Eye Health Tips

Simple Tips for Healthy Eyes

Your eyes are an important part of your health. You can do many things to keep them healthy and make sure you’re seeing your best. Follow these simple guidelines for maintaining healthy eyes well into your golden years.

Have a comprehensive dilated eye exam. You might think your vision is fine or that your eyes are healthy, but visiting your eye care professional for a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the only way to really be sure. When it comes to common vision problems, some people don’t realize they could see better with glasses or contact lenses. In addition, many common eye diseases, such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and age-related macular degeneration, often have no warning signs. A dilated eye exam is the only way to detect these diseases in their early stages.

During a comprehensive dilated eye exam, your eye care professional places drops in your eyes to dilate, or widen, the pupil to allow more light to enter the eye—the same way an open door lets more light into a dark room. This process enables your eye care professional to get a good look at the back of the eyes and examine them for any signs of damage or disease. Your eye care professional is the only one who can determine if your eyes are healthy and if you’re seeing your best.

Know your family’s eye health history. Talk to your family members about their eye health history. It’s important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with an eye disease or condition, since many are hereditary. This information will help to determine if you’re at higher risk for developing an eye disease or condition.

Eat right to protect your sight. You’ve heard that carrots are good for your eyes. But eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables—particularly dark leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, or collard greens—is important for keeping your eyes healthy, too.ⁱ Research has also shown there are eye health benefits from eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut.

Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes and other systemic conditions, which can lead to vision loss, such as diabetic eye disease or glaucoma. If you’re having trouble maintaining a healthy weight, talk to your doctor.

Wear protective eyewear. Wear protective eyewear when playing sports or doing activities around the home. Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards specially designed to provide the correct protection for the activity in which you’re engaged. Most protective eyewear lenses are made of polycarbonate, which is 10 times stronger than other plastics. Many eye care providers sell protective eyewear, as do some sporting goods stores.

Quit smoking or never start. Smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body. Research has linked smoking to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and optic nerve damage, all of which can lead to blindness.^{ii, iii}

Be cool and wear your shades. Sunglasses are a great fashion accessory, but their most important job is to protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. When purchasing sunglasses, look for ones that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.

Give your eyes a rest. If you spend a lot of time at the computer or focusing on any one thing, you sometimes forget to blink and your eyes can get fatigued. Try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. This short exercise can help reduce eyestrain.

Clean your hands and your contact lenses—properly. To avoid the risk of infection, always wash your hands thoroughly before putting in or taking out your contact lenses. Make sure to disinfect contact lenses as instructed and replace them as appropriate.

Practice workplace eye safety. Employers are required to provide a safe work environment. When protective eyewear is required as a part of your job, make a habit of wearing the appropriate type at all times, and encourage your coworkers to do the same.

References

ⁱ Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group. The relationship of dietary carotenoid with vitamin A, E, and C intake with age-related macular degeneration in a case-control study. Archives of Ophthalmology 2007; 125(9): 1225–1232.

ⁱⁱAge-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group. Risk factors associated with age-related nuclear and cortical cataract. Ophthalmology 2001; 108(8): 1400–1408.

ⁱⁱⁱ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General (Washington, D.C., 2004).

Adapted from National Eye Institute

Health Across Lifespan

Infancy and Childhood (Birth to Age 18)

In the United States, the most prevalent disabling childhood conditions are vision disorders including amblyopia, strabismus, and significant refractive errors. Early detection increases the likelihood of effective treatment; however, less than 15% of all preschool children receive an eye exam, and less than 22% of preschool children receive some type of vision screening. Vision screening for children scored on par with breast cancer screening for women. Other eye diseases affecting this age group include retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), congenital defects, diabetic retinopathy (DR), and cancers such as retinoblastoma.

Adults Younger Than Age 40

Vision impairments in people younger than age 40 are mainly caused by refractive errors, which affect 25% of children and adolescents, and accidental eye injury. Approximately 1 million eye injuries occur each year, and 90% of these injuries are preventable. More than half (52%) of all patients treated for eye injuries are between ages 18 and 45 and almost 30% of those are 30–40 years (McGwin, Aiyuan, & Owsley, 2005). Additionally, diabetes affects this age group and is the leading cause of blindness among the working-age group 20–74. Racial disparities occur in prevalence and incidence of some eye conditions. For example, among specific high-risk groups such as African Americans, early signs of glaucoma may begin in this age group, particularly if there is a family history for glaucoma. Lifestyle choices adopted during this period may adversely affect vision and eye health in later years (e.g., smoking, sunlight exposure).

Adults Older Than Age 40

American adults aged 40 years and older are at greatest risk for eye diseases; as a result, extensive population-based study data are available for this age group. The major eye diseases among people aged 40 years and older are cataract, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. These diseases are often asymptomatic in the early treatable stages. The prevalence of blindness and vision impairment increases rapidly with age among all racial and ethnic groups, particularly after age 75 (Prevent Blindness America, 2002). Although aging is unavoidable, evidence is mounting to show the association between some modifiable risk factors (i.e., smoking, ultraviolet light exposure, avoidable trauma, etc.) and these leading eye diseases affecting older Americans. Additional modifiable factors that might lend themselves to improved overall ocular health include a diet rich in antioxidants and maintenance of normal levels of blood sugar, lipids, total cholesterol, body weight, and blood pressure combined with regular exercise.

