Eye Health Archives

The Difference Between Nearsightedness and Farsightedness

Alan M. Berg, MD on September 13, 2017

You go to any appointment and you hear an abundance of medical terminology that you might not understand – we’ve been there too. When you are at your eye appointment you might hear the terms nearsightedness and farsightedness. You might even be dealing with one of these conditions. But what do they both mean?

First, let’s start off with nearsightedness. Nearsightedness, also known as myopia is a condition where you have trouble clearly seeing objects that are far away from you but have no issues seeing objects up close. For example, if you are dealing with myopia you generally won’t have any problems when you are using a computer or reading. People who suffer from myopia may have trouble reading road signs while driving, a white board at school, or being able to make out objects that are at a distance away from you. In most cases, people generally start experiencing blurry vision caused by nearsightedness at an early age. It was reported that 40% of the world’s population suffers from this condition and that percent will only continue to grow over the years.

Next up is farsightedness. Farsightedness also known as hyperopia is the condition where people have no problem seeing things at a distance but struggle when they are trying to see things close up. Someone with this condition may have trouble reading or using a computer but will have no problem seeing objects that are further away from them. Farsightedness tends to run in families and is commonly present at birth.

Luckily for people dealing with nearsightedness and farsightedness, there are many options you have to enhance your vision. Some options you have are getting prescription eyeglasses or contacts in order to see clearly again!

How Smoking Is Negatively Impacting Your Vision

Alan M. Berg, MD on August 25, 2017

It is well known that smoking is the leading cause of serious health conditions that affect your lungs, heart, and much more. What most people don’t know is how smoking negatively impacts your eyes and puts you at an increased risk of developing cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and dry eye syndrome. Read more about how smoking increases the risks of developing these conditions.

Cataracts is an eye disease that causes your natural lens to cloud. Studies have shown that smoking doubles your chances of developing cataracts. These chances continue to rise as you smoke more and more. Right now Cataracts is the leading cause of blindness in the world and smoking only continues to put you at a higher risk of developing a Cataract.

Diabetic Retinopathy is a condition that occurs when there is damage to the blood vessels in the tissue at the retina. This disease occurs in people who suffer from diabetes and is the leading cause of vision loss in people who are dealing with diabetes. By smoking, you’re twice as likely to develop diabetes which puts you at risk for Diabetic Retinopathy, as well as numerous other diabetes complications.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is when your macula, the small center of the retina starts to deteriorate. When this part of your eye starts to deteriorate you start to lose your sharp, central vision making it difficult to do everyday tasks. Smoking puts you at three times the risk of developing Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Dry Eye Syndrome occurs when your eyes aren’t producing enough tears to lubricate the eye. Smoking cigarettes is known to cause dry eye because the smoke is a well-known eye irritant. When your eyes are exposed to tobacco smoke it increases your symptoms of Dry Eye which include eye redness and itchiness.

It is important to know the risks that are associated with smoking when it comes to your total health, including your eyes. By quitting smoking you can help reduce your risks of developing one of these eye conditions!

Foods That Will Help Keep Your Eyes Healthy!

Alan M. Berg, MD on August 16, 2017

We fuel our body with foods for our overall health but have you ever put in any thought about which foods have the best impact on our eye health? We are here to help! Check out which food groups will help keep you and your eyes healthy!

Fish, Nuts & Seeds: The first suggestion we have for you is to consume foods that contain omega 3 fatty acids! It is important to get a general intake of omega 3 fatty acid because of the overall health benefits you get. These benefits include maintaining cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. Not only are omega 3 fatty acids good for the rest of your body they are also great for your eyes. It is proven that they can help with dry eyes, macular degeneration, and cataracts. Some foods that you can eat to ensure you are getting this nutrient are Fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel as well as nuts and seeds like walnuts, flaxseed, and chia seeds.

Whole Grains: Keeping your diet rich in whole grains can be beneficial to your overall health as well as your eye health! By substituting white flour products with whole grain options such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa you can help reduce your risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Leafy Greens: It is vital to your eyesight that you have a diet that is rich in Lutein and Zeaxanthin. These nutrients help keep your eyes on their A game. Some foods that would fall under this category and give you the nutrients you need would be kale, spinach, collards, as well as a number of other greens.

