Author: Envision Eyecare

Welcome, fellow wanderers of the ocular desert! It’s a parched land where blinking feels like treading sand dunes and eye drops are your canteens. That’s right, we’re diving into the fascinating (and often frustrating) world of Dry Eye Disease! So, grab your virtual camel and let’s explore this condition. 

What Exactly is Dry Eye Disease?

Picture this: you’re staring at your computer screen, your favorite book, or perhaps the majestic outdoors. Suddenly, your eyes start to sting, itch, or feel gritty. Contrary to what the name might suggest, it’s not just about a lack of tears. It’s a complex condition where your eyes might be flooded with tears but lack the proper balance of oils, water, mucus, or nutrients that create the perfect tear cocktail for eye comfort.

Journey Through the Symptoms

Any one of the following symptoms, or combination thereof, can be a sign of Dry Eye Disease:

Sandy Sensation: It feels like your eyes are tiny sandboxes filled with irritation.

Red Eyes: Your eyes look like they’ve partied all night, and the result? Bloodshot eyes that might take some explaining to coworkers.

Blurry Boundaries: Suddenly, you’re Monet without the talent. 

Watery Mirage: Counterintuitive as it may sound, dry eyes can provoke a river of tears. It’s like your eyes are trying to turn the desert into a waterpark.

Navigating to the Oasis of Relief

Not to worry! There are options to relieve these irritating symptoms, including:

Hydration: Stay hydrated! Drinking enough water helps your overall health and can also maintain the moisture in your eyes.

Blinking Pilates: Be conscious of your blinking. Staring at screens for extended periods can lead to reduced blinking, contributing to dryness.

Omega-3s: Including foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, flaxseeds, and walnuts in your diet can boost tear production and eye comfort. Consider supplementation. 

Artificial Tears: Just like a cold beverage at the beach, your eyes deserve some relief. 

Humidify the Desert Air: Adding a humidifier to your living or working space can infuse much-needed moisture into the air and your eyes. 

Send a Signal Flare for Help: Relief is just as unique as the desert’s shifting sands. What works for one might not work for another. If you’re stranded in the Dry Eye Desert, give us a call for a consultation! We will cater your care to meet your specific needs. 

Discovering Your Personal Dry Eye Oasis

Remember, in this journey, you’re never alone – there’s a whole caravan of fellow travelers with dry eyes, all hoping to find their own bit of relief. So, here’s to happy, hydrated eyes and the hope of banishing that desert-like discomfort for good!

Why Are More People Wearing Glasses These Days?

By Dr. Cameron Steflik, OD

More and more children are needing glasses at younger ages. In the U.S. in the 1970s, a quarter of the population was nearsighted. In the early 2000s, 42 percent of the population was nearsighted. In East and Southeast Asia, where this shift is most dramatic, the proportion of teenagers and young adults with myopia has jumped from roughly a quarter to more than 80 percent in just over half a century. More recent surveys have not been performed in the U.S., but from personal experience and after consulting with other optometrists, it is clear there are more nearsighted kids today than previous generations. 

Why is This Happening?

This sudden increase in nearsightedness is baffling since poor vision was originally thought to be impacted primarily by genetics. Genetics is a factor, but there’s more to it. Just look around and you’ll see countless kids absorbed in phones, tablets, and laptops. Who would have thought that looking at something 4 inches from your face for hours at a time could be bad for you? Our ancestors needed excellent distance vision to survive, while most of our daily activities involve looking at screens indoors. Perhaps the motherly admonition to not sit so close to the TV had some merit.

Another theory involves the reduction of time spent outdoors. This theory suggests that natural light exposure aids developmental modulators that form the eyeball. Children today spend far more time indoors than previous generations. Both theories are 2 sides of the same coin. Whichever theory is true, you can draw the same practical conclusion for children’s visual development: less time hunched over a screen, and more time playing outside. 

