Archive

Posts Tagged ‘eyes’

Some History About Contact Lenses

July 7th, 2009
by Jaxon St. James

If you’ve been wearing glasses for a number of years, like me, then you may be wondering if contact lenses are right for you? There are a number of advantages to wearing contact lenses over eyeglasses and you may find that you like them better. Take a few minutes to read some good information about contact lenses and how to get them for yourself.

A Little History

Early contacts amazingly date back into the 19th century. At that time, they were made of brown glass and were not easy to wear. They were, however, helpful to people that could not wear eyeglasses. Contact lens technology improved in the 1940s and 1950 when they were able to make them from plastic instead. These were made out of a plastic material called polymethyl methacrylte and worked well. The only problem was that they did not allow oxygen to easily pass through them. Since then, the plastic material has improved and is now rigid gas permeable, allowing oxygen to get to your corneas. This is necessary because your corneas get the oxygen they need from the air, not your bloodstream.

Technology in contact lenses continues to improve as we’re seeing new kinds of lenses being made for people that have astigmatism or for people that need bifocals.

Why Do People Wear Contacts?

Most people’s primary reasons for wearing contacts is for cosmetic purposes, but there are also other reasons:

* Unlike glasses, the lens moves with your eye so there is no image distortion.

* Eyeglass frames can annoyingly block your side vision.

* Glasses can often steam up when you go from a cold to warm temperature room.

* Sometimes contact lenses are the only solution for people who need vastly different lenses for each eye.

* The protection of contacts can often help someone with an injured cornea.

How Do You Go About Getting Contact Lenses?

To find out if you can wear contacts, you should go see your eye care professional and get a consultation. You can’t go and order contacts with just a prescription for glasses. It’s a different kind of prescription. When you get your exam, you’ll find it’s pretty simple and does not take very long. You’ll just do some vision testing including the test for Glaucoma, which is an important test to get. It’s just a tiny puff of air that goes into your eye.

About the Author:

Jaxon St. James Beauty , , , , , , , , , , , ,

International Eye Care Center

June 6th, 2009
by Brad Davenport

Whether you are looking to find a lasik eye care center particularly or you want to find any other type of eye care center, the important fact is that you should be able to completely trust the international eye care center that you finally decide to use. Eye care trust is something that should be taken very seriously as you are placing one of your most precious possessions, which is your eye sight, in their hands.

I sincerely hope that you are someone who gives eye care the attention it warrants. To add to your knowledge of the importance of eye care we would like to point out some reasons for why you should exercise extreme care and caution in choosing your international eye care center.

The Need for Taking Care of Your Eyes

Though there are numerous reasons for finding an international eye care center, there are a few in particular that are most important.The first reason is the need for getting your eyes examined regularly. These eye exams are an absolute necessity as only through these exams will your doctor come to know whether your vision is good or whether you need to go for contact lenses or glasses. Moreover, these eye exams will also bring to light any hidden eye conditions that you are not aware of.

These eye exams also help to discover any eye conditions or diseases in its early stages before it becomes too late to treat. Some eye conditions like macular degeneration can be prevented or treated only if they are detected early. This is one reason for going for regular eye exams.

One more reason to get your eyes examined regularly is another common eye condition called glaucoma. This common but critical eye disease can be developed in any adult and can be treated as long as it is detected in time with the help of regular eye exams done by a qualified eye care professional in a good eye care center. If not this common treatable eye condition can lead to total blindness.

This diseases cause vision defects by damaging the optic nerve which sends signals to the brain from your eyes.

Doctors are actually still not sure how and whyglaucoma affects the optic nerve, but this condition can be caught and treated early as long as you are getting regular eye exams.

Apart from these there are various other eye diseases that can damage your eye sight which is reason enough to find an eye care center as soon as possible and start to get your eyes examined regularly by an experienced eye care professional, to keep your eye sight hale and healthy.

About the Author:

Brad Davenport Health , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lasik Surgery In The Big Cities

June 5th, 2009
by Art Norman

If you live in the US and want to have Lasik eye surgery, is it cheaper if you go have it done in Canada? If you are on a budget, you might be trying to find where to get it done for as little as possible and yet have a reliable doctor. People have gone to Canada for this reason to have the procedure done.

