With the world’s increased popularity of internet, smart phones and tablet devices, it is not much surprise computer vision issues are ranked by OSHA No. 1 on the list of health-related office complaints. A newer, more prevalent syndrome  is Computer Vision Syndrome, affecting approximately 200 million Americans. The National Eye Institute, again unsurprisingly, reports a 66 percent increase in occurrences of myopia (nearsightedness) in the past 25 years, matching the birth of affordable personal computers.

Cataracts are the world’s leading cause of blindness. To increase awareness about this disease the  month of June has been dedicated to Cataract Awareness.

What are Cataracts? How do Cataracts form?

Cataracts are defined as a clouding of the lens in the eye. The lens in our eyes which focuses light to help us see clear images of our surroundings, is contained within a capsule. As old cells die trapped within the capsule, over time they accumulate which creates clouding and can blur vision. As lens clouding becomes more dense, vision clarity further decreases. Cataracts occur in one or both eyes, but cannot spread from one eye to the other.

Sunglasses for many can be a fashion statement, which just like regular glasses, boast a variety of fun frame designs as well as functional lenses. However sunglasses often also offer increased protection from the sun, and with summer approaching fast, now’s a great time to make sure your eyes are properly protected from the sun harmful rays.

Taking care of eyes starts with a regular eye exam, but it doesn’t stop there. When you expose your eyes to the sunlight there are a few additional precautions that you should keep in mind.

Farsightedness, or hyperopia, is a condition where a person can see objects far away but has difficulty seeing objects close to them. Farsightedness can make reading or computer work difficult, and will make working with small objects a chore.

Because nearsightedness (miopia) is more common than farsightedness, most pre-school eye tests overlook this condition when having children examine charts from a distance. One of the best ways as a parent to determine if your child may be having difficulty reading, is if they squint, strain to read or to see close up.

Farsightedness is usually the result of the eyeball being shaped slightly shorter than nomral, which causes the light entering the eye to focus farther back, behind the retina, which causes blurring.

Hyperopia tends to run in the family and persons are born with the condition. There are a few different options available to those who suffer from farsightedness.

The best way to prevent glaucoma, a common cause of blindness, is to have a regular eye exam. During a comprehensive eye exam, your optometrist will check the intraocular pressure (IOP) of your eyes, as having high intraocular pressure can lead to damage to your optic nerve and can eventually lead to blindness. What if there was a way to improve the accuracy of checking eye press by monitoring our eyes on a more frequent basis?

The London Eye Hospital has developed a new contact lens, titled Triggerfish, which when worn will monitor eye pressure over a 24-hour period, which they hope will improve detection and allow earlier treatment. When worn the Triggerfish sensor is able to create and store a detailed graph, showing how the patient’s IOP has been fluctuating over a 24-hour period, which can supply doctors with the data that they need to diagnose whether the patient has glaucoma with much greater accuracy after the lens is removed and analyzed.

Have you even taken your vision for granted?

For millions living in developing countries an eye exams and contacts or glasses are considered a luxury, which is why researchers at EyeNetra, a MIT spinoff company, are developing a device which in essence turns everyday cell phones into a mobile eye exam machine.

“Our goal, really, is to empower millions and millions around the world by bringing eye care to people’s homes in a way that was never possible before,” says David Schafran of EyeNetra.

To that end, they’ve developed a $2 scope which can be clipped onto a smart phone. The patient looks through the eyepiece and follows the colored lines which appear on the screen. A software application (or app) is installed on the phone which enables the phone to translate the patient’s responses into a measurement of “refractive error,” which optometrists can use to create a pair of glasses.

Some of the most common benefits you hear contact lens wearers say when asked “why do you wear contacts over glasses?” usually include the increased convenience and ‘no-glasses’ appearance. However, the benefits of wearing contacts do not come without risks, especially when the wearer is lackadaisical with their contact lens care habits.

Sleeping In Your Contact Lenses
Almost everyone has worn their contacts when sleeping at one time or another. Perhaps you were watching a TV or a movie and fell asleep half way through, or perhaps were staying over at a friends and forgot to bring your contact lens solution and case. Wearing contacts when sleeping should be avoided at all times, with the exception of contacts designed for overnight use.