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Don’t Believe These 5 Myths About Glaucoma

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You will find that every year, multiple national and international eye institutes, health organizations, opticians, universities, and NGOs combine efforts to create awareness about the overall effects of Glaucoma.

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According to prevalent studies, Glaucoma is one of the most common causes of vision impairment and blindness. It has been estimated that nearly 79.6 million individuals will suffer from Glaucoma by the end of 2020, and this number is projected to increase to almost 111 million by 2040¹. The challenging part is that more than 50% of individuals who have Glaucoma aren’t aware of the conditions and miss out on a diagnosis, which can be imperative to help protect their vision, as per The World Glaucoma Association².

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What Is Glaucoma?

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A common eye condition, Glaucoma, affects the optic nerves of the eyes. These optic nerves carry information from the eye to the brain to get it processed. Thus, when the optic nerves get damaged, it leads to vision loss, and in severe cases, irreversible vision impairment³.

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Typically, Glaucoma is caused by a build-up of pressure in the frontal part of the eye, which, if not timely, diagnosed or left untreated, leads to optical nerve damage and may lead to permanent vision loss. After cataracts, currently, Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness globally.

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Some common symptoms include:

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Blind spots
Tunnel vision
Blurry vision
Halos
Eye pain
Red eyes
Frequent headaches
Upset stomach, and in some cases, vomiting

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Debunking Myths About Glaucoma

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When was the last comprehensive eye examination appointment? Did you know that being proactive about your eye health and opting for a thorough eye examination every one to two years can help you diagnose Glaucoma and save your eyesight from further deterioration?

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Now, do you know what you mustn’t do? Fall for misinformation about such critical conditions. To help you separate facts from myths, we have listed five common myths regarding Glaucoma:

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MYTH #1: If You Don’t Suffer From Any Symptoms, You Will Not Develop Glaucoma.

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Fact: Most individuals do not realize they are suffering from symptoms until the condition has already developed into a critical level. Generally, the spread of this condition starts affecting peripheral vision and then leads to internal damages. To analyze this condition’s development at the back of the eyes, a comprehensive eye examination performed by an eye care specialist is a necessity when appropriately diagnosing Glaucoma.

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Myth #2: No One In My Family Suffers From Glaucoma, So It Won’t Affect Me.

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Fact: Having a family history of Glaucoma can be risky. However, many individuals are the first ones in their family to be diagnosed with the condition. Similarly, many individuals do not know whether or not a family member had been affected by Glaucoma. Thus, it is critically important to schedule timely eye examinations to ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment.

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Myth #3: Only Individuals Above The Age Of 60 Get Affected By Glaucoma.

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Fact: Although it is true that prevalently Glaucoma is most common in individuals over 60, it affects individuals of all ages, including babies. Sticking to regular eye examinations, or an eye test routine that has been prescribed by your optometrist helps ensure apt and prompt diagnosis and treatment.

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Myth #4: Vision Impairment As A Result Of Glaucoma Can Be Recovered Or Reversed.

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Fact: If one starts to notice vision loss, the condition has already developed into a critical stage. It is important to remember that Glaucoma’s effects are irreversible, and one may never recover their vision. It is also important to schedule routine eye examinations with your optometrist and discuss any vision changes experienced.

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You must keep a check on common symptoms and talk to your optometrist about control treatments such as eye drops, oral medication, and laser therapy or surgery, which can prevent your eyes from getting further damaged after the diagnosis.

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Myth #5: Individuals Affected By Glaucoma Cannot Wear Contact Lenses

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Fact: Many individuals with Glaucoma can safely continue wearing contact lenses. Whether it is safe for you to wear contact lenses or not entirely depends on the severity of your condition and your prescribed treatment. We recommend you consult with your optometrist and follow their advice diligently in this regard.

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Though, suppose your eye care specialist has prescribed you contact lenses. In that case, you can also discuss with them about different modalities and types of contact lenses available in the market to find the best contact lenses for your eyes. With modern technological advancements, you will find numerous types of contact lenses for different eye conditions, including ones that are safe to wear with conditions such as Glaucoma.

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Bausch+Lomb offers a wide range of contact lenses for various eye conditions and power prescriptions, including astigmatism, presbyopia, and dry eyes. Bausch+Lomb also provides different types of contact lenses in modalities of daily, monthly and yearly disposables, so that you enjoy options to buy the best contact lenses for your eyes. You can discuss with your optometrist about the benefits of each modality and buy contact lenses suiting your eyes. Being educated about your options and consulting with your optometrist to buy the best contact lenses can help you safeguard your vision and maintain healthy eyes in the long term.

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While the best contact lenses offer the benefits of convenience, comfort, and improved vision, you need to make some crucial considerations if you are dealing with critical eye conditions such as Glaucoma. Before you decide to change your prescription, medication, or buy contact lenses, you must always talk to your optometrist first. Doing so ensures you are not risking anything and following the correct course of treatment!\r\n

\r\n\r\n Sources:
\r\n \r\n[1] https://www.glaucomapatients.org/basic/statistics/#:~:text=Glaucoma%20is%20the%20most%20common,unaware%20that%20they%20are%20affected.
\r\n \r\n[2] https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma
\r\n \r\n[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK543075/
\r\n \r\nhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17072223/
\r\n \r\nhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2249347/
\r\n \r\nhttps://www.glaucoma.org/news/blog/new-contact-lens-technology-could-change-the-lives-of-glaucoma-patients-and-their-doctors.php\r\n

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Babies Eye Concerns

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\r\n While chances are excellent that your baby's vision will develop normally, some infants have a higher risk for certain conditions that may affect their sight later in life.\r\n

\r\n As babies grow and their eyes reach full development, parents are often the first to notice signs that their baby may have special vision needs. Don't hesitate to talk to your baby's optometrist if you have any concerns.\r\n

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Are There Symptoms I Should Watch For?\r\n

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\r\n Find the symptom below to learn more about the potential eye problems, what to watch for, and what can be done if/when your baby needs special eye care.\r\n

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Crossed eyes: It’s not uncommon for an infant’s eyes to look crossed, as if they’re turned in opposite directions. One eye may turn in towards the nose, or the eyes may seem to move independently, as if they can’t work together. For a baby less than three months old, the eyes are still learning to function as a unit – so crossing is simply a sign of continuing development. If the crossed eyes persist after your baby reaches three months old, it’s time to talk to your eye doctor about strabismus, a medical condition that can and should be treated.\r\n

\r\n One child in 20 has crossed eyes or trouble tracking. Yet these problems are not always obvious. Almost half of all cases aren't detected until after age five, far past the time when they can be treated most effectively. If there’s any question in your mind as to whether your child has crossed eyes, just ask your eye doctor.\r\n
Drooping eyelid: If your baby’s eyelid seems to droop over the eye in a way that looks as though it would block your baby’s vision, your baby may be developing amblyopia, which is also known as “lazy eye.” Sometimes amblyopia can result if your baby has crossed eyes for longer than the first three months of life. One eye becomes stronger than the other, leading to blurring or a loss of vision in the weaker eye. Your eye care professional may treat this condition by placing an eye patch over the stronger eye for an extended period – from weeks to months – to strengthen the weaker eye.\r\n
Milky white covering over the pupil: In rare cases, babies are born with a childhood cataract in one or both eyes. This can appear as a milky white covering over the pupil, and may be detected at birth. The good news is that your optometrist can correct childhood cataracts by replacing the cloudy lens with a clear one in a surgical procedure, restoring your baby’s eyesight.\r\n
Pink eyes: If your baby’s eyes have yellowish or greenish discharge in the morning, and are red and irritated, your infant may have a common condition called conjunctivitis. While this does require treatment, it’s a temporary medical condition.\r\n
Vibrating Eyes: If your baby’s eyes seem to jump, vibrate back and forth, or move erratically in a way that looks unusual to you, he or she may be one in about 670 born each year with nystagmus. This condition may signal that the eyes’ motor system is not developing normally. If you have a relative with nystagmus, or if you have it yourself, it’s possible that your baby could develop this as well – so it’s important to tell your pediatrician or eye doctor during your baby’s first eye examination if nystagmus runs in your family.\r\n
Watery Eyes: If your baby’s eyes seem to water all the time, whether the baby is crying or cheerful, your child may have chronically clogged or infected tear ducts – a condition known as congenital stenosis. You may see crusting or discharge around the eye, especially first thing in the morning. Generally, there’s no treatment required, babies outgrow this in their first year.\r\n

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Can Babies Suffer from Glaucoma?

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Very rarely, a baby will be born with Glaucoma.\r\n

\r\n Babies with glaucoma exhibit some behavioural and physical signs that you may recognise as unusual. Often, these babies don’t like bright lights or sunshine. Their eyes may tear more than normal, and one eye may look larger than the other. Also, the eyes may bulge, a symptom known as buphthalmos, or “ox eyes.”\r\n

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Are Premature Babies at More Risk for Eye Issues?\r\n

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Premature babies’ eyes may develop more slowly than babies who are delivered at full term. Be sure to tell your eye care professional if your baby was premature, because in some cases, premature babies can have retinopathy of prematurity, a medical condition that requires treatment.\r\n

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Toddlers and Childrens Vision Concerns\r\n

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\r\n Parents are usually the first to notice that their children may have special vision needs, so if you have any concerns about your child’s vision, don’t hesitate to talk to your pediatrician or health care professional.\r\n

\r\n Some issues require no treatment, while others may be corrected easily with spectacles, or other forms of correction. In all cases, the best chance to make sure your child’s vision is safe is to detect issues early with regular eye examinations.\r\n

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Common Vision Issues for Children

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\r\n Here are some common eye conditions:

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Shortsightedness or myopia, affects distance vision. Your child may read without difficulty, but will squint to see objects that are across the playground or far off.\r\n
Long sightedness, or hyperopia, causes blurred vision at all distances. A longsighted child struggles to focus on any object, whether the item is close by or across the room.\r\n
Astigmatism is an inherited condition in which your cornea or, in some cases, the lens behind the cornea are misshaped (like a football). Astigmatism causes images to blur because light rays are focused on some parts of the eye and not others. Objects that are close-up or far off can be equally distorted.\r\n

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These three issues can be corrected easily with corrective contact lenses.

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What Sort of Things Should I Be on the Lookout for?