References

Bailey RN, Indian RW, Zhang X, Geiss LS, Duenas MR, Saaddine JB (2006). Visual impairment and eye care among older adults—five states. MMWR 2005:55:49; 1321–1325.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevalence of disabilities and associated health conditions among adults—United States. MMWR 2001:50(7):120–5.

Prevent Blindness America, National Eye Institute. Vision Problems in the U. S.—Prevalence of Adult Vision Impairment and Age-Related Eye Disease in America 

Common Eye Disorders

Approximately 11 million Americans 12 years and older could improve their vision through proper refractive correction. More than 3.3 million Americans 40 years and older are either legally blind (having best-corrected visual acuity of 6/60 or worse (=20/200) in the better-seeing eye) or are with low vision (having best-corrected visual acuity less than 6/12 (<20/40) in the better-seeing eye, excluding those who were categorized as being blind). The leading causes of blindness and low vision in the United States are primarily age-related eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. Other common eye disorders include amblyopia and Strabismus.

For basic eye anatomy demonstration click here. 

Refractive Errors

Refractive errors are the most frequent eye problems in the United States. Refractive errors include myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism (distorted vision at all distances), and presbyopia that occurs between age 40-50 years (loss of the ability to focus up close, inability to read letters of the phone book, need to hold newspaper farther away to see clearly) can be corrected by eyeglasses, contact lenses, or in some cases surgery. Recent studies conducted by the National Eye Institute showed that proper refractive correction could improve vision among 11 million Americans 12 years and older.

(Click here to see demonstration)

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration, often called age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is an eye disorder associated with aging and results in damaging sharp and central vision. Central vision is needed for seeing objects clearly and for common daily tasks such as reading and driving. AMD affects the macula, the central part the retina that allows the eye to see fine details. There are two forms of AMD, wet and dry.

Wet AMD: when abnormal blood vessel behind the retina start to grow under the macula, ultimately leading to blood and fluid leakage. Bleeding, leaking, and scarring from these blood vessels cause damage and lead to rapid central vision loss. An early symptom of wet AMD is that straight lines appear wavy.

Dry AMD: When the macula thins overtime as part of aging process, gradually blurring central vision. The dry form is more common and accounts for 70-90% of cases of AMD and it progresses more slowly than the wet form. Over time, as less of the macula functions, central vision is gradually lost in the affected eye. Dry AMD generally affects both eyes. One of the most common early signs of dry AMD is drusen.

Drusen: Drusen are tiny yellow or white deposits under the retina. They often are found in people over age 60. The presence of small drusen is normal and does not cause vision loss. However, the presence of large and more numerous drusen raises the risk of developing advanced dry AMD or wet AMD.

It is estimated that 1.8 million Americans 40 years and older are affected by AMD and an additional 7.3 million with large drusen are at substantial risk of developing AMD. The number of people with AMD is estimated to reach 2.95 million in 2020. AMD is the leading cause of permanent impairment of reading and fine or close-up vision among people aged 65 years and older.

(Click here to see demonstration)

Cataract

Cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens and is the leading cause of blindness worldwide, and the leading cause of vision loss in the United States. Cataracts can occur at any age due to a variety of causes, and can be present at birth. Although treatment for the removal of cataract is widely available, access barriers such as insurance coverage, treatment costs, patient choice, or lack of awareness prevent many people from receiving the proper treatment.

An estimated 20.5 million (17.2%) Americans 40 years and older have cataract in one or both eyes, and 6.1 million (5.1%) have had their lens removed operatively. The total number of people who have cataracts is estimated to increase to 30.1 million by 2020.

(Click here to see demonstration)

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common complication of diabetes. It is the leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is characterized by progressive damage to the blood vessels of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that is necessary for good vision. DR progresses through 4 stages, mild nonproliferative retinopathy (microaneurysms), moderate nonproliferative retinopathy (blockage in some retinal vessels), severe nonproliferative retinopathy (more vessels are blocked leading to deprived retina from blood supply leading to growing new blood vessels), and proliferative retinopathy (most advanced stage). Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes.

The risks of DR are reduced through disease management that includes good control of blood sugar, blood pressure, and lipid abnormalities. Early diagnosis of DR and timely treatment reduce the risk of vision loss; however, as many as 50% of patients are not getting their eyes examined or are diagnosed too late for treatment to be effective.
It is the leading cause of blindness among working-aged adults in the United States ages 20–74. An estimated 4.1 million and 899,000 Americans are affected by retinopathy and vision-threatening retinopathy, respectively.

(Click here to see demonstration) 

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye's optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness. Glaucoma occurs when the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises. However, recent findings now show that glaucoma can occur with normal eye pressure. With early treatment, you can often protect your eyes against serious vision loss.

