Posts Tagged ‘Glaucoma’

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Double Check

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

As we all know, seeing the optician is about more than whether you need correction for your sight – it’s also an opportunity to have your eye health and some general health issues checked out. The full eye examination is a blend of discussion with patients, using equipment and the optician’s knowledge and expertise. A common query from patients is that they worry if anything has been missed, or if their responses to the optician’s questions were the right ones. So here’s a comforting thought – the examination is a series of double and triple checks and we have several ways of diagnosing any problems.

When it comes to your prescription, and the confusing question of – which is better, number 1 or number 2? – Patients often worry that gave the wrong answer, and they won’t be able to see with their glasses! The first thing you should know is that every time the optician asks you the 1 or 2 question they are re-checking and refining results over and over again. They also use the information of your age, previous prescriptions and general eye health to make sure your results look logical. Some opticians also use Retinoscopy, a hand held instrument reads your prescription and gives them a valuable starting point and double check.

The puff of air test reads the internal pressure of the eye, as high pressure can be a sign of Glaucoma. But we don’t just rely on that reading – the optician also examines the area around the Optic nerve head to check for signs of Glaucoma too. Again your age and comparison to previous results gives extra reassurance.

By questioning you on your general health and that of your family, discussing your lifestyle and looking at your eye health history, opticians build up a picture of potential problems. Your standard of vision also gives clues. Ophthalmoscopy is the use of another hand held instrument that checks eye health, giving opticians the opportunity to look right inside the eye and check for signs of Retinal problems, Glaucoma, and Cataract. Retinal Imaging Cameras give a different view and allow us to store results so we can refer back to them.

A mix of experience, knowledge, training and different techniques give us masses of information about your eyes and health, so don’t worry that we’ll miss anything or that your response might not have been the right one. Your optician sees everything – and double checks it.

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As Time Goes By

Saturday, June 12th, 2010

As opticians we are obviously fully trained and qualified in every aspect of sight care, from eye and general health issues, to what specs you should have to improve your golf swing! Within all these areas of expertise we also have to remember that every patient is an individual, with their very own specific questions and concerns. One of the most important things we have to keep in mind is that sight changes throughout life. So what do we look out for as time goes by?

From the first minute we are born, every part of our body changes, and eyes are no exception. Across every age range about 66% of the population wear some form of sight correction. Your chances of a visual defect occurring increases as you age, and the biggest change is when we reach our mid-forties, and need help for reading. This can be a sensitive issue for many patients! Fifty may be the new thirty but nobody told our eyes about this!! The statistics show that only 33% of people wear glasses under the age of 35, but nearly everyone needs them over age 65.

As our lives are increasingly full and dynamic, even retired people get involved in every kind of sporting activity and use computers for their leisure time. The days of simple reading glasses are over for most of us, so we have to take care not to make assumptions about which patients need what. We’ve got an 89 year old gentleman who still goes skiing, and a 91 year old who has just learnt to e-mail her Great Grandchildren! So we have to look out for eye health problems that occur with age, and then disregard age when it comes to discussing specs. The most common eye health problems are Glaucoma, in the over 40 age group, and Macular degeneration in the over 60s.

If ill health strikes and patients become frail, illness may affect aspects of sight and lifestyle which we can help with. It may be as simple as recommending a daylight reading lamp to help with close work at night, or a referral to a Low Vision Aid (LVA) clinic. Visual problems may have to be corrected with something more complex than a pair of specs, and the LVA clinic will help with magnifiers to improve quality of life in specific eye conditions.

Every day brings a new challenge, and being aware of a patients’ age helps us to make full diagnosis and help in every way possible.

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Keep it in the Family

Friday, May 14th, 2010

Within families it’s interesting to see what lovely traits get passed on from generation to generation. Knobbly knees? An obsession with train spotting? Freckles? We can look back at family photos and spot the likenesses, which can be a bonding moment and at the very least, quite interesting. But what if knowing about your family history could save your sight?

Like any other physical trait, eye conditions can be inherited. There are two important things to do here. Firstly, know your family history, and ask questions about any eye health issues. Patients come in and vaguely say that Great Grandma had funny specs, but it doesn’t help us in monitoring your eye health. Secondly, make sure you tell your optician what you find out! Pass on any information, and check if you need more regular eye tests. For instance, if you’re over forty and a close relative has Glaucoma, then you should have a test every year, which is free under the NHS.

Some eye problems are down to anatomy, so this could be an inherited trait just like eye or hair colour. Long or short sightedness, lazy eye, Glaucoma are just some of the problems that Mum or Dad may have kindly passed onto you! Age Related Macular Degeneration is more likely to occur if you have every light coloured eyes, so wear good quality sunglasses, have regular Retinal Imaging to check for early signs, and take an eye health supplement.

