devastating for us. It would be very scary to know that if something happened to the remaining eye we would be blind.
The eye is tested using an eye chart, mostly, the Snellen Eye Chart. This will show whether you have normal vision, or if you are far sighted or near sighted.

There can be many problems and diseases that occur with the eyes.  Some are not dangerous, and others can be very dangerous for our vision.  Many people suffer from eye floaters for instance, but, they pose no threat.  Eye twitching can be cause by many different reasons, some you need not worry about, others you do need to worry about. Night blindness is another vision condition.

I suggest you get in the habit of participating in your own eye care.  Be active in the health of your vision. Spend 10 to 20 minutes a day on your eyes alone.  It's worth it, isn't it?  And, if you want help, there is an online vision system you can use.  Check it out here, at Rebuild Your Vision.

Eye tests are important at regular intervals.  And make sure you go to a professional.  There are online eye tests available, but you will be better off at a professional eye doctor.  Get the right "eye facts" for your own eye safety.

And, make sure you do see an ophthalmologist on a regular basis.  Many diseases not related to the eyes can actually be spotted through the eyes. There are many eye care products available; From curing dry eyes to natural eye vitamins.

This article is not written for diagnosing or for treatment advice. It's purpose is to inform you of the many different aspects concerning your eyes.  Always see a professional concerning anything to do with your eyesight.

Natural Vision

Message

Contacts and glasses may not be needed if you practive natural vision improvement.  Your eyes are meant to be exercised as much as the rest of your body.  Think of your eye as a part of your whole body, and not an extension of it.  Contact lenses are good if they are for "you".  However, natural vision therapy may help you to even get rid of those. We think we see what there is...but, we don't.  Eye illusions, or optical illusions are everwhere in our daily lives.

Reading glasses are a great help, but be careful, needing glasses may be a sign of macular degeneration.  Check it out!  Eye glasses are a wonderful help but, do not use them as a crutch.  The same with laser surgery.  There are natural ways to help improve your eye sight.

The human eye is more complex than the biggest computer in the world.  Think about that.  Eye charts - or - snellen eye chart are used to measure the strenght of our eyesight.

There are many different eye problems, and some you can help improve and even get rid of, others you cannot. Eye infections can be simple, but, they can also be very serious.  Always check with an eye professional!

Laser eye surgery has become ver popular, but, when something goes wrong with this, it is devastating.  You need to think long and hard if you want to take this chance.

Some eye problems you can help are: lazy eye and dry eye.  However do yourself the favor and always see an eye doctor.

Eye surgery can  be used to improve your vision.  (Not laser surgery)  For the more serious problems there are now advanced surgeries to help you improve your sight.
Eye exercises help improve your vision.  Your eyes are like your body...they need exercise!

Eye health should be a very deep concern for you.  Especially as you age.  Catch the problems before they become too serious. Natural vitamins are available. These are vitamins chosen specifically for your eyes.

Stress can cause tremendous eye strain. It sounds simple, I know, but you need to control and get a handle on your stress.  There are ways to help your eyes during stressful times.  This is a whole different topic.

ps always check with an eye professional for any eye issues!

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Choosing a good laser eye surgeon

Choosing a good laser eye surgeon

Improving your vision with a Lasik procedure could be one of the greatest gifts you could get for yourself.  However, as my mother used to say, "Your eyes are precious."  It is important to entrust the Lasik operation to a doctor that you trust and have confidence in.

Let's begin with three factors that should NOT be the sole reason you select a doctor for the Lasik procedure.  The location of the office is not particularly important, and a number of people travel long distances to have the Lasik procedure done, for a truly professional doctor will only need to be visited two or three times.  Also, cost or the type of Lasik technology used should not be the sole factor.  The range in surgical skill for a Lasik operation does vary, and there is the old saying "you get what you pay for."  Further, though the newer types of Lasik procedures do have their benefits; many eye doctors in a large metropolitan area often offer two or three Lasik variants.

There are several ways to determine which is the best doctor for you in your area.  One of the qualities to look for in a good Lasik physician is someone who can accurately assess your situation, and advise you if Lasik is even a good choice for you and your lifestyle.  A physician that takes the time to discuss your own physical condition and situation with you is a good indicator that this is a Lasik physician that you can rely on.

Look for a Lasik eye surgeon which has a solid reputation in the area, and has a good track record.  A physician that advertises in a magazine is not a sufficient recommendation to put your trust in that doctor, and needs more investigation before agreeing to have him do your Lasik procedure.  Sometimes a Lasik center with a large advertising campaign and discounted prices may be indicating that the quality of the surgery is not excellent, and this could be a red flag to avoid that center.

A good Lasik doctor should be involved in the entire Lasik process.  As mentioned above, he should take time to assess your particular case and discuss it with you.  Not only should he do the exam, but he should also perform most or all of the preoperative exam, and also should meet with you personally to monitor the success of the procedure at the dates for checkup.  There are stories from some Lasik centers of the patients never seeing the physician again after the operation until they complained strenuously of some particular problem.

Make sure the physician is honest in their assessment of the general Lasik procedure, and his track record in particular.  Ask for individual examples of patients that the physician dissuaded from having the Lasik operation, and why.  Ask how many Lasik procedures the doctor has done in total, and how many in the last two years.  An experienced surgeon should have performed in the neighborhood of 1000 Lasik procedures, with at least 500 of those in the last two years.

Use these questions as a starting point to investigate the Lasik eye centers in your area, and even the highly recommended ones in nearby major metropolitan areas.  It will be time well invested, and the first step to a clearer future.

