A fabulous trend has been emerging on the runway for Spring and Summer: white sunglasses.
The look is bold, clean, and brings an element of chicness to even the most casual outfits. Glamorous and versatile, you’ll be wearing these frames all year long.
A new study out of Cornell University found that a product many people consume daily—coffee—may have a positive effect on eye health.
The research, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found that a main ingredient in raw coffee—chlorogenic acid, or CLA—may protect against deteriorating eyesight and possible blindness from retinal degeneration due to glaucoma, aging or diabetes.
To conduct the study, researchers treated mice eyes with nitric oxide, which creates oxidative stress and free radicals, leading to retinal degeneration.
However, mice eyes pretreated with CLA developed no retinal damage.
Scientists involved with the study believe the next step is to determine if drinking coffee facilitates CLA crossing the blood-retinal barrier membrane. In addition, if future studies find CLA effective in preventing retinal damage, synthetic compounds could be developed and delivered with eye drops.
The impact of nutrition on eye health:
Optometrists have a duty to inform their patients about good nutrition and how it can affect their overall well-being and vision health, says Robert Bittel, O.D., chair of the AOA’s Health Promotions Committee.
“We have been aware of the importance and value that proper nutrition plays in good overall health, and specifically good eye health, for some time now,” Dr. Bittel says. For example, the original Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) was conducted in 2001, followed by the more recently published AREDS2 in 2013.
The AOA has a free supplement called “Eye Health and Nutrition After AREDS2,” which was produced with an education grant from Kemin.
Dr. Bittel, a regular coffee drinker himself, believes this new study—along with any study that touts the benefits of any consumable product—warrants follow-up research.
“As with any study that cites commonly used food items as therapeutic in some way, caution has to be taken so that the public understands the negative as well as the positive potential implications of drinking coffee,” Dr. Bittel says.
(As posted on www.aoa.org)
We depend on our eyes for vision throughout our lives. In each stage of life we encounter new adventures, all of which are enhanced by our precious sense of sight. It is normal for our eyes and vision to change as we age, with the first important changes occurring during infancy. As we age, our eyes’ ability to focus slowly decreases, since the lens of the eye becomes less flexible, ultimately requiring vision correction devices (reading glasses). It is important for us to be aware of changes in our vision. We must also be proactive in maintaining the health of our eyes by having regular comprehensive eye exams.
Infants: A baby is born with the eye structures needed for vision, but must learn how to use them together to be able to “see.” Focusing ability and color vision are usually accomplished by three or four months of age. By four to six months of age, a baby learns eye-hand coordination. During the next six months, a baby develops the ability to judge depth. Perception skills, such as visual memory and discrimination, are also acquired during the first two years.
Children: The eyes continue to develop throughout childhood. You may wonder if your preschooler has a vision problem. Early eye exams are critical to ensure that children have normal, healthy vision so that they can perform better in school as well as at play. Early detection of vision problems is crucial because the younger a child is treated, the better the chance of responding to treatment.
Teens: Vision usually stabilizes during the teen years, with eye and vision development complete. Annual eye examinations are important, as hidden vision problems or disorders may be detected. Eye safety is also important to remember during the teen years, as sports involvement and contact lens use become popular.
Adults: As we get older, our vision changes. We may need more light to see clearly. We may have trouble focusing on near objects, such as a book in our hands. Fortunately, there are many ways to help us see our best during the adult years. As always, changes in our vision should be monitored to ensure clear vision and healthy eyes.
Seniors: Older adults need to visit the eye doctor regularly and be aware of potential vision problems to possibly catch or slow a disease before vision loss occurs.
(as posted at http://vision.about.com/od/childrensvision/p/Vision_stages.htm)
First Thursday reception April 3rd from 6-9pm.
Spring Fling Ladies Night – A Style Event
22 million Americans suffer seasonal allergies. If you’re one of them and a contact lens wearer, you may as well refer to it as misery season. That’s because allergens have a special attraction to contacts – especially the soft variety, which most contact lens wearers use.
The American Optometric Association says that more than 75% of contact lens wearers complain of allergen-caused eye pain and irritation.
Allergy season calls for special tactics to keep you and your eyes happy. Here are some suggestions:
Switch to specs. You may not want to wear your glasses, but you’ll probably be more comfortable if you do. The allergens in the air, such as pollen and dust, love contact lenses, and the particles will stick on them. That means irritation.
Keep ‘em wet. Keep a container of artificial tears handy, and use them often. This will help your eyes feel better and also wash the allergens out. Say no to any brand of over-the-counter redness relievers and buy the artificial tears instead. Redness reducing solutions are only cosmetic and won’t do anything to make your eyes feel better.
