Issues That Could Affect Your Child’s Vision

boy-with-glassesVision loss is feared more than the loss of any other sense and is considered to affect the quality of life more than most other issues. When it comes to children, even partial vision loss can be damaging because it can affect the way that your child learns and develops. There are several different types of issues that may affect your child’s vision. Awareness is key to prevention and treatment.

Refractive Errors

Refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism are the most common types of issues that affect children’s vision. Since children are working to constantly adapt to their surroundings, they may not realize that they have a vision problem and the issue may manifest as an inability to focus, chronic headaches, or poor eye-hand coordination. In most cases, these issues can be corrected with glasses or contacts, but extreme cases may require surgery.

Alignment Disorders

Alignment disorders are generally more obvious than other types of issues. One eye may drift to the side, an eyelid may droop, or the surface of an eye may appear cloudy, affecting the vision. In some cases, however, the condition may be intermittent, so it is important to continually look for these symptoms and alert an eye doctor to any concerns. Alignment disorders may be corrected with surgery, an eye patch, eye drops, or a combination depending on the cause.

Pediatric Retinoblastoma

Pediatric retinoblastoma is a type of kid’s eye cancer that usually affects children under six years of age. About 95 percent of children diagnosed in the US are able to be treated successfully and a majority of these children retain most or all of their sight. The prognosis for retinoblastoma improves greatly with early diagnosis and treatment. One of the most common warning signs that you can look for is a white glare on the pupil when it is directly exposed to light.

Diseases and Infections

Diseases and infections such as conjunctivitis, styes, and blocked tear ducts are usually minor problems that are easily resolved. However, these issues may develop into larger problems that affect the vision if care is not taken. Conjunctivitis may resolve on its own depending on the cause, but the child should be kept away from others during the healing process to avoid infecting others or being exposed to other contaminants while the eye is sensitive.

Blocked tear ducts may be opened up using massage techniques recommended by a pediatrician or ophthalalmogist. Allowing the eyes to dry out may be dangerous for the vision, so drops may be needed to keep the eye moist while the tear ducts are blocked. Styes are caused by an infection in the eyelash follicle, so it is important to keep the area clean so that the infection can clear without causing damage.

By working to spot potential issues, you can help to preserve your child’s eye health and vision.

 

amanda-duffyAmanda Duffy
Freelance blogger

How to Lessen Computer Vision Syndrome

Your eyes are your window to the world – but your eyes get a lot of extra strain thanks to the advent of new technology. Especially at work, we’re looking at screens of all different sizes and types all the time. And what happens to our eyes can be more than just a case of tired muscles; in fact, it’s got a name – computer vision syndrome.

The cause of that is obvious – lots of screens, as we said, and often multiple screens. In addition to computer vision syndrome, sufferers can feel headaches and eye fatigue among other symptoms. Luckily there are steps you can take to reduce or mitigate the chance of eye strain. Setting up a work station properly can help, as can anti-glare screens or placement of technology in relationship to sources of natural light.

If you’re focused on the health of your eyes, this graphic is an absolute must-read.

How to Protect Your Eyes in the Digital Age

thumbnail_eugene
Eugene Feygin
Program Manager at Quill.com

How Your Eyes May Have Evolved

Lens manufacturer and eyewear giant Essilor has produced the short video below to explain the complexity behind the human eye and how your eye may have evolved. Explore the components that make-up a human eye, from light sensitive stigma used by single-celled organisms to the lens you’re using to read this article. They have also written an article about the “Top Modern Eye Dangers and How to Prevent Them” to help you take care of your remarkable eyes.


essEssilor UK

4 Simple Ways to Relieve Eye Strain at Work

Eye strain is a very common condition, and though annoying, is rarely a serious condition. However, the symptoms of eye strain, or eye fatigue may lead to other vision issues if not remedied. Itching, burning, and tired eyes are all common symptoms of eye strain.
eye strain at work
Eye strain can be easily avoided if precautions are taken at home, outside, and especially at work. Taking the proper precautions will significantly reduce your risk of developing eye strain or fatigue.

Nearly every part of your daily life involves the use of your eyes. This makes avoiding common eye strain activities difficult to do. The usual culprits behind uncomfortable eyes include reading, writing, and driving for long periods.

However, the innovative tech devices attached to us at home, work, or even walking have become the most common cause of eye strain. Staring at your laptop, smartphone, tablet, or playing video games for long periods will most certainly result in eye fatigue.

In fact, approximately 50 to 90 percent of people who work on a computer suffer from computer vision syndrome. Researchers suggest up to 10 million eye doctor visits per year are the result of computer related vision issues. Let’s focus on a few ways you can prevent eye strain at work, especially if you stare at a screen.