There are two major categories “open angle” and “closed angle” glaucoma. Open angle, is a chronic condition that progress slowly over long period of time without the person noticing vision loss until the disease is very advanced, that is why it is called “sneak thief of sight". Angle closure can appear suddenly and is painful. Visual loss can progress quickly; however, the pain and discomfort lead patients to seek medical attention before permanent damage occurs.

(Click here to see demonstration.)

Amblyopia

Amblyopia, also referred to as “lazy eye,” is the most common cause of vision impairment in children. Amblyopia is the medical term used when the vision in one of the eyes is reduced because the eye and the brain are not working together properly. The eye itself looks normal, but it is not being used normally because the brain is favoring the other eye. Conditions leading to amblyopia include; strabismus, an imbalance in the positioning of the two eyes; more nearsighted, farsighted, or astigmatic in one eye than the other eye, and rarely other eye conditions such as cataract.

Unless it is successfully treated in early childhood, amblyopia usually persists into adulthood, and is the most common cause of permanent one-eye vision impairment among children and young and middle-aged adults. An estimated 2%–3% of the population suffers from amblyopia.

Why is Vision Loss a Public Health Problem?

Recently, Saaddine, Venkat Narayan & Vinicor (2003) posed five criteria that define whether vision loss is a pubic health problem they are 1. Does vision loss affect a lot of people? 2. Does vision loss contribute a large burden in terms of morbidity, quality of life, and cost? 3. Has the problem recently increased and will it increase in the future? 4. Is vision loss perceived to be a threat by the public? 5. Is it feasible to act on the condition at a community or public health level? The answer to each of these questions is “yes.”

1. Does vision loss affect a lot of people?

Yes. More than 3.4 million Americans aged 40 years and older are blind (having a visual acuity of 20/200 or less or a visual field on 20 degrees or less) or visually impaired (having a visual acuity of 20/40 or less). Other estimates of “vision problems” range as high as 21 million, and a total of 80 million Americans have potentially blinding eye diseases. The major causes of vision loss are cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma.

2. Does vision loss contribute a large burden in terms of morbidity, quality of life, and cost?

Yes. People with vision loss are more likely to report depression, diabetes, hearing impairment, stroke, falls, cognitive decline, and premature death. Decreased ability to see often leads to the inability to drive, read, keep accounts, and travel in unfamiliar places, thus substantially compromising quality of life. The cost of vision loss, including direct costs and lost productivity, is estimated to exceed $35 billion (Rein, Zhang, Wirth, et al., 2006)

3. Has vision loss recently increased and will it increase in the future?

Yes. As the population of older people continues to accelerate, the number of people experiencing vision loss will continue to increase. And as the population of people experiencing diabetes increases, consequent increases will occur in diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases. Prevent Blindness America estimates that the population of people experiencing blindness and visual impairment will double by 2030 unless corrective actions are taken.

4. Is vision loss perceived to be a threat by the public?

Yes. Vision loss ranks among the top ten causes of disability in the United States, and it is a condition feared by many.

5. Is it feasible to act on vision loss at a community or public health level?

Yes. Scientific evidence shows that early detection and treatment can prevent much blindness and vision impairment. Efficacious and cost-effective strategies to detect and treat diabetic retinopathy are available, but among people with diabetes, screening is received only by about two-thirds of persons for whom the exam is recommended and varies significantly across health care settings. Cataract removal surgery can restore vision, and this surgery is cost effective; however, among African Americans, unoperated senile cataracts remain a major cause of blindness. Glaucoma can be controlled, and vision loss stopped by early detection and treatment. Nevertheless, half the people with glaucoma are not diagnosed, and glaucoma is still the number one blinding disease among African Americans.

Public health serves to address each of these questions by conducting population-based investigations to determine the population, characteristics, circumstances, and trends of vision loss, as well as developing and implementing evidence based, cost-effective interventions to assure access to vision care and health behaviors to prevent the onset of vision loss and to improve the health and quality of life for those who have lost vision.

Several thoughtful papers have articulated public health dimensions of vision loss. These include the following:

Saaddine JB, Venkat Narayan KM, Vinicor F. Vision Loss: A Public Health Problem? Ophthalmology, 2003:110(2); 253–254.

Rein DB, Zhang P, Wirth KE, et al. The economic burden of major adult visual disorders in the United States. Arch.Ophthalmol 2006;124(12):1754–1760. Summary | Abstract

Gohdes DM, Balamurugan A, Larson BA, Maylahn C (2005). Age-related eye diseases: an emerging challenge for public health professionals. Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice, and Policy 2005:2(3); 1–6.

Ferris FL Tielsch JM. Blindness and visual impairment: a public health issue for the future as well as today. Archives of Ophthalmology 2004:122; 451–452.

Crews JE. (2003). The role of public health in addressing aging and sensory loss. Generations 2003:27(1); 83–90.

