Contact lenses will provide you with clear vision so that you can play the sport of your choice. With the contact lenses you will be having that freedom you could never have because of those glasses. With contact lenses you can now play sports such as football, basketball, baseball, soccer and hockey.

Believe it or not, contacts give you better peripheral vision that the eyeglasses do. Another advantage you will be getting is that you will not be injuring your eyes. When individuals play games and wear glasses at the same time, they have a high chance of something happening, their glasses breaking and their eyes getting hurt.

The contact lenses can help in correcting a lot of visual problems that you are faced with. It does not matter if you have been suffering from near sightedness, astigmatism, or far sightedness, you will still be able to turn to contact lenses. In order to get a complete diagnosis done on your eyes and get your contact lenses, you should visit an eye care specialist. The eye care specialist will be able to tell you if contact lenses are suitable for you.

The key to good performance when it comes to playing sports all revolves around the ability to see well. You will need to see the ball, see when to swing and much more, with contact lenses it will all be possible. When you have contact lenses, you will find that a number of different things are better.

• You will have better perception and depth
• Better peripheral vision
• No fogging because of rain or steam
• Contacts are great for vigorous sports
• You will have better judgment of the speed and distance

As you have read, you will be a lot safer when wearing contact lenses instead of glasses. Another great thing about the contact lenses is the fact that you can wear protective goggles while you are playing sports. When you are wearing eye glasses, it is hard and nearly impossible for you to wear protective goggles. In some sports, protective goggles are an absolute must. When you have glasses, you could have shattered spectacles, broken frames and many more injuries done to your glasses. In order to protect your eyes when you have contact lenses in, swimmers and surfers can wear goggles that are tight fitting and at the same time they will be maintaining their good vision.

The essential differences in vision experience between contact lenses and spectacles or eyeglasses is peripheral sight.

Spectacle frames obscure or block sideways, upward and downward sight whereas contact lenses cause no obstruction to all round vision.

When you look outside the perimeter of the spectacle frame objects will appear blurred or distorted, as you are not looking through the corrective lens.

The distance between the eye and the spectacle lens can make objects seem bigger or smaller depending on whether the wearer is long or short sighted.

Contact lenses are located in contact with and covering the cornea. The ophthalmologist will take precise measurements of the eye surface in order for the contact lens to fit comfortably and provide the necessary vision correction.

Unlike spectacles, contact lenses do not get scratched, mist up or cause vision problems when out in the rain so are ideal for active outdoor types and sportspeople.

Although many people quickly adapt to wearing contact lenses there are some who experience considerable discomfort. Most ophthalmologists will provide a pair of contact lenses for a trial period and will advise if the wearer is unlikely to adapt to them.

There are two basic types of contact lens, soft or rigid gas permeable (RGP) with variations in both types.

Both main types can be used to correct most kind of vision defects. Soft lenses are the most popular with the majority of wearers as they are quicker and easier to get used to with RGP lenses more suitable for continuous use over a long period.

It is hard to believe that the extraordinary artist, scientist and visionary, Leonardo da Vinci is credited with the concept of contact lenses for sight correction five hundred years ago.

It is a matter of record that various scientists came up with ideas to advance the notion of a contact lens for sight correction until three hundred years later a renowned British astronomer, chemist and pioneer in photography, Sir John Hershel, advanced the idea of making a mould of the cornea and applying a “spherical capsule filled with animal jelly”

In 1887, FE Muller, a German glass blower, successfully produced the first contact that we would recognise today.

A transparent covering that rested on the eye surface that could be tolerated. In the following year another German, AE Fick, developed the first contact lens that was successful in improving vision.

Over the next one hundred and twenty years contact lenses have been steadily improved to the point where only isolated cases of sufferers from visual impairment are unable to enjoy the benefits of contacts

But time moves on and now affordable laser treatment is widely available to improve vision to 20/20 levels to sufferers of short or long sight. The big bonus is no more reliance on either contacts or eyeglasses.

Also available, but at a cost, are lens transplants where the defective lens is replaced with a man made substitute to provide perfect vision. Even some US fighter pilots have had the lens replacement procedure to give them extraordinary eyesight.

