Refractive Eye Surgery

The eye is like a camera. In an instant, it takes a picture of what a person sees and develops it. When the eye is normal and healthy, the result is a perfect image. If the eye is out of shape, the image can be distorted or blurry. In the past, the only means of keeping that picture in focus was corrective lens. Today, thanks to improved medical technology, refractive eye surgery can once again make the eye picture perfect.

Out of Focus

For most people, the world gets out of focus when the eye loses its shape. When this happens, the eye can no longer take a good picture. It cannot hit the retina at the correct angle. Thus, it causes refractory errors like:

• Nearsightedness- is when the eye is too long. It is convex.
• Farsightedness- is when the eye is too flat. It can’t become round enough to take a good picture.
• Astigmatism- is caused when the cornea, the lens covering the eye, is misshapen. It often occurs in conjunction wither nearsightedness or farsightedness.

Until recently, corrective lens were the only means of compensating for an eye that was out of shape. Today, refractive eye surgery can sometimes totally correct the problem, or at least make it a bit better, so patients don’t have to wear coke-bottle glasses.

How Corrective Lens Work

When the optometrist sends your prescription and frames off, so your lens can be made, it is actually two pieces of glass that are fused together, in order to help get the world back in focus. Both the angle and depth of the lens is determined by what is needed to send the right message back to your retina.

Your retina is actually what processes the image you see, instantaneously. In order for corrective lenses to help facilitate perfect vision, this part of the eye must still be working properly. It is cannot properly develop what the eye sees, glasses will not fix the problem. But, they can change how the light is refracted.

Refractive Eye Surgery

Surprisingly, doctors have been trying to develop surgical procedures for correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism since 1896. Naturally, the first attempts were not quite successful, because too much damage was done to the cornea. However, opthemologists understood that if the cornea could be reshaped to allow for the right light to reach the retina, they could correct many vision problems. As a result, it would eliminate or reduce the need for corrective lenses.

In the 1960s, a doctor introduced the procedure of actually removing the cornea, freezing it, and then reimplanting it in the eye. As knowledge and understanding of the eye increased, the procedure was improved; because, the cornea no longer had to be frozen, in order to be manipulated.

But, the true improvement in refractive eye surgery came when lasers were developed for use on organic tissue. Lasers had already been used for approximately a decade for industrial use. In the 1980s, the same technology was used to make a small cut, reshape the cornea, and put it back over the eye. The procedure eliminated the need to remove and replace the cornea, in order to correct refraction errors in vision.

Lasik Surgery

Today, the procedure, also known Lasik surgery, is used to remove cataracts and potentially prolong the devastating effects of macular degeneration. Physicians continue to study new ways to use the wonders of Lasik, in order to prevent patients from become legally blind.

Like any other surgical procedure, there are no guarantees. But, many patients have reduced or eliminated their need for glasses. In some cases, corrective lens are no longer necessary. However, other patients may still need glasses for reading, or it may reduce the strength of their prescription. For those individuals who are virtually blind without their glasses, this is a vast improvement in their vision.

In short, refractive eye surgery will not correct every vision problem. But, it is definitely helping many patients to see well. In the past, the development of cataracts often meant the patient would eventually go blind. Today, thanks to Lasik surgery, they can often be removed, restoring good vision. In many cases, patients previously diagnosed with nearsightedness, farsightedness, or a stigmatism had to wear glasses, expecting the refraction errors to get worse as they aged. Today, a surgical procedure has the potential of restoring perfect vision for some patients. Some people who have worn thick glasses since they were children are undergoing the procedure and throwing away their glasses. Others may only need to use them for close-up vision like reading. It is a miracle of modern science.

Eye Make- Up Tips

The eyes are the key components of facial make-up.  They are more noticeable than any other part of the face. We make sure that they look tantalizing and gorgeous as they should be. Each person has different sets of eyes but all have a chance to enhance their eyes through eye make-up. That is why some important eye make-up tips are introduced just for you. It is helpful to get a satisfying make up experience.