While your Optician is always on the look out for early signs of eye disease, knowing your family history gives you an extra advantage in knowing about early symptoms and preventative measures. Take your children for regular sight tests and pass on medical history. Don’t forget to tell your siblings if any problems arise – they’ll appreciate the advance warning too.

So even though you don’t want to keep health problems in the family, keeping the information there might just save someone’s sight.

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Reducing the Risk

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Glaucoma is a common eye disease which can wreak havoc in a sufferer’s life. Production and drainage of fluid within the eye becomes unbalanced for various reasons, raising pressure within the eye and ultimately damaging the optic nerve. Although it’s easily detected and treated too many patients slip through the net, due to not having their eyes checked regularly. So the first piece of advice is to keep up with your eye tests, especially if you are over the age of forty, and if you have a family history of Glaucoma. But can you do anything else to reduce your risk?

Watch what you drink – We’re told to drink plenty of water for our general health, but there is some evidence to support the fact that excessive water consumption can raise the production of aqueous fluid in the eye. This will increase pressure within the eye, an early sign of Glaucoma. If you are susceptible to the disease, and your regulation of the fluid you produce is not good, then this may increase your risk. So drink plenty, but not vast amounts at any one time. Caffeine, particularly coffee can raise pressure, so drink in moderation, or switch to tea!

Stay Fit – Keeping active and regularly taking moderate exercise can reduce the internal pressure of the eye, just a modest 20 minutes of brisk walking about five times a week will help. Your good work will wear off about a month after you stop, so keep at it! Strenuous activities however, such as weight lifting, will temporarily affect pressure, so it’s best avoided if you are at risk.

Think about supplements – Selenium is a mineral which many people are aware of as a healthy supplement to eye health. Excessive amounts will actually cause Glaucoma, so eat a varied diet, including plenty of cereal, nuts, seafood and dairy products to get your Selenium, but avoid over consumption via supplements if you have other risk factors. Gingko Bilboa, used to enhance brain function and aid memory loss, also has many positive effects on the eye. So a supplement of Gingko can be beneficial

Smoking – of course this is an obvious one! It has such a disastrous affect on the body that of course it’s implicated as a risk factor with Glaucoma too – another incentive to quit!

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Independence Day

Friday, March 19th, 2010

While everyone else has a phobia about Doctors and Dentists, I’ve always been very scared about visiting the optician. My Great Grandma was virtually blind due to Glaucoma, and I still remember the day we took her to the optician and they said she would have to go to the Hospital and be registered as partially sighted.

Due to the Glaucoma, I’ve had to pluck up my courage and go for regular eye tests. I would go to big multiple opticians and have a test there and then on the day as I couldn’t face booking an appointment and waiting. It’s got worse as I get older and I really wanted my friend to come with me. She persuaded me to try the local optician she’s been seeing since she was at school. This type of little practice always seemed very clinical and scary to me, and more like the type of place Great Grandma went to. My mate would only accompany me if I went there though, so after much nagging I gave it a go.

I’d expected a less professional set up to the big chains, but the practice was very welcoming even though it was still clinical. They knew my friend by name when she walked in and even asked how her little boy is. They had some stunning equipment, including a brand new machine that takes a 3D scan of the retina. The girl doing the screening casually said they were excited to have this new machine that the multiple opticians don’t have. I was so fascinated by the pictures that I forgot to be worried!

The Optician was lovely and took twice as long to do the test as any I’ve ever had before. He patiently explained what he was doing and all of my results, and I even learnt stuff about Glaucoma that – despite my extensive research – I hadn’t found before! He gave me my prescription without me even asking for it. I practically had to wrestle it out of the hands of my previous Optician! He told me to go back any time if I was worried, and gave me his e-mail address for any queries. I ordered some lovely specs from them, and I’ll then get spare pairs from the online optician.

Having tried an Independent Optician I don’t think I’ll ever trust my sight to the multiples again, due to the care and interest they showed in me. They listened to my fears and were really patient.

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Eye Health Breakthroughs

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

Some exciting eye health advances have hit the news within the past couple of weeks, with a couple of surprising ways to protect your sight!

Researchers at the Hong Kong Eye Hospital have found the Green tea could help in the prevention of the eye disease Glaucoma. Glaucoma leads to loss of peripheral vision due to excess production or inadequate drainage of fluid within the eye. This leads to an increase in pressure within the eyeball, which damages the Optic nerve. The study examined Rat’s eyes, where it was found that catechins, active constituents in green tea, are absorbed by the eye. This helped to protect against oxidation, the cause of some eye diseases.

