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August 18, 2010
Don’t Forget About Your Eyes When You Get In That Tanning Bed
Ever since Coco Chanel revealed her bronzed models in the 1920s, Americans have been in constant search of the perfect summer glow. Regardless of weather conditions or time spent relaxing on the beaches, we’ve engineered new and increasingly dangerous ways to enhance our natural coloring. For years it has been apparent that increased exposure to UVA and UVB rays is directly proportional to the likelihood of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer and the cause of over 8,000 deaths a year. In fact, indoor tanning has become so detrimental to the health of our country that the United States government is in the process of imposing a 10% tax increase on all tanning salons and their patrons as part of the new health care bill. But there is another disadvantage to indoor tanning, one that often goes unnoticed – the damage it can do to our eyes.
The College of Optometrists in London recently reported that tanning beds are equally, if not more so, damaging to our eyesight than our skin. The human eyelid is too thin to protect the eye from UV rays, both indoors and out. Therefore, by increasing exposure to these harmful rays in tanning beds, we put our eyesight at further and unnecessary risk. Not only is the delicate skin of the eyelid at a higher risk for burning, but it also is not thick enough to protect the eye from potential burns to the cornea, cataracts and retina damage.
Symptoms of cornea burns include eye irritation and conjunctivitis, which can lead to tearing of the eyelids and blurred vision. Cataracts cause a cloudy surface on the eye which must be removed through surgery and retina damage typically requires surgery to alleviate serious vision problems.
The College of Optometrists recommend the use of FDA-approved goggles or “wink-ease” provided at tanning salons, for those that simply cannot live without a bronzed exterior. While this solution protects the eyes from UV rays, it does nothing to protect the body from other harmful effects of prolonged exposure.
So if you have to use a sunbed, remember to be as careful with your health as possible. Always wear protective goggles, as merely closing the eyes does not protect the eyes at all and neither does draping a towel over the face. Avoid excessive use and don’t stay in long enough to burn. When it comes to your health, you only get one chance.
February 10, 2010
DAUGHTER’S SCHOOL WOES ARE CAUSED BY DISORDER OF SIGHT
A great post in Dear Abby in regards to sight disorders advice.
DEAR ABBY: Please help me get the word out about a common condition that severely affects children’s ability to succeed in school because it inhibits reading, spelling and concentration.
My daughter, who was obviously bright, tested at first-grade reading level in fifth grade. She had undergone all the school testing for learning disabilities, plus two days of testing at a respected university hospital. None of these tests or specialists revealed what could be wrong with her.
My child’s self-esteem suffered. Her confidence faltered; she began acting out in school. At home she was a great kid, until it came time for schoolwork. Then the battles began. She thought she was dumb. When studying, she could read for only a very short time. She often begged me to read things to her. When working on spelling and assigned to rewrite the words she missed five times, she often recopied them wrong. We thought she just wasn’t trying.
After much research on the Internet, I came across a disorder called “convergence insufficiency disorder.” This visual condition is the leading cause of eyestrain. Fortunately, we had the opportunity to have her tested at the Mayo Clinic, where her condition was confirmed, and she was successfully treated with vision therapy.
It was as though a miracle had occurred. After six months of treatment, my daughter is almost at her age-appropriate reading level. Her comprehension and retention have markedly increased, and her self-esteem and attitude about reading are much better.
Children with this condition will not benefit from tutoring, special education or extra help from teachers until the condition is diagnosed and treated. My child had 20/20 vision and still had this disorder. It’s not routinely checked with eye exams, and schools don’t test for it.
I suspect that many children out there are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed and going untreated. The treatment for convergence insufficiency disorder is noninvasive, effective, and much of it can be done at home. Please help me get the word out so other families won’t have to go through what we experienced. — ANGIE W. IN MINNESOTA
DEAR ANGIE: I am pleased to help you get the word out to other families whose children are struggling to learn. After reading your letter, I contacted my experts at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and was informed that this problem, where the eyes drift too much inward (or outward) in attempting to focus, can also be present in adults.
The symptoms can include eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision, sleepiness and trouble retaining information when reading. Other symptoms associated with convergence insufficiency include a “pulling” sensation around the eyes, the rubbing or closing of one eye when reading, words seeming to “jump” or “float” across the page, needing to reread the same line of words, frequent loss of place, general inability to concentrate and short attention span.
The good news is: Vision exercises can fix the problem in most cases, some done at home and some performed in-office with a vision therapist. Prism glasses are another option; however, they are more often prescribed for adults with this disorder than for children.
February 2, 2010
Lack of Sleep Can Affect Your Vision
Many of us have experienced the feeling that there isn’t enough hours in the day. Whether it’s work deadlines, projects, errands or taking care of the family, the busy schedules can cut into our sleep hours. It is quite apparent how sleep can affect our ability to focus and other motor skills along with our health, but did you know that sleep deprivation can also affect your vision?
