Lehigh Valley Center For Sight

Researchers have found that certain supplement combinations actually modify how genes and proteins affect the behavior of  white blood cells (macrophages) in the retina. They are investigating whether the reason that supplements are helpful against macular degeneration is due to regulation of these macrophage phenotypes.1 If there is a positive in a age-related macular degeneration … Continue reading "How to Slow Macular Degeneration Progression" The post How to Slow Macular Degeneration Progression appeared first on Natural Eye Care Blog: News & Research on Vision . https://www.lvcenter4sight.com/how-to-slow-macular-degeneration-progression/

Coronavirus (COVID-19) can cause mild to severe respiratory illness . Symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath and pink eye can show up 2 to 14 days after a person is exposed. People with severe infections can develop pneumonia and even die from complications of the illness. To cut your personal risk of contracting the COVID-19, avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth and face with unwashed hands. It is the mucous membranes (membranes that line various cavities in the body) that are most susceptible to transmission of the virus. To avoid infecting others with the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended the use of face masks to be worn when out in public. Face masks can reduce the spread of coronavirus by people who are infected but have no symptoms of the virus (asymptomatic). Face masks, however, do not protect your eyes from infection. Here are a few tips on how to protect yourself and others: 1. Practice safe hygiene and soci...

Whether it is confidence, mood, or metabolism, as a society, we’re always looking to “boost” something. “How to boost immunity” tends to be one of the most searched questions, not only during COVID-19, but especially during cold and flu season.  There are many products that claim to boost/increase/support the immune system, but that begs the question: can you really boost  your immunity? Can You Improve Your Immunity? The immune system itself is comprised of many different parts working together as a whole to protect our health. There are still many unknowns about the intricate connectivity of the immune response, and there are few scientifically proven links between any of the claimed “boosts” and enhanced immune function. Therefore, the idea of “boosting” the entire system falls flat. However, you can still support your immune system by providing an ideal and harmonious environment for it to function at its best. There are several ways you can do this. Improving Your Diet As you...

Myths are typically a thing of fantasy, a nd   you wouldn’t expect them to have a place in ey e health. Unfortunately, t here are several “myths” that many people believe that are simply not true. Here   are a few  of those  beliefs held by  people who experience occasional dry eye that we are happy to dispel. Myth 1: It Happens to Everyone. While experiencing some form of occasional dry eye is common, it does  not  happen to everyone and each person’s level of discomfort varies. Occasional dry eye typically occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears ,  or the tears your eyes do produce , are not enough to keep your eyes lubricated and comfortable. For those who   experience  dryness and irritation daily,  they’ll need to seek  professional help as it can be a long-term eye health issue. Myth 2: It Only Happens to Old People. As we age, our bodies change. One of the parts most affected by aging is our eyes . Our vision decreases and, yes, our eyes can start to feel drier,...

Coronavirus. COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2. Whatever you call it, it’s probably all you’ve been hearing about lately. Though coronaviruses are a large family of viruses known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe issues, the infamous virus you’ve been hearing about is COVID-19. What Is COVID-19? According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , “COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.” Symptoms ofCOVID-19 are usually mild and gradual, with some people going up to 5 days after being infected without symptoms. The most common symptoms are fever, tiredness, and a dry cough. Other symptoms that have been reported include: Aches and pains Nasal congestion Runny nose Difficulty breathing Sore throat Diarrhea How Does COVID-19 Spread? When a person infected with COVID-19 exhales or coughs, they ...

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is instrumental in preventing or even putting a stop to a loss of vision due to age. Especially when senior citizens are presented with debilitating eye conditions. They may suffer from depression, anxiety and fear. They notice that they no longer have a sense of balance and face the possibility of falling. Many are unaware that they can circumvent these conditions. Following the tips will help pave the way toward a better quality of life: Continue reading “Preventive Eye Care for Aging Eyes” https://www.lvcenter4sight.com/natural-eye-care-blog-news-research-on-vision-eye-conditions-eye-care-how-to-support-healthy-vision-naturally/

Written by Dr. David Evans   Last modified on January 28, 2020 Test Your Knowledge of Eye Health A recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Academy of Ophthalmology revealed that Americans lack basic knowledge of eye health. The findings are deeply concerning to ophthalmologists and other eye care providers, as the number of people affected by eye diseases that can lead to blindness is on the rise. Some of the key findings: Fewer than 20 percent of respondents were able to identify the three major causes of blindness in the United States: glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic eye disease. Only 37 percent of respondents were aware that vision can be lost to eye diseases without symptoms. Just 47 percent of respondents were aware that the brain’s ability to adapt to vision loss can trick us into believing that our vision is fine. Unfortunately, these are not just statistics. Many people wait too long to see an ophthal...

