All posts by Beth Hammer

The Good and Bad About Blue Light

Blue light contributes to digital eye strain. … When you’re looking at computer screens and other digital devices that emit significant amounts of blue light, this unfocused visual “noise” reduces contrast and can contribute to digital eye strain.

Blue light, which is part of the visible light spectrum, reaches deeper into the eye and its cumulative effect can cause damage to the retina. Furthermore, in certain wavelengths, blue light is implicated in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Nowadays, there’s an increase in the use of digital devices and modern lighting—such as LED lights and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)—most of which emit a high level of blue light. CFLs contain about 25% of harmful blue light and LEDs contain about 35% of harmful blue light. Interestingly, the cooler the white LED, the higher the blue proportion. And by 2020, 90% of all of our light sources are estimated to be LED lighting. So, our exposure to blue light is everywhere and only increasing.

Not all blue light is bad. The labeled blue-turquoise light range, which is from 465 nm to 495 nm, is essential to our vision, the function of our pupillary reflex, and in general to human health. It also helps to regulate our Circadian sleep/wake cycle.11 So blue light in general can have healthy affects on vision as well as the body, and it is this blue-turquoise light that tends to have these beneficial effects. Inadequate light exposure means inadequate blue-turquoise light, which can throw off our Circadian biological clock and our sleep/wake cycle. So this blue-turquoise light really plays a vital role in the general health of the individual.

If you work on the computer 5-6 hours a day, or are using LED and compact flourescent lights, talk to your eye care professional about protecting your eyes.

Eyes: The Windows To Your Health

Interestingly enough, “the eye is the only place doctors can see blood vessels without actually cutting into the human body,” says Michael Harris, O.D, associate dean emeritus of the University of California School of Optometry Berkeley. “We know what normal vessels look like, and any change in size or shape could indicate hypertension or atherosclerosis, which are both typically asymptomatic until much later.”

What this means is that your eye doctor may be able to see changes and catch health issues, such as high blood pressure, the risk of stroke, or plaque buildup in your arteries, sooner than your primary care physician. Do not ignore these changes as they can eventually lead to blindness if they go untreated.
Eye Drops hard to open?  Application is a breeze with the Eye Drop Tool Kit from the inventor of The CapTool.

 

New Hope for Glaucoma Patients

New drug breakthroughs are not frequent, but there are still advances. For example, people with glaucoma who take more than one eye drop per day may see those medications available as a single, combined eye drop in the future. Some combinations already are available, such as Cosopt (timolol and dorzolamide), Combigan (timolol and brimonidine) and Simbrinza (brinzolamide and brimonidine).

You can make your eye drop applications easier, with the Eye Drop Tool Kit from the inventor of The Captool.  One tool removes the cap with ease, the other positions the bottle over your eye and allows you to apply  just a little pressure to release the drops.

Why Is Retinal Nerve Cell Regeneration Important for Glaucoma Patients?

man's eye

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Vision loss from glaucoma occurs when axons in the optic nerve become damaged and can no longer carry visual information to the brain.

Glaucoma is most often treated by lowering pressure in the eye with drugs, laser surgery, or traditional surgery. However, these treatments can only preserve remaining vision; they don’t improve or restore vision that already has been lost due to glaucoma.  MORE:

Surprising Treatment For Glaucoma: Get The Drops In Your Eyes

img7 We’ve Got The Answer! 

Buy your Eye Drop Tool Kit Today!

Some things never change. For at least three decades researchers have been reporting that patients with glaucoma have trouble getting drops into their eyes. As early as 1980, Michael A. Kass, MD, and colleagues identified failures to take the medications correctly—sometimes referred to as “involuntary noncompliance”—as a common problem that interferes with the care of glaucoma patients.1,2

At the 2008 meeting of the American Glaucoma Society, as well as the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Academy, Alan L. Robin, MD, and Amy L. Hennessy MD, MPH, reported findings from two video-documented studies: only two-thirds of patients were able to reliably get the medicated drop to the ocular surface. And when factoring in other variables, the success rate was even lower.3

The taming of the drop. After all these years, ophthalmologists still haven’t found a way to fix the problem. No matter how many solutions have been introduced—user-friendly bottles, drops tailored to the patient’s lifestyle, changes to the bottle tip, specially designed dosing aids—patients still often miss the mark. Hands may be hobbled by arthritis or Parkinson disease or stroke; eyes blink; drops land on foreheads and cheeks. Or, at the other extreme, patients marinate their eyes, pouring in half the bottle in one sitting.

Patients know how to take a pill, Dr. Robin said. “I would never say, ‘Put the pill between your fingers, take some water, put the pill in your mouth and swallow.’ Patients know to do that. But they don’t know how to take their drops.” Dr. Robin is a clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Maryland in College Park. MORE:

Systane and Bausch & Lomb Take Top Two Honors in Best Eye Drop Review!

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Whatever type of eye drops you are using, especially prescription eye drops, you’ll want to invest in the Eye Drop Tool Kit.  It includes the CapTool that cuts the cellophane closure, then with a slight twist removes the cap.  The DropTool holds the eye drops in the perfect position, and just a pinch applies the right amount!  You’ll want to order yours today.  Want to know what other over-the-counter eye drops scored in the top ten?  Read more here!