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If you spot a problem or a strange behaviour in your child’s eyes, be sure to contact your eye doctor immediately, regardless of your child’s age. While most children’s eyes develop normally, some of the problems can emerge in young children.\r\n

\r\n Choose the symptom below to learn more about, what to watch for, and the terms your eye doctor will use and how to get more information.\r\n

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Crossed eyes: One eye may turn in towards the nose, or the eyes may seem to move independently, as if they can’t work together. This is known as strabismus, a condition that occurs when the eyes are not able to align on the same point at the same time, and appear to be misaligned or pointed in different directions. The eye that turns off-target may be the same in every incidence, or it could be a different eye at different times.\r\n

\r\n One child in 20 has crossed eyes or trouble tracking. Almost half of all cases aren't detected until after age five, past the time when they can be treated most effectively.\r\n
Drooping eyelid: If you child’s eyelid droops over the eye and appears as though it would block their vision, your child may be developing amblyopia, also known as “lazy eye.” Amblyopia, commonly known as lazy eye, occurs when there is reduced vision in one eye because the eye and the brain are not working together. The brain may start to ignore the image from the amblyopic eye. Amblyopia normally only affects one eye - resulting in the amblyopic eye pointing away from the other appearing \"lazy\". It is often associated with strabismus, or crossed eyes, when an individual’s eyes appear directed toward two different points instead of one.\r\n
Milky white covering over the pupil : In rare cases, children develop childhood cataract in one or both eyes. This can appear as a milky white covering over the pupil, and may be detected at birth. An ophthalmologist can correct the condition by surgically replacing the cloudy lens with a clear one, very often restoring your child’s eyesight.\r\n
\r\n Conjunctivitis: If your child's eyes are red and irritated, they may have a common condition called pink eye. It is a temporary condition.\r\n
\r\n Vibrating Eyes: If your child’s eyes seem to jump, vibrate back and forth, or move erratically in a way that looks unusual to you, he or she may be one in about 670 born each year with nystagmus. This condition may signal that the eyes’ motor system is not developing normally. If you have a relative with nystagmus, or if you have it yourself, it’s possible that your child could develop this as well – so it’s important to tell your eye doctor during your child’s eye examination if nystagmus runs in your family.\r\n

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Keeping your Eyes Healthy\r\n

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\r\n It is important that your eyes stay healthy because you’ll need good vision for just about every activity you choose—and you want to keep your 20/20 vision for many years to come. When you see well, you can perform well—on the ball field, in class, behind the wheel or at your desk. That’s why it’s important to take a few simple steps to make sure you keep your eyesight at its best.\r\n

\r\n Just like you visit the dentist to maintain your teeth, the best protection for your vision is through regular professional eye examinations. You may be at special risk for eye problems if there is a family history of eye disease. Of course, if you notice a change in your vision —or your eye is injured in any way— you should contact your eye care professional.\r\n

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What Can I Do To Help My Eyes?

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\r\n There are many things you can do to prevent injuries and maintain eye health during your teen years. Eating the right foods, not smoking, limiting your computer time, and wearing protective eye wear during sports are important things you can do. Learn more:

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Eat foods rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids. A healthy balanced diet containing a wide selection of fruits, nuts, and crunchy vegetables are important for healthy eyes.
Avoid junk food - An unhealthy diet high in fat can cause deposits that constrict blood flow in the arteries. The eyes are especially sensitive to this, given the small size of the blood vessels that feed them.
Exercise improves blood circulation, which improves oxygen levels to the eyes and the removal of toxins.
Get a good night’s sleep. It’s tough to fit everything into your schedule, but you’ll feel the difference when you get the sleep you need. You’ll look great, you’ll perform better in class and on the go—and good rest will support the health of your eyes.\r\n

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Wash your hands\r\n

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Keeping your hands clean becomes more important than ever when it comes to your eyes, especially if you’re a Contact Lens wearer. When you touch your eye, whatever is on your fingers goes right onto your eye’s surface. This is one way that people catch colds, by rubbing their eyes while they have cold virus germs on their hands.\r\n

\r\n Some germs and bacteria that come from your hands can cause eye infections, like bacterial conjunctivitis. Before you touch your eye—and especially before you put in or remove a contact lens—wash your hands with a mild soap and dry with a lint-free towel.

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Hairspray and Cosmetics

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Here are some simple rules to help you keep your eyes safe while you’re working on your look.

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If you wear contact lenses, be sure to put them in after you use your hairspray.
Put in your contacts before applying your make-up, to avoid contaminating your lenses with the residue from foundation or powder on your fingers. Of course, it’s also much easier to apply your make-up when you can see clearly!
Lotions, powders and gels with bits of glitter look cool—but those tiny, shiny specks can get into your eyes and cause irritation and problems with your contact lenses. After applying glittery gel, be careful not to touch your eyes—and wash the glitter off your hands right away.\r\n

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On the Computer

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You’re doing most class assignments on a computer, looking at the screen for hours at a stretch. Once your homework is done, you’re IM-ing friends, chatting on Facebook, watching YouTube videos, or participating on your favourite discussion board. Maybe you’re watching TV or playing games on your Xbox or PS3.\r\n

\r\n All of these things take a toll on your eyes—and maybe you’ve already noticed that your eyes feel dry and gritty by the end of the day.\r\n

\r\n Here are some tips to help:\r\n

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Keep your computer screen within 50-60cm of your eye.
Keep the top of your computer screen slightly below eye level.
Minimise the distance between your computer screen and any documents you need to reference while working.
Adjust lighting to minimise glare on the screen.
Blink frequently.
Take a break every 15 minutes to focus on a distant object.
Use lubricating eye drops to soothe irritated, dry eyes.

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Eye Concerns\r\n

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\r\n Generally, changes in your vision now are just a factor of aging.\r\n

\r\n If you experience any of the issues below, you may have the early warning signs of a more serious problem. In all cases, early detection and treatment can keep your vision strong—so see your eye care professional to be sure that your eyes are healthy, or to begin treatment and to check for developing conditions.\r\n

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Loss of Peripheral Vision

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\r\n If you’ve noticed you don’t have the side-to-side vision you’re used to, this may be an early sign of Glaucoma. This condition is caused by abnormally high pressure inside your eye – and it often does not show symptoms until damage to your vision has begun. Your eye care professional will test your eyes for glaucoma at your annual eye exam. While there’s no cure for this problem, early detection and treatment can save your vision.

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Cloudy Vision

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If your vision seems dim or you’re having trouble reading, watching television, or just seeing what’s around you – even when you’re wearing your glasses or contact lenses – you may have cataracts in one or both eyes. Most of us will develop cataracts as we age because our eyes’ lenses become more and more opaque as we get older. Cataracts can be corrected by your ophthalmologist, who can replace your eye’s lens with a clear plastic intraocular lens (IOL).\r\n

\r\n Unlike a standard IOL, the Bausch + Lomb Crystalens treats the cataract while simultaneously giving a fuller, more natural range of vision.

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Blurred Images and Dull Colours

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When it’s hard to read street signs and colours seem washed out and dull, you may be experiencing early warning signs of Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). The macula, the part of your retina that’s responsible for central vision, deteriorates and creates a blind spot in the middle of your field of vision. AMD is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50, but its progress is slow and it often affects only one eye. Your eye doctor will check for this disease during your annual eye examination.\r\n

\r\n Bausch + Lomb offers a line of eye vitamins specially formulated for people diagnosed with moderate to advanced AMD.\r\n

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Floating Spots and Flashes of Light

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We all see spots, specks, and other things that look like dark bits of string floating in our eyes on occasion. These are actually cells and fibres in the vitreous, gel-like part of your eye. Generally, these floaters are infrequent and just a normal part of vision. If you suddenly see more floaters than normal, and they’re accompanied by bright, flashing lights, the floaters may be a warning sign of impending retinal detachment – an actual tear between the vitreous part of the eye and the retina. If left untreated, this tear can expand and lead to a serious loss of vision. See your eye care professional immediately if you experience any of these symptoms.\r\n

\r\n Retinal detachment can be treated successfully with surgery.\r\n

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Low Vision/Vision Loss

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\r\n While regular eye examinations and early diagnosis of eye disease can save much of your vision, in some cases, you may already have incurred some vision loss before you see your doctor and begin treatment. This is commonly called low vision, a condition that can’t be corrected with eye glasses, contact lenses, or surgery. There are many products and devices such as [LINK HERE] magnifiers that can help people with low vision continue to live normal lives. In addition, some eye care professionals specialise in rehabilitation for low vision, so ask your eye doctor for recommendations.\r\n

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Diabetes and Your Eyes

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\r\n If you have type-1 or type-2 diabetes, it’s important to have your eyes examined every year to check for a complication called diabetic retinopathy. High blood sugar and hypertension (high blood pressure) can damage the tiny blood vessels that lead to your retina. This painless condition has no symptoms – until it’s serious. But regular visits to your eye care professional can detect it in its early stages. Diabetic retinopathy can be controlled and treated, and its progress slowed significantly if detected before you experience vision loss.\r\n

\r\n *The statements above have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, care or prevent any disease.\r\n

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Eye Concern for Seniors

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\r\n Many eye diseases have no early symptoms. They may be painless, and you may see no change in your vision until the disease has become quite advanced. Only your eye care professional will be able to tell if you have an eye condition and options to care for your eyes.\r\n

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What Should I Look For?

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\r\n If you are experiencing an unusual vision symptom, see your eye care professional immediately. Here are some clues to help you determine what may be happening to your eyes.

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Cloudy vision

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If you’re having trouble reading and watching television, and driving at night has become uncomfortable because of the glare of oncoming headlights, you may have cataracts. Almost all of us will develop cataracts as we age, because the eyes’ lenses become more opaque as we get older. Luckily, cataracts have become a \"normal\" problem to rectify. In an outpatient procedure, your ophthalmologist can replace your eye’s lens with an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL), resulting in a dramatic restoration of your sight.\r\n

\r\n Crystalens is an artificial lens implant that, unlike a standard IOL, can treat both a person's cataracts and presbyopia—loss of near and intermediate vision. You probably noticed in your forties that you started to lose some of your up-close vision and had to start wearing reading glasses. Crystalens not only treats your cataracts (a clouding or hardening of your lens); many patients hardly if ever wear glasses after surgery. It does so by recreating accommodation similar to your eye's natural lens. The innovative Crystalens is designed to allow you to enjoy a fuller, more natural range of vision for most activities, including: reading a book, working on the computer, and driving a car.

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Loss of peripheral vision

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Abnormally high pressure inside your eye can lead to glaucoma – and it often has no symptoms until damage to your vision has begun. It may seem that you don’t have the side-to-side vision you’re used to, producing an experience called “tunnel vision.” While glaucoma has no cure, early treatment can keep it from getting worse, preserving some of your vision.\r\n

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Blurred images and dull colours\r\n

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When reading the newspaper or street signs takes a major effort, and colours have lost their intensity, you may have the early warning signs of eye conditions that affect the macula.\r\n

\r\n The macula, the part of your retina that’s responsible for central vision, deteriorates to the point where it may create a blind spot in the middle of your field of vision. AMD’s progress is slow and often affects only one eye, but it’s the leading cause of blindness in people over 65. Some cases can be treated with surgery, but the more prevalent form of macular degeneration is currently untreatable.\r\n

\r\n In an important clinical study, people with intermediate to advance AMD at high risk for more advanced stages of AMD lowered their risk by about 25% when treated with a high dose combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and zinc. Bausch + Lomb provided the high-potency, antioxidant vitamin and zinc supplement evaluated in the National Eye Institute's Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS).\r\n

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Floating spots and flashes of light

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\r\n It’s normal to see the occasional floating black speck or even a pinpoint flash of light in your eye. The vitreous, or gel-like part of your eye that maintains the shape of your eyeball, sometimes contains cells and bits of fibre that seem to float between the retina and the lens of our eyes. If you suddenly see many more floaters than normal and they are accompanied by bright flashes of light, you could be viewing the first stages of retinal detachment – an actual tear between the vitreous and the retina. This is a serious problem that requires immediate action and medical care to avoid a major vision loss.\r\n

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Diabetes and Your Eyes

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\r\n High blood sugar and hypertension (high blood pressure) can damage the tiny blood vessels that lead to your retina. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, tell your eye doctor – and have your eyes examined every year to watch for a complication called diabetic retinopathy. This painless condition has no symptoms until it becomes serious, but it can be controlled and treated – and its progress can be slowed significantly if it’s found before you experience vision loss.\r\n

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Low Vision

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\r\n Many people over 65 have some loss of sight beyond the normal, age-related vision correction issues like presbyopia or cataracts. For example, glaucoma can cause a permanent loss of peripheral vision, and macular degeneration can block a portion of your field of vision in one or both eyes. This state of your eyesight is known as low vision, a condition that can’t be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or surgery.\r\n

\r\n Although low vision is untreatable, there are many products available to help people who have it perform everyday tasks – including magnifiers, large-text reading materials, and more. Plus, there are certain eye care professionals who specialise in rehabilitation for low vision, who can help you continue many of your normal activities with some modifications.\r\n

\r\n Your low vision specialist will begin by evaluating your specific case, asking you about the activities you’re having trouble performing on a daily basis. Testing will help to determine exactly what types of devices and aids are helpful to you: eyeglasses, magnifiers, telescopes, reading stands, lamps, and others.\r\n

\r\n Your eye care practitioner will help you plan a rehabilitation program involving an occupational therapist and other health care professionals as needed, so that you may resume your independent life within your condition’s limitations.\r\n

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Shortsightedness (Myopia)

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\r\n A person with shortsightedness can see close objects clearly, but may have trouble seeing objects from a distance – like a road sign, blackboard, or face across the room. It’s a common condition, affecting 1 in 4 adults worldwide.\r\n

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What Causes Shortsightedness?

