Eye Drops for Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve in which pressure inside the eye is too high for the eye to tolerate. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness, but loss of sight from glaucoma can be prevented with early treatment.

Eyedrops for glaucoma are used to lower the pressure within the eye. They reduce the fluid pressure in one of two ways.

They either:

1. Decrease the amount of fluid forming in the eye, or
2. Increase the ability of the eye to drain fluid.

This fluid is called aqueous humor. It is inside the eye, and is different from tears.

To be effective, eyedrops must be used every day according to your doctor’s instructions.
Watching for Side Effects

Glaucoma medicine can keep you from losing your sight. However, you may need to tolerate mild side effects.

Different glaucoma eyedrops can cause different side effects. If you experience any, contact your ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) immediately. Also, tell your other doctors if you are using eyedrops for glaucoma.
Beta-Blockers

They can cause:

* Breathing problems for those with asthma or emphysema
* Slow or irregular heartbeat
* Depression
* Change in sex drive (impotence)

Alpha Agonists

They can cause:

* A red eye or red skin around the eye
* Dry mouth
* Fatigue or decreased energy

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors

They can cause:

* Eye redness or irritation
* Skin rash (especially in individuals with known allergy to sulfa drugs)
* Change in taste (especially with carbonated beverages)
* Stomach upset or nausea
* Fatigue and decreased energy

Prostaglandin Analogs or Prostamides

They can cause:

* Eye redness or irritation
* A change in eye color (mostly in hazel or blue to green eyes)
* Increase in thickness and number of eyelashes
* Joint aches or flu-like syndrome

Miotics

They can cause:

* Blurred vision
* Headache
* Retinal detachment

Retinal detachment is rare. If you notice dark floating spots or flashing lights in your vision, call your ophthalmologist immediately.

Many new eyedrops are becoming available. As with any medication, eye medications can cause eye allergies, irritation or other side effects, as listed above.


Original article at :-

http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/treatment/glaucoma-eyedrops.cfm

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Neuroaid is a new stroke medication that shortens patients' normally long recovery after stroke

Dry Eye Causes Symptoms and Treatment

Chronic dry eye syndrome (DES) is usually caused by insufficient or decreased tear production or increased tear film evaporation. Tears are a complex mixture of water, fatty oils, proteins, electrolytes and bacteria fighting substances. Typical symptoms of dry eye syndrome are dryness, burning, itchiness, foreign body sensation, pain, stingy, gritty eye irritation (usually both eyes are affected). Dry eye syndrome can cause watery eye symptoms (due to eye irritation), but this excessive tearing does not make eyes feel any better as these tears will not have the lubricating features necessary to relieve dry eye. Schirmer's test is one way of confirming dry eye syndrome. Ocular surface inflammation may further aggravate the dry-eye condition, likewise dry eye can make allergy symptoms worse (tears are essential in tackling allergic responses as they help dilute and clear the allergens and irritants)

Dry eye syndrome is an ongoing condition that in many cases it can not be cured, but the accompanying symptoms such as dryness and burning can be alleviated. The diagnosis and treatment of dry eye syndrome is very complex. Artificial tears are usually the first line of treatment. Tears wash away dust and other irritants from the eyes, provide oxygen and nutrients to the cornea, lubricate and guard your eyes. Other common treatment options involve punctual plugs (which slow down or even stop the drainage of tears - it is also possible to have a temporary dissolving plug to see if it helps), For moderate to severe cases Restasis eye drops may be prescribed. In some cases an oral antibiotic such as tetracycline or an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid eye drop such as Alrex or Lotemax may be necessary. If the oily layer of the tear film is deficient specialists may suggest that you increase your consumption of oily fish and take flax seed oil as a dietary supplement.

Dry eye syndrome also means that your eyes are less protected from various irritants in our environment therefore air purifier and avoidance of irritant-prone areas may be helpful. Humidifiers are also considered to be helpful, however, if you have an allergy to dust mites it may make your symptoms worse since dust mites love humid conditions

Article written by Predrag Iljic

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Dry Eye Causes Symptoms and Treatment

The Eyeball Structure

Above is the human eyeball structure.

