Are you joking? – Halloween Edition

 

1. Why didn't the mom let the little witch go trick or treating with her friends?

   She was ex-spelled from school.

2. What do vampires take to get around on Halloween night?

   A blood vessel.

3. Why did the skeleton run away?

   Because a dog was after his bones.

4. What kind of car does Frankenstein drive on Halloween night?

   A monster truck.

5. Who won the dance contest at the Halloween ball? 

   The boogie man.

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghOptometrist

#PittsburghEyeCare

#HappyHalloween

Eye Anatomy-How the Parts of the Eye Work

 

The human eye is a highly specialized organ. The eye has the ability to receive visual images, which are then transmitted to the brain. How the eye works is fascinating. After the brain, the eye is the next most complex organ in the body.

1.The Cornea is the clear “window” found at the front of the eye. The cornea is made of a tough, transparent tissue. This tissue keeps dirt, germs, and other particles from getting into the eye. Some of the sun's damaging ultraviolet (UV) light is prevented from entering the eye by the cornea.

2.The pupil is the black dot at the center of the eye. It is an opening at the center of the iris through which light passes. 

3.The Macula is a small but critical area in the center of the retina. The macula manages translating light into images needed to clearly see the details of objects in central vision.

4.The Iris is the colored part of the eye. The primary job of the iris is to regulate the amount of light that reaches the retina. It does this by controlling the size of the eye's "window," or the pupil. 

5.The lens of the eye (or crystalline lens). This transparent structure is on the inside of your eye. It is a natural lens found behind the iris. The lens changes its thickness and curvature, allowing the eye to adjust focus on objects from varying distances. If the natural lenses in the eye are irregularly shaped, your eye doctor may prescribe glasses or contact lenses to correct vision.

6.The Optic Nerve is a bundle of about 1.2 million nerve fibers that send visual information to the central nervous system (brain).

7.The Retina is a key connection between the light that enters your eyes and the images you see. Special cells called photoreceptor cells in your retina react to light and pass signals to your brain that let you see what is around you. 

8.The Sclera is most times known as the "whites" of the eye, covering more than 80% of the eyeball's surface. It has grooves that help properly attach the eye to the tendons to supply stability and protection while staying flexible. This allows the eye to move and track objects as needed.

9.The Optic Disc is where the nerve fibers of retinal ganglion cells join and mark where the optic nerve begins. The optic disc also serves as the starting point for major blood vessels that feed the retina.

Path the light takes to create an image:

Step 1: Light enters the eye through the cornea.

Step 2: The light passes through the pupil, which is the opening in the center of the iris. The pupil adjusts in response to the intensity of the light by getting larger or smaller.

Step 3: The lens focuses the light onto the retina by adjusting its shape to bend and refocus the light a second time, ensuring the clearest image of what you are looking at.

Step 4: The light is then projected onto the retina Once the light is focused on the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye. The retina converts the light into electrical signals. The nerves in the retina collect all the electrical impulses.

Step 5: The optic nerve transmits visual information to the brain through the optic nerve at the very back of the eye up to the occipital lobe in the back of the brain. The brain then interprets these signals as an image.

This is just a condensed version of how the eye works. There are more micro components within the eye to aid the major parts of the eye listed above.

Watch this video from The American Academy of Ophthalmology https://youtu.be/Sqr6LKIR2b8

Sources:

www.britannica.com

www.aao.org

www.nei.nih.gov

www.optometrists.org

www.clevelandclinic.org

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghOptometrist

#PittsburghEyeCare

What Do Eye Experts Wish Patients Knew About Their Eye Health

 

At the 2023 American Society of Retina Specialist meeting in Seattle, Washington, eye experts were asked "What do you wish your patients knew about eye health?"

A majority of the experts that were asked believe that most patients feel their vision is important, but they take it for granted. Many people assume that if their vision seems fine, they have no eye health issues. However, this is a misconception.

People with seemingly good vision can have hidden problems. Problems that may have no symptoms, until irreversible damage is done.

Experts strongly recommend regular dilated examinations with an eye healthcare, professional and a fundus photo to ensure overall ocular health. Dilating the pupil allows more light into the eye and allows your doctor to see inside the eye. The most widely accepted way to check for eye diseases is a dilated eye exam. Early detection of disease is important. Catch them when they are easy to treat. Treatment is more likely to be successful when detected early.

