Archive for December, 2009

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A Dry Eye in the House?

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

Of all the ills that can befall mankind, you wouldn’t think that something as seemingly trivial as dry eyes could really bother you. Until you’re a sufferer that is! Dry eyes are the symptom most presented as an eye health issue, with patients describing uncomfortable, gritty, sore dry eyes as a real problem.

Our lifestyles today exacerbate this condition. Air conditioning, offices full of electrical equipment, long hours spent at work all make the discomfort worse. These circumstances make us blink less, and increase evaporation of the lubricating layer of tears that bathe our eyes. Tears do more than get you sympathy! They wash the eyes, sterilise the cornea, and keep the ocular surfaces comfortably moist.

Dry eyes can affect contact lens wearers by decreasing the time they can tolerate their lenses, or even discourage them from wearing lenses altogether. Dry eye treatment usually takes the form of specialised drops, in different formats for contact wearers or for use without lenses. The drops work in several ways. They soothe pain and inflammation, as well as creating a smooth film over the mucus membrane of the eye. This lubricates and locks in the natural moisture that would otherwise be lost.

Most sufferers find that their symptoms worsen towards the evening, as tears evaporate through the day. Taking regular breaks from the screen and remembering to blink as often as possible helps, but visit your GP or Optician if the symptoms really bother you. Drops are easy to use and quickly relieve the problem.

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Cool for Kids!

Monday, December 7th, 2009

A worrying statistic was thrown up in a recent survey by Boots. They discovered that 35% of parents do not take their children for recommended yearly check ups. This is especially a problem as the incidence of myopia is increasing in children.

80% of childrens learning is processed visually, so if your child’s sight is poor then this may affect how well they do at school, and hinder their progress. Everyday play will also be more difficult. Visual defects like amblyopia or lazy eye can affect sight for life if not picked up before the age of seven, so regular checks are vital for eye health.

Boots research found that 29% of children age 5 – 11 are spec wearers, a figure that has been rising over the past twenty years. It has been documented that playing outdoors, and therefore making the eyes focus from near to far decreases the likelihood of myopia. Prying your children away from the Nintendo and encouraging them to play outside is clearly important!

The NHS pays for tests for children under the age of 16, and under 19 in full time education. They also pay towards lenses and frames, check with your opticians for their standard practice. Signs of poor vision to watch for in your children are squinting, blinking excessively, sitting very close to the TV or holding books close, bumping into things and general clumsiness. Their school work may also suffer.

The good news however is that thanks to Celebrity endorsement specs are now seen as cool, and the threat of bullying glasses wearers is now a thing of the past. Boots claim that 62% of children think that spex are cool! Just as we’ve known all along!

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Pre-New Year Resolutions!

Sunday, December 6th, 2009

Obviously we all like to indulge over the Christmas season, and find any excuse to cast aside our gym gear and party on. If you’re thinking of a healthy new you for the New Year though, here are some extra incentives to get into good habits now!

We’ve blogged lots about the importance of good nutrition for healthy eyes, and even that smoking creates a hazard to sight as well as general health. Now the good news is that the virtuous amongst you who keep alcohol levels down and exercise regularly are also doing your eyes a favour too.

A little of what you fancy does you good even with alcohol, as small amounts of red wine and the anti-oxidants it contains do protect your eyes. The problem occurs if you drink to excess, for as we all know this potentially damages liver function. If production of Glutathione is reduced this can lead to cell damage that could cause cataract development, glaucoma and retinopathy. So moderation is the key, and go for red wine if you have the choice!

Apparently very few of us are aware that regular exercise is good for our eyes as well as the rest of our bodies. Aerobic exercise benefits eye health by increasing oxygen supply to the optic nerve, and it also lowers the internal pressure of the eye. Raised pressure causes problems with glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Exercise can also help to control Diabetes, where instability can lead to diabetic retinopathy and eventually serious sight loss. Blood flow to the optic nerve and retina is also increased, helping these vital structures to work at maximum efficiency.

