Eye Care Articles

You have almost certainly heard of diabetes, which is one of the most common chronic health conditions in the United States, with an estimated 100 million adults currently living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. This metabolic disorder occurs when the body is no longer able to regulate its own blood sugar levels and requires intervention to keep them stable. Most people are aware that diabetes can have serious consequences for their health. However, you may be surprised to learn that it can also influence our vision. This is because patients who are diabetic can go on to develop a complication known as diabetic retinopathy. Without prompt treatment, diabetic retinopathy can cause permanent vision loss. It is for this reason that patients who suffer from diabetes are asked to attend regular diabetic-related eye exams.
 

What is diabetic retinopathy?

For us to be able to see clearly, our eyes need to be healthy and functioning perfectly. The most important component of our eyes is the retina. Found at the very back of the eye, the retina is a patch of light-sensitive cells that have the job of converting the light that passes into the eye into messages that are passed up the optic nerve and into our brain. Our brain then receives them and tells us what we can see and how clearly we can see it. 

The retina relies on a continuous supply of blood, which is delivered using a network of tiny blood vessels. Over time, having continuously high blood sugar can damage these blood vessels, causing a leak of blood and other fluids onto the retina. If this happens, scarring may occur, which could compromise the quality of your vision. 
 

Am I at risk of diabetic retinopathy?

Technically, anyone who suffers from diabetes, whether it be Type 1 or Type 2, could be at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. However, the condition is more likely in certain situations. These include if:

• Your blood sugar levels are uncontrolled or poorly controlled

• You have a long history of diabetes

• You have high blood pressure (hypertension)

• You suffer from high cholesterol 

• You are pregnant
   

Regular diabetic-related eye exams will enable your eye doctor to monitor your condition and ensure that any signs of diabetic retinopathy are detected and acted upon immediately. 

If you’ve had a vision screening recently, you might say, “My vision is fine! I don’t need a comprehensive eye exam.”

But a vision screening provides a limited perspective on the overall health of your eyes. It’s a bit like getting your blood pressure checked and not getting the rest of your annual physical. You’ll have useful information, but it’s not the whole picture.
 

What are the Limitations of a Vision Screening?

Vision screenings only test your ability to see clearly in the distance. This is called visual acuity and is just one factor in your overall vision. Others include color vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception. The screening also doesn’t evaluate how well the eyes focus up close or work together. Most importantly, it doesn’t give any information about the health of the eyes.
 

Vision screenings are conducted by individuals untrained in eye health.

Vision screenings are offered in many places – schools, health fairs, as part of a work physical, or for a driver’s license. Even if your physician conducts the screening, they are a generalist and only have access to a certain amount of eye health training. Most individuals don’t have the tools or knowledge to give you a complete assessment of your vision or eye health.
 

Vision screenings use inadequate testing equipment.

In some cases, a vision screening is limited to an eye chart across the room. Even when conducted in a physician's office, they won’t have the extensive testing equipment of an eye doctor. They also won’t be aware of nuances such as room lighting and testing distances, all of which are factors that can affect test results.
 

What are the Benefits of a Comprehensive Eye Exam?

Comprehensive eye exams evaluate all aspects of your vision and eye health.

The comprehensive eye exam looks at your eye externally and internally for any signs of eye disease, then tests your vision in a variety of ways.

• External Exam – This is an evaluation of the whites of your eyes, the iris, pupil, eyelids, and eyelashes.
• Internal Exam – This is an evaluation of the retina and optic nerve while your eyes are dilated.
• Visual Function and Eye Health – This includes testing depth perception, color vision, peripheral vision, and the response of the pupils to light, as well as an evaluation of eye focusing, eye teaming, and eye movement abilities.
• Glaucoma Testing – This is a test of fluid pressure within your eyes to check for the possibility of glaucoma.
• Visual Acuity – Your doctor will test your vision with different lenses to determine if glasses or contact lenses can improve your vision.

Many people don’t realize that eyelashes are both functional and attractive. The purpose of eyelashes is to act as a first line of defense for our eyes, preventing airborne dirt, dust and other debris from reaching the delicate tissues of our eyes. You probably don’t know that when your eyes are closed, your eyelashes form a nearly impenetrable barrier against foreign irritants entering the eyes. 

Unfortunately, we aren’t all blessed with naturally thick, luscious lashes. In fact, many people choose to get artificial eyelashes or eyelash extensions to make them appear longer or thicker than they really are. Unfortunately, the challenge of achieving voluminous eyelashes is even greater if you suffer from a condition called hypotrichosis. 

Vision therapy is a treatment plan that is intended to develop and improve a patient’s visual skills and abilities, with the goal of making their day-to-day life easier. You may also hear Vision Therapy referred to as VT. Although most commonly associated with children, whose visual skills are still naturally developing, adults can also benefit from vision therapy.

Any patient who does not have the necessary visual skills could find themselves suffering from a range of unpleasant symptoms, including headaches, eye fatigue, stiff neck, and double vision. Fortunately, vision therapy is a simple, painless technique to help patients to enhance their visual skills and overcome any issues that they may have been experiencing.
 

Skills that can be developed and improved through vision therapy

Vision therapy has been shown to be an effective way of developing and improving the following visual skills, all of which are important for day-to-day life. 

• Tracking: this refers to the ability to follow a moving object smoothly and accurately with both eyes – such as moving traffic or a ball coming towards you.

• Depth perception: this is the ability to judge relative distances of objects and move accurately in a 3D space – for example, being able to walk down a flight of stairs.

• Peripheral vision: this refers to the edges of your vision and your ability to assess what’s happening in your peripheral vision while paying attention to something directly in front of you.

• Acuity at different distances: this is the ability to see clearly enough to identify and understand objects at both near and far distances. 

• Fixation: enabling patients to quickly and accurately look at, identify and understand stationery objects one after the other, for example, reading word to word. 

• Binocular vision: the ability for both eyes to work together in perfect synchronization.

• Shifting focus: patients with this skill can look quickly at different distances without momentary blur. 

• Visualization: a valuable visual skill that enables patients to form and retain images in their head. 

Just a few decades ago, computer vision syndrome (CVS) was not known or understood. However, with an increase in the role of computers in our lives, it has become an increasingly common issue. Researchers believe that 50-90% of people who use computers in their daily lives have experienced CVS to some degree. The amount of time that many people stare into a computer screen is increasing, which puts significant strain on our eyes.

CVS is not considered a single specific problem, but a suite of issues. And with the increased use of school computers, tablets and smartphones, children are also becoming more susceptible to CVS.

This syndrome is similar to many other repetitive motion type conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Problems can start because as we are reading text on a screen, our eyes move in a repetitive motion throughout the day. Once the issue has started, continuing the same behavior can worsen any symptoms. While reading alone uses the same motion, digital screens add flicker, contrast, glare, and light that all put additional strain on our eyes.

Issues may also be accelerated if you should be wearing some type of corrective lens, but don't, and are therefore putting additional strain on your eyes.

Aging can also speed up the progress of these issues. Around the time that people turn 40, the lenses of the eyes begin to harden due to a disease called presbyopia, which affects your ability to see closer objects.
 

What Happens if I have CVS?

There is currently no proof that CVS causes long-term vision impairment or blindness. Continuing to use a computer or any other type of screen can continue to be an annoyance or reduce your ability to see properly. Some of the warning signs of CVS are:

• Blurred vision

• Double vision

• Red or dry eyes

• Headaches

• Neck pain

• Back pain

• Eye Irritation
   

If you don’t properly treat CVS when these symptoms occur, you may begin to notice that you suffer from a decrease in overall quality of life or job performance.