cataracts

June is Cataract Awareness Month

National Cataract Awareness Month is celebrated in June. The awareness campaign promotes information about the eye condition that is the leading cause of treatable vision loss in the U.S. Yes, this is a scary fact, but no need to be frightened because cataracts are treatable with an outpatient surgery, which has over a 97% success rate.*

Vision loss from cataract is caused by clouding on the lens of the eye. Cataract surgery removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with a crystal-clear artificial lens. This common eye condition mostly affects people over 50 and the causes can range from simple aging, diabetes, long-term eye diseases, and eye injury/inflammation, to factors like hereditary influences, smoking, intake of certain oral steroids, and so forth.

Although there may be no early symptoms, patients may begin to notice:

cloudy or blurry vision
colors that look faded
difficulty seeing at night
a halo around lights, making night driving difficult
seeing double out of the affected eye
frequent changes of the prescription of eyeglasses or contact lenses

YOUR DIET IS VERY IMPORTANT

A healthy diet may help reduce risk of and/or delay formation and progression of cataracts. Research suggests that a diet high in vitamin C-rich foods — citrus (oranges, kiwi, lemon, grapefruit), bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower) — is helpful in slowing the progression of cataracts. More importantly, adopting good nutrition is a cornerstone of optimizing health early in life and can greatly reduce the risk of developing age-related diseases including cataracts. For eye healthy recipes visit discoveryeye.org/eye-cook-delicious-food-health/

BE SURE TO HAVE AN ANNUAL EYE EXAM

By age 40, all adults should visit an eye specialist for a comprehensive eye exam to screen for early-stage cataracts and other eye diseases that are leading causes of low vision and even blindness. By age 65, a routine eye exam is recommended every year, in most cases to diagnose cataracts that are progressively clouding the lens. A comprehensive eye exam allows eye specialists to detect and monitor cataract progression as well as diagnosing other problems such as glaucoma. Patients should discuss with their eye specialist their vision problems and seek guidance about the timing of cataract surgery when worsening vision has compromised their quality of life and normal functioning.

LIVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Multiple factors are at play that increase our risk for developing a degenerative eye disease or vision compromising conditions as we age. If an individual lives long enough, then cataract formation is unavoidable. Living a healthy lifestyle, however, greatly improves an adult’s odds of avoiding early onset, faster progression, or possibly even avoiding the need for cataract surgery in the future.

WHY WE PROMOTE CATARACT AWARENESS MONTH

It’s a celebration of sight – The ability to see the world clearly and in all its glory is something we shouldn’t take for granted. Millions upon millions of cells perform complex operations in our eyes to allow us the gift of sight. We should take care of our eyes and appreciate our glorious vision for what it is.

It’s a celebration of science – Science has not only explained to us how intricately our eyes work, but it has also revealed to us the many ways we can repair and treat them in case things go south. Medical advancements have ensured that about 80% of all eye diseases are treatable or can be prevented.

It’s a celebration of modern surgery – There’s “always” light at the end of the tunnel. Today’s cataract surgery is a modern day miracle developed by dedicated surgeons over the last five decades. For most of us it is a painless, outpatient surgery with rapid return of excellent vision.

* https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21472-cataract-surgery

For more information about cataract:

https://discoveryeye.org/eye-conditions/cataracts/

A Thanksgiving Spread that Promotes Eye Health

Thanksgiving is almost here; a meal that nourishes the family bonds and traditions. It’s the one time of the year where you can guarantee your eyes will be bigger than your stomach. This meal also has another added bonus — almost every item on the Thanksgiving table is healthy for your eyesight!

Here are several of the most popular Thanksgiving dishes and their corresponding benefits to your eye health:

Turkey –

No Thanksgiving is complete without a turkey, roasted golden brown and stuffed with fresh vegetables and herbs. Turkey is loaded with zinc and B-vitamin niacin, which helps prevent the formation of cataracts. Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in the United States, so gobble up! You are “preventing” cataracts with every bite.