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Shortsightedness or myopia happens when the eye has a long shape, which causes light rays to focus too far in front of the retina, making distance vision difficult.\r\n Like Longsightedness, myopia can be inherited. It is often discovered when children are 8 to 12 years old. During the teenage years, when the body is growing rapidly, it can get worse. Typically, between ages 20 and 40 there is little change.\r\n

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Symptoms of Shortsightedness

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An eye care professional can diagnose shortsightedness with a simple eye exam. The most common symptoms include:\r\n

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Blurred distance vision
Frequent squinting of eyes
Eye strain or headaches from trying to focus\r\n

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Treatments for Shortsightedness

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Shortsightedness is easily corrected by refocusing the light rays onto the retina of the eye. This is commonly done through:\r\n

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Spectacles and contact lenses: The simplest treatment option chosen by most people. PureVision2 HD contact lenses feature HD Optics that deliver the clear, crisp vision that you should demand – designed to reduce halos and glare – especially in low light.
Ref: Results from a 21 investigator, multi-site clinical study of PureVision 2 and PureVision lenses. After 7 days of daily wear, subjects completed an online survey regarding lens performance. A total of 339 experienced silicone hydrogel wearers completed the survey. Consumers rated the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with performance attributes that used a 6 point scale (1=strongly disagree and 6=strongly agree). Consumers also rated it against their habitual lenses.
Surgery: Surgical options are available, but can be expensive, and may involve more risk than Contact Lens options available. These procedures use laser technology or manual incisions to remove small amounts of tissue from the cornea.\r\n

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Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.

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Longsightedness (Hyperopia)

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\r\n Contrary to what the name implies, a person who is longsighted has blurred vision when looking at close objects, unless they make a constant effort to focus, which can lead to strain, headaches, and eye fatigue.\r\n

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What is Longsightedness (Hyperopia)?

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Longsightedness or hyperopia happens when the eye is shorter than normal. This shape causes images to be focused behind the retina, rather than on it. It is a common condition that most often is inherited. As a result, the lens of the eye must exert effort to focus the image on the retina.\r\n

\r\n Babies and children are usually slightly longsighted; as their eyes grow and lengthen, the condition corrects itself, generally by age seven or eight. Young adults who remain longsighted often don’t realise their condition because they have enough flexibility in focusing power to correct the condition without the aid of spectacles or contact lenses.\r\n

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Symptoms of Longsightedness

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At first, symptoms may be undetectable or very slight. With age, increased difficulty seeing near objects may be noticed until eventually even distant objects appear blurred.\r\n

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Treatments for Longsightedness

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Longsightedness is easy to fix, and eyes that are longsighted are otherwise healthy. Since it occurs when images are focused behind the retina, it is corrected when images are refocused onto the retina. This is usually done with common forms of vision correction, including:\r\n

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Spectacles or Contact Lenses: the simplest, most common method of vision correction
Surgery: Surgical options are available to correct longsightedness, but can be expensive and may involve more risk than corrective spectacles or contact lenses. These options use either laser technology or small incisions to reshape the cornea of the affected eye.\r\n

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Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.

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Astigmatism

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\r\n Astigmatism is a common vision condition that happens when a person's cornea is not symmetrical. A normal cornea is round like a baseball. With astigmatism, the cornea curves more severely, like a rugby ball.\r\n

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What Causes Astigmatism?

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Astigmatism can come in combination with shortsightedness and longsightedness. Because of its asymmetrical curvature, the astigmatic eye focuses light correctly along one axis, but incorrectly along the other. Light entering the eye is not focused on a single point on the retina, so objects both near and far become blurred or distorted producing an effect similar to looking through a pane of wavy glass.\r\n

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Symptoms of Astigmatism

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An eye care professional may diagnose astigmatism through a variety of tests, including a simple vision test, light refraction test, cornea measurement, or electronically mapping the surface of the eye. Common symptoms of astigmatism include:\r\n

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Objects both near and far appear blurred
Inability to read small print
Constant squinting of the eyes

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Treatments for Astigmatism

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Since astigmatism occurs from the uneven distribution of light rays, it's corrected when light rays are focused on a single plane. This is done in a number of ways:\r\n

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Spectacles
Contact Lenses : PureVision 2 HD for Astigmatism and Soflens Toric for Astigmatism lenses are designed to meet the special vision correction needs of people with astigmatism\r\n

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Presbyopia

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\r\n Presbyopia is a natural occurrence where near vision becomes blurred, making it hard to focus while doing things like reading, using a mobile phone, or working on the computer. It is not a disease or illness; in fact, it is very common with age.\r\n

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Symptoms of Presbyopia

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People commonly mistake the symptoms of presbyopia for longsightedness. However, the two conditions have different causes: longsightedness is a result of a misshapen cornea, whereas presbyopia is due to the loss of flexibility in the lens.\r\n The telltale symptom of presbyopia is blurred vision while reading, sewing, using a mobile phone, or doing anything that requires near vision.\r\n

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Treatment for Presbyopia

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There are many options for people with presbyopia, including contact lenses. Recent technologies allow people who are entering into presbyopia to continue wearing contact lenses, instead of having to switch to bifocals, or reading glasses.\r\n Common treatments for presbyopia include:\r\n

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Magnifiers
Bifocal or varifocal spectacles
Reading glasses
Contact lenses: Bausch + Lomb SofLens Multi-Focal contact lenses let your eyes focus naturally, effortlessly – at all distances. These lenses feature a gradual design that eases the transitions eyes have to make from near to far distance. Talk to your eye care professional to see if SofLens Multi-Focal contact lenses are right for you

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Treating Cataracts and Presbyopia\r\n

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Crystalens is an artificial lens implant that, unlike a standard Intra Ocular Lens, can treat both a person's cataracts and presbyopia—loss of near and intermediate vision. Crystalens not only treats your cataracts (a clouding or hardening of your lens); many patients hardly if ever wear glasses after surgery. It does so by recreating accommodation similar to your eye's natural lens. The unique Crystalens is designed to allow you to enjoy a fuller, more natural range of vision for most activities, including: reading a book, working on the computer, and driving a car.\r\n

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Macular Degeneration

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If you’ve been diagnosed with Age-related Macular Degeneration (commonly abbreviated as AMD), you’re not alone. It is estimated that as many as 16 million people in the United States have AMD. In fact, it’s a leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 65.\r\n

\r\n AMD is a condition that affects the center of the retina, called the macula. The macula is the part of the eye responsible for our most acute vision, which we use when reading, driving, and performing other activities that require fine, sharp, or straight-ahead vision. Typically, changes in the macula from AMD are gradual, but in some cases, vision loss is faster and more noticeable.\r\n

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There are two different types of AMD:

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Dry macular degeneration: about 90% of people diagnosed with AMD have dry AMD. This condition occurs when the tissues of the macula begin to age and thin. Dry AMD is also associated with tiny yellow deposits called drusen that form beneath the retina. People with dry AMD typically experience a less severe degree of vision loss, and it develops slowly. Early AMD always starts out as dry, but in about 10% of cases it can develop into wet AMD.

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Wet macular degeneration: occurs when delicate, abnormal blood vessels form under the retina. These fragile vessels leak blood and fluid beneath the retina, causing it to distort or scar. This is the reason for loss of sharp vision in people with wet AMD. Wet AMD progresses far more rapidly than dry AMD, with more severe effects—potentially including complete central vision loss. Although this type of AMD affects only about 10% of people with the disease, it is responsible for 90% of severe vision loss associated with AMD.

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Risk factors for AMD

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While the causes of AMD may be unknown; age, lifestyle and nutrition appear to play a role. Things like:

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Genetic risk factors:

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age
family history of AMD
skin/eye color: people with light-colored skin and eyes are more likely to develop AMD

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Rick factors you can control:

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smoking - smokers are three to four times more likely to develop AMD compared to nonsmokers
diet - diets low in certain antioxidant such as vitamins C and E, lutein, and zinc may be a risk factor
obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol - all can contribute to the development of AMD
excessive exposure to sunlight - protect your eyes from ultraviolet rays by wearing sunglasses

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Symptoms of AMD

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AMD causes damage to the macula, a part of the retina that gives us the sharp central vision we need to perform activities that require high-definition, straight-ahead vision. So, what you see up close or at a distance may be blurry or hazy. Brighter light may be needed when reading or it may be difficult to adapt from bright light to low light. As the disease advances, there may be dark or blank spots in vision or faces may become blurry. Other signs include visual distortions, such as straight lines appearing wavy or objects appearing larger or smaller than they really are.

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Blurred vision
A dark or empty area in the central area of vision
Distortion of straight lines

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Monitor your vision

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AAMD is a condition that should be monitored closely. You can check your vision with an Amsler grid, a tool that helps you watch out for subtle changes in your vision. Click to view or print an Amsler grid.

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Some changes in your AMD may only be detected by an eye care professional, so it is important to keep your eye doctor appointments as directed.

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Management of AMD

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Wet macular degeneration

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Wet AMD is treated with injected medications and/or laser surgery by sealing off the leaking blood vessels. These are usually brief and painless outpatient procedures that slow and sometimes even reverse the progression of the degeneration. A small, permanently dark spot may be left where the laser makes contact, however.

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Dry macular degeneration

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Since peripheral vision is not affected, many people with dry AMD continue in their normal lifestyles with the aid of low-vision optical devices, such as magnifiers.There are currently no treatments for dry AMD. The specific formula of eye vitamins used in the AREDS and AREDS2 studies have been shown to help reduce the risk of progression in patients with moderate to advanced AMD.*

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PreserVision AREDS 2 has the exact nutrient formula recommended by the National Eye institute (NEI) based on the AREDS2 Study.

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Additional Information

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Monitor your vision with an Amsler grid.
AMD Support Organizations and Websites

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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AREDS and AREDS2 are registered trademark of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

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Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.

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Bulging Eyes

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Bulging eyes, or proptosis, occurs when one or both eyes protrude from the eye sockets due to space taking lesions such as swelling of the muscles, fat, and tissue behind the eye. This causes more of the cornea to be exposed to air, making it more difficult to keep eyes moist and lubricated. In extreme cases, bulging eyes can create a large amount of pressure on the optic nerve, potentially leading to vision loss.\r\n

\r\n Oftentimes prominent eyes are mistaken for bulging eyes. Prominent eyes are generally hereditary and in most cases are harmless. However, bulging eyes can be a different case, as they may be linked to a more serious condition.\r\n

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What Causes Bulging Eyes?