Lets say you are considering Los Angeles Lasik eye surgery and you have heard that it was cheaper somewhere else. In the past couple of years the Canadian dollar has overtaken the US dollar so on that basis alone, Lasik in Canada has gotten more expensive. When you add in the travel expenses and lodging it becomes clear that going to Canada to have the Lasik procedure done is not a good financial decision. Also, as the technology gets better and the procedure has become refined, the price of Lasik has gone down in the US as well.

If you are looking for places in the U.S to get laser eye surgery, your best bet is probably by word of mouth. There are usually lots of laser doctors in the major cities and that makes it difficult to choose the doctor that might be the right one for you. If you have any friends who have experience with laser eye surgery you should ask them about their experiences and what doctors they used. If you can get a lot of feedback on some of the Lasik surgeons, you will be better able to pick the one that others have felt the most comfortable with.

Lasik eye surgery has become very safe and yet it still is a nerve racking experience for many people. This is because it deals with the eyes which are so important to our way of life. Lasik eye surgery is a choice people make and so it is smart to take your time and pick a doctor that you feel comfortable with. It makes no sense to have it done by someone like or feel right about. Asking your friends about the doctors they used will help steer you in the right direction in making a good choice.

Your eyesight is obviously a very important part of your life and you should not risk it in any way. If you don’t like the first doctor you go to, there are surely many more in whatever city you live in so keep on looking till you find the one you like.

About the Author:

Art Norman Health , , , , ,

Lasik Doctors Should Not Make You Feel Nervous

May 29th, 2009
by Art Norman

If you live in the US and want to have Lasik eye surgery, is it cheaper if you go have it done in Canada? If you are on a budget, you might be trying to find where to get it done for as little as possible and yet have a reliable doctor. People have gone to Canada for this reason to have the procedure done.

For an example lets assume you are considering lasik in Portland and you have heard that it was cheaper in Canada. Canada is about a 4 hour drive from Portland so it might be worthwhile to have it done there. However, In the past three years or so the Canadian dollar has gained on the US dollar so Lasik in Canada has gotten more expensive. After you factor in all the travel expenses becomes clear that going to Canada tfor Lasik surgery is probably not worth the drive. Also, as the technology gets better and the procedure has become refined, the price of Lasik has gone down in the US as well.

Your best to find a good laser surgeon is by word of mouth. There are so many laser doctors in the major cities which makes it hard to make a decision on which doctor to go with. If you have friends who have had the procedure done, you could ask them to recommend a Lasik doctor to you. The more feedback you have about a variety of laser eye doctors will better enable you to pick the one that others have felt the most comfortable with.

Lasik eye surgery is very safe now but it continues to be a nerve racking experience for many people. This makes picking the right laser surgeon with the right “bedside manner” for you very important. Since Lasik eye surgery is a voluntary choice, you might as well get a doctor you feel comfortable with. It makes no sense to have it done by someone you dont have confidence in and feel right about. By asking your friends about the doctors they used, you will have more information to go off of that might help you make a choice.

Obviously, your eyesight is a very important part of the quality of your life and you should not risk it in any way. If you don’t like the first doctor you go to or the first handful, you should keep looking till you find the right one for you. There are surely many more in whatever city you live in so keep on looking till you find the one you like.

About the Author:

Art Norman Health , , , , ,

A Guide To Eye Care Planning – The Pros and The Cons

May 11th, 2009
by Brad Davenport

A healthy life style is a prerequisite if you wish to maintain the quality of your eye sight. Everything these days, is healthy this, or healthy that, but as far as your eyes are concerned, it is necessary. Once you lose your eyes they are gone forever. Science has made leaps and bounds in terms of reversing and even curing some eye diseases, that a few years ago would have left a person blind, but that said, the responsibility still lies with the individual to maintain the quality of their own eye health.

Vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A can be used in the place of fresh foods and vegetables, but it’s always better to go for fresh goods. The type of food you should be eating to help the care of your eyes are, in no particular order, liver, nuts, fish oil, carrots and fresh green leafy vegetables.

It goes without saying, that you must have regular eye check ups. Not to get too whimsical but as they say ” the eyes are the windows to the soul” or something like that anyway. But it can be true that eye check ups can lead to the discovery of illness before it gets to much of a head start on you.

Why not look around for some eye care health plans. This kind of treatment and paying for eye accessories does not come cheap. What does these days? The right kind of plan will reimburse you for any kind of eye health issues that you may have as well as such things as eye exams, glasses and contact lenses.