Crews JE, Kirchner C, Lollar DJ. The view from the crossroads of public health and vision (re)habilitation. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness 2006:100; 773–779.

Thyroid Eye Diases

Graves eye disease, also known as thyroid related ophthalmopathy, is an autoimmune condition affecting the thyroid gland along with the muscles and connective tissue around the eyes.  It is characterized by rapid heartbeat, sweating, high blood pressure, irritability, fatigue, weight loss, heat intolerance, and hair loss. Eye symptoms can range from mild to severe. When the eyes are affected, they may appear more prominent. Sensitivity to light, a dry gritty feeling and tearing are common complaints. Double vision and sometimes even loss of vision can occur on rare occasions.

Approximately one million Americans are diagnosed with Graves eye disease each year. Women are five to six times more likely than men to get the condition. Cigarette smokers are at significantly increased risk.

Initial treatment includes the use medications to control the thyroid but the condition can progress even with properly maintained thyroid function.  Most patients experience relief from dry eyes by using artificial tears daily and gels or ointments at night. Some patients also use patches at night or tape their eyes shut to keep them from becoming dry if the eyelids do not close properly. Occasionally surgery, oral steroids or radiation treatments are necessary.

The symptoms described above may not necessarily mean that a person has Graves eye disease.  Proper monitoring and treatment of the symptoms is necessary to maintain healthy vision for years to come.

What exactly is a cataract?

Top: Clear Lens Bottom: Cataract Lens

A cataract is a clouding of your natural lens, located behind your pupil. The lens contains protein that degenerates with age. When you are about 45 years-old, this change in the lens protein makes the natural lens firmer and that’s why reading glasses are needed at that time. Later, the lens protein begins to change color which makes the lens cloudy. The result is a cataract and blurred vision.

Can You Develop an Allergy to Contact Lenses?

While it sounds like quite a mouthful, giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC) is a common eye condition. It’s actually an allergy to contact lenses. It generally occurs in patients who have worn contact lenses for years. They come in concerned that their contacts are no longer comfortable and that they have a slight discharge from their eyes. “But I’ve worn contacts for years without problems” is their response when told of the diagnosis. It’s precisely that long duration of wear that triggers the condition.

Patients with asthma, hay fever or animal allergies may be at greater risk of developing GPC. This condition is believed to be a reaction to protein deposits building up on the contact lenses. The name comes from what we see when we flip the upper eyelid: 1-2 mm bumps called “giant papillae”.

The key to treatment is decreased lens wear time, frequent replacement of the contacts and diligent cleaning of the lenses each day. Disposable contacts help because they are discarded before the protein builds up. Sleeping in contacts has to stop. Besides the above, treatments may include allergy drops or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drops. Once the GPC clears up, the patient may want to consider LASIK vision correction to avoid a recurrence.

Dry Eyes and Contact Lenses

While worse in the winter, dry eyes can make contact lens wear uncomfortable all year long. The symptoms of dry eyes are usually worse towards the end of the day. Many also notice fluctuating vision and redness around the iris (colored portion of the eye). Their contacts may even curl around the edges when they remove them.

The problem is due to a decrease in tear production over time and a more rapid evaporation of the tear film in dry environments. The result is a drying out of many types of soft contact lenses. But if you have been experiencing any of theses problems, we may have a solution for you.

Recent technology has produced a new type of soft contact lens to prevent dry eye symptoms with contacts. These silicone soft contact lenses are designed to be healthier for the cornea (the front surface of the eye) and lessen the dryness problem.

Some of the contact lens options are: Acuvue Advance, Oasys, O2Optics, Focus Night and Day, and Purevision lenses. There are even options for those of you with astigmatism or who are wearing bifocal contacts.

Other contact lens option, other treatments for dry eye include the placement of tiny punctual plugs which decrease the drainage of tears from the eyes, the use of tear supplements and prescription products such as Restasis that increase the quality of your tears. If you have dry eyes you may have to admit that contact lenses are not for you.  The contacts make your eyes more dry by absorbing your tears, leaving less moisture to coat the eye.  Many patients consider LASIK vision correction when this occurs.

Proper Contact Lens Care

Contact lenses are a safe and effective way to correct your vision BUT you need to be sure you are taking care of them correctly. Poor contact lens care can lead to severe infections and scarring that could permanently impair your vision.

There are many different types of contact lenses so be sure you know how long you should wear your particular type. It varies from one day to until they are uncomfortable. With rare exceptions, you should not sleep in your contacts lenses. This is because your eyes become deprived of oxygen during the night when a contact is in. The result may be an inability to fight off an infection.

Besides not sleeping in your contacts, you also should not wear them from the minute you wake up until bedtime that night. This also is to let the cornea, the front part of the eye, breath and stay healthy. You should wear your glasses at least 1-2 hours per day.

Care products vary depending on the type of contact lens. Be sure you clean your contacts daily and replace the solution in the case each day. The contact lens case should be air dried after a thorough rinsing each day.