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Bulging eyes have been linked to a number of diseases and conditions, including glaucoma, hyperthyroidism, leukemia and more. Changes in the eye may develop slowly over time.

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With children, especially, bulging in one eye could indicate a serious condition and should be seen by an eye care professional.

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The most common cause of bulging eyes is Graves’ disease, or more specifically, Graves’ Ophthalmopathy – an autoimmune condition where the body's immune system produces an antibody to cells in the thyroid gland causing an overproduction of thyroid hormones. It appears that the same antibody that can cause thyroid dysfunction may also have an \"attraction\" to tissues surrounding the eyes causing the onset of Graves' Ophthalmopathy. When related to Graves' disease, you may hear the term exophthalmos used instead of bulging eyes.

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Symptoms of Bulging Eyes

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Bulging eyes are usually a symptom of another condition. Symptoms of bulging eyes may include:

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Appearance of protruding eyes
Excessive dryness in eyes
Visible whiteness between the top of the iris and the eyelid

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Contact your eye care professional if they are unaware of your bulging eyes and/or if you have bulging eyes and experience:

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Loss of vision
Double vision
Eye Pain
Eye redness
Headache
Fever
Pulsation in bulging eye

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Treatment for Bulging Eyes

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The underlying cause of bulging eyes will determine the overall course of treatment. However, in all cases, bulging eyes will be exposed to more air making it difficult to keep them lubricated. To combat excessive dryness, artificial tears and eye drops can be used for moisture and lubrication.

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View treatments for the most common underlying cause of Graves’ Ophthalmopathy.

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Cataracts

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The eye's natural crystalline lens helps us focus on people and things at varying distances. Unfortunately, as we grow older this lens often stiffens and hardens, and without its youthful suppleness it loses its ability to focus, creating vision problems. This condition — for most, a natural consequence of aging — is called presbyopia.\r\n

\r\n As we age, these changes occurring to the natural crystalline lens can lead to the development of cataracts, or a loss in clarity of the lens. Since the lens is no longer as flexible or as clear as it used to be, the eye can't focus light properly.\r\n

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What Causes Cataracts?

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While cataracts can occur as a result of other eye diseases, they mostly develop naturally with age. In fact, by age 65, many of us will develop a cataract.
\r\nThere are other, less common causes of cataracts as well, including heredity, birth defects, chronic diseases such as diabetes, excessive use of steroid medications, and certain eye injuries.

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Symptoms of Cataracts

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At first, symptoms may be undetectable or very slight. However, any noticeable change in vision may be cause for concern, and should be brought to the attention of an eye care professional. Common symptoms of cataracts include:

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Cloudy or blurred vision
Sensitivity to light and glare
Frequent prescription changes for glasses or Contact Lenses
Poor night vision
Color vision changes and dimming
Double vision in a single eye

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Treatment for Cataracts

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While there is no way to prevent cataracts, there are things you can do to slow their formation. Modifiable factors that increase the risk of cataract include smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, and excessive alcohol intake. You may also slow the formation of cataracts by protecting your eyes from direct sunlight.
\r\nIn the beginning stages of cataracts, vision may be slightly improved using forms of visual correction. However, in the later stages, surgery may be required. Fortunately, surgery has proven to be extremely successful in the removal of cataracts. During cataract surgery, your physician will replace your natural lens with an IOL.

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Intraocular lenses (IOLs)

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There are several choices of intraocular lenses used in cataract surgery – a standard monofocal intraocular lens (IOL), a toric IOL, a multifocal (IOL) or an accommodating lens:
\r\nA standard monofocal IOL is a fixed lens (it doesn't move) that is designed to deliver improved vision at one distance (usually far). The potential drawback is that after surgery, you may need to wear glasses for near and intermediate vision, even if you didn't wear glasses before surgery.
\r\nA toric IOL adjusts for individual astigmatisms and may minimize the need for distance vision glasses after surgery. The TRULIGN Toric IOL corrects your cataracts and your astigmatism. It also gives you a broader range of vision, from arm's length to distance.
\r\nA multifocal IOL is designed to deliver improved vision for distance and near. However, some patients may experience some halos and glare when driving at night, and some patients have difficulty adjusting to their new vision.
\r\nAn accommodating IOL is designed to \"flex\" or \"accommodate\" using the eyes natural muscles to focus on subjects at various distances, delivering a fuller, more natural range of vision. Crystalens AO Lens was the first FDA-approved accommodating lens available in the United States. Crystalens is an artificial lens implant that, unlike a standard IOL, can treat both a person's cataracts and presbyopia—loss of near and intermediate vision. You probably noticed in your forties that you started to lose some of your up-close vision and had to start wearing reading glasses. Crystalens not only treats your cataracts but provides a more natural range of vision. It does so by recreating accommodation similar to your eye's natural lens. The unique Crystalens is designed to allow you to enjoy most activities, including: reading a book, working on the computer, and driving a car.

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Talk to your doctor about which IOL may be right for you.

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Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.

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Cataracts in Babies

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What are the causes?

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Heredity is a common cause of congenital cataracts in babies. Other causes include infection, inflammation, drug reactions. When mothers come down with measels, ruebella, or other infections while they are pregnant, the child may also be born with cataracts in one or both eyes. Your eye care professional or family doctor may be able to help you determine the cause.

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In rare cases, children develop cataracts in the first few years of their lives; this is normally due to trauma to the eye or cataracts initially being overlooked.

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Symptoms may include:

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Grey or white cloudiness in the black part of the eye (pupil)
\"Red eye\" missing in photos or the eyes appear different in photos
Rapid eye movements

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How can it be treated?

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Cataracts in newborn babies should be addressed as early as possible, preferably within the first three months of life, because obstructed vision can prevent important stages of their development. Left untreated congenital cataracts may cause \"lazy eye\" or amblyopia.
\r\nThe surgical procedure for cataracts in babies is much like it is for adults, involving the removal of the affected lens in the eye. Depending on your baby’s age and eye development, the surgeon may implant an intraocular lens to replace the original.\r\n
\r\nFollowing cataract surgery, your baby will need glasses or Contact Lenses to see before a permanent intraocular lens is implanted. It’s difficult for a baby to wear glasses on a daily basis, so many doctors choose contact lenses as a more practical solution for babies after cataract surgery.

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SilSoft Pediatric Patient Assistance Program

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Your doctor may choose to use SilSoft SuperPlus (Pediatric) contact lenses for aphakic which are designed for children who have had cataract surgery where an intraocular lens has not been implanted (aphakia). Some patients may qualify for the SilSoft Pediatric Patient Assistance Program a program to provide free lenses to families at or below the federal poverty level. Talk to your eye care professional to determine if your family is eligible.

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Diabetic Macular Edema

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Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a complication of diabetes caused by fluid accumulation in the macula, or central portion of the eye, that causes the macula to swell.\r\n

\r\n The macula is filled with cells that are responsible for sharp, straight ahead vision that helps with reading and driving. When the macula begins to fill with fluid and swell, the ability of those cells is impaired causing blurred vision that can be severe.\r\n

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What Causes Diabetic Macular Edema?

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Diabetic macular edema is a result of another complication of diabetes, called diabetic retinopathy, in which blood vessels in the eye are damaged, allowing fluid to escape.

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Symptoms of Diabetic Macular Edema

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Patients who suffer from diabetes have a risk of developing DME over time.
\r\nIf you have diabetes you should have your eyes examined regularly to help identify any eye health issues early. Be sure to mention if you notice changes in your vision such as:

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Blurred vision
Wavy vision
Changes viewing colors

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Treatment for Diabetic Macular Edema

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Treatments performed are aimed at maintaining vision for the patient, and reducing future vision loss:

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Medication: Injected or implanted into the eye. Medications can reverse or stop abnormal blood vessel growth or the effects of inflammation in the eye.

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Laser surgery: Uses a laser light to close leaking blood vessels, preventing more fluid from entering the macula. Patients should be rechecked to make sure the DME is responding to therapy.

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If you have diabetes you should have your eyes examined regularly to help identify any eye health issues early.

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Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute National Institutes of Health.

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CMV Retinitis

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CMV retinitis is an infection that attacks the light-sensing cells in the retina. It is a serious disease that should be diagnosed and treated immediately, because it can lead to loss of vision, and in the worst cases, blindness.\r\n

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What Causes CMV Retinitis?

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CMV stands for cytomegalovirus. This virus is a common source of infection in humans and generally lays dormant in the body without producing symptoms. While most people’s immune systems are able to fend it off, those with weakened immune systems; newborns, elderly, people receiving chemotherapy and organ transplant recipients are vulnerable to its effects. It is less common in people with HIV or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) who are taking anti-retroviral therapies, but still a risk. CMV infection can occur in several parts of the body, most commonly in the gastrointestinal system and the retina, the tissue in the back of the eye necessary for vision.
\r\nThe virus may also spread from shingles on the forehead and nose in older adults with weak immune systems.

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Symptoms of CMV Retinitis

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Many people with CMV retinitis experience no symptoms. However, there are certain signs that may be indicative of the virus:

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Floaters in the eye
Flashes in the eye
Blurred vision
Blind spot in vision
Loss of peripheral vision

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These symptoms may appear in one eye first, then to the other eye. Retinal detachment may also occur with CMV retinitis.

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If you have a weakened immune system, you should have your eyes examined regularly to help identify any eye health issues early.

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Treatment for CMV Retinitis

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A person with a weakened immune system experiencing any of the above listed signs should see their eye care professional as soon as possible. The first step may be strengthening your immune system.
\r\nThere are several medications that aim to minimize the effects of CMV retinitis. The sooner you begin treatment, the better chance that vision can be helped. Also, if only one eye is infected, receiving proper systemic treatment early may protect the other eye,

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Medication (oral, injected or intravenous): Used to slow the progression of the disease.

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Laser Surgery: To strengthen the retina, if damaged.

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If you have had CMV retinitis you should have your eyes examined regularly to help identify any eye health issues early as recurrence is common.

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Color Blindness

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Nearly all people who are “color blind” can see colors but have difficulty distinguishing between certain colors. Not all people who are color blind have trouble with the same colors – most cannot distinguish between reds and greens; some cannot separate blues from yellows; and a very small group have a condition called monochromatism which only allows them to see black and white.\r\n

\r\n Color blindness of various kinds affects roughly 8% of men – and less than 1% of women.\r\n

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What Causes Color Blindness?

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Color blindness is a genetic condition caused by a difference in how one or more of the light-sensitive cells found in the retina of the eye respond to certain colors. These cells, called cones, sense wavelengths of light, and enable the retina to distinguish between colors. This difference in sensitivity in one or more cones can make a person color blind.

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Symptoms of Color Blindness

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The symptoms of color blindness are often observed by parents when children are young. In other cases, symptoms are so slight, they may not even be noticed. Common symptoms of color blindness include:

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Difficulty distinguishing between colors
Inability to see shades or tones of the same color

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Treatment for Color Blindness

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There is no known cure for color blindness. Contact Lenses and glasses are available with filters to help color deficiencies, if needed. Fortunately, the vision of most color-blind people is normal in all other respects and certain adaptation methods are all that is required.

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Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.

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Crossed Eyes

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Crossed eyes (or strabismus) occur when a person’s eyes are not able to align on the same point at the same time, and appear to be misaligned or pointed in different directions.\r\n

\r\n Usually this results from weakness of the muscles in one or both eyes. The weak eye will turn away from the object that it is supposed to be focused on. The eye that turns off-target may be the same in every incidence, or it could be a different eye at different times.