Over two thousand five hundred years ago there are records of cataract surgery where the defective cloudy lens was removed. In the last fifty years this operation and the substitution of a corrective artificial lens has saved the sight of many millions.

Now the transplant procedure has been developed to such accuracy that the majority of sufferers from short, long or other lens defects can enjoy perfect vision by undertaking a day to day, virtually pain and risk free operation.

Dealing with conjunctivitis is not easy but knowing the facts will help you to understand what causes it and hopefully to treat it.

Commonly known as ‘pink eye’, conjunctivitis is any inflammation that occurs in the clear tissue that covers the white surface of the eye and inner layer of the eyelid (conjunctiva).

Men, women and children of all ages, even the newborn, can suffer from one of the forms of pink eye.

Irrespective of the cause, the condition, apart from being unsightly, can be extremely uncomfortable. Irritation can be severe, not dissimilar to the discomfort a foreign body in the eye produces, accompanied by a watery or thick yellow/white discharge.

It is important to remember that conjunctivitis is highly contagious so take care over personal hygiene and avoid contact with others.

Symptoms of Conjuctivitis

Common pink eye symptoms are: -

• A gradual onset of noticeable red soreness in one or both eyes.

• Itchy, gritty feeling in one or both eyes.

• Tears or a yellowish discharge that can form a crust after sleeping and is difficult to remove.

Duration of Conjunctivitis

If untreated conjunctivitis usually lasts for two to three weeks although it can resolve itself in as little as two to three days. Early treatment can clear the condition sooner.

Causes of Conjunctivitis

Bacterial or viral infections are the most common causes. Others include foreign bodies, tobacco smoke, use of contact lenses, cosmetics or chemical splashes entering the eye, and allergies.

In infants the cause may be a blocked or incompletely opened tear duct.

Risks of Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis as a result of a bacterial or viral infection is highly contagious, especially among children. Risk of passing on the infection can last for seven to fourteen days after its first appearance.

Resist rubbing the eyes, wash hands frequently, avoid touching others, towels, face cloths, pillows etc, should not be shared with others and washed and changed at least daily. Throw away used mascara and other eye cosmetics and do not use any one else’s.

Although uncommon, conjunctivitis may be a sign of a serious underlying eye disease.

Unless advised by a doctor, never cover red eye with a patch as it can only encourage increased infection.

Treatment

• Bacterial Conjunctivitis

This form of pink eye can be treated with antibiotic eye drops or alternatively, for children and infants, with an antibiotic eye ointment that is easier to apply. In either case consult your physician for the recommended medication and be sure to complete the course even if the symptoms clear up, if not the infection can re-occur.

A significant improvement can be expected within 24-48 hours.

• Viral Conjunctivitis

In common with other viral infections the condition cannot be cured by treatment and must run its natural course. However your physician will advise on the best treatment to alleviate the symptoms. Expect a gradual worsening of the condition for the initial 3-5 days before the symptoms gradually improve and clear on their own, usually within a further two to three weeks.

• Allergic Conjunctivitis

If your doctor diagnosis this condition, there is a variety of eye drops that can be effectively prescribed, ranging from anti inflammatory, antihistamines, steroids and others.

Although it is highly recommended that medical advice is sought as soon as possible after the symptoms appear, it is possible to gain some relief by applying a clean cloth dampened with warm water to the closed lids of the affected eye.

No form of conjunctivitis is likely to have any long term effect on the vision or eye health of adults and older children, but do remember that it is highly contagious, take precautions not to pass it on. Children should either be kept from school or teachers advised that the child has conjunctivitis. In the case of infants seek immediate medical attention as soon as any symptoms are noticed.

Red eye is an uncomfortable and unpleasant infection that can strike without warning. The sooner sufferers obtain and act on qualified medical advice, the quicker and more effective the relief.

However, if you feel that you don’t want to go to see your doctor you could always try some natural cures

Only humans from birth to old age can respond to crises such as grief, laughter, fear, even anger by crying. Emotional tears are a necessary part of the human makeup.

The act of crying releases emotional tensions and has a beneficial effect on both the mind and body.