Eye Care

Eye Care

Regular eye exams are important even for people who are not having eye trouble. These are in-depth routines that are normally performed by either an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist. How often a person needs an eye exam hinges on a number of elements including age, overall health and whether or not eye disorders run in the family.

Kids with no eye trouble need only have their eyes checked out during regular visits to their pediatrician. This evaluation is ordinarily referred as a vision screening and ought happen at a minimum, every 2 years. A vision screening isn't as across-the-board as an eye exam, but it is priceless in noticing early signs of eye/vision trouble.

For grownups without eye trouble, eyes ought be tested once between the ages of 20-29, twice during the next 10 years, 2-4 times during the next 10 years and after age 65, eyes should be examined once every 1-2 years. People wearing corrective lenses should have their eyes tested annually. Those with eye disorders should work out an testing schedule with their eye doctors.

What is involved in  an eye exam

Employing a light source, an external examination ascertains that the eyes 'look' right. You will follow the doctor's pen (or other object) with your eyes to ensure the eye muscles function properly. Whilst you read the illuminated chart with letters that get smaller the further down you go, your doctor is checking out your visual acuity. If you need corrective lenses, you'll get a refractive appraisal, a test that determines how light wave bend. The outcomes of these tests help the doctor decide your prescription. He may put a Phoroptor, a device that resembles a big black mask, over your eyes in order to fine-tune these measurings.

Your peripheral vision will be screened. A slit lamp exam uses a microscope that emits a sharp ray of light to evaluate the cornea, lens and iris. The back of the eye is also analysed and lastly your eyes will be tested for glaucoma.


Differences between the eye care specialists.

Ophthalmologist
vs. Optometrist

The duties and skills of an Ophthalmologist and an Optometrist are generally different, all the same just about most people erroneously use these terms interchangeably. Both professions involve eye care nonetheless the primary difference between the two is the presence of a medical degree. It's this degree that denominates an Ophthalmologist as a medical doctor who's been trained in all areas of eye care including the power to diagnose and care for eye disorders and diseases.

Ophthalmologists are qualified to perform eye surgery and they likewise know how to conduct proper eye measurements so they can precisely prescribe corrective lenses. Their training helps them administer advice for preventing blindness and also enables them to attend to those who are blind. In addition to advanced educational training, Ophthalmologists must be trained in clinical and surgical settings.

Optometrists routinely perform eye tests. During such eye examinations, Optometrists will also find out the need for, fit and prescribe corrective eyewear and/or lenses. Optometrists can likewise screen patients for certain eye disorders.

Information on LASEK Laser Eye Surgery

Information on LASEK Laser Eye Surgery

LASEK (Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis) laser eye surgery takes the most beneficial elements of two other types of laser eye surgery and combines them into one very effective surgical procedure. These other two laser eye surgeries are LASIK and PRK.

Unlike the LASIK procedure which involves using a sharp blade to slice off the top of the cornea, LASEK uses a solution consisting of diluted alcohol to loosen a thin layer from the epithelium so that it can be moved off to the side.

Benefits of LASEK laser eye surgery

One benefit of LASEK laser eye surgery is that it eliminates the risks associated with the corneal flap. With LASIK surgery, a very sharp blade called a microkeratome is used to cut the corneal flap. There have been cases in which the flap was cut too deeply or cut off completely instead of leaving it attached with a hinge, both of which are capable of causing any number of serious vision problems.

Healing is faster with LASEK because there is no cutting and because the epithelial flap can be used somewhat as a natural bandage after the procedure is finished. And unlike PRK, the chances of developing a glare after the operation are greatly diminished when using LASEK.

Risks/disadvantages

Risks associated with LASEK laser eye surgery are greatly diminished mainly due to the fact that no sharp device is being used to cut the cornea. There is some pain but it is minimal and is most often treated with over the counter medicines. Also, it is not possible to guarantee any type of vision results and glare, halos and dry eyes are potential side effects.

The LASEK procedure

Prior to the LASEK procedure, a patient must provide the eye surgeon with a complete medical history. Eye tests and other diagnostic procedures are undertaken to ensure the patient is a good candidate for LASEK laser eye surgery. On the day of the procedure, the eye is cleaned and prepped and an eye drop to numb the eye is administered. A special tool will hold the eyelids in place, preventing them from blinking.

The diluted alcohol solution is applied, the epithelium loosens, and it is gently pushed out of the way. The pre-calculated beams of ultra violet light are then pulsed onto the cornea and in just a minute or so, the procedure is complete.

Most patients will have blurred vision at first and won't be able to drive home from the procedure. Most need a day or two to rest. Vision will vary over the ensuing months.

For best results, always use an eye surgeon who has experience with the LASEK laser eye surgery procedure. Never be afraid to ask a surgeon you're considering for the names and contact information of previous patients. If you get a list of contacts, be sure to call and ask about their experiences.

Friday, October 17, 2008

About Epi-LASIK Laser Eye Surgery

About Epi-LASIK Laser Eye Surgery

The most advanced of the surgical eye procedures using laser technology, Epi-LASIK laser eye surgery combines the best of traditional LASIK surgery with the best of the LASEK and PRK laser procedures. Epi stands for Epithelial and LASIK stands for Laser in situ Keratomileusis. Basically this newest procedure involves gently separating the epithelial from the top of the cornea using an epikeratome rather than slicing the top of the cornea and creating a hinge as is the case with LASIK.

