Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Eye Health, Contacts & LASIK for Swimming

“Understanding how swimming can affect your eyes, eye health and vision is worth learning a little about as summer typically means lots of water activities for all of us”, said Birmingham, Corneal Specialist Tyler Hall, M.D. of Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham. 

In general, unless you are wearing goggles it is best not to swim with your eyes open under water and, when possible, to avoid splashes of water into your eyes. This is because the various types of pool chemicals that are used for keeping the water clean and free of contamination may actually be irritating at a minimum and in some instances damaging to the surface of the eye. Maintaining the proper pH levels in swimming pools takes considerable monitoring and effort and as the pH varies so does the possibility of eye irritation. Your natural tears have a pH of 7.0, if the pH of the pool water is below or above that level that level, it will certainly cause your eyes to burn or sting. The proper pH level for swimming pools is in the range of 7.2 to 7.8. If the pH is maintained within this range, burning eyes shouldn't be a problem for swimmers. 

For sure, if you plan on spending any lengthy period of time in the water you should protect your eyes by wearing goggles. Swimming with contact lenses is very risky. The eye health risk of swimming with contacts depends on the body of water you are in. When swimming on lakes and in rivers there is a considerable risk of the microorganism Acanthamoeba to adhering to your contacts. Acanthamoeba Keratitis is a severe and potentially blinding infection and inflammation of the Cornea. This same risk is present when wearing contacts in hot tubs or spas. While the risk of sight threatening infection is lesser in properly chlorinated swimming pools and the ocean other problems may be encountered. In the pool--eye irritation is possible when chlorine sticks on the surface of your lens and in the ocean--your contact lenses can be dislodged when you encounter large waves. You need to carefully consider whether to wear contact lenses while swimming. Keeping your head out of the water and wearing goggles will help to greatly reduce risk. If you worry about not being able to see clearly without glasses or contacts and want to see clearly while in the pool or ocean, you may wish to consider LASIK as a vision correction method so as not to be dependent on eyeglasses or contacts for swimming. 

If you or someone you know has questions about swimming, swimming pools, eye health, vision and contact lenses or would like to schedule a Free LASIK Consultation please feel free to call Michelson Laser Vision in Birmingham at 877-871-3937, visit Michelson Laser Vision or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

LASIK & Dry Eyes-What to Know

Birmingham LASIK Surgeon & Corneal Specialist Marc Michelson, M.D. explained what you need to know about LASIK and dry eyes. “By far the most common side effect of LASIK is dry eyes. In fact, it is pretty much expected and pretty normal for all LASIK patients to have temporary dry eye symptoms after their treatment. The critical thing to know is that the dry eye symptoms should be temporary,” noted Dr. Michelson. 

Here is what you should know about LASIK and dry eyes. LASIK is corneal surgery. ANY time we do corneal surgery we typically sever some corneal nerves and we often temporarily disturb the delicate cells on the surface of the eye. By the way, during cataract surgery and any other eye surgery procedures that involve the cornea we do the exact same things. These corneal nerves connect to the Lacrimal Gland which is responsible for producing tears. When the nerves are temporarily interrupted there is a decrease in the amount of tears that are produced-making your eyes feel dry and gritty. To make you more comfortable during the time it takes for the corneal nerves to heal and regenerate we may do one of more of the following for you: 

Prescribe Artificial Tear Eye Drops 

Insert Tiny Tear Duct Plugs 

Prescribe Restasis® Eye Drops 

Prescribe Dietary Supplements with Omega-3 Oils 

Each of the above acts to either retain the tears that you have, supplement the tears that are lacking or help you produce more of your own tears so that you will be most comfortable and heal properly. Each person will regenerate the fine corneal nerves at a DIFFERENT RATE and thus will need to use one or more of the above tear helpers for different amounts of time. A very important consideration is how healthy your tear film was BEFORE your surgery. A critical part of your LASIK consultation will be a careful examination of your tear film. Sometimes, in order to make you the most comfortable and make the healing and visual recovery process as quick and easy as possible for you, we may actually prescribe one or more of the above BEFORE your surgery. 

If you or someone you know has questions about LASIK and Dry Eyes or would like to schedule a Free LASIK Evaluation please call and schedule an appointment at Michelson Laser Vision in Birmingham by calling 877-871-3937, visiting Michelson Laser Vision or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision 

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Birmingham Surgeon on Cataract & Ovarian Cancer Risk

Interesting research was reviewed by Birmingham Cataract Surgeon Marc Michelson, M.D. regarding cataracts and ovarian cancer risk. “Current research on women with cataracts suggests that they may be at less risk for developing ovarian cancer,” said Dr. Michelson. “Our daily routines in Birmingham and really throughout Alabama and the south expose us to a fair amount of ultraviolet (UV) light each day. A major health benefit of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the production of Vitamin D, which is helpful in protection against several human cancers, including ovarian carcinoma. Now, on the other hand we know that being exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light from is a well recognized risk factor for cataract formation”. 

