Hill Country Eye Center Blog

The short answer to this question is a resounding ‘yes!’

If you are a woman, then you are far more likely to face serious vision loss in the future. In fact, of the more than thirty million people, globally, who live with blindness every day, two-thirds are women.

There are a few factors that can help make sense of this phenomenon.

The first, of course, is the simple fact that women tend to live longer than men. With many of the most common eye conditions developing in the later years of life, it makes sense that more women would be treated for them.

Two of the most commonly seen conditions that would fit this trend are glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Both have significant consequences and both top the list for potential causes of blindness.

Another factor to consider is that females are naturally more prone to autoimmune disorders, which can lead to eye health concerns years after diagnosis. The dangers of these diseases escalate when they are not caught early.

Finally, though it may not make sense within this country’s borders, there are places in the world where women simply do not receive the same medical care as men do. Without access to adequate care at the onset of an eye infection or injury, the outcome can be a tragedy.

There are things that women can do to improve their chances of maintained visibility far into the future. For more information on this and the differences between men and women, visit full article.

Have you ever wondered why there appears to be an age when several students suddenly need corrective lenses?

According to research done recently and published in Optometry and Vision Science, there is a very good reason for this phenomenon.

While children grow from infancy to the awkward teenage years, there are many things taking place in the body. Some areas will stop growing sooner than others.

Tracking children between the ages of six and fourteen, researchers set out to watch the growth of the lens and the cornea.

They knew, before the study began, that approximately a third of all children develop myopia before reaching adulthood, but what was not understood was why those kids had the sudden problems despite not reporting any blurriness in years prior.

It was discovered that in children who maintained their normal vision throughout that span of years, the lens of the eye slowly stretched and flattened to adjust to the growth of the eye. This allowed for maintained clarity.

However, in some cases, the lens stopped changing before the eye was done with its growth. Once the changes were halted, the lens remained the same, even if the eye continued to grow for months or years after. As a result, an imbalance occurred and vision was disrupted.

While more research is needed to discover why the change stops in some and continues in others, this discovery does provide a great deal of insight for the ophthalmologic field.

For more information on the study and the findings, continue reading full article.

An area eye doctor is making news recently with his involvement in the design and production of a new device that may make it possible to diagnose glaucoma earlier.

Well experienced at diagnosing and treating the condition that affects ten percent of people over the age of eighty in this country, Dr. Grady Rylander feels that glaucoma diagnosis takes too long today.

The condition that can ultimately claim a person’s vision entirely cannot be reversed, but it can be treated to slow its progression. For that reason, early detection is key. Any damage that was done prior to discovering its existence is there to stay, but if it can be caught earlier that damage can be prevented.

Rylander has partnered with Thomas Milner, a professor in the Biomedical Department and brought on a team of graduate students with the intentions of creating a device to find glaucoma sooner.

They have been working for decades at discovering a way to use existing technologies in a more promising fashion. Though further studies are needed to determine how effective this new product could be, the initial phases have held a great deal of promise.

With the current test for glaucoma being one to check for elevated eye pressure, many doctors fear for accuracy. Pressure levels can change based on time of the day, stress levels, or even diet.

A newer technology, called OCT, was developed in the nineties, which provided a more accurate picture of the state of glaucoma in the eye, but it also had its faults. Rylander’s team has used that technology to create something that could make glaucoma spotting a much more accurate science.

For more information on the man, the team, and the developments, keep reading full article.

Diabetic Retinopathy

When blood sugar levels are not controlled, they can cause serious pressure to build up in the small blood vessels of the body. Many of those vessels are found in the eyes. The damage, when experienced in the retina, can result in a condition known as diabetic retinopathy, which is associated with blurred vision, floaters, fluctuating vision, poor night vision, and eventual vision loss. It can result in blindness.

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)

A protein developed by cells within the body is used to stimulate blood vessel formation. Known as VEGF, this protein, when in abundance, can actually serious issues, especially when those new blood vessels are formed in the eye, which is why the discovery of elevated VEGF levels in diabetic retinopathy patients is both cause for concern and celebration. Though it is not a good thing that the new vessels are being created within the already damaged eyes of retinopathy patients, there is reason to believe, after the recent study, that treatment for the high VEGF levels could provide some relief to those individuals. Of the fifty-six eyes involved in the study, those that received the anti-VEGF treatment had decreased levels of the protein for up to thirty days or more.

Neovasculatization

This is the reason for concern and for treatment of the VEGF levels. This is the term used to describe the formation of new blood vessel systems. When the protein levels are kept at a reasonable level, this process is stalled, so the creation of blood vessels that could cloud vision, leak into the eye, or cause other issues is halted.

For more information on this study, read the full article.

Epi-LASIK

When traditional LASIK is not an option for vision correction, patients can feel rejected, but the truth is that there are many other options available today. The first of these is Epi-Lasik, which has demonstrated outcomes equal to or better than Lasik for patients with myopic astigmatism. The individuals who will consider this procedure are likely to suffer with dry eye or to face a high risk of corneal abrasions in the future. It is also possible for those who were turned away from LASIK due to extraordinarily thin corneas to consider Epi-Lasik. Patients will be given a medication regime for this procedure that may involve vitamin C, chondroitin, glucosamine, and NSAIDS.

IOLs

While it is not a procedure that will negate the need for Lasik, IOLs (or intraocular lenses) can be used in conjunction with Lasik for those who would otherwise not be considered good candidates for the eye surgery. When the cornea has been damaged (for instance by keratoconus), then IOLs can be implanted during the surgery to take the place of the natural cornea, thereby improving vision. The lenses are permanent and care for them is no different than what would be expected for the natural eye. This is a wonderful solution for those whose corneas are less that suitable.