Instead of getting eye injections, patients with serious eye diseases may be eligible for a contact lens-type patch. 1 Injections are often recommended for eye diseases such as Wet (advanced) Age-Related Macular Degeneration, macular edema, and glaucoma. The new patch is inserted painlessly like a contact lens. It delivers tiny microneedles containing medication. The microneedles are made from natural materials and dissolve over time, gradually releasing medicine. Patients would be more likely to stick with a regimen that does not involve eye injections. Eye Injections: Stick a Needle in My Eye Patients generally dread eye injections. Injections must be performed in a doctor’s office. Eye injections can be painful, and they are inconvenient. They can introduce infection. And they can damage the eye. Avastin, Eylea, and Lucentis are injectable medications that discourage new blood vessel growth. These anti-VEGF medicines are useful for advanced Macular Degeneration , Diabetic Retino...

The inner workings of the human eye are complex, but at the same time, fascinating. Have you wondered how exactly they do work or what are the major parts of the eyeball involved in creating vision? Let’s find out. These tiny cameras spend every day processing millions of pieces of information at lightning fast speeds, and turn them into the simple images we see almost instantly. In reality, this process is anything but simple. The eye has several distinct parts, each of which has specific responsibilities that work together like a machine. The eyeball is just like a camera. In fact, human eyes are part of a classification known as “camera-type eyes.” And just like a camera, it can’t function without the presence of light.  As light hits the eyes, it’s focused by the eye in a way similar to a camera lens. This process allows the images we see to appear clear and sharp rather than blurry. There are specific parts of the eye that make this focusing process possible. Each beam of ligh...

Diabetes is  a detrimental health issue. From the eyes to the tips of the toes,  diabetes can affect just about every part of the body.  D iabetes  does not discriminate against a nyone ,  and  children  have become  its  latest victims .  T he number of young people  in the U.S.  inflicted with  prediabetes and  diabetes has grow n significantly over the last few years.   T his number is rising so quickly  that  health officials have begun calling it an epidemic. Prediabetes In the American Youth   Prediabetes   is defined as “ a condition in which blood sugar levels are abnormally high, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. ”   With little to no symptoms, people usually don’t even know they have prediabetes  until it becomes diabetes and begins wreaking havoc on their health.  Though this is not  technically  a diagnosis, this identification should not be taken lightly.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 70% of people with prediabetes wil...

Obesity rates have nearly tripled globally since 1975. In 2015-2016, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) found that 39.8% of adults and 18.5% of children in the U.S. suffer from obesity. Being overweight and obese can affect your quality of life in many ways. Learn more about obesity and how it affects your health, including your eyes. Obesity In America It’s no secret that America has a weight problem. Fast-food options are everywhere. Grocery stores carry on-the-go options. Since fast-food options can be unhealthy, it’s easy to make poor food choices. On top of the ease of access to unhealthy food options, our busy lifestyles and list of binge-worthy TV shows give us excuses to skip the gym. So how do you know when your food choices are becoming a problem? And what qualifies someone as overweight or obese? Am I Obese? According to the CDC , “Weight that is higher than what is considered as a healthy weight for a given height is descri...

The world is changing. Our concepts of western medicine have shifted over the past 30 years. Today’s public wants a more comprehensive, integrated approach from health care providers. Complementary, integrated health care is slowly replacing the idea of referring each symptom to a different specialist. We need to look at the whole person, his or her dietary preferences, exercise regimen, and the types of relationships they are engaged in. Also, we need to examine the particular symptoms that created their condition in the first place. Natural eye care techniques offer a unique understanding of improving and preserving vision from birth to old age. They help prevent vision problems. And they also help us understand vision in its totality. Filled with the wisdom of both ancient and modern-day medicine, natural eye care integrates the full range of therapies as they apply to vision and vision disorders. Vision problems are multiplying at epidemic proportions in our society and around...

In our last post , Dr. Graham Erickson reviewed a few training techniques to improve sports vision. In part three of the series, he reviews another technique that’s less about training and more about eating: nutrition. Nutrition Options Dietary nutrients accumulate in the tissues of the eye and visual pathway in a manner similar to other tissues in the body. There are several nutrients that are beneficial for eye health and function, including vitamins A, C, and E, omega-3 fatty acids, beta carotene, zinc, selenium, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, selenium, and lutein provide protective effects for age-related changes to the crystalline lens and retina (e.g. cataracts & AMD). Nutrients containing omega-3 fatty acids can reduce dry eye effects, and other nutrients protect the retina from sun damage (lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta carotene). There has been significant research on the effects of nutrients on visual performance in young, healthy people. Lutein (L) ...

In the last post , Dr. Graham Erickson talked about assessing visual performance and processing and the different ways of doing so. Now, he’ll get into the ways to help athletes enhance their vision and visual processing to better their competitive advantage. Fair warning, this is the longest post in this series. Let’s get started! The most common options considered for optimizing visual performance include: Refractive compensation Filters Nutrition Sports vision training (SVT) The goal of these interventions is to remediate any vision conditions, such as refractive error, and to enhance a patient’s or player’s visual performance factors when they are less developed than their peers. Sports Vision Training Sports vision training programs operate under the logic that practice with demanding visual, perceptual, and sensorimotor tasks will improve vision, leading to: Quicker sensory processing Swifter and more accurate motor movements Improved athletic performanc...