Eye Care is More Than a Visit to The Doctor

By Michael Russell

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!


Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Eye Care [http://eye-care.tips-and-supplies.com/]

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Common Eye Problems and Effective Treatments

By Sunnez Madsen

There are millions of people worldwide who suffer from common eye problems like irritation, blurred vision and allergies. Thankfully, these problems are usually minor and in many cases can be treated quickly and easily with home remedies. This article will cover some of the most common eye problems as well as remedies which can clear them up.

Allergies

Irritation due to allergies can be caused by any number of things, most commonly pollen, mold, pet dander or dust. When your eyes are exposed to these allergens, irritation occurs and your eyes will usually appear red and puffy and may water as well.

To treat this problem, you can often simply use a cold compress on your eyelids while your eyes are closed. An over the counter antihistamine can also provide relief in most cases. If these remedies fail to produce relief, then call your physician as soon as possible.

Eye trauma

Eye trauma can cause many different problems: redness, blurred vision and of course pain, since this trauma is caused by an injury to the eye. If the injury is severe, then see a doctor immediately. If the trauma is relatively minor, then an ice pack or cold compress may resolve the problem.

Itchiness

Itchy eyes are usually caused by allergies, though the itching may also be due to an airborne irritant. Some easy remedies include cold compresses or ice packs, antihistamines and over the counter eye drops. If the itchiness progresses to inflammation and redness of the eyelids, however, then the problem may be blepharitis in which case you should see your physician at once.

Blurred Vision

In many cases, blurred vision is caused by eye strain, stress, fatigue or dryness and can be resolved by simply resting your eyes briefly. If you spend much of your day in front of a computer screen, it's important to take a few minutes to rest your eyes every hour or two to prevent eye strain. If your eye strain persists or suddenly goes from blurred vision to darkness, then call a doctor immediately since this can be a symptom of a stroke or a retinal problem.

Stinging/Burning Sensations

This eye problem is most commonly due to allergies, irritation or eye strain. Treatments include resting your eyes, cold compresses or eye drops.

Stabbing/Throbbing Eye pain

This type of eye pain may indicate a serious problem, especially if the pain is severe and accompanied by blurred vision or inflammation. If the pain is less severe, then it is most likely caused by eye strain or fatigue and can be remedies by resting your eyes or an over the counter analgesic.

Spots, Flashes and Floaters

To some degree, these are normal and will go away, especially after resting your eyes. If the problem is persistent, see a physician immediately since this can be indicative of retinal detachment.

Foreign object in the eye

If you get something in your eye, do not rub your eye - this can cause serious damage. Try using eye drops to flush the object out or turn your eyelid inside out. If you are unable to remove the object, see a doctor to have it removed.

Our eyes are one of the most important parts of our bodies; but they are also sensitive and should be treated with care and protected from harm. Always see a physician if you have severe eye problems or if a seemingly minor problem cannot be resolved using home remedies.

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