Herbs & Vitamins for Eye Health

Information provided by
MedOp Inc.

The Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) was the first major National Institutes of Health study testing nutritional supplements for treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It firmly established a therapeutic rationale for treating dry macular degeneration with supplements.

Since this original study, there have been others showing that lutein is helpful in reducing the risk of macular degenerative disease. In addition, other studies have shown that the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA reduce the incidence and progression of age-related macular degeneration. In addition to visual health, the omega-3 fatty acids are also important in overall health -- especially cardiovascular health. The American Heart Association recommends 1,000 mg per day of these important fatty acids.

Card's Opticians now carries MaxiVision products which are based on all current research and formulated by an Advisory Board composed of leading doctors and researchers.

Contact Lenses

by Carol A. Card

Contact lenses can be worn safely at any age and you may be surprised to know that there may be good reasons for children to get them. Extremely far or nearsighted children who must wear thick glasses may experience some visual distortion that contact lenses can eliminate. Furthermore, contact lenses can be a practical solution and improves self-esteem in children who are embarrassed by glasses and refuse to wear them.

Although very young children can wear contacts, lenses are not recommended until a child is mature enough and sufficiently coordinated to insert, remove and care for the lenses by him or herself.

Most children reach that point when they are approximately 12 years old. The most important factor, however, is a child's motivation to wear contacts.

Children must be impressed with the fact that cleaning and sterilizing contact lenses is of the utmost importance.

Dr. Menjivar further recommends that children wear daily wear (disposable) contact lenses.

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The Importance of Sports Eye Protection

We all want our children to enjoy playing sports but there are some important facts that parents should be aware of:

• Approximately every 13 minutes a person with a sports related eyed injury visits an emergency room.
• There are over 600,000 eye injuries related to sports and recreation every year.
• Most children do not utilize protective eyewear in situations where eye injury could occur.
• More than 90% of all eye injuries can be prevented with the use of appropriate protective eyewear.

Considering purchasing sports eye protection? Here are some tips to keep in mind when shopping for appropriate eyewear:

• All eye protection purchased for outdoor sports should include appropriate UV protection, including both UVA and UVB.
• Adding an anti-reflective coating can add comfort by reducing glare for both indoor and outdoor sports.
• Always use a sports band or retention strap to ensure that the frame stays in place.

Card's Opticians has information available to help you determine the appropriate type of eye protection for the sport or sports that you or your child is involved in.

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The Dangers of UV Radiation

Our sun is the source most of the ultraviolet light (UV) that you are likely to come in contact with. UV is not part of the visible light spectrum because it has a shorter wavelength. It gets its name from the fact that it is closer to the part of the visible light spectrum where we perceive the color violet. Other sources of UV light are older computer monitors, fluorescent lights, high-intensity mercury vapor lamps, xenon arc lamps, and even a welder’s flash.

UV light is generally divided into three types: UVA, UVB, and UVC. Virtually all of the UVC is blocked by the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere of the Earth along with some of the UVA and UVB. UVB is important to human health because when our skin is exposed to UVB it induces the production of vitamin D. However, too much exposure causes sunburn, DNA damage, and skin cancer.

Our eyes can also be damaged by exposure to UV light:

• UVB is absorbed by the cornea of the eye. Too much exposure can lead to pterygia (a non-cancerous growth of the clear, thin tissue that lays over the white part of the eye), pingueculae (yellowish, slightly raised lesions that form on the surface of the white part of the eye), and photokeratitis (a burn of the cornea).
• UVA is the most damaging to the eye because it is not absorbed by the cornea, instead it affects the lens of the eye. Adverse effects include photochemical eye damage and cataracts.

What can you do to protect yourself? Wear appropriate eyewear that is treated to block UV radiation.

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Eyes Over 40
or
Why are my arms so short?

For most people as we mature our eyes start to lose some of their former ability to focus at things up close. We find that we have to hold objects farther and farther away just to see them. This condition is known as presbyopia.

So, what is presbyopia? It is the hardening of the lens in the eye that occurs in virtually everyone as we grow older. The hardening process robs the lens of its ability to change shape and properly focus the light that is passing through the eye. This generally becomes noticeable around the age of 40.

The good news is that there are many styles of corrective lenses that you can choose from that can restore your eye's ability to focus on objects up close. These are some of the types of glasses and correctives lenses that you can use:

• Reading glasses
• Bifocals
• Trifocals
• Progressive lenses
• Occupational lenses

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