Many people are confused as to whether or not they are actually taking good care of their eyes.  What does that really mean? Well, now we’ve developed a short quiz to help you determine whether or not you know how to take care of your eyes and what you should be doing.  Take the following quiz and see how you do:

1. How often do you see your eye doctor for an eye exam?

1. Whenever I feel like it
2. When I can’t see as well as I could before
3. At least every two years
4. I don’t

2. Which food is the best source of Lutein, that incredibly eye-healthy nutrient

1. Kale
2. Potatoes
3. Carrots
4. McDonalds

3. Which of the following could damage your eyesight?

1. Staring at your computer screen all day
2. Smoking
3. Reading in dim light
4. Driving on the left side of the road

4. Which eye disease can cause 40% loss of sight before you even notice it?

1. Glaucoma
2. Cataracts
3. You’d notice anything wrong with your eyes
4. Pink eye

5. If you get an eye infection should you?

1. Go straight to the hospital or your eye doctor
2. Use natural, or organic eye drops
3. Just wait it out, it will get better
4. Have a nice cup of tea

6. You want new sunglasses. Do you?

1. Buy the cheapest pair
2. Get fake Gucci’s on eBay
3. Make sure you buy ones that have passed safety regulations
4. Spend as much as you possibly can to look the best

7. Which of these is a symptom of age related macular degeneration?

1. Pain
2. Loss of central vision
3. Loss of side vision
4. Forgetting to pick your grandchildren up from school

Here are the answers:

1. You should have your eyes checked at least every 2 years.

2. Green leafy, Kale is the best food to provide the nutrient Lutein, most needed by eyes to perform at their best.

3. If you smoke you’re up to 4 times more likely to develop age related macular degeneration.

4. Glaucoma has been called the sneak thief of sight. It sneaks up and gradually causes your vision to move inwards.

5. Go straight to your doctor or eye doctor.  Serious problems can be avoided by rapid action.

6. Always check the safety regulations before buying any sunglasses.  Buy a pair that blocks 100% of UV rays.

7. Loss of central vision is a sign of age related macular degeneration, which affects almost a third of the people above 75 years old.  It is a very tricky disease to detect and only your eye doctor can know for sure.

How did you score? How many questions did you get right?

1-2 You have probably been lucky to not get any serious eye diseases, or injuries.  But you should study up some more on eye health and learn how to take better care of your eyes.

3-4 You’re doing pretty well, but you also need to be a bit more diligent when it comes to the health of your eyes.  Check back on the answers you got wrong and read our other Simon Eye blogs for more useful data.

5-7 Congratulations! It looks like you’re doing very well and know your stuff.  Keep it up.  Knowledge is the first defense in the fight to keep our eyes healthy and happy.

Healthy Vision Longer

Ever wonder if there are any celebrities, or people in the media who have had LASIK surgery? I have.  And today I found at least one celebrity that has had the procedure done.  Cindy Crawford.  And she tells her story in a testimonial.

After learning about Lasik and hearing many other celebrities had undergone it, former supermodel Cindy Crawford found it the best option for her. Before the surgery she had to wear glasses while driving and had great difficulty inserting contact lenses. She decided to have the surgery performed by celebrity eye surgeon, Dr. Maloney.

Expressing her happiness and initial fear about her Lasik surgery, Cindy said in her testimonial: “I’d been considering corrective vision surgery since I’d heard about the procedure, but of course, I was very nervous about it. I heard about Dr. Maloney from my agent, who had his vision corrected with great results. I got up my courage and scheduled an appointment. They were very patient and explained all my options. The procedure was painless and I can see so much clearer now. It’s great to wake up in the middle of the night and watch television without my glasses, and, best of all, I can drive without glasses or contacts. I would recommend it to anyone”.

The benefits of Lasik? There are many, Cindy says in her testimonial video. First off, she doesn’t have to bother with annoying contact lenses, which she says, she had great difficulty putting in. She also claims she really enjoys not having to wear glasses anymore, and loves the little things, like being able to watch TV clearly from her bed.

Cindy is now enjoying her improved life with no hassles of wearing glasses and contact lenses.

Cindy Crawford

Contact lens wearers should stock up on lenses ahead of springtime, one eye health expert has advised. With the allergy season just around the corner, eye care expert Dr K W Scarbrough has warned that unclean or old lenses can make allergy attacks `mildly irritating or impossible`. As such, while contact lenses may be necessary for good eyesight, the Washington State-based eyecare professional has noted that regularly changing lenses is the best means of getting through the spring and summer as healthily as possible. “Dirty lenses are a time-bomb for allergic wearers,” he explained to the Northlake News.” Lenses should be replaced often; one-use lenses can allow some sufferers to wear their lenses even in the worst times.” Furthermore, he also advised contact lens wearers to think about carrying a spare pair of glasses with them when their allergies are at their peak.