Ophthalmology department at Mayo Clinic, USA reported findings that the continued lack of sleep or poor irregular sleeping patterns can also lead to blurred vision and eye vexation
Other problems include:
- Ischemic optic neuropathy (a vascular optic nerve lesion)
- Loss of vision in a single eye after waking up
- Papilledema (Swelling of the optic nerve)
- Vision Deterioration
There will never be enough hours and there will always be an endless list of things to do, remember that your health comes first and get that much needed shut eye!
October 20, 2009
HOW TO REDUCE STRESS THROUGH VISUAL HYGIENE TO BETTER READING
Because there is an intimate relationship between posture, working distance, desk surface the pioneering experiments by Dr. Darrel Boyd Harmon and subsequent research by Drs. John Pierce and Steven Greenspan clearly prove a reduction of stress and improved performance when conditions are arranged properly for near-point visual activities such as reading and writing. The following changes were observed: reduced heart rate, more regular and deeper breathing, and reduced neck muscle and overall body tension.
TO ACHIEVE THESE BENEFITS THE FOLLOWING MUST BE ARRANGED
Working Surface: A sloping working surface must be used that is tilted between 20 and 23 degrees from the horizontal. The Visual Edge Slant Board is at 22 degrees, which has been found to be the optimum angle.
Posture: Seated comfortably, relatively erect, feet flat on floor or box.
Working Distance: The “Harmon Distance” is the optimal distance from the eyes to the working surface. It is the distance from the elbow to the first knuckle. This can only be assured with a proper chair height to desk relationship.
Near point Lenses: ONLY IF PRESCRIBED BY A DEVEOPMENTAL OPTEMOGIST. A specific, low power prescription not used to correct a defect in the eyes but to put the eyes into better balance for near tasks. This enhances and integrates the posture, working distance, and surface relationship.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR VISUAL HYGIENE
1. Ensure your reading material is at an angle of between 20 and 23 degrees. The Visual Edge Slant Board is at an angle of 22 degree which research has shown to be the optimum angle at which to read.
2. Do all near point activity at HARMON distance or slightly further. This is the distance from the center of the middle knuckle to the center of the elbow measured on the outside of the arm. Working at the Harmon distance reduces near point visual stress.
3. Be AWARE of space between self and the page when reading. Also, be aware of things around and beyond the book.
4. When reading, occasionally look off at a specific distant object and LET its details come into focus. Maintain awareness of other objects and details surrounding it. Do this at least at the end of each page.
5. When studying, place a bookmark 3 or 4 pages ahead. Get up and move around for at least one minute each time you reach the bookmark.
6. Sit UPRIGHT. Practice holding your back arched while you read and write. Avoid reading while lying on your stomach on the floor. Avoid reading in bed while lying on your stomach on the floor. Avoid reading in bed, unless sitting reasonably upright.
7. Provide for adequate general illumination, as well as good central illumination, at the near task. The illumination on the task should be about three times that of the surrounding background. Avoid the use of florescent lighting.
8. Do not sit any closer to TV than 6 to 8 feet, and be sure to sit upright. Maintain good posture.
9. When riding in a vehicle, avoid reading and other near activity. Encourage looking at sights in the distance for interest and identification.
10. Encourage outdoor play or sports activities that require seeing beyond arm’s length.
11. When outdoors, sight a distant object at about eye level. At the same time, be aware of where things are on all sides.
12. Walk with head up, eyes wide open and look TOWARD, not at, objects.
13. Become very conscious of the background of the objects you look TOWARD, be it a person, print on a page, an electric sign, the TV, or any other object.
TELL A FRIEND TODAY!
September 16, 2009
SYSNOPSIS OF ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY OR ABI
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) can develop based on a variety of incidents, such as Stroke, a Tumor or Head Trauma. An ABI is a form of damage to the brain that ranges in severity from subtle to catastrophic which can include death. Severe ABI is the most conspicuously apparent and may be helped through treatment. The effectiveness of treatments will vary due to the uniqueness of the injury itself. A minor brain injury is by far the most difficult to detect. There may be no outward physical injury and no obvious debilitation on first notice.
An ABI is broken down into two categories: External and Internal. The external injury is further broken down to a closed or open head trauma. The external trauma is usually obvious and diagnosis and treatment can be prescribed more readily. The internal brain injury can be associated some type of trauma, with a surgery, AVM or CVA. The internal brain injury will normally be detected through some sign of debilitation with the individual of concerned.
AVM or Arteriovenous malformation is an abnormal connection between veins and arteries, unusually congenital. The most general symptoms include headache and epilepsy; with more specific symptoms occurring that normally depend on the location of the malformation and the individual. Such possible symptoms occurring include:
• Vertigo (dizziness)
• Difficulties of speech (dysarthria) and communication such as alogia
• Difficulties with everyday activities, such as apraxia
• Abnormal sensations (numbness, tingling or spontaneous pain)
• Memory and thought-related problems, such a confusion, dementia or
hallucinations
CVA or Cerebrovacular accident is more commonly referred to as a “stroke”. A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain function(s) due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia (lack of blood supply) caused by thrombosis or embolism or due to a hemorrhage. As a result, the affected area of the brain is unable to function, leading to the following symptoms to occurring:
• Inability to move one or more limbs on one side of the boy
• Inability to understand or formulate speech
• Inability to see one side of the visual field.