The composition of tears brought about by an emotional event differs from the normal tear fluid that we produce as a constant to clean and lubricate the eyes.

They contain more protein based hormones and a naturally produced pain killer (leucine enkephalin). These tears are called psychic tears, often referred to as ‘weeping’ or ‘crying’ tears.

From birth we are programmed to produce psychic tear fluid, although a newborn child may cry without shedding tears until its nervous system develops.

All adults, but particularly mothers, will respond to a crying baby instinctively and attempt to comfort the child and alleviate any obvious causes of discomfort.

The human brain is programmed to find the sound of an infant crying to be irritating so that a quick response is triggered. This is a reason why some parents or child minders with limited self-control mistreat babies.

Tears form very easily in the young, especially as they respond to outside influences such as pain, hunger and temperature differences and are a subconscious way of bringing attention to themselves and their plight, real or imaginary.

As we grow older and gain more control over our emotions, only the more severe crisis in our lives will lead to the shedding of psychic tears.

In western and many other cultures it has been considered unmanly for males to exhibit their emotions by crying although this seems now to be breaking down.

Nevertheless females do seem to produce psychic tears more readily than men possibly due more to age-old habits than any difference in the brain mechanism.

As we approach old age so the lachrymal gland behind the top eyelid of each eye begins to lose its ability to produce copious quantities of tears.

The aged can still cry emotional tears and in many cases the amount of tear fluid is noticeably reduced. This does not mean that they are suffering any less emotional tension than if they were younger.

Do not be afraid or embarrassed to cry, try to remember that letting your emotions out will relieve your stress and is good for your health and well being.

The primary purpose of tears is to clean and lubricate the eyes.

Tears are secreted from the lacrimal glands through ducts to the surface of the eyes between the eyeball and the lid.

The lacrimal gland, one for each eye, is located at the back of the top eyelid. When we blink, tears known as lacrimal fluid, are distributed over the eye surface.

The lower eyelids have minute orifices called puncta on their margins and bottom corner that collect tears and pass them down to the inner nose.

This is the reason that the nose runs if there is an excess of tears caused for example by crying, laughter or peeling onions.

As the flow of tears increase so the eyes flood as the puncta cannot cope and the excess of tears run down the cheeks.

It is important that the eye surface (cornea) is kept continually moist and nourished by tear fluid which at the same time washes away any dust or other small foreign particles that are virtually a constant in our modern world.

Another important function of tear fluid is to fight any bacterial infection that can attack the eyes.

Tears consist of water, mucin, lipids, lysozyme, lactoferrin, lipocalin, immunoglobulins, glucose, urea, sodium and potassium.

Tears form three distinct coatings on the eye surface, each having a specific and important function in normal circumstances. This coating or film is known as the precorneal film.

The outer layer or lipid layer is responsible for preventing the surface from drying out by forming a hydrophobic barrier to slow down evaporation. At the same time this barrier retains the tears from running onto the cheeks.

The middle layer, known as the aqueous layer, fights infections and assists in spreading the tear film over the eye surface.

The inner or mucous layer function as the water-bonding layer that is responsible for even distribution of all three layers over the eye surface. It also contains mucus that helps to protect the cornea.

Healthy tear production is essential for eye health. The older we are the less tears we produce.

Curiously and very misleading is the fact that although the eyes are watering profusely, we can still be suffering from a lack of healthy tear fluid over the entire surface of the eyes.

Should this be occurring without any noticeable cause do go and see your eye consultant to have it checked out. Ignoring the symptoms, which may not appear constant, can lead to sight problems.

Depending on the sufferer’s condition, ophthalmologists can provide either a cure or hold the condition in check. The inner puncta sometimes blocks but can be restored to normal by laser treatment.

Various eye drops such as

Optive Lubricant Eye Drops

or

Soothe Lubricant Eye Drops

are available that encourage sufficient tears to keep the eye surface healthy.

Insufficient or thin tear fluid levels have caused problems to contact lens wearers but modern technology has largely overcome this problem as contacts have become more flexible, disposable or oxygen permeable.