Medicated Eye Drops

Introduction

1. Whether your eyes are constantly dry, or if you are suffering from a disease or disorder of the eye, eye drops can be an important part of your medicine cabinet. Eye drops can be used to moisten, lubricate or medicate the eye. They can also be found in four main forms: prescription, nonprescription, anesthetic and dilating.

Prescription

2. Prescription eye drops are used under a doctor's care to treat eye-related medical conditions. Most commonly these eye drops contain corticosteroids or infection fighting medications. Corticosteroid eye drops act specifically to decrease inflammation and irritation of the eye. Eye drops with infection fighting medications differ widely in active ingredients, but all focus on treating infection such as pink eye.

Nonprescription

3. Nonprescription eye drops are easily purchased over the counter at most drug and convenience stores. The most common forms of these eye drops are artificial tears and decongestant drops. Artificial tears are made from non-medicated saline solution and work by relubricating the eye. Decongestant drops have small amounts of medicine in them with active ingredients that help constrict the blood vessels of the eye. This makes red eyes due to allergies look cosmetically whiter.

Anesthetic

4. Anesthetic eye drops are specially medicated eye drops used by doctors that contain pain medications. The pain medication is directly absorbed by the mucous membrane on the surface of the eye and help numb any pain that would otherwise be experienced during a medical procedure on the eye.

Dilating

5. Dilating eye drops are used by optometrists and medical doctors to dilate the eyes during an examination. This allows the professional to do a thorough examination of the inside of the eye. They work either by stimulating the dilator iris muscle to open up, or preventing the sphincter iris muscle from closing.

The Proper Way to Care and Clean your Contact Lens!

Why is contact lens care important?

Many contact lens user are either ignorant or didn't do the right things when comes to caring contact lens. Depending on the type of lens you are wearing, there are many different options for cleaning and disinfecting your lenses. Like all synthetic materials, contact lenses are subject to a buildup of micro-organisms and deposits. If not removed, these deposits and absorbed materials can build up on the lens surface which over time may result in the reduction of comfort and vision as well as an increased risk of contamination.

This is why lenses need to be cared for on a regular basis using various types of solutions, which are not only compatible with the lens materials but also with the eye itself.

Why can't water be used for rinsing contact lenses?

Tap water contains chlorine, minerals and metal particles, which can damage both the lenses and the eye. Among other things, water contains organisms, which can lead to serious infections of the eye through microbial contamination. Home made saline, purified or distilled water does not disinfect contact lenses and should not be used for rinsing the lenses. Saline are manufacture in a controlled environment and invloves designated amount of recipes of ingredients. As such home made saline, purified water from home tap should not be used to rinse contact lens.

The Right Cleaning Solutions For You.

Some lens care solution allows your eyes to stay better protected and hence healthier. The moisturizing effect of the solutions locks in moisture and prevents lens dehydration for enhanced levels of lens comfort. Some peroxide-based lens care solution comes without the preservatives found in many all-in-one solutions. Peroxide provides unsurpassed disinfecting efficacy and cleaning for improved lens comfort. If you have sensitive eyes, you need to choose those that is suitable for people with sensitive eyes. Generally it can be used with gas permeable lenses, soft contact lenses and disposable contact lenses.

In short, you should choose a suitable solutions that will: 1. lubricates contact lenses and re-wets dry and irritated eyes.

2. Relief from dry and irritated eyes. Specially formulated to lubricate and moisten your lens to help relieve irritation from dirt, smoke and dryness.

3. Enhance lens movement for comfortable lens wear.

4. Formulated for sensitive eyes as it does not contain thimerosal or chlorhexidine, preservatives to which some people are sensitive.

5. Suitable for all types of contact lenses including silicone acrylate rigid gas permeable lenses.

6. Outstanding protein removal performance for all contact lenses. Triple action formula: removes proteins, prevents calcium deposits, kills germs. Excellent antimicrobial properties: proven to kill 99% of acanthamoeba spores.

