Wear Protective Eyewear During DIY Projects

October in Texas brings that cooler weather we all love and many begin work on DIY (do-it-yourself) home projects. People don’t realize how often injuries to the eye take place at home while not wearing protective eyewear. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, more than 2.5 million eye injuries occur in the US each year with 50,000 people permanently losing part or all of their vision.

Ophthalmologist Thomas Henderson, M.D. explained, “In my years taking emergency calls, I have seen many unfortunate and preventable injuries, some of which caused permanent, major loss of sight.  It always seems to be the ‘one time’ you did not wear the protective eye wear that causes these horrible things to happen.”

Many know eyewear is a must while mowing or trimming the lawn, but even the most mundane tasks require eye protection. Splashes from household cleaners, solvents or paints can also cause eye injury. Individuals who believe their own prescription glasses are enough protection are mistaken. In fact, wearing just your prescription glasses may cause further injury. Many safety goggles or glasses fit over regular glasses, and they absolutely should be worn.

Prevent Blindness America advises people wear protective eyewear approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This eyewear will have a “Z-87” logo on the frames. For additional information about eye safety at home, visit preventblindness.org/eye-safety-home.

Source:
http://preventblindness.org/safety-eyewear-can-protect-most-eye-injuries-home

Blood Test Hopes to Improve Treatment for Children with Cataracts

Researchers in the UK have developed a new blood test, which hopes to improve diagnosis and treatment for children born with congenital cataracts.

Diagnosing the presence of a cataract is fairly easy, the hard part is determining the cause of the child’s cataract. There are more than 100 different mutations linked to congenital cataracts and with no family history of cataracts, diagnosis of cause can be very difficult. Determining this cause is important because the child’s cataract may have formed due to another congenital condition such as a metabolic disorder or Down syndrome. In approximately 25 percent of children with cataracts at birth, the condition is due to another genetic cause.

The blood test developed analyzes every known DNA mutation that causes cataracts to help speed up diagnosis of the cause. This leads to better treatment and the ability to inform families of genetic risks for the future.

Ophthalmologist Clayton Falknor, M.D. offered, “Treatment for children with cataracts is tailored to the child. In mild cases, no removal is necessary, but in many cases, the cataract must be removed in order for the child to develop his or her best possible eyesight. Depending the child’s age and other factors, a lens implant may be placed at the time of surgery to replace the clouded lens.”

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. In the US, only 0.4 percent of children are born with cataracts.

Sources: 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24084614
http://www.childrensnational.org/DepartmentsandPrograms/default.aspx?Type=Dept&Id=345&Name=Ophthalmology&SubType=ConditionOrTreatment&SubId=485&subname=Cataract%20and%20other%20lens%20abnormalities

Smartphone Advances Provide Mobile Eye Exams in Third World Countries

With everyone in the US abuzz about the new iPhone and Apple operating systems, other smartphone advancements are making an even bigger impact worldwide. One of the biggest causes of blindness around the world is due to untreated cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors. Because traditional exam equipment is immobile and very expensive, people in remote rural areas of third world countries rarely receive eye exams or eye care. This is now beginning to change, however, due to advancements with the smartphone and smartphone applications (apps).

A new smartphone app called Peek is revolutionizing the way eye exams are provided in these countries. Using a smartphone and an external clip-on device, Peek can check for cataracts, perform simple vision tests and scan the retina for disease, allowing conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy to be diagnosed.

Minimal training is required to operate Peek as the information is gathered and then sent to experts around the world for diagnosis. In addition, the GPS data the smartphone and app gather is also very helpful because this information allows for follow-ups and helps other health organizations better target mass treatment campaigns.

Ophthalmologist Thomas Henderson, M.D. offered, “This iPhone application represents a new pathway to bring improved eye care to many people throughout the world. In the United States, I foresee its potential use in emergency room consultations with a physician who is not on site.”

Peek is currently being tested in Kenya, and their team will publish results at the end of their trials in early 2014.

Source: http://singularityhub.com/2013/09/06/will-peeks-mobile-eye-exam-system-take-a-bite-out-of-developing-world-blindness/

Artificial Corneas Prove Promising for Transplants

A recent Swedish study proves artificial corneas may be a promising alternative to donor corneas. The study involved 10 patients with corneal damage and significant vision loss between the ages of 18 and 75. These individuals were the first in the world to be fitted with biosynthetic tissue as opposed to human donor corneas. Two years following the surgery, the patients had not experienced any serious reactions or complications.

Corneal transplants can be necessary in conditions such as kerotoconus (corneal damage where there is gradual thinning and bulging of the cornea). Disease of the cornea is one of the major causes of blindness worldwide and is often due to trauma or infection. In many parts of the world, there is a shortage of corneal donors causing waiting lists for the surgery.

According to Ophthalmologist Clayton Falknor, M.D., “A shortage of corneal donors is not typically an issue in the United States due to the excellent eye bank system. We are normally able to secure a donor cornea as necessary. However, globally this is a serious issue and research into synthetic alternatives is very important.”