Eye liner thickens the eye lids and gives the eyes a more accentuated look. Use a pencil eye liner to draw thin lines on the eye lids. Some lower eye lids appear to be darker. There is no need to apply eye liner at the lower eye lids. It is already as dark as the upper eye lids. Smudge the drawn line of eye liner on the eye lids. It helps to evenly darken the eye lids.

Colors of the eyes are naturally made like gems. To emphasize the jewel from within one has to choose the right colors to blend in applying eye shadow. Shades of colors should be of the same hue of the eyes’ color. You don’t necessarily choose the exact same color and instead vary on the tone from lighter to darker.  The color to mix consists of the soft color, dark color and the light color.

You must choose the appropriate application of make-up according to the shape of the eyes.  Eyes that appear to be big should be moderately enhanced. Apply on the upper eye lid the main color and wipe on the highlight color just below the eye brows. It will make the eyes look a bit smaller than its original size. Highlighter should be the lightest shade of color among the two or three chosen colors. The small eyes should create a dramatic appearance of making it look bigger. Apply the highlighter on the eye lids instead of under the eye brows. The illusion makes the eyes look bigger.

Eye glasses are major turn off in beautifying the looks of the eyes. It covers the natural sexiness and character of the eyes. Take off the eye glasses and choose the contact lenses as alternative instead. Make sure to choose the contact lenses that are almost the same color as your iris. It sustains the natural looks of your eyes. Be extra careful in choosing the right set of make-up that won’t penetrate the contact lenses and harm your eyes.

Eye brows bring out the best in the eyes. It must be trimmed and well defined. Never allow your eye brows to look flat, making them look lifeless.  Show it off by trimming it upward. Give it body and don’t make it super thin.

Mascara is the finale in eye make over. Choose the mascara that is of dark color to thicken the eye lashes. Eye lashes should have its artistic curls on. Use a curler just before applying the mascara. You will definitely look fabulous by the time you’re done with your eye make-up make over.  Enjoy!

GERD and Pregnancy

A number of women suffer GERD at the time of their pregnancy. The first trimester of pregnancy showing signs of nausea and vomiting may be associated with GERD.  This is because the baby inside the mother’s womb consumes more space inside her stomach, causing GERD to arise. The pregnancy gives heavier pressure to the stomach and worsens GERD. Gaining weight on pregnancy may be attributed as   one factor that aggravates GERD. Hence, pregnant women who has GERD should eat small meals frequently than have one at a time heavy meals. Exercising also helps maintainthe pregnant women’s body at its average weight.

Women who already have the symptoms of GERD before getting pregnant will become worse when she enters the first trimester of pregnancy. The pregnant woman should be monitored closely from time to time to ensure safety of the baby. Vomiting during pregnancy as caused by  GERD lessens the nutrients that  the baby inside the womb should have which will eventually leadto the baby’s malnutrition. Frequent vomiting also leads to fluid loss on the pregnant woman’s body and may harm the baby. When there’s excessive vomiting, the pregnant woman should be rushed to  the hospital to restore fluid loss. It may take a few days of stay at the hospital. Safe medications are given to stop vomiting and to bring back her appetite for eating.

 Like any other GERD patients, pregnant women should also be picky  with their food intake. She should avoid eating acidic, spicy and fatty foods since it will only worsen the symptoms of GERD. Coffee drinkers and smokers should get rid of these unhealthy lifestyles. It will harm the baby and triggers GERD. Healthy and fibrous food must be eaten to ensure the wellness of the baby and take GERD and Pregnancy seriously.

The pregnant woman who has been experiencing signs of GERD should consult a doctor to keep track of her pregnancy. There should be a close collaboration between  the obstetrician-gynaecologist and the gastrointestinal tract specialist to ensure safe pregnancy. They should both have a say   on every decision that they will be making. For instance, which vitamin should the pregnant woman take daily and how it might affect the acidity of the stomach, and the baby’s health. Aside from nausea and vomiting, heart burn is the most common discomfort a pregnant woman with GERD may experience.

