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Eye Damage from the Sun

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How does UV affect the eyes?

One of the most common conditions I see due to UV radiation is pinguecula. This is a raised nodule that appears on the white of the eye. It can become inflamed, discolored, and dry with chronic sun exposure.

Pterygium

Pterygium is a similar condition to pinguecula, but is grows onto the cornea (the clear part of the eye). Pterygia can grow and affect the vision. Removal is possible, but there is a high recurrence rate.

Photokeratitis is like a sunburn on the cornea, also known as “snow blindness.” Photokeratitis is directly attributed to environmental UV radiation exposure and generally occurs 8 to 24 hours after being in the sun. It is more typical in individuals who have not used sunglasses or hats. The primary symptoms include photophobia (extreme sensitivity to light) and pain.

One of the causes of cataracts is UV exposure. The crystalline lens is made up of proteins. These proteins can be altered or denatured by exposure to UVB or UVC radiation.

Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is another eye condition associated with UV exposure. The worldwide prevalence rate of ARMD resulting in impairment and blindness is 8.7%, making it one of the most common causes of blindness in patients over age 60. Studies have shown that many individuals with macular degeneration have had greater UV exposure over their lifetime.

Skin Cancers can present on and around the eyelids. Removal and excision is complicated by the importance of proper blinking and eyelid closure. Malignant melanoma can appear in the choroid (under the retina), the iris (colored part) and the conjunctiva (white of the eye). These tumors can be very aggressive. In fact, malignant melanomas of the choroid are the most common intraocular malignancy.

UV Radiation

To read more about how the eyes are effected by UV Radiation click here.

What to Expect during your Eye Exam

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Welcome to Westside Optometry!
Your eye exam will include questions about you, how you use your eyes, your health and visual challenges. Preliminary testing includes keratometry  (measure of the surface of the eye), photographs of your fundus (retina, macula, optic nerve head), and visual field testing.

Normal Retina Photo
Drs. Griffith and Staton will refract your eyes (find spectacle prescriptions for distance, near and possibly the intermediate range). We will thoroughly exam the health of your eyes. This includes dilating the pupils to do a complete examination of the inside of the eyes. The dilation typically lasts 3-4 hours. Most people are comfortable driving afterwards, we recommend sunglasses. Working on a computer or at near may be difficult immediately after your exam so schedule your day accordingly.

The doctors will discuss their findings and recommendations with you. This may include, treatment for dry eye, glasses, contact lenses, LASIK, safety glasses or referral for cataract consultation.

Play Safe

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Westside Optometry is a Sports Eye Injury Prevention Center. We have added a complete collection of sports frames in all sizes, styles and colors. Nearly all sports related eye injuries are preventable.
If your child wears prescription glasses, what does she do with them before Soccer Goggle Girlwalking out onto the soccer field? Take them off so they don’t get broken. Now she can’t see to play her best. I bet she has a pair of cleats, shin guards… Doesn’t a pair of sports goggles sound like a good idea?

F8 Rec SpecsChildren between 5 and 14 are at most risk for eye injuries playing baseball and softball. Basketball represents the greatest risk for eye injury for older children.

Come by to see the options.

Optimize your Visit

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“Dr. Griffith, why are you so nosy?”

I do ask a lot of personal questions butPhoroptor 1945 they are relevant to your health and how you use your eyes. Changes in medications, your health, occupation, hobbies and interests all effect your eyes. Did you know that many medical conditions can affect your eyes? Some  diseases like rosacea, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and diabetes can have a negative impact on the eyes and related structures. Smoking affects the circulation in your retina and dries out the surface of your eye. Topical and systemic medications can also affect the eyes. For example, many drugs contribute to dry eyes and blurry vision. Some medications even cause cataracts, glaucoma and retinal changes.
How you use your eyes is also very important. If you work on a computer many hours a day, your needs are different than someone who is in a retail setting or a classroom. Other activities such as playing music, bike riding and fishing all can be enhanced with the right pair of glasses or correction. If you play certain sports, protective eyewear is important. So at your next visit, give me as much information as possible so that I can provide you with the best vision care.

Eye Charts for Airplanes

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Even the eyes in the sky need to check acuity once in awhile. There are a number of “eye charts” throughout California for this purpose. Airplane eye charts provide a platform for aerial photography to calibrate and focus aerial cameras traveling at different speeds and altitudes. Works for satellites too.

 

Swollen Eyelids

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A swollen eyelid occurs when there is inflammation or excess fluid (edema) in the connective tissues surrounding the eye. Swollen eyes can be painful or non-painful, and involve one eye or two and top or bottom eyelids.

Symptoms of Swollen Eyelids

Swelling of the eyelids is a symptom of an underlying cause, such as allergy or infection. Swollen eyes usually are accompanied by one or more of the following:

  • Eye irritation, such as an itchy or scratchy sensation
  • Excess tear production, resulting in watering eyes
  • Obstructed vision (depending on the extent of the swelling)
  • Redness of the eyelid
  • Redness and inflammation of the white of the eye (conjunctiva)
  • Discharge from the eye
  • Pain, particularly when swollen eyelids are caused by infection

Treatment of Swollen Eyelids

The first step in treating swollen eyelids is to identify the cause. The doctors at Eyelid Swollen Westside Optometry may write a prescription, recommend an over the counter remedy or suggest hot or cold compresses depending on the diagnosis.

Tips for Preventing Swollen Eyelids

Control your allergies
Choose and use cosmetics, lotions and skin products carefully
Pay attention to eye drops you use, do not share them, check the expiration date and verify the intended use.
If you wear contact lenses, you can minimize your risk of eye infection or irritation by practicing proper hygiene, replacing contacts and contact cases as prescribed and not over-wearing your lenses.