Initial results from the Swedish study show that biosynthetic corneal implants could offer a solution to the current donor shortage worldwide. However, as the first study of its kind, far more research and much larger numbers of patients is needed to confirm the safe use of biosynthetic corneas.

SOURCE:
http://www.shorehamherald.co.uk/news/top-stories/health/partial-success-of-artificial-corneas-1-984091

Safety: LASIK VS Contact Lenses

When considering LASIK over contact lenses, many patients’ biggest concern is the safety of LASIK. What many do not realize is that patients have a higher risk of losing correctible vision with contact lenses than by undergoing LASIK eye surgery, a one-time surgical procedure. In fact, that risk is perhaps up to 10 times higher.

Many contact lens wearers do not properly take care of their lenses and this is what can cause infection. For example, wearing contacts during sleep, swimming in them, not cleaning them properly, and not replacing them regularly increases the risk of infection and could damage eyesight permanently. However with LASIK, the laser technology being used today is the safest it has ever been.

LASIK provides phenomenal precision and very predictable results. A person with a typical refractive error has a 93% chance of having their vision fully corrected after the LASIK procedure and without requiring additional treatment, contacts, or glasses. For those who still have some refractive error after surgery, the majority can be re-treated to achieve optimal results. In terms of the risk of losing correctible vision as a result of the surgery, the risk is extremely small – only 1 in 1,000 experience significant complications. 

Ophthalmologist Clayton Falknor, M.D. said, “Of all the things that I do surgically, LASIK is the most accurate and the most consistent with the best results. After healing, your eyesight is normally stable for 10-20 years, depending on your age at the time of surgery.”

If you are interested in LASIK, but concerned about the safety, speak with your ophthalmologist about the procedure. At Eye Clinic of Austin, we offer free LASIK consultations to determine candidacy for the procedure. This appointment also provides patients an opportunity to speak with the eye doctor, ask questions, and discuss any concerns.

Study Ties Cataract Surgery to Longer Life

An Australian study published this month in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, shows that people with vision loss attributed to cataracts who have had cataract surgery live longer than those with cataract-related vision loss who forgo the procedure. Those who had cataract surgery were found to have a 40 percent lower long-term mortality risk.

From 1992 to 2007, the study followed 354 individuals aged 49 years and older who had been diagnosed with vision impairment due to cataracts. Adjustments were made for a number of mortality risk factors including age, gender, diabetes, smoking, body mass index, hypertension, measures of frailty, and comorbid disease.

Corroborating previous research indicating that individuals with visual impairment were likely to have a greater mortality risk than their peers with normal vision, this study continues to suggest that healthy vision results in general good health.

The correlation between visual impairment correction and reduced mortality is not completely clear, but possible factors include improved physical and emotional well-being, greater optimism and confidence, and ability to comply with prescription medications.

Ophthalmologist Thomas Henderson, M.D., explained, “My experience matches the results of this study. Even with Alzheimer’s, the patients who get their cataracts removed do better because of increased contact with the world. Thirty years ago, I had a patient who was bilaterally blind from cataract. She was on psychiatric medication because she thought people were stealing from her and others thought she was just paranoid. I did cataract surgery giving her normal vision in both eyes. She stopped her medication because she was better oriented to the world, and the stealing stopped because she could see.”

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Most cataracts are related to aging and by age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. To determine if you have cataracts, contact your ophthalmologist and schedule a comprehensive dilated eye exam.

SOURCES:
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/04/5706150/study-shows-that-people-who-undergo.html  

http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/cataract/cataract_facts.asp

Allergies VS Dry Eye Syndrome

If eyes are uncomfortable, scratchy or
gritty, these are signs that dry eye
may be the cause

Two of the most common forms of eye irritation are eye allergies and dry eye syndrome (frequently called dry eye). Both can cause itching, and many people mistake dry eye symptoms for allergies. If eyes are uncomfortable, scratchy or gritty, these are signs that dry eye may be the cause.

Dry eye occurs when eyes do not produce the right quantity or quality of tears. It is among the least understood eye conditions and affects the largest number of people, up to 20% of the population. If left untreated, the risk of permanent damage and scarring to the front of the eye increases.

Dry eye is most common in women older than 50 due to hormonal changes, and only an eye doctor can diagnose the issue. Typically, the doctor will perform one or more tests to assess the condition. Ophthalmologist Clayton Falknor, M.D. explained, “At Eye Clinic of Austin, we use the TearLab® Osmolarity Test. This gives us information about the concentration of salt in a patient’s tears, and helps us diagnose the severity of the issue.”

Initial treatment of mild dry eye consists of lubricating the eye with topical artificial tears or possibly a prescription eye drop called Restasis.

“If Restasis is used properly twice a day for six months, the result is typically dramatic improvement for 90% of patients. This prescription medication can significantly improve quality of life,” said Ophthalmologist Thomas Henderson, M.D.

To determine if you have dry eye syndrome, contact your eye doctor and schedule a comprehensive eye exam.