Archive for the ‘Corneal Disease’ Category
Noninvasive therapy now available for those suffering from keratoconus
09.20.2011A new, noninvasive treatment for keratoconus offers hope to those patients suffering from the eye disease. Keratoconus is a degenerative condition in which the cornea thins and become conical. The collagen fibers in the eye weaken causing the cone shape and distorting vision. Permanent vision loss is the result of this condition unless the patient undergoes intensive eye surgery.
The new therapy, known as corneal cross-linking, utilizes ultraviolet light and vitamin B to treat the condition. Eye drops made of a type of vitamin B are used in conjunction with a very weak ultraviolet light to strengthen the collagen fibers in the eye.
The good news is that there is only a day of recovery involved in the treatment but the bad news is that the treatment is considered experimental and not covered by insurance. The treatment is expensive at $3250 per keratoconus-afflicated eye.
Elise Ervin
Staff Writer
When is a Child Old Enough To Wear Contact Lenses?
08.10.2011
Parents often ask me what is a good age is for a child to start wearing contact lenses. I always tell them that it is not necessarily an age, but more of a maturity factor. Contact lenses are a huge responsibility and, as a parent, you have to make sure that you are willing to monitor your child’s contact lens habits. Improper use of contacts can often lead to frequent infections, corneal abrasions and in rare cases, permanently scarred corneas that have the potential to affect vision for the rest of your life. Parents can use these Do’s and Don’t as a guideline to see if their child is ready to step into the contact lens world.
Simple Do’s
- Always follow the directions on the packaging of your lenses and those of your Eye Doctor.
- Always wash hands thoroughly with warm soap and water before handling contacts.
- If you find a brand of solution that works for you, stick with it. Not all brands work for everybody and all types of lenses.
- Discard old solution and replace with fresh every time you put your lenses in their case, even if they are only going to be in there for a short time.
- Get regular eye exams to ensure proper strength and fit of your current prescription.
- Whenever you are out in the sun, always wear UV protective sunglasses, even if your contacts are in.
Simple Don’ts
- Don’t use any medication without your doctor’s permission
- Don’t ever take your lenses out of the packaging using your fingernail or any other tool.
- Don’t ever store your contact lenses in the case using tap water, or even worse, SALIVA.
- Don’t stretch out the time between changing your lenses to try to save money. This could lead to an infection and having to get costly eye drops.
- Don’t ever put on someone else’s contacts, even the non-prescriptive ones used just to change eye color.
If you follow these simple steps, contact lens use can be a great experience, freeing your child from the hassle of having to wear glasses.
Mary Sweetman
Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
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I use the “clean room” test.
If the child’s room is kept neat and clean, he or she is probably ready to wear contact lenses.
Paul Krawitz, M.D., President
VisiVite.Com
Free Eye Health Book this month to first 100 people that sign up
08.05.2011
We’re giving away my eBook, Ultimate Insider’s Guide to Eye Health this month only to the first 100 subscribers. To sign up for this free offer, go to http://www.visivite.com/get-free-ebook.html. It’s packed with insider’s information, advice and recommendations about Lasik, Contact Lenses, Dry Eye, Cataract Surgery, Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy, and more.
Paul Krawitz, M.D., President
Vitamin Science, Inc.
Eeew! What’s that thing in your eye???
07.13.2011I just got back from a nice, relaxing, 7 day, adult only vacation on the beautiful coast of Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. We stayed at an all inclusive resort that had a pool with a swim up bar, that gave you a nice break from the heat of the sun in the middle of the afternoon. While sitting there, we became friends with one of the bartenders whose name was Diaz. Diaz was very impressed that we were from New York, explaining to us that it is his dream to one day come to America, specifically New York, on a vacation. I told him that one day he would hopefully be able to fulfill that dream and he shook his head and said, “I doubt it.” Diaz explained that in his country, only the extremely wealthy are permitted to get a Visa that would enable them to leave the country. He asked me if I had a big glamorous job in the city, and when I told him I actually worked for an eye doctor, he asked me to take a look at his eye. He said he had this thing growing on his eye.
What Diaz had, was actually called a Pinguecula (pronounced pin-GWEK-yoo-la). A Pinguecula is a yellowish bump or patch on the conjunctiva, the thin membrane that covers the clear part of your eye. This bump is a change in the normal tissue that results from a deposit of protein, fat and/or calcium, often occurring on the side of 
the eye closest to the nose. These growths are believed to be caused by dry eye and environmental elements such as wind and sun exposure, making people who live on the islands more prone to them.
Symptoms can include redness and inflamation, irritation, dryness, itchy, sandy feeling and having the feeling like you have something in your eye every single time you blink. Re-wetting drops or artificial tears can often help alleviate these symptoms, although there is no “cure”. It is not contagious or an infection, so antibiotics will not work either. If the symptoms become very severe or start to effect your vision, it can be surgically removed. Although, Pingueculas often can come back, so you would have to be very careful not to expose yourself to the risk factors.
I told Diaz he was going to be just fine and to get a really good pair of UV protective sunglasses.
And on a side note, the gift shop in the hotel sold 3 different types of rewetting drops. Do you think they read my recent blog entry and stocked up in case people got sunscreen in their eyes??
Mary Sweetman C.O.A.
Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
Breaking news about Cornea health – Fuchs dystrophy linked to free radical damage
02.11.2011Almost 4 percent of the population over the age of 60 suffers from Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) which is an eye disease that can cause vision loss due to epithelial cell death in the cornea. A study published in the American Journal of Pathology identifies free radicals as the culprits behind the development of this disease.
While genetic factors are linked to FECD, the mechanisms behind the disease have previously been unknown. This study reveals that free radicals play a? role in its development. In the study, corneal epithelial tissue samples from FECD patients who had received corneal transplants were compared to samples from? patients who did not have FECD. What researchers discovered was a decrease in the level of antioxidants in the majority of FECD samples and an increase in DNA damage. FECD is the most common reason for corneal transplants.
This discovery will help researchers determine how free radicals are involved and what antioxidants will be most effective in fighting them and an appropriate protocol can be developed that will help protect the cornea.*
Elise Ervin
Staff Writer
