Dry Eye Solutions Soothe Irritated, Itching Eyes

Saturday 28 February 2009

Burning. Itching. Painfully dry eyes. Everyone experiences this at some point. For many people, however, the problem is a painful and difficult to deal with everyday occurrence. When this is the case, it might seem like there's no help available. But there are many medical and over the counter solutions available to help. Dry eye syndrome is a real phenomena that affects many people every day.

Dry eye syndrome is perhaps one of the most common afflictions people go to the eye doctor for. It's estimated more than 10 million people in America alone suffer from the problem. The situation generally presents when there is a problem with the quality of tears that lubricate the eye naturally. The causes are many, but in most cases it's just normal aging that's to blame.

Tears themselves are very important for the eye. They are necessary for the eyes to function correctly. Although we mostly think of tears as the drops that fall from our eyes when we're sad, they are actually more complex that that. There are three layers to the tear film that covers the eye. The mucus layer covers the cornea and helps provide protection. The middle layer of the tear film is called the aqueous layer. This provides all the moisture and necessary oxygen for the eye. The final layer is the outer one; it has an oily film that helps seal the eye and keep moisture in. When one of these parts doesn't function correctly, the eyes may generate the condition that's called dry eye syndrome.

The symptoms of the syndrome are many and most may seem minor, but for those who suffer from it the condition is painful. Typical symptoms include itching, burning, redness, blurred vision, excessive tearing and more.

There are a number of causes for the syndrome. One of the biggest reasons is normal aging. During the aging process, bodies produce less oil than they used to. When there's an oil deficiency in the body, it can affect the tear film. Without the oil to seal in the water layer, the eye can become dry and irritated. Other causes include climate, smoke, eye strain and more.

Treating dry eye syndrome is generally a fairly easy undertaking. In most cases, eye drops, either over the counter or prescription, that fill in for natural fluids and oils can do the trick. Whether over the counter medicine or prescription drops are needed, they are important to use to bring the eye back to its normal condition. Dry eye syndrome can come from a number of causes, so it's best to let a professional diagnosis the situation first.

Once diagnosed, there are a number of solutions to help make the eyes feel better. There's no need to go around with eyes that are burning, itching and generally uncomfortable. Medical science has been pretty successful in creating "fake tears" to help ease the pain in the eyes and enable them to function better.

When burning, itching and red eyes are present, it might be a one-time situation or it could be a sign of dry eye syndrome. There is help available.

Eye Supplements - Beyond Vitamin A

Monday 23 February 2009

The eyes are something that many people take for granted, until disease or injury start to affect them, at which point your whole life can be seriously affected. Of course, there are some things, such as accidents and injuries, that can impact your eyes and will require specialist treatment. And in some cases there is nothing that can be done about problems that affect the eyes, such as genetic problems. However, we can look after our optical health in a number of other ways, and one important factor that can help to maintain them is nutrition.

There are a number of things that can affect the health of our eyes, some of which are out of our control and others that we can try and avoid. Some things that potentially increase the risk of eye problems include age, obesity, smoking, excessive exposure to sunlight, and even gender.

Whilst some people will be more at risk than others when it comes to poor eye health, it has been proven that nutrition does play an important role in the health of our vision, and this is therefore something that should be taken into account if you're interested in preventing age related deterioration.

Studies have shown that certain foods contain antioxidants that can are particularly beneficial for our eyes. However, not everyone manages to eat as much fresh produce as they should to get these benefits. Often a busy lifestyle or other factors can affect the ability to eat a balanced diet. However, the wide range of vitamin supplements that are on the market today have made it easier for consumers to get their recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals, although those taking supplements should still try and eat as well as they can in order to maximize the benefits.

Some important supplements that have been identified in relation to eye health are vitamins A, C, and E. These are the antioxidant vitamins.

Vitamin A is well known for its' role in night vision, but it is also important for preventing night blindness is pregnant women, and the health of our skin, hair and mucous membranes. It is found in animal products like liver, whole eggs, and milk.

Vitamin C helps reduce the risk of developing glaucoma, macular degeneration or cataracts. Bioflavanoids are available in combination with vitamin C in some supplements, and this is because they help the body absorb it. Vitamin E also helps reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Other supplements that contribute to eye health include beta carotene, lutein, zinc oxide, selenium, and cupric oxide. Lutein is not as well known as some other supplements, but it is central to eye health. It is found in the retina, eye lens, and macula. People who smoke should be careful they get enough lutein, as smoking can affect its' levels.

Smokers should also be aware that some studies have found that some of those participating who took beta carotene supplements and smoked were at risk of several diseases. These were only small studies however, but care should still be taken.

