An individual’s lifestyle can sometimes determine whether we contract certain illnesses as we mature. For those entering their forties, cataracts and other types of vision loss can become a concern. Other vision related maladies such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy can begin to affect our sight as we age; but there are steps you can take to help prevent vision loss and cataracts. [Read more…] about Promoting Good Health and Preventing Cataract Development
Carrot Night-Vision Myth Debunked by Historians?
While they may promote eye health in the form of vitamin A, the fact that people believe eating carrots actually improves your eye sight at night is a total sham, and historians believe they have finally found out where this myth all started. Historians at Smithsonian Magazine have found that during the times of World War 2, propaganda campaigns were seen all over claiming that carrots actually improved your night-vision. This in turn seems to be the root for what moms would eventually tell their kids to get them to eat their vegetables at the dinner table.
While they may not help you win your way out of a midnight dog fight, carrots do in fact pack a lot of vitamin A, which promotes good eye health. The fact that the truth had been stretched so thin goes to show how that kind of information spread in those days. The campaign was so successful that in fact pilots who were war heroes, having shot down multiple enemy planes, claimed that their success was due to their over-the-top appetite for the bright orange root vegetables.
Playing perfectly in line with the placebo effect, the pilots would have gone the majority of their lives believing this farfetched tale of vegetable enhancement. Nevertheless, they went into battle believing they had the upper hand, which in turn worked in their favor. Mothers everywhere would use this perfect leverage to get their kids to finish their vegetables whenever they were served. They might not have night vision right now, but they’ll surely have better vision.
It’s never too late to repair or start preserving your eyesight, call Eye Michigan (Grosinger, Spigelman & Grey) for more information.
EDIT: We have recently been informed that carrots DO in fact help you see better at night, through the help of a carrot historian. For more information, please read the comments under the Smithsonian article. Thank you.
LASIK is the key to regaining perfect vision
We all know by now that LASIK surgery is a reasonable alternative for people wanting to ditch their glasses and contact lenses. The surgery alters the cornea of the patient, allowing them to better focus on objects, thus, reversing years of vision damage. While this surgery is available from a variety of eye professionals, it’s important to heal properly, so that you can recover quickly and efficiently. For a successful surgery, adhere to the following recovery tips.
Slow and steady wins the race
Don’t be in such a rush to get back to your normal life. When planning the surgery, be sure that you plan in a way that allows you to slowly ease back into things. Take some extra time off from work if necessary, or plan the surgery leading into an extended weekend. Make sure that you take a grocery trip prior to the surgery, so that you can spend some time indoors without worrying about necessities.
Hop in the tub
While most people are used to taking showers, you run a greater risk of irritating your eyes in the shower than you do in the tub. In the bath tub, you won’t have to worry about water splashing you in the face. When taking your bath, be extra careful to avoid getting shampoos, face washes and soaps into your eyes, as they can become particularly irritating following a surgery.
Follow up with your eye doctor
LASIK surgery has incredibly high success rates, but you should always let your doctor know if anything feels out of the ordinary. Plan to schedule a follow-up visit after the surgery so that you can address any problems, or make sure that you are properly healing.
LenSx cataract surgery might be just what your looking for.
You’re thinking about your options when it comes to cataract surgery, and you’re asking yourself what exactly is LenSx? Can I trust a computer into shooting a laser into my eyes to supposedly fix them? It would make sense to be hesitant when it comes to something, especially if you’re someone older, but believe you me, LenSx is the safest option when it comes to Cataract surgery in this day and age, and we’re about to explain to you why.
Traditionally done manually with a blade, cataract surgery has since had a technological overhaul when it comes to the equipment used in replacing someone’s natural lens. The problem with the old method was that even though the surgeons meant well, they couldn’t give each and every eye the precise attention they deserved. Every eye is different in terms of shape, and you can’t calibrate your hand and a scalpel to that.
With lenSx, you get a customized procedure that is tailored to exact specifications that are given the O.K. by your doctor, so you know you’re in good “hands”. Another upside to having the LenSx procedure over anything else is the amount of time it takes. Since the introduction of laser cataract surgery and LenSx surgery, the total procedure time has been cut down to a fraction to what it used to be. Patients have been noted as having better vision in as little as 6-8 hours after their surgery.
If you suffer from cataracts and cloudiness in the eyes, please take the time and do your research on cataract and LenSx surgery. It isn’t the most wide-spread procedure just yet, and it’s not available everywhere so if you have the option of going with LenSx, I would highly recommend it. Grosinger, Spigelman & Grey were the first doctors in Southeast Michigan to offer LenSx, so be sure to call today or visit our website for more information on the breakthrough procedure.