Researchers reporting in the November 2011 publication Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention studied 709 women with primary invasive ovarian carcinoma and 1101 controls to examine the association of Ovarian Carcinoma risk with a history of Cataract. Some interesting findings were that older age, a history of Type 2 Diabetes and skin cancer were significant risk factors for developing a Cataract. Further, a history of cataract was reported by 14% of cases and 17% of controls and was significantly associated with a reduced Ovarian Carcinoma risk. These findings add indirect evidence to the hypothesis that lifetime Vitamin D exposure may be inversely associated with risk of Ovarian Carcinoma. Additional studies are needed to further investigate the potential behavioral and biological factors that might influence association of cataract with ovarian cancer. 

If you or someone you know has questions about cataracts, cataract surgery or the risk of ovarian cancer they are encouraged to schedule an eye examination at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision. 

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Sun Damage & Your Eyes in Alabama

“Our Alabama sun can cause a great deal more damage to your eyes than you might think,” stated Birmingham Ophthalmologist & Corneal Specialist Marc Michelson, M.D. of Alabama Eye & Cataract Center. “A lot of folks simply don’t realize the various possible ways and the extent to which the can impact and damage your eyes and the surrounding tissue,” said Dr. Michelson. “For example, too much sun and UV light can affect the surface of the cornea and actually cause an “eye sunburn” or “photokeratitis” which is uncomfortable and may temporarily impact vision. If too much UV light reaches the inside of the eye it can damage the crystalline lens turning it yellow and actually stimulate the formation of cataracts. Further, if too much sunlight reaches the retina, this can cause a type of “solar retinitis” and increase the risk of macular degeneration as well.”

In addition to those problems mentioned by Dr. Michelson, patients need to know that we are all susceptible to eye and eyelid cancers and other types of eye damage from the sun. Even though the eyelid is designed to protect the eye itself from the sun, eyelid skin is very thin and fragile and can be easily damaged by the sun. The number and types of eyelid cancers are many and a cause for concern among everyone.

Thus, we should ALL take simple but effective precautions to protect our eyes and the structures inside and around our eyes:

Wear a Brimmed Hat

Use Sunscreen

Wear Proper UV Protecting Sunglasses

Using some common sense precautions goes a long way to protecting your eye health and vision. If you or someone you know has questions about eyes and sunlight or proper UV and sun protection for eyes, please feel free to call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930 or Michelson Laser Vision at 877-871-3937, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision and schedule an appointment so we can help.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Birmingham Fireworks Eye Safety Awareness

Birmingham Corneal Specialist Tyler Hall, M.D. of Alabama Eye & Cataract Center stressed the importance of fireworks eye safety and eye injury prevention in preparation for the upcoming July 4th celebrations and fireworks displays. “Using fireworks safely in order to prevent the risk of eye injury requires being well schooled and experienced in fireworks eye safety procedures. This often means leaving fireworks use to trained professionals rather than simply using them yourself,” commented Dr. Hall. “In fact there really is no safe way for nonprofessionals to use fireworks without taking on some risk of accidental eye injury.”

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks are involved in approximately 10,000 injuries per year that are treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. Of those, 2/3 occurred during the one month period surrounding the July 4th holiday. It is important to note that:
· Eyes were the Second Most Commonly Injured Part of the Body!
· Males Were Injured 3x More than Females.
· Approximately 25% of Injuries are to Children under 15.
Fireworks and celebrations go together, especially during the Fourth of July. But there are precautions parents can take to prevent these injuries. The best defense against kids suffering severe eye injuries and burns is to not let kids play with any fireworks. Do not purchase, use or store fireworks of any type. Protect yourself, your family and your friends by avoiding fireworks. Attend only authorized public fireworks displays conducted by licensed operators, but be aware that even professional displays can be dangerous.

If an eye accident does occur, what should you know?
· Do not rub the eye.
· Do not attempt to rinse out the eye. This can be even more damaging than rubbing.
· Do not apply pressure to the eye itself-but protecting the eye from further contact with any item, including the child's hand.
· Do not stop for medicine! Over-the-counter pain relievers will not do much to relieve pain. Aspirin (should never be given to children) and ibuprofen can thin the blood, increasing bleeding. Take the child to the emergency room at once.
· Do not apply ointments or drops. They may not be sterile and may make the area around the eye slippery and harder for the doctor to examine.

Once you are seen in the emergency room please feel free to have them call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center at 205-930-0930 as we always have an eye doctor “on call” to provide consultation and continued care for you.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about eye safety, fireworks injury and prevention you can reach us at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision so that we can help identify the possible causes and recommend an appropriate treatment plan.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.