The Government recommends that we exercise for 30 minutes five times a week, preferably with activities that give the whole body a work out, such as swimming, fast walks or cycling. Glaucoma suffers can reduce the raised pressure inside their eyes by up to 20% with regular exercise, so dig out those trainers and get fit for New Year – to protect your sight as well as your body.

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Glaringly Obvious

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

Frosty mornings are now upon us, and we’re thinking of eggnog and Christmas carols – but did you know that you’re at as much danger from UV at this time of year as any other? Low winter sun might not be as warm, but the glare is just as dangerous, as is the hidden hazard of UV.

UV is a potential trigger to cataract formation and macular degeneration, especially if your eyes are a light colour. Pale blue grey or green eyes have less melanin, the natural pigment, and this means that UV rays can more easily penetrate the eye and cause damage to the crystalline lens within your eye and the retina.

During the autumn and winter, UV is most hazardous during the early morning and late afternoon. This is when the sun is low and glare is brightest. Continue to wear your prescription sunglasses or photochromics, both will protect your eyes as long as they incorporate a full UV barrier. Glare is obviously also a hazard when driving, so make sure your glasses have an anti-reflection coating too.

Those most at risk are people who work outdoors, winter sport enthusiasts, and children. Winter sports create a risk as the snow and ice increases glare. Outdoor workers are obviously exposed to sun for greater amounts of time, and children are less likely to wear good quality sunglasses. Always check that the lenses conform to EU safety standards and give 100% protection against all wavelengths of UV.

If skiing, be doubly sure of the UV coating and the safety aspect of the frame – this is an area where any economy is a false one. A fall on a frame that may damage the delicate eye area could be catastrophic to the wearer. Look for goggles with an elasticated headband, foam padding around the rims, and a large enough lens area. This needs to completely clear the eye orbit itself and rest on the forehead and cheekbones.

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A Material World

Friday, December 4th, 2009

When you’re happily driving along or snuggling up to watch The Sound of Music yet again, you’re probably grateful for your glasses and the job they do. Those two lenses that you peer through make all the difference to your world if you’re quite short or long sighted, so lets take a moment to ponder on the fantastic stuff called plastic…

Once upon a time lenses were glass, which did the job but was heavy and potentially hazardous. During World War 2 plastic development and production was stepped up dramatically as more and more raw materials were needed. One plastic, called CR39 was trademarked as it showed remarkable properties – after the 39th attempt! It was exceptionally clear and had excellent thermo-setting properties. This was highly desired as it was scratch resistant and less impact resistant.

Initially it was used for fuel tanks and lines, and as lenses in reflectors and searchlights. After the war the surplus liquid resin needed a use, and gradually lens manufacturers began to take an interest in it. From the 1960s onwards the optical market gradually began to sell plastic lenses, and finally today over 90% of lenses used are plastic, with glass now a rapidly diminishing option.

The perfect lens material must be strong, light, scratch resistant, and able to absorb UV. The lens must also be optically as sharp as possible, with minimal reflections, and of a suitable density and thickness. CR39 has proved to be an excellent material over the years and is easy to cut, drill and tint.

Polycarbonate has been available as an alternative type of plastic since the 1950s, giving extra impact resistance. Initially it was used in visors, and was first used as a spec lens in 1978. Despite the advantage of extra strength, generally this material is not as good optically. Its main use is in sports eyewear, and for children. In the litigious USA the market share is 30%!

Both plastic and glass can be made in denser versions, which cuts the thickness of the finished lenses. The refractive index number denotes the density, in standard CR39 this is 1.5. Plastic is then available in 1.6, 1.67, and 1.74, which are progressively thinner for higher prescriptions.

So spare a thought for the wonders of this material in our techno world, produced in the post wars years and still going strong – and light!