No eye care health plan will pay all of the costs involved, but it will cover a large proportion of it.

There are a couple of options open to you with these eye care policies. One is where you pay up front for the medical treatment or the check up and then you make a claim for what ever percentage reimbursement you are entitled to.

The treatment you have should be under the specifics of the policy in order to receive the reimbursement. So be very careful that you know beforehand just what you are covered for before you agree to a monthly premium. The policy may also stipulate the eye care specialists that you may attend.

You could decide to instigate a plan similar to a regular health insurance plan. Then there would be a benefits package and all costs for specific treatments and products would be paid by the insurers direct to the eye care specialists. This would also entail a monthly premium payment, the amount of which determines the benefits that you receive in return.

Even if your eye health is fairly good now, it will be to your advantage to have an eye care plan that covers you and your family. Aside from reducing the chance of having to deal with prior condition exclusions, you will also save a good bit of money.

There can be as much as 50% reduction in the costs of eye care accessories under one of these plans. Plus the treatments and check ups can be free. But shop around until you have found the one that suits your family’s needs at the right price. Looking online is a great place to start.

About the Author:

Brad Davenport Health , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Buy Prescription Glasses Online

April 16th, 2009
by Amy Nutt

Did you know that you can shop for, select and purchase your prescription glasses from the comfort of your home or office? Whether its’ your very first pair of corrective lenses or youve worn glasses all your life, there are some benefits to buying your next pair online. Buying prescription glasses online offers maximum selection, savings and comfort.

If you’ve never ordered glasses from a Web site, you may not know where to start. Fortunately, the process is pretty simple, and pretty similar across the board when it comes to different online retailers. Below is a general guideline of the steps involved with buying glasses online.

See your doctor

Before you even start shopping around for stylish frames on your lunch break, make an appointment to see your eye doctor first. You may suspect that you need glasses, but it must be verified by an eye care professional. A qualified eye doctor will also determine what strength prescription your corrective lenses should contain. Your doctor will give you a prescription for eyeglasses if you need them. Even if you already wear glasses, make sure to ask your doctor if your current prescription still works for you. When your doctor gives you the prescription, make sure she writes your Pupil Distance (PD) measurement on it so that the lenses will be centered properly for your eyes.

Browse online providers

This is the fun part – you get to shop! Start by checking out the major prescription eyeglasses retailers. Compare prices among different sites. Check out each sites shipping rates, available discounts, return policy, etcetera. Also, pay attention to each site’s special features. Some online eyeglass frame retailers provide a way for you to “try on” frames by uploading a photo and displaying it with the frames over it. Once you’ve narrowed your search down to one or two sites, try to find consumer reviews of each site’s customer service. You’ll be glad you did. Choosing one retailer to deal with for your online prescription glasses needs is smart because you’ll know what to expect, and if you do your homework, you’ll be very pleased with the value.

Find your frames

If you are a person that has a flair for fashion and enjoys selecting new styles for yourself, you will enjoy this process. Others may choose to keep it simple and focus on price. No matter what your approach, you will need to review various available options before selecting one. If you already know what you are looking for, it should be easy to find. You can select frames by shape, material, colour, brand name, or price. When you find eyeglass frames that you like, place them in the Web sites shopping cart.

The ordering process

Once you have selected your frames and placed them in your online shopping cart, you’re ready to fill out your order form. Most sites will direct you there if you click on “Check Out,” or some similar option. The form will request the usual identification information including name, address, phone number, email, etcetera. There will be a space on the form for your eyeglass prescription. Make sure to enter it just as your doctor wrote it down. Most sites will verify the prescription with your doctor, and some will get it directly from your doctor’s office, so make sure to have their contact information handy. After choosing your shipping option and submitting payment via credit card, you should receive a confirmation email. Though shipping times vary, you can expect to receive your glasses no later than three weeks from when you order them.

About the Author:

Amy Nutt Health , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Figure out ways to work out which specs to buy

April 9th, 2009
by Logan McArthur

Here is how you can choose the correct specs frame for your face-

The frame colour:

Pastel shades will best suit those of you with a fair complexion. You might also safely choose metal frames or possibly clear frames. Choose a frame colour to reflect your eye or hair colour.

