Category: Eye Health

Do you have Cataracts?

Karen Griffith

June is cataract awareness month.

cataract

Here are some of the clues that you might have cataracts?

  • Vision is cloudy or blurred
  • Vision is discolored
  • Vision is impaired at night and there is more glare
  • Vision is double in one eye

A cataract is the clouding of the lens of the eye. The proteins in the lens discolor and clump causing blurry and obscured vision. Age is the leading cause, but certain medications can speed up the process also. Two contributing factors that you can control are protecting your eyes from UV damage by wearing sunglasses, and to stop smoking.

For more details about cataracts click here.

What is Macular Degeneration

Karen Griffith

Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) occurs in the macula in the back of the eye. The macula is part of the retina and contains the “cones,” a type of nerve cell responsible for clear vision and color vision. When AMD develops, the cones are disturbed and vision is significantly and negatively effected.
There are two types of AMD – wet and dry. The wet form is less common, but can progress quickly and profoundly. The symptoms are the same – blurred central vision, distorted central vision and missing areas of vision. A person with advanced AMD would not be able to distinguish facial features when looking straight ahead, but peripheral areas would still be visible.

Who gets AMD?

Many things contribute to the risk of developing AMD: age, race, family history, history of smoking, exposure to UV light, obesity, hypertension and a high fat diet. Some of these risks factors are controllable and prevention is recommended. Early AMD does not always have symptoms. Regular dilated eye exams can increase awareness and prevent devastating vision loss.

To read more about AMD symptoms, treatment and prevention click here.

Sunglasses as Prevention

Karen Griffith

UV and sunglasses

According to a 2013 survey by the American Optometric Association, only 40% of Americans wear sunglasses for the ultraviolet (UV) protection. I assume other reasons people put on sunglasses are to block glare, provide comfort and to look good.

Sun protection matters year-round

Are you active in winter sports such as snowboarding? UV protection is needed no matter the season. Consider this: UV radiation increases by about 4% with every 1000 feet elevation gain – and those rays keep coming even on cloudy days.

UV exposure can do short-term eye damage

You may not know about sunburn of the eye or photokeratitis. This condition comes from excessive exposure to UV rays. It’s not permanent, but can be extremely painful.

The sun can lead to long-term vision loss

Without proper protection, you can do damage to your eyes. Long-term over-exposure raises the risk of cataracts, pterygium, age-related macular degeneration and even cancer.

Sunglasses make a difference for kids, too

I hope parents are slathering sunscreen on their kids before a day at the beach. Sunglasses are important too. A child’s eyes are more sensitive than an adult’s so the need for protection is more critical at a very young age.

Allergic Conjunctivitis

Karen Griffith 1 Comment

Allergies are widespread, affecting 30% or more of the U.S. population. Allergic conjunctivitis and rhinitis (runny nose) can exact a significant toll on individuals. The most common Allergiessymptom of eye allergies is itching, which can range from mildly uncomfortable to severely bothersome. Itching and other symptoms which include watery eyes, redness, pain, soreness, stinging and swelling, may reduce a persons ability to perform daily routines or activities at school or work.

There are two common forms of ocular allergy,  seasonal and perennial. Of the two, seasonal allergies are the more common. Seasonal allergies are triggered by seasonal items such as tree, grass and weed pollens that abound in spring and fall. People sensitive to these allergens tend to have symptoms most frequently during those seasons. When the allergies are no longer present, a seasonal allergy sufferer doesn’t have symptoms.
Perennial allergies, by contrast, are triggered by environmental allergens commonly found in the home – such as dust mites, mold spores or animal dander – and do not follow a seasonal distributions. As a result, if you have perennial allergies, you suffer all year long.

Treatment
Avoidance of the allergen or cause of the allergy is the most successful, but unfortunately isn’t always possible. Minimizing contact can still reduce symptoms however. Many people have found relieve with air filters that remove airborne allergens from the home or office. Dust mites or animal dander control measures can help. Keeping the house and car windows closed will minimize allergens. Simply wearing sunglasses as a mechanical barrier and washing hair in the evening can help reduce allergen exposure.

If your symptoms are minimal or intermittent, applying a cold compress (10-15 minutes) may relieve symptoms, especially itching. Artificial tears can bolster ocular defenses by flushing out antigens and can relieve mild ocular allergy symptoms. Benefits of these measures include simplicity, minimal expense and no side effects.

