Tag Archives: Eye Health

5 Tips for Preventing Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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5 Tips for Preventing Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Love Your Eyes: Ophthalmologists Remind Older Americans to Protect Themselves from Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Seniors are at heightened risk for age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness among older Americans. The disease damages central vision, limiting a person’s ability to read and recognize faces. Approximately 2.1 million Americans had AMD as of 2010. This number is expected to double to more than 5.4 million by 2050. Meanwhile, fewer people are aware of the disease compared to other eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.

To help raise awareness of age-related macular degeneration, the Scottsdale Eye Physicians and Surgeons, PC and the American Academy of Ophthalmology are reminding seniors that their eyes need love, too. There are steps they can take to take better care of their eyes and protect themselves from AMD-related blindness.

 

Here are five eye-loving tips from the Academy and the facts behind the advice:

 

  • Get regular comprehensive medical eye exams. AMD often has no early warning signs, so getting regular comprehensive eye exams is critical to diagnosing and treating AMD in its early stages. The Academy recommends that people over age 65 get an exam every one to two years, even if they have no signs or symptoms of eye problems.

 

  • Quit smoking. Numerous studies have shown smoking to increase the risk of developing AMD and the speed at which it progresses. If you smoke, you are twice as likely to develop macular degeneration compared with a nonsmoker.

 

  • Know your family’s eye health history. If you have a close relative with AMD, you have a 50 percent chance of developing the condition. Before you go in for your next eye exam, speak with your family about their eye health history. Sharing this information with your eye doctor may prompt him or her to recommend more frequent eye exams. The earlier AMD is caught, the better chances you may have of saving your vision.

 

  • Eat a diet rich in omega-3s and low in cholesterol and saturated fat. A number of studies have shown that people who had a reduced risk of AMD had diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish. In one study of patients who were at moderate risk for AMD progression, those who reported the highest omega-3 intake (not in the form of a supplement) were 30 percent less likely to develop advanced AMD after 12 years. In another study, an increased risk of AMD was found in individuals who had a higher intake of saturated fats and cholesterol and in those with a higher body mass index.

 

 

“There is still a worrying lack of awareness when it comes to AMD, despite it being the number one cause of blindness in seniors,” said Rahul N. Khurana, M.D., a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “Older Americans who are unaware of the disease may be putting themselves at risk by not taking early steps to care for their vision. The good news is that they protect their sight from AMD-related blindness by showing their eyes some TLC with regular eye exams and lifestyle changes.”

 

Age-related Macular Degeneration is a very serious eye disease and the proper steps should be taken to protect your vision. Make sure to be seen by an eye doctor often for a comprehensive eye exam!   To make an appointment call us at 480-994-1872 or visit our website to book online!

 

 

 

 

Understanding Diabetic Retinopathy

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Understanding Diabetic Retinopathy

If you suffer from diabetes, the possibility of diabetic retinopathy is a real thing. To keep your vision from harm, you should be in the know about the facts of diabetic retinopathy and how to get yourself checked and treated. If you think you could be affected by diabetic retinopathy now or in the future, you may be asking yourself these questions:

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The Importance of Regular Eye Exams and Screenings

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The Importance of Regular Eye Exams and Screenings

As Scottsdale ophthalmologists, we urge our patients to have regular eye exams to maintain healthy vision. But do you truly understand the importance of regular eye exams? From 6 months old through your final years, every age, every race, and every gender needs to maintain regular eye exams.

Why Do I Need Eye Exams?

Even if you have no family history and have seemingly perfect vision, eye exams are still a necessity to evaluate your eyes for a variety of conditions, many of which are not hereditary. Children should have their vision checked at 6 months, 3 years and before first grade. Adults should see an eye doctor every 2 – 3 years. Seniors over the age of 60 should visit their eye doctor every 1 – 2 years. If you have diabetes or a family history of eye conditions, your eye doctor might recommend more frequent exams.

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Everyday UV-A Light and it’s impact on Cataracts

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Everyday UV-A Light and it’s impact on Cataracts

We spend so much time in our vehicles driving to and from work, running errands, or carting the kids all over town, but are we getting the protection we need from the sun?

A Recent assessment on automobiles was conducted to assess the levels of ultraviolet light protection in windshields and driver side windows. This study was done after recent findings that associated Ultraviolet-A light (UV-A) with an increased risk for skin cancer and cataracts.

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October is Eye Injury Prevention Month

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October is Eye Injury Prevention Month

October is Eye Injury Prevention Month! 

You might think that the family home is a fairly unthreatening setting. And responses to a recent public survey commissioned by the American Academy of Ophthalmology show that people generally agree.

  • Less than half of survey respondents mentioned the home — especially the yard or garage — as the most common site of serious eye injury.
  • Only 35 percent of those surveyed always wear protective eyewear when doing home repair or projects.

However, medical statistics tell a different story: nearly half of all eye injuries each year occur in and around the home, and home-based injuries are increasing each year.

