Tips
for Eye Health
-
 Whether
it's summer or winter, always wear
Ultraviolet Light (UV) blocking glasses, sunglasses
or contact lenses outdoors on a sunny day. UV light causes
cataracts and may possibly contribute to Macular Degeneration,
an aging abnormality of the retina. UV light also causes
pterygiums, a growth on the cornea that may require surgery
to remove. Your eye doctor should always add UV block
to all outdoor eyeglass prescriptions, whether they are
sunglasses or not.
- Always
wear Sports Safety Goggles whenever participating in
contact sports or ball sports. Ocular sports injuries can
be very serious. Hundreds of people lose their vision every
year from games like basketball, baseball, tennis, hockey,
etc. You can have your eyeglass prescription put into your
goggles as well.
- Always
wear approved safety goggles when working with any power
tools such as drills and saws, or when striking objects
with a hammer. Particles can come flying off the drill or
hammer and strike the eye causing immediate severe damage.
- Always
wear approved safety goggles when working with any toxic
chemicals or substances that may splash into the eye accidentally.
If any chemical does get into the eye, immediately rinse
with large amounts of water for a long period of time. Contact
your Ophthalmologist immediately after you have rinsed with
water copiously.
- Improper
care, handling, and disinfection of
contact lenses can lead to severe corneal complications
which can result in loss of vision which may require corneal
transplant surgery to correct. Always wash your hands with
clean water and soap prior to touching your contact lenses.
Keep your contact case very clean by washing with a mild
soap such as Baby Shampoo, and rinsing thoroughly with tap
water followed by more thorough rinsing with your contact
lens solution.
- Never
put your contact lenses in your mouth - it is teeming
with germs which will get on your contact lenses and infect
your eye.
- Never
store your contact lenses in saline solution since it
does not kill germs. Contact lenses must be stored in a
disinfecting solution. There are many types available -
you should follow your doctor's instructions and the package
insert very closely and without deviation.
- Never
change your contact lens solutions without checking with
your doctor first - you may be using the wrong kind
for your eyes or lenses.
- Never
rinse or store your contact lenses in water
of any kind. Water can contain very potent and dangerous
germs which can get into your cornea from the contact lenses.
- Never
wear your contact lenses if your eyes do not look or feel
100% normal. If you are having blurring, pain redness,
discharge, sensitivity to light, swelling or any other eye
problems, wearing the contact lenses will only make the
situation worse.
- Never
swim in pools, hot tubs or natural bodies of water with
your contact lenses in since the water contains many
germs which can easily get on your lenses and then infect
your cornea.
- Always
stop wearing the lenses and contact your doctor immediately
if there is the slightest problem with your eyes. Contact
lenses, like a car, are very safe when handled properly
- but can be extremely dangerous if abused.
- If
you are diabetic,
you should have at least an annual eye exam by an Ophthalmologist.
Diabetic eye problems of the retina can be treated easily
if caught early, but can lead to severe complications and
loss of vision if treatment is delayed. It is also very
important to control your blood sugars well under your doctor's
supervision since this has been proven to significantly
prevent long term eye complications.
- If
you have a family history (parents, siblings or children)
of glaucoma,
you should have at least an annual eye exam since glaucoma
often runs in families and may be clearly hereditary in
some cases. Early treatment of glaucoma with a variety of
eye drops is usually quite successful in preventing loss
of vision. Delay of treatment can cause irreversible loss
of vision. There is also an increased incidence of glaucoma
over age 60 - it is therefore advisable to have at least
an annual eye exam to rule out glaucoma.
- If
you have symptoms of seeing "flashing lights"
that may or may not be associated with "seeing spots"
or having a blockage of part of your field of vision, you
should see an Ophthalmologist immediately since these symptoms
may indicate a retinal tear or retinal detachment. Retinal
detachments are more common in families with a history of
retinal tears, holes or detachments. Retinal detachments
are also much more common in people who are very nearsighted
or myopic. Detachments or tears which are caught early are
easier to treat and usually have better results.
- Never
share anyone else's eye drops or use expired eye drops,
or drops that you may have used in the past for other eye
problems. Each eye drop has different ingredients and is
used for treating different conditions. Using the wrong
eye drop may actually make matters worse. Although eye symptoms
such as redness, blurring and pain may be present in a variety
of conditions, the underlying causes for these symptoms
are often very different and treatment with different medications
is required.
- If
you use steroids or cortisone
either orally, as an eye drop or as an inhaler (for asthma
or breathing problems) you should be examined by an Ophthalmologist
regularly since these medications can cause cataracts and
glaucoma. It is advisable to have a base line exam at approximately
one month after starting these medications since that is
the most likely time for glaucoma to show up, and then every
3-6 months depending on the duration and dosage of steroids
you are taking.
- If
you notice an eye turn or poor vision in your child
bring them to an Ophthalmologist immediately. If you notice
an unusual color to the normally black pupil in a child,
bring them to an Ophthalmologist immediately as well. These
signs and symptoms may be minor problems, but occasionally
they can signal a very serious eye condition or neurological
problem that may require immediate diagnosis and treatment.
|