Citrus Fruits and Veggies: Keep your diet rich by fueling your body with an assortment of citrus fruits and berries! This gives your body the Vitamin A and C that it needs and helps keep your eyes in the best shape. Vitamin A and C have proven to be very beneficial for your eye health and by keeping your diet full of them your eyes will thank you! Some examples of common foods you could eat to get your fix of Vitamin A and C are oranges, grapefruit, apricots, plums, carrots, peppers, and many others.

3 Helpful Tips That Can Help Improve Your Vision at Night

Alan M. Berg, MD on July 25, 2017

Do you find yourself struggling with your vision at night? You aren’t alone! Worldwide people are experiencing this same vision impairment at night time. This condition is known as “night blindness.” This term refers to people who are experiencing trouble driving at night or who are having trouble seeing in poorly lit environments. There are many reasons why you may be experiencing problems with your vision at night from sun exposure during the day to a deficiency in vitamin A. Here are 3 helpful tips that you can take today to help improve your night vision!

Make sure your eyes are examined regularly:By regularly having your eyes checked it will ensure that you have an up-to-date prescription which will help increase nighttime visibility. An eye exam can also help you figure out if you are experiencing trouble with your night vision as a symptom of another related eye problem such as cataracts or nearsightedness.

Protect your eyes:With sweltering summer days and the glaring sun upon us, it is the best time to go out and get yourself a new pair of sunglasses! It is important to wear sunglasses during the day to protect your eyes from the damage that can be caused from the bright light and radiation of the sun that you may be exposed to. Not all sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays so it is important to do your research before to ensure that your eyes are protected from the damaging rays.

Give your eyes time to adjust:It is important to give our eyes time when adjusting them to darkness. On average our eyes need about 25 minutes to fully adjust from bright light to dark. One way that you can help ease your eyes into the adjustment is by keeping your eyes closed when first going from a light environment to a dark one. This will give your eyes a chance to make a smooth transition and help improve your vision at night!

5 Steps You Can Take to Reduce the Symptoms of Dry Eye

Alan M. Berg, MD on July 13, 2017

When your eyes stop producing enough tears needed to nourish your eyes, you could start having to deal with a condition known as Dry Eye. Without enough tears to provide the necessary lubricant the eye needs you may experience some of these symptoms listed below as a result:

• Scratching sensation
• Dry, itchy, or burning eyes
• Trouble focusing because of dryness
• Redness
• Light sensitivity

Dry Eye is an extremely common condition with over 3 million reported cases every year, so if you are experiencing these symptoms—you are not alone. Dry eye can occur because of a multitude of reasons but commonly is a result of dry air, allergies, unsanitary contacts, or looking at a computer screen/reading for an extended period.

Here are some ways that you can help relieve your symptoms of Dry Eye:

Take frequent breaks from your computer/reading:It is important to take frequent breaks from looking at a computer screen or reading for a long time to give your eyes the break they need. Studies show that people blink a lot less when staring at computer screen, so don’t forget to blink! It’s important to remember to blink often when working on a computer or reading to keep your eyes hydrated.

Wear sunglasses:By wearing sunglasses outside you not only will protect your eyes from damaging UV rays but you will reduce your exposure to the wind and direct sunlight that can dry out your eyes.

Take care of your contacts:If you are experiencing the symptoms of dry eyes and wear contact lenses it is important to make sure that you are not keeping them in your eyes for an extended period. Keep your contact lenses nice and clean as well or you risk not only worsening your dry eye symptoms but also put yourself at increased risk of potential eye infections.

Drinking plenty of water:Dry eyes may be a signal your body is giving that you are dehydrated. Staying hydrated is an important aspect of our overall health and by staying hydrated you will decrease your risk of getting dry eye.

Increase the humidity:By increasing the humidity in your home and workplace you can help lessen your symptoms of dry eye. It is suggested to get a humidifier and clean it frequently to help with dry air you may be exposed to.

Sunglasses: Is Your Vision Being Protected?

