William Penn Life, 2012 (47. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2012-05-01 / 5. szám
Our Health Corner 5 Signs You Need To Call Your Eye Doctor I. Loss of peripheral vision. 2. A blind spot in the center of your vision. 3. Straight lines that appear wavy or distorted. 4. Frequent changes in how clearly you can see. 5. Floaters plus flashing lights or sudden vision loss. See an ophthalmologist right away if you experience any of these symptoms. They could be signs of a serious problem, such as glaucoma, retinal detachment or macular degeneration. gummy and can blur vision. Drops labeled "for mild to moderate dry eyes" are thinner and feel better, but won't last as long. If drops don't do the trick, your doctor can prescribe a topical medication or fit you with punctal plugs. Punctal plugs are inserted in your eyes to keep tears from draining as quickly. Use a vaporizer or humidifier to keep indoor air moist. Eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, sardines and tuna, may reduce your risk of dry eyes. Studies show that taking flaxseed oil and omega-3 supplements may reduce some symptoms. If you work at a computer or tablet screen, look away every 10 minutes or so and bat your lids like a Southern belle. Difficulty Reading Small Print. No matter how great your vision has been, it's inevitable that you will have more trouble seeing things close up as you reach your 40's. The lens in your eye gets harder and less flexible over time, gradually losing the ability to focus. The retina also becomes less light sensitive, so it's harder to see in dim light. If you catch yourself squinting as you read, pick up a pair of +1 glasses at the drugstore. Wearing glasses won't make your vision worse, that's just a myth. If you already have glasses or contacts for distance and don't want to switch between two pairs, go for good old bifocals or bifocal contact lenses. There are also trifocals, which have a third zone in the middle for computer distance vision. "Progressive lenses" blend the edges, so you can see everything from a movie screen to a medicine label without so much distortion. Another option is monovision, in which your dominate eye is corrected (with surgery or contacts) for distance, and your other eye is corrected for close-up vision. And let your gadgets work for you, too. Increase the font size on your e-reader or try apps such as MagLight, which turns any smartphone into a light up magnifying glass. Seeing Spots. Little dots and squiggly lines, called "floaters," come into your field of vision. This happens when the vitreous humor, the gel-like part of the eye, begins to shrink, causing cells and fibers to clump and cast shadows onto your retina. In most cases they're harmless, but if a whole bunch appear suddenly, or if they're accompanied by persistent flashing lights or peripheral vision loss, see your eye doctor a.s.a.p.; these could be signs of a retinal tear or detachment. If you have a retinal detachment, or the floaters are so bad they are impairing your vision, you'll need surgery. Otherwise, most people just learn to live with them and even ignore them. Take care of your eyes. Get them checked regularly so they will last a life time, and you can sing that old song: I can see clearly now, the rain has gone. I can see all obstacles in my way. Till next month.... Be Healthy! Be Happy! stay Fit! uebbLe j-JaaJih Uniti; To learn more about your eyes and eye health topics, including eye problems and diseases and their treatment, log onto: O http://www.nei.nih.gov/health (The eye health information section of the National Eye Institute’s website.) O http://www.preventblindness.org (The website of Prevent Blindness America, the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness.) William Penn Life 0 May 2012 0 11