If your eyes are uncomfortable, take the contacts out. Let your eyes rest but if the discomfort does not improve, you need to be seen. Everyone who wears contacts needs a pair of glasses also for situations like this.

With a few simple steps,you can maintain the health of your eyes and great vision with contacts. Don’t take a chance when your vision is at stake.

Swimming and Contact Lenses

Can’t see without your glasses and love your contacts, so why not swim in them?  The answer is that you should NOT swim in contact lenses because it increases your risk of eye problems from mild irritation to severe eye infections.  Most contact lenses are at least 50% water.  So if you are swimming in a pool with chlorine, that chlorinated water is going to penetrate your contacts and stay in contact with the surface of your eye for up to an hour after swimming.  This can irritate the surface of your eye and increase your risk of infection.


While mild eye irritation goes away in a day or so, a severe eye infection can result in permanent eye damage.  Even in the best maintained pool or spa, bacteria can be present. In lake water, a severe pathogen called acanthamoeba may be present that causes a difficult to treat corneal ulcer.  This protozoa penetrates the cornea rapidly and often requires specially formulated eye drops to save the eye. Beaches may also present the possibility of a fusarium fungal infection.

So if you want to swim and see without glasses, consider LASIK.  Wearing contact lenses in the water decreases your chance of fighting off possible infections. Should you have a severe corneal ulcer, the scarring may make contact lens wear in the future impossible and also make you a poor candidate for LASIK vision correction.

What's new in Contact Lenses?

Contact lenses improve all the time so if you have had problems with them in the past you may want to try them again every few years. The trend now is to disposable contacts that are worn daily for 2 weeks to a month and then discarded. The advantage of this type of contact is that there is less of a chance for protein build-up so the comfort and vision is improved.

There are contact lenses for those with astigmatism called “Toric” contacts.

Vision Impairment and Blindness

Vision impairment, or low vision, means that even with eyeglasses, contact lenses, medicine or surgery, you don't see well. Vision impairment can range from mild to severe. The leading causes of vision impairment and blindness in the United States are age-related eye diseases: macular degeneration, cataract and glaucoma. Other eye disorders, eye injuries and birth defects can also cause vision loss. 

A loss of vision means that you may have to reorganize your life and learn new ways of doing things. If you have some vision, visual aids such as special glasses and large print books can make life easier. There are also devices to help those with no vision, like text-reading software and braille books.

Sometimes, vision loss is preventable. Regular comprehensive eye exams and prompt treatment are critical.

Prevention

Prevention of common causes of eye pain starts with eye protection.

• Wear goggles while working with hand tools, power tools, industrial chemicals, or when there is a chance of getting chemicals, debris, or small particles in the eye.
• Wear safety glasses while playing sporting activities, such as basketball, racquetball, and tennis. Also, appropriate headgear should be worn, such as a safety helmet at work when needed, a helmet for playing baseball, and a face mask for playing hockey.
• When using potent chemicals, such as cleaning fluids, ammonia, and detergents, read the instructions carefully. Also, when using spray chemicals, it is important to point the nozzle away from the eyes at all times.
• Children at play often sustain eye injuries. These injuries can result from spring-loaded toys that shoot darts and other objects, plastic swords, and BB guns. Young children can also injure their eyes as a result of fireworks mishaps. Close parental supervision can often prevent these injuries.
• Prevent eye injuries while performing gardening and lawn care activities by picking up rocks and sticks before mowing and watching for low-hanging branches and trees while mowing.
• If you wear contact lenses, use proper routine eye care to prevent contact lens-related eye injuries. People who wear contact lenses should follow their eye doctor's instructions carefully for removing, applying, and washing their contact lenses.

Medical Treatment

Treatment at your ophthalmologist's office or at an emergency department will vary widely, from giving you instructions to apply warm compresses on a sty or a chalazion to taking you into emergency surgery for acute glaucoma.