Keep ‘em clean. In allergy season, get even more rigorous with your cleaning routine. Clean more often, and use a preservative-free solution (it’ll say so on the bottle). For disposable lenses, consider spending a little more and replacing them more often than usual.
That’s the rub. When you have an itch, you want to scratch it. But when it comes to your eyes, don’t. Excessive rubbing is just going make it worse. Instead, get a nice cool washcloth or other compress and gently treat your eyes to a little TLC. It can keep swelling and itching in check.
Get help. If you’re really suffering, by all means see your eye doctor. He or she can prescribe medications that could help. Also, an eye exam can rule out other more serious problems.
Source: VSP
Many patients wonder “is it really necessary to dilate my eyes during my exam?”
The simple answer is “yes.” Your eye doctor may be able to determine your glasses and contact lens prescription without it, but dilated eye examinations are important because they allow your doctor to check for common vision problems and eye diseases, many of which have no early warning signs or noticeable symptoms.
To perform the dilation, your eye doctor will put special drops in your eyes that will cause the pupil (a dark opening in the center of the iris) to widen. A dilated pupil allows your doctor to see more of the retina (Figure 1), the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
Examining the retina allows your doctor to diagnose certain diseases and conditions of the eye, such as macular degeneration, retinal detachment, infectious diseases, and sometimes eye tumors. Even conditions that are seemingly unrelated to the eyes can be detected through a dilated eye exam, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. A dilated eye exam also allows your doctor to examine your optic nerve to check for signs of glaucoma.
After the dilated examination, your close-up vision may be blurred for several hours. This can make it difficult to read, text, and to use a computer. You may also feel light sensitive, which may make it more difficult to drive without a good pair of sunglasses. It is a good idea to bring a pair of polarized sunglasses with you to your exam to minimize any light sensitivity and glare you may experience after you leave our office. Disposable pairs of sunglasses are also made available to you at Boling Vision Center for your convenience.
Regular dilated eye exams can help you protect your sight and make sure that you are seeing your best. Be sure to have your eyes dilated at least every one to two years, or as indicated by your eye doctor, to maintain the optimum health for your eyes.
If you haven’t had a dilated eye exam in the past 1-2 years, be sure to schedule your appointment today. Protect your precious sense of sight.
(As originally posted on www.bolingvisioncenter.com)
We are excited to announce our 2nd Designer Evening Event featuring XO Bruno and Bome Eyewear.
Join us from 6-8pm as we showcase their newest collections of handcrafted leather bags and locally made wooden ophthalmic eyewear, respectively, and meet the creators behind the products. We will be serving delicious wine and cheese, and hope you’ll be able to join us!
There are still a couple of time slots left for you to schedule a one on one appointment with our incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, handsome West Coast Representative Dan Martin. This is an amazing opportunity to have assistance from the best of the best when selecting your new favorite frame! Spots are filling fast, so call today to set up your own consultation! 503-944-5475
What are cataracts?
A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. The lens works much like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retina at the back of the eye. The lens also adjusts the eye’s focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away.
The lens is mostly made of water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and allows light to pass through it. But as we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud a small area of the lens. This is a cataract, and over time, it may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder to see.
Most cataracts occur gradually as we age and don’t become bothersome until after age 55. However, cataracts can also be present at birth (congenital cataracts) or occur at any age as the result of an injury to the eye (traumatic cataracts). Cataracts can also be caused by diseases such as diabetes or can occur as the result of long-term use of certain medications, such as steroids.
Cataract Symptoms
A cataract starts out small, and at first has little effect on your vision. You may notice that your vision is blurred a little, like looking through a cloudy piece of glass or viewing an impressionist painting. However, as cataracts worsen, you are likely to notice some or all of these problems:
Cataract Prevention
Though there is significant controversy about whether cataracts can be prevented, a number of studies suggest certain nutrients and nutritional supplements may reduce your risk of cataracts.
One large, 10-year study of female health professionals found that higher dietary intakes of vitamin E and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin from food and supplements were associated with significantly decreased risks of cataract.
Good food sources of vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds and spinach. Good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin include spinach, kale and other green, leafy vegetables.
Other studies have shown antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C and foods containing omega-3 fatty acids may reduce cataract risk.
Visit our Nutrition & Eyes section to read more about eye vitamins and how a healthful diet and good nutrition may help prevent cataracts.
Another step you can take to reduce your risk of cataracts is to wear protective sunglasses that block 100 percent of the sun’s UV rays when you are outdoors.
(This information brought to you by www.thinkaboutyoureyes.com)
This week’s blog post is brought to you by our in house Optometrist, Dr. Sagina O’Halloran. She’s provided some great information to help you understand some common eye health related terms, and answer some frequently asked questions!