7. Preservative and enzyme free.

You should adhere to 3 Important Things on contact lens care.

1. Cleaning and Disinfection
Cleaning and disinfecting is an important step to kill micro-organisms responsible for eye infections.

2. Storage
Contact lenses must be stored in approved saline solutions.

3. Re-wetting
Use as needed to alleviate symptoms of lens dryness. This is not an actual lens care step, but can be used for extra comfort.

How about the lens case?
The lens case itself must also be cleaned and replaced regularly. After inserting lenses, rinse out lens case with saline solution, leave open to dry.

Will medicated eye drops affect my contact lens?
Medicated eye drops often have preservatives, which can penetrate the lens structure. Lenses should always be removed before inserting drops, unless they are designed for contact lenses. Certain medications transform the tear film both qualitatively and quantitatively. This can lead to temporary or even permanent incompatibility of the lenses.

Antihistamines (for hay fever), high blood pressure medications, laxatives, hormone preparations (pills), sedatives, sleeping pills, acne and rheumatism preparations, and pregnancy can alter the tear film structure.

Nicotine can tint the lenses; alcohol leads to dry eye.

Summary
Depending on the type of lens you are wearing, there are many different options for cleaning and disinfecting your lenses. Some lenses, such as daily disposable lenses require little to no lens care – they are simply thrown away after each use. However, if you wear lenses that your eye care professional has recommended that you take out and re-insert into your eye, they should be cleaned and disinfected after each use. Proper care for your lenses can help your lenses stay clean and comfortable for you to wear. Your eye care professional can help you decide what lens care solutions are best for you.

If you experience any problems with your contact lenses, please remove your lenses and consult your eye care professional right away. Discomfort can be an early sign of a more serious complication, and early treatment can have a significant impact on overcoming problems.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ito_Nakamura

Eye Care is More Than a Visit to The Doctor

Proper eye care is just as important as taking care of the rest of your body. Eye care is more than visiting the eye doctor for regular examinations. Rather, good eye care involves caring for the entire body and staying away from bad habits that may actually have an affect on the eyes. Let's take a look at what's involved in good eye care.

Diseases of the eye are more common that you would think. Further, as people age they become more susceptible to eye diseases. That's why regular examinations by the eye doctor are so critical to the idea of good eye care. An eye doctor can run special tests to see if there is any indication or the appearance of eye diseases and disorders. Diseases and disorders include, but are in no way limited to cataracts, conjunctivitis, diabetic retinopathy, dry eyes, glaucoma, orbital tumors, and blindness, congenital diseases of the eye and more.

Yet, it is also important that a person takes care of their body and remains as healthy as possible. Why? Well, beyond the benefits one derives from being healthy some health conditions actually affect the eyes. For instance, vitamin deficiencies can affect the sight. A lack of vitamin A can even cause night blindness. In fact, it is a known fact that well over ninety percent of all cases pertaining to the onset of blindness can be attributed to other diseases. Diabetes is another disease that plays a significant role in the occurrence of blindness. Therefore, it becomes increasingly important for people to maintain their overall health in the best way possible and to manage existing conditions if at all feasible.

Bad habits are something that should also be avoided if one wants to properly care for one's eyes and maintain good eye health. Smoking can cause significant damage to the eye and can eventually result in blindness. For instance, smoking can be the cause of what is referred to as Macular degeneration which creates a blind spot in the eye or eyes.

Other problems that occur with the eyes are caused by accidental injury. Say for example, you are working in a garage welding and item and you don't wear goggles during the process. Suddenly you find that a spark flies up and burns your eye. Or, if you are working with hazardous chemicals and chemicals get in your eyes - had you been wearing goggles you may have been able to avoid injury altogether. Thus, safety and safety practices are imperative to maintaining good eye health.

As you can see, taking care of your eyes involves more than a yearly visit to the eye doctor. Instead, you need to take care of your overall health, you need to avoid bad habits and you need to practice safety measures to ensure good eye health. In the end, you will be rewarded with the continued gift of sight, well into your golden years!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

Thera Tears

Thera Tears provides a comprehensive, science-based solution for a dry eye problem .TheraTears brand includes a range of topical drops for dry eye, an omega-3 nutritional supplement for eye comfort, and a gentle & effective eyelid cleanser.