Choose the frame shape that will suit your face’s shape

Wide frames tend to suit those of you lucky enough to have an oval face shape. Choose a set of frames which stick out of the side of your face.

If you have a found face, you should choose glasses to help make your face look longer and thinner. Go for angular or narrow frames on your eye glasses. Having a bridge that stnads out and helps to make your eyes look wider are a good thing to look for too.

If your face appears to be relatively long, then you may want to make it appear wider by choosing frames that have a depth to them from top to bottom. You could also use temples that are a bit fancy to help add width to your face. Another strategy is to look for frames with a low bridge, which may help to make your nose look smaller.

Square face shape: A square face shape has a strong jaw line and a broad forehead, plus the breadth and length are in the same proportions. To make the square face appear longer and soften the angles, seek narrow frame styles, frames that have more breadth than depth and narrow ovals.

Heart-shaped face or a triangle face: A heart-shaped face has a very broad top third and a very small bottom third. To minimize the breadth of the top of the face, seek frames that are wider at the bottom, very pale colors and materials or rimless frame styles.

Hope these help you when you choose to buy your spectacles online

About the Author:

Carolyn Gripper Health , , , , , , , , ,

Is Lasik Better Than Other Eye Surgery?

March 22nd, 2009
by Warren Rose

Supporting surgical vision correction is not as easy as ophthalmologists tell us. In the first place, we believe our eyes as extremely sensitive. And this is the truth. There are so many accidents that can cause, that everybody ought to carefully consider what hospital they choose to correct their sight faults.

PRK is nothing more than photo-refractive keratectomy. The surgery is basically the ablation of a small fraction from the ocular cornea, resulting in reshaping it. In this way sight faults are corrected, making it possible to give up the prescription glasses for so many people.

Lasik is working on the same principle as PRK, but the layer removed from the cornea is not superficial, but the next layer under the surface. Then the superficial layer is put back in place, permitting the eye to heal.

Lasik and PRK are performed with excimer lasers. All lasers for eye surgery or for any variant of medical intervention have to be FDA approved. This is how patients safety is secured. This is a measure the state indicate they are preoccupied to have a healthy population.

Myopia and hyperopia can be corrected through either Lasik or PRK surgery. The doctors will examine each person individually, then indicating one operation or another. Every now and then, they could indicate that the patient should not be performed neither operation onto.

Faults in laser eye surgery may cost a lot, as they may affect the patients vision for ever. Deciding for the eye surgeon only after deeper research will lower the danger of meeting the not-so-specialist surgeon.

Eye surgery professionals say that the eyes heal quicker after Lasik than after PRK. These doctors probably have their conclusions, but there’s hardly any medical proof to endorse this claim. Each of us is unique, therefore healing is a personal process. It can go well, but sometimes it could take very long. We’ll see as we live.

About the Author:

Jane Carpenter Medicine , , , , , ,

How do contact lenses work?

March 21st, 2009
by A Nutt

Most people know that contact lenses are corrective devices that fit over the cornea of the eye to affect vision correction, but how many truly understand how they actually work?

Indeed, the actual process is as fascinating as it is complex.

Contact lenses in action One of the more pressing questions in regards to how contact lenses work is how they manage to stay on the eye. There is a dual action that occurs with this process. The first aspect is the seating on the cornea. With soft contacts, the flexible material of the lens folds gently over the rounded cornea. The same process occurs with hard contacts only the actual contact with the cornea is not as close or as sealed as with hydrogels.

Once seated over the cornea our own natural teas and blinking motions helps keep the lens in place. Tears and blinking also keep common every day objects like dust and particles from landing on the contacts themselves. With repeated cleansing via lens specific eye drops, wear should be comfortable all day long.

Vision correction So, how do contact lenses help improve an individual’s sight? The answer to this question depends on the type of prescription the individual has. For instance, a person with astigmatism may use toric contact lenses. Toric contact lenses work by staying seated in the eye as opposed to moving around like normal lenses do. It also is a little heavier at the ‘bottom’ than other contact lenses so that the prescriptions align perfectly each time. This in turn helps correct the shape of the cornea which is off a bit in people with astigmatism. The lens has two prescriptions in it (to cure near or farsightedness). The dual prescription will bend the light coming into the eye in such a way that it resolves the fuzziness that people with this particular corneal abnormality have.