To read more about the causes of swollen eyelids click here

Selecting the Right Sport Eyewear

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Athletes depend  on their gear to perform to their personal best. For example, if you’re a cyclist, your performance is heavily influenced by the bike maker and construction, sprocket ratios, derailleur, shifters, seat and tube, wheels, fork pedals.. Each part of the bike and the clothes you wear contribute to your safety and performance. For cyclists who wear prescription eyewear, the right outdoor eyewear is as important as the bike or cycling gear. Athletes have different visual needs for their unique sport.

Sports Glasses
Sports specific lenses are the sum of the component parts:
1. Optics – Clear vision as required for the way in which the athlete uses the lens.
2. Color – Tints and filters that boost color contrast to enhance performance in each sport’s environment.
3. Coating – Automatic back surface anti-reflective coating to eliminate the backside reflections that can hide important objects and affect split-second decisions. The AR coating also must repel dust, water, and oil for better visibility while providing longer surface durability.
4. Protection – Provides improved impact resistance, safety and absorbs 100 percent UVA and UVB radiation.
5. Finishing – ensuring a close and aesthetically appealing fit which can be enhanced by features like venting to reduce the occurrence of fogging.

Let Westside Optometry enhance your sporting experience.

 

If you’re itchy and you know it…

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Are your eyes itchy, red or watery? Seasonal allergies are caused by the allergens in the air. When they come in contact with the tissues of your eyes, your eyes may over-react. With allergies, your body releases histamine that causes your eyes to itch and water.

Itchy EyesPreventing the allergens from getting into your eyes is the first line of defense. Keep your home free of pet dander and dust. Stay inside with the windows closed when there is a lot of pollen in the air. Use high quality furnace and vent filters that trap common allergens and replace the filters frequently.

Wear wraparound sunglasses to help shield your eyes from allergens, and drive with your windows closed during allergy season.

If despite your best efforts to avoid allergens your eyes are still itchy and watery, it may be time to try eye drops. Some products have ingredients that act as mast cell stabilizers, which alleviate redness and swelling if used properly. It can take 10 – 14 days for the active ingredients to have a noticeable effect on the mast cells so it is important to use the drop as prescribed. Antihistamines are known for their immediate relief and are often combined with the mast cell inhibitor for a single solution.

Over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription eye drops each have their advantages; for example, OTC products often are less expensive, while prescription ones usually are stronger and more effective.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops can be prescribed to decrease swelling, inflammation and other symptoms associated with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Steroid eye drops provide quick relief but must be used cautiously as the possible side effects are severe.

If you wear contact lenses, you may find yourself less comfortable during the allergy season. Excess discharge and the allergens can get on the contact lenses, increasing irritation. Diligent control of the eye allergy and daily use contact lenses may be an option to continued contact lens wear.

For more details about eye allergies click here.

Safety Glasses

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Most people wouldn’t dream of mowing the lawn barefoot. But most people don’t hesitate to  weed-whack without protective eyewear. Eye injuries from  rocks and debris thrown by household tools like lawn mowers, chain saws and weed trimmers occur daily.

weed wacker

In California, OSHA regulations and enforcement of personal protective equipment have reduced the number of injuries in the workplace. Now most eye injuries happen at home.

 

What makes safety glasses safe?

Safety frames must pass two rigorous impact tests, which dress frames do not undergo, to be marked Z87 (the ANSI, American National Standards Institute, requirement). A special device call an Alderson Head Form, which simulates a physical human head is used.

The High Velocity Impact Test

A 1/4″ steel ball traveling at 150 feet per second is directed at different designated positions on the front and side of a frame glazed with plano lenses. No contact with the eye or head form is permitted as a result of the impact, nor shall any parts or fragment be ejected from the protector that could contact an eye of the head form.

The High Mass Impact Test

A pointed projectile weighing 17.6 ounces is dropped from a height of 51.2″ on a glazed frame. No parts or fragments shall be ejected from the protector that could contact an eye of the head form.

Prescription Safety Frames

If you need correction to see, safety frames can be made with prescription lenses that meet ANSI. The lenses and frame will have Z87 on them. The lenses must pass a drop ball test. (A 1″ steel ball is dropped on the lens from 50″ high.)

Please note that safety glasses and sports glasses are not interchangeable. Sport glasses do not need to pass ANSI tests and safety glasses are not appropriate for sports applications.

If you are working in the yard or the garage, put on a pair of safety glasses. Westside Optometry has different styles of ANSI approved safety glasses to make in prescription. We offer safety frames in plastic and metal materials with side shield options.

To see chart of  eye hazards and the recommended protective device, click here.

Contacts and Children

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In a series of rigorous clinical trials over several years, investigators have been researching the feasibility, risks and benefits of contact lens wear in children.
The most recent data is from the Adolescent and Child Health Initiative to Encourage Vision Empowerment (ACHIEVE). The ACHIEVE study looked at whether contact lenses affect how children feel about themselves. The children (between 8 and 11 years old) in the contact lens group felt significantly better about themselves compared to the eyeglass wearers in three specific areas: athletic competence, social acceptance and physical appearance.
This doesn’t mean that children actually performed better after they began wearing contact lenses; rather, it means they felt more competent and confident about their performance in those areas. But perception can become reality. According to Mitchell Prinstein, professor and director of clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina, “Children’s sense of self-concept can alter their whole course of development,” he says. “Kids who feel more confident about sports or social activities are more likely to engage in those experiences, which further builds their skills and makes them more open to similar experiences in the future.”

Not all children are ready for the responsibility of contact lens wear at 8 years old, but we at Westside Optometry have seen children that young succeed with the handling, and care of contact lenses. To see a comparison of contacts and glasses, click here.