\r\nA young child with strabismus will unconsciously reject the image of the improperly aligned eye and the related nerve connections between their eye and brain may fail to develop. This can lead to reduction in vision in the eye - known as amblyopia, or lazy eye.

\r\n\r\nCrossed eyes develop most often in babies. It is easier to correct when caught early. This is often not a condition babies or children simply outgrow so children with eyes that seem to be misaligned should be examined and treated if necessary.\r\n

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What Causes Crossed Eyes?

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There are many different causes for crossed eyes and it does seem to run in families. In some cases, it may be caused by severe farsightedness that has been left untreated. Significant head trauma may also cause crossed eyes, as it can affect the portion of the brain that controls eye muscles.

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Signs of Crossed Eyes

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The most obvious sign of crossed eyes is when the eyes appear to be pointed in different directions. There are, however, more signs of crossed eyes that can most often be observed in children, including:

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Eyes that do not move together
Unsymmetrical points of reflection in each eye
Tilting the head to one side
Inability to gauge depth
Squinting with only one eye

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Treatments for Crossed Eyes

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In order to improve vision, the weakened muscles in the affected eye or eyes must be put to work. Several treatments may be used alone or in combination, depending on the type, severity, and cause of strabismus, including:

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Eyeglasses or Contact Lenses – this method may help people who have crossed eyes due to an uncorrected farsightedness
Medication (eye drops) – In some cases, as an alternative to patching, eye drops are used in the stronger (good) eye to temporarily blur the vision in the good eye. This forces use of the weaker eye.
Surgery – straightens and realigns muscles in the eyes; this method has a high success rate although it is expensive and involves more risk than other options.
Patching or covering the better-seeing eye – similar to eye drops, this method works to strengthen the weakened eye.

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Additional Information

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Visit Prevent Blindness America to learn about The Eye Patch Club

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Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.

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Herpetic Keratitis (Eye Ulcers)

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You've probably heard that the herpes simplex virus (HSV) can cause open sores on the face and genitals but did you know the infection can be transferred to the eye(s)? This viral infection is called herpetic keratitis and can cause open sores (or eye ulcers) on your eyes. There are two major types of HSV:\r\n

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Type I - most common form, infecting the face, causing cold sores or fever blisters
Type II - sexually transmitted form, infecting the genitals

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While both types can spread to the eye and cause infection, type I is the most frequent cause of herpetic keratitis. The infection may be transferred by touching your eye after touching an active lesion such as a cold sore or fever blister.

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Causes of herpetic keratitis

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Type I is transmitted by skin contact and is very contagious. When herpes simplex infects the eye, it can affect eyelids, conjunctiva (transparent membrane on the front of the eye that also lines the inside of the eyelids) and the cornea. The virus stays dormant living in nerve cells of your eyes or skin and can be reactivated by:

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Stress
Exposure to the sun
Fever
Trauma
Menstruation
Medications

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Symptoms of herpetic keratitis

\r\n

Common symptoms of herpetic keratitis may include:

\r\n

Eye pain
Eye redness
Blurred vision
Tearing
Eye discharge
Sensitivity to light

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Check with your eye care professional if you have herpes simplex and experience any of the symptoms above. If the infection is on the outer surface of your cornea it may heal without scarring. If the infection involves deeper layers of the cornea, it may lead to scarring of the cornea which may result in loss of vision and even blindness.

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Treatment of herpetic keratitis

\r\n

There is no complete cure for herpes at this time, and the virus may be reactivated (see above). Your eye care professional will determine a course of action depending on the severity of your symptoms. This may include:

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Topical medication
Oral antiviral medication
Gently scraping the surface of the eye to remove diseased cells in the infected area (known as corneal debridement)

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What Causes Keratoconus?

\r\n

There is no known cause for keratoconus, although experts have theorized many causes, including preexisting medical conditions, heredity, allergies, and eye rubbing. It is a gradual, slow moving disease, which typically starts in the late teens to early twenties and may continue for several years.\r\n

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Symptoms of Keratoconus

\r\n

In the early stages, keratoconus may cause slightly blurred or distorted vision. As it progresses, vision may become more and more distorted and your eye glass prescription may change often.
\r\nAn eye care professional can determine the presence of keratoconus using a slit lamp evaluation or by examining the surface of the cornea through corneal topography. Symptoms of keratoconus include:

\r\n\t\t

Distorted vision at all distances
Glare
“Ghost” images – the appearance of several images when looking at one object
Multiple changes to eyeglass prescription

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Treatment for Keratoconus

\r\n

In the early stages, Contact Lenses or eyeglasses are an effective treatment for most cases of keratoconus.

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As keratoconus progresses, other treatments may include:

\r\n

Custom soft contact lenses: specially designed soft contact lenses to help correct keratoconus
Gas permeable (GP) lenses: GP lenses to help correct for the irregular cornea by covering, or masking, it with the smooth outer surface of the contact lens
Scleral contact lenses: larger diameter lenses that vault over the entire cornea
Corneal cross-linking (CXL): UV light and eye drops used to help stiffen your cornea
Eye surgery in the small percentage of cases that contact lenses cannot correct, surgical options are available to repair the irregular shape of the eye. However, laser surgery is not an option, as there is a high probability of further damaging the cornea.

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Eye Floaters and Eye Flashes

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Eye floaters are tiny spots, specks, lines or shapes that enter into your field of vision, appearing to float in front of the eye. They may seem like distant objects, but they are actually the shadows of cells and fibers inside the vitreous, or gel-like portion of the eye.

\r\nFloaters are most often isolated occurrences that are a perfectly normal part of vision. However, if they become more frequent, and are accompanied by eye flashes – bursts or streaks of light similar to the “stars” you may see after taking a blow to the head – this may be a sign of an impending retinal detachment. This is very serious and should be brought to the attention of an eye care professional.\r\n

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What Causes Eye Floaters and Eye Flashes?

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The vitreous gel thickens and shrinks as we age, sometimes forming tiny clumps in the vitrous. These clumps cast shadows onto the retina, and the resulting forms and shapes are referred to as eye floaters.
\r\nSometimes during the process of the vitreous shrinking, it remains partially attached to the retina, and tugs on it. The resulting movement of the retina’s nerve cells can cause eye flashes.
\r\nFloaters and flashes may also be caused by trauma to the eye, migraine headaches or retinal detachment. Retinal detachment is a serious condition- warning signs include increases in floaters, flashes, shadows in peripheral vision or the appearance of a grey curtain over part of your vision. If you experience any of these warning signs, you should see your eye care professional immediately.

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Symptoms of Eye Floaters and Eye Flashes

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Eye Floaters:

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Visible appearance of black shapes and lines
Usually wisp-like shapes that go away almost immediately

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Eye Flashes:

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Visible bursts or streaks of light
May be one burst in one area, or several over a wide area

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Ophthalmic migraine

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If you see a flash that looks like jagged lines or heat waves in one or both eyes it may be caused by a migraine and may last up to 20 minutes.

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Treatments for Eye Floaters and Eye Flashes

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There are several choices of intraocular lenses used in cataract surgery – a standard monofocal intraocular lens (IOL), a toric IOL, a multifocal (IOL) or an accommodating lens: Most of the time, eye floaters are not a sign of anything harmful, and simply looking up or down can move them out of your field of vision.
\r\nHowever, if they are accompanied by eye flashes, it may be a sign of retinal detachment, a serious condition that can lead to severe vision loss. For this reason, it’s recommended that anyone who experiences eye flashes schedule an exam with their eye care professional immediately.

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Glaucoma

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Glaucoma occurs when a build-up of fluid creates pressure in the eye, which then damages the optic nerve. The optic nerve is responsible for the transmission of information from your eyes to your brain, and damage associated with it can lead to severe vision loss, and in the worst case, blindness.

\r\nGlaucoma is a leading cause of preventable blindness in the U.S. affecting about 3 million people.1 A comprehensive eye exam includes testing for glaucoma, so be sure to see your eye care professional regularly.\r\n

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Options for Glaucoma Patients

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Prescription eye drops can decrease eye pressure by slowing the production of fluids within the eye or improving the drainage flow. Individual results may vary.
\r\nGlaucoma surgery improves the flow of fluids from the eye, relieving pressure on the optic nerve. Your doctor may use a highly focused laser beam, either to modify the existing drainage route or to create an alternate hole in the iris, depending on the type of glaucoma you have. Surgery can treat glaucoma, but it cannot reverse existing damage, so it is important to receive regular eye examinations to help avoid damage before it happens.

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Symptoms of Glaucoma

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Glaucoma often develops with no symptoms, making it impossible for patients to detect until significant (and irreversible) damage has been done. For this reason, it is important to frequently be checked by an eye doctor for ocular hypertension (a condition with high pressure in the eye which can mean a person is at high risk for glaucoma).
\r\nIn the case of acute closed angle glaucoma, symptoms will be sudden and severe, including:

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Blurred vision
Severe eye pain
Headache
Rainbow haloes
Nausea and vomiting

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What Causes Glaucoma?

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There are several different types of glaucoma, stemming from different causes including:
\r\nChronic open angle glaucoma: the most common form of the disease, chronic open angle glaucoma results from a pressure build-up in the eye, and causes severe vision loss without the warning of noticeable symptoms. Its exact cause is unknown, although experts believe that the eye's inability to drain fluid may be responsible for the high pressure in the eye, which leads to damage of the optic nerve and vision loss.
\r\nAcute closed angle glaucoma: unlike chronic open angle glaucoma, acute closed angle glaucoma arrives suddenly and painfully. It is extremely serious, and can cause permanent vision loss quickly. It happens when the area between the eye's iris and cornea is not able to drain fluid, causing high pressure in the eye.\r\n
\r\nSecondary Glaucoma: gets its name because it arrives as a result of something else, including previous medical conditions, injuries, irregularities, or medications
\r\nNormal-tension glaucoma: a form of glaucoma where pressure in the eye is either normal or not very high, but the optic nerve is still damaged. This is rare, considering glaucoma is usually characterized by a high amount of intraocular pressure.\r\n

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Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.

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1 January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. Glaucoma Research Foundation. http://www.glaucoma.org/news/glaucoma-awareness-month.php. September, 2016.

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Lazy Eye (Amblyopia)

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Amblyopia, commonly known as lazy eye, occurs when there is a lack of vision in one eye because the eye and the brain are not working together. The brain may start to ignore the image from the amblyopic eye. Amblyopia normally only affects one eye - resulting in the amblyopic eye appearing \"lazy\". It is often associated with strabismus, or crossed eyes, when an individual’s eyes appear directed toward two different points instead of one.\n

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What Causes Lazy Eye?

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Amblyopia may result from a strabismus (crossed-eyes), difference in nearsightedness or farsightedness between eyes, as well as other preexisting eye conditions, such as cataracts, ptosis (drooping of the upper eyelid), and refractive problems. In cases of crossed eyes, there is one eye that is off-focus from the object the person is trying to see. The brain’s natural tendency is to ignore the off-focus image, leaving the eye that produces it underused and weak. After time, this weakened eye may remain out of position, resulting in lazy eye.

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Symptoms of Lazy Eye

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Amblyopia develops early, usually before age 6, and symptoms may not always be obvious. The earlier it is diagnosed and treated, the better. For this reason, it is recommended that children receive a full eye exam at six months, and again at three years.