TBI or Traumatic Brian Injury occurs when an outside force traumatically injures the brain. TBI can be classified based on severity, mechanism (closed or penetrating head injury), or other features (e.g. occurring in a specific location or over a wide spread area). A “head injury” usually refers to TBI, but is a broader category because it can involve damage to structures other than the brain, such as the scalp and skull.
TBI is a major cause of death and disability worldwide, especially in children and young adults. Causes include falls, vehicle accidents and violence. Many of our soldiers are developing TBI’s from the effects of shock waves from explosions. In the past many soldiers suffered fatal injuries, but due to better protective gear they are now better surviving bodily injury, but still being left with effects such as TBI.
Prevention measures include use of technology to protect those who are in accidents with equipment such as seat belts and sports or motorcycle helmets. There are also efforts to reduce the number of accidents by encouraging safety educations programs and applying stricter enforcement on traffic laws.
Brain trauma can be caused by a direct impact, typically classified as an accelerating injury. From the effects of a shock wave from an explosion, or a sudden stop, typically classified as a decelerating injury. The damaging effects to the brain are very similar between a decelerating injury and the exposure to an explosion. In addition to the damage caused at the moment of impact, brain trauma causes secondary injuries which could be a variety of events that take place in the following minutes, days and even weeks after the initial injury. These processes contribute substantially to the damage from the initial injury. The outcome from a TBI can range from complete recovery to permanent disability or death. TBI can cause a host of symptoms including:
• Physical effects
• Cognitive effects
• Emotional effects
• Behavioral effects
Many times TBI’s go undiagnosed, particularly after an accident or incident where there is no significant physical injury. On the surface the individual appears physically fine and may complain of a minor headache or feeling dizzy, which is common to accidents so may be overlooked as a temporary physical symptom. It is important to remember that the brain is 85% water. If you remember from science classes, water does not compress. Therefore the 15% of brain tissue gets squished like a sponge. This brain squishing can easily go unnoticed during a decelerating type injury such as a car accident or a concussion from an explosion. This is particularly true if no physical bodily injury has occurred. Nevertheless brain damage may have occurred. The dynamic behind this apparent inconsistency of injury between body and brain it due to the physiology of the head. The brain is free floating in fluid encased in the skull. As the head is thrown forward or backward, the brain is slammed into the sides of the skull. The effect is very similar when a shock wave from and explosion impacts the body. Any number of issues will follow depending on the severity of the event and the individual. What is so deceiving about this type of TBI is the effect of the secondary injury(s).
The secondary injuries can occur hours to weeks after the original injury. These secondary injuries include a disruption of auto-regulatory physiological mechanisms and a release of neurotoxins, causing a cascade of biochemical reactions which lead to further brain damage.
Following the initial accident, first appearances of symptoms can seem minor then major issues may seem to come out of nowhere weeks later due to the secondary injuries. The debilitation from a secondary injury(s) can range from unnoticeable to complete dysfunction. The two events may even appear to be totally unrelated, particularly if the events are separated by several weeks. This is what makes these types of injuries so insidious. The effects of a TBI will vary with the severity and well as the individual.
One thing to keep in mind if you suspect you may have a TBI or you know someone that has had an accident, especially if typical behavior has changed since the incident, it is advised to get an expert evaluation. Children are particularly difficult to detect since some of their brain functions may not even be developed at the time of the injury and it is only until they are not keeping up with their peers, or not acting appropriately for their age, that you notice something is not right. Some of the issues you may notice are social integration/behavioral problems, both auditory and visual processing difficulties and coordination problems.
All types of brain injuries will have a very high chance of affecting the visual system. Two thirds of all the nerves that enter the brain originate from the eyes. When there is injury there is often disruption of visual processing.
Visual rehabilitation can help people overcome these devastating visual problems. One can often recover the ability to do things that they have always done in the past for themselves such as driving and reading through treatment.
Close coordination between Vision Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, Neuro-Psychology and your Physician allow for the best team approach toward recovery.
FOR RESORCES IN YOUR AREA:
Vision Therapy
Optometric Extension Program Foundation, Inc. (OEP Foundation)
1921 E. Carnegie Ave., Ste. 3-L
Santa Ana, CA 92705-5510
(949) 250-8070
College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD)
215 West Garfield Road Suite 200
Aurora, OH 44202
(330) 995-0718, (888) 995-0719, FAX (330) 995-0719
SAN DIEGO CENTER FOR VISION CARE
7898 Broadway
Lemon Grove, CA 91945
(619) 464-7713
Occupational Therapy
Sensory Integration International
1602 Cabrillo Avenue
Torrance, CA 90501
(310) 320-9986
American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
4720 Montgomery Lane
P.O. Box 31220
Bethesda, MD 20824-1220
(301) 652-2682
Developmental Delay Registry
6701 Fairfax Road
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
(301) 652-2263
International Health Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 3494
Jackson, TN 38303
(901) 427-8100