A good candidate for Epi-LASIK laser eye surgery is someone who has a very thin cornea and who also has mild to moderate farsightedness, nearsightedness or astigmatism. As with the other types of laser eye surgery, best vision is achieved by using laser beams to reshape the cornea.

Benefits of Epi-LASIK laser eye surgery

The two main benefits of the Epi-LASIK procedure are its quicker recovery time and the speed at which vision is restored. Because the cornea is not cut with a microkeratome (a sharp blade) the cornea does not have to heal. And because only a thin layer of the epithelial is separated, it too has the ability to heal quickly. This type of procedure eliminates the potential risks associated with incorrectly cutting the cornea, which in some cases can cause a number of vision problems including a permanent loss of vision. There also is less pain.

Risks of Epi-LASIK

While no surgical procedure is without risk, proper candidate screening including thorough diagnostic testing will significantly reduce the risks associated with Epi-LASIK surgery.

The Epi-LASIK procedure

As with the other laser eye procedures, the Epi-LASIK procedure also takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Anesthetic drops are placed into the eye to minimize pain and discomfort. From there, the epithelial must be moved off to the side so that the laser can reach the intended target area.

Specialized equipment is used to first stabilize the eye. Then, the epithelium separator makes a pass across the eye and flattens the cornea which makes it easier to separate the epithelial. It is not separated completely, rather it remains attached in the middle instead of at one side as happens with the LASIK procedure. A small spatula-type tool is used to move the flap out of the way.

The laser then begins emitting pulses of ultraviolet light, quickly removing the excess tissue from the cornea. As the laser pulses, the cornea is being reshaped. This continues until the proper amount of excess tissue is removed, as determined by the eye surgeon. When finished, antibiotic drops are placed in the eye to protect against infection, and a contact lens-like bandage is applied. Those opting for the Epi-LASIK eye surgery can usually resume normal activity the day after the procedure. Several follow-up visits are required to monitor healing and vision.

It's important to choose an Epi-LASIK eye surgeon with care. Discuss the surgeon's experience with this type of procedure including success rates. Also discuss the type of care that will be provided during all stages: before, during and after the procedure and associated costs.

Lasik eye surgery

Lasik eye surgery

Advertisements for LASIK surgery are everywhere. Anyone who wears contact lenses and eye glasses can relate well to the feeling of finally being free of the maintenance and bother involved in wearing either. As tempting as the advertisements are, LASIK Surgery may not be right for everyone.

Understanding LASIK Surgery

LASIK is the acronym for laser in-situ keratomy, eye surgery involving use of a powerful laser called an Excimer. The Excimer has been designed especially for working in the delicate eye area. The laser works quickly to reshape a person's cornea, which generally is all that is needed to correct myopia (known also as nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatisms.

Reshaping the cornea generally is a simple matter of removing excess tissue from beneath the cornea. In order to get at this tissue, a tiny flap must be pulled back from the cornea's surface. The laser can create this flap, and so can a tool called a microkeratome blade.

Laser pulses zap as much excess tissue as the ophthalmologist determines after reviewing a very detailed image of the cornea called a corneal topography. In literally a matter of minutes and often without feeling any pain, the shape of the cornea is corrected and vision restored. In fact, vision is usually restored so quickly that a patient can drive him or herself home from the procedure.

Deciding on LASIK Surgery

One of the biggest decisions a person interested in LASIK Surgery needs to make is whether this type of eye surgery is affordable. It is categorized as a cosmetic type of surgery and therefore many health insurance plans won't provide coverage.

The costs for this surgery vary considerably, but generally the costs of using a reliable and knowledgeable ophthalmologist will run several thousand dollars – per eye! So cost is definitely one big consideration.

If it's decided that the costs are justifiable, there are some individuals for whom this type of surgery may not be effective. Only healthy eyes and eyes that have stopped changing can be operated on. There also are certain prescription limitations which automatically disqualify a patient from this type of surgery.

A comprehensive review of a prospective patient's medical history is undertaken prior to LASIK Surgery. A number of tests are also performed at an initial consultation for the purpose of detecting eye problems and/or diseases which could affect the surgery. Due to hormonal considerations, LASIK Surgery cannot take place when a woman is pregnant or when either a man or a woman has a compromised immune system as this condition could jeopardize the eye's recovery.

To summarize, if such a procedure is affordable and the eyes meet the procedure requirements, LASIK Surgery may be a good option to pursue. The surgery itself has a very high success rate and combined with the fact that it's practically painless, it probably makes sense to give it a try.

The next section will review the different types of LASIK eye Surgery that are available and the risks and possible complications of each.  

Contact lenses and children

Contacts lenses and children

There's no age restriction on contact lenses for kids. In fact, even very young children can wear them and many do for a variety of reasons. How can one decide whether contact lenses for kids make sense? Like any decision, it's important to consider the benefits against the disadvantages.

Contact lenses for kids make sense for the same reasons they do for adults. They help enhance appearance, they are comfortable to wear and they are a good choice for improving vision. Add to these reasons the facts that fitting a child isn't an issue and that children have all the same options as adults including daily wear, extended wear, continuous wear and disposable and it's difficult to argue against contact lenses for kids.

Kids who participate in sports find that wearing contact lenses is much easier than dealing with the hassle involved in wearing eyeglasses. Eyeglasses and sports aren't always a good match. They break more frequently and replacing children's eyeglasses isn't cheap!