• Conjunctivitis: The bacterial form is treated with antibiotic eyedrops, eye ointment, and pain medication. Viral conjunctivitis (pinkeye) is typically treated the same as bacterial conjunctivitis, because it may be difficult to tell the difference between bacterial versus viral infections. Allergic conjunctivitis is normally treated with antihistamines, such as Benadryl or non-sedating antihistamines.
• Corneal abrasions and ulcerations: These are treated with antibiotic eye drops (to prevent infection), eye ointment, and pain medication.
• Foreign body in the eye: There are different techniques to remove foreign bodies: irrigation with eye wash, removal with a cotton tip applicator, removal with a small needle, or removal with an ophthalmologic drill. After foreign body removal, there may be an abrasion or a rust ring (rust from a metal foreign body), which would be treated separately.
• Chemical eye burns and corneal flash burns: Chemical eye burns are treated immediately with great amounts of water to wash out the eye and anesthetic eye drops until normal levels of acid or alkali of the eye are reached. The acid or alkali levels will be checked with a special paper called pH paper. After thorough washing is complete and the pH is normal, evaluation by an ophthalmologist is required for further treatment, depending on the extent of the chemical burn. Flash burns are treated as many small abrasions with antibiotic eyedrops, eye ointment, and pain medication. Typically, follow up with an ophthalmologist is recommended.
• Blepharitis: You will be instructed to scrub the eyelid edges with mild shampoo like baby shampoo on a soft washcloth twice a day to remove excess oil.
• Styes or chalazions: These can initially be treated conservatively by placing warm compresses, such as a washcloth that has been warmed with hot water, on the eye or eyes for 15 to 20 minutes, four times a day. An antibiotic ointment can be applied. If the chalazion does not go away in three to four weeks, your ophthalmologist may open it up so the infection can drain out.
• Glaucoma: Glaucoma has many treatment options depending on the type, severity, and duration of the attack. Severe glaucoma can be a true eye emergency with permanent eye damage occurring within several hours. Treatment typically begins with eye drops containing a topical beta-blocker [for example, timolol (Timoptic)], a topical steroid drop, and a pupillary constricting eyedrop; other medicines may be given intravenously or in pill form. If these treatments fail to decrease intraocular eye pressure, surgery may be considered.
• Iritis: This condition may be treated with eyedrops that cause your pupils to dilate (get bigger) and with topical steroid eyedrops. In severe cases of iritis, oral steroids may be used.
• Optic neuritis: Gradual loss of vision and painful eye movement are normally signs of a disease throughout the body, which needs to be diagnosed and treated. Most commonly, a thorough work-up needs to be performed with both ophthalmologists and neurologists to determine the cause of optic neuritis.
• Sinusitis: When sinusitis is determined to be a bacterial infection, it can be treated with antibiotics.
• Migraines: When migraines cause eye pain, both can be treated with routine over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen (Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol), as well as with prescription migraine medications.
• Traumatic events to the eye: Penetrating injuries to the globe of the eye are always best managed by ophthalmologists and require immediate evaluation in the emergency department.

Eye Pain Treatment Self-Care at Home

Seek medical attention if you have eye pain.

• Most commonly, home care consists of flushing the eye with water. With exposure to a foreign body or chemical to the eye, it is important to thoroughly flush the eye with lukewarm tap water or commercially prepared eyewash solution. See the home care section under eye injury for techniques on how to flush your eye with water.
• If you think a foreign body is in your eye, do not rub your eye. This can seriously damage the eye by causing more damage to the surface as the foreign body is moved around with rubbing. Do not attempt to remove a foreign body from your eye or someone else's eye. Treatment other than gentle eye irrigation is generally not recommended and should be reserved for medical professionals and eye doctors.
• For mild cases of eye discomfort, rest your eyes, take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, and avoid bright light.

Exams and Tests

Medical evaluation of eye pain begins with a thorough history and physical examination. The history consists of questions documenting the symptoms in detail.

• Important questions asked include when the pain started, the location of pain, the duration of pain, the characteristics of pain, anything that makes the pain better or worse, what you were doing when the symptoms began, history of contact lens use, and previous eye injuries or surgeries.
• Other important questions are whether you have allergies to medications, your current medications, past medical history, past surgeries, family history, and social history (including your work and travel habits as well as any history of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drug use).
• The physical examination pertaining to the eyes may consist of checking your vision, visual inspection of the eye and its surrounding tissue, and examining eye movements, visual fields (peripheral vision), and the pupil's reaction to light.
• The ophthalmologist may use instruments to get a better look at the eye.
• An ophthalmoscope, which is a special tool for visualizing the eye, is used to examine the back of the eye and to view the optic disc and blood vessels.
• A slit lamp is a microscope to view the surface of the eye up close and in detail to evaluate for possible corneal abrasions and ulcerations. It is also used to look into the anterior chamber, which is the area between the surface of the eye and the pupil.
• Eye pressure can be checked using a tonometer on the slit lamp or a device known as a Tono-Pen. These two instruments are used if glaucoma is suspected.
• The ophthalmologist may also put an anesthetic drop into your eye for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This test helps to determine if the eye pain comes from the surface of the eye or from deeper structures in the eye. In most cases, pain can be relieved by the topical anesthetic if it originates from the surface of the eye.
• A dye called fluorescein may be put into the eye to detect abrasions, ulcerations, or any corneal defect. A special black light will be used in conjunction with the fluorescein to check for these problems.

When to Seek Medical Care

If you have eye pain, seek advice from your doctor or an ophthalmologist. It is difficult over the phone for a health-care provider to grade the severity of eye pain or make a diagnosis without examining you.

Because of the specialized nature of eye examination equipment, most eye problems are usually handled best in your ophthalmologist's office. If your ophthalmologist is not available, go to a hospital's emergency department. If the emergency department has the necessary eye equipment, an ophthalmologist may see you in the emergency department after hours.

• Any eye pain related to burns (chemical or flash) needs immediate treatment.
• Eye pain associated with loss of vision, loss of eye movement, painful eye movement, eye swelling, eye discharge, and severe headache are all significant findings that need to be evaluated by your ophthalmologist or in the emergency department immediately.
• Any eye pain related to a traumatic event such as an object puncturing the eye, a blow to the eye with a foreign object, or a motor vehicle collision with injuries affecting the eye needs to be evaluated by your ophthalmologist or in the emergency department immediately.

