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Cataract – Treatments, Complications, and Prevention

Cataract is an eye condition characterized by cloudy lens and blurry vision. The lens of our eyes play a vital role in our vision. It is where the light pass through. It bends the light rays to form a clear image to the retina. Once the bent light ray enters the retina, it is converted into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. People dealing with cataract have cloudy lens which prevents the retina of their eyes to receive sharp image.

The most common cause of cataract is aging although in some rare cases, it may be present at birth. It may also occur due to trauma, radiation exposure, or after an eye surgery for a different eye condition. The reason why aging is the most common cause of cataract is because as we age, some of the proteins that make most of our lenses clump together and start to cloud some areas of the lens. The clumped proteins grow larger over time clouding more part of the lens and thus, making the vision blurry.

Cataract Treatments And Complications

Eye doctors and optometrists often advise patients to wear prescription glasses or contact lenses at the early onset of the disease. However, if cataract is detected late, the only possible treatment is cataract eye surgery.

Cataract eye surgery has a high percentage of success with most of patients achieving desired results after the surgery. This is if the surgery is done by a qualified eye doctor. During the surgery, the clouded lens will be replaced with an artificial lens called intraocular lens. The artificial lens will replace the work of the cloudy lens.

The cataract surgery approximately takes 10 minutes, but the recovery time is roughly six weeks. The eye implanted with intraocular lens must adjust seeing without the cataract. If only one eye has undergone a cataract surgery, then a recovery time will be needed for both eyes to learn working together again.

Nine out of ten patients have claimed that their cataract surgeries were successful; however, there are rare instances when surgeries led to complications. One of the most common infections that are linked with cataract surgery is Endopthalmitis. It is a serious eye infection that can occur after a cataract surgery and it is usually the result of a bacterial infection. The most common bacteria that results to this serious infection is staphylococcus or “staph” which is usually found on human skin. This eye infection may result to permanent loss of vision or worst, loss of the eye.

Avoid These To Prevent Cataract

Although the exact cause of cataract is unknown, there are ways to slow cataract development. Here are 3 things you should avoid to lessen the chances of getting cataracts.

Avoid smoking.Smoking does not only cause heart disease and lung cancer, it can also lead to loss of vision. Research suggests that smoking increases the risk of developing cataracts.
Avoid direct eye contact to sunlight. Ultraviolet rays can certainly damage your eyes. Using sunglasses blocks the wavelengths of light that can hasten the formation of cataracts.
Avoid high-sugar food and low-quality carbohydrates. Studies have shown that those with diabetes are at high risk of developing cataracts. That is why eating healthy and maintaining your blood sugar are necessary.

Cataracts can be prevented and even if you get them, it can be treated. To ensure you are diagnosed as early as possible, always consider getting regular eye exam. Your Ottawa optometrist or eye doctor will be able to help you prevent cataract.

10 Safety Tips If You Are Going To Wear Contact Lenses

Many people wear contact lenses to avoid restrictive frame around their visions. Some choose to wear contact lenses over eyeglasses because they find the latter unsuitable, especially in most sports as they can easily fall off. Some are tired of wearing eyeglasses because of the reflections and distortions they get in wearing them, blurry vision they get when water splashes on it, and steaming up when entering a warmer place. Most of the time, people choose contact lenses over eyeglasses because of the comfort it provides. Your vision is a lot sharper with contact lenses and you can have peripheral vision in wearing them.

However, to wear contact lenses, you are required to place it directly to your iris. The downside in wearing them is they put you at much greater risk of infection and eye damage. A common mistake made by users is that they don’t follow instructions on how to clean and disinfect the contact lenses and storage case diligently which increases the risk of eye infection.

A common eye-infection that contact lens wearers are at risk for is Acanthamoeba keratitis. It is a rare disease in which an amoeba, Acanthamoeba, invades the cornea of the eye. Acanthamoeba are naturally occurring amoeba commonly found in water sources such as tap water. Using contaminated tap or well water in cleaning contact lenses is one of the factors that increase the risk of having this type of eye-infection. Acanthamoeba keratitis, although a rare disease, can lead to permanent blindness.

To ensure your safety when wearing contact lenses, follow these tips:

• Always consult your optometrist or eye doctor for contact lens prescription. One-size-fits-all is not suitable when it comes to contact lenses. Not only is it uncomfortable but it can seriously damage your eyes. You can ensure a comfortable fit and prevent eye infections such as corneal abrasion when your contact lenses are properly prescribed by an optometrist.

• Never touch your contact lenses with dirty hands. Always wash your hands when touching your contact lenses. Germs can be prevented by washing your hands. An anti-bacterial soap is essential for keeping your hands clean and germ-free.