We hydrate our bodies with water, hydrate our skin with lotions and potions, but what are we doing to keep our eyes hydrated, healthy and looking their best?

While few are aware of it, eyes dry daily due to our environment, lifestyle and physical condition.

In fact, 77 million Americans suffer from symptoms of dry eye and for many, dry eye is a chronic condition that can significantly impact the way they live and sleep.

Many experience symptoms such as irritation, burning and itching, and don’t even realize the underlying cause is dry eye.

Contact lens wear, Lasik, staring at computers all day, allergies, hormonal changes, air planes all challenge our eyes ability to stay moist and comfortable.

Because the cornea has the highest density of nerve endings in the body, when eyes are dry, fatigue, eye redness and puffiness often follow. And when we are tired, we look tired!

As we age our bodies produce less oil, 60% less at age 65 than at age 18. This oil deficiency, which is more pronounced in women, affects the skin as well as the tear film.

Additionally, many environmental, lifestyle and physical conditions clog the glands that release these critical oils. With less oil to seal the watery layer, the tear film evaporates much faster leaving eyes dry and irritated.

There’s no cure, only treatments. In the past, the standard treatment methods were limited to artificial tears and ointments.

But Tranquileyes Eye Hydrating Therapy is a new, proven method for naturally restoring vital moisture to the eyes and surrounding skin.

Tranquileyes soft flexible goggle forms a warm, moist humid environment around the eyes that help stimulate tear production and prevent the evaporation of tears.

• The heat stimulates and loosens the critical oils that slow evaporation of natural tears.
• The warm moisture increases the relative humidity around the eyes to prevent the evaporation of tears while moisturizing the surrounding skin.

The results are clear, comfortable eyes that you can see and feel.

You can also create cold therapies with tranquileyes to help reduce eye puffiness which is often directly related to eye dryness. And enjoy the added benefit of complete darkness while using tranquileyes to promote deep sleep or relaxation.

Hand assembled in California, tranquileyes are doctor recommended and proven effective for people with chronic to mild dry eyes.

Tranquileyes is found in the finest spas including Ritz-Carlton and Canyon Ranch, and major medical institutions including some Mayo Clinics. For more info check out www.eyeeco.com.

You look in the mirror and there they are. Those ugly dark bags and shadows  under your eyes. They make you look tired and worn out, older than you really are.

What causes eye bags and how do you get rid of them?

One of the most common causes of dark under eye bags is not enough sleep. Surprisingly, too much sleep can also cause them.

If either of these are the cause, the solution is simply to increase the amount of sleep you get or decrease it according to your particular circumstances.

For most people, the optimum amount of sleep is 6 to 8 hours. Adjusting the amount of sleep you get to meet your particular needs will alleviate the dark circles under your eyes.

Too little Iron or deficiencies in other vitamins is also a common cause of dark circles under the eyes.

Since different people can have deficiencies in different vitamins and/or minerals, you should check with your doctor to determine what supplements and/or diet changes will resolve your problem. Blood tests may be able to determine which vitamins or minerals you need to supplement.

When you have a cold, the flu or any other illness, darkness under the eyes is quite common and will usually go away on its own.

Getting sufficient rest, fluids and a good diet, avoiding refined sugars and carbohydrates will help you recover from the illness and fade those dark circles.

Allergies can also cause dark under eye circles. In addition to rest, fluids and good diet, treating the allergy symptoms will help fade the dark circles.

Certain ethnic groups, such as those of Indian descent, and people who have had facial laser treatments, chemical peels, and such can often have hyperpigmentation.

This occurs when excessive melanin accumulates under the eyes. This can be treated using Hydroquinone or Kojic acid as they can lighten the skin in people who have hyperpigmentation.

It is often used to reduce the visible melanin in the skin before laser treatments to reduce the likelihood of postoperative hyperpigmentation. 

Some medications, such as Retin A, can cause too many superficial blood vessels to become visible under the eyes.

Though you don’t want to eliminate all the vessels, many of them can be minimized or removed with intense pulsed light or a number of different laser treatments.

Other causes of visible blood vessels under the eyes are general fat loss, age related fat loss, skin that becomes thinner due to aging, superficial blood vessels or thinness that is hereditary.