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Symptoms of lazy eye may include:

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Significant favoring of one eye
Poor depth perception
Poor vision in one eye

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Treatment for Lazy Eye

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With early diagnosis and treatment, improved sight in a lazy eye can be accomplished. Treatments for lazy eye may include:

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Patching or covering the strong eye: this method forces the weaker eye to work harder, naturally strengthening its ability focus

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Two other treatments that may be used with vision therapy and eye patching include:

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Patching or covering the strong eye: this method forces the weaker eye to work harder, naturally strengthening its ability focus Contact lenses and eyeglasses: corrects the discrepancy of near- or farsightedness between the eyes
Surgery: Realigns muscles in the eyes

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Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.

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Ocular Hypertension

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Ocular hypertension occurs when the pressure in the eye (known as intraocular pressure) is above the range considered normal (often defined as above 21 mm Hg). It is distinguished from glaucoma, a more serious eye condition, in that there are no detectable changes in vision, no evidence of visual field loss, and no damage to the optic nerve. Patients diagnosed with ocular hypertension have an increased risk of developing glaucoma.\r\n

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What Causes Ocular Hypertension?

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Ocular hypertension is the result of poor drainage of the aqueous humor (a fluid inside the eye). Essentially, this means that too much fluid enters the eye without being drained, causing high amounts of pressure to build up.
\r\nAn injury to the eye, certain diseases and some medications may raise eye pressure. Your risk of developing ocular hypertension increases if you have a family history of ocular hypertension or glaucoma, have diabetes, are over the age of 40, are African American or are very near-sighted.

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Symptoms of Ocular Hypertension

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Because there are no symptoms with ocular hypertension, it is impossible for a patient to notice it on their own. However, if a regular eye exam schedule is maintained, an eye care professional can find it in routine testing.
\r\nDuring a regular eye exam, intraocular pressure is measured using a device called a tonometer. If elevated pressure is measured above 21 mm Hg twice, an eye care professional may diagnose ocular hypertension.

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Treatment for Ocular Hypertension

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Ocular hypertension may put you at risk for developing glaucoma. Careful and frequent monitoring by an eye care professional is recommended for those with ocular hypertension.
\r\nMedication (eye drops) - your eye care professional may prescribe medication to lower your intraocular pressure.

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Retinal Detachment

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Retinal detachment occurs when the retina becomes separated from the nerve tissues and blood supply underneath it. While painless, visually this has a clouding effect that has been likened to a gray curtain moving across the field of vision.

\r\nRetinal detachment is a treatable condition, but it must be taken care of promptly, or it can cause vision loss and in the worst cases, blindness.\r\n

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What Causes Retinal Detachment?

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The retina is attached to the vitreous, the clear gel in the middle of our eye. As we age, the vitreous may shrink and sometimes during the process of the vitreous shrinking it may remain partially attached to the retina, and tug on it. The resulting movement of the retina’s nerve cells can cause eye flashes. Normally, this doesn't cause any issues but in some cases, it can tug enough to tear the retina allowing eye fluid to enter it. As fluid gets in, it pushes the retina away from the supportive tissue underneath it, causing separation, and eventually, detachment.
\r\nRetinal detachment can also be caused by injury from blunt trauma and certain eye conditions such as advanced diabetic eye disease and severe nearsightedness.
\r\nThe detached portion of the retina is no longer able to properly transmit light signals to the brain. Vision can also be disrupted by retinal blood vessels that leak fluid into the inner portion of the eye where vitreous, or gel-like like fluid would normally be. If the retinal detachment progresses into the macula, or central part of the retina, the impact on vision can become more severe.

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Symptoms of Retinal Detachment

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An eye care professional can determine retinal detachment through a number of retinal and pupil response tests, ranging from simple visual acuity testing to an ultrasound of the eye.
\r\nFor the patient, the gray curtain mentioned above occurs after retinal detachment has already begun. Before this happens, there are signs and symptoms that can alert one to the possible onset of retinal detachment, including:

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Increase in number and size of eye floaters
Floaters with flashes
Shadow(s) in peripheral vision
Appearance of grey curtain over part of your vision
Sudden decrease in vision

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Treatment for Retinal Detachment

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Surgery has proven a highly successful treatment for retinal detachment, provided the condition has been detected early enough. To ensure that treatment can be effective, anyone experiencing the symptoms above should be given medical attention within 24 hours.

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Typical surgical procedures include:

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Laser surgery: Repairs tears in the retina that are the underlying cause of separation
Cryopexy: Applies intense cold to the underlying tissue, causing a scar to develop that holds the retina in place
Pneumatic retinoplexy: a tiny gas bubble is placed in the eye that floats the retina back into place; usually accompanied by laser surgery to ensure the retina stays in correct position permanently.
Scleral buckle: suturing a silicone “buckle” to the eye that indents the wall of the eye into a position that allows the retina to reattach.

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Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.

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Eyelid Twitching

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Sometimes your eyelid simply twitches. It is rarely uncomfortable and does not affect your vision-- but it can be irritating. Most of all, it may make you wonder if there is really something wrong. Generally, there isn't.

\r\nEyelid twitches are involuntary muscle movements that happen in one or both eyelids. Mild occurrences are very common, similar to the minor muscle spasms most people experience in their arms or legs.

\r\nExtreme cases (or essential blepharospasm) can be much more serious, with severe twitching that essentially forces one or both eyelids to close for seconds or even hours. In these cases, twitching may also branch out to other muscles in your face. \r\n

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What Causes Eyelid Twitches?

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Minor eyelid twitches are often caused by stress or tiredness. Essential blepharospasm is caused by a nerve impulse; it is not clear why, though.

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Symptoms of Eyelid Twitches

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Symptoms of eyelid twitches may include:

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Excessive blinking of the eyes
Eye irritation
Fatigue/tension
Involuntary muscle movement around eyes
Light sensitivity

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Treatment for Eyelid Twitches

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Mild cases of eyelid twitches are isolated, and will generally go away on their own. They are often caused by stress so, reducing stress, minimizing caffeine and getting enough sleep may help.

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More chronic forms of the condition can be treated in the following ways:

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Facial injections: Injections are administered to cause localized paralysis around the affected area. In most cases, the eyes are immediately responsive, and symptoms are relieved between injections.
Surgical: Surgery to remove muscles around the eyelids or surgery to remove part of the nerve to lessen the severity of the spasms. These methods are only used in serious cases, for patients who do not respond to other forms of treatment.

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Low Vision

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Low vision is a term that refers to vision 20/70 or worse that cannot be fully corrected by glasses or Contact Lenses. People with low vision generally fall into two groups: partially sighted (meaning they have a visual acuity between 20/70 and 20/200 with the aid of corrective lenses), and legally blind (meaning vision is no better than 20/200 with regular correction aids). \r\n

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What Causes Low Vision?

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Eye diseases are a common cause of low vision and many eye diseases have no early symptoms. Regular eye exams are important to check for early warning signs of serious eye and other health concerns. Between exams, it is important to let your eye care professional know if you notice any changes in your vision or if your eye is injured in any way.

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There are a wide variety of causes of low vision, including:

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Macular degeneration
Diabetes/Diabetic retinopathy
Glaucoma
Cataracts
Retinitis pigmentosa
Inherited diseases
Eye injury

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Symptoms of Low Vision

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A thorough eye examination is needed to diagnose causes of low vision. People with low vision may experience the following symptoms:

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Loss of central vision
Night blindness
Loss of peripheral vision
Blurred vision
Hazy vision

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Treatments for Low Vision

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Low vision cannot be fully corrected. However, there are a wide array of devices to help people with low vision, including tinted eyewear to help with light sensitivity and contrast, magnifiers (hand held and for digital or computer use), and large-print reading materials or audio recordings.
\r\nThere are certain eye care professionals who specialize in rehabilitation for low vision, who can help you continue many of your normal activities with some modifications. Ask your eye care professional if this may help you.

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Uveitis

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Uveitis is an inflammation of the uvea (or uveal layer) – the middle layer of three that make up the eye. It may be infectious or noninfectious. It is a treatable condition; however, without proper treatment, it can lead to other complications including glaucoma, cataracts, optic nerve damage, retinal detachment and severe vision loss.

\r\nThe uvea is a vascular, fibrous layer that protects the eye, and is critical to nutrient and gas exchange. It consists of three parts: the iris, ciliary body, and the choroid. When any part of the uvea becomes inflamed, it is called uveitis. There are several types of uveitis, each affecting different parts of the uvea.\r\n

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Types of Uveitis

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Anterior uveitis – The most common form of uveitis, it affects the iris and its surrounding tissue, the ciliary body both of which are located in the front of the eye. Anterior uveitis is sometimes referred to as iritis because the iris is the part of the uvea that is usually inflamed.

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Intermediate uveitis – Another form of uveitis, it affects the area just behind the ciliary body (pars plana) and also the most forward edge of the retina. This is the least common type of uveitis.

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Posterior uveitis – A rare form of the disorder that affects the back part of the eye, the choroid, and can affect the retina and/or optic nerve. This form is more difficult to treat, and is often associated with progressive loss of vision.

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Pan-uveitis - When inflammation affects all three areas of the uvea it is referred to as pan-uveitis.

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Intermediate, posterior and pan-uveitis are very serious conditions and may cause blindness if left untreated. If you experience any of the symptoms below, contact your eye care professional immediately.

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What Causes Uveitis?

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Uveitis may come on suddenly with redness and pain, or it may be slow in onset with little pain or redness, but gradual blurring of vision. Symptoms of uveitis may include:

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Light sensitivity
Blurring of vision
Pain in the eye
Redness of the eye
Floaters in the eye
Decreased vision

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If you experience these symptoms it is important to schedule an exam with your eye care professional immediately.

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Treatments for Uveitis

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When treated promptly, uveitis typically responds well. The first goal is to decrease the inflammation in the eye in a way that balances the potential risk of treatment. Treatments of uveitis may include:

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Prescription eye drops in combination with anti-inflammatory medications. Eye drops may not penetrate well to the back of the eye, so this type of treatment may not work in posterior uveitis.
Ocular anti-inflammatory injections - injections may be to the outside or inside of the eye. This treatment may be uncomfortable, yet very effective in acute episodes of uveitis.
Systemic or oral administration of steroids, other immunosuppressant or anti-metabolite drugs.
Surgical procedures may be needed to replace the vitreous (or gel-like area) or to implant a device in the eye for slow-release of corticosteroid medication

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Some medications can have serious side effects. Follow-up exams, including eye exams and possible blood tests, are important and may be needed every 1-3 months. Talk to your eye care professional about any concerns you have.

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Don’t Believe These 5 Myths About Glaucoma

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You will find that every year, multiple national and international eye institutes, health organizations, opticians, universities, and NGOs combine efforts to create awareness about the overall effects of Glaucoma.

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According to prevalent studies, Glaucoma is one of the most common causes of vision impairment and blindness. It has been estimated that nearly 79.6 million individuals will suffer from Glaucoma by the end of 2020, and this number is projected to increase to almost 111 million by 2040¹. The challenging part is that more than 50% of individuals who have Glaucoma aren’t aware of the conditions and miss out on a diagnosis, which can be imperative to help protect their vision, as per The World Glaucoma Association².

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What Is Glaucoma?

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A common eye condition, Glaucoma, affects the optic nerves of the eyes. These optic nerves carry information from the eye to the brain to get it processed. Thus, when the optic nerves get damaged, it leads to vision loss, and in severe cases, irreversible vision impairment³.

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Typically, Glaucoma is caused by a build-up of pressure in the frontal part of the eye, which, if not timely, diagnosed or left untreated, leads to optical nerve damage and may lead to permanent vision loss. After cataracts, currently, Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness globally.