The doctor will evaluate these functions during a dilated eye exam:

• Visual acuity

• Visual field

• eye muscle function

• Pupil response

• Tonometry test

Another tool for early detection the doctor may recommend for patients to have is an optical coherence tomography (OCT). This test is used to generate a picture of the back of the eye.

Catching eye diseases early can: 

• Help prevent or delay vision loss. 

• Preserve your vision and quality of life.

• Allow for earlier and more effective treatment. 

That is why most eye experts recommend patients have regular eye exams and cannot stress it enough. Your risk for eye disease will determine how often you should get a dilated eye exam. Talk to your doctor about what is right for you.

If you are:

• Over age 60

• African American and over age 40

• Have a family history of glaucoma

• Have diabetes or high blood pressure

Ask your doctor how often you need an exam. Most of these people should get a dilated eye exam at least once a year.

Sources:

www.ophthalmologytimes.com

www.modernretina.com

www.techtimes.com

www.ama-assn.org

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghOptometrist

#PittsburghEyeCare

Is your make-up bag carrying risks?

 

Makeup has been around for thousands of years and is used in almost every culture in the world. From tribal to the Hollywood style known today. Ancient Romans and Greeks to ancient Egyptians used kohl to line their eyes and made their own natural creams.

Eye makeup is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, it can become contaminated with common germs, normally found on eyelashes and eyelids, so eye makeup brushes or eyeliner will pick up bacteria during use. Then it is returned to the moist dark environment of its container. The container before opening is free of contamination, frequent use can transfer bacteria that is on your skin and eyes to the makeup. Over time, the contaminated brushes lead to a buildup of bacteria in the cosmetic container. This increases the chance of infection with each use of the product.

Another source of infection is when you share cosmetics. Even if you are sharing brand new cosmetics, the person you are sharing with may have an eye infection and share the infection with you also. 

Other issues that come from makeup besides infection:

• scratched cornea

• Lash loss

• Conjunctivitis

• Blepharitis

• Allergic reactions

• Toxic heavy metals

• Blurry vision

• Block glands

Contact lens wearers are susceptible to even more eye problems. Some eye makeup products may contaminate your contact lenses.

Top tips for using eye makeup safely:

• remove makeup before bed

• Throw away old makeup more than three months old

• Don’t share makeup or brushes

• Be village in with contact lenses

• Track the date you open your makeup

• Pick oil-free products to reduce block glands

• Clean or replace your brushes regularly

Sources:

www.clevelandclinic.org 

www.visionsource.com

www.URMC.Rochester.edu

www.allaboutvision.com

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghOptometrist

#PittsburghEyeCare

How to safely watch a solar eclipse

 

On Saturday, October 14, an annular ("Ring of Fire" as if the moon is outlined with flames) solar eclipse will crossover North America, Central America, and South America. An annular solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and the earth. While this is an exciting and unique experience, it is crucial to prioritize safety when seeing an annular eclipse.

During an annular eclipse, it is never safe to look directly at the sun without eye protection specifically designed for solar viewing. Failure to protect the eyes while looking at the sun during a solar eclipse can result in "eclipse blindness" or solar retinopathy, causing damage or destruction to the cells in the retina. 

 Everyday sunglasses, even very, very dark ones are not safe for looking directly at the sun. Specialized solar eclipse glasses are about 100,000 times darker than regular sunglasses. Solar eclipse glasses should be labeled as IS012312–2 international standard compliant. Eclipse glasses and handheld viewers should always be inspected before use. If torn, scratched, or otherwise damaged, discard the device. 

When viewing the sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope using a polarizer does not offer enough protection, it is best to use a special-purpose solar filter. Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury. By design, these lens-based devices intensify light rays, damaging both the solar filter and your eyes.

Another concern with a solar eclipse is to protect your skin from invisible UV rays. If you are viewing the eclipse, you may be in the sun for hours. Remember to apply sunscreen and wear protective clothing to prevent skin damage. Sunburn is the skins reaction to UV radiational damage to the outermost layers of skin. Sun tanning is a sign of the skin reacting to potentially damaging UV radiation by producing more pigmentation. The pigment known as melanin provides the skin with its color and protects the skin against the sun’s rays.

The solar eclipse will only be 30% visible in southwestern Pa. at starting at 11:53 AM for a duration of 2 hours and 40 minutes.

 

Sources:

www.planetary.org

www.nasa.gov

www.aao.org

www.aas.org

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghOptometrist

#PittsburghEyeCare