When fat is lost in the face, whether it is from aging or any other reason, a hollow, sunken look can result with blood vessels being more apparent and causing a darkness to appear under the eyes.

Treatment for these conditions can include injecting catalysts and fillers, such as Restylane or Sculptra, or fat-grafting.

With any treatment involving any type of surgery, whether it is laser surgery or any other type of surgery, there are risks involved.

The same holds true with anything being injected, even fat taken from another area of your body or applied topically.

The first step in minimizing risks is to make sure you consult with a qualified, reputable physician for treatment. Topical treatments can cause burning, peeling, redness and swelling in some people.

Injection treatments and laser surgery can cause swelling, bruising and tenderness or pain. Both injections and topical treatments can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

With many of these treatments, a patient will be advised to avoid exposure to sunlight as much as possible.

However, whatever the reason for dark under eye circles, there is an immediate way to cover them, whether it is just until another treatment is done or as your only treatment and this is using a cream such as

Dr. Michelle Copeland Ageless Under Eye Concealer Light

Cosmetics can be used to cover the dark circles by using a yellow base to offset the blue skin tones. This can be a very effective way to conceal those ugly dark circles under your eyes.

The Intac implants can be replaced to correct the changes in vision that occurs normally with age, or they can be removed altogether.

Micro-thin synthetic intercorneal rings are surgically implanted into the cornea to change its´ curvature resulting in a correction or reduction in the myopia.

The procedure is also used in the treatment of Keratoconus, a degenerative condition where the cornea becomes thin and more conical resulting in distorted and multiple vision.

Vision will improve within a few days of the surgery but while the healing process takes place vision may fluctuate for up to three months before settling down.

The results of Intac implants have shown excellent improvement in vision, cannot be felt, require no maintenance and are less visible than contact lenses.

To date, of the few that have had the Intac implants removed, there has been no indication of problems occurring when alternative corrective eye surgery has taken place. If contemplating this procedure you should check with your eye consultant that no problem cases have yet come to light.

The prospect of losing your vision is not a pleasant one. But the reality is that a great many people will lose at least a good deal of sight as they age.

While some will become significantly visually impaired, others with become legally blind. Three age-related eye diseases are the primary cause of this vision loss.  This article will briefly discuss these diseases.

Macular Degeneration

This eye disease affects the central vision. There are two types of macular degeneration:

1. “dry” macular degeneration, which progresses slowly.
2. “wet” macular degeneration, which progresses very rapidly, resulting in severe loss of vision very quickly.

With either form of the disease, the part of the retina called the macula degenerates. The first symptom may be the need to have more light when reading or doing close work. Though it is most commonly diagnosed in people who are in their sixties, it can be diagnosed earlier.

There is a self-test you can do to find out if there is a chance you have macular degeneration called the Amsler Grid. It can found at preventblindness.org along with instructions. Don’t rely just on a self-test, though. Your eye doctor needs to confirm a diagnosis and advise appropriate treatment.

Treatment varies, depending on the form of macular degeneration. Laser treatments can help some who have the ‘wet’ form of the disease.

It won’t restore lost vision but, by sealing the blood vessels that are leaking, it will slow down the disease since new abnormal blood vessel growth will be discouraged.

There is currently no treatment for ‘dry’ macular degeneration but certain vitamins seem to help people who have intermediate macular degeneration. The vitamins that can be taken are:

• 400 IU Vitamin E
• 500 mg Vitamin C
• 80 mg Zinc
• 15 mg Beta Carotene or 20 mg Lutein
• 2 mg Copper

Many stores now carry supplements made specific for eye health that contain these vitamins.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma, often referred to as ‘tunnel vision’, causes the optic nerve to become damaged by rising fluid pressure in the eye.

There are frequently no early symptoms but can be detected through a comprehensive eye exam. When symptoms do appear, it is the peripheral vision that is affected, giving the feeling of looking through a tunnel.

Though it is usually considered an age-related disease, other groups of people are at risk for glaucoma. These include Mexican Americans over 60, those with a family history of glaucoma and African Americans over 40. People in these groups should be tested every couple of years or more often.

