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Facts About Eye Color

Karen Griffith

Girl colorful and natural rainbow eye on white background

Genes and pigment concentration are responsible for the color of a person’s eyes. High concentrations of melanin result in darker eye colors. Less melanin results in lighter eye colors. A special pigment called “lipochrome,” is responsible for some eye colors, like green.

By far the most common eye color is brown. In rank order the most common colors are:

  • 55% Brown
  • 8% Blue
  • 5-8% Hazel
  • 5% Amber
  • 5% Grey
  • 2% Green

BROWN 

The original eye color was brown and is evidence of a high concentration of a pigment called melanin in the iris stroma (the spongy part).

BLUE

Most caucasian babies are born with blue eyes; this color typically changes into the “adult” color after 6 months based on melanin concentration and exposure to the sun. A genetic mutation allows some humans to keep their blue eyes as adults. Blue eyes are the result of the back layer of the eye being dark and the middle spongy layer called the stoma lacking pigment.

HAZEL

Hazel eyes are the least understood and are thought to have originated in Europe. Some scientists believe that hazel is a mix of green and brown. This eye color is most common in the US and Europe and almost unheard of in Asia and Africa.

GREEN

Green eyes are one of the rarest. It is thought that this eye color originated in Europe, specifically in areas around Germany or Hungary. However, they were also around in Siberia during the Bronze Age. The green color is caused by a high concentration of the yellow pigment lipochrome – the same pigment responsible for Amber.

AMBER 

Amber eyes are mostly found in African and Asian countries where it is assumed the eye color originated. Noted for a yellow colored pigment, lipochrome which is responsible for the deep rich copper or golden amber color.

GREY

Silver or gray eyes are the rarest of all. They are thought to have origianted in Europe along with blue eyes. They are the result of low concentration of melanin in the eye.

RED

Red eyes are a result of a rare genetic mutation associated with albinism. There is little to no melanin in the iris which means people with red eye can’t block light from entering the iris.

Heading to Seattle

Karen Griffith

Optometry's meeting 2015

Optometry’s annual meeting is in Seattle this week. Taking advantage of the proximity and a visit north, Nannette, Maureen and I will be attending. We have a list of items to purchase; equipment for the lab and a dry eye treatment. There are also some new technologies we will be checking out as well as courses and workshops. We might enjoy a cup or two of coffee as well.

Heart Disease and the Eyes

Karen Griffith

heart in hands

The eyes are the window to the soul

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I want to explain why the eyes are the window to the heart.
Abnormalities of the blood vessels in the retina can be used to indicate complications for diabetes, hypertension, stroke and heart disease.
The retina is a membrane that lines the eyeball and receives light and converts it into signals that reach the brain and result in vision. During a dilated eye exam, Drs. Griffith and Staton examine the retina and blood vessels. Changes in the vessels such as narrowing or ballooning is suspicious of cardiovascular disease. Systemic diseases, that affect the body or its organs, such as hypertension, diabetes, AIDS, Graves’ disease, lupus, atherosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and sickle cell anemia often cause changes in the eye that show up as red dots or small blood clots. Blood vessels of the eyes are so predicative because they are part of the brain’s vascular system, so they share anatomical features and respond similarly to stress and disease.

Normal Retina Photo
Normal Retina

In fact, eyes are so transparent compared to the rest of the body that they are the only organ that allows doctors to directly see blood vessels. The use of digital fundus photography allows the doctor to analyze the retina and vessels and compare the pictures to previous photos taken.

Let us gaze into your eyes.

Margaret’s Retired

Karen Griffith

We celebrated Margaret’s retirement last Tuesday night, thank you to all who came. I’ve included some pictures below for your enjoyment.

cupcakesMargaret always made the most spectacular cupcakes for each of our birthdays. I think Maureen has found a new job responsibility. She created these retirement themed beauties for Margaret. They were delicious too.

