Most of the time, these floaters are harmless. I have quite a few of them and they’re most obvious when I’m looking at something monochromatic (one color), such as the snow outside or when I’m reading a book. I had the floaters checked because, although floaters are often nothing serious, they could be a sign of retinal detachment. A retinal detachment is an ophthalmological emergency – surgery is needed most of the time and the earlier it’s done, the higher the chances of your sight being ok.

The retina is the part of the eye found in the inside at the back. It’s light sensitive and is often compared to film in a camera. As the images are picked up by the eye, they focus on the retina, which sends them to the brain through the optic nerve. When the retina pulls away or tears away from the eye, the images are interrupted.

Researchers in Ontario, Canada, found that sudden floaters and flashes of light could be a sign of retinal detachment and may be found as often as in one out of every seven patients with retinal detachment.

The researchers analyzed the findings of 200 articles in the medical literature, addressing retinal tears.

They

noted that a retinal tear occurred in 14 per cent of the cases of new onset floaters associated with an age-related change in the eye’s jelly.

“If new floaters are associated with visual loss, a defect in the visual field, or the presence of blood or ‘tobacco dust’ in the eye jelly, the risk of retinal tear is significantly higher,” says Dr. Sharma. “Since retinal tear can lead to detachment in up to 50 per cent of cases, new floaters and flashes is a medical condition that needs urgent assessment.”

So, don’t take chances. It’s very likely, you’ll be told that all is fine and not to worry. But you may as well get floaters checked. Your vision is precious – don’t lose it to something that could be treated.

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Post from: Blisstree

Eye Floaters Should Be Checked

Sixty-year-old Sharron “Kay” Thornton became blind in both eyes after contracting a rare illness, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, nine years earlier. The damage to the cornea from scarring left doctors unable to try more traditional treatment, like cornea transplants. Doctors tried a stem cell procedure but that was unsuccessful.

As a last ditch attempt to help Kay regain her vision, eye surgeons decided to try a relatively rare procedure called a modified osteo-odonto-keatroprosthesis. Only 600 have been performed throughout the world so far.

The procedure involves taking the canine tooth, also called the eye tooth, and removing it along with a bit of jaw bone. The tooth is then sculpted into the desired shape and a hole is drilled into the tooth. This is where the prosthetic lens is  held.

The process is quite long though. At this point, when the tooth has been prepared and the lens attached, another surgery is done to implant the tooth and lens into the patient’s chest, under the skin, where it rests for a several months while the tooth and lens bond. Once the tooth and lens are ready, they are removed and implanted into the eye, after the eye has been prepared (removing damaged tissue).

It’s highly doubtful the procedure will become a popular option for treatment; it’s more of a last ditch attempt. The process is long, requires specialists from both dentistry and ophthalmology and – as a result – could be quite costly. But, if it’s the only thing that works for desperate people, perhaps it is worth all that.

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Image: StockXchng.com

Post from: Blisstree

New Role for an Eye Tooth: Sight Again

Have you ever seen an eye with a cataract? Cataracts don’t just affect people, but many cats and dogs develope them as they age too. Cataracts happen with the lens of the eye becomes clouded, obstructing vision. Did you know that cataracts are the leading cause of blindness throughout the world?

Cataracts are often considered an older person’s problem. It’s estimated that half of all people 80 years or older have at least one cataract.  Over 20 million Americans over the age of 40 have cataracts. Although they are more common in the elderly, they’re not rare in younger people either.

The National Eye Institute identifies the different types of cataracts:

1. Secondary cataract. Cataracts can form after surgery for other eye problems, such as glaucoma. Cataracts also can develop in people who have other health problems, such as diabetes. Cataracts are sometimes linked to steroid use.
2. Traumatic cataract. Cataracts can develop after an eye injury, sometimes years later.
3. Congenital cataract. Some babies are born with cataracts or develop them in childhood, often in both eyes. These cataracts may be so small that they do not affect vision. If they do, the lenses may need to be removed.
4. Radiation cataract. Cataracts can develop after exposure to some types of radiation.

Progress of cataracts

Cataracts don’t just appear one day. They’re a slow progressing problem that may not be noticed at first, but then become more obvious as the cloudiness takes over.

The symptoms include:

• Cloudy or blurry vision.
• Colors seem faded.
• Glare. Headlights, lamps, or sunlight may appear too bright. A halo may appear around lights.
• Poor night vision.
• Double vision or multiple images in one eye. (This symptom may clear as the cataract gets larger.)
• Frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses.
• These symptoms also can be a sign of other eye problems. If you have any of these symptoms, check with your eye care professional.

Cataracts can often be detected in the early stages and this is one of the reasons why regular eye exams are important. Surgery, the final solution for cataracts, isn’t always necessary. There are ways to help improve vision with lighting, magnifying tools and even anti-glare sunglasses.

Help yourself

Although it might not be possible to avoid cataracts altogether, it is possible to limit your risk of developing one or to hold off development. To reduce your risk:

• Don’t smoke
• Avoid exposing your eyes to direct sunlight (use good sunglasses)
• Drink alcohol moderately
• Eat a diet rich with fruit and vegetables

Speak to your eye care doctor to find out how often you should be checked. Saving your vision is worth the trip.

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Images courtesy PhotoXpress.com, StockXchange.com

Post from: Blisstree

August Is Cataract Awareness Month

My sister married when I was 8 years old, her husband was like another father to me. Don was my hero he was always so full of life and included me in his mad adventures, with his children.

Don was over six feet three inches tall and weighed about 240, he was always outdoors, his only faults were smoking and eating fatty foods. He was never sick so there was no need to go to the doctor, so he thought.

Imagine our surprise when we found that he was an extremely ill man with diabetes.

He fought a good fight in every way, but he would not give up his smoking. The doctors told him that the medicine that he was taking could not help him if he continued to smoke.

Don died in a nursing home with heart failure, unable to walk; he took a large part of my heart with him.

If you have a loved one that is fighting diabetes please do all you can to help them to give up smoking.

Patient’s with diabetes should have an AIC glucose test twice a year. Diabetics blood pressure should be no more than 130/80mmHg. Their Cholesterol LDL (bad) needs to be below 100 mg/dl their HDL (good) should be above 40mg/dl for men and 50 mg/dl for women. 

Currently, 2 out of 3 people with diabetes in the United States die from a heart attack or stroke. Diet and exercise can help reduce the risk of developing diabetes-related complications such as heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and amputations. In many cases, medicine is also needed to keep diabetes under control.

For more information click here MSNBC.

Post from: Blisstree

Diabetes Stroke And Heart Attack