This alarming trend is why the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Ocular Trauma now recommend that every household have at least one pair of ANSI-approved protective eyewear for use during projects and activities that may present risk of injury. (ANSI-approved protective eyewear is manufactured to meet the American National Standards Institute eye protection standard.) Here are some common places for eye injuries to occur:

In the house:

  • Using hazardous products and chemicals, such as oven cleaner and bleach for cleaning and other chores (accidents involving common household products cause 125,000 eye injuries each year)
  • Cooking foods that can splatter hot grease or oil
  • Opening champagne bottles during a celebration
  • Drilling or hammering screws or nails into walls or hard surfaces like brick or cement; the screws or nails can become projectiles or fragments can come off the surface
  • Using hot objects such as curling irons around the face; inadvertent contact with the user’s eyes can cause serious injury
  • Loose rugs and railings or other hazards that could cause falls or slips

In the yard:

  • Mowing the lawn
  • Using a power trimmer or edger
  • Clipping hedges and bushes

In the garage or workshop:

  • Using tools (power or hand)
  • Working with solvents or other chemicals
  • Any task that can produce fragments, dust particles or other eye irritants
  • Securing equipment or loads with bungee cords

For more eye-healthy tips, visit geteyesmart.org.

 

This article reprinted with permission from the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeSmart® program (www.geteyesmart.org).

 

Contact Lenses and Sleep Deprivation

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Contact Lenses and Sleep Deprivation

Contact Lenses and Sleep Deprivation 

When a contact-lens wearer stays awake studying for 18-20 hours or more with their contacts in, it’s almost the equivalent of sleeping with contacts in, something that Eye M.D.s warn against. Prolonged wearing of your contact lenses is a problem for people who wear regular hydrogen lenses, since traditional hydrogels are relatively less permeable to oxygen than newer alternatives like silicone hydrogels. The eye needs oxygen to keep it healthy. Without regular exposure to oxygen, the eye’s cornea can become inflamed and the vision blurry.  Prolonged contact lens use can even lead to infections or corneal ulcers that in the worst case can permanently damage vision.

Sometimes students fall asleep without knowing it (with their contacts in), while studying. Remedy: Alternate wearing contact lenses with use of eyeglasses during long study periods.  Also, students with irregular sleep patterns can wear contact lenses made of silicon hydrogen, a new material with improved oxygen permeability, which may reduce risk of infection and discomfort.

For more information about contact lenses and proper contact care guidelines please visit http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/glasses-contacts-lasik/contact-lens.cfm.

This article reprinted with permission from the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeSmart® program (www.geteyesmart.org).

Eye Health Tips for High School and College Students

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Eye Health Tips for High School and College Students

Eye Health Tips for High School and College Students

Students face special challenges to the eyes when they are under academic performance pressure. Lack of sleep, prolonged computer use and long hours studying make for tired eyes that are dry, scratchy and achy.

Prolonged computer use contributes to eye fatigue because you blink less frequently. Less blinking significantly reduces lubrication in the eye making it feel tired, scratchy and “dry” as a result. Also eyes are not designed for prolonged focus on a single object, such as the computer. Remedy: place a note on the computer screen as a reminder to blink and to look away from the screen and focus on objects in the distance.  Looking out a window (20 – 20 – 20 rule:  for every 20 minutes of computer work, look away for 20 seconds, and focus on a scene or object at least 20 feet away) is a good break for the eyes. The key is to give your eyes a rest.

“Dry eye” is a common feeling from not giving your eyes enough rest while some people just naturally do not produce enough tears to keep their eyes healthy and comfortable. Some common symptoms of dry eye are stinging and burning to the eyes, scratchiness, excessive eye irritation from smoke or wind and excessive tearing. Remedy: If you have occasional symptoms of dry eye, you should try eye drops called artificial tears. These are similar to your own tears and help lubricate the eyes and maintain moisture. For persistent “dry eye,” see your Eye MD.

For more information about contact lenses and proper contact care guidelines please visit http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/glasses-contacts-lasik/contact-lens.cfm.

This article reprinted with permission from the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeSmart® program (www.geteyesmart.org).

4 Simple Contact Lens Tips for Teens

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4 Simple Contact Lens Tips for Teens

Contact Lens 101: a Back-to-School Must for Teens 

Studying up on proper contact lens care can prevent serious eye infections

Many children and teenagers start wearing contact lenses in junior high or high school. However, young people are notoriously poor at caring for their contact lenses, creating a potential gateway for serious eye infections that can cause impaired vision or even blindness.

Contact lenses have been implicated in nearly 25 percent of children’s emergency room visits related to medical devices. Research has shown that poor contact lens care practices by teens and young people raise their risk of eye conditions such as infectious keratitis and corneal ulcers. In the most severe cases, they may require corneal transplants to restore sight.

To help prevent contact lens related eye infections in young people, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Scottsdale Eye Physicians and Surgeons are providing tips for teens and their parents this August in recognition of Back to School Eye Health Month.

“I’ve seen plenty of young people who misuse contact lenses and end up with serious eye infections that are largely preventable with good hygiene and diligence,” said Thomas Steinemann, M.D., clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “Parents can help protect their children’s vision – and their future – by sharing the potential consequences of not caring for their contact lenses the right way, and reinforcing good contact lens habits early on.”