A test that can be purchased and used at home can help patients to find out their risk of Age Related Macular Degeneration. This eye disease leads to loss of central vision and fine detail. The kit uses a small saliva sample for analysis, which is then checked and a full report issued. A free counselling service is also offered, with suggestions to protect against and prevent ARMD.

For sufferers of ARMD, research has proven that Saffron can reverse the disease. Saffron is a spice used as a colouring in Spanish and Indian cuisine, which derives from Crocus Savitus flowers. Pound for pound it can cost more than Gold, due to the vast quantities of delicate filaments needed to make a pound of Saffron. It is a well known anti-oxidant and is presently used to treat cancer and depression. It encourages oxygen flow, and in the eye affects fat storage to make the cells of the retina more resilient to damage. Patients on the trial showed a reversal of symptoms while taking the Saffron, and researchers are now working on finding the optimum dosage.

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Under Pressure

Friday, February 26th, 2010

The eye disease Glaucoma is a cause of blindness that can be easily treated if detected at an early stage, with the result of no loss of vision. As the patient often doesn’t suffer any symptoms until the disease has progressed, it is a definite reason to keep up to date with your eye examinations. Glaucoma occurs due to a build of pressure inside the eyeball. This happens when the fluid produced in the eye cannot drain away as it is meant to. The pressure builds and begins to affect the Optic nerve, which then reduces the sufferer’s field of vision. This usually happens so slowly that the patient is not aware of the problem.

Acute Glaucoma is a different issue, in that symptoms do appear, as the disease occurs suddenly. The eye will be painful and vision is quickly affected. Immediate treatment is vital to save sight. For either form of Glaucoma treatment may involve eye drops or surgery. Close monitoring is also vital, to keep the delicate balance between the in and out flow of fluid within the eye.

If you have Glaucoma then the NHS will pay for your sight tests, which should be done yearly. Close relatives over the age of forty will get their tests through the NHS too, as the problem can be hereditary. If you are diagnosed make sure your children, siblings and parents know and tell them to go for a check-up. The Optician screens for Glaucoma by reading the internal pressure of the eye, checking your field of vision, and examining the Optic nerve when they look into your eye. Usually pressure is checked by bouncing a puff of air onto the eye ball, to read the pressure. Older screening equipment needed anaesthetic drops so the eye could be touched, but nowadays the test is non-invasive. Field screeners emit flashes of light that you register to give a read out of your peripheral vision. There are different formats of tests, but all are quick and simple, and give a record of how good your field of vision is at a given time. When the Optician looks inside your eye with their ophthalmoscope they can examine the Optic disc and check for any changes or signs of high pressure. Subtle changes with any of these tests may be early signs of Glaucoma, so your Optician may refer you to the Hospital for further investigation. Always take their advice seriously and follow up warnings. It might just save your sight.

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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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Under the Knife

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

We all know how precious our sight is, and fortunately for most of us a visual defect is easily corrected with prescription glasses or contact lenses. At the drastic end of the scale refractive laser surgery is the other option we might choose, but what else goes on when it comes to placing your vision in the surgeon’s hands?

The most common complaint treated by surgery is cataract. Catarat is simply an opacity in the crystalline lens of the eye, whch means your sight becomes cloudy over a period of time. This may happen due to trauma or just ageing, and can be rectified by an operation when your sight is sufficiently affected. It is simply treated by removing the lens and replacing it with a plastic one.

If your eyes don’t work together, and one or both turn abnormally, you may need an operation on the muscles that control eye movement. This condition is called strabismus. The surgeon may need to loosen or tighten the muscles, or re-position them to ensure the eye moves correctly. They can even use a suture that can be adjusted after the operation, to give perfect alignment of the two eyes.

Glaucoma is usually controlled with eye drops. This eye condition arises because the pressure of the fluid within the eye is too high, and if left untreated it leads to damage of the optic nerve. Surgery may be required if drops don’t control it. There are different types of procedure, but all aim to decrease pressure by allowing the fluid to drain properly or prevent over-production of it.

Refractive surgery is more commonly referred to as laser surgery, although lasers are actually used for procedures other than visual correction. LASIK and LASEK are the most common methods, although there are many ways of achieving the aim of re-shaping the cornea to correct the power of the eye. These are simple surgeries, usually performed under local anaesthetic and with excellent results.

Laser Eye Surgery

Laser Eye Surgery

Whatever the operation required, make sure you get all the advice you need and you’re prepared for what’s ahead before, during, and after the operation. Adhere strictly to advice on aftercare and use prescribed drops exactly as instructed. Some surgeries require general anaesthetics, others local, so be prepared for your recovery period and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

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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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