The medicinesrecommended to be used with the GERD patient who aren’t pregnant haven’t been tested yet on pregnant women. So, its effect to the baby has not yet been determined or proven and tested as safe. The pregnant women should be careful not to take GERD medications on  her own unless instructed by the doctor. The physician might allow her to take medicines under   minimal dosage.

However, there are natural ways to help alleviate the symptoms of GERD. Herbal products are easily accessible in some stores. Another one is the suggested elevating of the bed  by placing extra pillows under it, just before lying down or sleeping. It helps to avoid heartburn and sleeping discomforts.

Pregnant women with GERD should always be on guard and alert in following rules tokeep the baby safe and protected. It will always be the pregnant woman’s responsibility to take care of her baby no matter what.

Vision Correction

Whether less than perfect vision is present from birth, due to accident or illness, or a symptom of aging, most people will need some sort of vision correction in their lifetimes. Some will prefer the simplicity of glasses; some will opt to wear contact lenses; and, an increasing number of eye patients will elect to have Lasik surgery to bring their world back into focus.

Glasses

Some individuals start wearing glasses almost from the time they are born. Thanks to new medical technologies, ophthalmologists can now determine if a youngster’s eyes need correction, even before they can talk. Some people manage to maintain good vision until they are at least middle age. However, regardless of the person, the first line of defense against distorted or blurred vision is glasses.

The lenses are specifically crafted to each individual patient. They redirect the light to reach the retina properly, so the brain registers perfect vision. Thus, vision challenges such as astigmatism, farsightedness and nearsightedness is corrected when the glasses are in place.

Contacts

A lot of people do not like to wear glasses. For some it is simply a matter of vanity. They feel better about themselves. For others, it is a matter of convenience. They are tired of the lenses fogging up, having to look through raindrops, or needing prescription sunglasses. Besides, they don’t have to worry about contacts sliding down their noses.

But, contacts are not the best solution for vision correction for some people. The lenses are delicate. They are easily lost, torn, or scratched. Some people are more susceptible to infections or dry eye from the contacts. Others have a tendency to forget the contacts are in their eyes, and fall asleep before taking them out of their eyes.

Lasik Eye Surgery

In the past, the only solution to vision correction was glasses or contacts. Thanks to modern medical technology, people who have less than perfect vision may have one more option. In the hopes of obtaining perfect vision, they are choosing to have Lasik eye surgery.

The majority of vision problems are refractory errors. The problem is due to a misshapen cornea that misdirects the light that reaches the retina. So, to correct blurry or distorted sight, the ophthalmologist uses a laser to make an incision in the cornea. Then, he/she carefully pulls back a flap and reshapes the cornea. Then, it is put back in place.

In most cases, the patient will notice an improvement in vision within the first 48 hours after the procedure. Although they will have to carefully follow post-operative instruction to prevent infection and allow the eye to heal, they will be able to put their glasses down, or at least have a reduced prescription.

Making the Vision Correction Choice

You only have one set of eyes. Making the vision correction choice that is right for you is not a decision to take lightly. Most people start out with glasses, simply because they are not as expensive, and there are little to no side effects. For some, it takes a little time to get used to the refractory change, and it might cause headaches. However, this symptom should pass, if the prescription is correct. In fact, not wearing corrective lenses can also result in headaches, once the eyes get used to the change.

Contacts are an iffier proposition. Not everyone can wear lenses directly on the iris. They will have a tendency to have drier eyes. If the lenses or fingers are not clean, when they touch the eyes, it can result in an infection. In either case, some individuals find out they cannot wear contacts, after they have gone to the expense of purchasing them.