Histamine is central to the allergic reaction and symptoms. Antihistamines are intended to block the effects of histamine. Oral antihistamines can relief systemic symptoms, but may have side effects of sleepiness, dry mouth, and dry eyes. Topical antihistamines target the eye allergy and have less side effects.

Some allergy eye drops combine the antihistamine with mast cell inhibitors. The mast cell inhibitors inhibit the release of histamine and prevent the allergic reaction from starting. I recommend starting this drop at the first sign of symptoms.

For severe eye allergies, a steroid eye drop may be necessary to interrupt the allergic cycle. Steroid eye drops are very effective but have many potential side effects and must be used only as prescribed.

Don’t suffer from allergies. Discuss your symptoms and concerns with Dr. Griffith or Dr. Staton.

 

Eye Emergencies: What to do?

Karen Griffith

[heading centered=”yes” margin_bottom=”no”]Something in the eye/eye pain[/heading][big_heading centered=”no”][/big_heading]

Are any of the following true?

  • The foreign body can be seen, and remains after gentle washing. Eye Injury
  • The injury has penetrated the globe of the eye.
  • Blood can be seen in the eye.
  • It feels as though something is trapped under the eyelid.

Call the office immediately, especially if the vision is blurry and/or there is eyepain.

[heading centered=”yes” margin_bottom=”no”]Blunt Trauma[/heading][big_heading centered=”no”][/big_heading] [heading centered=”yes” margin_bottom=”no”]such as the eye is hit with a ball, fist or other object[/heading]

Are any of the following true?

  • The lid is swollen shut.
  • There is blood.
  • The front of the eye is hazy or white.
  • The pupil is irregularly shaped, dilated or constricted.

Call the office, especially if the vision is blurry, or there is pain. If none of the above signs are present, apply ice packs for the first 2 hours.

For more information about preventing eye injuries or what to do if something splashes into the eye causing a  chemical burn click on the appropriate link.

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month

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There are no symptoms for glaucoma. Vision stays normal and there is no pain. However, as the disease progresses, a person with glaucoma may notice a decrease in his or her side vision. Once vision is lost to glaucoma, it can’t be restored. That is why it is important to have regular eye examinations with pupil dilation.
Measurement of the “eye pressure” is just one factor in determining glaucoma. In fact, it is the damage to the optic nerve that confirms the diagnosis of glaucoma. The optic nerve is examined by dilating the pupil to view it with stereopsis (with depth). The dilation also allows better, clearer fundus (back of the eye) pictures to be taken for year-to-year comparison.

Glaucoma

Visual field testing measures the nerve fiber layer in the eye and can detect loss of important nerve tissue before optic nerve changes occur.

Studies have shown that early detection and treatment of glaucoma is the best way to control the disease. To learn more about glaucoma and how it is treated, click here.

 

2014 Eye Resolutions

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[big_heading centered=”no”]Your vision and eye health  are important every day of the year. Make changes now for a lifetime of good vision.[/big_heading]

Eat Smart. Diet and nutritional supplements go a long way in promoting eye health. Studies show a diet rich in fruits, leafy vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids may reduce your risk of eye problems like macular degeneration and dry eye syndrome.

Get Moving. Research has shown higher levels of physical exercise can reduce certain risk factors for glaucoma, as well as macular degeneration. iStock_000023582367Small
Quit smoking. Put simply, smoking harms your vision. Studies show smoking dramatically increases the likelihood of developing cataracts, macular degeneration,uveitis and diabetic retinopathy.
Wear Sunglasses. Protect your eyes from the sun (and make sure your kids do, too). Always wear sunglasses with UV protection when outdoors — no matter what time of year — to shield your eyes from UV rays. This may reduce your risk for cataracts and macular degeneration.
Start using safety eyewear for lawn-mowing, home repairs and other chores. Experts say 90 percent of eye injuries requiring a visit to the emergency room can be prevented with proper safety eyewear.

Properly Care for your Contact Lenses. Dirty contact lenses, even if they are not uncomfortable, can cause serious eye infections. Clean your contact lenses and contact lens case properly, and always replace your contacts as recommended.
Reduce Computer Eye Strain. Rest your eyes from computer work every 20 minutes to relieve computer vision syndrome and avoid dry, red eyes. Also, ask Dr. Griffith or Staton about stress-relieving computer glasses.
Improve Your Vision. If you’ve been putting up with contact lens discomfort, dry eyes, eye allergies or blurry vision, talk to us about changes you can make to improve or eliminate these problems.

