Cataracts | VSP Blog

RT @VSPVisionCare: New blog post from Dr. @dhkisling regarding small bumps on your eyes. Find out what they might be: http://ow.ly/28J7B

Posts Tagged ‘cataracts’

Protect Your Eyes this Fourth of July!

Posted on June 29th, 2010 by Lisa P.

Independence Day, Fourth of July, is right around the corner and that means picnics, BBQ’s, outdoor activities and most importantly, fireworks! We want to make sure you see them bright and clear so we encourage you to wear sunglasses throughout the day. Lets face it, shades look cool, but did you know they are essential to eye health?

VSP doctor Stephen Cohen from Scottsdale, Arizona says ”there’s increasing evidence that ultraviolet rays in sunlight can significantly increase your risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. Because both conditions can threaten healthy vision, I recommend wearing sunglasses on sunny days year-round. Plus, you’ll experience better night vision when you wear sunglasses on sunny days.” This is a plus for the fireworks show!

Here are some tips to picking out the right shades to protect your eyes.

Tommy Bahama Aviator

Labels: Make sure they carry a consumer-protection label stating they’re 99-100% UV-absorbent, or provide UV absorption up to 400 nanometers (nm).
Go big or wrap it: Bigger frames and lenses, and also wrap-around styles, give you more UV protection because they block peripheral rays. Also, this is the trend this season!
Go polar: Polarized lenses block out sunlight glare bouncing off windshields, pavement, and other smooth surfaces.
Consider color: Gray lenses are best. Why? They don’t change colors. Green and brown lenses are good too.

Often times, store-bought fireworks can emit smoke. Here are some tips for smokey-eyes:

Rinse your eyes with clean water regularly; at least once a day or more often if they burn or itch.
Try not to rub your eyes, since you might transfer dust and ash from your hands or face to your eyes that could scratch or irritate them. Wash your hands regularly, especially if you wear contact lenses.
Use lubricating eye drops or artificial tears to keep your eyes refreshed and help get rid of dust and particles that can irritate eyes.

We hope you have a fun and safe Fourth of July this year!

File under: Eye Safety, Frames & Lenses, eye health, fashion | Tagged: cataracts, eye health, fireworks, Fourth of July, Independence Day, july 4, macular degeneration, smoke eyes, smokey eyes, Stephen Cohen, sunglasses, ultraviolet rays, UV protection, UV Rays, VSP, VSP Vision Care
No Comments »

Help Save Your Eyes

Posted on December 28th, 2009 by Sara B.

Did you know that carrots are not the only vegetable that can protect your eyes? Dr. Jennifer Ashton recently discussed some other eye-healthy foods on, “The Early Show.” According to Dr. Ashton, lutein and zeaxanthin are the most beneficial cartenoids for eye health. In fact, there are foods that are good for our eyes and taste delicious, too, that most of us are not even aware of. Below is a list of some of these foods, which promote eye health.

Spinach
Kale
Peas
Zucchini
Broccoli
Other leafy greens
Orange peppers
Corn
Oranges
Honeydew melon
Egg yolks

Why is it so important to protect our eyes, you may ask? Dr. Ashton states it in simple logic:

“The thinking is that our eyes age just like other parts of our body, and things like these substances can really make a big difference in preventing things like macular degeneration and cataracts.” Read more »

File under: Get Fit, eye health | Tagged: broccoli, cataracts, corn, Dr. Jennifer Ashton, egg yolks, eye health, Food For Thought, foods good for your eyes, fruits and vegetables, healthy eating, honeydew melon, kale, leafy greens, lutein, macular degeneration, orange peppers, oranges, peas, spinach, The Early Show, zeaxanthin, zucchini
1 Comment »

What is Colorblindness?

Posted on December 22nd, 2009 by Liz B.

Dr. Joel Kestenbaum is a VSP provider in Long Island, NY

Dr. Kestenbaum is back! Today his guest blog discusses colorblindness …

Color blindness is also known as color vision deficiency. It is a condition in which certain colors cannot be differentiated. It is most commonly an inherited condition, transmitted by the “X” chromosome. About 99 percent of color deficient individuals are red/green colorblind. These people have a hard time distinguishing different hues of reds and greens. About 8% of males and half of 1% of females are red/green colorblind.

Blue/yellow color deficiency is rarely inherited and as far as I am aware, there is no commonly available test for it. Total color blindness, or seeing only shades of gray, is an extremely rare condition.

There is no treatment for color blindness but it can be very frustrating for people affected by it. Think about all things that we do in life that require good color vision: Coordinating your clothes, determining if a traffic light is red, yellow or green (especially in states whose lights are horizontal), coloring with crayons, technical wiring for electricians, telling rare from well-done with meats, seeing if a piece of litmus paper turns red or blue. Commercial pilots must have normal color vision for their job.

Can you see the 2?

Certain diseases can also cause color deficiencies, either temporary or permanent. Cataracts cloud vision and filter light away from the retina. When cataracts are surgically removed, most people will see rejuvenated colors. Macular degeneration causes, in most cases, permanent color vision changes. Diseases like Multiple Sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease or any diseases that cause optic neuritis (an inflammation of the optic nerve), can cause colors to appear paler.

The good news is that colorblindness is not deadly. Eight to ten percent of us live with it every day and learn to compensate for this minor disability. You can search many websites including here, here, and here for more information on color deficiency.

Happy Holidays to all.

Dr. Joel Kestenbaum
www.optixeyecare.com