Alan M. Berg, MD on May 10, 2017

Everyone knows sunglasses are cool, but what you may not know is that they can protect your vision. You might be saying “I thought sunglasses were just an accessory?” Well, they are an accessory! but they are also a utility. Sunglasses have been a fashion accessory for a very long time, but they can also block harmful rays from the sun.

Choosing the correct shades can help to not only protect your vision but also protect your face and reduce wrinkles as you age. The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays will cause permanent damage to your eye health with excessive exposure if left unprotected.

As mentioned previously, the suns UV rays can cause irreversible damage to your cornea, eyelids, lens and other areas of the eye. Certain studies even suggest that excessive amounts of UV radiation exposure to your eyes will increase risks of developing macular degeneration, pterygium and cataracts.

Not all sunglasses are the same however, when choosing the right pair of sunglasses, you need to make sure that the ones you are choosing block the necessary amount of UV rays to protect your vision. Contrary to popular belief, the darkness of the lens, does not have anything to do with the amount of UV rays that are blocked. Here are some things you should be on the lookout for when picking out a new pair of sunglasses:

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Labeled to block 99 – 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays
Screen 75 to 90 percent of visible light
Lenses are free from distortions and imperfections

4 Things You Can Do To Avoid Severe Vision Loss

Alan M. Berg, MD on April 20, 2017

Over 20 million people in North America alone suffer from severe vision loss. Not all of these eye diseases can be prevented or cured, but there are some things you can do to help your eyes remain healthy and possibly lower your risks of developing serious vision loss.

Here are 4 things you can do to avoid severe vision loss:

1.Utilize UV blocking sunglasses:Overexposure to the suns harmful UV rays can increase your risks of developing cataracts. Sunglasses that are certified to block 95 to 100 percent of UVA-A and UV-B rays can protect your eyes against the suns harmful rays. These sunglasses prevent retinal damage and protect your eyelids being sunburned as well—a nice side effect of this is it also helps prevent wrinkles.

2.Don’t smoke:At this point it probably has begun to sound like a broken record, but you should avoid smoking and if you smoke already then it is time to quit! Aside from the risk of lung cancer, smoking can cause some serious side effects to your eyes as well. Smoking increases your risks of developing cataracts and accelerates age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

3.Take your vitamins:If you have a vitamin deficiency it can impair your retinal functions. There is some truth behind the “eat your carrots” eye health claims, but in all actuality, there are a lot of other vegetables out there that can be just as beneficial, if not more beneficial for your retinal health. Studies have shown that diets with high levels of vitamin E and C, lutein, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids and zeaxanthin can help to reduce your risks of developing advanced AMD.

4.Regular eye screenings:Just because you aren’t showing any signs of eye disease does not mean you aren’t at risk of eye disease. You should get regular vision screenings to properly assess and maintain your eye health. Not all eye diseases show visible symptoms early in their development, so it is important to catch those diseases early to properly treat or slow down the progression of said eye disease. It is important to consult your eye care physician and set up routine screenings to properly maintain your eye health, especially if your family has a history with eye disease.

Learn How to Protect Your Eyesight

Alan M. Berg, MD on April 12, 2017

We always try out best when it comes to protecting our skin, but not enough of us take the same care to protect our eyesight. Protecting your eyesight is very important and essential if you hope to have good quality vision by the time you are in your 40s.

Your risk of vision loss gets higher and higher as you get older and if you don’t take care of your vision while you are young those risks get even worse.

Here are 4 things you can do to make sure you’re taking care of your eyesight:

1.Avoid digital eye strain:Screens are everywhere we go, so it is hard to avoid them. Staring at screens for long periods of time can result in what is called “digital eye strain.” Digital eye strain can result in your eyes hurting and feeling dry, you can also experience headaches. There is something simple and easy that you can do to help protect your eyes against digital eye strain and it is called the “20-20-20 rule.” What this means is every 20 minutes of time spent staring at a screen you should take a 20 second break to stare at something 20 feet away. It may sound silly, but this will help your eyes reset and prevent symptoms of eye strain.

