Questions about LASIK & PRK

• Can I have both eyes treated at the same time?
  Yes. Many patients prefer to minimize the time off work and reduce the amount of healing time they experience after surgery, so they have both eyes done during the same visit.
• Can I drive myself home after surgery?
  No. Your vision may be blurry in the first few hours after the procedure. Many people are able to drive the next day.
• Will I have to limit my activities after surgery?
  You will be told to avoid hard activity or visually demanding tasks for at least 1-2 days after LASIK and 3 days after PRK. Make sure to ask about specific activities that are important to you.
• Can I play sports right after the procedure?
  No. Certain hard activities, contact sports and swimming should be postponed for several weeks.
• How soon can I use eye make-up?
  It is recommended that you avoid using eye make-up for the first week after surgery to reduce the risk of infection.
• Can I get water in my eyes?
  No. You should avoid getting water in your eyes for about one week after surgery, so be careful when washing your face and hair.
• What are enhancements (touch-ups)?
  Your vision after surgery either will be perfect, or under- or over- corrected. This can be fixed with a minor procedure called an enhancement or touch-up. This procedure typically is performed approximately three months after the initial surgery if visual improvement has not been attained. These enhancements are only necessary in about 10 percent of all cases.
• What are the most common complications?
  The most common is either over-correction or under-correction, both of which can be treated. Individual variation is part of any surgical procedure. While everyone hopes for perfect vision, perfection is not always the result. Your expectation should be the reduced dependence on glasses and contact lenses, realizing that they may still be needed for some activities. Dry eyes are also common in the early period after the surgery.
• What about the bad complications?                      
• Sight-threatening complications are very rare. There is always a small risk of infection, scarring, or abnormal healing patterns. This may cause partial loss of vision and require further medical or surgical treatment.

Will my vision be stable?
Although vision may fluctuate slightly during the first few days and also shift slowly for 6 to 12 months, most of the healing is complete within 3 to 6 months. With nearly a decade of experience with PRK, we know that the procedure is stable, with no evidence of late complications. LASIK has been available for about 20 years and, from the data collected over this period, also appears stable.

• Is it possible that my vision could become worse than before? Could my vision gradually decrease?
  There is a very slight chance that your vision could become worse. Results thus far, however, have shown excellent stability after PRK and LASIK.
• Will I be able to wear contact lenses if I still need them after PRK or LASIK?
  Yes. In most cases, PRK and LASIK do not interfere with the use of soft contact lenses. Hard contact lenses can sometimes be used but may be more difficult to fit the eye.
• Will I need to use eye drops?
  Depending on your specific procedure, eye drops may be needed for anywhere from three days to six months, but not permanently.
• How is PRK or LASIK likely to affect my need to use glasses or contacts when I get older?
  By middle age, all people need help reading. If your nearsightedness is permanently eliminated by PRK or LASIK, you may need to start using reading glasses in your forties.

• In our clinic (Amman Eye Clinic), we are proud of our large experience in performing all types of vision correction surgeries, and their excellent long-term results.
• If you have more questions regarding getting rid of your glasses, please do not hesitate to call (Amman Eye Clinic) for further information.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is the thin transparent layer of tissue that lines the inner surface of the eyelid and covers the white part of the eye.

Often called “pink eye,” conjunctivitis is a common eye disease, especially in children. It may affect one or both eyes. Some forms of conjunctivitis are highly contagious and can easily spread in schools and at home. While conjunctivitis is usually a minor eye infection, sometimes it can develop into a more serious problem.

A viral or bacterial infection can cause conjunctivitis. It can also develop due to an allergic reaction to air irritants such as pollen and smoke, chlorine in swimming pools, ingredients in cosmetics, or other products that contact the eyes, such as contact lenses. Sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhea are less common causes of conjunctivitis.

People with conjunctivitis may experience the following symptoms:

• A gritty feeling in one or both eyes
• Itching or burning sensation in one or both eyes
• Excessive tearing
• Discharge from one or both eyes
• Swollen eyelids
• Pink discoloration to the whites of one or both eyes
• Increased sensitivity to light

What causes conjunctivitis?

