At Simon Eye Associates we’re often asked the question, “why is it so important to get an eye exam?” We have many answers to this, but today I found this well written answer from Gail Gilman-Waldner.  Enjoy!

Your vision seems great and your eyes feel completely fine so you may be putting off that visit to the eye doctor. If you haven’t seen your eye care professional in a while, you might have an eye problem that you don’t know about. Many eye diseases have no early warning signs. You may not notice anything so it’s critical to have your eyes examined on a regular basis. A comprehensive dilated eye exam involves looking at all the parts of your eye. It also tests eye movement, the reaction of your pupil to light and the fluid pressure inside your eyes.

It’s critical to pay attention to your eye health, because eye health actually is a reflection of overall health. Changes in the eyes, for example, can tip a doctor off that you have diabetes.
Comprehensive dilated eye exams can catch problems that could lead to blindness and visual impairment while they can still be halted or reversed. If you have glaucoma or diabetic eye disease (a group of eye problems that can accompany diabetes) you may notice a problem only when it’s too late to regain your lost vision. Glaucoma, for example, first affects your side, or peripheral vision, which can be hard to notice. If left untreated, the vision loss will continue to move toward the center of your vision. It’s a painless process much like hypertension or high blood pressure can be painless. Having regular eye exams can help detect eye diseases in their early stages, when they can still be treated. Regular eye exams are important for everyone, but especially for African Americans over age 40, those with a family history of eye disease, people with diabetes and everyone over 60.

An eye exam can also spot uncorrected refractive errors, meaning your eye is out of focus. Uncorrected refractive errors affect more than 11 million Americans. Eye care professionals usually prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses to solve the problem. More than 150 million Americans now use corrective eyewear. How often you should have your eyes examined depends on your age, family history and other risk factors. Your eye care professional can tell you when your next exam should be. If you haven’t had an eye exam for a while, now is the time. Your eyes are an important part of your health. Healthy vision can help keep you safe while you’re driving, participating in sports and taking part in recreational activities. It can also help you maintain a healthy and active lifestyle well into your golden years.

Eye Exam

I found a great article by Dr. Alisa Hildeg.  She’s not an Optometrist, but she has some great things to say about vision and how to keep our eyes happy and healthy. Enjoy!

I recently found out that February is Low Vision Awareness Month, and it occurred to me that most of the time I take my sight for granted. I remember my great grandmother lost her vision to macular degeneration at a young age. Later, my grandmother lost her vision to cataracts but then surgery became available and she could drive again. If I lost all or most of my vision, how would it impact my life and my family’s life? How can I protect my sight and my family’s sight?

Eye examinations are about more than determining whether or not you need glasses. An eye exam can detect the effects of underlying health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune problems and many other diseases that can rob you of your sight. Proper eye care and treatment can prevent, maintain or improve various eye conditions. Because the early signs of many eye conditions can be mild, regular eye exams are the best way to catch problems early. When a child is born, their eyes should be examined in the hospital for congenital conditions such as cataracts or eye muscle problems. Their physician should check their eyes each time they go in for well-baby and well-child exams.

If there is a difference in vision between the two eyes, it needs to be addressed before a child is 4 to 5 years old or it could cause permanent problems. Poor vision over time can cause difficulties at school, headaches and even behavior issues. As an adult, how often you should get an eye exam depends on your age and whether you have any special risk factors like diabetes, a family history of glaucoma or previous eye injuries or surgeries. Ask your eye doctor how often you should get an exam. Besides routine eye exams, you can help preserve your and your family’s sight by being vigilant for signs and symptoms. If you notice any of them, get to a physician as soon as possible. Any sudden change of vision needs immediate evaluation that day.

In children, watch for eyes that do not line up or appear crossed; red, crusty or swollen eyelids; watery or red eyes; rubbing eyes frequently; covering or closing one eye to see things; struggling with reading or other close-up work; holding things close to see them; squinting a lot; complaining of itchy, burning or scratchy eyes; dizziness, headaches or nausea after doing close-up work; and complaining of blurry or double vision. In adults, be alert for the same things that you watch for in children, but also difficulty adjusting to dark rooms; trouble focusing; sensitivity to light or glare; change in eye color; recurring pain in or around the eyes; a dark spot at the center of anything you look at; wavy or distorted lines; spots in the vision; loss of vision in one eye; seeing flashes that others do not see; halos or rainbows around lights; and loss of side vision.

