Sunday, August 2, 2009

Eye Care



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Eye Care is a serious concern that is often neglected by people who
lack health insurance.Our vision is one of those wonderful gifts most of us take for granted. The only time we even have cause to think about our vision as such is
when we think about a blind person who has no vision at all, or our own vision begins to fail us. Being aware of the importance of protecting your vision can help you to avoid problems with it in the future. Your eyes care a part of the body like the skin that you can do things to slow the aging process of using certain precautions that take little time to implement and can make a world of difference later in life.

Caring for Eye Care

Eye Care is an important factor in all of our lives. We sometimes take sight for granted but can you imagine not being able to see everyday things normally. Imagine not being able to see your kids, too watch TV, too take a walk and see all of nature is beauties. People with certain eye diseases are not able to enjoy these experiences to their full extent and sometimes not at all. There are several reasons for people to start learning more about eye health and how to protect our sight. Its here are not only personal reasons but financial reasons as well because the cost of eye care affects everyone. As the Baby Boomer generation ages and faces more eye problems, the need for eye care will be much greater.

Personal Reasons of Eye Care

Eye care is essential to maintaining the health of our eyes. People with eye diseases that greatly affect their vision face many problems. They are physically hampered by impaired vision. They are not able to perform daily activities like driving or working. Some are barely able to see or have lost their vision entirely. They are also faced with emotional stress. People with dramatic eye problems face many issues that can lead to solitude and depression. This strain also affects
friends and families.They are not able to enjoy everyday moments or special events. Eye problems can also be very costly to individuals. The need for eye wear, eye surgeries, and other needs can greatly affect a person or a family is income. Some people are not even able to work because of their eye problems. There are several steps everyone can take to help prevent eye diseases and the problems related to them. It starts with knowledge of keeping the eye healthy and following good guidelines for maintaining good eye health.

There are many eye diseases that can be prevented or whose progression can be slowed down with proper precautions and healthy eating. Eating a lot of Vitamins A, E, C, and some Zinc and Selenium can help prevent many diseases including those that affect the eyes. Visit the nutrition page on what foods contain these vitamins and minerals. Certain diseases might be causes by other factors such as obesity, diabetics, exposure to ultraviolet light, smoking, certain medications such as
steroids, and many other factors. It is a good idea to ask your eye care doctor for specific steps you can take. People with obesity or who are diabetic should have more routine checkups since they are more likely to develop certain eye diseases.
Those who are outside most of the day should use protective sunglasses or eyeglasses to prevent heavy exposure to ultraviolet light. People who smoke or take certain medications should ask their doctor if they are more likely to have eye diseases because of family background.

These little measures can help your eyes healthy and keep all the emotional, physical, and financial problems that come with eye problems away.

Eye Problems and Diseases

This section has complete information on eye and vision problems. Jump down this page to alphabetical lists of:

* Eye Conditions
* Eye Diseases
* Surgical Eye Procedures
* Vision Problems

Common Eye Disorders
How to identify and deal with everyday eye problems.

Eye Injury: A Guide to Treatment

Accidents cause many kinds of eye injuries, from corneal scratches to penetrating wounds. What to do for an eye emergency.

Clinical Trials Related to Eye Diseases

Consider participating in a clinical trial for treatment of glaucoma, macular degeneration, blepharitis or other eye problems and diseases.

Eye Conditions

Acanthamoeba Keratitis

Poor contact lens hygiene often causes this rare but serious eye infection.

Allergies

Itchy, red, swollen, tearing eyes may mean eye allergies. Get tips for relief.

Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)

Amblyopia usually develops in young children and can mean permanent vision problems if not treated early.

Bell's Palsy

This condition causes sudden paralysis of one side of the face. Because of inability to blink, you may develop severe dry eye.

Blepharitis

Inflammation of the eyelids can cause chronic eye irritation, tearing, foreign body sensation and crusty debris.

Cataracts

If you live long enough, you will eventually have cloudy vision from cataracts. Learn about causes and about cataract surgery, which replaces your eye's natural lens with an artifical one.

Chalazion

A swollen bump in the eyelid could be a chalazion. Learn about causes and treatments.

Color Blindness

Learn the varieties of color deficiency and how to cope in our color-coded world.

NEW: Corneal Ulcer
Treatment may help prevent scarring on your eye.