Eye Pain Symptoms

Pain is a variable measure. Each person may interpret pain differently.

• Eye pain and other symptoms often described by those experiencing eye problems are summarized below:
• Pain in or around the eye
• Partial or complete loss of vision
• Extreme light sensitivity
• Double vision
• Halos (colored circles or halos around lights)
• New floaters (spots, strings, cobwebs, or shadows seen before the eyes)
• Limitation of normal eye movement
• Pain with movement of the eye in different directions
• Sensation of flashes or streaks of light
• Severe headache associated with eye pain

• Your doctor or an ophthalmologist may see these signs as evidence of eye problems:
• Redness of the white of the eye (conjunctiva)
• Redness that flares out and surrounds the colored part of the eye (iris)
• Irregularly shaped pupil
• Bulging or protrusion of the eye
• Swelling or redness of the surrounding eye tissue, including the eyelids
• Blood or pus inside the front of the eye (within the colored part of the eye)
• Eye discharge, excessive tearing, crusting, or eyelids stuck together (especially upon awakening)
• A scratch to the cornea or eyeball

Eye Pain Causes

Causes of eye pain fall into two broad categories: ocular pain and orbital pain.

• Ocular pain is eye pain coming from the outer structures of the surface of the eye.
• Conjunctivitis is one of the most common eye problems. Conjunctivitis can be an allergic, bacterial, chemical, or viral inflammation of the conjunctiva (the delicate membrane lining the eyelid and covering the eyeball). Pinkeye is a nonmedical term usually referring to a viral conjunctivitis, because the conjunctiva gets inflamed and turns a pinkish color. Pain is usually mild, or there is no pain at all. Itching, redness, and drainage are typical symptoms associated with conjunctivitis.
• Corneal abrasions and corneal ulcerations are also common causes of eye pain. The cornea is the transparent surface of the eye. Abrasions occur from scratches to the surface of the cornea, such as from a foreign body in the eye or overuse of contact lenses. Ulcerations occur from infections or abrasions. Foreign bodies, usually located on the cornea or in the conjunctiva, are objects or materials that give you the sensation that something is in your eye. Foreign bodies produce eye pain similar to that of corneal abrasions.
• Chemical burns and flash burns are significant causes of eye pain. Chemical burns come from eye exposure to acid or alkaline substances, such as household cleaners or bleach. Flash burns occur from intense light sources, such as arc welding or tanning booths, when improper eye protection is worn. Even an intense sunny day can cause a flash burn.
• Blepharitis causes eye pain when an inflammation of the eyelid is caused by plugged oil glands at the eyelid edges.
• A sty or a chalazion causes eye pain because of local irritation. Both cause a lump you can see or feel within the eyelid formed by a blocked oil gland. This lump causes irritation to the eye, can be very painful to the touch, and is seen in both children and adults.

• Orbital pain is described as a deep, dull ache behind or in the eye. This pain is often caused by diseases of the eye.

• Glaucoma can cause orbital pain, although most cases of glaucoma are painless. Glaucoma is caused by an increase in intraocular pressure, or internal eye pressure, which can ultimately lead to defects in vision and even blindness if left untreated. Intraocular pressure can increase because of a blockage of outflow or increased production of aqueous humor (the fluid that bathes the inner eye). This is typically seen in older adults.
• Iritis is an inflammation of the iris, or colored part of the eye, that causes deep eye pain.
• Optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve. The optic nerve connects to the back of the eye. The cause of this inflammation can be from multiple sclerosis, viral infections, or bacterial infections and can cause symptoms such as pressure behind the eye along with visual changes and eye pain.
• Sinusitis, which is a bacterial or viral infection of the sinuses, can cause a sensation of orbital or eye socket pain.
• Migraines are a very common cause of orbital eye pain associated with headaches.
• Traumatic events, such as a penetrating injury to the eye, a blow to the eye with a foreign object, and motor vehicle collisions, are causes of significant eye pain and injury. Scratches to the cornea typically associated with traumatic events are very painful. These are a common eye problem that leads people to seek medical attention.

Lasik Eye Surgery Can Restore The Color in Your Bleak World

Our vision is the most important aspect of our life, as we view the world and our surroundings according to our sight. If this vision is impaired our view of the world around us will undergo a complete change for the worse. If any problem occurs, we try to rectify it immediately by wearing spectacles or through the use of contact lenses. However, both these methods may cause discomfort to the wearer and great care is needed in maintaining such vision enhancing devices. A lasik eye surgery is the modern day method to get rid of an eyesight related problem forever. The high success rate of this operation has helped to create a popular space for this branch of medicine and it finds many takers who are visually impaired.