• The storage case must be kept clean. Bad hygiene practices are often associated with contamination of microorganisms. To avoid this, discard old solution from the case, rub the case with a clean finger, and rinse the contact lenses with a disinfecting solution. Following these simple steps can avoid the microorganisms from contaminating your contact lenses and the infections caused by these microorganisms.

• Only use a disinfecting solution in cleaning your contact lenses. Do not use a saline solution, simply sterile water. Saline solution will not clean or disinfect your contact lenses. Do not use tap or well water either for they may contain pathogens that might infect your eyes.

• Never sleep with your contact lenses on. Wearing contact lenses for an extended period of time impedes the oxygen flow, more if you have contact lenses and your eyelids are closed. When you do that, it will alter the physiology of the eye which causes the cornea to swell up leading to eye irritation.

• Remove your contact lenses when taking a bath or swimming. The sources of water we use in bathing, such as tap and well water, and bodies of water where we swim can be contaminated with pathogens commonly found in water sources.

• Never reuse contact lens solution. Reusing old solution or cleaning your contact lenses with an old solution has often been linked to cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis.

• Replace your contact lens case at least every three months. Even if you clean and disinfect it by changing the solution, bacteria may still remain. Over time, germs from your fingers and the surrounding environment build up in the case which is why the need for new contact lens case ever three months is essential.

• Replace your contact lenses regularly. Substances found naturally in basal tears such as mucin, lipids, lysozyme, lactoferrin, lipocalin, and many more can build up in your contact lenses making it prone to infection. Old contact lenses can also warp over time resulting in a poor fit and discomfort.

• See your optometrist or eye doctor regularly. Infections that are related to contact lens are mostly caught during a routine examination. If you feel an irritation or discomfort in your eyes, remove your contact lenses and see a doctor. It is not healthy to have these irritations as it can be a sign of an infection.

Follow these tips to ensure that your contact lenses will bring benefits only and no harm to you and your eyes.

Common Eye Tests Done During A Regular Eye Exam

Regular eye exam is advisable for all ages. It should not just be for adults. Do you know that there is an increasing number of young people who are already diagnosed to have eye problems? This is the reason why everyone, regardless of age, should consider getting eye exam on a regular basis.

A comprehensive eye exam will only take roughly an hour. This is done by an optometrist or eye doctor. During the eye exam, you will undergo several types of tests that are designed to measure your vision and eye health.

There are many different tests depending on your individual needs, but these are the most common:

Cover Test

When the eyes don’t work together, it causes eye problems such as lazy eye, crossed eye, or lack of depth perception. Lazy eyes is medically termed as amblyopia. It is when the eyes are not lined up. Sometimes one eye is farsighted and the other is not. Other times, one eye is blurry and the other is clear.

Crossed eye, on the other hand, is medically termed as strabismus. This is the condition wherein the eyes can’t look at the same direction at the same time. The cause for strabismus is poor eye muscle control. Another common cause of crossed eye is extreme farsightedness.

Both lazy eye and crossed eye can cause lack of depth perception. Since for both conditions, the eyes are not coordinated, getting depth perception becomes quite a challenge as this requires two functioning eyes.

Cover test is used to determine misalignment and miscoordination of the eyes. The procedure is done by covering one eye first for about 1-2 seconds. While the eye is covered, the other eye is observed if there is any change in the fixation. The same thing is done with the other eye. The optometrist will be able to see if the patient suffers from heterotropia or tropia based on the observation.

Visual Acuity Test

This test measures how sharp and clear your vision is. The optometrist will ask you to read different letters in shifting sizes and distance. Each eye will be tested. One eye will be covered first then you will be asked to read the letters. After which, the cover will be on the other and the test will be repeated.

For this test, the Snellen chart is used. Sometimes a visual card is used. The standard distance for the test is 20 feet or 6 meters away; however, if the optometrist finds it necessary to test your eyes at a distance that is shorter than the usual 6 meters, the optometrist will use a specialized chart.

Eye Movement Test

This is a very easy test that entails looking at and following with your eyes the movement of an object presented by the optometrist. What is tested are the muscles of the eyes. The optometrist wants to see if the muscles are functioning properly.

Color Perception Test

This test measures your ability to identify and distinguish different colors. You will be asked to cover one eye and you will be presented a card with colored dot patterns. Inside the pattern is either a number or a symbol which you will have to identify. The number or symbol is usually hidden and a bit difficult to see. The test will also be performed on the other eye.

There are different eye tests and the ones mentioned here are the most common. Through these exams, the optometrist or eye doctor will be able to diagnose whether you have a vision or eye problem. Get your eyes checked now by your Ottawa optometrist.

Macular Degeneration – What You Need To Know

A lot of vision loss cases are due to macular degeneration. This is an age related vision problem which is more commonly referred to as AMD or ARMD. What makes this a serious eye problem is the fact that our eyes rely big time on the health of the macula to be able to see clearly.