Some things are signs of a need for glasses or contact lenses, but others can be symptoms of more serious conditions that need treatment. You can read about many common eye conditions in more detail at the National Eye Institute Web site ( www.nei.nih.gov/ index.asp). If you feel that you cannot afford to go to an eye doctor, you can find information about financial assistance at www.preventblindness. org/vlc/resources.htm and www.nei.nih.gov/health/ financialaid.asp. Another aspect of eye health is preventing injury. There are around 2 million serious eye injuries per year, and some estimates put as many as 90 percent of these as being preventable.

Protect your eyes from injury by wearing safety glasses, safety goggles or a face shield when you mow the lawn, work with wood or do anything where there is potential for injury. This includes handling chemicals, racquet sports, basketball, baseball and hockey. I wear sunglasses that have a safety rating for some of these activities because sun damage can cause melanomas, cataracts and other preventable eye problems. Get your routine eye exams and be vigilant about your vision. Stack the deck in your favor for a lifetime of good vision so you can (literally) watch your kids and your grandkids grow up.

Low Vision Month

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

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

At Simon Eye Associates we do a lot for one’s eyes and eyesight.  But we would prefer our patients take extra steps in preventing the problems they come to use to solve.  Recently, we have been gathering data for our readers on ways and means to do just that.  When we stumbled across this article, first published in Optometry Today, we knew we had found something of great benefit to you, our patient.  Enjoy!

To mark National Eye Week (November 9-15), the sight care charity has joined forces with healthcare provider, Simplyhealth to alert the public about the eye health risks associated with certain lifestyle choices. Together they are highlighting the effects that obesity, smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise and excessive alcohol consumption can have on a person’s eyesight.

Although smoking has been identified as a key element in the development of age-related macular degeneration, just 9.7% of the 13 million smokers in Britain are aware of this link, whist 92.2% and 87.7% are aware of its association with lung cancer and heart disease respectively.

Furthermore, although a small amount of red wine has been found to be beneficial for the eyes, too much alcohol will interfere with the liver. If the liver is damaged, the production of glutathione – which prevents cell damage that leads to cataracts, glaucoma and retinopathy – is reduced.

Around 30 minutes of exercise five-times a week is also encouraged by the Trust. Regular exercise increases the oxygen supply to the retina and optic nerve, as well as lowering the pressure which builds up in the eye.

Iain Anderson, chairman of The Eyecare Trust, said: “There is growing evidence that lifestyle factors play a significant role in determining the long-term health of our eyes. Making the right lifestyle choices from the start can help preserve your vision. However, it’s never too late to make changes, as in some instances vision that is already in decline can be restored by following a healthy diet, taking regular exercise and generally cutting down on the things that we know are bad for us like cigarettes and alcohol.”

Squash the Bad Lifestyle Habits

We’ve all heard about the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.  Countless books have been written on the subject as well as a myriad of nutrition experts have all praised the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.  What hasn’t been spoken, or written about much, is the numerous benefits your eyes will get out of the Mediterranean Diet.  What exactly is a Mediterranean Diet? It might sound like an exotic Euro fad, but it isn’t.  Simply put, the Mediterranean Diet is the norm in places all along the Mediterranean.  From Portugal to Turkey, people have been experiencing the great health benefits of eating Fish, Raw and Cooked Vegetables, Olive Oil and Red Wine.  To the people of the Mediterranean, this is not just some fad diet, it’s a way of life.  But what can it do for you? And more importantly, what can it do for your eyes?

