Eyebrow & Eyelash Enhancement Risks

Did you know that eyebrow and eyelash enhancement treatments performed in salons can have risks you should be aware of? Having your eyebrows and eyelashes treated in a salon may seem like an easy way to enhance your look, but microblading, eyebrow lamination, eyelash lifts and tints can have risks to know about.

Types of Eyebrow & Eyelash Enhancement

• Eyebrow & Eyelash Tinting: During this 15-minute procedure, semi-permanent dye is painted onto the eyebrows or eyelashes to make them appear thicker, darker and fuller. The color lasts for about three to six weeks.
• Eyebrow Microblading: Microblading is also known as eyebrow tattooing, micro feathering or micro shading where a permanent pigment is tattooed into the skin using a needle mounted on a small handheld tool. The effects last for years.
• Eyebrow Lamination: This is a chemical treatment, takes less than 1 hour and does not involve needles or semi-permanent dye, but rather a perming cream is brushed into the eyebrows to allow the hair to be sculpted into a more desirable shape. The procedure effects last for several weeks.
• Eyelash Perm: During an eyelash perm the lashes are coated with an adhesive and curled around rollers. Chemical solutions are then applied to the lashes to create a long-lasting curl with the effects lasting one to two months.
• Eyelash Lift: An eyelash lift, often combined with an eyelash tint, involves combing eyelashes to a silicone shield and holding them there with adhesive while a chemical lotion is applied to break down the protein in each eyelash and encourage it to grow upward instead of outward. The results last about six to eight weeks.

Risks of Eyebrow & Eyelash Enhancement

Eyebrow and eyelash enhancements pose eye health risks because they are so close to the eye. These treatments could cause problems with the eyes and affect vision, especially since there is a risk of sensitivity due to repeated exposure during the treatments. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any color additives for permanent dyeing or tinting of eyelashes and eyebrows. The agency says permanent eyelash and eyebrow tints and dyes have been known to cause serious eye injuries, including blindness. Despite issuing warnings, the FDA cannot regulate salons. That job falls to state and local governments, which can have different rules. There are no set standards for eyelash and eyebrow tinting and it can be hard to judge how safe it is. Even if the FDA were to approve dyes for tinting, it would still be possible to get infections and allergic reactions, so FDA approval alone does not automatically make the procedure guaranteed totally safe. If you have a reaction to any type of hair dye or cosmetic, you should contact your health care provider as well as schedule an appointment to see us if it involves your eyelashes, eyelids or delicate tissue around your eyes. Call us at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or Facebook

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is a leading eye care center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.

Viagra & Vision Problems

 

Viagra & Vision Problems

Did you know that in high doses the erectile dysfunction medicine Viagra can cause vision problems? Recent reports in Frontiers in Neurology relayed that Sildenafil, sold under the brand name Viagra is considered safe for men with erectile dysfunction, but at high doses the drug can have lasting effects on vision. The men in this study took the drug without prescription and at the highest recommended dose: 100 milligrams. All of the men experienced vision disturbances ranging from light sensitivity and blurriness to colorblindness and blue-tinted vision. The symptoms continued long after the drug’s desired effects wore off and in some cases lasted as long as three weeks.

What We Know

Viagra boosts blood flow by turning off an enzyme called phosphodiesterase 5. But in the process, the drug also meddles with a related enzyme in retinal cells. At high doses, experts say, this could permanently damage the retina. Side effects most often emerge in men with other underlying health conditions such as high blood pressure or heart conditions. Erectile dysfunction drugs are tied to ischemic optic neuropathy, a sudden and permanent vision loss caused by interrupted blood flow to the optic nerve. This in fact is most common in men with high blood pressure or heart conditions.

While the report raises concerns, experts do not recommend discarding the drug. .One key takeaway: Only use ED medicine under medical supervision, and at a prescribed dose!. Also, purchase the drug from a trusted source. Counterfeit drugs, often sold online, are not regulated by the FDA and may not meet quality and safety standards. Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or Facebook.

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is a leading eye care center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.

Dry Eyes from Cholesterol Medications?

 

Did you know that the lipid lowering cholesterol medications called “statins” might also cause lipid layer instability in your tear film-and lead to dry eye symptoms? Researchers reporting in the American Journal of Ophthalmology found that patients with a history of taking stains to lower their cholesterol are more often than others bothered by dry eye disease and problems.

