Medical News

Women's Eye Health

2012-04-09T16:14:47Z

As women typically live longer than men, they are at greater risk for developing vision inhibiting conditions and diseases such as cataract and macular degeneration. For this reason, they have a particular incentive for comprehensive eye exams as they age. Additionally, there are a number of autoimmune diseases that affect the eyes, including rheumatoid arthritis, sjogren’s syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, and multiple sclerosis. These are all linked to serious eye complications. Most autoimmune diseases are more prevalent among women, especially sjorgen’s syndrome. Tennis great, Venus Williams recently revealed that she suffered from the disorder, which produces dry eyes. Among the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, which affect more women than men, are double vision, eye discomfort, vision loss and uncontrollable eye movements.

Farsighted Benevolence

2012-03-19T13:05:58Z

Approximately 40,000 corneal transplants are performed each year in the United States. This surgery involves removing the central portion of a damaged cornea and replacing it with donor tissue. The dome-shaped cornea that covers the front of the eye responds well to minor injuries and abrasions, but scarring and severe diseases can take a greater toll. One of the eye disorders which may result in a need for corneal transplant is keratoconus, involving progressive thinning and curvature of the cornea. Today, thanks to technological advances, the success rate of corneal transplantation is 95%. But without the generosity of donors, many people in need of corneal transplants would be denied the opportunity of seeing again. There is no substitute for human corneal tissue. If you wish to become a donor and save someone’s sight, contact an eye bank near you.

Working To Preserve Eyesight

2012-03-12T13:55:28Z

The federal occupational health agency reports approximately 1,000 eye injuries occur in American work places each day. A very unfortunate statistic is that three out of five of these injuries occur by not wearing eye protection or wearing ill suited eye protection for the task at hand. It is estimated that more than nine out of ten eye injuries in the workplace could be prevented with the use of proper safety eyewear. It’s critical to note that improper eyewear may actually have the potential to do more harm than good. This can occur when shattered lens fragments enter the eyes when not wearing recommended safety eyewear with shatterproof lenses, both at home or work.

For Those With Hints Of Something More Serious

2012-03-05T14:09:04Z

The presence of isolated pockets of yellowish skin around the upper and lower eyelids, Xanthelasmata, may be neither painful nor harmful but may be indicative of a more serious underlying condition. Recent research indicates that people who develop these collections of yellow plaques may be at risk for cardiovascular disease which may linger even after the removal of these plaques. A physician should definitely be consulted at the first sign of this condition with a view toward a check of blood cholesterol level. Arcus senilis, white or gray corneal rings, can result from cholesterol deposits in the eye.

A Complication of Diabetes

2012-02-06T15:05:47Z

Diabetic individuals may develop an eye disorder commonly associated with diabetes. Almost 30 percent of diabetics in America over age forty-five have the diabetes related disorder known as diabetic retinopathy. Four percent of the diabetic population of America are affected severely enough that their vision is threatened. Diabetic retinopathy involves damage to the retina and is a leading cause of new cases of legal blindness among adults aged 20-74 years. With the incidence of rising diabetes, it is reasonable to assume that the statistics surrounding this disorder may be obsolete and outdated. It’s imperative that diabetic individuals schedule regular, comprehensive eye examinations.

Outdoor Caution

2012-01-25T16:27:45Z

Outdoor enthusiasts know that it is important to wear sunglasses that protect the eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Sailors, golfers, and other outdoor enthusiasts should also know that wraparound sunglasses help protect the eyes from developing a non-cancerous growth that often occurs among those who spend excessive amounts of time in sunny, sandy, dusty, windblown areas. A ‘’pterygium’’ is a raised triangular growth of abnormal tissue that forms on the thin tissue (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye, most commonly on the nasal side. While no treatment is usually necessary, a developing pterygium may block vision and even alter the shape of the cornea to cause astigmatism. If so, it should be surgically removed.

Twitching's Off Switch

2012-01-25T16:20:50Z

Blepharospasm is the technical name for eye twitching, something that may be nothing more than a nuisance but also quite disruptive. Occasional eye twitching does not require treatment other than stress reduction therapy. Unless the involuntary blinking or spasms of the eyelids are associated with Tourette’s syndrome or related neurological problems, which may require evaluation and treatment, the problem is not typically cause for concern. Otherwise, twitching caused by anxiety or rest may relieve fatigue. Blepharospasm is likely caused by abnormal function of the basal ganglion, which is the part of the brain responsible for controlling the eyelids’ muscles. If so, an injection of botox into the muscles is a considered treatment before undergoing myomectomy, the surgical removal of some of the muscles and nerves of the eyelids.

How The Brain Sees

2012-01-23T15:58:53Z

If you think about it, the eyes may be tasked with collecting imagery from the world around us. However, it is the brain’s job to make sense of the information collected by the eyes and enable us to see. Further, researchers wanted to know whether there is an area of the brain that is actually responsible for reading. Using functional MRI (fMRI) brain scans, it was found that people reading Braille activate the exact same part of the brain as sighted people use. This finding upends the conventional theory that the brain is divided into specialized regions which process the information they receive via one sense or another. According to this research, the brain is not so much a “sensory” machine as it is a “task” machine that can perform a function regardless of where the sensory input comes from.

More Than Mismatched Socks

2012-01-20T15:58:15Z

Color blindness may seem like a relatively innocuous malady, but it does pose some problems. Color blindness is generally passed from generation to generation and is more prevalent in men. People with color vision problems may find it difficult to distinguish between red and green stoplights and so have to concentrate more attentitively on their driving. Most color vision problems are inherited which means that the color sensing cone cells in the retina are not functioning properly, in which case there is no effective treatment other than wearing color enhancing lenses. But when color blindness is caused by cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy, addressing the underlying condition may help ease the symptoms.

Unsightly Bulges

2012-01-20T15:19:59Z

Keratoconus causes progressive thinning of the cornea, the transparent outer covering at the front of the eye. This leads to the development of a cone-like bulge, adversely altering vision. This condition occurs in about one in every 2,000 individuals, usually first diagnosed in patients in their late teens or early twenties. Initial symptoms usually include slight blurring and increased photosensitivity. Keratoconus may progress for a decade or two and then stabilize. Soft contact lenses may be used early on to correct mild nearsightedness and astigmatism, followed by rigid gas permeable (rgp) contacts if the cornea continues to thin and change shape. In severe cases, a corneal transplant may be required. A new treatment called corneal collagen cross linking may help strengthen the corneas of keratoconus patients. It involves a single application of riboflavin eye drops activated with low dose ultraviolet light for about a half hour.