For more information on your refractive treatment options, continue reading the full article.

Most parents consider their child’s decision to be involves with athletics something to be proud of. While that is certainly the case, there is more than pride that should occur to the parent who is preparing a son or daughter for the first practice.

Thousands and thousands of children each year will return home with a bloodied, black, or otherwise injured eye as a result of sports. While it might seem to be ‘just part of the game’, the truth is that these injuries can have a negative and lasting impact on the child’s vision far into the future, or could result in other complications in the eye down the road.

This makes eye protection something to seriously consider for athletes of any age.

There are certain sports that carry higher risk of eye injury than others and topping the list are boxing and full contact martial arts. Avoiding injury here is much more difficult than with a sport like lacrosse or baseball, where helmets can be donned.

Currently, there is no worthwhile eye protection that can be worn in the ring, but members of the ophthalmology field are big proponents of thumbless gloves.

As for the other sports mentioned – baseball and lacrosse – as well as similar athletics programs (soccer, racquetball, field hockey, ice hockey, etc.), eye protection is very highly recommended.

Today there are helmets for many of these athletes that are equipped with strong, but light weight polycarbonate shields and for the soccer and field hockey stars, eye doctors sell goggles that are built to defend against eye injury, but that can also work as corrective lenses, when needed.

For more information on protecting your eyes or the eyes of your children, continue reading the full article.

It’s probably not the first thing that you think about when you see the positive reading on the pregnancy test, but did you know that, during the nine months that your baby is developing, your eyes are changing as well? It’s true.

Along with the many changes that take place as a result of the increasing hormone levels, many temporary eye conditions are commonly seen in pregnant women.

Though it is not unusual to mark certain changes in eye sight or even to see the development of certain ocular complications, they should not be taken lightly.

It is highly advised that pregnant women see an eye doctor during their pregnancy and this becomes even more important if changes are seen, as they could be tied to something more serious.

Common complaints among women with growing bellies are a difficulty wearing contacts, dry eyes, blurred vision, distorted vision, and tunnel vision.

Dry eyes, which can make it difficult to wear contacts, can be attributed to corneal edema. This is a condition that makes the cornea more susceptible to irritation. When this occurs, contacts should be set aside and glasses should be close at hand.

Blurred vision, on the other hand, is often a sign of changes in the retina. It is very important for women who are diabetic to pay close attention to blood sugar levels during pregnancy, as this can increase the chances of problems in the retina.

Distorted vision can be caused by leakage in the eye that will need to be seen by an eye doctor and tunnel vision, which is less common than the other complaints, can be tied to a hormonal growth known as pituitary Adenoma. If you begin to experience tunnel vision during pregnancy, it is essential to seek the attention of an optometrist or ophthalmologist.

Keep reading for more information on common eye changes during pregnancy by visiting the full article here.

Astigmatism is a condition of the eye that is very common in this country and around the world. Millions are diagnosed with this problem and must rely on corrective lenses to see properly.

Astigmatism, which affects the naturally smooth curve of the cornea, can cause blurring and other issues with vision at all ranges on the vision field, even if the person has no difficulty with myopia or hyperopia.

For those who are already facing cataract surgery, the ability to correct the astigmatism at the same time is very appealing and, now, it is possible.

With the use of a femtosecond laser, a team of researchers found that nearly thirty percent of patients who undergo cataract surgery also have significant astigmatism (1.25 D) and that percentage increases when patients are evaluated for .75D or higher.

Even a slight astigmatism can cause poor clarity of vision and, fortunately, can be treated with the femtosecond laser. Of the seventy patients treated for both conditions at the same time, more than seventy-five percent reported improved astigmatism (0.5D or less).

Incision depth, for the procedure, was set between eighty and ninety percent and the diameter ranged from nine to eleven millimeters.

Researchers were very pleased with the outcome and encourage ophthalmologic experts to consider this option for patients in the future.

To read more on this topic, visit the full article.

Did you know that more than one million laser eye surgeries are done on patients each year, in this country alone?

Though Lasik remains the most common, there are often complications due to injury, corneal thickness, or for some other reason that makes a person a less than desirable candidate for the procedure. Fortunately, for those individuals, there is another option that can produce the same great results.

PRK (Photorefractive keratectomy) does not rely on the ability of the surgeon to make a very thin flap out of the uppermost layer of the cornea, as would be the case in Lasik.

Instead, a specialized brush-like tool removes those cells, so the doctor can get to the layers beneath and reshape for improved eye sight.

The downside is that this procedure results in a longer recovery period and increased discomfort. There is new hope for patients, however.

New contacts are being developed that may be able to provide a consistent flow of anesthetics to the treated area of the eye.

This will reduce discomfort after the surgery and also eliminate the need for patients to apply self-administered drops multiple times per day for several days.

The use of a thin coat of vitamin E along with the medication ensures that it is applied to the eye slowly throughout the day.

For more information about these special contacts, continue reading the full article.

There was good news for the Merck Company recently when the Food and Drug Administration approved a new ophthalmologic drug.

Zioptan is a preservative-free eye solution for people with elevated intraocular pressure due to hypertension or glaucoma.

With millions of people fitting this category, there is hope that this new solution will provide comfort, relief, and, most importantly, worse complications for those patients.

There were five clinical studies done of Zioptan before the FDA would give their stamp of approval.

The successes in the trials were numerous, ultimately demonstrating that patients could reduce IOP by up to 8 mmHg in just three months with daily treatment.

There are some side effects that will be attached to this ophthalmologic medication, including risk of increased pigmentation of the iris and lashes.

These side effects may be permanent, though it is suspected that the lashes would take on their initial coloring after discontinued use.

Zioptan should be available to the public this month (March 2012).

For more information about the FDA approval, keep reading the full article.