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Dry eye is a condition in which there are insufficient tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. Tears are necessary for maintaining the health of the front surface of the eye and for providing clear vision. People with dry eyes either do not produce enough tears or have a poor quality of tears. Dry eye is a common and often chronic problem, particularly in older adults.

With each blink of the eyelids, tears are spread across the front surface of the eye, known as the cornea. Tears provide lubrication, reduce the risk of eye infection, wash away foreign matter in the eye, and keep the surface of the eyes smooth and clear. Excess tears in the eyes flow into small drainage ducts, in the inner corners of the eyelids, which drain in the back of the nose…Read Full Article

The American Optometric Association emphasizes importance of comprehensive eye exams during National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Early detection of eye disease is critical to maintain healthy vision. With almost two-thirds of adult Americans, who do not wear corrective lenses, not receiving regular comprehensive eye exams, millions of people are putting their vision and their quality of life at risk, according to the American Optometric Association.

Glaucoma–often called “the sneak thief of sight” because it can strike without symptoms–is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. According to National Eye Institute, more than 3 million Americans have glaucoma, but only half of them know it. Glaucoma most often occurs in people over age 40. People who are very nearsighted, diabetic or who have a family history of glaucoma are also at high risk for the disease.

According to the American Optometric Association’s 2007 American Eye-Q® survey, 67 percent of Americans believe that glaucoma is preventable. In reality, the disease cannot be prevented, although it is treatable if caught in the early stages. The annual American Eye-Q® survey identifies attitudes and behaviors of Americans regarding eye care and related issues.

“Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the internal pressure in your eyes increases enough to damage nerve fibers in your optic nerve and cause vision loss,” said Dr. Tanya Carter, AOA’s Glaucoma Eye Care Expert and State University of New York College of Optometry professor. “The most common type of glaucoma develops gradually and painlessly, without symptoms. A rarer type occurs rapidly, and its symptoms may include blurred vision, loss of side vision, seeing colored rings around lights, and pain or redness in the eyes.”

Since vision lost to glaucoma cannot be restored, regular, comprehensive eye examinations are important for people at risk. A comprehensive optometric examination includes a tonometry test to measure pressure in the eyes; an examination of the inside of the eyes and optic nerves; and a visual field test to check for changes in central and side vision.

Treatment for glaucoma includes prescription eye drops and medicines to lower pressure in the eyes. In some cases, laser treatment or surgery may be effective in reducing pressure.

“Glaucoma cannot be prevented, but if diagnosed and treated early, it can be controlled to prevent or slow continued vision loss,” said Dr. Tanya Carter. “Losing your sight can be devastating, so there is no substitute for doing all you can to maintain your eye health through regular exams.”

Humans see color thanks to cone cells, specialized light-sensing neurons located in the retina along the inner surface of the eyeball. The actual light-sensing section of these cells is called the outer segment, which is made up of a series of stacked discs, each about 30 nanometers (billionths of a meter) thick. This appendage goes through daily changes in length…Read More

The holidays are filled with anticipation of gifts and new toys. When making decisions for selecting new toys, parents need to tell Santa and loved ones to pick eye-safe and age appropriate toys for children.

So, in general, what toys should parents avoid? Toys with pointed, sharp or rough edges or pieces. Blocks are great for almost any age as long as corners and edges are blunted to reduce the risk of eye injury. Also, to avoid eye injuries, beware of long-handled toys, like mops, brooms, pony sticks and rakes. Check to make sure that they have rounded handles and watch closely children under 2 with such toys.

Be careful to avoid toys that may be age appropriate for an older child but could be dangerous for a younger child. Always supervise children in situations when they might share an inappropriate toy with a younger sibling.

Avoid slingshots, dart guns and arrows for children under 6. Ideally, these toys should be avoided completely, especially when there are younger children in the house. If that is not possible, supervise any child with these toys, because have the potential to be harmful.”

Great toys for children are those that stimulate visual development, improve hand-eye coordination and demonstrate spatial relationships.

Toys for children under age 2 include:

• brightly colored mobiles
• stuffed animals
• activity gyms
• blocks, balls
• stacking and nesting toys
• buckets and measuring cups
• puzzles
• shape sorters
• musical toys

Appropriate and eye-friendly toys for children over age 2 include:

• child-sized household items like brooms
• vacuums
• rakes
• lawn mowers
• refrigerator and stove sets and outside toys like sandboxes
• riding toys and backyard gyms and swings.