Spinach, Green Bean Casserole, Asparagus and Brussel Sprouts –

These foods and other leafy greens are loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin, two nutrients that protect the retina, which may also help reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Healthy Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Sweet Potatoes –

Sweet potatoes are full of Beta-carotene, which is a carotenoid and antioxidant that promotes night vision and overall good eyesight. Sweet potatoes are also loaded with vitamins C and E. Diets that are rich in these vitamins can help prevent or delay the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Cranberry Sauce –

Cranberries contain bioflavonoids, a large class of antioxidants. Bioflavonoids are found in the pulp, skin and rinds of foods that contain vitamin C. Both flavonoids and vitamin C help protect the eyes from free radical damage caused by pollution and the body’s normal metabolic processes.

Pumpkin Pie –

Pumpkin is one of the best sources of vitamin A, so pumpkin pie is an eye-healthy dessert. In fact, one cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin contains more than 200 percent of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A. Vitamin A provides nourishment and protection to the eye’s lens, cornea and macula (part of the retina), so it improves night vision.

A diet that’s full of the right nutrients is a great start to keeping your eyes healthy, but don’t forget that regular eye exams are equally important! We hope you enjoy a happy and delicious Thanksgiving with family and friends.

*For more eye healthy recipes click here EYE COOK

5 Most Common Eye Problems

Most people have eye problems at one time or another. Some are minor and will go away on their own, or are easy to treat at home. Others need a specialist’s care. Some eye issues come with age while others may be a serious condition.

If you’ve never had a problem with your eyes it can be easy to forget how important it is to take care of them. The good news is that it’s never too late to start taking care of your eye health. Regular eye health appointments and eye exams can lead to early diagnosis. This is key to correcting or slowing most eye conditions. Always see your eye care professional if your vision problem lasts for more than a few days or worsens.

The five most common eye conditions leading to loss of vision or blindness are:

Dry Eye
Cataracts
Diabetic retinopathy
Glaucoma
Age-related macular degeneration

Dry Eye

Dry eye is a common condition that occurs when your tears aren’t able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes. Tears can be inadequate for many reasons. For example, dry eyes may occur if you don’t produce enough tears or if you produce poor-quality tears. Dry eyes can also feel very uncomfortable.

Signs and symptoms, which usually affect both eyes, may include:

A stinging, burning or scratchy sensation in your eyes
Stringy mucus in or around your eyes
Sensitivity to light
Eye redness
A sensation of having something in your eyes
Difficulty wearing contact lenses
Difficulty with nighttime driving
Watery eyes, which is the body’s response to the irritation of dry eyes
Blurred vision or eye fatigue

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that typically will affect your vision. Most cataracts are related to aging. People who have cataracts often have other vision problems in one or both eyes that accompany the cataract, such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism (blurred vision), and/or presbyopia (reading problems).

The lens lies behind the iris and the pupil. It works much like a camera lens. It focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eye, where an image is recorded and sent to the brain. The lens also adjusts the eye’s focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away. The lens is made of mostly water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that normally keeps the lens clear and lets light pass through it.

But as we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud the lens. This is a cataract. Over time, the cataract may grow larger or more dense making it harder to see. There are no known medications or diets to prevent age-related cataract so currently the only treatment is cataract surgery. Consult an ophthalmologist for a cataract surgery evaluation.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in American adults caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina.

We know that:

Currently more than 4 million Americans aged 40 and older have some form of diabetic retinopathy
There is a higher prevalence in African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians, and Alaska Natives aged 20 and older
Preventive measures help and it is highly treatable.

In some people with diabetic retinopathy, blood vessels may swell and leak fluid or blood inside the eye. In other people, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy retina is necessary for good vision.

Two important tips for diabetic retinopathy prevention: 1) Diabetic retinopathy is worse in patients with poor blood sugar control, so follow your diet and medication prescriptions carefully. 2) Get a dilated eye exam from your ophthalmologist every year for early diagnosis and treatment.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease that causes damage to the major nerve of the eye called the optic nerve, a part of the central nervous system that carries visual information from the eye to the brain.

The eye experiences a gradual increase of intraocular pressure (IOP) due to an imbalance of the fluid produced in the eye and the amount of fluid drained. Over time, elevated IOP can cause vision loss. The most common form of glaucoma is primary open angle glaucoma which affects about 3 million Americans. However, there are other types including narrow angle, congenital, normal tension, and secondary glaucoma.

At age 50 about 2% of the US population has glaucoma, increasing to 4% by age 70 and 10% for those over age 80. While anyone can develop glaucoma, there are some risk factors that increase the likelihood of having this disease, which include:

A family history of glaucoma
Mexican American heritage over the age of 60
African American heritage over age 40.