Kids can be cruel, and children who wear eyeglasses find that they're frequently subjected to unnecessary taunting and name-calling. Such behavior can seriously impact a child's self-esteem and confidence, especially when they're young and don't know how to disregard the words being said.

Studies have shown that contact lenses for kids, in particular rigid gas permeable styles, have the added benefit of helping to keep nearsightedness from progressing. 

There is something else to consider before making a final decision, however. Although a child's age isn't necessarily a consideration, a parent may wish to consider a child's maturity level. With the decision to wear contact lenses comes an understanding that the wearer has certain responsibilities that must be upheld. Since no two children mature at the same pace, a parent really is the only person who can make this determination.

It helps to think about the ways in which the child does or does not currently show responsibility. For example, how is the child at caring for pets, or at finishing chores or at completing school assignments?

If a child isn't yet mature enough to handle the responsibility, the parent then has to determine whether he or she is willing to take responsibility for cleaning, maintenance, insertion and removal of the contact lenses and also for scheduling eye examinations and follow-up visits as necessary.

If a child is mature and is motivated, that child likely will be a good candidate. And since most children take instruction well, especially when someone other than a parent gives it, they generally are very good at wearing and caring for contact lenses as they've been instructed by the eye doctor.

Contact lenses for kids do present the same risks as adults have including a higher incidence of eye infection, dryness or abrasion. Some children, even though they may be very motivated, are not good candidates for wearing contact lenses either.

As always when in doubt, talk the decision over with someone who has experience prescribing contact lenses for kids.

How conjunctivitis affects your eyes.

Eye Care – Conjunctivitis

What is Conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis is an eye problem in which the conjunctiva, which is the mucous membrane that covers the eyelid and the white part of both eyes, becomes inflamed. There are two main types of Conjunctivitis, or pink eye as it is more commonly referred to. The first results from a bacterial or viral infection and the other results from an allergic reaction.

The infective form of Conjunctivitis, if it's caused by bacteria, is highly contagious with the hands being the primary vehicle for transmission. Conjunctivitis that results from an allergic reaction is typically a seasonal condition as are most allergies.

Conjunctivitis can also result when a person is sensitive to certain facial products and cosmetics. This latter form is sometimes referred to as irritant Conjunctivitis. Allergic and irritant Conjunctivitis are not contagious.

Symptoms of Conjunctivitis

The symptoms of the infective form of Conjunctivitis include discharge that is watery or sticky, eyes that water and feel gritty, and eyes that feel as if they have been glued together upon waking. Mild soreness is sometimes a symptom. The part of the eye that is normally white will also become red or pink, which is why Conjunctivitis has earned the nickname 'pink eye'. Because Conjunctivitis often develops along with a common cold, a person may also have symptoms of a cold including runny nose, mild fever and a sore throat.

With the allergic form of Conjunctivitis, eyes are itchy and the eyelids may appear puffy. There may also be a discharge from the eyes that appears white or watery or ropy.

Who is at risk?

Anyone is at risk of getting Conjunctivitis. Because it can be contagious, a person with Conjunctivitis needs to take measures not to spread it. It's difficult because it is normal to rub the infected eye as a way of providing temporary relief. However, if hands are not washed afterwards and the cause is bacterial, the bacteria can be transferred to another individual by coming into contact with the infected hands.

People who have a history of allergies, particularly hay fever, are at increased risk of developing the allergic form of conjunctivitis.

Early detection/treatment

Infective Conjunctivitis with its notable pink eye often will accompany a common cold making this eye problem rather easy to identify. Likewise a person with known allergies knows whether or not he has allergic Conjunctivitis.

Treatment for infective Conjunctivitis that is caused by bacteria includes the application of antibiotic ointment or antibiotic drops. If it is caused by a virus, typically the condition is left to heal on its own, much like a cold. Generally however, it is difficult to determine whether infective Conjunctivitis has resulted from bacteria or a virus so oftentimes, no treatment is prescribed.

In either case it is important to wash hands after coming into contact with the infected eyes using warm water and soap. Those with infective Conjunctivitis should not share their towels or pillows with others. Also when Conjunctivitis is present, contact lenses should not be worn until it has cleared.




Colored Contact Lenses

Colored Contact Lenses

Changing your eye color to match your mood or your outfit with colored contact lenses has never been easier! They are a great fashion accessory and even if you don't need them for vision corr, that doesn't matter. You can still get colored contact lenses in an assortment of vibrant colors.

Right now it's estimated that only a small percentage of contact lens wearers realize they're good candidates for colored contact lenses. Most don't realize that there's been an explosion of availability and that now almost every contact lens prescription is available in practically every standard color option. And even when people do realize this, many are hesitant to give colored contact lenses a try. But don't worry. The color change can be subtle or it can be dramatic and that's part of the fun of wearing them.

Even though you may not need them to correct your vision, if you want colored contact lenses you will have to visit an eye doctor to obtain a prescription. A prescription for contacts that doesn't include vision correction is called a plano prescription. This type of prescription measures the width and the curvature of the eye and will insure that the contact lenses fit properly. If they don't fit right you'll know in a moment because the pain will be persistent and irritating.

Unfortunately, there's a belief among wearers of colored contact lenses that because a pair lacks vision correction it's okay to share the contact lenses with others. This is wrong! Under no circumstances is it ever a good idea to share contact lenses so don't. Not only might they be the wrong size and cause discomfort, if they haven't been cleaned, the other person likely will introduce harmful bacteria into the eyes which can cause irritation and other eye problems.