Order your contact lenses directly from Simon Eye Associates http://www.simoneye.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.contacts

This article was written by Alexa Kaczka

Acuvue Contact Lenses from Simon Eye Associates

By Alexa Kaczka

A woman has had her eyesight restored after being blind for 30 years, it has been reported.  Jenny Peterson, from South Dekota, lost her eyesight following an allergic reaction to antibiotics, reports ActionNews.  Over the years, Jenny underwent several unsuccessful stem cell transplants and surgeries, which would return her sight for a few days.  This month, however, she was convinced by surgeons to give surgery another try and was amazed by the results.  After five hours under the knife at the Mayo Clinic, Jenny awoke and could see almost immediately. “I saw my kids. And I can see the little children that I left behind in their faces yet. And I say my husband, my sisters, my dad,” she told the news provider.

Her husband, Ron added: “We`ve been watching videos of things that have happened 30 years ago and 25 years ago. Things that we went to but she could never see.” Recently, researchers from the UC Davis Medical Center in the US claimed that artificial muscles could be used restore the eyesight of people with facial paralysis.

Jenny Peterson

Pasta you may love, but if you want to be able to see the rich colours in your meals for a long time to come, turn to desi food.  For, Indian cuisine uses extensively a magical herb that can prevent loss of sight as the years roll by.  This herb is the humble saffron, which lends yellow colour to your spicy curry.

Researchers from University of Sydney in Australia and Policlinico Gemelli in Italy tested the effect of saffron pills on 25 subjects over six months. Half of the subjects were given a saffron pill for the first three months followed by a placebo for the next three. The other half were given placebo first and then the saffron pills.

Silvia Bisti, lead author of the study from University of Sydney, said, “Measurements using objective eye sight tests showed patient’s vision improved after taking the saffron pill. When they were tested with traditional eye charts, a number of patients could read one or two lines smaller than before, while others reported they could read newspapers and books again.”  She said all patients experienced improvement in their vision when they were on the saffron pill. “But when they stopped taking the pill the effect quickly disappeared,” Bisti added.

The researchers said saffron seems to have a beneficial effect on the genes that regulate the fatty acid content of the cell membrane. “This makes the vision cells tougher and more resilient,” Bisti said.  According to her, saffron has ‘anti-apoptotic’ properties, which means it increases the availability of oxygen to the body and prevents the death of cells.  The researchers are further studying the appropriate dose that can help the elderly avoid vision loss. They also hope to find out if saffron can help treat genetic eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa.  The spice is also believed to have anti-cancer properties.  Secular you should be politically, but when it comes to health, saffron may be the way to go.

Saffron for Eyesight

If you’re like me then you spend an awful lot of time at your computer.  In fact, I spend so much time on mine that I’ve made a special harness for my laptop that attaches directly to my arm.  Not really.  But I do spend about 9 hours a day on it at work and then I check my email at night, do research on it in the evenings, read on it, social network, etc.  And the thing is, most people do the exact same thing.  But what is this doing to our eyes? Well, nearsightedness is up 66 percent since the 1970s, for one thing.

Researchers compared the eyesight information of more than 4,400 people tested in 1971 and 1972.  They also took eyesight data of those tested between 1999 and 2004.  The results were shocking.  A massive 66 percent increase in nearsightedness.  Although nearsightedness is poorly understood, it is clear that the increase in computer use, the increase in TV watching, texting, etc. are clearly the leading causes of this eye condition.

So what’s the solution? First of all, GET OUTSIDE MORE! Take 5 minute breaks at work and don’t just sit there surfing the net, GO OUTSIDE and look around.  In fact, for every 20 minutes you spend at your computer, you should be looking 20 feet into the distance for 20 seconds.  With just this small change, you could be saving yourself thousands of dollars in Eye Exams, glasses, etc.  So, get out there and smell the roses.

Nearsightedness

It seems like we’re getting an awful lot of snowfall in Delaware this Winter.  We haven’t had many major snowstorms, besides that one just before Christmas, but we seem to be getting a little bit of snowfall every week.  This can create more problems than just a dirty car.  It can also affect your eyesight.  Especially, when you’re young and spend a lot of time playing in this white, fluffy snow.  That’s why when I came across this press release on PR Newswire I thought I’d pass it along to all of you.

CONCORD, Mass., Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ — Each winter, parents pull out the outer coats, hats, scarves, gloves and boots to properly protect their children from the cold, but what about protecting their children’s eyes from the sun? According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), sunglasses are not just for sunny summer days, but are also needed during the winter season when reflections from snow, water, sand or pavement can intensify UV rays to extremely high levels. In addition, the sun’s rays pass right through haze and thin clouds, making sunglasses a necessity during the early afternoon sun, when UV radiation is strongest, and a must when participating in winter sports, particularly at high altitudes. When taking the kids in the car or the stroller, heading out to the bus stop or to sled or build a snowman don’t forget the shades.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that children’s eyes are at increased risk for permanent damage from sunlight until they are at least 10 years old, because their eyes are highly sensitive and still developing. Furthermore, 90% of total lifetime damage from the sun’s harmful rays occurs by age 18.

