Posts Tagged ‘cataracts’

Calculating the Cataract Risk

Saturday, August 6th, 2011

Cataracts are a pesky problem that as our population ages, we’re all more likely to suffer from. They’re a change in the clear lens that sits in your eye behind the pupil, where the lens becomes more like a frosted window than a clear one, and as the cataract progresses you’ll need surgery to remove the faulty lens and replace it with an implanted artificial one. While this surgery is simple and pretty painless nowadays, it’s best all round if avoided, so what are the risk factors for cataract, and can you avoid them?

1.Age – a fact of life that as time goes by, so does your cataract risk. At age 75 you’ll have a 37% chance of it. You can reduce this likelihood by keeping to a healthy BMI, taking moderate exercise, and wearing a UV filter in your specs.

2.Diabetes – As well as everything else Diabetics have to contend with, they are also at higher risk of a particular type of cataract, and at an earlier age than the rest of the population.

3.Gender – sadly girls, due to hormonal fluctuations, cataract risk is higher for the fairer sex.

4.Genetics – as well as cursing your forebears for your knobbly knees or male pattern baldness, you can also thank them for your cataracts!

5.Geography – You’re more likely to develop cataract if you live nearer to the equator because of…………

6.Light – UV gives the highest risk, so don’t forget your sunnies, especially for children, who spend up to three times more time outside than adults.

7.Steroids – use of steroids carries an associated risk.

8.Myopia – Not only are very short sighted people at higher risk of retinal detachments, they’re also at more risk of cataracts. Life just isn’t fair!

9.Smoking – although this is dependent on other factors too, there is evidence that beside all the other problems caused by the evil weed, cataract can be added to the list.

So there you go – some factors you can do something about, others you can’t – but don’t say we didn’t warn you!!

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Gathering Clouds……

Sunday, February 20th, 2011

Although the eye condition of cataracts is fairly common, especially as we get older, there are still many misconceptions and much confusion over them. If you have a problem yourself, or are worried about an elderly relative who has been given this diagnosis, here are a few facts to help you see more clearly!

The cataract patient may not notice any deterioration in their sight immediately as a cataract forms. Gradually, sight becomes dim, colours look less bright, and when having an eye test the optician sees early signs when looking into the eyes. As the problem progresses the patient will start to notice that in bright sun light is scattered, and over time you they will feel they are looking at the world through clouds rather than a clean clear window.

Cataract occurs because the crystalline lens inside the eye becomes opaque, which blocks our vision. This may be due to age, trauma, UV exposure or smoking. The usual treatment nowadays is to remove the ‘frosted’ lens and replace it with an artificial implant. The implant is chosen to correct any sight defect the patient has in terms of long or short sightedness, which gives an unexpected bonus! Even life-long spec wearers may end up with their sight even better than it was before the cataract appeared. This is an amazing development, as before implants were developed patients had to wear very strong magnifying specs after the op, which were uncomfortable, unsightly and reduced peripheral vision.

The optician will refer the patient to the hospital eye service when the Cataract is sufficiently developed. If there are no underlying health issues the operation is done with a local anaesthetic, and most patients are pleasantly surprised at how quick and painless it is. They will be prescribed eye drops after the Op, and then advised when they have an eye exam for correction any residual prescription.

In most cases of age related Cataract both eyes will need the operation at some point. The interim period between having both done can be tricky, but is usually only for a short time. If the patient needs any visual correction at all, it’s usually just some help for reading. So if you hear the words, “You have a Cataract forming.” Don’t panic – easier than having a tooth out nowadays, and the nearest thing to having a new pair of eyes for the vast majority of people!

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A Problem Shared….

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

There are many reasons why a client does not get on with their glasses. The prescription could be wrong, the order may have been made incorrectly, but the most common problem is misunderstanding – what is the prescription suitable for? What are it’s limitations? And can we do anything to put things right? Here are a few common issues that people raise.

I could see my computer in my old reading specs, but not in the new ones. What do I do now for work?!

This is an easy one, and we come across it fairly regularly. To enable you to see to read we give you a magnifying lens that allows you to see small print and fine detail. When you need it strengthening, the focal length will be shorter than in your old weaker pair. You’ll see to read in the new ones, but not see so well far away. Just use the old pair for the screen, as they are what we would prescribe for a middle distance lenses. If you constantly refer to small print and the screen however, you’ll need varifocals or vocational lenses, to allow you to do more than one thing at once.

I love the look of my new flat lenses, but my table is weirdly sloped away from me, and the walls are kind of curving in!