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Some common symptoms include:

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Blind spots
Tunnel vision
Blurry vision
Halos
Eye pain
Red eyes
Frequent headaches
Upset stomach, and in some cases, vomiting

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Debunking Myths About Glaucoma

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When was the last comprehensive eye examination appointment? Did you know that being proactive about your eye health and opting for a thorough eye examination every one to two years can help you diagnose Glaucoma and save your eyesight from further deterioration?

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Now, do you know what you mustn’t do? Fall for misinformation about such critical conditions. To help you separate facts from myths, we have listed five common myths regarding Glaucoma:

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MYTH #1: If You Don’t Suffer From Any Symptoms, You Will Not Develop Glaucoma.

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Fact: Most individuals do not realize they are suffering from symptoms until the condition has already developed into a critical level. Generally, the spread of this condition starts affecting peripheral vision and then leads to internal damages. To analyze this condition’s development at the back of the eyes, a comprehensive eye examination performed by an eye care specialist is a necessity when appropriately diagnosing Glaucoma.

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Myth #2: No One In My Family Suffers From Glaucoma, So It Won’t Affect Me.

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Fact: Having a family history of Glaucoma can be risky. However, many individuals are the first ones in their family to be diagnosed with the condition. Similarly, many individuals do not know whether or not a family member had been affected by Glaucoma. Thus, it is critically important to schedule timely eye examinations to ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment.

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Myth #3: Only Individuals Above The Age Of 60 Get Affected By Glaucoma.

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Fact: Although it is true that prevalently Glaucoma is most common in individuals over 60, it affects individuals of all ages, including babies. Sticking to regular eye examinations, or an eye test routine that has been prescribed by your optometrist helps ensure apt and prompt diagnosis and treatment.

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Myth #4: Vision Impairment As A Result Of Glaucoma Can Be Recovered Or Reversed.

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Fact: If one starts to notice vision loss, the condition has already developed into a critical stage. It is important to remember that Glaucoma’s effects are irreversible, and one may never recover their vision. It is also important to schedule routine eye examinations with your optometrist and discuss any vision changes experienced.

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You must keep a check on common symptoms and talk to your optometrist about control treatments such as eye drops, oral medication, and laser therapy or surgery, which can prevent your eyes from getting further damaged after the diagnosis.

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Myth #5: Individuals Affected By Glaucoma Cannot Wear Contact Lenses

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Fact: Many individuals with Glaucoma can safely continue wearing contact lenses. Whether it is safe for you to wear contact lenses or not entirely depends on the severity of your condition and your prescribed treatment. We recommend you consult with your optometrist and follow their advice diligently in this regard.

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Though, suppose your eye care specialist has prescribed you contact lenses. In that case, you can also discuss with them about different modalities and types of contact lenses available in the market to find the best contact lenses for your eyes. With modern technological advancements, you will find numerous types of contact lenses for different eye conditions, including ones that are safe to wear with conditions such as Glaucoma.

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Bausch+Lomb offers a wide range of contact lenses for various eye conditions and power prescriptions, including astigmatism, presbyopia, and dry eyes. Bausch+Lomb also provides different types of contact lenses in modalities of daily, monthly and yearly disposables, so that you enjoy options to buy the best contact lenses for your eyes. You can discuss with your optometrist about the benefits of each modality and buy contact lenses suiting your eyes. Being educated about your options and consulting with your optometrist to buy the best contact lenses can help you safeguard your vision and maintain healthy eyes in the long term.

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While the best contact lenses offer the benefits of convenience, comfort, and improved vision, you need to make some crucial considerations if you are dealing with critical eye conditions such as Glaucoma. Before you decide to change your prescription, medication, or buy contact lenses, you must always talk to your optometrist first. Doing so ensures you are not risking anything and following the correct course of treatment!\r\n

\r\n\r\n Sources:
\r\n \r\n[1] https://www.glaucomapatients.org/basic/statistics/#:~:text=Glaucoma%20is%20the%20most%20common,unaware%20that%20they%20are%20affected.
\r\n \r\n[2] https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma
\r\n \r\n[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK543075/
\r\n \r\nhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17072223/
\r\n \r\nhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2249347/
\r\n \r\nhttps://www.glaucoma.org/news/blog/new-contact-lens-technology-could-change-the-lives-of-glaucoma-patients-and-their-doctors.php\r\n

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Common Eye Disorder Explained- The Usual Vs. The Red Flags

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Our eyes are highly complex and sensitive organs. If you want your eyes to be healthy and enjoy a colorful and vibrant life, you need to take good care of them. Some simple things to take care of your eyes are frequently blinking, eating foods rich in Vitamin A (such as carrots), and taking adequate sleep.

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You must be observant about any problems, signs, and symptoms persistent to your eyes. Several eye conditions show no early symptoms or may feel painless at first, but these issues can become quite advanced and severely impact your vision with time. It is advisable that you immediately consult an eye care professional if you feel a severe itch, pain, soreness, or redness. To help you identify and understand some common eye problems, we have prepared a list. Read Below.

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The Usual's

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1. Digital Eyestrain

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Digital eyestrain refers to a common eye condition in which your eyes feel weary due to strain instigated by excessive use of digital devices. ¹ For example, if you continue working on your computer (or any other digital screen) for several hours at a stretch, you may start to feel discomfort and dryness in your eyes. While eyestrain can be quite irritating at times, it might not have severe implications if promptly treated.

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Signs and Symptoms

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Some common symptoms of digital eye strain comprises of:

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Soreness, irritation, or fatigue in the eyes
Trouble focusing
Dry or watery eyes
Blurred or double vision
Headache
Difficulty in keeping your eyes open
Increased sensitivity to light

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Treatment Options may include using the glasses or contact lenses specially prescribed for computer usage, adjusting the computer screen position & brightness as per surrounding lighting conditions, rest brakes, blinking & other eye relaxation exercises. ¹

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2. Dry Eyes Syndrome (DES)

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Dry Eyes Syndrome (or DES) is a typical eye condition in which your eyes do not have enough quality tears for lubrication and nourishment of the eye. The primary function of tears is to keep the front surface of your eyes well-lubricated. Moreover, tears help reduce the risk of an eye infection and wash away any foreign matter from the eyes. Without quality tears, your eyes may be prone to infections, and in more acute cases, corneal scarring may occur. ²

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Signs and Symptoms

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A throbbing or burning sensation in the eyes
Eye fatigue
Redness in the eyes
Increased sensitivity to light
Blurry vision

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Treatment Options

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You will find various treatment options for Dry Eyes Syndrome, including warm compresses, lid massage, lacrimal Plugs, over-the-counter (OTC) topical medications (such as artificial tears, gels, and ointments).

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3. Refractive Errors

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Refractive errors ³ are commonly referred to as any condition of the eye that results in reduced visual acuity. In other words, if you have a refractive error in your eyes, you will not be able to see things accurately and clearly. Refractive errors include:

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Myopia (near-sightedness) – Objects placed far-away appear blurry
Hyperopia (farsightedness) – Objects placed nearby usually appears blurry
Astigmatism – Objects placed both at a nearby and far-away distance appears distorted or blurry
Presbyopia – Individuals above 40 years of age (middle-age and older people) may lose the ability to focus up close

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Treatment Options

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For Myopia – Myopia is corrected with a (-) lens or a concave lens (used in eyeglasses or as contact lenses) so that it reduces the power of the eye.
For Hyperopia – Hyperopia is corrected with a (+) lens or spherical lens (used in eyeglasses or as contact lenses) so that it increases the power of the eye
For Astigmatism – Two kinds of lenses to correct astigmatism – Plano-cylindrical (power is zero along one meridian, and more in the other meridian), and sphero-cylinder/ lens (used in eyeglasses or as contact lenses)
For Presbyopia – Both bifocal lenses and multifocal/progressive lenses (used in contact lenses and eyeglasses) can be used to correct the refractory error

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4. Conjunctivitis (Pinkeye)

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Conjunctivitis or Pinkeye ⁴ is a condition that causes inflammation in the tissues covering your Sclera and those lining the back of your eyelids called CONJUNCTIVA. In the case of conjunctivitis, the eye can turn red, itchy, teary, blurry, and discharges a watery material. Conjunctivitis is highly contagious (children are most affected). However, it is highly unlikely that Conjunctivitis will damage your vision, more so if it is promptly identified and treated.

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There are primarily three categories/types of Conjunctivitis:

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Allergic Conjunctivitis (Allergic Conjunctivitis and Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis)
Infectious Conjunctivitis (Bacterial Conjunctivitis, Viral Conjunctivitis, and Ophthalmia Neonatorum)
Chemical Conjunctivitis (it spreads due to exposure to chlorine and other noxious chemicals present in water and air)
Burning or itching sensation in either or both eyes
A grainy feel in one or both eyes
Excessive formation of tears
Discharge from either or both eyes
Swollen eyelids
Pink discoloration in the whites of either or both eyes

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Treatment Options

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There are various appropriate treatment options for Conjunctivitis based on the cause of the eye condition, including:

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Artificial tears, cold compresses NSAIDs, Antihistamines if required (primarily for Allergic conjunctivitis)
Antibiotic eye drops or ointments (primarily for Bacterial conjunctivitis)
Topical steroid eye drops (primarily for Viral conjunctivitis)
Flushing of the eyes with saline or water (primarily for Chemical conjunctivitis)

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Red Flags

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1. Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), often known as Macular Degeneration, is an advanced eye condition that is associated with aging. AMD occurs in two forms – 'dry' (atrophic) and 'wet' (exudative) ⁵, causing severe damage to sharp and central vision. Moreover, AMD is common in people aged 60 years or more.

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You need a central vision to see objects clearly and perform everyday tasks such as reading and driving. AMD affects the macula or the central part of the retina that helps you see and process fine visuals.

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Risk factors associated with AMD

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a. Genetic risk factors

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Age
Family history of AMD
Compared to any other races, caucasians are at an increased risk of developing AMD

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Risk Factors that You can Control

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Smoking (non-smokers are at lower risk)
Diet (diets that have fewer antioxidants such as vitamins E and C, zinc, and lutein could be a risk factor)
Obesity
High blood pressure
High Cholesterol
Excessive exposure to sunlight

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Treatment Options

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If diagnosed early, wet AMD is treatable with the intra-ocular administering of anti-VEGF medication. [5] On the other hand, dry AMD can cause permanent loss of vision. If you experience any loss of cognitive ability, i.e., your ability to read, write, drive, or perform everyday tasks, you must visit an eye care professional for a thorough eye examination.

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2. Bulging Eyes

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Bulging eyes, also known as Proptosis, is a condition that occurs when either or both eyes protrude from the eye sockets, often due to an overactive thyroid gland caused by Graves' disease. ⁶

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Proptosis occurs when there are6:

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i. Lesions such as inflamed muscles, tissue, and fat behind the eye

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ii. An infection of the tissue of the eye socket

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iii. Cancerous tumors such as those caused by soft tissue sarcomas or neuroblastomas

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As a result, more portion of the cornea is exposed to air, causing difficulty in keeping the eyes moist and lubricated. In more advanced cases, bulging eyes can potentially lead to vision loss.

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Signs and Symptoms

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Soreness in the eyes
Appearance of protruding eyes
Increased sensitivity to light
Blurred or double vision
Excessive dryness
Visible whiteness between the eyelid and the top of the iris
Loss of vision
Headache
Fever
Pulsation in the bulging eye
Irritation in the eyes

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Treatment Options

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A cataract⁷ is the condition of the eye in which the eye's natural crystalline lens loses its suppleness with age. As you get older, the proteins and lens fibres in the eye stiffen and harden, turning opaque. Common causes of cataracts comprises of aging, inheritance, chronic diseases like diabetes, congenital disabilities, excessive use of steroids, and specific eye injuries.