Within the world of colored contact lenses you'll find many options and it's important to understand what these options are. For example, opaque colored lenses are absolutely necessary when a person wants to completely change eye color. Colored lenses are actually tinted, and besides changing color you'll find other types of tints, some of which aren't necessarily designed to change eye color.

One of the benefits of a visibility tint is that the tint makes the lenses easier to handle by making them easier to see. Clear contacts can end up anywhere when they're dropped and they'll be invisible and nearly impossible to find. But the colored tint on the lens will help pinpoint their location. Enhancement tints have a deeper tint that will enhance and intensify a person's eye color.

Lenses that are coated with UV/UB protection tints are preferred among those who participate in outdoor sports. The tints help to reduce glare which improves vision and hopefully the game. And speaking of sun protection, there is a brand of colored contact lenses that darken to a color that resembles that of sunglass lenses when exposed to light. Once inside, the color transitions back into clear.

Information on Corrective Eye Surgery

Information on Corrective Eye Surgery

Several types of correct eye surgery exist today and these different types of corrective eye surgery fall under two main categories: Excimer Laser procedures and Non-Excimer laser procedures. As is the case with other conditions that affect the body, major technological advances have been made in recent years in the field of corrective eye surgery. The following is a brief introduction to the two categories.

Excimer Laser Procedures

An Excimer laser is a tool that was approved for the treatment of nearsightedness ranging in severity from mild to moderate. Use of the Excimer laser is complicated and it's important to work with ophthalmologists who are both trained in the surgical procedure and who have demonstrated the ability to properly operate and calibrate this precision instrument.

The Excimer Laser was originally approved for PKR, or Photorefractive Keratectomy and its usage was later expanded for LASIK procedures, or Laser in situ Keratomileusis. With PKR, the cornea is reshaped by eliminating excess tissue from the cornea's outer surface. With each computer calculated lightening-fast laser pulse, a microscopic ultraviolet light beam removes the excess tissue. After only a few minutes and the application of local anesthesia, the procedure is over. In just a day or so, patients can resume normal activity.

In a LASIK procedure, the eye doctor rather than the laser's built-in computer determines where incisions will be made and how much tissue will be removed. This is a more complex and invasive procedure and it is one that is recommended for more severe refractive conditions. Using a microkeratome (a knife), the eye surgeon slices and then pulls back a flap of the tissue covering the cornea. With the tissue out of the way, the laser is then used to remove tissue and reshape the cornea. The flap is put back into place and the patient typically can see well enough to drive home after the procedure. LASEK and epi-LASIK are variations of the LASIK procedure.

Non Excimer Laser Procedures

These are procedures that rely on artificial implants, surgery and reshaping to correct eye problems. Lens implants are effective for individuals who have cataracts, nearsightedness and farsightedness. Intraocular lenses or IOLs are used as replacements for the damaged cloudy lenses caused by cataracts. New and improved artificial lenses now incorporate the use of hinges that allow the eye to move and act like a real lens.

Other types of implantable contact lens can correct nearsightedness and farsightedness. They act much like removable contact lenses but require no maintenance and wearers cannot feel these lenses and implants.

Thermokeratoplasty involves the use of heat to manipulate the collagen within the cornea. In doing so, refractive errors can be corrected in a matter of minutes. There are two types of Thermokeratoplasty procedures. Laser thermal keratoplasty or LTK involves the use of holmium YAG laser and CK or conductive keratoplasty involves use of radiofrequency waves.

Astigmatic Keratotomy (AK) involves cutting the cornea in order to reshape it. However, its use has diminished since laser treatments involve less risk and are far more effective at reshaping the cornea.



Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Information on Cataracts and Cataract Surgery.

Eye Care– Cataracts and Cataract Surgery

More than 60 million individuals around the world have cataracts. Cataracts are the #1 cause of blindness but fortunately, cataracts are highly treatable with cataract surgery.

What is Cataract?

Over time the eye's lens, which is transparent in a healthy eye, starts to become cloudy or opaque. As individuals age, protein levels in the eye begin to decrease which is why there is no way to effectively prevent cataract from developing. Other factors can cause cataract such as head injury and certain diseases, but their appearance is primarily due to age.

There are 3 different types of cataracts and each type affects a different part of the eye. At the center of the lens is the nucleus and the most common of the cataracts affects this region. Cortical cataract and subcapsular cataract are more common in individuals who have diabetes.

Symptoms of Cataract

Vision that is cloudy or blurred is the most obvious symptom of a cataract. Nearsightedness can increase and images that were once clear can appear distorted when cataract is present. Less noticeable symptoms include the need for more and brighter light when reading, sensitivity to light, trouble seeing at night, double vision and colors that fade or seem 'yellow'. These symptoms develop because the cloudiness on the lens prevents it from refracting light properly.

Who is at risk?

Everyone is at risk of developing cataract and the likelihood that this type of eye problem will develop increases with each passing year. Simply stated, anyone fortunate to reach old age will likely develop cataract.

Risks increase if there is a family history of cataract. Steroids and some medications can also increase the chances of developing cataract as can eye injury or previous eye surgery. Those with diabetes also have an increased risk.

Early detection/treatment

A routine eye examination is the most effective way of detecting the presence or development of cataract. Because blurred vision can be caused by a number of factors, proper diagnosis is important.

It used to be that a person with cataract in one or both eyes would have to endure painful surgery to remedy the situation. But today, cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure that involves replacing the cloudy lens with an intraocular lens (IOL). The success rate of cataract surgery is extremely high. And surgery is the only option.

