Common Eye Ailments You May Be Able to Care for at Home

As our eyes are so important, it is always best to seek advice and counsel from a trained doctor in the area of eye care and vision. However, the ailments listed below may be simply treatable at home.

The Common Sty

While a sty may be all too common, it is equally as much of a nuisance. It is typically an inflammation where one of the glands of the eyelid has become infected.

A sty usually resembles a pimple on the eyelid and can irritate quite a bit. Sometimes a sty is so big that it can give the appearance of a closed eyelid.

Typically, hot compresses several times per day for a few days will clear up any issues stemming from a sty. If it does not clear within a few days, an antibiotic may be necessary.

Dry Eye

When tears do not flow properly, the eye is deprived of many natural and necessary ingredients such as:

* Water
* Oil
* Moisture
* Lubricants

Dry eyes may occur when there is an improper balance of the tear duct system. Itching, burning, redness, as well as a feeling of something being in the eye could all be as a result of dry eyes. Sometimes the body’s natural response to dry eyes is to send more tears; however, this is counter-productive as those tears may be lacking in moisture, proteins, and lubricants to get rid of dry eyes.

Factors such as aging or medication are possible contributors to dry eyes. Sometimes high heat and low humidity settings are responsible, and lowering the thermostat and producing more humidity in your home may alleviate symptoms of dry eyes.

Also, there are over-the-counter lubricants which may assist in effectively healing dry eyes, at least until you can get to see your doctor.

Something in Your Eye

We all get something in our eyes from time to time and this can be irritating, at best. Try blinking several times to see if you can move the foreign substance down into your field of vision so that you may remove it manually. Sometimes an eyelash can feel like a log when it is in your eye.

An eye wash with an eye cup found over the counter, water, your clean finger or an eye irrigating solution are all options to try to remove something from your eye.

Always be careful to use clean items when coming into contact with your eye and try not to scratch your cornea. This can feel like something major is in your eye until the swelling comes down.

If you are not able to see a change within a short period of time with these eye ailments, medical advice from a doctor is always recommended.

Common Eye Ailments You May Be Able to Care for at Home

As our eyes are so important, it is always best to seek advice and counsel from a trained doctor in the area of eye care and vision. However, the ailments listed below may be simply treatable at home.

The Common Sty

While a sty may be all too common, it is equally as much of a nuisance. It is typically an inflammation where one of the glands of the eyelid has become infected.

A sty usually resembles a pimple on the eyelid and can irritate quite a bit. Sometimes a sty is so big that it can give the appearance of a closed eyelid.

Typically, hot compresses several times per day for a few days will clear up any issues stemming from a sty. If it does not clear within a few days, an antibiotic may be necessary.

Dry Eye

When tears do not flow properly, the eye is deprived of many natural and necessary ingredients such as:

* Water
* Oil
* Moisture
* Lubricants

Dry eyes may occur when there is an improper balance of the tear duct system. Itching, burning, redness, as well as a feeling of something being in the eye could all be as a result of dry eyes. Sometimes the body’s natural response to dry eyes is to send more tears; however, this is counter-productive as those tears may be lacking in moisture, proteins, and lubricants to get rid of dry eyes.

Factors such as aging or medication are possible contributors to dry eyes. Sometimes high heat and low humidity settings are responsible, and lowering the thermostat and producing more humidity in your home may alleviate symptoms of dry eyes.

Also, there are over-the-counter lubricants which may assist in effectively healing dry eyes, at least until you can get to see your doctor.

Something in Your Eye

We all get something in our eyes from time to time and this can be irritating, at best. Try blinking several times to see if you can move the foreign substance down into your field of vision so that you may remove it manually. Sometimes an eyelash can feel like a log when it is in your eye.

An eye wash with an eye cup found over the counter, water, your clean finger or an eye irrigating solution are all options to try to remove something from your eye.

Always be careful to use clean items when coming into contact with your eye and try not to scratch your cornea. This can feel like something major is in your eye until the swelling comes down.