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Dreaming of a White Christmas

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

During the summer (remember those two days of good weather?!!) We wrote about the wonders of white eyewear – crisp and cool in sunnies or proper specs to go with floaty, airy, summer fabrics. If however you’ve shelved your whites along with your beachwear, then think again – ice white is a brilliant and surprisingly flattering choice for chilly weather too.

White is always seen as a luxury, due to the demands of constant dry cleaning or even replacement! A touch of white cashmere or winter white wool for outwear is seen as decadent and daring for the colder months. In eyewear it can look clean and sharp against winter tans or warmer toned complexions, but do avoid it if you’re a bit blue toned and pale! Save it for the spring and summer when you have a little more colour.

White was a strong fashion look at the international optical shows in the autumn, and has always been popular with Celebs wanting to make a statement. When Rayban introduced the white Wayfarer it was an instant success and much sought after. It brightens complexions on dull days and is a great background for laminates of other colours.

White is gorgeous mixed with gold trims or detailing, and luxurious in tones of cream or warm winter white. It’s pretty as the colour detail on rimless, and beautiful mixed with pearl effects or crystal clear plastics. If you have white or cool grey hair and you choose a frame with white and smoky grey, it will look stunning with you and then go with whatever you wear! So don’t be afraid of white, it’s the daring choice for sharp winter style!

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Occupational Hazards

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

As the Noughties draw to a close our world gets ever more technology based, and more and more of us use computers at home and work. This has always raised concerns for workers, often slaving away over a hot VDU for hours during their working day. You may not be aware that your employer has an obligation to help you out with your glasses and eye exam if you are a regular user.

In 1992 the snappily named Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations came into effect, aimed at protecting employees. The act states that if you are a medium or high dependant user of a computer you can ask your employer to pay for an eye exam for you, and the good news is they have to do this! A high dependant user is defined as someone whose job is dependent on using computers – data input, graphic designers etc. Medium dependent is someone who uses a computer on and off during the day, but is not sitting in front of their screen all day. If you are a low user, someone who uses a screen infrequently, your employer may pay, but this is at their discretion.

Eye exams are recommended two yearly, so this could add up to a considerable benefit during your working life! The other issue is that if you need glasses specifically for the computer, your employer should pay for the glasses too. If you are under the age of forty-ish and need glasses for general wear, this is not covered.

If you are an employer and you’re thinking that this is unfair, just remember that long term you may be saving on sick pay if your VDU users are in tip top health. Keeping a check on their visual needs and therefore their comfort and posture at work could make all the difference.

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Big is Beautiful!

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

There comes a time in every Fashionistas life when you have to be the one to set the trend, and take a brave leap into the fashion unknown. Well this was my week to go for it, and I’ve embraced a new look ready for the New Year! Big is beautiful fashion followers – and I’ve proved it!

I’ve been looking for a new pair of specs for ages, and really wanted something different this time. I’ve done rimless, tiny black metal, bright red plastic and everything in between. It’s always difficult to find something really wow, but having scoured the fashion pages I decided it was time to go big, and chose a huge blue Christian Dior, with very cool diamante bits on the sides.

I mailed the Internet Glasses Company to ask about my lens strength, as my Mum always had to have small frames because she’s very short sighted. Apparently it’s ok to go large with my prescription, which is quite low. They told me I could still have had big frames even with high power lenses if I ordered special thin lenses, but in the end I had thin lenses anyway to make sure they weren’t too heavy.

When the postman staggered up the path with my new specs I was very very excited, and couldn’t wait to hit the streets. For a start, I loved the sense of space – I could hardly see the rims around the frame, it was like contact lenses but without the pain! As the frame is plastic it didn’t feel too heavy although it’s twice the size of my old little metal specs. I was glad I had thin lenses though, they feel very light and apparently this lens is tougher. I’m sure I’ll get a few strange looks to start with, but I’m loving my new look, and setting a trend!

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