1. First Things First, Get an Eye Exam for a Professional Diagnosis

Your eye strain or vision issues could be the result of computer vision syndrome. However, it may be a warning sign for something more serious. This emphasizes the importance of getting an eye exam before your vision problems get out of control.

If you are experiencing discomfort, double vision, and/or a significant change in vision, an underlying medical condition could be the cause. The Mayo Clinic notes that multiple factors play a role in how often you should get an eye exam. Age and your vision all have an impact.
eye strain at work
2. Take Control of Your Computer Settings for Better Eye Health

One simple solution to eye strain issues is to adjust your work computer’s settings. This easy first step in fatigue proofing your workplace will only take you a few minutes. However, the long-term benefits are clear.

• Make your computer’s display brightness the same as your work environments.
• Make your text size and contrast easy to read, because if you’re leaning in or squinting to write or read, it’s time for a change.
• Decrease your computer’s color temperature. This will emit less blue light to fry your eyes.

You can apply these simple device adjustments to your tablet and smartphone at home as well. This will keep blue light to a minimum, which has been identified as the cause for many vision related issues, such as eye strain.

3. Take Breaks and Blink More Often to Reduce Eye Strain

Taking breaks from your tech devices, such as your work computer may seem like an obvious prevention tip. However, it is actually startling how few breaks people actually take. Frequent breaks also do wonders for your overall physical and mental health, according to Stanford University researchers.

Giving your eyes a break from the intense gaze you have locked on your computer is essential. Blinking more often will also decrease the likelihood of your eye’s becoming strained. In fact, people working on a computer blink a third less than normal.
eye strain at work
4. Make Your Work Area as Seamless as Possible for Your Eyes

Looking back and forth from your work computer and documents spread all over your desk is an eye strain problem. A very common scenario in offices everywhere, however, a simple solution exists.

By employing the help of a document stand, you can easily fight eye fatigue. Your document stand should be properly lit and aligned with your computer screen. This will keep your eyes from constantly making adjustments.

The numerous solutions you can use to prevent and/or sooth eye strain at work are easy to put into action. It simply takes a bit of discipline on your part, and you should always consult your optometrist if your eye strain continues to be a daily nuisance. Because, focusing on your eye health is an important part of your overall health and happiness.

eye strain at work - Kirkpatrick

Mark Kirkpatrick
@KirkpatricM

There Is Something In Your Eye – Now What?

It is never planned. You could be putting on makeup, gardening, or even just running errands on a windy day, but all of a sudden you have something in your eye and it hurts. What do you do?
something in your eye

Small Foreign Objects

First and foremost – DON’T RUB your eye!! This could scratch your cornea and make things much worse.

  • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

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  • In a well-lighted area, look in a mirror to try and find the object in your eye.

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  • If you wear contacts, remove them before trying to remove the object or flushing your eye.

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  • Try blinking and letting your natural tearing flush out the object.

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  • If the object is on the colored part of the eye or under the upper lid you can try to flush it out gently with clean cool or lukewarm water in one of three ways:
     

    1. Completely fill an eyecup or small juice glass with water and put your open eye into the container to flush out the object. Do this standing over a sink as the water will overflow.

      2.  

    2. Use a clean eyedropper and fill with water. Be careful to not touch the tip of the eyedropper to the eye.

      3.  

    3. Turn your head so your eye is down and to the side, then hold your open eye under a faucet.

     

  • If the object is in the corner or on the white part of the eye you can try flushing the eye using one of the methods listed above or a using wet cotton swab or twisted piece of tissue to lightly touch the foreign object. Make sure to not apply pressure to the eye.

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  • If it is under the lower lid you can use any of the methods above by gently pulling down on your lower lid to access the object, but be careful to not push the object further down.

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  • A scratchy feeling of slight discomfort may continue for a short time after removing a small object. I discomfort continues after 24-48 hours, your eye becomes red or your vision becomes blurred, immediately seek medical attention.

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  • Never use tweezers, toothpicks or other hard objects to remove an object as these could damage your eye.

Never try to remove a piece of metal, anything that has punctured your eye or an object that will not come out after flushing with water. Cover both eyes to help prevent eye movement and there is no pressure on the eyes. Have a friend drive you to eye doctor immediately.

Chemicals

Do not touch your eye, but IMMEDIATELY flush your eye with clean running water from a faucet.

  • Flush your eye for a minimum of 15 minutes holding your eye open and at an angle so the runoff water does not run into the other eye. If both eyes are affected or the chemicals are on other parts of the face or body, you need to do the flushing in a shower.

