Often we think about keeping physically fit, how about keeping your eyes health as part of your health goals.
This infographic provides 8 great tips for keeping your eyes healthy.
Month: February 2017
Making Vitamins Work For Your Eye Care
Vitamins are often recognized for overall general health, but did you know they can help provide eye care as well? Taking the time to start a vitamin regimen can help your overall vision care. Different supplements can improve your eye health such as flaxseed, fish oil, Niacin, and Antioxidants. Asking your eye care professional which vitamins will benefit you and your vision needs is the first step to establishing a good regimen.
Below are some of the benefits of these varying vitamins:
Flaxseed Oil- Flax seeds were first cultivated as early as 12 centuries ago. Flaxseed oil is used for several different purposes including treatment of cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, and as essential fatty acids with help many other conditions including eye conditions such as Dry Eye.
Fish Oil- The Omega-3’s found in fish oil can help aid in reduction of inflammation and help reduce the risk of AMD or Age-related Macular Degeneration. The key with Omega-3’s is the ratio in which they are used (Average Dietary Ratio 3:1 or 4:1 Omega-3 to Omega-6). Another problem is that many people consume too much Omega-6 and it reduces the health benefits of the Omega- 3’s. Too much Omega- 6 can cause your body to retain fluids, increase your blood pressure, and even cause blood clotting. The daily ratio is delicate and important when improving your vision health.
Common foods containing large amounts of Omega – 6
Sunflower seeds Walnuts
Vegetable oils Margarine
Mayonnaise Potato Chips
Tofu Peanut Butter
Cookies Crackers
Niacin (AKA – Vitamin B3)
Discovered in the 1940’s Niacin (known to many of us as Vitamin B3) has several great health applications including the prevention & treatment of Cataracts. The Antioxidants within the Niacin that are most beneficial to the eyes are called Lutein & Zeaxanthin. These are also the only two antioxidants found within the eyes natural lens. These antioxidants have been known to lower risk of getting Cataracts by over 30%.
For more information about eye health please contact our office at (310) 860-1900
Top 4 Questions Before Fortified LASIK
If you are getting ready for LASIK in Los Angeles or considering your options, you probably have many questions you need answered. There are several myths and misconceptions about the LASIK procedure and it is often hard to decide whether or not this procedure is right for you. The following questions and answers below may help you prepare.
Top 4 questions to ask before LASIK Surgery:
When you are interested in or preparing for LASIK surgery you probably have questions regarding procedure, recovery, or even how it feels during surgery. Below are the top 4 questions you might ask your eye care specialist before your surgery.
How long will the procedure take?
The procedure itself takes only around 15 minutes per eye. The overall amount of time you will spend in the office will most likely be around 4 hours for completing paperwork, signing consent forms, repeating any testing, and postop observation.
How long is the recovery process?
Around 24 hours after your procedure you will be able to continue your daily activities. Your doctor will likely to want to see you 24-48 hours after the procedure for follow up exam. After a week or two you should fully recover from your procedure. Most of these protocols are for your safety, and each patient is different so you will need to pay attention to the specific details provided to you.
What are some side effects of LASIK?
There are a few possible side effects from the procedure such as dry eyes, glare & halos, and some partial loss of vision which is very rare. If you think you are having any side effects it is important to see your eye care professional right away.
What are some of the benefits of getting the LASIK procedure?
There are many benefits of LASIK – the major one being freedom from glasses or contact lenses. Additional benefits of LASIK procedures are little pain during the procedure, ability to be performed in combination with other treatments, and has a quicker recovery time.
Priscilla grew tired of her itchy eyes and contact lenses ripping, so she couldn’t be happier with her LASIK experience. Watch her story:
The Doctor’s Orders To A Successful Valentine’s Day
As a kid I loved getting all those hand-cut, pastel cardboard Valentine’s Day cards from my classmates. Didn’t you love that? It put a big smile on my face, especially when I got a card from Leisl Herman, who I had a crush on. Somewhere between 5th grade and college the teachers sadly dropped that activity. If you’re reading this, then you’re probably no longer in grade school getting those warm, fuzzy valentines with the heart shaped crunchy candies. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun and smile around February 14th.
Get your smile ready. Did you ever think that I would also be a poet? This limerick for Valentine’s Day just popped in my head when I was working out. I had a wee bit of expert refinement from Pat Myers, “Empress of the Style Invitational” at the Washington Post.
There was a lass with eyes of blue –
Word spread of her dazzling hue!
At times she was taken,
True love was forsaken,
Now wiser, she seeks serious woo.
Now that I’ve got you smiling, be sure to spread the smiles. Wish someone, anyone, “Happy Valentine’s Day!” Even better, then give ‘em a good hug. Hugs are good for your health. It’s all about human touch. In medical school I learned of a study that found heart attack patient survival in the intensive care unit was higher in in the group where the nurse held the patients’ hand vs. no hand holding. So hug away on Valentine’s Day!
Another prescription that I can offer is to have some dark chocolate – 100% guilt-free. There are health benefits to the melt-in-your-mouth stuff too:
1. Enhance Eyesight
2. Lower Blood Pressure
3. Reduce Stress
4. Lessens Risk of Heart Failure
5. Provide Sun Protection
6. Access Higher Intelligence
7. Deliver Powerful Antioxidants
Have a wonderful day filled with love, poems and, of course…dark chocolate!
A Guide to Cataracts & Treatment Options
For those who have a family history of Cataracts and know what the progression of this is like, you understand that Cataracts can cause problems within everyday activities and over time your vision can become severely compromised.
A Cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens which causes distortions in the patient’s vision over time. Cataracts are a progressive condition that cause severe complications in daily vision. For those who have conditions such as diabetes and even heart disease, the condition can progress faster causing a need for earlier surgery.
F.A.Q. on Cataracts
- What are the main types of Cataract?
Age related – Cataracts are most often caused by aging. This is the most common form of Cataract.
Traumatic Cataract – Due to eye injuries
Secondary Cataracts – Caused by those with Diabetes, Glaucoma, and even Steroid uses
- What are the Risk Factors of Cataracts?
There are several risk factors for Cataracts.
• Smoking & Alcohol usage
• Prolonged exposure to sunlight
• Conditions such as Diabetes, and other eye conditions
If you think that you have any risk factors asking your eye care professional will give you a heads up on detecting it early.
- What are Treatments for Cataracts?
There are several treatment options for those with Cataracts. While surgery is the primary treatment for Cataracts, there are several treatments that can help as the condition progresses. You should know, cataract surgery is the most common surgery performed every day in the world and is relatively safe an easy 20 minute procedure.
• Change of Prescriptions
• Anti-glare Sunglasses
• Magnifying lenses
• Artificial lenses
• Surgery – Phoacoemulsification (Phaco AKA Small incision)