Detached Retina
Flashes of light and floating spots are classic warning signs of a detached retina — get them checked out ASAP. Also read our Eye Doctor

Dry Eye Syndrome

Why eyes get dry. Read about eye drops, tear duct plugs and nutritional supplements for more eye moisture. Ask the dry eye doctor your question. Also read our FAQ on dry eyes and the best contact lenses for them.

Eye Occlusions (Eye Strokes)

Sudden vision loss can occur when a clot or blockage interrupts blood flow to vital eye structures.

Eye Twitching

Eyelid twitches, tics and spasms are maddening. Here are common causes.Floaters and Spots Floaters may be harmless or may signal a serious problem, like a detached retina.

Macular Holes

Suddenly blurry or distorted vision, especially in seniors and diabetics, may mean a macular hole.

Nystagmus

Uncontrollable eye movements from nystagmus often have neurological causes.

Ocular Migraine
Ocular migraine causes a sensation of looking through shattered glass.

NEW: Optic Neuritis and Optic Neuropathy
An inflamed optic nerve can cause blurry vision and blind spots.

Photophobia (Light Sensitivity)
Sensitive to light? Many eye conditions can cause this problem.

Pinguecula and Pterygium
Pingueculae and pterygia are growths on the eye. Are they serious?

Ptosis (Drooping Eyelid)
Drooping eyelids can be corrected with blepharoplasty surgery.

Sjogren's Syndrome
Dry eye is a common symptom of this autoimmune disorder.

Strabismus
Misaligned eyes include crossed eyes, plus eyes that point outward, upward or downward. Remedies exist for strabismus.

Stye
The best way to get rid of that unpleasant little bump — fast!

Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
Sudden redness in the white of your eye may be a subconjunctival hemorrhage.

Uveitis
Painful inflammation of the uvea causes light sensitivity, floaters and blurred vision.

Eye Diseases

CMV Retinitis
About 80 percent of adults have been exposed to the cytomegalovirus (CMV), but it mostly affects people with poor immune systems, such as

AIDS patients.

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
What you can do about redness, swelling, itching and tearing of pink eye. Also read about pink eye treatment and the various conjunctivitis types.

Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetes causes sight-threatening retinal degradation. Also read our Eye Doctor Q&A on how diabetes affects your eyes and our diabetic retinopathy FAQ. And read the latest diabetic retinopathy news.

Eye Herpes
Ocular herpes is a recurrent viral infection that may lead to serious vision loss. Read how herpes of the eye is transmitted and treated.

Glaucoma
Glaucoma results in a damaged optic nerve and diminishing field of vision. Learn about narrow-angle glaucoma, primary open-angle glaucoma and glaucoma surgery.
See also: Eye Doctor Q&A | Glaucoma News & Research | Glaucoma FAQ

Keratoconus
Special contact lenses can help. Also read our Eye Doctor Q&A on keratoconus. And read about Intacs for keratoconus.

Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Our seven-page section covers this age-related, sight-threatening disease, plus FDA-approved macular degeneration treatments, investigational treatments, macular degeneration prevention and the

Ocular Hypertension
High eye pressure has no symptoms, but it is easily detected in an eye exam. Take care of it before it develops into glaucoma.

Retinitis Pigmentosa
Poor night vision and a narrowing field of vision beginning in childhood herald this rare disorder. Can vitamin A help? Also read the

Eye Doctor Q&A on retinal problems.

Stargardt's Disease (STGD)
Children and young people can develop Stargardt's disease, often leading to central vision loss.

Surgical Eye Procedures

Cataract Surgery
It's the most common non-elective surgery in the United States. Learn about options for intraocular lenses (IOLs), including mixing multifocal IOLs to maximize both near and distance vision.

Cornea Transplant

Eye injuries and diseases like keratoconus may require a cornea transplant, using healthy tissue from an eye donor.

Glaucoma Surgery
New options for controlling glaucoma with surgery.

Intacs for Keratoconus
These tiny corneal inserts can flatten a bulging eye.

Strabismus Surgery
These procedures adjust eye muscles to straighten misaligned eyes.

NEW: Vitrectomy & Vitreoretinal Procedures
These delicate surgical procedures for macular holes, retinal detachments and other conditions are performed in the eye's deep interior.

Vision Problems

Astigmatism
Don't despair: distorted vision is usually correctable with eyeglasses, contacts or surgery. Also see the Eye Doctor Q&A on astigmatism.

Double Vision (Diplopia)
Many conditions cause double vision, including stroke and cataracts.