Cataract surgery is not recommended until the loss of vision becomes troublesome and impacts quality of life. Cataract generally develops gradually so in many cases, vision in the early stages can be corrected with prescription eyeglasses. An ophthalmologist can determine the stage at which cataract surgery is necessary.

It's important to note that some people with cataract also have other types of eye problems. For them, cataract surgery may not restore vision. Again, an ophthalmologist can help with this determination.

When cataract surgery is performed, an amazing 95% of the surgeries involve no complications whatsoever. Local anesthesia, tiny instruments and a microscope are generally all that is needed to perform successful cataract surgery.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Contact Lenses and How The Eye Works

Contact Lenses and How The Eye Works

The human visual system is both simple and complex. Complex, because there are so many parts that have to work together to make sight possible. Simple, because those parts and the process can really be explained without in-depth knowledge of anatomy and biology.

An ordinary glass lens, such as a magnifying glass, focuses the light that moves through it by bending the rays toward a focal point. That's the bright spot you see when you hold one over a newspaper, for example. Something similar happens when light enters the eye through an opening called the pupil, behind a clear protective portion called the cornea.

The pupil is surrounded by the iris, the colored portion of the eye. The pupil can narrow or widen to regulate the amount of light admitted, from as small as about 2mm to as much as approximately 8mm. The iris contains the muscles that change the diameter of the opening. Just behind the pupil is the lens, the part that focuses the light rays similar to the magnifying glass.

But there's an important difference between a magnifying glass and the eye. The magnifying glass's focal point is fixed. The eye, by contrast, contains muscles that help shape the lens and that shaping process performs a number of important tasks. Most importantly, it makes it possible for the focal point to change.

A camera lens is a good analogy. Because the camera lens contains multiple pieces of glass that can be moved by turning the barrel, objects at different distances can be brought into focus on the film. The muscles attached to the lens perform a similar function in order to focus light onto the retina, which is like the film.

Focused light rays strike the cells of the retina, the cones and rods. The names come from the shapes of the cells. The cones - 7 million cells in the central part of the retina, called the macula - are responsible for sharp, detailed vision and color vision. The approximately 100 million rods around them help us see in dim light and provide peripheral vision.

When those focused light rays hit the cells chemical reactions occur that stimulate the optic nerve attached to the back of the retina to produce electrical impulses. Those impulses are then transmitted to the visual cortex, the part of the brain that organizes them. Many parts of the brain cooperate to cause the mind to conclude: 'Ah, a car.' But the visual cortex does the initial heavy lifting.

When the parts and process of vision work correctly, you see sharp, colored entities out in the world. When things go wrong, the need for contact lenses or eye glasses arises.

Our Eyes, What Is The Mystery Beyond The Pupil?

This mystery goes straight from the eyes to the brain...and then, where does it go from there?

I am searching and delving into the mystery of the eye.  How is it that our eyes are an actual extension of our inner being, a mirror to our soul and spirit?  What is it that our eyes are connected to that gives them so much life?  So much expression?

The eyes, as we all know by now, are more efficient than any computer created by man. We already know that the eyes are connected to the brain, physically.  This connection makes the difference between what we see, and how we interpret what we see.  The eyes look...the bran tells us what we see when we look.

This is where the vast field of illusions comes into being.  We see what we see, our eyes do not fool us, but our brain does, it turns around and says “nope, that is not what you see...this is what you see”.  Amazing isn’t it.  Our brain and our eyes are at war.  Mostly the brain wins.

But, where does the physical eye connect to so that we are able to see hate in someone's eyes?OK, let me put that another way.  How is it possible that we can express emotions in our eyes?  I mean, to actually see this emotion in the physical appearance of the eyes.  Where does that come from?  How does that happen?

This is why we all like to look into each others eyes when we talk.  When we love someone, we can stare for hours into our partner's eyes.  Obviously, it’s not just to look at two marble like objects.  So, where do our eyes connect so that we can see love in each other, actually see love physically?

What's that about, that our eyes can connect to our soul, our spirit, and convey what we feel?

I remember on one occasion, at someone's funeral, it was the first time I had a true glimpse into a friend's soul, just by looking into their eyes.  It is a moment I will never forget. EVER!

What about when you look at someone and you see hate?  Is that person allowing you to see this emotion, or, is this emotion a part of the natural process of us being human, and so it naturally shows itself?

We see hate in the eyes, we see love, fear, compassion and even confusion in the eyes.

How often have you looked deep into a friend’s eyes, and seen tenderness?

The eye is a little oval object in our body.  Yet, it seems to be able to hold the very essence of our being at any given time.

This mystery goes straight from the eyes to the brain...and then, where does it go from there?

Keep your eyes healthy for as long as you can.  Become pro-active in your eye care

Laser Eye Surgery Facts Help Patients Understand The Process

People who grow tired of wearing glasses or believe they look better without them may turn to corrective surgery using laser technology to restore their visual acuity. Before heading out to an all-night laser surgical center people need to get all the laser eye surgery facts they can find to insure they are making the right choice. Not everyone will make a good candidate for lasik surgery and by perusing the available laser eye surgery facts people can quickly determine if they qualify. They can then read about what to expect to determine if they want to follow through with the operation.

Pointing to the success rate of the procedure there are several laser eye surgery facts. Learning what can be expected before the surgery, during the surgery and the appropriate follow up care is an important part of the decision-making process and the laser eye surgery facts can help provide that information as well. If it is being done strictly for cosmetic purposes most insurance policies do not cover the surgery.