If you switch from a standard to a flatter lens design you will see some distortion at the edges of the lenses, but it will wear off. It just feels very odd to start with, so the key is to put the specs on and leave them on! Your brain will adjust and after a day or two the odd effects will be gone.

I know I’ve got Cataracts starting and my sight isn’t as good as it was, but I can’t see as well in my new glasses as with my old ones. Are they wrong?

Of course there could be a problem with the prescription or with the way the glasses have been made, but the answer here may be about your Cataracts. The lens inside your eye will have little opacities in it, which obscure your sight. If the old specs are weaker and you’re not seeing as clearly then you won’t see the opacities as clearly either! The new power is probably showing your visual defects up. Get the spex checked out, but patience is probably all that’s required, when you are ready for your Op your sight will be restored.

If you have any concerns about your glasses or your vision then mail us at the Internet Glasses Company for an individual and confidential reply.

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Surgical Advances

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

Many patients fear the onset of cataracts, dreading the thought of eye surgery and obviously any complications that could permanently damage their sight. Many of us remember a Grandparent or other aged relative wearing chunky and highly magnified specs as a result of cataract surgery. As with anything else in life though, technology today is making things easier, faster, less painful.

Cataracts occur when the crystalline lens inside your eye thickens and becomes opaque with age. Early onset can be triggered by eye trauma, smoking, or prolonged exposure to UV. Vision becomes more and more difficult, as you can’t see through the cloudy lens. Patients liken it to trying to see through a fog or a net curtain. At this stage new spex will give you the best possible vision, but it can’t be fully corrected until the cataract is removed.

In olden times cataracts were dealt with by poking the opaque lens out of the way, and then giving you very thick magnifying lenses to restore sight. This actually worked pretty well, but we then moved on to the sophistication of removing the crystalline lens. The cataract had to be ready however, and only one eye was operated on at a time, in case infection occurred. General anaesthetics were used and the patient needed to stay in hospital. We still had to prescribe very thick glasses afterwards.

Surgery leapt forward with lens implants, which meant no bottle bottom specs, and local anaesthetics meant it was easier than having a tooth out! More recently surgeons have been paying more attention to the lifestyle needs of the patient, as we live longer and lead busier lives. Premium surgery means no needles, and the most minute of incisions. The surgeon discusses lifestyle with the patient and implants a lens that can fulfil their specific visual requirements. So if things are getting a little foggy, or your optician mentions cataracts, don’t panic. A quick and simple procedure will rectify matters, and no bottle bottoms either!

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As Time Goes By……..

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

As well as the usual aches and pains we expect from middle age onwards, our eyes gradually start to cause a few problems too. The most common complaint is presbyopia, causing us to find small print increasingly hard to see from the mid-forties. This is simply corrected with reading glasses, which you can pick up cheaply from the online optician such as The Internet Glasses Company. Ready reading glasses are useful to quickly glance at things, but for concentrated periods of wear most patients need their full and correctly made up prescription.

As time goes on it’s not just the size of print that causes difficulty. The contrast of coloured lettering on coloured paper, particularly if written in fancy fonts, can be hard to read comfortably. Patients often return to the optician because they struggle with reading, but the light they use to read by can be the culprit. Often a reading lamp will help, experiment with the height and angle to give a good spread of light that doesn’t cause eye strain by creating strong glare.

If cataracts start to form then this can interfere with your vision by altering your colour perception, as well as decreasing your standard of vision. The cataract cannot be operated on until it is ready, so keep up to date with your eye exams and make sure your glasses are as good as they can possibly be. Have them updated even for a small change, as it may make a big difference to your daily life.

As time goes by reading glasses may not be enough for some elderly patients with serious deterioration in their vision. They may need to move on to more complex solutions such as low vision aids, specifically tailored for different eye conditions. Always go back to your optician if sight deteriorates, as they can refer you to different specialists who can provide further help.

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Eye Health

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

We asked our resident optician for an update on common eye diseases that he sees when he’s in practice. A huge part of an optician’s work is about eye health, not just prescribing glasses. Early diagnosis and referral is vital for successful treatment, so keep up to date with your eye exams, and be sure that any any early warning signs are picked up.

As the population ages, cataracts are seen more often. Cataract is simply a change that occurs in the crystalline lens that’s inside the front of the eye. It can become opaque with age, although smoking and UV exposure are contributing factors. It’s more common in the over fifty five age group. Treatment is as simple as extracting a tooth – the diseased lens is removed and replaced with a plastic lens. Early symptoms that the patient notices are are needing more light, colours not seeming as sharp, and more glare than usual.