Macula is the small part in the middle of the retina. It plays a vital role in our vision because it is the one responsible in controlling visual acuity. If the macula degenerates, you will be limited in your everyday activity. You will not have the sharpness of vision to see small details even in everyday objects.

Dry And Wet Macular Degeneration

There are two types of macular degeneration. They are termed dry and wet. Dry macular degeneration, which is non-neovascular, is the atrophic type while the wet macular degeneration, which is neovascular, is the exudative type.

If you get checked by an optometrist or eye doctor and you are diagnosed with macular degeneration, chances are you get the dry type. This is because between these two types, the more common is the dry macular degeneration.

What Causes Macular Degeneration and Who Are At Risk?

While the causes are to be studied further, most macular degeneration cases are brought about by aging. There are also studies that point to heredity and environment as potential causes. As we age, the cells of the macula starts to degenerate thereby causing vision problem.

Because this eye problem is related to aging, older people are at greater risk. In most cases, this vision problem is experienced by people 55 years old and above.

Aside from age, other risk factors include genetics, race, and lifestyle. If someone in the family has AMD, other members of the family may be diagnosed with AMD as well. In terms of race, it seems that more Caucasians are diagnosed with AMD compared to other races. This may have something to do with the light colour of the eyes.

Lifestyle also affects the risk of getting AMD. It is observed that smokers are most likely to get macular degeneration than non-smokers. Furthermore, obesity is also said to affect AMD. In a study published in Archives of Ophthalmology (June 2003), it showed that obese people who are diagnosed with early AMD are more likely to develop a more advanced form of this eye problem.

Progression Of Macular Degeneration

This eye problem has different stages which can be divided into early, intermediate, and late. Some people discover they have this condition when it is already on the late stage. This is the reason why a regular eye exam is very important. A visit to your optometrist or eye doctor will help prevent this condition and if you are already diagnosed with early stage of AMD, the eye doctor will be able to help you slow the progression of the disease.

Little can be done to cure it as until now, there is no known cure for macular degeneration. However, there is something that the eye doctor can do to help you cope with it or slow its progression.

Before it’s too late, visit your Ottawa eye doctor today to get a comprehensive eye exam.

Should You Let Your Kids Wear Contact Lenses?

Having eye problems is not limited to adults only. Even kids can have vision difficulties. A lot of kids nowadays wear eyeglasses to help them see clearly.

Aside from eyeglasses, another option to improve and correct vision is contact lenses. Most adults wear contact lenses but is it safe for kids? What’s the right age to have kids wear contact lenses?

There comes a time when kids start asking about contact lenses especially if they have been wearing eyeglasses for some time already. Most parents are adamant in letting their kids wear contact lenses because they appear to be less safe compared to eyeglasses.

Why Wear Contact Lenses?

There are a number of reasons why your kids may need to wear contact lenses. Here are a few:

If your kids are into sports, wearing eyeglasses can be limiting. Contact lenses will help them move freely. Unlike eyeglasses, contact lenses are clearer because they don’t fog up if your kids are already sweaty. When they run, as most outdoor sports include running, contact lenses can’t get knocked off.

Wearing ortho-K lenses can help correct nearsightedness in kids. Orthokeratology is the use of gas permeable contact lenses that aids in reshaping the cornea provisionally. This helps correct nearsighted vision. What happens is that your kids will wear the contact lenses at night and remove the next day. It makes vision clearer and sharper even without eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Most kids don’t want to wear eyeglasses because they don’t want to appear different compared to their friends and classmates. Wearing eyeglasses sometimes lower their self-esteem as they feel their blurred vision is a weakness. Wearing contact lenses will make their so-called “weakness” invisible, thereby, increasing their self-esteem.

Are Contact Lenses Safe For Kids?

Your kids’ eyes can actually handle contact lenses even at an early age. You might be surprised that they can actually apply or remove the contact lens even without their parent’s assistance.

Yes, they are safe as long as they are applied and removed correctly. Always follow the instructions for the application of contact lenses. It is best to consult your Ottawa optometrist to ensure you are doing the right thing. The optometrist will also decide whether your child is already capable of using contact lenses.

Another thing to consider is the maturity of your child. Make sure that when you decide to let your child wear contact lenses, he is already responsible enough. If your child is not that responsible yet, chances are he’ll forget that he’s wearing contact lenses and this can lead to serious eye problems. Contact lenses also need to be properly taken care of so make sure your child knows how to do this.

So should you let your kids wear contact lenses? Yes, if they need to.

Four Seasons Of Good Eye Health

How you keep your eyes healthy and in perfect condition may differ depending on the season. There are things that you do during summer to protect your eyes that may not be that practical during winter or vice versa.