Those who wear contacts might have to wait while their eyes return to their normal shape before having the surgery performed, meaning they will have to wear glasses until the day of the operation. They may also have to wear glasses to correct the vision in the one eye that is not corrected according to the available laser eye surgery facts.

Success Rates Are In Potential Patients' Favor

Despite the risks associated with laser surgery, the lasik eye surgery statistics are in favor of the patients as there are many more success stories than there are of surgeries that go horribly wrong. While the risk factors are included in the laser eye surgery facts, the experience and knowledge of the surgeon performing the operation will greatly increase the odds of success.

The patient will be under local anesthetic only with a local sedative for the eye on which the operation is being performed. The patient will go home the same day to begin the healing process in most cases and with the appropriate follow up care, their recovery ends with much better vision then before the operation.

Being able to afford the operational costs may seem daunting for some. The laser eye surgery facts point out that it can be a significant cost savings over the years following the surgery when the cost of eye exams and glasses over their lifetime is calculated.

Thiking about getting laser eye surgery? Check out this awesome no cost article, Laser Eye Surgery Facts. To browse more articles on laser eye surgery visit, http://www.lasereyesurgery.jsgenterprises.com.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

What is a Laser Eye Correction Surgery?

People who need restoration of their normal eyesight can choose to get laser eye corrective surgery. If you have been experiencing severe eyesight problems and you want to cure it in a fast and easy way, then you can decide on a corrective laser eye surgery. You can easily regain the lost vision that you have greatly suffered from for years, by subjecting yourself to a minor operation. You can instantly reverse your vision problems and bring it back to a perfect 20/20 vision, through a simple clinical procedure.

Laser Eye Correction Surgery and its Types

Basically, there are two known types of a laser eye correction surgery, namely: the PRK (PhotoRefractive Keratectomy) and LASEK (Laser Assisted Sub-Epithelial Keratomileusis). The two procedures work in an almost similar way. However, there is slight difference with the use of both techniques. Perhaps the first difference would be the method on how to correct the cornea, and the second would be the healing process.

Both follow the same process of numbing the eye by drop instillation, even though they are considered to be two different procedures. While the patient is wide awake, the first step in the surgery is performed. Of course, the patient should be relaxed at the time of the surgery to ensure safety and security while the procedure is being conducted.

A PRK laser eye correction surgery involves a scraping process or ablation of the cornea to remove the "defective" epithelial lining. In the LASEK procedure, a cutting method is used to create a flap or a new layer of cornea instead. The first step of the procedure is the removal of the topmost lining of the cornea. It will be followed later on by growth of a new layer through the Excimer laser. There are varying degrees as to how the reshaping process should come about in every person. If precise measurements (mapping and reshaping) are used better results are to be expected.

Laser Eye Correction Surgery and its Uses

A laser eye correction surgery can be used for several means. Nowadays, it has been widely used by people to correct the simplest or the most complex of problems. If you are financially capable of a laser eye correction surgery, then you can be ready to eliminate your vision problems anytime you want to. All you need to do is find a good doctor who can perform it on you and the rest follows as your surgeons have planned.

Depending on the cause of the condition, Laser eye correction surgery can be used for blindness. More often than not, the patients who subject themselves to the operation are those who are suffering from eyesight problems. If your vision used to be 70/150, it can easily be corrected by laser to a near 20/20. Truly, the laser eye correction surgery is one of the most useful tools ever innovated in man's history.

If you have been experiencing terrible eyesight problems and you want to cure it fast, then you can decide on a laser eye correction surgery. Visit http://www.lasereyesurgery.jsgenterprises.com for more articles.

Eye Care Exams Help You Maintain Good Eye Sight

Being your windows to the world it is important to keep your eyes in good condition. Remember your eyes are subject to wear and tear be it from the ultra violet rays of the sun, pollution and dust in the air, transmittable diseases or stress from looking at a computer screen all day.

We all regularly go to our family doctors for a physical exam to check how our overall health is.  The minority take their health for granted. Why is it then that many of us exclude our eye sight from the annual checkup? To guarantee healthy and normal vision, an annual visit to your eye doctor for your eye care exam is important.

Our brain receives sensory information from our eyes giving us a clear picture of our surrounds. Therefore keeping them in optimum shape will ensure proper signals being received by the brain insuring consequential action and reactions. If your vision is deteriorating your life performance will be affected.

We recommend that eye care exams should start from a very early age, that is even babies of 2-6 months should have their eyes checked to correct any abnormalities, while children entering primary school and again when entering secondary school should also have eye care exams which will detect any vision problems allowing corrective action to be taken to rectify the problem.

Unfortunately, as we age it becomes more important to have an eye care exam performed yearly, so that every time you visit your eye doctor they can evaluate any changes in your vision condition and help you correct any difficulties that you may have with your sight. Early diagnosis of problems will decrease the chance of severe damage to our sight.

It is proven that Elderly citizens are more susceptible to vision loss, they should be aware that the probability of having vision disorders increases with age, even though you might not be experiencing any problem, therefore you should visit your eye doctor regularly for an eye care exam.

Eye care exams are painless and informative methods for the assessment of your eyes. The eye doctors will test your visual acuity, (the clarity of your vision). During the eye care exam, the doctor will also check the muscles of the eyes, eye pressure, fluid circulation, retina and general condition of your eyes.. The routine eye examination is not painful or uncomfortable.