Eye supplements are a convenient way to get these nutrients, and often contain herbal preparations like bilberry. However, you should remember that exceeding the recommended doses can lead to side effects, so be aware of the total amount of each nutrient you are taking from multivitamins and any other supplements. This is of particular importance with fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, though if you are not taking high doses of any vitamins you should be alright.

Premier Eye Care Is Out Of Sight

Thursday 19 February 2009

You would have to be blind in order to miss the name Premier Eye Care (in various spellings) when researching an eye care professional in your area. If you enter the name in your favorite online search engine, you will get pages and pages of eye care professionals with this name. What's going on here?

Less than one hundred years ago, you were lucky to live in the same town as any medical care professional. At this time, the majority of health care professionals were all around general practitioners a sort of medical jack of all trades. A doctor never needed to advertise his services because he had no competition unless you wanted to gallop ten miles to the next town's doctor.

An explosion in medical health came in the 1950's, when huge advances were made in medicine, surgery and medical care. Now, it is impossible for one doctor to know it all. That gave rise to the specialists, who focus their mental and physical exertions on just one area of the body or field of medicine. Eye care professionals like in the countless Premier Eye Care facilities, are such specialists.

Then came the population explosion, especially in the field of those entering medical school. Since being a doctor or a lawyer was seen as highly desirable fields to go into because of the money, there are now more doctors in America than we know what to do with. In one way, this is great for the patients having close access to specialist medical care. But in another way, it means specialists have had to compete with each other as business competitors.

Doctors, dentists, specialists they can no longer just stick their name on the office door and expect to get enough customers to cover overhead costs. All eye care specialists need to be under a company name (or what sounds like a company name) in order to get enough patients to keep their jobs. They have to be under the name of a hospital or get a business name like Premier Eye Care.

This also helps patients in finding an eye care professional quickly. Instead of having to guess at what the doctors specialize in, a name like Premier Eye Care lets them know right away. Another popular name among professionals in America is Care Associates. Dealing with name changes (or similarities) is just one of the hazards of the American health care system.

Eye Care For Teens

Sunday 15 February 2009

One of the most important and the most beautiful organ of our body, the eye is God's gift to us. It is imperative that we take adequate care of it right throughout our lives. However, it is common to see teenagers not taking enough care of their eyes unless there is some noticeable abnormality.

Today more than ever, teenagers are always eager to try on new things. Even using contact lens in various colors as a fashion accessory has become quite common. Though using contact lens is not really a bad idea, teenagers should take care of various aspects of their lens and eye health, including cleaning and rinsing the lenses without fail and storing them in a proper place. This ensures the contact lenses and thus the eyes are protected from bacterial and other infections.

Other important points to note are:

1) Children and teens are prone to ultra violet radiation that is caused due to exposure to the harmful rays of the sun. IN fact, glasses are even available with UV block or coating that may or may not offer complete protection. So it becomes all the more important for teens to pay attention towards eye care by using proper eyeglasses and other eye wear.

2) Children often have larger pupils compared to their parents. Their eyes are therefore exposed to more light. Since they are outdoors most of the time their eyes are exposed to light much more than an average adult.

3) A recent survey states that 80% of our lifetime exposure to ultraviolet rays occurs by the age of 18 and the annual dose of teens and young children is three times that of adults. It is also observed that short term damage is very hard to be noticed but if they are left untreated may lead to irreversible long term eye damage.

4) Children and teens require maximum eye protection. They can use the special UV blocking glasses when they go out in the sun as clinical studies show that these glasses minimize the risk of eye disorders.

5) Long term exposure to ultra violet radiation can increase the risk associated with cataracts and therefore must be consciously avoided. Direct exposure to sun light is however based on various environmental conditions like altitude and the geography of the region and also on personal factors like the extent and nature of outdoor activities.

6) You can use sunglasses even while driving to minimize the risk of exposure further. Some teenagers use sunglasses in order to look fashionable, but these actually help in protecting their eyes from the bright sunlight and also from dust and environmental pollution. You can choose from a large variety of sunglasses in different designs, colors and sizes.

7) Another aspect to be considered is the diet followed by teens. They need to have a proper diet comprising of vitamin, calcium and mineral supplements that provides them with the necessary nutrition required for healthy eyes. Follow these tips and you will have a pair of glowing and healthy eyes.

Regular eye check ups at least once in six months can be of great use. They can detect major defects at an early stage which might have not be visible otherwise.

Protect Your Eyes With Proper Nutrition

Thursday 12 February 2009

As we age our eyes are vulnerable to three different medical problems. The most serious is age related macular degeneration or AMD. This disease is due to cell degeneration in the macula, that part of the eye which controls central vision. Another problem that accompanies aging is the development of cataracts. A cataract is due to free radical damage, which causes a cloud over the lens.

Older people are also prone to dry eye syndrome since, in the aging process, our eyes become less efficient in producing tears.