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Signs and Symptoms

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Hazy or cloudy vision
Reduced sensitivity of colours
Recurrent changes in the prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses
Increased sensitivity to light and glare
Poor vision, especially at night

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Treatment Options

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Intraocular lenses (IOLs) such as Standard mono-focal intraocular lenses, Toric IOL lenses, Multifocal IOL, or Accommodating lenses are used to improve vision after the patient undergoes cataract surgery. For more information, you must consult an eye care professional.

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4. CMV Retinitis

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\r\n CMV Retinitis ⁸ is a viral eye infection caused by the Cytomegalovirus (CMV) that attacks the retina. The CMV is a common source of infection in humans with weakened immune systems. If CMV retinitis is not diagnosed early and treated immediately, it may damage the retina and optic nerve, leading to loss of vision.

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Signs and Symptoms

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Slow onset of floaters or flashes in the eye
Blurred or hazy vision
Loss of peripheral vision
Blindspot in central vision

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Moreover, the symptoms may first appear in one eye but often progresses to the other eye. Also, in more advanced cases, the infection may lead to retinal detachment.

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Treatment Options

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If you are frequently experiencing any such symptoms or have a weakened immune system, you should get your eyes examined regularly with an eye care professional for early diagnosis and treatment.

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5. Crossed Eyes (Strabismus)

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Crossed eyes, also known as Strabismus ⁹, is said to occur when your eyes appear to be pointing in different directions or are misaligned at the same time. Crossed eyes in children usually occur due to uncorrected refractive errors or amblyopia (lazy eye) and other reasons. In adults, it may occur due to:

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i. Thyroid disease (Graves' disease)

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ii. Diabetes

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iii. Myasthenia gravis

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iv. Stroke

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v. Brain tumours

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vi. Damage to eye muscles due to an accident or a head injury

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Signs and Symptoms

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Weakness in either or both eyes
Inability to move either or both eyes together
Double vision
Loss of depth perception
Tilting the head to one side
Squinting with one eye only

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Treatment Options

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To improve vision in the case of crossed eyes, the affected eye muscles are put to work. There are various treatments available that may be used in combination or alone based on the type, cause, and severity of the condition, including:

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Eyeglasses or contact lenses – Different types of contact lenses and eyeglasses can be used to improve the condition if it is due to uncorrected farsightedness.
Surgery

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In case you are experiencing any eye-related problems, it is advisable that you promptly visit an optometrist for a thorough eye examination. Based on the results, you can opt for the best possible treatment for quick recovery.

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At Bausch+Lomb, we understand the importance of having excellent eye health. We provide suitable solutions for refractive errors as well as cataract ophthalmic solutions so that you never have to compromise with your vision. We also offer various types of contact lenses to suit your requirements. These contact lenses are designed with the latest technology to provide high breathability and comfortable extended wear. Get in touch with us to embark on your journey towards healthier eyes today! \r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nSources:
\r\n\r\n[1] https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/computer-vision-syndrome?sso=y
\r\n\r\n[2] https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/dry-eye
\r\n\r\n[3] https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/refractive-errors
\r\n\r\n\r\n[4] https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/conjunctivitis
\r\n\r\n[5] https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/macular-degeneration#:~:text=Age%2DRelated%20Macular%20Degeneration%20(AMD,for%20vision%20loss%20from%20AMD
\r\n\r\n[6] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bulging-eyes/#:~:text=Exophthalmos%2C%20also%20known%20as%20proptosis,caused%20by%20thyroid%20eye%20disease.
\r\n\r\n[7] https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/cataract
\r\n\r\n[8] https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-cytomegalovirus-retinitis
\r\n\r\n[9] https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-strabismus
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Understanding the Different Types of Color Blindness

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Color blindness, also known as color vision deficiency, is a condition in which you cannot perceive colors the way most people do.^[1]Most people are capable of perceiving a million different hues and colors. This is because our eyes have three types of cones (photoreceptors) that deliver color signals to our brain. However, some people have a defective cone or just two cones, resulting in a significant reduction in color vision. This results in a prevalent eye disorder known as color blindness. ^[2]

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Many do not realise there are different types of color blindness. ^[3] But color blindness manifests itself in a variety of ways, from mild to severe. Many people are unaware that they have a color deficiency since their symptoms are so subtle. Understanding what causes color blindness and knowing the different types will help you notice the symptoms early.

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So, let’s discuss the different types of color blindness in detail:

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1. Red-Green Color Blindness ^[3]

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This is the most common color blindness type, which makes distinguishing between red and green difficult. Red-green color blindness is divided into the following:

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The most prevalent type of red-green color blindness is deuteranomaly. It intensifies the redness of green. This type is mild and normally does not interfere with daily activities.
Protanomaly causes red to appear greener and less vibrant. This type is usually mild and does not interfere with daily activities.
Both protanopia and deuteranopia make it impossible to distinguish between red and green.

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As it is the most common color blindness, people are more aware of this as compared to the other types. If you suspect that you are facing problems detecting specific colors, your eye doctor will do types of color blindness test to determine how you see different hues.

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2. Blue-Yellow Color Blindness ^[3]

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This less prevalent type of color blindness makes distinguishing between blue and green, as well as yellow and red, difficult. Blue-yellow color blindness is divided into two categories:

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Tritanomaly - Tritanomaly makes distinguishing between blue and green, as well as yellow and red, difficult.
Tritanopia – You cannot distinguish the difference between blue and green, purple and red, or yellow and pink if you have tritanopia. Colors appear to be less vibrant.

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3. Total Color Blindness ^[3]

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You will not be able to perceive colors if you have total color blindness. Monochromacy is another name for this eye condition, which is not the most common color blindness. You may have problems seeing clearly and be more sensitive to light depending on the type, if you have total color blindness.

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What Causes Color Blindness?

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Color blindness is a condition that most people are born with. This is referred to as a congenital defect and is frequently passed down from mother to child. These problems are caused by a loss of cones in the retina, which might be partial or full. A majority of color vision issues that develop later in life are caused by disease, trauma, drug-induced toxicity, metabolic illness, or vascular disease. ^[1]

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Who is at Risk for Color Blindness?

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In general, women are at a lower risk for being born with colour vision deficiency than men. In fact, the risk is much greater for men since one out of every ten males suffers from some form of colour blindness. ^[1]

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Other than this, if you fall under any of the following categories, your chances of acquiring the condition may be higher than another individual:^[1]

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If you have certain eye diseases such as glaucoma or macular degeneration
If you take certain medicines or have particular health problems like diabetes, Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease
If you have a family history of colour blindness

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Treatment for Color Blindness

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Keep in mind that color blindness, for the most part, does not cause major problems. Color blindness tests by your eye doctor can help treat the condition appropriately. Although there is no cure for the condition, if it is causing you problems with daily activities, special glasses, contact lenses, and other visual aids can help you correct the condition. ^[1]

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At Bausch and Lomb, you will find a variety of options to help you maintain the quality of your vision. Make sure you get the right prescription to get the best experience when making a purchase.

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\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\nSources:
\r\n \r\n [1] https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-color-blindness
\r\n\r\n[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11059/
\r\n[3] https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/color-blindness/types-color-blindness\r\n\r\n

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Tired Of Eye Twitches? Know Why It Is Happening To You

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You’d have to agree that there’s nothing worse than struggling to concentrate through the day because your eye twitches won’t just go away. You realize what we’re talking about – the involuntary, recurrent spasm of the eyelid muscle which occurs after every few seconds or minutes.

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At one point in life or the other, almost everyone experience eye twitches (or myokymia). While eye twitches or twitching under eyes are generally harmless, they sure can be an unpleasant experience, especially if they continue to occur repeatedly. So, why does this happen? Well, when your body is overworked or stressed, the eye twitches occur as the eye muscle starts to react involuntarily.^[1]

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The majority of eye twitches are innocuous, minor, and have no effect on eyesight. ^[1] Nonetheless, certain neurological conditions, such as blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm, can cause eyelid muscolar contractions. Here, the eyelids close more completely and for longer periods of time, restricting or entirely obstructing vision, and other facial muscles might as well be affected.

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The usual eyelid twitches make for a minor irritation for most of us. However, if it lasts longer or occurs too frequently, you must consolt with your ophthalmologist to get an eye examination performed.

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What Is Causing Your Eye Twitches?

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Identifying the underlying cause of the eye twitches, or twitching under eyes is critical as once you recognise what is triggering it, you coold get the best treatment to eliminate the trigger. To keep you informed, we have listed some of the most common triggers for eye twitches below:^[2]

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Fatigue

Getting a minimum of seven to eight hours of sleep every night can be difficolt in today’s hectic world, but your body requires this time to restore itself. So, the very first way to prevent eye twitches is to get enough sleep.

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Stress

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Our bodies aren’t built to deal with the kind of stress that most of us encounter on a regolar basis. Taking short breaks throughout the day, deep breathing exercises, and meditation are just some ways to lower stress and prevent eye twitches.

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If there’s no way for you to get rid of the stress factor, you must practice stress-relieving activities that can help you get rid of your eye twitches.

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Substance Usage

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Usage of substances that stress the body, such as alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine, can cause eye twitches and also a variety of other health problems. Therefore, cutting down on your consumption of these substances coold be quite beneficial.

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Allergies

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Eye allergies trigger histamines to be released into the eye, causing it to twitch. For the same, you can consolt with your eye care specialist to find the right prescription treatment, such as the use of antihistamine.

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Excessive Computer Use

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Eye twitching, including twitching under eyes, is among the numerous symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome. If you use digital devices such as computers, laptops, and mobile tablets, then your eye twitches are likely occurring due to the excessive usage of bright, digital screens that resolt in dry eyes, eye strain, and weariness. Consolt your eye care specialist if you have persistent eyelid twitching and/or scratchy, irritated and dry eyes.

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Besides, if you use digital devices for prolonged durations, you coold also talk to your eye care specialist about contact lenses that are specifically designed to help reduce contact lens related dryness in eyes.

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At Bausch+Lomb, our range of ultra contact lenses are made with silicone hydrogel material, is designed with our propriety MoistureSeal Technology that retains up to 95% moisture throughout the day and also provides improved oxygen transmissibility to prevent eye strain caused due to prolonged digital usage.*

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Inadequate nutrition

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Our bodies require several types of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, which helps ensure healthy muscolar function, but imbalances in the nutrients, such as electrolytes, vitamin B12, vitamin D, or magnesium, can trigger eye twitches.

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How To Stop Eye Twitching When It Becomes Bothersome?

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Most eye twitches, generally, stop on their own. However, you must see an eye specialist if it lasts for a long time or becomes extremely bothersome. [1] We recommend that you don’t just rely on your online search about ‘how to stop eye twitching,’ as the plenitude of information online can be misguiding.

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So, it can lead to a situation where you may think, ‘is eye twitching dangerous, or is eye twitching a sign of stroke,’ then we suggest you stop thinking on such terms and visit your eye care specialist. They are qualified and trained to identify as well as treat such conditions, so it’s best to consolt them as they can help role anything serious and also provide treatment options!

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Disclaimer: Nothing in this article shoold be considered as medical advice, and it is not meant to take the place of a doctor’s advice. Always see your eye doctor if you have any specific questions.

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\r\n\r\n\r\nSources:
\r\n \r\n[1] https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/how-to-stop-eye-twitching
\r\n\r\n[2] https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/why-your-eyes-twitch\r\n

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