The advantage of a lasik eye surgery lies in the least amount of trouble to the patient in terms of maintaining the effects of the surgery on a long term basis. The duration of the surgery is also quite short and the recovery is speedy for the patient. The expertise of the surgeon is the primary criterion that needs to be well established before anyone agrees to go in for such a treatment. Our eyes are one of the most sensitive organs in our bodies and any surgery is bound to be a difficult procedure. Therefore, make sure that you are well acquainted with all the effects and side effects of the procedure before you agree for the operation. Clarify all your doubts from the surgeon who will be conducting the operation and only after you and your family are completely convinced about the process, should you opt for such a surgery.

Lasik surgery involves the complete reshaping of the cornea for vision rectification with the use of laser and requires extreme skill on the part of the surgeon. Any kind of eyesight defect like long sightedness or short sightedness and others can be easily rectified with this form of surgery and that too, within a short duration. The patient can easily get back to his regular lifestyle almost by the next day of the surgery and this short recovery period further adds to the advantage and convenience of the process.

Once you have got a lasik eye surgery done, you can say goodbye to your vision enhancing devices forever. Now no more do you need to cut your nails and wash your hands with soap each time you wear your contact lenses. The heavy and clumsy spectacles, which you were anyways reluctant to wear, can now be done away with completely. Lasik eye surgery provides you with a completely new and clear vision to help you view the world in it true colors. The eyes are the most important part of a person’s personality and this surgery helps you in making complete use of your natural eyes without aided vision. Therefore, if you are keen on improving your eyesight, you could discuss it with your doctor and in case you are a suitable candidate for lasik eye surgery, you can simply go ahead and change your life for the better.

What Causes the Mental Strain In Your Life?

Mental strain is the main cause of eyesight problems and ailments. If strain can be eliminated from the eyes, eye sight will improve naturally. Teaching the eyes to relax is an important factor in getting rid of vision problems. Unfortunately, outside stressors and strain cannot always be controlled. The only thing we can control is our reaction to outside sources, but those outside factors can really do a number on our eyes.

           

There are a number of things each day that can cause us stress. Some are within our power to chance, but most are not. Financial problems, heartache, family problems, death, illness, or weather are some of the stressful factors we face in our lives. We may be able to chance a financial situation, heartache, or a family issue, but it’s hard to control the weather or a death.

           

One thing you always have control of is thought patterns. If negative thoughts are keeping your down, you are the only one who can change that pattern of thought. Dealing with your negative thoughts can actually solve many of the problems we once though were out of our control. Thinking more positive will cause less strain in the family and eliminate those problems. Positive outlook on life can make you feel better and leave you less susceptible to disease and illness.

           

It is human nature to look for outside sources and reasons for our own negative behavior. We tend to blame other people or the weather or the traffic for our negative thoughts. Although, these outside sources can initially make us angry or frustrated, we are the ones who decide to stay in the negative mind set. Negativity causes stress and strain in our lives and causes excess strain on the eyes.

           

Take charge of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Take time to figure out why you are feeling so negative. What is it that is it keeping you upset or frustrated? What steps can you take to fix those problems and emotions? Once you figure out what is causing the emotions, fix it. Don’t wait for others to come and fix it for you, you will be waiting a long time.

           

Strain and stress is the main cause of eye ailments. Concentrate on positive thinking to increase health and reduce eye strain.

What Are Your Eyes Saying?

Eye problems plague society today and have for many years. Many of these problems and ailments can be avoided if we would stop and listen to our eyes. They are the best factors in deciding if we are overworking them. If your eyes are straining and tense, your eyes are being damaged. You wouldn’t continue straining your arm muscles for long periods of time, you would stop when it hurt and take a break. The eyes should be treated the same way.

           

The eyes are full of small muscles that are responsible for shortening or lengthening the lens so we can see clearly. Take a look at your eyes right now. Are they straining to read the words on the page? Are the eyes flowing over the words are staring hard at each word? Are you smiling, frowning, or concentrating too hard?  If you said yes to any of those, your eye muscles need to relax as soon as possible.

           

Thoughts can actually affect our vision. When you are thinking pleasant, happy thoughts the eyes are more relaxed. Relaxed eyes have better focus and allow the eyes to make smooth movements. Negative thoughts cause the eyes to strain. Strained eyes tend to stare and the movements of the eye are jerky causing the eyes to hurt.

           

The eyes don’t lie. If your eyes hurt or you feel tense behind the eyes, they are simply trying to tell you to relax. Feel a headache coming on near the eyes or behind them? You are straining your eyes too much and need to relax.

           

The good news is that it only takes about 15-20 minutes to relax the eyes. Relaxed eyes can focus better and help with comprehension of the things you are reading or looking at. Simply close your eyes and concentrate on the darkness. Forget about the negative stressors going on around you, and think about positive, pleasant things. Picture yourself relaxing on the beach, the waves lapping at your feet, a cold drink in your hand. Keep your thoughts focused on as many pleasant things as you can for the entire 15 minutes. When you open your eyes, you should feel more relaxed and the eyes more focused.

           

Listening to what the eyes are saying and relax them when they are tired. Taking time out to relax, will help your vision for years to come.