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  • If you wear contact lenses, leave them in and start flushing immediately. If they do not fall out from the flushing process you can try to remove them. Then repeat the entire flushing process.

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  • Seek medical attention immediately upon completing the flushing process, regardless of how your eyes feel.

Prevention

The best way to protect yourself from getting anything into your eyes is to protect them.

  • Never use chemicals without wearing goggles that completely surround and protect the eyes.

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  • Wear specially designed goggles when swimming.

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  • Wear goggles when participating in sports where you could get hit with any flying object like a ball or bat. Also in any sport where you could get an opponent’s elbow or hand in your eye.

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  • Wear protective eyewear when using power tools or striking tools like hammers.

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  • When you are cycling, in dusty areas or it is windy, also protect your eyes with sunglasses or other protective eyewear.

 
Susan DeRemer

Susan DeRemer, CFRE
Discovery Eye Foundation

Can You Get Sunburned Eyes?

You know to slather on lots of sunblock before going out in the sun, and to keep applying it throughout the day. What about your eyes? Do you always wear a brimmed hat and sunglasses? Even on cloudy days? Can your eyes get sunburned?

The short answer is yes, you can get sunburned eyes, and just like your skin, it could come back and haunt you in the future.
 

eyes get sunburned
photo courtesy of Sarah DeRemer

Severely sunburned eyes, known as photokeratitis, is a result of prolonged exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays and can cause a burning sensation and blurred vision. Realize that these damaging UV rays do not just come directly from the sun, but also from the reflection of these rays from water and sand.

Symptoms of sunburned eyes include:

  • Eye pain
  • A  gritty feeling
  • Burning sensation
  • Red eyes
  • Swollen eyes and/or lids
  • Watery eyes
  • Blurred vision
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Glare and halos around lights
  • Headaches

These symptoms are temporary and should resolve on their own within 24 to 48 hours. If the symptoms last longer, see your eye doctor immediately.

While waiting for your eyes to recover you might want to:

  • Stay indoors and wear sunglasses to help with your increased light sensitivity.
  • Keep your eyes moist with preservative-free artificial tears.
  • Use OTC pain relievers to help with the pain and follow the recommended dosage.
  • DO NOT rub your eyes.
  • If you wear contact lenses, remove them immediately and stop wearing them until your eyes have returned to normal.
  • You may find that placing a cool, damp cloth over your closed eyes is soothing.

Just like with your skin, the UV rays do have a long-term effect on your eyes.  Sunlight can cause a slow deterioration of the cells in your eyes that could lead to eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Therefore it is best to limit you exposure to both direct and reflected UV rays.

The best ways to protect your eyes include wearing sunglasses that block 100% of the UV rays and a hat.  Not all sunglasses have UV protection, so make sure the ones you select do, and wear them whenever outdoors. Even on a cloudy day as UV rays penetrate clouds. For maximum protection consider wrap-around glasses to protect you from direct and indirect sunlight.  If you are participating in sports, goggles or glasses designed for your specific sport might be the best option. And don’t forget to wear a brimmed hat. It will not only protect you from indirect sunlight, it will also protect your face from sunburn.

Susan DeRemer

Susan DeRemer, CFRE
Discovery Eye Foundation

Planning a Vacation With Vision Loss

When you think of a vacation, you think of having fun, relaxing and trying new experiences. This is not so easy if your are visually impaired, especially if it is a new vacation location. It can become stressful, scary and a big ordeal, even if you have someone who is sighted going with you. What follows are a few tips and strategies for planning a vacation with vision loss. Hopefully they will help you enjoy your trip.

Planning a Vacation With Vision Loss

Susan DeRemerSusan DeRemer, CFRE

Discovery Eye Foundation

Cataracts, Cradles & Canines: Is My Child or Dog At Risk?

Many of us associate cataracts as a condition that affects mostly the aging human population, but animals can also be at risk for developing this vision robbing affliction. Cataracts is a disease which causes the lens to become opaque. It can result in partially or severely decreased vision, but it can usually be corrected with surgery.

While we know that most cases of cataracts affect the older generation of people, what about  younger children and dogs? Are they at risk of developing this dangerous disease?

A Dog’s Genes Genetics

The most common form of cataracts found in dogs is purely genetic, it can be present at birth or present itself at any time later in life, and the same is true for humans, which is called congenital cataracts. Be sure to check your dog’s eyes regularly and look for signs of irregularities, especially a cloudiness in their pupils.