Often people with glaucoma are unaware they have the disease because there are no symptoms, so it is recommended that you have a dilated eye exam every two years. With early diagnosis there are treatments that can often protect against irreversible damage to the optic nerve that can lead to serious vision loss. Glaucoma can be treated with eye medications, lasers, and various surgical procedures. However, if glaucoma is not controlled can cause debilitating loss of vision.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-Related Macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive eye condition affecting as many as 15 million Americans. The disease attacks the macula of the eye, where our sharpest central vision occurs, affecting reading, driving, identifying faces, watching television, safely navigating stairs and performing other daily tasks. Although it rarely results in complete blindness, it robs the individual of all but the outermost, peripheral vision, leaving only dim images or black holes at the center of vision.

As the disease progresses color vision and central vision sharpness deteriorates. the gradual destruction of light sensitive cells continues until large areas are totally gone. Peripheral vision remains, but the ability to clearly see straight ahead and to see color is lost.

For many people, the first sign of macular degeneration is something they notice themselves. Straight lines like doorways or telephone wires may appear wavy or disconnected. When you look at a person, their face may be blurred while the rest of them is in focus. Lines of print may be blurred in the center or the lines may be crooked. For some people, there is a sudden blurring or loss of sight in the center of vision. For any sudden change in vision, you should contact your ophthalmologist immediately.

AMD can be classified into Early AMD and Late AMD. In Early AMD, a patient may have drusen, which are small protein/lipid deposits underneath the retina, and they can still have good vision. In Late AMD, there are two common forms that occur—wet (neovascular AMD) and dry (atrophic AMD). The wet AMD has abnormal blood vessels beneath the retina that leak blood which can greatly distort the vision and cause a central blind spot. Approximately 10-15% of patients have the wet form. Fortunately, there are treatments for wet AMD. To date, the dry, atrophic form of AMD does not have any treatments available. In dry AMD, the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, which are the posterior-most layer of cells in the retina, undergo extensive degeneration that causes the overlying retina to lose function. We do not know what causes the RPE cells to become unhealthy and start to die. Many research laboratories worldwide are studying the causes of dry AMD and how to treat it.

Help keep your eyes healthy for years to come with regular eye exams, and treatment at the first sign of a problem.

May-Healthy Vision Month

When it comes to our health, we may visit our doctors and nurses regularly to make sure our bodies are healthy. But what about our eyes? They’re not always top of mind, but they’re just as important! May is Healthy Vision Month, an observance coordinated by the National Eye Institute to motivate Americans to make their eye health a priority and educate them about steps they can take to protect their vision.

Here are a few ways you can help protect your vision

Get an annual comprehensive dilated eye exam.
Know your family’s eye health history. It’s important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with an eye disease or condition, since some are hereditary.
Eat right to protect your sight: In particular, eat plenty of dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or collard greens, and fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, albacore tuna, trout, and halibut. Visit Eye Cook for eye healthy recipes.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Wear protective eyewear when playing sports or doing activities around the home, such as painting, yard work, and home repairs.
Quit smoking or never start.
Wear sunglasses that block 99 -100 percent of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation.
Wash your hands before taking out your contacts and cleanse your contact lenses properly to avoid infection.
Practice workplace eye safety.

Taking care of your eyes also may benefit your overall health. People with vision problems are more likely than those with good vision to have diabetes, poor hearing, heart problems, high blood pressure, lower back pain and strokes, as well as have increased risk for falls, injury and depression.

In addition to your comprehensive dilated eye exams, visit an eye care professional if you have

Decreased vision.
Eye pain
Drainage or redness of the eye
Double vision
Diabetes
Floaters (tiny specks that appear to float before your eyes)
Circles (halos) around light sources or if you see flashes of light

For this Healthy Vision Month, take care of your eyes to make them last a lifetime.

April is Women’s Eye Health Month

This month of April is dedicated to

WOMEN’S EYE HEALTH MONTH

With Women’s History Month, Women’s Eye Health Month and Mother’s Day all happening this spring, we’ve got all of the women in our lives on our minds.

Did you know that blindness affects women more than men? The National Institutes of Health reports that 2/3rds of the people with blindness or visual impairments are women. Often, hormones, and especially life changes such as pregnancy and menopause, cause changes in women’s eyes. Preventing blindness and vision problems requires keeping a healthy lifestyle, avoiding certain habits, and seeing the eye doctor regularly.

