The Effect of Stress on the Eyes

 

It is common knowledge that stress has serious effects on the body. Some people may experience sleep issues, headaches, digestive issues, and cardiovascular issues, but eye health and vision can also be affected. Issues that are due to the adrenaline hormones and cortisol (the stress hormone) are released during times of stress or anxiety, the eyes remain dilated during stressful situations, placing added pressure on the eyes.

While stress is a cause of vision loss, vision loss generates more stress. Stress affects the visual capabilities in different ways, including: 

• Dry eye

• Double vision

• Eyestrain

• Blurred vision

• Eye twitching

• Dark Circles

Scientific links between stress and vision:

• The stress hormone (cortisol)

• Flight or fight

• Oxygen levels

• Inflammation

When the brain perceives an increase in stress levels, it releases cortisol, the hormone that is responsible for initiating your flight-or-fight response. Causing the heart rate and blood pressure to increase. Stress also forces you to breathe faster, shallow breaths lower oxygen levels. Lack of oxygen to the eyes may result in hazy vision, redness, and eye discomfort early. Extreme long-term cases can lead to corneal ulcerations. Diseases of the visual system like optic neuropathy, and glaucoma are side effects that an increase in cortisol can have.

Most stress-related vision problems are temporary if recognized early before severe damage is done, and symptoms will disappear as soon as you begin to relax. The best way to avoid these stress-related vision issues is to learn how to de-stress, some ideas to help combat your stress:

• Exercise

• Meditate

• Deep breathing

• Eat a balanced diet.

• Write in a journal.

• Get adequate sleep.

Taking steps to control the stress you feel now will help avoid problems in the future. Not just to eye health, but overall health.

Just Chill!

Sources:

www.cnet.com

www.stress.org

www.optometrists.org

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Castor oil for your eyes

 

Castor oil is a thick, odorless oil made from the seeds of the castor plant. Its uses date back to ancient Egypt, where it was first used as lamp oil and later for medicinal and beauty treatments. Cleopatra reportedly believed the oil would brighten the whites of her eyes. 

Castor oil has been touted as a cure-all for generations. Though it is only approved by the FDA as a laxative, not as an eye remedy. Modern research has found that castor oil does have high levels of fatty acid.

There are also stories of castor oil being used as a form of torture. It has side effects, which can be potentially debilitating:

• abdominal cramps

• Vomiting

• bloating

• Dizziness

Many people who are making these videos on TikTok are claiming that applying castor oil in and around the eyes will treat dry eye and other vision problems. As we all know, much of what we see people do on social media makes me wonder where their brains are. 

Eyecare professionals warn people not to use castor oil in or around their eyes. If you are having issues with your eyes, seek help from a medical professional before doing more harm than good. Castor oil on store shelves is not meant to be used on the eyes and could have dyes, preservatives, fragrances, or other ingredients that can cause irritation or infection. It also may not be sterilized. Many do not realize castor oil is also a main ingredient in cleaning products. These TikTokers make videos based on folk tales when science-based treatments have been evaluated in long-term studies and are approved for use. There is no scientific evidence to support claims made by TikTokers about castor oil's benefits for vision, including, treatment of cataracts, glaucoma, floaters, presbyopia, or other eye problems.

Sources:

www.nbcnews.com

www.ophthalmologytimes.com

www.forbes.com

www.webmd.com

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#DrClaudiaWendel

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How Corrective Lenses Work

 

Corrective lenses work by refraction: they bend light rays as they pass through them, so they change direction. That means the rays seem to come from a point closer or further away from where they originate—and that's what makes objects seen through a lens seem either bigger or smaller than they really are. Light focuses on the correct part of the retina, bringing an image into clarity. 

There are primarily two types of corrective lenses today: eyeglasses and contact lenses.

Like eyeglasses, contact lenses correct refractive errors. They do this by adding or subtracting focusing power to the cornea and lens.

A lens is an optical tool or device that tends to both converge and diverge a beam of light. 

A simple lens usually consists of only a single piece of transparent material. 

Categories of simple lenses:

1. Convex lenses (sometimes called positive lenses). This lens type is thicker at the center and thinner at the edges. It bends light inward to correct farsightedness. 

2. Concave lenses are shaped round inwards at the center and bulge outwards through the edges (lenses that cave inward). They are used to treat myopia as they make faraway objects look smaller than they are.

A compound lens is a lens made of simple lenses mounted on a common axis usually in placing two elements close together or side by side and often cemented together.

Sources:

www.framesdirect.com

www.urmc.rochester.edu

www.interestingengineering.com

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#DrClaudiaWendel

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What is that brown spot on your eye?

For the most part brown spots on the eye are harmless. Brown spots on the eye are caused by a clumping of pigment cells, similar to how freckles or moles form on the skin, some people are born with these spots.

A brown spot on the eye's white part is often called a Nevus (or nevi, plural). The Nevus is made up of Melanocytes, which are the cells that produce melanin, the pigment colors are hair, eyes, and skin.

In sporadic cases, the brown spot could be a type of cancer known as ocular melanoma. It can occur in the middle layer of the eye.

The exact cause of ocular melanoma is unknown. Ocular melanoma starts as melanocytes. It is thought to have multiple factors, including:

• DNA

• Exposure to UV light

• The environment

Just because ocular melanoma is found in rare cases. If you see a brown spot appear on your eye, it is best to have it evaluated with a thorough clinical examination, eye examinations, including slit lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy ultrasonography, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Sources:

www.healthline.com

www.nvisioncenters.com

www.news-medical.net

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghEyeCare

#PittsburghOptometrist

 

Fun Eye Q Test

 

Why Do Children Benefit from Back-to-School Eye Exams?

Imagine trying to learn with blurry vision, eye strain, or headaches. Vision is one of the most important learning tools a child has. Undiagnosed vision problems can impede a child's education. Some children do not even know or can describe a vision problem they may be having because they have always had it, or it has progressed so gradually.

Because of cost or convenience, it may be tempting to rely on school-provided vision screenings, but these are simple vision acuity tests and only show part of the picture of a child’s visual health. School screenings are missing up to 75% of children with vision problems or problems with eye health. A child who can see clearly and has 20/20 vision can still have eye health problems.

As children progress through their education, they face increasing demands on their visual abilities. The size of print in textbooks gets smaller and the amount of time spent reading increases. To meet these demands a child should have the vision skills to be an effective learner:

• Visual acuity

• Eye Focusing

• Eye Tracking

• Eye teaming

• Hand-to-eye coordination

• Visual perception

• Recognition

• Comprehension

• Retention

Without a comprehensive eye exam from an Optometrist, many eye and vision disorders go undetected, or worse a child may be misdiagnosed as having ADHD, dyslexia, another learning disability, or a behavior problem. Signs of vision problems that are less obvious to watch for are:

• Difficulty completing tasks.

• Not performing up to their full potential

• Difficulty working alone and following directions.

• Difficulty organizing and prioritizing work and time.

• Heavy reliance on pictures or auditory memorization

• Lack of interest in books or reading

• Disruptive or inattentive in class

Much of a child's learning is visual, a child lacking visual skills may be lacking a substantial portion of their education. Future success in life, not just school, is at stake. Future success will be built on a not so solid educational foundation if not given all the advantages of good vision.

Sources:

www.Optometrists.org

www.aoa.org

www.clevelandclinic.org

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghOptometrist

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How Night Vision Goggles Work

 

When you see in the movies or TV someone using night vision goggles, do you wonder if it is real or something that's made up. Yes, it is real.

After World War II, Vladimir K. Zworykin developed the first practical commercial night-vision device at Radio Corporation of America (now more commonly known as RCA), intended for civilian use. Zworykin's idea came from a former radio-guided missile. At the time of development for this technology, infrared was commonly called black light, a term later restricted to ultraviolet.

The goggles enhance ambient visible light and convert near-infrared light into visible light which can be seen by the user; this is known as image intensification.

There are two types of night vision technology one is Thermal Imaging, and the other is Image Enhancement.

Imaging Enhancement:

 

Traditional types of night vision devices use optoelectrical imaging enhancement. This uses a series of optical lenses and vacuum tubes, just like in very old TV sets, which work by sensing small amounts of infrared light and visible light, Light sources that are reflected off of objects, and then electronically amplifying that light into a glowing monochromatic green image. As green was considered to be the easiest color to look at for prolonged periods of time in the dark. 

Thermal imaging: 

With thermal imaging optics, the sensors detect heat (or radiation) to help see in the dark. The radiation of the electromagnetic spectrum has varying wavelengths which can be interpreted as color. Short wavelengths have a very high amount of energy that can be seen as lighter colors. While longer wavelengths have lower amounts of energy that are seen as darker colors. Through thermal imaging devices, different shades of color are seen to find objects.

Newer image enhancement technologies will digitally enhance the image in a full-color display, by capturing available light on a digital image sensor. Called a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor found in modern digital cameras. Semiconductor devices serve as "electronic eyes" for the wearer. 

Vast improvements in night optics over the last decade have meant clearer images, improved light amplification, as well as durability and portability.

 

Night vision was originally developed for warfare. Now this technology has many new applications for use in aeronautics, security cameras, maritime firefighting and search rescue, other uses for this technology will be sure to follow.

Sources:

www.bushnell.com

www.howstuffworks.com

www.smithsonianmagazine.com

www.sciencedirect.com

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghEyeCare

#PittsburghOptometrist