There are three main types of conjunctivitis: allergic, infectious and chemical. The cause of conjunctivitis varies depending on the type.

Allergic Conjunctivitis

• Allergic conjunctivitis occurs more commonly among people who already have seasonal allergies. They develop it when they come into contact with a substance that triggers an allergic reaction in their eyes.
• Giant papillary conjunctivitis is a type of allergic conjunctivitis caused by the chronic presence of a foreign body in the eye. People who wear hard or rigid contact lenses, wear soft contact lenses that are not replaced frequently, have an exposed suture on the surface of the eye or have a prosthetic eye are more likely to develop this form of conjunctivitis.

Infectious Conjunctivitis

• Bacterial conjunctivitis is an infection most often caused by staphylococcal or streptococcal bacteria from your own skin or respiratory system. Insects, physical contact with other people, poor hygiene (touching the eye with unclean hands), or using contaminated eye makeup and facial lotions can also cause the infection. Sharing makeup and wearing contact lenses that are not your own or are improperly cleaned can also cause bacterial conjunctivitis.
• Viral conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by contagious viruses associated with the common cold. It can develop through exposure to the coughing or sneezing of someone with an upper respiratory tract infection. Viral conjunctivitis can also occur as the virus spreads along the body’s own mucous membranes, which connect the lungs, throat, nose, tear ducts and conjunctiva. Since the tears drain into the nasal passageway, forceful nose blowing can cause a virus to move from your respiratory system to your eyes.
• Ophthalmia neonatorum is a severe form of bacterial conjunctivitis that occurs in newborn babies. This is a serious condition that could lead to permanent eye damage if it is not treated immediately. Ophthalmia neonatorum occurs when an infant is exposed to chlamydia or gonorrhea while passing through the birth canal. For several years, U.S. delivery rooms have applied antibiotic ointment to babies’ eyes as a standard prophylactic treatment.

Chemical Conjunctivitis

• Chemical Conjunctivitis can be caused by irritants like air pollution, chlorine in swimming pools, and exposure to noxious chemicals.

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How is conjunctivitis diagnosed?

Conjunctivitis can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination. Testing, with special emphasis on the conjunctiva and surrounding tissues, may include:

• Patient history to determine the symptoms, when the symptoms began, and whether any general health or environmental conditions are contributing to the problem.
• Visual acuity measurements to determine whether vision has been affected.
• Evaluation of the conjunctiva and external eye tissue using bright light and magnification.
• Evaluation of the inner structures of the eye to ensure that no other tissues are affected by the condition.
• Supplemental testing, which may include taking cultures or smears of conjunctival tissue. This is particularly important in cases of chronic conjunctivitis or when the condition is not responding to treatment.

Using the information obtained from these tests, your optometrist can determine if you have conjunctivitis and advise you on treatment options.

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How is conjunctivitis treated?

Treating conjunctivitis has three main goals:

1. Increase patient comfort.
2. Reduce or lessen the course of the infection or inflammation.
3. Prevent the spread of the infection in contagious forms of conjunctivitis.

The appropriate treatment for conjunctivitis depends on its cause:

• Allergic conjunctivitis. The first step is to remove or avoid the irritant, if possible. Cool compresses and artificial tears sometimes relieve discomfort in mild cases. In more severe cases, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications and antihistamines may be prescribed. People with persistent allergic conjunctivitis may also require topical steroid eye drops.
• Bacterial conjunctivitis. This type of conjunctivitis is usually treated with antibiotic eye drops or ointments. Bacterial conjunctivitis may improve after three or four days of treatment, but patients need to take the entire course of antibiotics to prevent recurrence.
• Viral conjunctivitis. No drops or ointments can treat viral conjunctivitis. Antibiotics will not cure a viral infection. Like a common cold, the virus has to run its course, which may take up to two or three weeks. Symptoms can often be relieved with cool compresses and artificial tear solutions. For the worst cases, topical steroid drops may be prescribed to reduce the discomfort from inflammation. However, these drops will not shorten the infection.
• Chemical conjunctivitis. Careful flushing of the eyes with saline is a standard treatment for chemical conjunctivitis. People with chemical conjunctivitis also may need to use topical steroids. Severe chemical injuries, particularly alkali burns, are medical emergencies and can lead to scarring, damage to the eye or the sight, or even loss of the eye. If a chemical spills in your eye, flush the eye for several minutes with a lot of water before seeing your medical provider.