Naturally, Lasik eye surgery is the riskiest proposition. A doctor is going to manipulate the cornea with a laser. For the majority of patients, the procedure is a resounding success. However, there are others that have less than satisfying results. A dream of perfect vision turns into a nightmare. Instead of vision correction, their sight is further impaired to the point they can no longer drive or hold down their current job. Although this is a worst case scenario, both the benefits and the potential risks should be considered before undergoing Lasik.

So, when considering vision correction, it’s important to consider all the pros and cons of each option. Talk to your health care provider. Weigh the benefits against the risks. You are the only one that can decide what is best for you. You only have one set of eyes; and, they need to last you a lifetime.

Lazy Eye Surgery

Today, probably one of the most popular procedures to correct vision is Lasik. Many people who are nearsighted, farsighted, or have astigmatism no longer need glasses.

Although these visual impairments are usually present at birth, most people don’t need visual aids until later years. However, there are some conditions that might be improved with therapy over time. In the meantime, more invasive options like lazy eye surgery are something worth consideration.

What is Lazy Eye?

Normally, both eyes work in tandem with one another. When one eye looks a specific direction, the other automatically does the same thing. Each eye shares the responsibility of seeing whatever is within the line of vision.

However, when a person has a lazy eye, the dominant eye does all of the work and the other is lazy. In fact, since the strong eye is doing all of the work, the one that is shirking normal vision duty doesn’t even learn to focus properly. In some cases, it literally shuts down, because the brain is sending all of the vision messages to the dominant eye. In others, the picture received by that eye is all blurry and out of focus. Corrective lenses cannot fix the problem. Glasses cannot alter the message that the brain is getting, or the one that it sends back. So, attempts are made to force the brain to send the appropriate signals to the lazy eye.

What Causes Lazy Eye

Lazy eye or amblyopia is caused by something that impairs the vision in one eye, during the first six years of life. The main causes include:

• Strambismus – is a condition where one eye wanders around, out of control, and cannot stay focused. The brain suppresses vision in that eye.
• Cataract – is when the lens is clouded by a growth. Surgical procedures can often correct this problem; then, the eye can be retrained to do its job.
• Trauma – any injury that causes the function of one eye to be suppressed can cause it to become lazy.
• Lid droop – obstructs vision in that eye. It is only natural that it should become lazy over time.
• Disabilities – neurological disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, can cause an eye to be lazy. The messages from the brain to the eye are interrupted, failing to provide the proper muscle control.

Lazy Eye Therapy

Although treatment can still help, whenever the problem is discovered, lazy eye therapy is most effective when begun on a small child. Usually, a patch is placed over the dominant eye. The hope is that the brain will then be forced to make a connection with the other eye. In the process, the muscles in that eye will become stronger. With practice, the vision will improve in clarity, and the eyes will begin to track together.

In the past, doctors made patients wear the patch for at least 8 hours a day. However, this can be pretty difficult, especially for kids still in school. The normal challenges of learning are complicated by visual acuity problems.

In recent years, doctors have discovered that the patch therapy also works, even if the strong eye is covered two or three hours each day. For some patients, it only takes a few months of therapy before the brain is trained to send messages to both eyes, and the muscles around the lazy eye have been strengthened.

Lazy Eye Surgery

In some cases, lazy eye therapy doesn’t work. There is simply too much going on with the brain to fix the problem by conventional means. However, the lazy eye seems to be all over the place. It looks so different that kids will wear their hair in a specific way as to cover up the bad eye.

So, doctors can perform lazy eye surgery. The muscles to the eye are cut, and the eye is repositioned to look more normal. Unless the message pathway between the eye and the brain has been strengthened, the organ will still be of little use. But, the aesthetic change can do a lot for the patient’s self esteem.

In summary, lazy eye is most commonly diagnosed in children. In other cases, it is due to some sort of trauma that shuts down the messages between the eye and the brain. Treatment is usually blocking the vision on the stronger eye, so the brain has to send messages to the weaker organ. In the past, this method of therapy was implemented for six to eight hours a day. However¸ recent studies show that two or three hours generally yield the same result. When therapy is ineffective, lazy eye surgery can be performed to realign the eye to a more normal position.

