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Eye Injury Serious Problem Prevention

POSTED ON March 30th, 2016  - POSTED IN Eye Safety

As many precautions as we take, eye injury accidents do happen.

If you do injure your eye, it is important to know what to do in order to prevent any serious problems from happening.
 Eye Injury Serious Problem Prevention

If you get something in your eye:

  • Don’t rub the affected eye. Flush the eye with lots of water and see a doctor if the speck doesn’t wash out, or if pain or redness continues.

Cuts, Punctures, and Foreign Objects in the Eye

  • Unlike specks of dust or metal, be sure not to wash out the affected eye. Do not try to remove a foreign object stuck in the eye. Seek immediate medical attention.

Chemical Burns

  • Immediately wash the eye with water. Open the eye as wide as possible and continue flushing for at least 15 minutes, even on your way to seeking medical care.

Blows to the Eye

  • Apply a cold compress without pressure, or tape crushed ice in a plastic bag to the forehead and allow it to rest gently on the injured eye. Seek immediate medical attention if pain continues, if you have reduced vision, or if blood or discoloration appears in the eye.

This list serves as simple eye safety tips, to prevent further eye problems, and in no way replaces professional emergency medical attention.
You must seek emergency medical care for any and all serious eye injuries.

 

After Cataract Surgery – amazing results!

POSTED ON March 28th, 2016  - POSTED IN Cataract

Former Fire Dept. Chief J. Mathie talks about his post Cataract Surgery follow-up appointment. “I can’t believe the clarity”, says Mr. Mathie. If you’ve been on the side lines about getting Cataract surgery, don’t hesitate, there’s no better place than the Rand Eye Institute. (Video footage recorded with iPhone 6s in HD)

- Former Fire Chief, J. Mathie

Workplace Eye Safety – Common Eye Injuries

POSTED ON March 8th, 2016  - POSTED IN Eye Safety

There are so many ways you can injure your eyes at work. work-related-eye-injuries

The most common causes for eye injuries are:

• Flying objects
• Tools
• Particles
• Chemicals
• Harmful radiation

Chemical eye burns

Highly acidic and highly alkaline substances are extremely toxic to the eye and can cause chemical eye burns if they come into contact with the surface of the eye.
Alkaline substances pose the greatest risk. These substances are commonly found in workplaces, such as in laboratory chemicals or industrial cleaning products.

Foreign bodies

Small foreign particles such as dust can enter the eye and can cause irritation and inflammation.
Foreign particles such as dust don’t really cause lasting damage to the eyes, but it is very important to remove small particles as to not cause any additional issues.


Blunt trauma

Injuries that do not penetrate the skin and do not result in external bleeding to the eye occur as a result of being struck by a heavy object. They can cause the eye to bleed internally.

Computer use disorders

Using a computer for extended periods of time is associated with a range of temporary eye disorders including pain and discomfort.

Eye diseases associated with excess UV exposure.

Outdoor workers are exposed to ultraviolet radiation in the form of sunlight, excessively. Artificial sources of ultraviolet radiation are also found in a range of workplaces and is also damaging to the eyes. These include welding arcs, germicidal lamps and lasers.

Johnny’s No-Flap LASIK Eye Surgery

POSTED ON February 29th, 2016  - POSTED IN Lasik, Rand Eye Institute

Johnny’s No-Flap LASIK Eye Surgery at Rand Eye Institute

Johnny has been approved for No-Flap LASIK eye surgery! After a comprehensive vision evaluation, Johnny is approved for No-Flap LASIK vision correction. After years of wearing glasses he’s finally freed himself from glasses or contacts.

Follow Johnny on the path to his best vision at the Rand Eye Institute. Watch as he experiences No-Flap LASIK Eye Surgery and gets to see clearly without glasses or contacts for the first time in years.

Life With Low Vision

POSTED ON February 15th, 2016  - POSTED IN Macular Degeneration

Low vision means that even with regular glasses, contact lenses, medicine or surgery, people may find completing daily tasks they were once comfortable doing, become a great struggle.

Here are some things you can do to help you live more comfortably with Age-Related Macular Degeneration:

Lighting

Good lighting can make a big difference in aiding with vision when it comes to reading a book or knitting.

Having too much or too little light can be dangerous for a person’ with low vision, so it is extremely important to test out different lights and their levels.

Eating The Right Stuff

low-vision-macular-degeneration
Eating the right kind of food cannot reverse macular degeneration, but it can help control it or prevent it from developing.

Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables: Antioxidants fight against oxidation, which is a part of the process of AMD. Dark, leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, mustard greens and collard greens are great because they contain lutein, which is a critical antioxidant. Fruits and vegetables are also stock full of antioxidants. Red grapes, peppers, corn, oranges, cantaloupe and mango are great choices.

Eat Fish: People who eat fish 2-3 times a week have a much lower risk of developing AMD, because of the Omega-3.

Control your Fat Intake: Research has shown that the amount of saturated fats consumed in diets is a big problem for people with low vision.

Computers

Computers can help people with low vision with their work, shopping, banking, etc.

Changing the settings on your computer can help with brightness and dimness, font size and much more.

Also, choosing the right pair of glasses is important in working with computers. Distance glasses are designed to focus on objects at 20 feet.  Reading glasses are designed to focus at 12 to 16 inches when you look down.  Choose glasses that focus specifically on your computer screen.  They should also have a filter that will reduce glare.

Driving

Driving with low vision is extremely dangerous and should be avoided at all cost.

