Your Eyes Need a Break
Most of us spend many hours a day on our Smartphones, laptops and tablets causing eye strain. Take a break and rest your eyes. Use the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to view something 20 feet away.
Tips to Prevent Springtime Eye Allergies
As the weather becomes warmer, allergy season begins. Springtime eye allergies can wreak havoc for some people and get in the way of enjoying this time of year. Below are a few tips to try to help alleviate your eye allergy symptoms to keep you more comfortable.
Eye allergies, like other allergies, are more prevalent in the spring because of pollen and other airborne allergens that begin to stir up with the changing of weather and thawing of the environment. The eyes are particularly susceptible because they are exposed to the elements most of the time allowing airborne particles to enter and agitate. Simply avoiding the allergens and limiting exposure helps. Until the season is over, whenever possible, check the weather for a pollen count and if it is high, simply stay indoors as much as feasible.
There are also eye medications to help reduce symptoms. If your symptoms are not too bad, you may find that over-the-counter eye drops will work just fine to reduce your discomfort. However, for more severe cases, prescription drops are better. There are several different kinds of formulations that will counter the effects of eye allergies which your Eye Michigan ophthalmologist will recommend for your particular problem.
If you are a contact lens wearer, you may consider switching to glasses for the spring which adds an extra protective layer in front of the eyes. If you would rather keep your contact lenses, be aware the allergens can build on the surface of the lens and cause a stronger allergic reaction. During spring, it is advisable to try single-use contact lenses to minimize the amount of allergen build up.
Make an appointment with your Eye Michigan doctor. Our doctors will determine the best way to reduce your eye allergy symptoms so you can better enjoy the beauty of springtime.
World Health Day Focuses on Diabetes
Diabetes is now considered a pandemic that has spread rapidly in the last few decades. It is essential to have routine checkups to diagnose Diabetes to thwart any complications of leaving it untreated. If you are given a diagnosis of Diabetes, it is essential that your health care professionals are notified to help you manage your prognosis. Please tell your Eye Michigan ophthalmologist right away if you have received a diagnosis of diabetes. Diabetics have an increased risk of eye disease including: Glaucoma, Cataracts and Retinopathy.
Limit Exposure to Blue Light
With all of the amazing benefits of technology also comes potential additional risk to your eyes. Blue light (high-energy visible (HEV) light) exposure may be doing some harm to our eyes with a potential link to age related macular degeneration (AMD). We are exposed to blue light through digital devices, compact fluorescent bulbs, and LED’s. Be aware to limit your exposure.
Happy Easter
Do You Need Cataract Surgery?
The decision to have surgery is always an important one and it should be made with as much information and care as possible. At Eye Michigan, we educate our patients on their conditions and treatment options, so that they are knowledgeable and comfortable with the course of action. In this short article, we look specifically at cataract surgery and hope to answer some of your questions. Read on to learn more.
What are cataracts?
First, it helps to give a brief synopsis of what’s actually happening in the eye when cataracts are present. Essentially, a cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye (the lens is normally clear). A progressively-opaque eye lens causes blurred and otherwise compromised vision. The cause of cataracts is dependent on each person, but for the most part, they occur as a result of injury, aging, or even certain genetic conditions and develop gradually over time.
The question of cataract surgery.
Surgery is a safe and effective option for many patients but is usually not recommended until the cataracts interfere with normal life activities. The condition may never progress to a point of being a real problem in some patient’s lifetime, so the decision of surgery is sometimes avoided altogether. Cataracts generally do not harm the rest of the eye, and waiting to make the decision of surgery is not an issue to recover vision for most patients. The choice of whether you should have surgery will depend on a comprehensive eye exam and a discussion with you and your Eye Michigan doctor. Doctors Grosinger, Spigelman, and Grey look at each patient individually to advise the best possible option(s) and treatment plan.
During cataract surgery, the clouded lens of the eye is replaced with an artificial clear lens which then becomes a permanent part of your eye. For most people with healthy and normal eyes, the results are very favorable. Yet, for some individuals who may have other preexisting eye or other medical conditions, artificial lenses are not an option. This does not exclude you from benefiting from cataract surgery. Contact lenses or corrective glasses may also be used to restore vision once the cataract is removed. Your doctor will take into account your specific health conditions to ensure a safe and effective outcome. Call Eye Michigan for more information.
Detroit Auto Show
Knowing When It’s Time for Cataract Surgery
The decision to have surgery is always an important one and it should be made with as much information and care as possible. At Eye Michigan, we educate our patients on their conditions and treatment options, so that they are knowledgeable and comfortable with the course of action. In this short article, we look specifically at cataract surgery and hope to answer some of your questions. Read on to learn more.
What are cataracts?
First, it helps to give a brief synopsis of what’s actually happening in the eye when cataracts are present. Essentially, a cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye (the lens is normally clear). A progressively-opaque eye lens causes blurred and otherwise compromised vision. The cause of cataracts is dependent on each person, but for the most part, they occur as a result of injury, aging, or even certain genetic conditions and develop gradually over time.
The question of cataract surgery.
Surgery is a safe and effective option for many patients but is usually not recommended until the cataracts interfere with normal life activities. The condition may never progress to a point of being a real problem in some patient’s lifetime, so the decision of surgery is sometimes avoided altogether. Cataracts generally do not harm the rest of the eye, and waiting to make the decision of surgery is not an issue to recover vision for most patients. The choice of whether you should have surgery will depend on a comprehensive eye exam and a discussion with you and your Eye Michigan doctor. Doctors Grosinger, Spigelman, and Grey look at each patient individually to advise the best possible option(s) and treatment plan.
During cataract surgery, the clouded lens of the eye is replaced with an artificial clear lens which then becomes a permanent part of your eye. For most people with healthy and normal eyes, the results are very favorable. Yet, for some individuals who may have other preexisting eye or other medical conditions, artificial lenses are not an option. This does not exclude you from benefiting from cataract surgery. Contact lenses or corrective glasses may also be used to restore vision once the cataract is removed. Your doctor will take into account your specific health conditions to ensure a safe and effective outcome. Call Eye Michigan for more information.
Interesting Eye Facts
- You blink on average 12 times every minute with the average blink persisting for about 1/10th of a second.
- Babies do not produce tears until around 4-13 weeks old.
- The cell shapes in your eyes have different roles. Rod-shaped cells permit you to see shapes and cone-shaped cells allow you to see color.
- Your eyes are weigh about 0.25 ounce.
- The muscles that control your eyes are the most active muscles in your body.
- Seeing is complex and requires approximately half of your brain to collaborate.
- 80% of vision problems worldwide can be prevented and many others can be treated and corrected.