Higher-Order Aberrations (HOAs)

Higher-order aberrations are vision errors causing poor night vision or double images.

Hyperopia (Farsightedness)
Farsighted people can have poor near vision or blurred vision at all distances.

Myopia (Nearsightedness)
Nearsighted people can see fine up close, but distant objects are a blur.

Peripheral Vision Problems
"Tunnel vision" can have various causes, including glaucoma.

Presbyopia
Presbyopia means difficulty seeing close up for people 40 and older.

http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/

GLAUCOMA

WHAT IS GLAUCOMA?

Glaucoma is the name given to a group of eye diseases in which the
optic nerve at the back of the eye is slowly destroyed. In most people
this damage is due to an increased pressure inside the eye - a result
of blockage of the circulation of aqueous, or its drainage. In other
patients the damage may be caused by poor blood supply to the vital
optic nerve fibres, a weakness in the structure of the nerve, and/or a
problem in the health of the nerve fibres themselves.Over 300,000 Australians have glaucoma. While it is more common as people age, it can occur at any age. As our population becomes older, the proportion of glaucoma patients is increasing.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF GLAUCOMA

Chronic (primary open-angle) glaucoma is the commonest type. It has no symptoms until eye sight is lost at a later stage.Damage progresses very slowly and destroys vision gradually, starting with the side vision. One eye covers for the other, and the person remains unaware of any problem until a majority of nerve fibres have been destroyed, and a large part of vision has been destroyed. This damage is irreversible. It is progressive and usually relentless. Treatment cannot recover what has been lost. But it can arrest, or at least, slow down the damage process. That is why it is so important to detect the problem as early as possible, to be able to start treatment with as little damage to the vision as possible.

WHO IS AT RISK?

Although anyone can get glaucoma, some people have a higher risk, those
with

1.a family history of glaucoma
2.diabetes
3.migraine
4.short sightedness (myopia)
5.eye injuries
6.blood pressure
7.past or present use of cortisone drugs (steroids)
8.People in these groups should have their first eye check no later than
the age of 35. For most people, it is recommended to have an eye check
for glaucoma by the age of 40.

HOW IS GLAUCOMA DETECTED?

Regular eye examinations are the best way to detect glaucoma early.

A glaucoma test usually includes the following:

optic nerve check with an ophthalmoscope
eye pressure check (tonometry)
visual field assessment if needed - this tests the sensitivity of the
side vision, where glaucoma strikes first

CAN GLAUCOMA BE TREATED?

Although there is no cure for glaucoma it can usually be controlled and

further loss of sight either prevented or at least slowed down.

Treatments include:

Eyedrops - these are the most common form of treatment and must be used

regularly. In some cases pills are prescribed. The drops can be varied

to best suit the patient and the type of glaucoma.

Laser (laser trabeculoplasty) - this is performed when eye drops do not

stop deterioration in the field of vision. In many cases eye drops will

need to be continued after laser. Laser does not require a hospital

stay.

Surgery (trabeculectomy) - this is performed usually after eye drops

and laser have failed to control the eye pressure. A new channel for

the fluid to leave the eye is created.

Treatment can save remaining vision but it does not improve eye sight.



WHAT ARE SOME OTHER FORMS OF GLAUCOMA?

Chronic (primary open-angle) glaucoma is the most common form of this
disease. However, other forms occur:
Low-tension or normal tension glaucoma. Occasionally optic nerve damage
can occur in people with so-called normal eye pressure. This form of

glaucoma is treated in the same manner as open-angle glaucoma. Acute (angle-closure) glaucoma. Acute glaucoma is when the pressure inside the eye rapidly increases due to the iris blocking the drain. An attack of acute glaucoma is often severe. People suffer pain, nausea,

blurred vision and redness of the eye. Immediate medical help should be
sought. If treatment is delayed there can be permanent visual damage in
a very short time. Usually, laser surgery performed promptly can clear
the blockage and protect against visual impairment. Congenital glaucoma. This is a rare form of glaucoma caused by an abnormal drainage system. It can exist at birth or develop later. Parents may note that the child is sensitive to light, has enlarged and cloudy eyes, and excessive watering. Surgery is usually needed.
Secondary glaucomas. These glaucomas can develop as a result of other
disorders of the eye such as injuries, cataracts, eye inflammation. The
use of steroids (cortisone) has a tendency to raise eye pressure and
therefore pressures should be checked frequently when steroids are
used.
Source : http://www.glaucoma.org.au/whatis.htm