Glaucoma is a common eye problem where the fluids inside the eye cause an increase in pressure. The optician puffs air onto the eye to read your eye pressure, and combined with his examination of the retina he can spot signs of Glaucoma. If it not detected at an early stage it can damage the optic nerve and lead to permanent loss of sight. It can be a hereditary disease, although it’s also more common in the over forties, diabetics, and Afro-Carribeans. Treatment is usually with eye drops, although surgery is sometimes necessary.

Diabetic patients can suffer from diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease where new blood vessels form in the retina and can then leak. Once leakage has occured this can affect the vision and the general health of the eye. Early diagnosis is crucial because the patient can then be referred, for stabilization of their diabetes, or in some cases for laser surgery to seal the blood vessels.

All of these conditions respond well to treatment if the earliest signs are detected. So even if you buy your glasses online, don’t neglect your eye health by neglecting your optician!

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See Your Hundredth Birthday!

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

Even if you’re a fitness freak or a gym bunny, the one aspect of health you may not have thought about is looking after your eyes. We all focus on a balanced diet, moderate exercise, and looking after ourselves, but do we pay attention to one of the most important organs in our bodies?

Keeping your eyes healthy is really a matter of prevention, and a few simple steps can go a long way towards preserving your sight and general ocular (eye) health. A vital step is to have regular check ups with a qualified Optician, also called an Optometrist. They recommend tests every two years to check your eye health, tell you if you need glasses, and will even pick up some general health issues too.

If you smoke – give up! Smoking is a factor in the eye disease Macular Degeneration, and as soon as you stop you are halting any damage. Macular Degeneration causes loss of central vision, which means you won’t be able to see to read or drive. It may also be a factor in formation of cataracts.

A good balanced diet will obviously help your general health, but can also maintain healthy eyes and vision too. Natural carteniods, found in green leafy vegetables have a positive effect on the retina and therefore protect against Macular problems. If you don’t eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables you might consider taking a supplement to maintain eye health.

There are many supplements on the market. Ingredients to look for are antioxidants, zinc, selenium, Vitamins A, B, C, and E, Lutein and Zeaxanthin. Antioxidants and zinc reduce the risk of Macular Degeneration. Selenium and the Antioxidant vitamins A C and E encourage mucus production, which keeps the soft tissue around the eye – the conjunctiva healthy. Vitamin C may also protect the eyes against cataract formation. Vitamin B complex is vital to healthy function of the Optic nerve. Lutein and Zeaxanthin occur naturally in the retina, the light sensitive layer that lines the back of the eye. These nutrients protect the retina by absorbing blue light, which can damage the Retina.

You may not have realised that keeping your body fit keeps eyes fit too. It improves oxygen levels in the eyes, and a recent study has shown that children who play outside and therefore focus at long distances are less likely to become myopic (short sighted) They also benefit from being out in natural light too.

If you wear prescription glasses then take good care of them and ensure that they are kept clean and up to date. Talk to the Dispensing Optician when you visit your Optician’s practice to make sure that you have UV protection if necessary, and the correct tints for your needs. They will also help you with protective glasses for sport or at work.

Looking after your eyes takes very little but reaps huge rewards. We’re all living for longer – won’t it be nice to actually see the cake at your hundredth birthday party?!

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Sun Block For The Eyes!

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009

Summer’s definitely on the way, hopefully we’ve seen the last of the Winter snows. As you’re slapping on the factor twenty and enjoying the Spring sunshine, are you thinking about your eyes too? Few people know that exposure to the UV rays in sunshine can increase your risk of eye diseases like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

The amount of UV that reaches you can vary at different times of the day, with the height of the sun, altitude and cloud levels. You’re more at risk in hotter climates, and near water where rays are intensified by reflection, but even on a cloudless sunny day in a UK city maximum exposure time should be no more than fifteen minutes.

The best protection for your eyes is a pair of good quality tinted lenses, whether prescription glasses or non prescription sunglasses. Make sure they have a 100% filter to stop UVA and UVB. Wearing lenses that don’t offer this puts you in more danger than not wearing glasses. A dark lens will make your pupils open up, allowing even more UV to pour in.

A hat with a big brim and keeping to the shade will shield your eyes further, and the fit of sunglasses is important too. A shape that hugs your face will stop the sun from getting in, and go as large as you dare for maximum protection. At last – a fashion that’s both cool and sensible!

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