2.Exercise proper contact lens usage:This means you need to take them out before bed and wash them using only contact lens cleaning solution. Sleeping in your contacts increases your risk of developing serious eye complications such as eye infection. You may be tempted to lick your contact lens to clean it, but this is a terrible idea. Our mouths are full of all kinds of bacteria which don’t belong in our eyes!

3.Get your eyes checked regularly:Make sure to never skip your annual eye exam. Not all eye diseases have visible symptoms right away, so it is important to get your eyes scanned frequently so you can catch these potential eye risks early.

4.Utilize eye protection:Approximately 2.5 million eye injuries occur in North America every year, so it is important that you are taking the necessary steps to protection your vision from possible dangers. Eye injuries most commonly occur while playing sports such as baseball and football or doing DIY projects such as gardening and home repair. Make sure the eye protection you use is always up to ANSI-approved standards so that it can properly protect your vision.

3 Things You Can Do To Reduce Irritation From Allergies This Spring

Alan M. Berg, MD on March 22, 2017

So it is Spring! The beautiful season of blooming flowers and life, but wait isn’t there something else about Spring that isn’t so great? Right! The allergies! How could we forget about the allergies? Runny nose, itchy eyes, scratchy throat, irritated skin—all the good stuff! Spring is certainly a beautiful season, but the itchy eyes can be a real drag! So what can you do to protect your eyes during the Spring time to reduce irritation?

Here are a 3 things you can do this Spring to protect your eyes:

Wear Some Sunglasses

We recommend wearing sunglasses when you are outside, not only is this going to protect your eyes from the suns harmful rays, but it will also help to stop pollen from blowing into your eyes! Also, wearing some slick shades in the Spring is a great look!

Wash Those Hands

This is cleanliness 101 people! Always make sure your hands are clean, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors. Pollen can easily get on your hands and the average person touches their face a lot every day. This creates a situation where you can rub pollen into your eyes and cause a lot of irritation and redness. Probably not a bad idea to keep some eye drops handy to keep your eyes clear of pollen.

Filter That Air

Obviously, when you are outdoors you are exposed to a lot of allergens in the Spring, but the indoors can be just as bad. Pollen is so small that it can easily blow through the screens on your windows, so if you regularly have the windows open, expect to deal with the same allergy issues you would deal with in the outdoors. One thing you can do to help reduce the allergens in the air in your home is to get a high efficiency particular air (HEPA) filter. This air filter will help to regular the air in your home and remove allergens.

Spring is in the air as they say, just make sure you are taking precautions to protect your eyes from pollen and other free radicals. Most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy this beautiful time of year!

3 Simple Ways To Protect Your Vision

Alan M. Berg, MD on March 15, 2017

We value our eyesight above many things, but not a lot of us think about how to best protect our vision as we get older. Every day we are faced with decisions that can have an effect on our vision over time. It is important that we take the time to think about our eye health and do what we can do help maintain good vision.

Here are 3 simple things that you can do to protect your vision:

1. Keep screens at an arm’s reach

In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with digital devices and computer screens. We use them at work, we use them at home and we see them in almost every store and restaurant—everywhere we look there are digital devices! The brightness of these computer monitors can cause our eyes to become strained. Studies also show that while looking at digital devices we blink a lot less than usual.

If possible we should try to keep screens about an arm’s length away from our eyes to reduce the strain.

2. Don’t forget to blink

We typically blink 15 to 20 times a minute, but when we are using digital screens we blink about half as much. Blinking plays an important role in refreshing the surface of our eyes. When we blink, tears are spread over our cornea and like a windshield wiper it wipes away dust and other free radicals. If like many others, you work with computers on a daily basis then probably regularly deal with symptoms of digital eye strain and dry eye. One technique you can utilize to reduce these symptoms is the 20/20/20 rule—this rule states that every 20 minutes you should look away from your computer at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This will allow your eyes to blink more naturally and give them an opportunity to reset.

3. Eat your greens

Yes, yes, yes… We have all heard that we need to eat our carrots to maintain good vision, but there are a lot of other good food choices out there that have benefits for your eye health. Green vegetables are actually some of the best options for your eye health because they are jammed with lutein and zeaxanthin. These two nutrients are said to reduce the effects of excessive exposure to digital screens and other sources of glare.

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