If you are having symptoms of age-related Macular Degeneration, schedule a comprehensive eye examination today.

Common Types of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

POSTED ON February 8th, 2016  - POSTED IN Macular Degeneration

Dry and Wet Macular Degeneration

Both types destroy the clear, see-straight central vision that is needed for reading, driving, identifying faces, watching television and other daily activities.
Peripheral vision may not be affected. It may also be possible to see side views, in some cases.

Dry AMD

About 90% of AMD cases are classified as dry Age-related Macular Degeneration(AMD).
Usually, AMD starts as the dry type, then can develop in one or both eyes. This process is slow and can advance over several years.

Many people do not even realize they have AMD, because early dry AMD usually has little to absolutely no symptoms.
common-types-age-related-macular-degeneration

Three Stages of Dry AMD:

  •  Early: In this stage, central vision is not affected. People in this stage may develop some small drusen (yellow deposits under the retina), but there is a low risk of it becoming advanced-dry AMD.
  •  Intermediate: In this stage, both the near and distance vision is affected. A person may have a blind spot or their central vision may be blurred. People with intermediate dry AMD are more likely to have many medium-sized drusen, or one or more large drusen.
  •  Advanced: In the advanced stage, cells in the macula lose their ability to function completely. A person’s sightline is completely blurred. Over time, vision will most likely worsen and tasks such as reading or recognizing faces becomes extremely difficult. Up to 43 percent of people in this stage of dry AMD will progress to wet AMD, the more aggressive form of the disease.

Wet AMD

Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration is the most severe form of Age-Related Macular Denegation. Wet AMD can cause a sudden loss of vision within a short period of weeks or months.

In Wet AMD, abnormal blood vessels below the retina grow unexpectedly. These blood vessels break into the macula and cause blood and other fluids to leak.

Once wet AMD is presented in one eye, the chance of it developing in the second is greater.

Understanding Age-Related Macular Degeneration

POSTED ON February 1st, 2016  - POSTED IN Macular Degeneration

The macula consists of millions of light-sensing cells which provide sharp, central vision.

The Macula is the most sensitive part of the retina and is located at the back of the eye. The retina turns light into electrical signals and then sends these electrical signals through the optic nerve and then it reaches the brain. Here they are translated into images that we see.
understanding-macular-degeneration

So What is Age- Related Macular Degeneration?

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a common eye condition and one of the leading cause of vision loss among people age 50 and older.

AMD is caused by damage to the macula, and can result in blurred, dark and distorted vision.

In some people, AMD advances slowly so vision loss does not occur for a long time.

In other people, the disease can cause damage way faster and vision loss in one or both eyes, is likely to occur.

Am I at Risk for AMD?

Age plays a very big role in age-related Macular Degeneration.

The disease is more likely to occur after the age of 60.

Other risk factors include:

  • Smoking- Research has proven that smoking can double the risk for this disease.
  • Race- It is more common in Caucasians then in African Americans or Hispanic/Latinos.
  • Family History- People with a family history are at  much higher risk.
  • Obesity- Severely overweight individuals have an increased risk of developing AMD.

If you or a loved one is experiencing signs of macular degeneration, it is recommended that you have a complete eye exam as soon as possible, to minimize loss of vision.

 

Glaucoma Symptoms

POSTED ON January 18th, 2016  - POSTED IN Glaucoma

Glaucoma refers to a group of eye disorders that can all cause damage to the optic nerve that carries information from the eye to the brain.

Glaucoma usually has few or no initial symptoms. This is why eye checkups should be scheduled regularly.

In the majority of cases, glaucoma is associated with having higher-than-normal pressure inside the eye. But it can also occur when intraocular pressure (IOP) is normal.

If it goes untreated or uncontrolled, glaucoma can cause peripheral vision loss and can even lead to blindness.
Glaucoma Symptoms

Types of Glaucoma and Symptoms

Primary open-angle glaucoma.

  • This common type of glaucoma gradually reduces your peripheral vision without other symptoms. By the time you notice it, permanent damage already has occurred.
  • If your IOP remains high, the loss of your vision can progress until tunnel vision, and you will be able to see only objects that are straight ahead.
  • Ultimately, all vision can be lost, leading to blindness.

Acute angle-closure glaucoma.

  • This is also called narrow-angle glaucoma.
  • This type of glaucoma produces sudden symptoms such as eye pain, headaches, halos around lights, dilated pupils, vision loss, red eyes nausea and vomiting.

Normal-tension glaucoma.

  • Normal-tension glaucoma is a type of open-angle glaucoma that can cause visual field loss due to optic nerve damage.
  • In normal-tension glaucoma, the eye’s IOP remains in the normal range.
  • Pain is unlikely and permanent damage to the eye’s optic nerve will most likely not be noticed until symptoms such as tunnel vision occur.
  • The cause of normal-tension glaucoma is still not known. Many doctors believe it is related to poor blood flow to the optic nerve.
  • Normal-tension glaucoma is more common in those who are Japanese, are female and/or have a history of vascular disease.

Congenital glaucoma.

  • This is an inherited form of glaucoma, and is present at birth, with 80 percent of cases diagnosed by age one.
  • Children diagnosed with this type of Glaucoma are born with narrow angles or another type of defect in the drainage system of the eye.
  • It’s hard to spot the signs of congenital glaucoma, because children most likely do not understand what is happening to them or notice the changes in vision.
  • If you notice a cloudy, white, hazy, enlarged or protruding eye in your child, talk to your eye doctor.

 

 

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