Doctors Who Do Eye Care Exams

Ophthalmologists are doctor’s who specialize in the comprehensive care of the eyes and visual system in the prevention of eye disease injury. They are medically trained specialists who can deliver total eye care exams, primary, secondary and tertiary care services and diagnose general diseases of the eyes.

Whereas the Optometrist is the health care professional who provides only primary care services. The services included are the comprehensive eye health and vision examinations: treatment and diagnosis of the vision disorders and eye diseases; the detection of general health problems; they prescribe the glasses, contact lenses, vision therapy, low vision rehabilitation and medications.

How Often Should You Have A Regular Eye Care Exam?

If you are having difficulties with your eyes, pain or visual disturbances or any other problem in the eyes, you should immediately make an appointment to see an eye doctor. However, if you are in good health and no known ailments, no vision problems, you can have an eye exam every two to four years provided your age is below forty.  However, for people with diabetes, you need frequent eye examinations to maintain good eye health.

The old adage "prevention is better than a cure”, so make sure you are aware of your vision and if you note any deterioration get on down and have an eye care exam.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Why Do We BlinK So Often?

We blink so that our eyes are oiled, lubed and filtered.

Blinking, not batting, our eyes will automatically cause two forms of moisture to to develop for our eyes, thast is so they will not dry out and also so no foreign matter will enter our eyes.   Our eyelids, which are really our natural "eyeshield wipers" are really just folds of skin.  These are controlled by our muscles which are so capable of moving fast, that blinking does not even interrupt our vision.

Our eyelids have approximately 20-30 sebaceous, oil-producing glands, these are located between your eyelashes, and they are invisible to our eye. Blinking automatically puts a coating over our eyes.  Mother nature does it best!

Blinking also irrigates the eyes.  The eyelid automatically draws the same fluid we cry with from our tear duct over the eyeball, this irrigates and moisturizes the eyes.

Such an amazing and natural process, our eyes are more complicated than the biggest computer. And, natural vision care is possible.  Become pro-active with your vision care!

Of course the other benefit of blinking is that it stops any foreign object from irritating our eys. Our eyelashes serve as dust catchers.  Wow, the blinking reflex actually causes the eyelashes to automatically lower during exposure to harsh elements.

Also, you may be a "starer":  To break the habit of staring:

(1) Make sure you shift your eyes when focusing on an object. If you stare, you stop the blinking causing stress and eyestrain and eye irritation.

(2) When you find yourself staring, or focusing too long on an object, try to close your eyes for a few seconds (not during a time when it is dangerous to do this, of course).  This will re-establish your blinking pattern.

Do get yourself away from the habit of staring or intensely focusing on an object for long periods of time!

And, for more ways of looking after the health and care of your eyes check out this Rebuild Your Vision Site

Friday, October 10, 2008

How Contact Lenses Are Made

How Contact Lenses Are Made

The history of the contact lens reaches back as far as Da Vinci, who sketched samples as early as 1508. The corneal contact lens was suggested later by the famed mathematician and philosopher Rene Descartes, in 1632.

But the modern contact lens really has its beginning around the turn of the 20th century. Adolf Fick gets the credit for inventing the first practical pair in 1887. But, it was Carl Zeiss, the famed lensmaker, who developed a glass contact lens that fit over the cornea that formed the prototype for all later work.

It was still to be several decades before Touhy invented the first plastic corneal lens, using Plexiglas as a material. In 1954 the keratometer was invented, making it possible to take eye measurements without physical contact, eliminating the need for molds from impressions of the eye. While work began in 1952, it wasn't until 1971 that the modern hydrophilic soft contact lenses came on the market.

That word, 'hydrophilic' (which means 'water loving'), is the key to contemporary contact lenses. Today's lenses are made of a plastic polymer (pHEMA) that allows the contact lens to absorb water. That makes it flexible and therefore comfortable.

Some lenses were formed in a molding process called spin-casting, where the plastic is spun into the desired shape. Today, injection molding is more common. Early methods required final shaping with a lathe, but today the process is so accurate the lenses can be made entirely through molding alone.

The lathe process may still be used in some areas of the world, though, especially for hard contact lenses that still make up anywhere up to 25% of those sold. The percentage varies by country. In this method a small circle called a blank is cut from a plastic rod and fastened onto a lathe with wax. It is spun rapidly and cut using a diamond or laser. The lens is then polished with a specially formulated abrasive.

The lens has to be finished to fit the patient's eye exactly. That's carried out by polishing the result into precise curves on both sides of the lens. Today, a computer controls the process, which is kept accurate by being fed information from the individual patient using data gathered during the eye examination.

The lens is then sterilized, often by being boiled in salt water for several hours, which also softens it. They're then packaged in a glass vial containing a sterile saline (salt water) solution. Because the lens material is hydrophilic it absorbs much of the solution, making it up to 75% water in the end. Because the solution is similar to human tears that moisturize the eye, the contact feels good and works well during use.

Research continues into finding materials that are longer lasting, more comfortable and safer to use. Some relatively recent advances, for example, include the Rigid Gas Permeable lens (RGP) invented in 1979, but marketed much later. They allow more oxygen to pass directly to the eye. That makes them more comfortable and safer to use over the long term.

Disposable lenses continue to advance, adding UV absorption to their attributes. Extended wear lenses, too, have improved in the past few years. Many can now be worn continuously for as long as a week to a month. On the leading edge are new implantable contact lenses that are actually placed into the eye and never require changing or cleaning.