Fortunately, many eye infections can be prevented by following simple contact lens care guidelines. Even so, experts say there are lesser known safety tips that teens with contact lenses should follow to avoid eye infections.

Four Contact Lens Tips Every Parent Should Share with Their Teens 

1.  New quarter, new case – Replacing your contact lens case every three months will help keep germs at bay. To make it easy to remember, swap out your case at the beginning of each quarter. A study from the journal Ophthalmology showed that waiting to replace lens cases after 6 months increases the risk of eye infection by nearly 5.5 times.

2.  Just say no to H20 – You may be captain of the swim team, but you shouldn’t swim, shower or go in a hot tub wearing lenses. Water from the tap might be clean enough to drink or bathe in, but it’s still home to the parasite Acanthamoeba, which can cause severe eye infections resulting in vision loss. For the same reasons, do not use water to rinse or soak contact lenses or cases.

3.  You snooze, you lose – Never sleep in your contact lenses. The same Ophthalmology study also found that even occasionally sleeping in contact lenses increases the risk of moderate to severe eye infection by 6.5 times. Unfortunately, a recent poll of nearly 100,000 people by BuzzFeed found that about 70 percent of respondents occasionally or regularly sleep in their contact lenses.

4.  It’s too late if you wait – Symptoms of eye infections include redness, pain and light sensitivity, and should be examined by an ophthalmologist immediately. Waiting to get examined or treated could lead to vision loss.

Make your child’s eye health a priority and share with them these helpful tips on contact lens care.  Also, don’t forget to get your kids in for regular eye exams! Call 480-994-1872 to make your appointment today!

For more information about contact lenses and proper contact care guidelines please visit http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/glasses-contacts-lasik/contact-lens.cfm.

This article reprinted with permission from the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeSmart® program (www.geteyesmart.org).

References:

Emergency Department Visits for Medical Device-Associated Adverse Events Among Children, Pediatrics, 2010

Risk factors for moderate to severe microbial keratitis in daily wear contact lens wearers, Ophthalmology, Aug. 2012

Clinical characteristics of Acanthamoeba keratitis infections in 28 states, 2008 to 2011. Cornea, Feb. 2014

11 Gross Contact Lens Habits You Should Stop Doing Right Away Please, Buzzfeed.com

7 Tips to Help Save Your Vision!

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7 Tips to Help Save Your Vision!

 

March is the National Save Your Vision Month and at Scottsdale Eye Physicians and Surgeons it is our mission to provide our patients with the best eye care services! Here are a few tips from our Ophthalmologist, Dennis Kilpatrick or our Medical Optometrist, Dr. Candria Meharry, for a lifetime of healthy vision!

 Get your eyes checked regularly

Having your eyes examined regularly is important to make sure your vision is in tiptop shape but it’s also important to prevent any damaging eye diseases. Not everyone needs to get in for a yearly exam, frequency depends on age, family history or other conditions. Contact us today to schedule an exam!

 

rotect your eyes from uv raysBefore you grab your sunglasses make sure you are wearing shades that have UV protection. If you think that UV protection is just the tint then think again, the UV coating that protects from the sun is actually clear. Tinted sunglasses without UV protection could be harming your eyes as your eyes slightly dilate due to the tint and allow the UV Rays to enter more easily. If you don’t know if your sunglasses have UV protection drop into Scottsdale Eye Optical Boutique and we will gladly check your lenses for you free of charge.

 

wear protection

Whether you’re outside gardening, working on the car or playing a quick game of tennis it is very important to wear glasses or goggles. Without the proper protection, your eyes are susceptible to harmful debris or objects that could have damaging effects.

 

Eat the right foods

Your diet can be playing a big part in your eye health! Make sure to eat lots of leafy greens, Omega 3’s and Vitamin C. Leafy greens like spinach and kale are packed with lutein, zeaxanthin and antioxidants that, studies show, lower the risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts. Fish, like tuna and salmon, are rich in Omega 3’s and berries that are loaded with Vitamin C have also been shown to reduce the risk of eye diseases.

 

wear with care

If you wear contacts lenses it’s very important to keep them clean! Make sure to soak them in clean contact solution each day and clean them before putting them in your eyes! Dirty lenses can bring unwanted bacteria into the eye! If you have any questions about contact lenses, please call our office to make an appointment with our contact lens specialist, Dr. Candria Meharry.

 

Give your eyes a break

If you work on a computer, which today is just about everyone, take a break! Every 20 minutes look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This will give your eyes a rest and prevent digital eye strain!  When we concentrate on the computer screen we don’t blink as often, so apply frequent lubricating eye drops if your eyes feel dry.

 

Don't WaitAddress things early! If you feel anything is out of the ordinary, like a change in your vision, a bump on your eyelid or eye pain make an appointment immediately! Waiting just a few extra days or a week can cause irreversible damages!

If you have not been seen by an eye doctor in a few years it’s time to make an appointment! Scottsdale Eye Physicians and Surgeons has been serving the valley for over 40 years and is committed to providing improved vision and comfort! Call 480-994-1872 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Dennis Kilpatrick or Dr. Candria Meharry.