The majority of babies are born farsighted. Our eyes start slightly too short, and they grow in childhood to the right length, then stop. This process has been finely calibrated over millions of years of evolution. But when the environmental signals don’t match what the eye has evolved to expect the eye just keeps growing.

So Why Does This Matter?

So what if more children need to wear glasses? Glasses, contact lenses, and laser surgeries all help people see better, but they do not treat the underlying problem. Patients with severe myopia have elongated eyeballs- they look more like olives than spheres. This stretching of the eye increases risks of developing ocular disease including retinal detachments and glaucoma later in life which can lead to debilitating blindness. Nearsightedness also can lead to a reduced quality of life, affecting daily activities such as driving, sports, and social interactions.

Can We Do Anything? 

Once the eye has grown it doesn’t ungrow. Prevention is key. Children need more time outdoors, but unfortunately this likely is not enough due to the increasing demands on near vision. Special contact lenses called multifocal lenses alter the way light enters the eye.This sends the signal for the eye to stop lengthening.  

In November 2019, the FDA green-lighted the first-and currently only-treatment specifically designed to slow the progression of myopia, a soft contact lens from CooperVision called MiSight. It has been shown to slow progression up to 50%.

For more information on myopia control- the American Optometric Association’s evidence-based committee published a report advising its members on how to use myopia control.

By adopting a holistic approach that emphasizes education, lifestyle modifications, and the latest lens technology, we can work towards reducing the prevalence of myopia and safeguarding the vision of the next generation. Together, let’s focus on a future with clearer vision and improved eye health.

For more information about mitigating the effects of the myopia epidemic reach out to your eye doctor today! Schedule an appointment with us at Envision Eyecare at (828) 254-6757. 

July is Dry Eye Awareness Month!

In recognition of Dry Eye Month, Dr. Greyson Ramos introduces our patients to some of the treatments and care that we offer for Dry Eye Disease at Envision.

What causes Dry Eye Disease?

Dry Eye Disease, or DED, is caused by many environmental and lifestyle factors. Symptoms occur when the ocular surface and structures begin to breakdown from a lack of lubrication. There are two sources of lubrication: the aqueous (water) tear layer and the lipid (fatty) tear layer. In DED, it is possible for both sources to be impacted, although the fatty layer is more commonly affected. Many experience excessive watering, dry, and gritty-feeling eyes. The best solutions is not only treating the symptoms, but also increasing overall health and solving the cause of DED. When diagnosed, our doctors begin by educating patients on small daily changes. Drinking sufficient amounts of water and blinking exercises can help increase healthy, natural tear production. After patients incorporate these changes into their routines, we begin treatment of DED with ocular therapeutics.

Level 1:

The first level of DED treatment begins with artificial tears, eyelash cleaning, and warm eye compress masks. These solutions encourage a clean, well-lubricated ocular surface free of pollen, old make-up, etc. If after three months or sooner “Level 1” is not resolving symptoms, we move the patient to “Level 2”.

Level 2:

Second level treatment incorporates more robust artificial tears designed to treat the cause of fatty tear film deficiency. We also introduce an “Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)” therapy treatment at this stage. The IPL uses purposely selected light intensity to cause a decrease of leaky, inflammatory blood vessels that develop in DED. IPL therapy assists in kickstarting the tear film production factory, and has an added benefit of relaxing wrinkles, removing acne scars, and eliminating sun/age spots! If “Level 2” does not resolve symptoms, we begin “Level 3” treatment.

Level 3:

Level 3 incorporates specialty contact lens materials embedded with stem cells to encourage new production of damaged eye tissue, and eye drops that are made from the affected patient’s own blood as a therapeutic remedy! Since most patients will receive complete symptom relief from a “Level 2” treatment, this level is reserved for more advanced cases of DED.

If dry eye is something that you struggle with, call us at Envision to schedule a dry eye work-up. Remember, a little goes a long way in the treatment of DED. A few simple solutions from your favorite eye doctor may be all that’s needed to get complete relief and improve your quality of life!