Dry eye syndrome does not interfere with vision but it is painful. Cataracts can be successfully removed in outpatient surgery and vision is restored. However, macular degeneration cannot be reversed; it is a chronic problem.

So as we age, it is important to make nutritional choices which will ward off these diseases and protect our vision. It is just as important that we avoid the foods, which may help impair our vision.

Two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin are present in large quantities in the retina and lens of the eye. Here, they act as antioxidants to shield our eyes from damaging free radicals. There has been several research studies performed on the value of these carotenoids in eye health.

On April 7, 2004, the North Chicago VA Medical Center stated in a press release that lutein had been proven to help prevent and even reverse the symptoms of AMD.

Both lutein and zeaxanthin are found in dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, collard green and other leafy greens. However, doctors are also advising that people increase their intake of these substances through supplementation some research studies demonstrated that to be effective in reversing symptoms of macular degeneration, the doses had to be higher than one can obtain from food consumption alone.

Eggs are also good sources of these antioxidants. A study was reported in the Journal of Nutrition which stated that thirty-three adults who ate one egg every day for five weeks had an increase of the carotenoids without any adverse effect on blood fats or cholesterol.

Beta-carotene, found in yellow and orange vegetables such as carrots, cantaloupes, pumpkin and squash is also important for normal vision and retinal health.

A mineral, which you need in your diet for optimal eye health, is zinc. This is readily available in fortified cereals, whole grains, legumes and nuts.

It is also important to eat fish, which contains the omega-3 fatty acid DHA. Fish has been found to be helpful for people with dry eye syndrome. Omega-3 is found in cold water fish such as salmon and black cod. People who are concerned about the mercury levels in fish should consider a fish oil supplement.

Finally, the antioxidant glutathione is necessary for lens health. However, this can't be obtained from food. Your body manufactures this in your liver but first you must eat sulfur-containing foods such as onions, garlic, shallots and capers. However, some doctors recommend acquiring this as a supplement (250 mg. twice daily of alpha-lipoic acid).

What you don't eat can be as important as what you do eat. It is recommended that you avoid trans fats, saturated fats, and foods made with sugar and flour. These foods can stress your liver and that will negatively impact your eye function. In other words, try to stay away from processed and fast foods.

While some of these recommendations have been beneficial for those having symptoms of various eye problems, you will realize greater benefits if you start while your eyes are still young and healthy.

Beautiful Eyes - Taking Care of your Eyes

Monday 9 February 2009

Although we use our eyes everyday, we rarely pay attention to them until there is some serious problem. You can maintain perfect eyesight for most of your life by following some simple remedies.

An Important Aspect of Health

If you were asked, "Do you take care of your eyes once a week or at least once a month?", the most common reply would probably be in the negative. The eyes are considered to tbe the most important organ in ourt body and yet, people neglect to care for them. If you take care of your eyes eat lots of fruits & veggies. Carrots, loaded with beta carotene are especially helpful in maintaining healthy eyes. Do not wash the eyes or face when the body is sweating, especially after hard physical exercise or after being exposed to heat and sun. Protect your eyes from dust, smoke, strong sunlight and strong wind. Avoid staying long in such conditions.

Drink lots of milk every day. Its full of important vitamins. Eating cabbage and carrots is very beneficial for the eyes. Avoid wearing contact lenses for more than 12 hours. This can cause permanent sight damage as well as extreme discomfort. Another simple way of protecting of eyes is through 'palming'. Rub the palms of both hands for about 30 seconds, close the eyes and gently place the warm palms over the eyes. Vitamins C, A and E, folic acid, selenium and zinc are definitely beneficial for the health of your eyes. Wear safety glasses while at work or play that may cause injury to your eyes. Never look into the sun for more than a glimpse. Dip a cotton ball in cold water and then keep it on the eyes. It gives a feeling of relaxation.

Tiredness of eyes is caused due to many reasons, like, lack of sleep, tension, stress etc. For Tired Eyes: So, some of the homemade remedies which can help to get rid of tired. A Dip two cotton pads in icy cold water and then place it over the eyes to ease to your eyes. Soak cotton balls in cold milk and place it over the eyes for about ten minutes. After ten minutes, rinse well with warm water and then with cold water. Drink plenty of water to improve the middle aqueous layer of tear film. Take vitamin C, which can be diluted when eye irritants cause the eye to water. Putting one drop of honey in each eye once a week is also beneficial to the eyes. It causes a bit of irritation, but cleans the eyes. Using your eyes in dim light can cause eyestrain. Good lighting can make reading and other close work easier.

Takec Care Eye Tips

1. Do not wash the eyes or face when the body is sweating.

2. Protect your eyes from dust, smoke, strong sunlight and strong wind.

3. For vision of eyes eat lots of green vegetables, fish and fresh fruits, especially carrot which are enriched in vitamin.