Upgrade your contact lenses. Contact lenses come in a wide variety of materials, replacement schedules and wearing times — not to mention the array of color contact lenses and special effect contacts available. With the advancement in contact lens technology, there’s sure to be a type of contact lens that suits your individual requirements and lifestyle.

Improve Your Appearance. Upgrade your eyewear. Get with the times and refresh your look, as well as take advantage of the latest in lens and frame technologies. Try eyeglass lens coatings. Various lens coatings keep your field of view clear by reducing reflections, fogging and scratches. And eliminate glare during outdoor activities with polarized sunglasses. If you have a strong prescription, try high index eyeglass lenses. High index lenses provide the same optical power as regular ones, but are thinner and lighter.

Considering LASIK? If you’re tired of wearing glasses or contacts, ask your us if you are a good candidate for LASIK or other vision correction surgery.

Schedule an Eye Exam for everyone in your family. Kids and seniors, especially, should have comprehensive annual eye exams to monitor vision changes. Also, have your family doctor screen you for diabetes and hypertension — if left untreated, these diseases can lead to serious eye problems. (707)762-8643.

Diabetic Awareness Month

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If you have diabetes, it requires attention every day of the year, not just the month of November. But I am going to take advantage of Diabetes Awareness Month to remind you that your eyes are important and can be significantly impacted by diabetes.
First and most important, keep your blood sugar levels under tight control. In the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, people on standard diabetes treatment developed retinopathy four times as often as people who kept their blood sugar levels close to normal. In people who already have retinopathy, the condition progressed in the tight-control group only half as often.

Diabetic Retinopathy

These impressive results show that you have a lot of control over what happens to your eyes. Also, high blood sugar levels may make your vision temporarily blurry.

Second, keep blood pressure under control. High blood pressure can make eye problems worse.

Third, quit smoking.

Fourth, see your optometrist at least once a year for a dilated eye exam. Having your regular doctor look at your eyes is not enough.

Fifth, see your optometrist if:

your vision becomes blurry
you have trouble reading signs or books
you see double
one or both of your eyes hurt
your eyes get red and stay that way
you feel pressure in your eye
you see spots or floaters
straight lines do not look straight
you can’t see things to the side as you used to

Don’t procrastinate. If you have diabetes and haven’t had a dilated eye exam in the last 12 months, schedule an eye exam now.

Eyes and Make-up

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The best advise I can give regarding make-up and eyecare is remove all of it thoroughly every single night. This seems so obvious but is ignored. Any make-up left on the eyelids and lashes will plug important glands that effect the tear quality. Old make-up will stay in the eye all night, irritating the delicate eye surfaces. Red, tired and burning eyes are the result. I can’t stress it enough – Take off your make-up every night. eye make-up

Other important make-up tips are to be careful where eyeliner is applied. Apply it to the outside of the lashes. There are glands near the lashes that are susceptible to plugging from the oils, and waxes in the eyeliner. This results in poor tear quality and make-up in the tears. It can also introduce bacteria right into the eye.

Be gentle with eyelash curlers, don’t tug on the eye lashes or you may damage the follicle.

Don’t share make-up.

Replace your make-up regularly (every 3 months).

If you wear contact lenses, put your lenses on then apply your make-up. In the evening, remove your contact lenses before taking off your make-up.

If you have any questions contact us at Westside Optometry, (707)762-8643. Here is a download for safe contact lens use.

Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

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A common complaint I hear is  “my eyes burn and water.” Meibomian Gland Dysfunction is a common, chronic condition and is usually the cause of the discomfort. MGD occurs when the opening to the meibomian gland is plugged. The openings to the glands are at the edge of the eyelid margins, near the base of the eyelashes. The blockage can be caused by make-up, lotions, and sunscreens that plug the opening. Other factors are usually involved too. For example, skin conditions such as acne rosacea are a common cause of MGD.  Age, sex, hormonal disturbances, allergies and certain medications negatively affect the glands too.
The treatment depends on the severity of the condition. Hot compresses and eyelid hygiene is always recommended. Dietary modifications, inclusion of omega-3 fatty acids and hydration are beneficial. For more advanced cases, topical and/or oral medications may be required to control MGD.
If left untreated, the glands will thicken and scar causing chronic dry eye signs and symptoms and more discomfort.