You may have pink eye or another problem with your eyes. Here are the symptoms of Pink Eye: pink or red eyes, itchy, burning, watery eyes, a discharge coming from the eye (either white, yellow or green) and crusting along your eyelids that can even prevent your eyes from opening.
Pink Eye is also known as conjunctivitis and that can either be viral or bacterial. A viral infection is likely to start in one eye and spread to the other. If you are having a clear, watery discharge from your eyes and cold-like symptoms, you are likely having a viral infection. This infection will likely last 7-10 days. If it is a bacterial infection there may also be cold-like symptoms however, the notable difference is the thick (puss-like) discharge that forces your eyes to stick together. Bacterial pink eye lasts roughly 3-5 days and requires antibiotic eye drops to treat the infection. Pink Eye does spread very easily. The main action to prevent spreading pink eye is to wash your hands, whether you are the patient or you have a family member or friend with pink eye. If infected, avoid touching or rubbing your eyes. Avoid sharing personal items with other such as linen, pillow cases, towels, make-up or glasses. Most cases of viral pink eye do go away on their own, but you may need to be treated if you are in a lot of pain, noticing blurry vision or if you are sensitive to light. Bacterial pink eye should be treated by your eye doctor. If you are a contact lens wearer and you have pink eye, stop wearing your contact lenses till your treatment is complete or the symptoms have completely disappeared. Are you a contact lens wearer? You should always have a pair of back-up glasses with a current prescription for situations such as pink eye.
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![]() There is a new treatment for eyecare professionals to manage myopia progression. Made by Coopervision, MiSight is a daily disposable soft contact lens. It is the only method approved by the FDA to slow the progression of myopia in children (8-12 years of age at the initiation of treatment). Our very own Dr. Tan is one of the few optometrist certified to fit this lens that helps control myopia in children. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is an eye condition in which the eyeball elongates during development, thus causing blurry vision since the light rays focus in front of the retina (instead of correctly onto the retina). In 2010, 28% of the world’s population was myopic - by 2050, that number could reach 50%. With the growing myopia epidemic, there has been a greater need to slow down the progression of myopia. With higher myopia, there is a greater risk of developing other eye diseases such as glaucoma, retinal detachment, cataracts, and myopic maculopathy. Furthermore, the patient will also be more dependent on glasses and it may be more difficult to be a good candidate for refractive surgery. The increasing incidence of myopia can be attributed to a combination of two factors: genetics and environment. For genetics, even one parent with myopia increases the child’s chance of developing myopia by 3x, which can double to 6x if both parents are myopic. For the environment, research has shown that spending more time outdoors lowers the risk of progressive myopia. The earlier myopia management begins, the better the outcomes will be regarding the child’s overall eye health. Managing myopia starts with annual comprehensive eye exams. In the 3 year randomized clinical trial, the Misight lens decreased a child's average prescription from progressing by 59% and preserved a child's eye length by 52% versus the control lens. There were no adverse effects with contact lens wear and the kids found it comfortable to wear. Not only does Misight treat myopia progression, it corrects the child’s prescription and allows them to be independent of glasses (which is great for active patients). ![]() What is Dry Eye Disease? Dry Eye Disease or Meibomian Gland Dysfunction is much more commonly seen than in previous decades. Those that have it know its symptoms well: dryness, watery eyes, itchiness, stinging, burning, grittiness, redness, blurry vision and a foreign body sensation in the eye. The symptoms just don’t seem to go away and are very annoying. More than annoying, dry eyes can also produce chronic eye inflammation, corneal abrasions and corneal ulcers. Patients sometimes come in complaining that they have blurry vision and think they need new glasses when in fact, they have Dry Eye Disease that is disrupting their vision. Is it a simple problem to fix? Yes and No. Firstly, it requires an eye doctor to take a careful history, medical review of existing diseases and an eye examination. Correct Diagnosis of the cause is very important as it will dictate what treatments will work and what will not. If a patient has contact lenses that are not fit well, it may be a simple fix to change the contact lens prescription. How is Dry Eye Disease treated? Early treatment is the key to preventing irreversible damage to the glands of the eyes. The doctors of Morris Eye Group have a three- prong treatment plan with the goal to not just treat the symptoms but to treat the underlying cause. This necessitates a proper diagnosis of the underlying problem. Our doctors analyze the patient’s tear film quantity and quality. Are the eye glands producing proper lubrication to the eye or is the lubrication lacking enough essential oils to do the job? If the dry eye is a side-effect of a prescribed medication our doctors work with a patient’s primary care doctor or specialist to find an alternate medication to those that produce dry eyes. If a patient’s Meibomian glands are blocked the doctors prescribe a treatment to unblock them. There is also a home regimen to keep the glands open and a new Omega7 nutritional supplement that promotes the production of the oils that bathe the eye. We always recommend adding UV protection in prescribed eye wear. What causes Dry Eye Disease? The causes of Dry Eye Disease are varied and many. Here are the main causes: Aging, contact lens wear, autoimmune diseases such as Lupus, Sjorgen Syndrome and Thyroid Disease. Many prescribed drugs produce dry eye side-effects. We also know that computer, tablet and smart phone use have added to eye strain from their screen- emitted blue light. It is more common in females and in those that participate in outdoor sports such as golf, surfing and tennis. Dry Eye may also be due to an occupational exposure to known eye irritants. In some instances, over -the -counter eye drops to clear up red eyes actually make Dry Eye Disease worse. How does diabetes damage your eyes?
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