4. Wear safety glasses while at work or play that may cause injury to your eyes.

5. Always use sunglasses during the peak day time to protect your eyes from sunrays. Direct sunrays cause heavy damage to eyes.

6. Eating cabbage and carrots is very beneficial for the eyes. These should be eaten raw. It is all right to drink cabbage and carrot juice mixed together or separately.

7. Regular eye exercise maintains perfect eyesight.

8. A great way to get off eye makeup is to mix water and baby bath. Removes it in seconds, even waterproof.

9. Place a slice of potato or cucumber on both the eyes, after 10 minutes remove and wash the eyes. This helps to avoid under eye wrinkles and dark circles around the eyes.

Don'ts of eye care

* Don't wear contact lenses for extended periods of time or overnight as this leads to complication.
* Don't rub eyes frequently as this can cause an eye infection as few of us bother to wash our hands before touching our eyes.
* When you splash water do not do this furiously believing doing this will take away tiredness instead wash gently as splashing may hurtle the smallest dust particles or an allergen which may minutely damage the cornea.

Anti Aging Skin Care

Thursday 5 February 2009

When it comes to looking your best, the first thing on everyone's mind is usually reversing the aging process. As we get older, our skin gets more and more wrinkled and there's not much we can do about it. Until now, that is. Now, more products are being released to rejuvenate the skin and literally turn back the clock. These creams and vitamins reverse the aging process, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and, put simply, make us look younger. Anti aging skin care is the use of these products and it can definitely help us to look younger, more vibrant as well as help us look our very best.

Many Products Available

There's nothing to it, really. There are many creams, vitamins and other products available that are sold wherever cosmetics are sold. It used to cost a fortune to follow an anti aging skin care program. Now, however, their products are everywhere. You should be able to find some anti aging products that are within your budget.

It should be noted that using anti aging skin care products is only half the battle. There are other factors that have influence on how we look and feel, such as diet and how much sleep we get each night. When it comes to looking our best, nothing beats eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of sleep and drinking lots of water. If you do all that and you follow an anti aging skin care program on top of it all, you'll be closer to looking your best than ever before.

Hollywood's Youthful Obsession

Hollywood is obsessed with looking younger and, just as it has been throughout history, people want to emulate movie stars. For this reason, anti aging skin care products are sold in most departments and drug stores all over the world. It is the latest craze and, unless you have the money for expensive surgery and other anti aging procedures, skin care should be your first line of defense.

So, the next time you're out with your friends and they tell you there's something different about you, that you look great, you can either tell them about your new skin care program or you can simply shrug and tell them you're not sure. Maybe you just started getting a little more sleep each night. You can either tell them or hold the secret to yourself. The point is, you're going to look your best and everyone will want to know your secret

Why You May Need Contact Lenses for Dry Eyes

Sunday 1 February 2009

If you suffer from stinging, itching or burning in your eyes, it could be a sign of dry eyes. If you have such symptoms and are a contact wearer, it is probably time that you explore the possibility of contact lenses for dry eyes. You will probably need contact lenses for dry eyes if you are feeling discomfort during normal wear or you have a constant feeling that there is something in your eye when you are wearing your contacts. This condition is treatable and can also be helped with the right contact lens,

Dry eye is caused when your eye does not produce enough tears. When this happens, you will find that contact lenses for dry eyes become a must. You see, those tears your eyes need in order to functions properly are composed of three layers (an oily layer on the outside, a middle watery later, and an inner mucus layer) and when any of those layers is not there, you can end up having your eye feel very uncomfortable as a result.

So what causes dry eye? One of the most common reasons you may suffer from dry eye and thus need contact lenses for dry eyes is that you are aging. Yes, dry eye is often a normal symptom of aging. As we all age, we begin to produce fewer tears and thus may feel dry eye symptoms.

Another cause of dry eye can be environmental. Exposure to certain characteristics in your environment can result in the drying of eyes. Additionally, certain medications such as contraceptive taken orally, anti-depressant medication and antihistamines can cause dry eye. Finally, you can also end up with dry eye symptoms via some type of burn to your eye. No matter the reason, though, the condition is uncomfortable particularly for contact lens wearers.

If you suffer from dry eye and suspect that you may need contact lenses for dry eyes, then it is time to talk to your eye doctor. He or she can recommend contact lens brands that offer dry eye sufferers relief when they are wearing their vision correction. Many contact lens wearers accept discomfort as a part of wearing contacts, but the truth is that they are not naturally a part of the problem. If you have discomfort you probably have dry eye.

So if you suffer from dry eye symptoms, consider talking to your doctor. Having contact lenses for dry eyes can significantly help your eyes to feel better. You will see clearer and feel better all at once.