Many women aren’t aware that they have a higher risk for developing eye and vision problems. In an effort to create awareness of various eye diseases that women are more prone to have than men, April has been dedicated to educating women about these diseases, along with providing resources and recommendations on the best ways to maintain excellent vision for women.

The National Eye Institute also stated that women deal with greater instances of eye disorders, in part, because they tend to live longer than men, are more likely to undergo cancer treatments which affect vision, and experience age-related hormonal changes that can affect the eyes. Women also have higher rates of eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration than men.

As we mentioned, hormones are a factor in developing eye problems, but also lifestyle, genetics, pregnancy and more contribute to the problems. Women pass through several biological and hormone changes that men do not. Pregnancy causes changes in the eyes such as dry eyes, puffiness, migraine headaches that affect vision, light sensitivity and more. If a woman is not pregnant, even taking birth control can cause hormonal changes and blood clots in some cases. If a clot happens, that can lead to strokes that affect vision, sometimes permanently.

Later in life, eye problems become more frequent in both men and women. However, women statistically have a higher chance of developing chronic conditions such as lupus, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and more. All of these conditions can affect eye health.

It’s important for women to know the risks for eye-related diseases resulting in vision impairment and take the steps to prevent eventual vision loss. Here are some ways that you can help to protect your eyes and save your eyesight:

Find out about your family history of eye diseases and conditions.
Protect your eyes from the sun by wearing 100% UV blocking sunglasses when outdoors.
Don’t smoke.
Consume a healthy diet with proper nutrition and special eye health supplements as prescribed by an eye doctor. (Eye Healthy Recipes)
Adhere to contact lens hygiene and safety.
Adhere to cosmetic hygiene and safety precautions.
Protect your eyes against extended exposure to blue light from computers, smartphones and LED lamps.
If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant and have diabetes, see an eye doctor for a comprehensive eye exam. In women who have diabetes, diabetic retinopathy can accelerate quickly during pregnancy and can present a risk for the baby as well.

Mothers are often charged with caring for the eye health of the entire family, but too often their own eye health is neglected. It is critical that mothers take care of their eyes and overall health so that they can be in the best condition to care for their families.

Speak to your eye care professional about your personal eye health and vision risks so you can exercise the precautions and measures to protect your eyes. Encourage the other women in your life to do so as well. Once vision is lost, it often cannot be regained and there are many steps you can take to prevent it with proper knowledge and awareness.

The most important way to prevent vision loss is to ensure you schedule regular eye exams. Don’t wait for symptoms to appear as many eye issues are painless and symptomless, and sometimes by the time you notice symptoms, vision loss is untreatable.

Click here for Eye Healthy Recipes.

How to Prevent Eye Strain While Working From Home

Working from home has become the new normal for many Americans during this pandemic. Most are happy without the commute, although working outside the office and in all sorts of strange places, such as bedrooms, backyards, living rooms, has become common place. We’ve had to learn how to work remotely, which in turn means spending a lot more time using computers and smartphones.

Moving out of properly-lit classrooms and offices – and away from ergonomically correct desks – can have long-term effects on our eyes. Excessive time at a computer screen under the best conditions can lead to symptoms of eye strain.

Eye Strain Symptoms include:

Headaches
Blurred vision
Uncomfortable dry eyes
Neck and shoulder pain

To help avoid eye strain, here are few tips for working from home:

Record time spent on screens – Most adults age 18 and older spend at least 13 hours each day using digital devices. Extended screen time can cause discomfort and vision difficulties. When working from home, you may lose track of how much time you’re on your computer or smartphone. So keep track of the hours you use devices. That way, you’ll be aware of the demand you’re placing on your eyes.

Rest and blink your eyes – Researchers found that over 30% of people using digital devices rarely take time to rest their eyes. Just over 10% say they never take a break, even when working from home. The eye muscles get overworked and don’t get a chance to relax and recover. Experts suggest the 20-20-20 rule; every 20 minutes, focus your eyes and attention on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. You can also get up and walk around for a few minutes.

