Keeping Your Eyes Healthy
Protecting Your Eyes Against the Sun
Prolonged exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can damage your eyes and increase your risk of developing cataracts. Sunglasses offer simple, effective protection, especially sunglasses that block both types of ultraviolet rays, UVA and UVB. Wrap-around sunglasses can also block UV that might reach your eyes from the side.
Allergies and Your Eyes
Eye allergies are common and usually affect the conjunctiva, a transparent membrane lining the eyelid and part of the eyeball. Allergic reactions can be triggered by pollen, weeds, grass, dust, or pet dander. The most frequent eye allergy symptom is itching. Others include redness, burning, unusual mucous production, tearing, and blurred vision. Symptoms may occur in a particular season (spring, summer, fall), or may occur any time of year. Sufferers who can identify and avoid whatever they are allergic to have a good chance of preventing allergic reactions.
Nutrition and Healthy Eyes
Studies show a connection between vitamins, certain nutrients, and eye health. A diet rich in grains, fruits, and vegetables provides natural vitamins (A, C, and E) that may reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Also, studies show a connection that fatty acids may help with dry eye symptoms. Fatty acids are found in raw nuts, (almonds, walnuts and their oils), seeds (sesame, sunflower, flax and their oils), soybean oil, canola oil, whole grains, beans and pea pods. It is also recommended to eat fruits which contain bioflavonoids, also called vitamin P, to keep eyes healthy. Vitamin P is found in almost any food that contains vitamin C and these vitamins are found in cherries, grapes, and plums.
Other Eye Disorders
Blepharitis
An inflammation of the eyelids, blepharitis often results from malfunctioning oil glands near the base of the eyelashes. This can produce excess bacteria, causing irritation, inflammation, and itching.
Cataracts
Cataracts cloud the lens of the eye and dramatically affect vision quality. They usually occur as part of the aging process and develop slowly. In mild cases, eyeglasses can help one cope with cataracts, which usually don’t cause any pain. In serious cases, surgery is often required to correct the problem.
Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
Conjunctivitis (often called Pink Eye, because the whites of the eyes may turn pink), is an inflammation or infection of the conjunctiva, a transparent membrane lining the eyelid and part of the eyeball. Sufferers may feel like they have something in one or both eyes. In the morning, the discharge coming from the eyes may make them feel as if they are pasted shut. Conjunctivitis is highly contagious, but easily treated.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is the name given to a group of diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve. A common symptom is abnormally high pressure inside the eyeball. When the optic nerve is affected, the eye can develop “blind spots.” Untreated, glaucoma may lead to blindness. Early detection and treatment can prevent this. However, once glaucoma appears, it must be medicated and monitored for the rest of the patient’s life.
Macular Degeneration
When the macula – the part of the retina where vision is processed – deteriorates, a blur or blind spot develops in the eye. This loss of vision can have a serious impact on activities such as reading or driving. While it may start slowly, macular degeneration can rapidly become severe. New treatments are being explored, but right now there is no way to reverse the damages of macular degeneration.
Stye
It may look like a pimple, but a stye (hordeolum) is an infection or inflammation of the oil glands of the eyelids. These painful lumps appear on the edge or inside of the eyelid. Most disappear naturally in a few days. You can sometimes relieve the discomfort of a stye with warm compresses, or with medications prescribed by your doctor.
RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion helps increase your eyes’ natural ability to produce tears, which may be reduced by inflammation due to Chronic Dry Eye. RESTASIS® did not increase tear production in patients using topical steroid drops or tear duct plugs.
Important Safety Information:
RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion should not be used by patients with active eye infections and has not been studied in patients with a history of herpes viral infections of the eye. The most common side effect is a temporary burning sensation. Other side effects include eye redness, discharge, watery eyes, eye pain, foreign body sensation, itching, stinging, and blurred vision.
Please see product information for RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion.
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