 

 

There were a lot of happy good-byes. Margaret fitted, repaired and styled many pairs of glasses during the 18 years she was at Westside Lonnie and MPOptometry. She also trained many people how to insert, remove and clean contact lenses. She coordinated treatment and appointments for cataract surgeries, refractive surgeries and other referrals. For over 10 years she has assisted me in caring for residents at a skilled nursing facility. She has touched a lot of people.

 

We all wish Margaret a wonderful retirement!

all my girls

 

 

 

10 Steps to Relieve Computer Eye Strain

Karen Griffith 2 Comments

CVS

Many occupations require the use of technology, often in the form of a computer, but also as a tablet or smartphone. Americans on average spend 6 to 9 hours a day in front of digital devices. Studies show that eye strain can cause physical fatigue, decreased productivity and increased work error.
Here are 10 easy steps you can take to reduce your computer eye strain and other symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS):

Get a Comprehensive Eye Exam

Having a comprehensive eye exam is the most important thing you can do to prevent or treat computer vision problems.

Use Proper Lighting

Eye strain is often caused by excessively bright light either from outdoor sunlight coming in through a window or from harsh interior lighting. When you use your computer, your ambient lighting should be about half as bright as that typically found in most offices. Eliminate exterior light by closing drapes, shades or blinds. If possible, position your computer monitor or screen so windows are to the side, instead of in front or behind it.

Minimize Glare

Glare on walls and finished surfaces, as well as reflections on your computer screen also can cause computer eye strain. Again, reduce the effect of outside and overhead lighting. If you wear glasses, request anti-reflective coating to reduce glare from the surface of your eyeglass lenses.

Upgrade your Display

If you are using an older CRT monitor replace it with and LCD (liquid crystal display), like those on a laptop. LCD screens are easier on the eyes and usually have an anti-reflective surface. When selecting a new flat panel display, select a screen with the highest resolution possible. Resolution is related to the “dot pitch” of the display. Generally, displays with a lower dot pitch have sharper images. Choose a display with a dot pitch of .28mm or smaller.

Adjust your Computer Display Settings

Adjusting the display settings of your computer can help reduce eye strain and fatigue.

  • Brightness. Adjust the brightness of the display so it’s approximately the same as the brightness of your surrounding workstation.
  • Text Size and Contrast. Adjust the text size and contrast for comfort, especially when reading or composing long documents.
  • Color Temperature. This is a technical term used to describe the spectrum of visible light emitted by a color display. Blue light is short-wavelength visible light that is associated with more eye strain than longer wavelength hues, such as orange and red. Reducing the color temperature of your display lowers the amount of blue light emitted by a color display for better long-term comfort.  

Blink More Often 

Blinking is very important when working at a computer; blinking moistens your eyes to prevent dryness and irritation. When working at a computer, people blink less frequently and most of those blinks are incomplete. The tears coating the eye evaporate more rapidly when the eye is wide open staring at a computer monitor. Also the air in many office environments is dry which can increase how quickly the tears evaporate. To reduce the risk of dry eyes during computer use, try to blink regularly and completely.

Exercise your Eyes

Another cause of computer eye strain is focusing fatigue. To reduce your risk of tiring your eyes by constantly focusing on your screen, look away from your computer at least every 20 minutes and gaze at a distant object (at least 20 feet away) for 20 seconds. I call this the 20-20-20 Rule. Looking away relaxes the focusing muscle inside the eye to reduce fatigue.

Take Breaks

To reduce your risk of CVS and neck, back and should pain, take frequent breaks during your computer day. This doesn’t mean check your phone; get up and move around.

Modify your Workstation

If you need to look back and forth between a printed page and a monitor, or between multiple monitors, make sure your targets are all the same distance from your eyes. Place written pages adjacent to the monitor, and place monitors in a semi-circle around you. Light the printed material well, but don’t shine the light in your eyes or at the monitor.

Consider Computer Eyewear

For the greatest comfort at your computer, you might benefit from having a pair of glasses made for your specific computer situation.