For myopics (nearsighted individuals) the contacts lens will have a different shape, being thinner in the middle and thickening on the outer edges. Farsighted folks will get a lens that is thicker in the middle and thinner on the outer edges. These designs capture and retain light in different ways. Since vision has a lot to do with how the outer and inner workings of the eye responds to light, this is very significant. That is why it is very important to follow the direction of usage when you wear contacts. For example, daily wear contacts may not be as durable as weekly or monthly ones. If you try to wear dailies for the same duration of weekly you may not be getting the full potential of your prescription as the shape of the contact lens has dramatically altered.

Follow instructions and you will always get the full benefits that come from wearing contact lenses.

Getting an all important eye exam Of course, no contact lens in the world will work properly unless you have an optometrist or ophthalmologist evaluate your eyes so you can get the appropriate prescription. These eye specialists will perform a battery of diagnostic tests that will give them some indication of how well you eye functions under certain circumstances. Once determining what is needed to correct your vision the doctor will assign a prescription to you that may or may not change over time. This is why annual exams are necessary, especially since sight degradation can be halted or even reversed with routine care.

Contact lenses are amazing creations and the way they work may not be as important as how we implement them in our daily lives.

When it comes to understanding the problems associated with your vision problems however, self diagnosis is not an option. There are many serious eye disorders that are mimicked by more innocuous ones. Don’t take chances with your sight-see a professional right way to determine what your and your eyes will need to be healthy and function at full capacity.

About the Author:

A Nutt Health , , , , , , , , , ,

Where can you get crazy contact lenses?

March 21st, 2009
by A Nutt

Everyone needs a change now and again, especially when it comes to personal aesthetics. When the itch to experiment arises, there are many ways to achieve a new and exciting look. One way is through dramatic change in our hair style or clothing. Another way to do this is via the use of colored or novelty contact lenses.

For those who are feeling a bit adventurous but may not want to walk too far on the wild side, they may simply go with a different eye color. Individuals who wish to boldly go forth with something outrageous and daring, may find that cat’s eye, black and white or spiral lenses are the remedy.

People who look for interesting and unusual or crazy contacts don’t merely have to do so to make a unique fashion statement, such lenses can also be used for costumes, plays or any needful occasion. Problem is, when people attempt to locate these fanciful lenses they are often at a loss of where to go.

Below is a listing of some of the more common areas where one can locate odd ball contacts that will offset a wonderful costume or complete a fantastic new look.

Online retailers The largest inventory of unusual contact lenses would of course be on the Internet. This is because merchants that sell these eye accessories can hawk their wares from anywhere on the globe. In the end, you’ll have literally hundred of companies to choose from when you decide to look for insane looking contact lenses.

Just be wary when purchasing anything outside of the US, especially if the item is something you plan to place on a delicate area of your body like your eye. The United States has stringent rules about company conduct and consumer safety but other nations may not have such rules in place. Also, should something go terribly wrong, like an infection that costs you your sight, you may not have legal recourse.

If you do wish to purchase a pair of outrageous contacts from overseas, be sure to investigate those countries policies in regards to business accountability and liability.

Costume and novelty stores ” Specialty shops that sell theater or Halloween costumes could carry several lines of contact lens in a variety of styles. Before visiting the store you have in mind, try calling them to see if they have what you are looking for. Even if they do not, they may be able to refer you to a company or two that does.

Counterculture hot spots ” Goths and Emo subcultures are into avante garde and underground fashions. If you go to where such creatures hang out, you are bound to see one or two them sporting wonderfully decadent eyewear. If you feel so bold, you can go up to the person and ask where they procured their lenses.

If you are feeling bit sheepish about approaching a perfect stranger and asking such a question, all you have to do is find out where Goths and Emo type personalities shop. Most of these stores carry accessories like creature or special effects contacts for a small fee. There may even be wigs and other items that can really cement the look you are going for.

Pre Eye Exam Before you stick anything in your eye however, get an eye exam to make sure it will be okay to do so. Just because the contacts will be used for cosmetic purposes doesn’t mitigate the potential dangers to your vision should you put them in wrong (or leave them in overnight). When you receive the go ahead, feel free to hunt for the contact lenses you desire most.

Picking one or several pairs will not only open up a new door to your creativity, it will allow you to explore a side of your personality that has lain dormant and will now get a chance to come out and play.

About the Author:

A Nutt Health , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,