Reduce exposure to blue light – In the spectrum of light, blue is more high energy and close to ultraviolet light. So, if you use screens throughout the day, ask your eye doctor about the value of computer glasses that block blue light. Reducing exposure to blue light may help lessen vision problems. At home, using digital devices until bedtime can overstimulate your brain and make it more difficult to fall asleep. Eye doctors recommend no screen time at least one to two hours before going to sleep.

Sit up straight – Proper posture is important. Your back should be straight and your feet on the floor while you work. Elevate your wrists slightly instead of resting them on the keyboard.

Proper lighting – A setting that’s too bright (sunny backyard) or too dim (cavernous basement) can cause eye strain and headaches. Your screen should be bright enough that you don’t need to squint. A screen shield can help reduce glare.

Set up monitor properly – Make sure your computer screen is about 25 inches, or an arm’s length, away from your face. The center of the screen should be about 10-15 degrees below eye level. Cut glare by using a matte screen filter. You can find them for all types of computers, phones, and tablets. Increase font size or set the magnification of the documents you are reading to a comfortable size.

Consider computer glasses –For the greatest comfort at your computer, you might benefit from having your eye doctor modify your eyeglasses prescription to create customized computer glasses. This is especially true if you normally wear distance contact lenses, which may also become dry and uncomfortable during extended screen time. Computer glasses also are a good choice if you wear bifocals or progressive lenses, because these lenses generally are not optimal for the distance to your computer screen.

Create Technology-Free Zones – These tips can help reduce eye strain when you’re forced to look at screens all day, creating technology-free zones in certain areas of your home, like the bedroom or bathroom. If you spend the entire day working on the computer, getting in bed and scrolling through social media until you fall asleep won’t do your eyes any favors.

Once you’re done for the day, truly unplug. Read a book or spend some quality time with family members without your phone.

Get an Eye Exam – If you have tried all these tips and eye strain is still an issue, it might be time to see an eye care professional to schedule an eye exam. The exam may even detect underlying issues before they becomes worse.

Low Vision Awareness Month

Low vision affects millions of Americans — including many older adults. People with low vision aren’t blind, but because of their vision loss, they may not be able to do everyday tasks like driving or reading even with glasses.

What is Low Vision?

When your eyesight is impaired to the degree that you struggle with daily tasks like reading or cooking – or that you have difficulty recognizing faces, you may have a medical condition referred to as low vision. Someone with low vision can’t simply put on a pair of glasses or contacts and see well; this condition is beyond the typical loss of vision that occurs with aging.

Individuals experiencing low vision can struggle with maintaining independence; hobbies, reading and even socializing may become challenging as vision loss progresses. Because of the impact low vision can have on your life, it is important to have your eyes checked by a low vision specialist if you have any concerns.

Since it is unusual to be able to restore vision once it is lost, screenings can help preserve the vision you have and help you access adaptive lenses and devices if you need them. While there is not a cure for low vision, your specialist can help you adapt and if needed, create a vision rehabilitation program designed to meet your specific needs.

Low vision is often caused by one of these conditions:

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) –AMD is a progressive eye condition affecting as many as 15 million Americans. The disease attacks the macula of the eye, where our sharpest central vision occurs, affecting reading, driving, identifying faces, watching television, safely navigating stairs and performing other daily tasks. Although it rarely results in complete blindness, it robs the individual of all but the outermost, peripheral vision, leaving only dim images or black holes at the center of vision. Read More (link to DEF website)

Diabetes– Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in American adults caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina.

Glaucoma– glaucoma is a disease that causes damage to the major nerve of the eye called the optic nerve, a part of the central nervous system that carries visual information from the eye to the brain.

Injury to the eye can also be a cause

Regular eye exams are essential for all adults; it is recommended that adults over the age of 60 have eye exams each year. For older adults, diabetics and anyone with the risk factors above, a visit with a low vision specialist may be warranted as well. This specialist differs from a conventional optometrist and is trained to detect low vision and offer solutions to help you retain or regain independence and the ability to do things you enjoy again.

While Low Vision Awareness Month is the ideal time to learn about this condition and about the risk factors you could be facing, you should get in touch with a low vision specialist any time you have concern about your eyesight. Any time you notice a change in vision, if you receive a new diagnosis or have one or more of the risk factors detailed above you should schedule an appointment right away.

Low Vision Resources from the National Eye Institute

It can be hard to describe low vision. Visit our website Vision Simulation to see what life is like with common causes of low vision, like age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma.