No Tobacco Day

 

The World Health Organization's World "No Tobacco Day" occurs on May 31st every year. It was created to bring awareness to more people about the dangers and health risks of smoking tobacco.

We have heard for many years about the damage smoking can do to the heart and lungs. Smoking can damage other organs of the body, including the eyes.

Studies have shown smoking increases the risk of damage from eye diseases such as:

• AMD
• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Dry Eye Syndrome

Smoking causes retinal blood vessels to constrict veins and then cannot drain blood from the retina. This leads to hemorrhages (bleeding) and leakage of fluid from the blocked blood vessels. This is called retinal vein occlusion. Retinal vein occlusion happens when a blood clot blocks the vein. 

Secondhand smoke has been shown to be just as harmful as actual smoking when it comes to eye health and vision.

Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth, which can lead to the baby having a serious eye problem called retinopathy of prematurity causing severe vision loss or blindness.

The American Cancer Society has resources to help a person quit smoking. If not for yourself quit for the loved ones in your life.

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/tobacco/guide-quitting-smoking.html

Sources:

www.who.int

www.cdc.gov

www.health.ny.gov

www.clevelandclinic.org

#NoTabaccoDay

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghEyeCare

#PittsburghOptometrist

Careers in Vision Care-Pediatric Ophthalmologist

As of March 2022, there was only 1056 pediatric ophthalmologist in the US according to JAMA Ophthalmology.

The AAO researchers found 90% of US counties and four states had no pediatric ophthalmologist. Most of the pediatric ophthalmology practices are in metropolitan areas and around academic institutions. rural populations, disproportionately, lack access to this type of care, which can impact the diagnosis, treatment, and management of serious eye conditions in children.

One reason for the disparity is the environment independent healthcare providers must operate in today, they face these are some of the factors that deter specialists from locating in certain areas:

• Higher education costs

• The cost of start-up and the cost of “doing business.”

• The minimal amount of payment independent providers receive from insurance companies and government medical assistance.

Children are not just small adults; pediatric ophthalmologists are specially trained to diagnose children in a way that helps them feel comfortable and cooperative. 

They use vision tests specifically designed for the children's developmental stage and special equipment that is appropriately sized for children.

Pediatric ophthalmologists treat children whose eyes are not developing correctly, with serious eye, injuries, or infections. Other conditions they diagnose and treat:

• Juvenile arthritis

• Type one diabetes

• Pediatric cataracts

• Babies born prematurely.

• Down syndrome

• Strabismus (crossed or wandering eyes)

• Amblyopia (lazy)

• Blocked tear ducts

• Any number of other illnesses that affect the eyes and vision associated with genetic diseases, metabolic conditions, nervous system, and immune system.

Often a pediatric patient is referred to a pediatric ophthalmologist by a PCP, pediatrician, or optometrist if one is even available to a patient.

Treatments do exist for some childhood eye diseases. The danger lies in whether there is early detection and quick treatment. It is often a lack of eye care, specialists that delay the start of treatment.

Sources:

www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com

www.webmd.com

www.geisinger.org

www.healthychildren.org

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghOptometrist

#PittsburghEyeCare

 

Why do we Blink?

 

"It happened in the blink of an eye" is a common expression that comes from the automatic action of rapidly opening and closing the eyelids. On average humans blink 15 to 20 times per minute. Blinking cannot be controlled; it is an involuntary movement.

1/6 of the human eye is exposed to elements outside of the body. The eye needs a smooth, clean surface for light to properly focus. 

The main function of blinking is to cleanse and moisten the eye. Each time the eyelids close, a salty secretion from the tear glands runs over the surface of the eye, flushing away debris, and lubricating the exposed part of the eyeball. 

If you don’t blink, the lack of oxygen can lead to corneal swelling, your eyes won’t get the nutrients they need to stay healthy, and your eyes can dry out because the tear film is not being replenished.

Some types of eye irritants will cause someone to blink more often. Some of these irritants include:

• Smoke
• Pollution
• Pollen
• Chemical vapors
• Foreign objects
• Dry eye
• Corneal, abrasion, or other eye injuries
• Eyestrain
• Neurological conditions

Studies have shown that when a person's brain is overloaded, it will cause blinking to be more frequent. This overload occurs when the brain struggles to interpret, prioritize or otherwise process inputs. It then communicates to the body that it is time to escape these inputs. Then manifests itself as excessive blinking.

Sources:

www.nbcnews.com

www.myvision.org

www.healthline.com

www.livescience.com

www.medicalnewstoday.com

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghEyeCare

#PittsburghOptometrist

Iconic Eyewear in Movie History 2

1. Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi wore wayfarers as Elwood and Jake in The Blues Brothers

2. Nick Fury‘s eyepatch in the Marvel cinematic universe. Goose the "cat"— who is actually of an alien species called the Flerken. Goose is the reason Nick Fury got his eyepatch.

3. Marilyn Monroe eyeglasses Pola is the ‘blind as a bat’ character played by Monroe in How to Marry a Millionaire

4. Clark Kent black, thick framed glasses, in Superman Movies and TV shows.

5. Thomas J. Sennett played by Macaulay Culkin in My Girl

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghEyeCare

#PittsburghOptometrist

 

What is Eye Miosis

 

Eye Miosis is the excessive constriction of the pupil that doesn't return to normal size. Also called pinpoint pupil. 

The black circle at the center of your eye is your pupil. It changes size thousands of times a day. When you're in dim light, it gets bigger to let in more light. When the light is bright the pupil will shrink to protect your eye and keep light out.

Many things can cause eye Miosis:

• An eye injury
• Uveitis
• Medication side effects
• Genetics
• Age
• Opioid use
• Chronic diseases/conditions
• A stroke
• Horner’s syndrome
• Brain injury
• Lyme disease
• Emotions can lead to changes in pupil size
• Severe lack of vitamin D

Miosis is commonly a symptom of something else not a disease in itself. Miosis can occur in one or both eyes. Miosis can be treated by treating the underlying condition. Whatever the underlying cause may be. 

If you find your pupils are not adjusting when they are supposed to. You should contact your vision care provider to find the cause, as there are some causes that may be serious. Your eye doctor will take a close look at your eyes in a dark room. The doctor will ask you to look at a faraway object. Then they'll check:

• The size and shape of your pupils
• The size of your eyelid opening
• Whether your pupils are equal in size
• The position of your pupils
• How your pupils react to bright light

To find out if you have abnormal miosis, your eye care provider will consult with your PCP to come up with a plan to find the cause of your eye Miosis if it is found not to be a visual cause, but something systemic. Then move forward with a specialist if needed.

#DrClaudiaWendel

#visionsourcesouthhills

#PittsburghEyeCare

#PittsburghOptometrist

Sources:

www.sciencedirect.com

www.vbems.com

www.healthline.com

www.clevelandclinic.org

www.webmd.com

 

Penguins with IOLs

Let us start with what is an IOL? IOL stands for an inter-ocular lens, a tiny artificial lens for the eyes. It replaces the eye's natural lens that is removed during cataract surgery.

Just like humans, animals can develop cataracts that eventually affect their vision. Cataracts are common with aging.

Veterinarians from the Jurong bird park in Singapore noticed the cloudiness in the eyes of 6 penguins. The veterinarians also noticed the penguins were moving about as if they were not seeing things in front of them. 

Six geriatric penguins in total had cataract surgery. Of the six, three of them were king penguins, aged 20 and older and three were Humboldt penguins aged 7 to 13. The surgery was performed by a team from Mandai wildlife reserve led by Doctor Gladys Boo, a veterinary ophthalmologist.

Implants are commonly used on humans and some domestic mammals. This is the first in the world used on penguins. The lenses were created in Germany to fit each penguin's eye based on their measurements. It took two months to make these special lenses for penguins.

What made it so difficult to implant the penguins with the new lenses is that penguins have a third eyelid that protects their eyes when swimming underwater, making it hard to access the lens. 

The success of this surgery has enhanced the quality of life for the penguins almost immediately. In the two months since the surgery, the team caring for the penguins has noticed that there is an increase in activity levels and responsiveness of the penguins. They are eating more since they are more competitive with the other penguins for food. 

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghEyeCare

#PittsburghOptometrist

Sources:

www.cnn.com

www.msn.com

www.cbsnews.com

www.dvm360.com

 

What you need know about the January 2023 eyedrop recall

There has been much concern and confusion about this recall as of Friday, April 7, 2023. The CDC has identified 68 patients with infections along with three deaths associated with the outbreak from the recalled eyedrops in 16 states. More than half of the cases have been found in long-term healthcare facilities. Most cases are found to have been linked to contaminated eyedrops that had been imported from India. Eight patients needed corneal transplants or had at least one eye removed. Even with recalled batches of eyedrops being removed from stores, shelves, and healthcare facilities, the CDC expects more cases to be found in the coming weeks and months. 

Many patients use daily drops to combat dryness when wearing contacts or as a treatment for other eye diseases.

The FDA released a preliminary report on Monday, April 3, 2023, from an inspection at the Global Pharma healthcare facility in India, finding problems with the manufacturing process and sterility issues. Global Pharma and the distributors of its products that are recalled include Ezri Care artificial tears, Dalsam Pharma artificial tears, and artificial Eye Ointment.

The outbreak from these eyedrops was caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, A common bacteria that is one of the most common causes of eye infections. The strain found in the recalled products has never been found in the US, until now. It turns out that this bacterium is antibiotic resistant.

The bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa is aggressive and can be found in many types of environments, including water, soil, and human waste.

Most healthy people can fight this bacterium, but for someone with corneal cell damage caused by injury, or illness, or are immunocompromised, or have chronic dry eye, the bacteria can destroy the cornea in 24 to 48 hours. 

Another danger of this infection is that with the eyes being so intricately linked to the nasal cavity, the bacteria can move into the respiratory tract leading to pneumonia. Pseudomonas aeruginosa can affect almost any tissue in the body as it travels through the bloodstream, and it can cause sepsis.

If symptoms of infection appear, seek medical care as soon as possible. The symptoms include:

• Yellow, green, or clear discharge from the eye
•  Eye pain or discomfort
• Redness of the eye or eyelid
• Feeling the sensation of something being in your eye
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Blurry vision

Scientists are concerned that the rare treatment-resistant bacteria found in the eyedrops can spread person-to-person and poses a risk of establishing itself as a recurrent problem in the United States. In most cases, the best way to prevent an eye infection is to use common sense hygiene practices:

• Wash your hands
• Don't rub your eyes
• Clean your contacts (again wash your hands before putting the contacts in your eyes)
• Clean your contact lens case (replace it every three months)

If you do find you have an eye infection:

• Do not reuse a washcloth after washing your face
• Launder, linens, bedding, or clothing that has come in contact with your face and eyes
• Clean surfaces someone with the infection has come in contact with, (Hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite disinfectants are more effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa).

Sources:

www.washingtonpost.com

www.UTswmed.org

www.nbcnews.com

www.cnn.com

www.cdc.gov

www.aao.org

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghEyeCare

#PittsburghOptometrist