Lasik Eye Surgery Reviews

The eyes are amazing organs of the body. In an instant, they can take in the world around us, as long as they function properly. But, if something goes wrong, what we see can appear distorted, blurry, or disappear altogether. Modern medicine has made it possible to correct many of the most common vision problems, or a least make them a little better.

In the past, glasses were the only treatment available to bring life back into focus for people who were nearsighted, farsighted, or had astigmatism. Generally, people with cataracts could only hope that their sight would not deteriorate any further. But, optical procedures like laser surgery has helped thousands of people see more clearly. However, before deciding if it is right for you, it might be a good idea to read Lasik eye surgery reviews.

What is Lasik Surgery?

Before reading the reviews, it is important to understand what the procedure is, and what it did/should have done for those who have already had the surgery.

The cornea is the part of the eye that is shaped to let light, pictures of what we see, into the eye. That picture reaches the retina, and you see what is within the line of vision. The eye works much like a camera. The lens and cornea see the world. Instantaneously, it works like snapping a picture. Once the light enters the eye, the retina records the information. It is like the film in a camera. Once recorded, the developed scene goes immediately to the brain and you see the final picture. Of course, this process happens so fast that it is impossible to comprehend, and people tend to take it for granted.

However, if something goes wrong with the cornea or the lens, the shape of the eye is distorted. Then, the light is refracted incorrectly. When the retina develops the picture taken by the eye, it is out of focus, much the same as photographs would be, if your camera was in need of repair.

Lasik surgery is used to do the repairs on the human eye. In very simple terms, a laser is used to peel back the cornea and reshape and repair it. Then, it is placed back over the eye. For some people, the procedure means they can donate their glasses to good will. For others, it means only having to use them when they read or a reduced prescription. But, like any other surgical procedure, there are also those that will not realize the outcome expected.

Therefore, it is good to go online and read what other people have to say. Learn about their experiences, good or bad. Talk to your ophthalmologist. Ask for references. Talk to friends and family who also had Lasik surgery. Read the Lasik eye surgery review. Then, make an informed decision regarding whether this medical procedure is right for you.

Reviews

A quick search of the Internet will yield review on just about anything you are interested in, including Lasik surgery. However, you should always consider the source. If you go to the site of an eye physician, the reviews are likely to be skewed in favor of Lasik surgery, especially if he/she performs the operations. On the other hand, the worst case scenarios will be the only thing you read about on a site dedicated to Lasik disasters. Also, unhappy patients tend to speak out more than those that are glad they had the Lasik surgery. Thus, it’s up to the reader to use his/her best judgment, knowing that the review is often biased.

Words of Warning

A very satisfied patient writes a very thorough review of her experience with Lasik eye surgery. She is very excited about the results after the procedure. But, she still had advice for others who are thinking about having surgery on their eyes:

1. Know your surgeon. Ask questions. Feel confident that he/she will take care of you and your eyes.
2. Listen for what to realistically expect, so you aren’t disappointed if you don’t have perfect vision after the procedure. Don’t expect miracles. Lasik is not a guarantee of perfect vision for the rest of your life, even if the results couldn’t be better today.
3. Follow the Pre-operation directions. Failure to do so could negatively impact the success of Lasik. For example, you will probably have to avoid wearing contacts for a period of time before the surgery.
4. Do not deviate from the post-operative instructions. You need to take care of your eyes while they heal. You don’t want to get an infection or develop some problem that would negatively impact your ability to see.

Another Lasik patient, who has had more trouble with her vision since the procedure, also had a good piece of advice: If your gut tells you this procedure is not right for you, listen. She had very dry eyes and thin corneas before the surgery. Now, both of those problems have gotten progressively worse, since.

So, if you are considering a surgically procedure to correct or improve your vision, you may want to read the Lasik Eye surgery reviews and make an informed decision.