The benefits of the Mediterranean Diet seem to stem from the high amount of Antioxidants in the food they eat.  Antioxidants are known to protect your cells from the damaging effects of free radicals, which we get into our system all day long, from environmental pollutants and from being on this planet.  These are naturally formed compounds, which attack your cells.  Foods like Whole Grains, Olive Oil, Red Wine, Fish and Vegetables are full of these free radical killing Antioxidants.  Your eyes are like any other part of your body, if a foreign invader (free radicals) intrudes into their space, they can have problems.  Antioxidants will help defeat these nasty pests and help you see better, longer.  So make yourself a nice piece of Fish tonight, with some Steamed Vegetables, drizzled with Olive Oil and don’t be afraid to have a great glass of Red Wine with your meal.  Salute!

The Mediterranean Diet

Exposure to the Sun has been linked to all kinds of eye problems, from cataracts, to macular degeneration and skin cancer around your eyelids.  The problem is not the sun itself, but those harmful ultraviolet rays we’ve all heard of, mostly during the summer months and around beach areas.  Ultraviolet rays not only harm your skin and could cause serious damage, but they also have the potential to cause damage to eyes.  And just like you wear sun screen with SPF to shield your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays, you also need to shield your eyes, or you risk potential problems in the future.  What can you do? The most important thing you can do is to get yourself a really good pair of sunglasses.  Cheap sunglasses are more harmful than good and don’t protect your eyes enough.  Look on the label and find a pair of sunglasses that blocks out 99-100% of both UV-A and UV-B rays.  Don’t just choose a pair of sunglasses with the most tint.  You have to make sure they say they block out at least 99% of both UV-A and UV-B rays.  Wearing a hat will help as well.  It will keep the sun from coming in from overhead.  There is nothing wrong with the sun and it has many, many benefits.  But with prolonged exposure you are at risk unless you take precautions.

The Sun: A Gorgeous Force

The below article was written by Mike Cohen.  It illustrates what Bugs Bunny has been trying to tell us for years.

Many people consider drinking carrot juice one of the healthiest lifestyle choices possible. Carrot juice is known for beta carotene which gives the body Vitamin A, B Vitamins, Vitamin E and many minerals.

The health benefits of drinking carrot juice are thought to be good prenatal health, eyesight, bones and teeth, liver and nails, skin and hair as well as helping in cancer prevention. Carrot juice is thought to reduce the risks of many different types of cancer including skin and breast cancer. The cancer- fighting properties of carrot juice are often thought to be excellent due to the high amounts of beta carotene. Beta carotene changes to Vitamin A in the body. Studies have connected Vitamin A with cancer prevention by its antioxidant properties that help eliminate cancer-causing free radicals in the body.

Deficiencies in Vitamin A can cause dryness and damage to the skin, nails and hair. Drinking carrot juice to produce Vitamin A is said to benefit many different parts of the body. Vitamin A also strengthens bones and teeth.
Drinking carrot juice is thought to be extremely beneficial for the liver due to Vitamin A’s cleansing effects. Vitamin A reduces bile and fat in the liver. However, for the liver to reap the maximum benefits of Vitamin A, it is said that drinking carrot juice needs be done regularly rather than occasionally. The liver can store Vitamin A.

Drinking carrot juice is also thought to improve eyesight due to Vitamin A creation in the body. Deficiencies in Vitamin A can lead to night blindness which can be very dangerous. For example, if a person with night blindness is driving a car at night, the glare of the headlights from oncoming cars in the opposite direction can affect him or her in a way that makes the eyes not refocus properly. An easy way of detecting a Vitamin A deficiency is to walk from a well-lit room to a dimly-lit or dark room. Your eyes should have little trouble adjusting to the change in light.

Drinking carrot juice, as well as eating carrots, is thought to be especially beneficial for prenatal health. Beta-carotene that forms into Vitamin A is said to be very healthy for both mother and child. Some studies have shown that when babies drink both milk and carrot juice they get the best possible amount of Vitamin A.

The darker the color of the carrot, the more carotene it contains. Many people find the taste of carrot juice enjoyable and surprisingly sweet. Carrot juice does have a high concentration of natural sugar, so those with diabetes should consult their doctor as to how much they can drink. Drinking carrot juice is also thought to be good for reproductive health due to the Vitamin E content.

Bugs Bunny