G, S & G – LASIK Eye Surgery in Metro Detroit
Grosinger, Spigelman, & Grey provide some of the most comprehensive LASIK Eye surgery in Detroit, and its surrounding areas. With such a level of expertise, they’ll have your vision back to 100% in record time. In many patients’ testimonials, nothing but high praise is given to the one-of-a-kind team that is “Eye Michigan”. Charlene T., a long time patient that moved to Chicago, said that she drove over four hours back to Detroit to get LASIK from Dr. Grosinger! According to her, it was worth every penny as she’s’ trusted the team at Grosinger, Spigelman & Grey for over 20 years. A follow-up consultation did in fact show that her vision was back to normal, and that there was no longer a need to wear corrective lenses.
Grosinger, Spigelman & Grey can deliver amazing results, however bad your eye condition is, with state-of-the-art custom LASIK eye surgery for the people of the Detroit –Metropolitan area. What that means is the ALLEGRETTO WAVE laser system they use has even more precision than its predecessors. This allows for a correctional surgery that is tailored to the unique shape of your eyes, giving you results you’ll be able to see for yourself in no time at all. In the end you’ll be happy you chose G, S & G for your LASIK eye surgery.
If you live within the Detroit area and suffer from nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, cataracts, or glaucoma please visit www.eyemichigan.com or call (248) 333-2900 to schedule your appointment for corrective surgery today.
Leafy greens in your diet show preventive qualities against cataracts
Studies have shown that leafy greens, like spinach and broccoli, have shown significant effects of protection against Cataract. Cataracts are caused by pollution and ultraviolet radiation, for most as they get older. About 20 million people and counting suffer from cataracts in the United States alone, but there are preventive actions you can take, like eating better and using UV protection. However, if you already suffer from cataracts, surgery is always an option with an almost perfect success rate.
Lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants found in leafy green vegetables, have shown to have considerable effects in preventing the development of cataracts. What they found out was that after exposing eye cells to ultraviolet rays, the cells treated with lutein and zeaxanthin responded better and faster than those treated with vitamin E, a compound known for its regenerative qualities. So if you want to keep your eyesight in good shape, be sure to include some spinach, broccoli and kale into your diet today!
Pre-Op Questions & Concerns
Before you have cataract surgery, you should tell your doctor what medications you are currently taking, as some medications might lead to problems during surgery. For example, alpha-blockers and blood thinners can lead to complications when undergoing surgery.
The surgery method known as phacoemulsification is the preferred method over others because:
- The surgery can be done in a shorter time.
- Chances of having astigmatism after surgery are far less likely.
- Recovery time after surgery is shorter.
- There are far less complications with surgery overall.
Surgery results are pretty identical for both procedures, but healing time is faster with phacoemulsification.
This should go without saying, but it’ll be said anyway: the more experience your surgeon has, the less likely you are to have problems with your surgery. With a combined field experience of over 25 years, I think anyone would be in good hands at GSG.
Regardless of what kind of surgery you have done, you’re going to need reading glasses afterwards. There is an option with the intraocular lens so that you have one for seeing far away and one for seeing things up close. Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons about having this combination of lenses.
Cataracts in children are best to be diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible. The biggest period of development of the eyes is from birth to 3 months. The faster the cataract is found and removed, the better chances of that person having better vision later in life.
Cataract Myths #5
MYTH 5: Cataracts can “grow back”.
FACT: NO. Cataracts are not a growth; they develop as the lens’s cells die and accumulate. It is possible, however, to develop a secondary, completely different cataract in the eye. Vision can be compromised when the membrane that holds the new lens implant gets cloudy, but this can be easily treated with laser surgery- a painless, 15-minute procedure that will have you seeing clearly again in no time.
Be sure to visit the rest of our site, or give us a call for more information on cataracts and cataract surgery.
Cataract Myths #3
Myth #3: You can reverse your cataracts.
FACT: NO. Cataracts are unavoidable. The lenses in your eyes will naturally cloud as you get older, but their development can be slowed. You can slow their progression by quitting smoking, eating a balanced diet, and wearing sunglasses with 100% UV ray protection.
More myths debunked soon!
Cataract Myths #2
Myth #2: Activities that are done up close (i.e. puzzle-solving, reading and/or sewing) can make your cataracts worse.
FACT: NO. There is no correlation with cataract development and using your eyes to see closer or further away. However, when you are doing an activity up close, a cataract will be much more apparent and bothersome. Needing more light to do the same activities throughout your day is also a sign of a cataract.
More myths debunked soon!