For generations, children are told to eat their carrots to see better. Don’t stop eating carrots but grab some leafy green vegetables as well. Spinach is actually the best food to improve eye health because it is packed with lutein and zeaxanthin. Diets rich in these two types of carotenoids can help block the amount of blue light from reaching the underlying structures in the retina, which reduces the risk or slows the progression of macular degeneration.
For more comprehensive information check out EYEFOODS an easy to read book about all foods that can benefit our eye health.
What is a contact lenswearer to do when playing in the pool, river or ocean? Water activities are more fun without worrying about losing glasses or not being able to see. Two of the many advantages to wearing contacts instead of glasses is the freedom to use non-prescription sunglasses, and to see without glasses.
Unfortunately, there are all kinds of nasty bugs living in swimming pools, oceans, lakes, hot tubs and even tap water that can attach to your contact lens and cause serious damage to your eyes. That’s why you should avoid swimming with contact lenses whenever possible. If you do decide to wear contacts while swimming, remove, clean and disinfect your lenses immediately to reduce your risk of eye irritation and infection. Better yet, wear swim goggles; when it comes to the health of your eyes it’s always best to be safe than sorry!
I do fit individuals with contacts specifically for water activities such as surfing and water-skiing. In these cases, I prescribe daily use contact lenses to prevent reintroducing any contamination into the eyes. And overnight wear is absolutely forbidden as sleeping in the contacts increases the risk of corneal edema and abrasion, leaving the eye vulnerable to infection.
If you are missing the fun of water activities, consider daily use contact lenses that you can throw away after a day of fun.
2013 can be the year you have the best vision possible. Below are some suggestions to help you.
Improve Your Eye Health
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.
Quit smoking. Put simply, smoking harms your vision. Studies show smoking dramatically increases the likelihood of developing cataracts, macular degeneration,uveitis and diabetic retinopathy.
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.
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.
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 your eye doctor about stress-relieving computer glasses.
If you’ve been putting up with contact lens discomfort, dry eyes, eye allergies or blurry vision, talk to me about changes you can make to improve or eliminate these problems.
Improve Your Vision
Blurriness? If your contacts or glasses are no longer doing their job, you may need a new prescription and/or a different lens design.
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.
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.
Consider sports-specific eyewear. For athletes and sporting enthusiasts, there are performance-enhancing frames and lenses designed specifically for different sports and outdoor activities.
Make sure your sports eyewear includes lightweight, impact-resistant polycarbonate or Trivex lenses for comfort and safety.
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.
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.
I dilate most everybody’s eyes during an eye examination. If you have any health conditions such as diabetes, are taking certain medication, or have cataracts I will dilate your eyes more often.
Through a dilated pupil I can see more eye structures. I will use diagnostic lights and lenses that provide a 3 dimensional view of the inside of the eye. If there is a retinal hole, a lesion or fluid, it is much easier to detect through a dilated pupil. If I look through a keyhole, I can see part of the room, if I open the door, I can see everything.
Dilation requires drops in the eye. The effect usually lasts 3-4 hours. Most people notice an increased sensitivity to lights because the pupil is larger. I recommend bringing sunglasses to your appointment. If you think driving may be a problem, arrange for a driver. The drops can also cause a cycloplegic effect, which means focusing on objects up close will be difficult. Try to plan your schedule accordingly. Don’t plan on doing computer work or other close tasks immediately after being dilated.
This is the view of a normal retina looking through a dilated pupil. The optic nerve is the whitish circle on the left, it provides an entrance point to the eye for the blood vessels and an exit pathway for the nerve fibers carrying input to the brain. The 130 million photoreceptors (rods and cones) covering the retina, which appears as an orange background, receive all visual images and send these signals to the brain where the vision process occurs. When you have your eyes dilated at Westside Optometry we will take a similar picture of your eye. Don’t let me forget to show it to you.
Many of us have had a blood red spot on the white of the eye at one time or another. Usually there was no injury or discomfort. Many people wake-up with the red spot and may not even be aware of it until a family member or co-worker asks about it. Subconjunctival hemorrhages look worse than they are and do not need treatment.
The conjunctiva is a thin membrane that covers the surface of the inner eyelid and the white part of the eyeball. The conjunctiva contains many small, fragile blood vessels that are easily ruptured or broken. Subconjunctival hemorrhage occurs when a small blood vessel in the conjunctiva breaks and bleeds. It may occur spontaneously or from heavy lifting, coughing or vomiting. In some cases, it may develop following eye surgery or trauma. Subconjunctival hemorrhage tends to be more common among those with diabetes and hypertension.
Certain medications can make the bleeding worse, including: Coumadin, Aspirin, Plavix, St. John’s Wort and Ginkgo.
While it may look frightening, a subconjunctival hemorrhage is essentially harmless. The blood from the broken conjunctival vessel becomes trapped in the space underneath the clear conjunctival tissue. The blood naturally absorbs within one to three weeks and may turn greenish or yellow during this time.
A subconjunctival hemorrhage does not affect vision or cause pain, and treatment is usually not required. Exceptions to that are when bleeding: is a result of trauma or injury; lasts more than 10 days; starts again.
as well. Spinach is actually the best food to improve eye health because it is packed with lutein and zeaxanthin. Diets rich in these two types of carotenoids can help block the amount of blue light from reaching the underlying structures in the retina, which reduces the risk or slows the progression of macular degeneration.
