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| Can
Exposure To Light In The First Few Months Of Life Lead To Short-Sightedness
In Adulthood? |
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 A
report in the April 2008 edition of clinical journal Ophthalmology
indicates that babies born in June and July are more likely to become
short sighted in later life than those born during the darker winter
months.
Whilst the long-term scientific belief has been that short-sightedness,
or myopia, is caused by genetic factors, these new studies appear
to show that exposure to natural light in the earliest months of life
can increase the chances of the condition being developed.
The research was led by Dr Yossi Mandel at Tel Aviv University who
studied the records of 276,911 Israeli military candidates evaluated
for service between 2000 and 2004.
The results showed that babies born in the months of June and July
were 24% more likely to become severely myopic, that is, to the point
where they would need to wear very thick glasses unless they wore
contact lenses or had laser surgery. The least percentage of severely
short-sighted individuals came from the group of candidates born in
the months of December and January.
Dr Mandel’s co-researcher, Professor Michael Belkin of Tel Aviv
University’s Goldschleger Eye Research Institute, said "We
know that sunlight affects the pineal gland and we have indications
that melatonin, through other compounds, is involved in regulating
eye length. More sun equals less melatonin, equals a longer eye which
is short-sighted." |
| Posted: April 2008 |
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| Watery
& Dry Eyes |
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 At
this time of year we get an increase in people complaining of watery
and dry eyes. The cold, wind and central heating are some of the common
causes of the symptoms, and while the problem probably can’t
be eliminated altogether, the following tips can help to reduce them:
 When
out, wear glasses or sunglasses to protect eyes from the wind. Wind
blowing in to the eyes can dry out the surface and it also carries
dust and grit into them, which will make them water.
Don’t
sit near heaters where the heat or hot air directly blows or radiates
near the face, as this will quickly evaporate the tear layer.
Use
artificial tear drops and ointments throughout the day to keep the
surface moist. It’s when the surface dries out that the gritty
feeling starts and the eyes will then counteract by producing an excess
of tears.
Take
Omega 3 & 6 oil supplements. These can help to improve the quality
of the tears and prevent them from evaporating away so quickly.
Place
small bowls of water near radiators to increase the humidity indoors.
The water will gradually evaporate and the air will be less dry.
Massage
the eyelids with clean fingertips through a hot compress. This will
express some of the oil from the oil glands in the lids, into the
tear film |
| Posted: January 2008 |
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| Snow
Blindness |
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 If
you’re going skiing this winter, remember to protect your eyes
from the extreme UV rays found at high altitudes and off reflective
surfaces such as snow.
Inadequate protection can result in photokeratoconjuctivitis, more
commonly known as snow blindness.
This is literally a burn to the surface of the eye, and while it usually
heals with no lasting damage, it’s very painful and distressing
for a few days.
The eyes become swollen, red, gritty, very sore, watery and vision
is blurry.
To prevent it and protect the eyes, always wear sunglasses or goggles
with 100% UV filters. These should ideally be large and wrap around
to stop any incidental rays that may enter from the side.
The range of both prescription and non-prescription goggles and masks
for adults and children increases every year. Bolle’s
new collection is in store and online
now. |
| Posted: January 2008 |
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| Night
Vision |
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As the days draw in
earlier, so the number of people experiencing problems with glare
and difficulty with night vision goes up. Head lamps can be dazzling
to some in the dusky evenings, while others find it harder just to
focus as well as they did during the summer. Some of the most common
underlying causes are:
Cataracts:
These cause glare, dazzle and halos around lights. Cataracts can start
forming at any age and although they don't normally cause any symptoms
until they're of a certain size, even a tiny one can be very troublesome
if it's of a particular type or in certain positions. Nowadays even
small cataracts are removed, if they're causing symptoms that affect
driving or quality of life.
Night Myopia:
This is when normal short sightedness increases a little bit in low
light conditions. It affects only a small number of people and is
easily corrected by wearing a slightly stronger prescription for tasks
such as night driving.
Uncorrected Focusing Errors:
During the summer it's easy to not notice that vision is not quite
as sharp as it should be, because good light compensates and masks
it. However when the light falls in the winter, the blur usually becomes
apparent.
Uncoated Spectacle Lenses: Light is reflected
from the surface of lenses, causing dazzling of headlights and street
lamps. An anti reflection coating will significantly help to reduce
the glare |
| Posted: January 2008 |
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