More information of this product can be found on the following link:-

TheraTears: Complete dry eye relief for everyone

Dry Eye Symptoms and CPAP Therapy - An Eye Doctor's Perspective

The causes of red eyes can often be a mystery. Patients have reported dry eye problems induced by CPAP machines. Obstructive Sleep Apnea Disorder causes interruption of breathing at night in short repeated intervals. The resulting low levels of blood oxygen saturation cause daytime sleepiness and fatigue. It is often accompanied by very loud snoring and the affected person may awake with "air starvation" several times in a night. Sleep Apnea can result in serious health problems and mortality if untreated over time. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP, is used as the standard of care treatment. A CPAP keeps the upper airway open by providing a constant flow of air delivered through a face mask or "nasal pillows worn while sleeping. Compliance is frequently reported to be low with CPAP machine due to various problems. Resolving these issues is critical to your well being and continued use of a CPAP machine.

Eye problems reported with CPAP therapy include dry eyes, red eyes, swollen eyes (skin around the eyes), and redness of the eyelids and face around the eyes. Any of these symptoms should be discussed with your Doctor who prescribed CPAP therapy and if needed you can request further help from your Optometrist.

You may be inclined to believe the origin of your dry eye, eye inflammation, pinkeye appearance, or swollen eye is caused by an allergy to the mask. Most masks today are latex free and made of silicone polymers. The incidence of true silicone allergy is almost negligible. Eye symptoms may be caused by a number of factors.

- A mask may be too tight exerting pressure on your face
- A mask may be too loose causing air to flow across your eye at night causing a dry eye and simulate Dry Eye Syndrome. The primary difference is CPAP induced dry eye will be worse upon awakening and improve as the day progresses while Dry Eye Syndrome usually worsens as the day progresses.
- A worn or defective mask may leak.
- Worn nasal pillows could start to blow air towards the eyes.
- It is postulated the air pressure could induce dry eye by forcing air though the tear puncta openings. Punctal plug occlusion by an Eye Doctor can be tried with temporary collagen punctual plugs to rule out this possibility.
-Sleep apnea patients also have an increased frequency of floppy eyelid syndrome. Floppy eyelid syndrome is a lax upper eyelid that will evert (flip inside out) easily. Patients with untreated sleep apnea often sleep on their side face down on a pillow in an unconscious effort to keep their airway open. Due to a loose eyelid the lid flips up exposing the conjunctival tissue lining. This constantly rubs on the pillow case causing mechanical irritation and exposes the tissue to any allergens that are on the pillowcase. The conjunctival tissue can become chronically inflamed with papillary conjunctivitis and a red eye upon awakening. Treatment of the sleep apnea will help resolve the problem since there will be a reduction in rolling face down. There is no longer hypoxia (oxygen deprivation) and the mask itself provides behavioral changes in sleep posture since it protrudes from the face. Treatment of any remaining dry eye symptoms is still essential.
- Occasionally an individual will have dry eyes already or sleep with partially opened eyes which will make leaky masks more symptomatic. Treating the primary Dry Eye Syndrome is essential in this case and should be done in consultation with your Eye Doctor.
- Some people may be more sensitive to the pressure of the mask under the eyelids on a repetitive basis and could benefit by using different shaped masks on subsequent nights. The fit of a mask is so important this may not be an option and your Doctor may need to use prescription ointments (usually after removing the mask).
- Supplemental treatment by your Eye Doctor may be needed for the Eye dryness, artificial tears such as Thera Tears, some prescription eye drops.
- Your Optometrist may also prescribe eye treatment for the mask induced red eye conjunctivitis with eye medications like Patanol.

Discuss your problems with your Doctor. Simple measures may be all you need. Readjustment of the mask straps, replacement of a mask, or changing the mask type could completely resolve your eye symptoms. If you can't resolve your problems after your visit an eye exam with your Optometrist should be the next step.

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._David_Kisling