Eye Conditions Archives - Page 51 of 66 - Natural Eye Care Blog: News & Research on Vision

Fight Macular Degeneration: Exercise, Weight Management & Stop Smoking

Weight Management to Fight Macular Degeneration

A study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology shows that people with a body mass index of less than 25 are less likely than their peers to develop macular degeneration. Daily exercise also helped keep the eye disease in check. Over the course of the four year study patients who participated in vigorous exercise at least three times per week reduced the chance that the disease would worsen by 25%.

Continue reading “Fight Macular Degeneration: Exercise, Weight Management & Stop Smoking”

Causes of Dry Eye: Make up, Hormones, Computer Use

According to an article in Primary Care Optometry News dry eye symptoms can be caused by interactions of cosmetics. Gregory S. Moore, OD pins the problem on the interaction of different product brands rather than the used of eye make-up in general. He says “There’s the possibility that different brands of make-up are interacting and causing a problem. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration only requires companies to test the brands against themselves, so you never know if what you’re using could be causing some type of chemical reaction.” Source: https://www.pconsupersite.com

Other causes of dry eye can include hormonal changes (specifically in women) and computer eye strain.

Breakthrough: Microchip Implant Restores Partial Sight

For the first time, scientists have restored the ability of previously blind patients to recognize letters, fruit and other items using light-sensitive microchips implanted in the inner surface of the eye.

The microchip is only approximately 3 millimeters by 3 millimeters in size, but is loaded with 1,500 light detectors that send a grid of electrical impulses through a patient’s nerves to generate a 1,500-pixel image. The device is implanted under the retina, the inner lining of the eye unlike other implants that sit outside the retina and require users to wear an external camera. Since the chip requires a sharp image, the patients wear reading glasses.

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In a paper published in The Procedings of the Royal Society B researchers describe how three patients suffering from hereditary retinal dystrophy regained the ability to identify objects and people and even read words printed in large letters. The technology involves that natural projection of images through the eye’s lens onto a chip placed under the transparent retina.

Source: http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/early/2010/11/01/rspb.2010.1747.abstract

Contact Lenses: Potential Problems With Long-Wearing Silicone Hydrogels

Researchers have found that people who wear silicone hydrogel (SH) contact lenses are likely to suffer corneal staining (mild abrasions of the eye), but that these situations rarely turn into more serious corneal infiltrative events. Corneal infiltrates are marked by eye discomfort, feeling like there is something in your eye, light sensitivity, and conjunctival hyperemia.

Factors likely to cause these more serious corneal infiltrates include smoking and the presence of bacteria on the lens. Smoking is a factor in the development of many other eye diseases as well – including everything from dark circles under your eyes to macular degeneration.

Silicone hydrogel lenses are purported to allow more oxygen to the eye and are designed for long term use (up to 3o days in some cases). SH lenses on the market include: Ciba Focus Night & Day, Acuvue Oasys, and Bausch and Lomb’s PureVision lenses.

Source: Medscape

Eye Screening Tests for Pre-Teens May Not Be Effective

When a middle school student goes in for an eye exam it is likely that the tests will do a fine job of detecting myopia (or nearsightedness), but there is a good chance it will miss other conditions like hyperopia (farsightedness) or astigmatism.

A study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology discusses the results of eye exams of nearly 4500 Australian 7th graders. They found that the common visual acuity tests given to those adolescents were not able to effectively determine whether they suffered from hyperopia or astigmatism.

It’s never too early to start thinking about your children’s eye health. It is important to think about eye health at any age. Learn about how to support your entire family’s eye health.

Cancer Patients More Suceptible to Eye Conditions

After being diagnosed with cancer, and particularly after having undergone cancer treatments, it is especially important for patients to receive good eye care.

One lasting side effect if radiation can be dry eye syndrome. It is particularly important that any lubricating eye drops that patients use are free of preservatives.

Other complications include radiation induced retinopathy. Patients are particularly susceptible to this condition if they had chemotherapy at the same time as they were receiving radiation treatments. Retinopathy caused by radiation looks much like diabetic retinopathy and is treated in the same way.

Source: Optometry Times

Dry Eye Syndrome Can Be Caused By Meibomian Gland Problems

Dry eye syndrome, marked by feelings of grittiness, irritation, and burning as well as difficulty reading for long periods of time, and, even though it seems quite contradictory, excessive tearing or watering of the eyes, is a potentially debilitating condition that requires treatment.

Some eye doctors blame dry eye on problems with the meibomian gland, one of the sources of tear film. An article in Optometry Times discusses ways to clear blockages of the meibomian gland including the potentially painful squeezing of the gland (by a medical professional) or the less aggressive (though also potentially less effective) application of warm compresses to melt the obstruction.

Improve Computer Eye Strain With Acupressure Self Massage

Acupuncture and acupressure are ancient practices helps the energy flow smoothly through the body, enabling healing and stimulating vitality.

A simple acupressure massage can relieve computer eyestrain and the red eyes, difficulty focusing, and blurred vision that accompany it.

You can perform acupressure massage on yourself Continue reading “Improve Computer Eye Strain With Acupressure Self Massage”

5 Ways to Absorb the Most Nutrients From Food and Supplements

You take your nutritional supplements as directed by your health care provider or as directed on the bottle, but how do you know if you are absorbing all of those vital nutrients? You may order a beautiful salad made with organic greens, but are you getting all of those carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin that are essential to preventing macular degeneration and cataracts?

Here are some tips on how to ensure that you are getting the most out your food as well as those vitamins, minerals, and other therapeutic compounds intended to improve your health:

1. Reduce stress: Stress restricts the flow of blood in the body by tightening muscles, and restricting the free flow of fluids. Meditation, yoga, tai chi or even daily walks in nature can all help reduce stress significantly.

2. Eat slowly: We should be eating our food slowly and thoughtfully. Try never to eat on the run, and don’t eat while conversing, writing, doing work, etc. Make eating a special time for yourself.

3. Exercise regularly: Exercise helps the body rid itself of harmful toxins that build-up daily. Numerous studies have shown that even a brisk walk of 20 minutes per day can have a major impact in reducing development of disease such as heart disease, and has even been shown to reduce high eye pressures in cases of glaucoma.

4. Positive thinking: In Chinese medicine, excessive thoughts of anger, worry, resentment, grief and fear all have significant effects on the free flow of “energy” in the body.

5. Eat healthy food: Our bodies crave fresh food, particularly fruits, vegetables, and grains. These foods provide energy to the body in the form of vitamins, minerals, and natural enzymes. Excessive intake of “dead” food such as fast foods, or highly processed foods, requires our bodies to use its own enzymes and energy to digest food in an attempt to separate whatever limited nutrients may be available.

Update: Also see our new article on the relationship between digestive enzymes and vision health.

Cataract Surgery Does Not Increase Retinal Detachment Risk In Myopic People

People with severe myopia (nearsightedness) run a higher risk of experiencing retinal detachment.

A retinal detachment is a separation of the retina, the nerve cell layer, from the outer layers of the eye. The detachment might be small and relatively innocuous. In much more serious cases, the entire retina could detach; immediate medical care is necessary to prevent blindness. The sudden appearance of eye floaters and flashes in one’s vision are indications that the retina has detached.

A recent study out of Berlin, Germany indicates that highly myopic people who have had cataract surgery are not necessarily more likely to suffer spontaneous retinal detachment. Researchers intend this study to help inform highly myopic considering cataract surgery that their already elevated risk of retinal detachment is not increased by the cataract removal procedure.

Source: osnsupersite