There are two possible treatments for glaucoma. The first is prescription eye drops and the second is Glaucoma Filtration Surgery.  An ophthalmologist can determine which treatment is appropriate for a patient.

Cataracts

Cataracts are the most common of the age-related eye diseases. It is estimated that half of all Americans who are 80 years old either have cataracts or have had cataract surgery.

With cataracts, the lenses of the eyes become cloudy. Symptoms that commonly occur with cataracts are seemingly faded colors, double vision, the need to change eyeglass prescriptions often, glare, loss of night vision, and generally blurry vision.

Cataracts develop quite slowly most of the time.

Some non-surgical methods of coping with cataracts are brighter lights, sunglasses with anti-glare coating , magnifying lenses and, of course, new prescription eyeglasses.

Surgery is an option that many people choose. Here, the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens.

If you suspect you may have one of these three eye diseases, visit your doctor to discuss you concerns. New methods of treatment are being studied for them and your doctor will know of any that might be tried if you are a candidate for them.

Despite contact lenses to correct visual impairment being available for many years, constant developments have given wearers an ever widening choice that includes ease of use, convenience, sight correction and cosmetic enhancement.

If you are considering contact lenses or even if you are an existing user it is worth getting up to date knowledge of the variety of lenses available before visiting your Ophthalmologist, Optometrist or Optician.

When your ‘eye practitioner’ realizes that you have taken the trouble to find out about the variety of contact lenses and their benefits he is more likely to advise you in greater detail about the choices and their suitability for your needs.

You should always bear in mind that contacts are medical devices that require specialist fitting and aftercare. Only suitably qualified eyesight consultants should prescribe contact lenses so if in any doubt check out the qualifications.

Most people with the types of visual impairment that can be corrected by contact lenses will have very few, if any, wearing problems providing that they are measured and fitted correctly.

Contact lenses can be prescribed for replacing Bi-focal spectacles. They are known as Toric lenses and are available as extended wear, disposable or traditional reusable lenses.

All contact lenses are available in a variety of colors whether they are used for vision correction or simply to cosmetically enhance eye color.

Sadly in rare cases the shape of the eye or other considerations can cause problems and consequently contact lenses will not an option.

Types of Contact Lenses

• Traditional Reusable Lenses

This type has an extended life for six months or longer before needing to be replaced.

Prescriptions for these lenses and all others will depend on the physical measurements of the eyes and the requirement to correct the visual impairment.

It is an important consideration to bear in mind that the more frequently you replace your lenses the healthier and more comfortable your eyes will feel.

Substances occurring in tears, such as protein and calcium will build up on the surfaces of lenses and must be cleaned after each days wear.

If not carefully cleaned and kept in a sterilized container the eyes will become more prone to infection and the lenses will also become gradually more uncomfortable to wear.

There are a variety of excellent proprietary lens cleaning and storage solutions available at pharmacies.

Contact lenses can also be used to change eye shape such as bulging.

• Disposable Lenses

Obtainable for up to two weeks wear before being discarded and replaced with fresh lenses.

Now the most popular type of contact lens and recommended by eye care practitioners as the healthiest lens option.

Daily disposables have now become an affordable option, will never need cleaning or after care so no build up of deposits are likely to occur that lead to eye infections.

However disposable lenses can be cleaned and there are some excellent products available but disposables can save you the time, effort and expense of doing this and the health risks are lessened.

• Gas permeable Extended Wear Contact Lenses

As these lenses allow more oxygen to reach the eyes they may be worn continuously for up to thirty days without removal including overnight wear to extend their usage time.

The most convenient of all contact lens types.  Should be disposed of after use. Watch out, as there are still some brands that only allow for seven days continuous wear although they are becoming less available.

• Frequent Replacement Contact Lenses

These lenses should be replaced monthly or quarterly and are not suitable for overnight wear.

A well qualified vision practitioner should recommend the most suitable and comfortable type of contact lens to suit the shape of the eye and the wearer’s needs without obligation or charge.

Today, with the incredible advance in modern science, it is possible to have a clear lens replacement that is able to actually  restore almost perfect, if not perfect vision.