Now that it’s October, we’ll be celebrating Eye Injury Prevention month, but before we do that, let’s look at another important subject: eye injuries in sports. Prevent Blindness America designates September as Sports Eye Safety Month.
In an article released earlier this year by Women in Optometry, Melissa Barnett, OD, FAAO, FSLS, states that while she has noticed increasing awareness of the importance of eyelid hygiene, there are still too few doctors discussing this important issue with their patients.
In the first part of our series on dry eye disease, we discussed the many causes of the condition. Now we’ll turn our focus to the symptoms that sufferers are likely to experience and how proper diagnosis is key to your treatment regimen.
If someone were to ask you what sunscreen has in common with eye surgery, we wouldn’t fault you for not knowing. Not many do. The answer is hyaluronic acid. That might not sound too interesting at first, but this substance is quite amazing. In fact, it’s in your eyes right now—and your knees. We produce it naturally, and for decades, it’s been the focus of many theoretical and proven applications for human health.
Dry eye disease, also referred to as dry eye syndrome, or simply dry eye, is a chronic disease estimated to affect more than 26 million Americans. Dry eye can occur when eyes do not produce the necessary quantity or quality of tears. Well-lubricated and moisturized eyes are essential to eye comfort and health. Disruptions to the eye’s tear film due to dry eye can result in mild to severe irritation, inflammation, blurred vision, and even scarring of the eye’s surface. (All About Vision)
Award supports a graduate medical student committed to pursuing a clinical, teaching or research career in ophthalmology
PORTLAND, Ore. – September 1, 2016 – Paragon BioTeck, Inc., a privately held pharmaceutical and medical device company, announced today a call for applications for the 2017 Koch Kellan Scholarship, awarded annually to an outstanding graduate medical student committed to pursuing a clinical, teaching or research career in ophthalmology. A Paragon Gives initiative, the Koch Kellan Scholarship reinforces the fundamental mission of Paragon BioTeck to drive innovations to address unmet and underserved medical needs and improve the quality of lives around the world.
A recent Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today article by Whitney Hauser, OD, “Modalities for Managing Dry Eye Disease,” discusses the growing recognition of the seriousness and prevalence of dry eye disease. As Dr. Hauser points out, as the dry eye population continues to grow, so, too, does the pool of diagnostic, therapeutic, and treatment options. Knowing which tool to employ, and when, is critical.
August is National Eye Exam Month, and I know what you might be thinking: gee… thrilling! In terms of excitement, it’s not exactly National Frisbee Day or National Skydiving Week, but think for a moment about what you need to participate in either of those. Give up? It’s healthy eyes!
In our last post about children’s eye health, we focused on the importance of regular eye exams. As we near the end of Prevent Blindness America’s (PBA) Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, we turn to keeping eyes safe at home.