Natural Eye Care Blog: News & Research on Vision

Tinted Glasses Can Help Kids Cope With Dyslexia

An article in the British newspaper, The Journal, talks about a middle school student who is coping with dyslexia thanks to a new pair of glasses.

Rose-tinted glasses help to reduce visual stress and stop the feeling that words and musical notes were “moving fast off the page.”

According to the eye doctor who fitted her with these special lenses, they chose a color not to make a fashion statement, but because rose was the best tint for her. The glasses are intended to block out distortion and make images clearer and sharper.

According to optometrist Andrew Keyes, of Gosforth, UK: “Visual stress is a visual perception problem which makes it difficult to see clearly. The contrast between printed words on a white surface can make letters appear jumbled or blurred.”

Source: The Journal

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.

Silicon in Bottled Water Can Help Women With Osteoporosis

Scientists interested in counteracting osteoporosis and decreases in bone density are researching how the silicon found in bottled water from artesian wells can help postmenopausal women with low bone mass. Silicon is required in trace amounts for normal bone formation.

This study, published in Nutrition Journal, shows that drinking such water from artesian aquifers is a good source of silicon. The trials only lasted 12 weeks, not enough time to show changes in the subjects’ bone markers, but researchers are optimistic and believe that further study is warranted.

Because standard treatments such as bisphosphonate drugs and hormone replacement therapy have been associated with osteonecrosis (bone death caused by decreased blood supply) or increased cardiovascular risk, it is important to find new options for women that have fewer debilitating and life threatening side effects.

There are many other compounds that can help combat osteoporosis including magnesium, vitamin D, and copper.

For other helpful supplements and a full overview of natural treatment options for osteoporosis, click here.

Source: Nutrition Journal

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

Omega-3s Help Prevent Gum Disease

Let’s add to the list of conditions that can be treated effectively with omega-3 fatty acids: gum disease.

Research published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows that omega-3s DHA and EPA can help to reduce periodontitis by up to 20%. Periodontitis, a chronic inflammation of the gums that causes the gum to separate from the tooth and harbor infection that can result in bone and tooth loss, affects more than 30 million Americans.

Up until now, prevention of periodontitis has generally only included keeping the teeth and mouth clean and applying antibiotics locally. Researchers are optimistic that the condition can respond to dietary therapy.

Fish oil is the primary source of omega-3 fatty acids. It can be found in supplement form or you can focus on foods that are high in DHA and EPA: Cold water fish (including salmon, tuna, mackerel, halibut), flax seed oil, black current oil, walnuts and walnut oils, dark leafy vegetables, eggs (from free range chickens preferred), spices (including mustard, fennel, cumin and Fenugreek).
Source: Nutraingredients

Product Recall: Hyland’s Teething Tablets

mother comforting crying baby — Image via womenshealth.gov

After an October 23 Food and Drug Administration warning to consumers, the manufacturer of Hyland’s Teething Tablets, the Standard Homeopathic Company, is recalling the supplement. The FDA recommends that parents stop administering this product and discard it.

The FDA claims that the homeopathic tablets, intended to help babies with the discomfort and irritability associated with cutting their first teeth, have varying amounts of potentially toxic belladonna. According to the FDA, they have received “reports of serious adverse events in children taking this product that are consistent with belladonna toxicity. An ongoing FDA inspection at the manufacturer indicates substandard control of the manufacturing operation.”

The FDA recommends that consumers contact their health care professional if their child experiences the following symptoms after taking Hyland’s Teething Tablets: a depressed level of consciousness, seizure, difficulty or slowed breathing, lethargy, sleepiness, muscle weakness, skin flushing, constipation, difficulty urinating, or agitation.

Source: https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm230762.htm

According to Hyland’s website, though the FDA does state that adverse events have been reported, the government organization does not claim there is a conclusive link between these symptoms and the intake of these teething tablets. Hyland’s says “After in-depth analysis, a comprehensive review of the company’s adverse event report log, and more than 85 years of safe usage, the company is confident that Hyland’s Teething Tablets are safe for infants and toddlers.” Hyland’s will be changing its packaging standards, however, since the FDA’s warning also included a note about the possibility of accidental overdose due to lack of childproof packaging. For more: https://www.hylands.com/news/hylands-teething-recall.php