Lasik Eye Surgery Pros and Cons

Advancements in medical science have improved the health and longevity of citizens across the globe. What once caused people permanent disability or serious illness can now be corrected with medication or operations. The eyes are no exception.

Today, individuals with greatly impaired vision have experienced the benefits of laser surgery; and, in some cases, put away their glasses. However, as with any invasive procedure, patients considering options for better vision should understand Lasik eye surgery pros and cons.

The Pros of Lasik Eye Surgery

For many patients, the benefits of Lasik eye surgery far outweigh the risks. After years of wearing coke-bottle glasses, fumbling for their eyewear every morning, being blind in the shower, and even needing both contacts and glasses or bifocals, the potential outcome looks too good to pass up.

The idea of being able to put their glasses away in a drawer seems too good to be true. Even if they will still have to wear corrective lenses to read or do close work like needlepoint, their vision would be so much better.

Although there is no guarantee, Lasik has also been used as a temporary treatment for macular degeneration. While there has been no cure for this progressive and incurable disease, some ophthalmologists are hoping it will at least slow down the progression of this blinding illness. When patients know that blindness is virtually around the corner, the idea of salvaging their sight for any extra length of time is definitely worth any risks associated with Lasik.

The Cons of Lasik Surgery

Anybody who has dealt with severe impairments to their vision, or even struggled with the hassle of wearing corrective lenses, the potential benefits are so alluring that they are blinded to the cons of Lasik surgery. They don’t even want to think about what might go wrong. Hopefully, their eye health care providers will make sure they know the realistic view of such an invasive procedure to correct refractory errors in their vision.

The biggest potential drawback of Lasik surgery is a negative outcome. Although it doesn’t happen very often, there have been cases where the patient’s vision has been greatly impaired after the surgery. Instead of seeing better, they end up no longer able to drive or work, because they cannot see well enough.

Unfortunately, after electing to have laser eye surgery, there is no going back. Any improvement or damage to the eye is irreversible. So, even though the percentages are low, it’s necessary for patients to know the worst case scenario, as well as the best.

Despite the fact that Lasik eye surgery has become more popular, it is still an expensive medical procedure. In addition, because it is generally an elective operation, medical insurance may not cover the expense. So, anyone considering Lasik should contact their carrier and know what out-of-pocket expenses they will incur.

For most patients, they will know whether Lasik has achieved the expected outcome within 24 hours. Many will get rid of their glasses and be totally sold on the virtues of Lasik. In their excitement over the ability to see better, they will tell all of their friends and family just how awesome Lasik is, and how they would do it again in a heartbeat, regardless of the expense.

But, there will be those few that would do anything, if they could just go back to the way their vision was before the operation. They are experiencing new vision challenges that make it impossible to drive, work, or function as normal in daily living. These potential impairments include:

• Blurry vision – Everything is now out of focus. Even with corrective lenses, the problem is still present and driving is no longer possible.
• Double vision- is like when you are really dizzy. You may know there is only one object in front of you; but, your eyes see two. They may appear fuzzy or almost in motion, as your eyes try, and fail, to focus properly.
• No contrast vision – is when everything looks almost the same shade and color – like when a camera receives to much light and the film is overexposed. Unfortunately, this condition also makes it impossible to drive, because lack of clarity is a safety hazard.
• Severe Astigmatism – is when vision is distorted. After laser surgery, this may become a severe problem that corrective lenses can no longer help.
• Halo vision – is when the light hits objects or people, and everything appears to have a halo around it.
• Starburst vision – happens at night. Instead of seeing headlights on cars, people see lights almost like big bursts of stars. The impairment can make it impossible to drive, especially at night.

While many of these visual symptoms will subside after a period of time for many laser patients, some will continue to experience problems indefinitely. So, while it is absolutely marvelous to put those glasses away for good, it’s also important to think about all Lasik eye surgery pros and cons, befo