Magnetic letters, stringing beads, toy cash registers are great for fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Some toys are simply not safe and may be recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). For a list of toy recalls, call (800) 638-2772 or visit www.cpsc.gov.

(Source: http://www.aoa.org/x8930.xml)

In daily activities at home, work and play, fogged lenses can be a real bother for eyeglass wearers.  Optifog is a new breakthrough technology with superior anti-fog properties. It has an advanced anti-fog top coat that, when combined with the Optifog Activator, provides long lasting fog free vision. The top coat and the Activator work together like Velcro. Each of their unique properties combine to create a revolutionary anti-fog solution.

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DIABETES TOP CAUSE OF BLINDNESS AMONG ADULTS

In honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month, the Pennsylvania Optometric Association (POA) and American Optometric Association (AOA) urge Americans living with diabetes and diabetic eye disease to schedule dilated, comprehensive eye exams on a yearly basis.

According to recent studies, diabetes is responsible for eight percent of legal blindness, making it the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults 20-74 years of age. Each year, 12,000 – 24,000 people lose their sight because of diabetes. The key to successful eye care is to monitor the disease, including vision, which is why the POA recommends those with diabetes have a dilated eye examination annually. More frequent exams may be needed if you have diabetic retinopathy, or if you notice a change in your vision.

During a dilated exam, an optometrist will look at your retina for early signs of diabetic eye disease, such as leaking blood vessels, swelling and deposits on the retina. Optometrists often serve as the first line of detection for diabetes, since the eye is the only place on the body that blood vessels can be seen without having to look through the skin.

Results from the AOA’s new American Eye-Q® consumer survey showed that only 36 percent of people realize that diabetes can be detected during a comprehensive eye exam. In addition, 47 percent didn’t know that a person with diabetes who does not wear corrective lenses should still receive an annual eye exam.

Diabetic retinopathy often has no early warning signs, so changes in vision may not be noticed. Therefore, early detection is critical in maintaining healthy vision.

By the year 2020, the number of people suffering from diabetic eye disease is expected to nearly double. However, monitoring and maintaining control of diabetes through regular visits to the doctor along with adherence to the doctor’s instructions can lower one’s risk of developing diabetic eye disease by as much as 76 percent.

Several factors influence whether someone with diabetes develops diabetic retinopathy. These include controlling blood sugar and blood pressure levels, the length of time with diabetes, race and family history.

In regards to race, both African-Americans and Hispanics are nearly twice as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites. According to the American Diabetes Association, on average, about 2.5 million, or 9.5 percent of Hispanics and 3.2 million, or 13.3 percent of Africans aged 20 years or older have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Be sure to see an optometrist if your vision becomes blurry, if you have trouble reading, experience double vision, feel pressure in your eyes, encounter straight lines appearing wavy or if your side vision is limited.

Source: http://www.aoa.org/x16813.xml

Are My Glow In The Dark Halloween Contact Lenses Safe?

It can be a lot of fun to put on glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses but are they safe? Thousands of these glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses are sold every year. Glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses are sold by prescription and without prescription. It’s a significantly better idea to purchase glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses with a prescription. When you have a prescription for glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses you will see a doctor 1st who can look at your eyes. Without a prescription for glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses you are running the gamble that they are likely not to be safe for your eyes. There have been corporations who sell glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses who have run into problems with optical groups. These corporations who were selling glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses didn’t have proper licenses. There were across 1 thousand eye injuries in 2004 and many of these injuries were due to cosmetic lenses. Glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses healthy into this category. If the glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses aren’t fitted properly they can cause injury to your eyes. An additional problem with the glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses is that young people wish to share them. It’s extremely unsafe to share any contact lenses including glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses. When you purchase glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses from a company that doesn^t need a prescription you run the chance of more problems. Many of these corporations don’t provide any care instructions. They also don’t tell customers that they shouldn’t sleep in their glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses or even swim with them in. If your glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses aren’t fitted properly you will develop bacterial infections, swelling, eye infliction and loss of clarity. It’s important that you get your glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses from a reputable company. If you want to be safe when you put on glow in the dark Halloween contact lenses purchase them from a company that requires a prescription.

Source: http://www.contact-lens-advisor.info/articles/Are-My-Glow-In-The-Dark-Halloween-Contact-Lenses-Safe.html