Contact Lens Wearers

Contact lens wearers may need to temporarily stop wearing their lenses while the condition is active. Your doctor can tell you if this is necessary.

If you developed conjunctivitis due to wearing contact lenses, your eye doctor may recommend that you switch to a different type of contact lens or disinfection solution. Your optometrist might need to change your contact lens prescription to a lens that you replace more frequently. This can help prevent the conjunctivitis from recurring.

Self-care

Practicing good hygiene is the best way to control the spread of conjunctivitis. Once an infection has been diagnosed, follow these steps:

• Don’t touch your eyes with your hands.
• Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.
• Change your towel and washcloth daily, and don’t share them with others.
• Discard eye cosmetics, particularly mascara.
• Don’t use anyone else’s eye cosmetics or personal eye-care items.
• Follow your eye doctor’s instructions on proper contact lens care.

You can soothe the discomfort of viral or bacterial conjunctivitis by applying warm compresses to your affected eye or eyes. To make a compress, soak a clean cloth in warm water and wring it out before applying it gently to your closed eyelids.

For allergic conjunctivitis, avoid rubbing your eyes. Instead of warm compresses, use cool compresses to soothe your eyes. Over-the-counter eye drops might also help. Antihistamine eye drops can alleviate the symptoms, and lubricating eye drops can rinse the allergen off the surface of the eye.

See your doctor of optometry if you think you have conjunctivitis. He or she can diagnose the cause and prescribe the proper treatment.

Thanks to AOA article

Color Blindness

What is color blindness?

Color blindness occurs when you are unable to see colors in a normal way. Most commonly, color blindness (also known as color deficiency) happens when someone cannot distinguish between certain colors, usually between greens and reds, and occasionally blues.

Color blindness can occur when one or more of the color cells of the eye’s retina are absent, nonfunctioning, or detect a different color than normal.

There are different degrees of color blindness. Some people with mild color deficiencies can see colors normally in good light but have difficulty in dim light. Others cannot distinguish certain colors in any light. The most severe form of color blindness, in which everything is seen in shades of gray, is uncommon.

Color blindness is usually something that the patient has from birth; when parents may notice a problem with their child when he is learning his colors. However, it can be acquired later in life. Change in color vision can signify a more serious condition. Anyone who experiences a significant change in color perception should see an eye doctor.

Color blindness since birth usually affects both eyes equally and remains stable throughout life.Whereasacquired color blindness often affects both eyes differently, and usually gets worse over time.

Except in the most severe form, color blindness does not affect the sharpness of vision. The inability to see any color at all and to see everything only in shades of gray is often associated with poor vision, nystagmus (involuntary, rapid eye movement), and light sensitivity.

Who is at risk for color blindness?• Men are at much higher risk for being born with color blindness than women, who seldom have the problem. An estimated one in ten males has some form of color deficiency.• Having certain conditions, including glaucoma, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, chronic alcoholism, leukemia and sickle cell anemia, may increase your risk for acquired color deficiency.• Certain medicines may also increase your risk for acquiring color blindness. The medicinehydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) can cause color blindness. It is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, among other conditions.• Eye or head trauma.• Some vascular diseases.

Color blindness diagnosis

Your eye doctor will be able to conduct a simple test to determine if you have color blindness.

The test consists of showing you a pattern made up of multi-colored dots. If you do not have a color deficiency, you will be able to see numbers and shapes among the dots. If you are color blind, you will have a hard time finding the number or shape in the pattern or you may not see anything in the pattern at all.

  A person with color deficiency

may not be able to see the number 5

   among the dots in this picture

How can color blindness be treated?

There is no treatment for color blindness developed since birth. It usually does not cause any significant disability. However, there are special contact lenses and glasses that may help people with color blindness tell the difference between similar colors.

Acquired forms of color blindness may be treated by addressing the underlying condition or medicine that caused the problem.