But no matter what the season is, it is vital that you protect your eyes to maintain or even improve your vision. Here are practical tips from Ottawa optometrist on how to keep your eyes healthy throughout the seasons:

Winter:

During winter, most people turn on their heaters at home. The heat from a heater or fireplace can lead to eye dryness. This situation can bring discomfort or pain especially if you are already suffering from a chronic eye condition like dry eyes. This is when the eyes are not properly lubricated because they do not produce the right amount of tears needed to keep the eyes moist. During winter, this condition can get worse. What you can do is keep your eyes moist by staying away from the heater or using a humidifier. If you visit Ottawa eye clinic, the eye doctor can also prescribe medication to keep your eyes moist.

It is a good idea to wear sunglasses during winter. Why? Because your eyes can get damaged if the temperature is too low. Make sure that your sunglasses has UV protection because the snow can reflect UV rays which doubles the risk.

To avoid snow and ice debris from entering your eyes, especially if the weather condition is not favourable, you should consider wearing goggles. Googles provide maximum protection compared to regular eyeglasses.

Spring:

Spring is the season for allergies. This can cause eye irritations including redness and itchiness. While you can take anti-allergy medications, it is best to consult an eye doctor and get an eye exam in case your eyes become irritated because of your allergy.

If you are engaging in spring cleaning, make sure to use goggles to avoid the dust from entering your eyes.

Even during spring time, the sun’s UV rays can still pose risks so it is still advisable to wear sunglasses with UV protection. This will help you avoid eye problems like cataract and macular degeneration.

Summer:

Same with other seasons, summer is the time when you put your sunglasses to good use. Don’t let the harmful rays of the sun damage your eyes. The brightness of the day can also be very painful for your naked eyes.

Summer is the perfect time to hit the beach. Don’t forget to wear your swim goggles whether you are going to the beach or pool. Saltwater can be damaging to your eyes especially if you accidentally open your eyes while underwater. The bleach on pool water can also cause eye irritations.

For outdoor activities, make sure to use eye protection. The dust and heat from outside can both cause eye damage. Also wear a hat outside as added protection from UV rays and heat of the sun.

Fall:

Throughout the year, you will need your sunglasses. Even if you feel you don’t need it during the fall season, you still do because there is still the risk of the UV rays. Make sure to wash your hands frequently to avoid causing any bacteria to enter your eyes when you happen to touch them.

Fall is also the season of allergies, just like the spring season. Always keep an anti-allergy medication and eye drop ready in case of allergy. It is best to consult your Ottawa optometrist for eye medications that can help relieve or prevent allergy symptoms.

Winter, spring, summer, or fall – no matter what’s the season, you should always protect your eyes. These tips will ensure that you will have good eye health throughout the year.

Tips To Improve Your Vision Health

Don’t take your eyes for granted. No one wants to live with an impaired vision when it could have been prevented. Not to mention that poor eyesight could lead to expensive surgeries or even blindness. As they say, prevention is always better than cure. Here are ways to keep your eyes healthy from known Ottawa optometrist, Dr. Zahiri.

Follow these 6 tips to improve vision health. You will be surprised how easy it actually is to take of your eyes – all that you have to do is start a healthy lifestyle. Value your eyes and never ignore your eye problems.

Understanding The Important Role Of Your Eye Doctor For Eye Health

Annual eye exam has many benefits. It helps ensure that your eyes are always healthy. It aids in detecting the onset of any eye problem. Early detection helps in making sure that your eyes get the proper medical service that you need to recover quickly.

A common misconception about eye exams is that it is only for adults. No, it is actually for all ages. Eye problems don’t choose victims. Whether you are a young student or a professional who has been working for many years already, you can both fall prey to serious eye problems. It is important then to be one step ahead when it comes to eye health.

This infographic from Ottawa Eye Clinic will explain why you need to see an eye doctor and what’s the role of the eye doctor in your vision health.

Treat Your Eyes Right, Ladies

It may come as a surprise but the fact is that gender is actually one of the determining factors for eye health. Yes, you’ve read that right! Research studies have shown than women are more prone to eye diseases such as cataract and macular degeneration compared to men. When it comes to the risk factors for these eye diseases, women beat men. So be careful ladies as you have higher rate of vision loss.

Just like everything else, preventive care is the most ideal thing to do when it comes to eye health. Know what are the risks involved and how to prevent them. This guideline from Ottawa Optometrist, Dr. Zahiri, shows how to keep your eyes healthy ladies.

Signs It’s Time For An Eye Exam

To maintain perfect vision, you must have a regular eye exam. Most of the time, annual eye exam is recommended by optometrists. By doing so, you are able to stay informed regarding the status of your eye health.

During the visit to your eye doctor, your medical history will be reviewed. You will be asked about what you are currently experiencing with regards to your eyes. Visual acuity will be measured to see whether you need to wear graded eye glasses or contact lenses. This infographic will tell you if it’s already time to pay your eye doctor a visit.

Category: optometrist