Dry eye disease (DED) affects some 7% to 33% of the general population. The actual incidence and severity of DED increases with age and female gender but is almost always characterized by decreased tear production and/or increased evaporation and can lead to symptoms of ocular discomfort, visual disturbances, and a diminished quality of life. Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is the most common cause of evaporative dry eye and involves abnormalities in the quantity and/or composition of tear film lipids, including excess free cholesterol. Researchers have now identified that there is an association between MGD/DED and Dyslipidemia which is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, affecting an estimated 12% of adults.  It is most often treated with “statin” medications. So, if you are one of the millions of patients taking cholesterol medication to lower your risk of heart disease and suffer from dry eyes, grittiness, sandy feeling eyes and changing fluctuating vision, please schedule an eye exam so we can provide a proper diagnosis and help for dry eyes. Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or Facebook.

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is a leading eye care center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.

Types of Cataracts: Facts You Might Not Know

 

Did you know that there is more than one type of cataract? The most common type of cataract, typically found in people over 40, forms mainly in the center of your eye’s crystalline lens and is called a nuclear cataract. Another type of cataract is called a cortical cataract which is a wedge-shaped clouding that develops at the edge of the lens instead of the center. Yet another type, called a posterior capsular cataract generally forms at the back of the lens, blocking light rays from reaching the retina. You should know that posterior capsular cataracts usually develop faster than nuclear and cortical cataracts. But all three types can be corrected with cataract surgery to remove them, and then your vision corrected with lens implants. Your cataract surgeon can recommend different types of lens implants so that your eyeglass prescription for distance vision and astigmatism are corrected at the same time as your cataract surgery, and many people can even have their need for bifocals or reading glasses greatly reduced or eliminated with lens implants as well.

If you or someone you know is experiencing cataract symptoms such as cloudy foggy vision, glare or difficult night driving and would like to learn more about cataract surgery & lens implants please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or Facebook.

Seniors, Falling & Eye Injuries from Falling

 

Did you know that falls are the leading cause of injury related emergency room visits among people over 65 years old? Recently researchers studied how often seniors falling resulted in eye injury-especially eye injury that might have been overlooked as part of their hospital visit. They reviewed records from 270 patient visits of patients with an average age of 81 years old. 180 patients presenting in the emergency room from this group had fallen. Of these 155 patients were found to have an orbital fracture-the boney structures around the eye! In addition there were many other serious eye injuries including eye globe ruptures, hemorrhages behind the eye and retinal detachment. The message is clear. Falls in older people may be associated with sight-threatening ocular injuries which are common and easy to miss in this population demographic. It is important to have a thorough eye exam after what might even be considered a minor fall. More important, it is critical to create safe environments for seniors and to tend to those sight threatening senior eye problems-such as cataracts-to help avoid lost mobility and increased risk of falls!

If you or someone you know is a over 65, please schedule regular eye exams for common senior eye problems such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration (AMD) so you can maintain eye health and vision-and reduce your risk of falls! Schedule an eye exam at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or Facebook.

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is a leading eye care center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.

Astigmatism Lens Implants & Laser Cataract Surgery

If you have astigmatism, and need cataract surgery, it is possible that your cataract surgeon will recommend a toric lens implant to correct your vision. A recent study reported in the Journal of Refractive Surgery suggested that the best results of astigmatism cataract lens implants was achieved by performing the cataract surgery using the femtosecond laser as a laser cataract surgery procedure. The laser procedure allowed for better marking of the axis of the astigmatism correction adding to the precision of the final results.

If you or some you know is experiencing cataract symptoms such as cloudy foggy vision, glare or difficult night driving and would like to learn more about cataract surgery & lens implants please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or Facebook.

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is a leading eye care center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.

Shagufta has LASIK @ Michelson Laser Vision!

 

“I opted to go to Dr. Michelson at Michelson Laser Vision in Birmingham (instead of someone in my own town) because I had heard excellent things about him. I must say that I am very happy with my decision. The entire office staff was incredibly welcoming and made me feel at ease right away. Dr. Michelson was very personable and explained things in a way that I could easily understand. The procedure was carried out quickly and efficiently and I am very pleased with the outcome. I highly recommend Michelson Laser Vision to anyone that is needing corrective eye surgery.”- Shagufta from Tuscaloosa

If you or some you know is tired of the hassle of glasses or contact lenses for seeing at distance and would like to find out if LASIK might be a good vision correction option, please call Michelson Laser Vision, Inc. in Birmingham at 205-969-8100, visit Michelson Laser Vision, or www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision, Inc. is a leading LASIK center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.