The Real Kids Shades line of protective infants’ and children’s sunglasses provides 100% UV-A and UV-B ray protection, as recommended by Prevent Blindness America. Real Kids Shades are safe, lead-free and made of impact-resistant, shatterproof polycarbonate frames and lenses, a material hailed by Prevent Blindness America as “the first choice for children’s eyewear.”

“Recognizing that children’s eyes are at special risk from the harmful effects of UV rays since their eyes are still developing and are more vulnerable to sun damage, we developed Real Kids Shades to provide serious sun protection in comfortable, kid-friendly and stylish designs,” says Lisa Medora, VP Product Development, Real Kids Shades.

“Real Kids Shades were developed to be both durable to withstand kids’ lifestyles and great-looking, so that kids will want to wear them,” added David Scheinberg, CEO, Real Kids Shades.

The Real Kids Shades are designed for all children 12 and under in a wide assortment of polycarbonate shatterproof frames and lenses with adjustable neoprene bands, rubber flex or metallic frames. Several of the styles can be fitted with prescription lenses. Retail prices start at $14.99 to $19.99. For more information and store location, visit www.realkidshades.com.

Real Kids Shades

Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak is located in North Eastern Tanzania.  It is a beautiful sight to see. It has been written about in countless books and articles.  Most notably, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, by Ernest Hemingway.  These praises have lead many people to try and climb this beast.  Many have tried and most have failed.  There is one person in particular that recently succeeded in conquering this African Goliath.  That’s not the most impressive thing about this story though.  What makes it even more amazing is that the 31 year old Kev Lowther climbed the mountain and lost his vision part way up the mountain, but managed to make it to the summit.  Kev was climbing to raise money for a charity called Macmillan Cancer Support.

When asked about the climb, Kev told one newspaper, “The hardest part was dealing with the exhaustion and altitude sickness. At one point I even lost my eyesight and one guy told me I was staggering about like someone who had just been kicked out of the pub at closing time!”

I’m sure we can all agree that climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is hard enough, to do it without your sight is something all together spectacular.  We applaud Kev for his incredible feat.

Mount Kilimanjaro

The below is taken in part from an article from Eyecare Business Magazine:

Several vision organizations recently released studies related to kid’s vision and eyecare, revealing some interesting statistics. For instance, according to a national survey by VSP (Vision Care and Prevent Blindness America) released in August: One in Four 6-11 year-olds wears prescription glasses. Almost two-thirds of children under age 6 have never had an eye exam by an eye doctor.

Low Eye Q?: The American Optometric Association’s survey found that: One in four children in the U.S. has an undetected vision problem. 58 Percent of children do not receive their first eye exam until the age of three or older. 88 Percent of the survey respondents did not realize that one in four kids has a visual impairment.

Missed Opportunities: New research by the National Committee on Vision and Health revealed: One-quarter of school age children suffer from vision problems that could have been addressed or eliminated if proper eye assessment programs and follow-up care had taken place when they started school.  In One-third of children with vision problems, screenings missed finding vision conditions.

The Vision-Learning Link: More than one in five 12 to 17 year-olds have difficulty seeing the classroom chalkboard, although 45 percent in this age group wear some type of prescription eyewear. Studies indicate 60 percent of children identified as “problem learners” actually suffer from undetected vision problems and in some cases have been inaccurately diagnosed with ADHD.

UV Exposure: The average child receives three times the annual UV exposure of an adult. The lens of the eye of a child under age 10 allows more than six times the amount of UV radiation than an adult eye.

Child Eyecare

The importance of an Eye Exam has been proven time and time again.  However, we often neglect Eye Exams for our Children, thinking they are young and don’t need one.  We sometimes think that it is only the older generation that needs Eye Exams on a regular basis.  This is not so.  There are many vision problems which could affect your children if not taken care of early.  These vision problems could lead to learning disabilities, trouble paying attention in class, headaches and much more.

Many children suffer from inhibited learning due to eye conditions, which can be corrected easily with a visit to the optician.  Simon Eye Associates is encouraging parents to schedule appointments for the Holiday break in response to the statistic that up to 86 per cent of school-aged children have never had a thorough eye exam.  In fact, many patients who come in to Simon Eye Associates, having been previously diagnosed with learning impairments, but in reality all that needed correcting was poor eyesight or visual skills.  If your student struggled through the first half of this school year, now is the time to bring them for a complete eye exam. The problem may not be learning-related; it may be solved simply by getting corrective vision wear.  New imaging technology is being used to diagnose eye problems early and therefore maximise the effectiveness of treatment.

Child Studying