If you are not able to see a change within a short period of time with these eye ailments, medical advice from a doctor is always recommended.

Eye Care Is about More Than Just Your Eyes

Why is it important for you to get an eye exam even if your vision is perfect or near perfect? There are several reasons to get an eye exam that have more to do with the rest of your body than just your eyes.

There are many health issues that can affect your eyesight:

* High blood pressure
* Diabetes
* High cholesterol

Moreover, these health issues may be detected earlier by having an eye exam. Of course, there are also health issues related to the eye that you would want to know about.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes damage to the optic nerve in the eye. This optic nerve carries information from the eye to the brain. When pressure is higher than normal inside the eye, glaucoma is the result.

Since symptoms do not typically appear until some damage or loss of sight occurs, it is very important to see your eye practitioner for regular exams where intraocular pressure is measured. There are several different types of glaucoma, as well as treatments, and even preventative measures.

Cataracts

A cataract is another form of eye disease. Here the eye develops a cloudy film which inhibits light passing into the retina. Cataracts typically form as you age when dead cells shed and form cloudy spots on the lens.

Surgery is necessary to remove the cataracts and it is a very common procedure today. There are several types of cataracts and they are treatable. The best defense against cataracts is to have regular eye exams to monitor them.

Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is typically the number one cause of vision loss and/or blindness in persons who are aged 65 and over. When the macula, the part of the eye responsible for sharp vision, deteriorates, central vision loss may occur.

Having a retinal exam and performing a test to measure your central vision is crucial to detecting if macular degeneration is an issue.

While there may or may not be signs or symptoms to any or all of these eye diseases, there are certainly ways to improve your sight or minimize these eye diseases.

For example, the following may be ways to improve your eyesight and be beneficial for your overall health, as well:

* Cardiovascular activity
* Eating healthy
* Regular exercise
* Taking vitamins

These activities will also keep things such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol at bay, which, in turn, may just safeguard not only your health, but your vision as well.

Fashionable Contact Lenses

While some individuals are still trying to decide whether or not contact lenses as opposed to glasses are the right choice for them, others are already exploring the idea of fashionable contact lenses.

Fashionable contact lenses are pretty much exactly what they sound like – contact lenses that are merely used for fashionable statements.

You should consider many things before purchasing fashionable contact lenses. As with anything else you would put in or near your eyes, you need to gather as much information as possible to ensure your visual safety.

While the upside to fashionable contact lenses is that you can make a really cool statement or change your look to match your fashion, it is necessary to be aware of the downside as well.

Typically, fashion contact lenses do not have anything to do with corrective vision, rather they are a fashion statement.

Purchasing Fashionable Contact Lenses

The term “buyer beware” certainly does apply to anyone, anywhere who is selling fashionable contact lenses but is not a professional. An ophthalmologist or optometrist is your best and only safe bet to purchase these types of lenses.

There are some not-so-serious and some very serious side effects to purchasing them from let’s say a drug store or from a craft market.

* Pink eye
* Infection
* Scratched cornea

These are just to name a few. Improper use without a prescription and the knowledge on how to clean and place these fashionable lenses can cause serious damage to your eyes.

Safety Tips for Fashionable Contact Lenses

If you do decide to purchase fashionable contact lenses, make sure that you follow safety rules in doing so:

* Seek out the advice of a professional
* Make certain that you have a prescription
* Ask questions if you are unsure about the care and handling of your lenses
* Make sure to properly clean the lenses
* Take the time and trouble to go for an initial exam and follow-up exam with your eye practitioner

If there is any kind of problem, even if it seems mild at the onset, seek out the aid of your eye practitioner. Whether it is redness, irritation, or blurriness, your eyes could be at serious risk if you do not reach out and ask for help immediately. It is imperative to be diligent with eye care.

If you follow these safety tips and keep in close contact with your eye practitioner, fashionable contact lenses can be a fun and innovative way to change your look, give your self-esteem a little boost, or simply have fun while everyone asks you if you have done something different.