A Dog With Diabetes

The second form of cataracts common in canines is associated with diabetes. Statistics share 80% of dogs who have diabetes will develop cataracts within one year of being diagnosed with the disease. Diabetes has also been linked with obesity, which is just one more reason we should be feeding our dogs a healthy diet and exercising with them regularly.

Rare With Human Children

Thankfully, when it comes to congenital cataracts, which can be present at birth or during childhood, statistics are in the favor of the child, since only about 0.4% of infants are born with this condition or could develop it later on in life.

While it’s recommended that infants have their first comprehensive eye examination at six months of age, parents should still be on the lookout for signs of this disease. The next recommended time for an eye exam performed by a professional is before a child enters school, usually at five or six years old. During these formative years, parents should be extra vigilant in watching for signs of vision problems in their children.

For more information on eyes for the rest of your two-legged brood, check out this infographic:

cataracts

6/2/16

cataracts

Tara Heath
Health Professional
Freelance Writer

Double Vision and Cataracts

Double Vision and Cataracts

Double vision, like all sudden vision irregularities is definitely something to take seriously, especially if you’ve had no history of it in the past. Even if it’s a temporary thing, it’s still something you should talk to your eye doctor about, just in case. double vision and cataracts

Known to the medical community as diplopia, double vision is when a person sees two images of an object where there should only be one, either some of the time or all of the time. The second image can be horizontally, vertically, or diagonally placed to the original, depending upon the cause of the doubled images.

Normal vision, called single binocular vision, works by having each eye produce its own image. Your brain allows your eyes to work together, so you can focus on a single area, then reconciles the two slightly images together, giving you clear sight.

Eye muscles that don’t work as well as they should, or nerves connected to the eye not functioning properly can very well result in double vision.

There are three basic types: physiological, binocular, and monocular.

+ Physiological double vision affects images in the background – things you are not currently focusing upon. This type of double vision can even be something the patient doesn’t notice, because the brain can compensate for it. Children are the most likely to complain about this kind of double vision.

+ Binocular double vision are cases where double vision occurs in both eyes, because they are not working together as they should. If you can cover one eye to get rid of the double vision, it’s binocular double vision.

+ Monocular double vision, in which only the images from one eye is doubled sometimes produces an effect known as ghosting, where the doubled-images appear to be very close together. If you cover the unaffected eye, you’ll still experience double vision. This is often an early sign of a cataract – a cloudy part in the lens of the eye. The light coming into your eyes can be scattered by the cataract, causing double vision in that eye. According to Prevent Blindness America (PBA), cataracts are the biggest cause of blindness in the world, and the most common reason people over 40 lose their vision. In the United States alone, more than 22 million people over the age of 40 are affected by cataracts. The number is expected to grow to more than 30 million by 2020 as the population ages.

Signs of a Cataract

Cataracts begin small, and unless you just happen to get a comprehensive eye exam just as it develops, it will be unnoticeable. As it grows, your vision may blur just a little, or become somewhat cloudy. In some cases, a cataract will cause lights to flare and seem too bright to your eyes. Colors may look faded. Sometimes, they can even briefly improve your vision. Eventually, however, you’ll notice a loss of vision quality that will necessitate a visit to your eye doctor – like double vision.

No one is sure why cataracts develop, which is one reason it’s so important to get a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year, especially if you happen to be over 40 years old. Age is one of the most common risk factors for cataracts, but other risks include family history, previous eye injuries or surgeries, use of corticosteroid medication, smoking, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and ultraviolet radiation, just to name some.

Cataract Treatment

Medical science has been rapidly advancing over the past few decades, including the fields involving the eye. Where a cataract was once sure to cause blindness in one or both eyes, if caught early enough, they can be removed by surgery in a fairly simple procedure. At first, the effects of cataracts can even be temporarily corrected with new glasses or the right lighting, but eventually it will grow to the point where surgery should be seriously considered.

Today’s methods of cataract surgery are highly successful. Statistics from PBA state more than 3 million Americans go through cataract surgery every year, with 9 out of 10 having their vision fully restored afterwards.

The standard procedure is for the surgeon to remove the clouded lens in your eye and replace it with a clear plastic device called an intraocular lens (IOL). These IOLs are constantly being improved, so surgeons can insert them more easily, and they are more useful to the patient receiving them. In fact, even specialized IOLs are being developed. Some might block ultraviolet light to prevent retinal damage, while others may very well correct your vision so you no longer need glasses if you needed them before.

If you find the sight in one of your eyes is showing double images, it may be a cataract, but fortunately, the state of optical surgery is so well-developed today, you can have a cataract removed in the course of an afternoon, and have clearer vision for decades to come.

5/26/16

Laura O'Donnell thumbLaura O’Donnell
EyeCare 20/20