HOW TO MAINTAIN GOOD EYE SIGHT

 

Have a regular/routine eye examination

Try as much as possible to prevent diseases, eye diseases are the culprits for blindness.

Protect your eyes from the sun, wear sunglasses, this prevents cataract.

Consume antioxidant-rich foods, studies showed that zinc and other types of antioxidants, reduce the risk of getting macular degeneration.

Reduce the intake of alcohol, alcohol dehydrates the eye.

Do not smoke, smoking could cause cataract and macular degeneration

When spending time on the computer, staring at the sreen for hours without a break could lead to a lot of discomfort. Take a 20second break from the screen to stare at distance every 20minutes you focus on the computer. 

Use appropriate ocular protective devices at work.

Visit any Metro Eye Clinic Practice Center today for a comprehensive eye examination and enjoy 20% discount on frames, up until till 6th April, 2013.

Practice Centers:

Lagos Practice Center pmikoyi@metroeyesng.com: 
22, Keffi Street, Off Awolowo Road, S.W. Ikoyi, Lagos | 07045271682

Abuja Practice Center pmabuja@metroeyesng.com: 
Suite 17, Uturu Plaza, Plot 653, T.O.S. Benson Crescent, Off Okonjo-Iweala Way, Utako District, Abuja | 0704 318 6929 | 

Sango Ota Practice Center pmotta@metroeyesng.com: 
89, Idiroko Road, Joju Roundabout, Sango Ota, Ogun State | 07042834173 

Ibadan Practice Centers pmibadan@metroeyesng.com: 
4, Oluyole Way (Favos Road), Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State | 07042834174
1, Irepodun Close, Ososami Junction, Ring Road, Ibadan, Oyo State | 07044468099

GLAUCOMA

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that damage the eye’s optic nerve and can result in vision loss and blindness.

Although anyone can develop glaucoma.

The population at risk include:

Blacks over age 40;

High refractive error (Myopia);

People with a family history of glaucoma;

People with high blood pressure.

Forms of Glaucoma

Angle-closure glaucoma: occurs when the fluid (aqueous in the anterior chamber of the eye) is blocked from leaving the eye through the angle. This is an ocular emergency as the increase in intra ocular pressure is sudden.

Open-angle glaucoma: which is the most common form.

Low-tension or normal-tension glaucoma: this occurs when despite normal eye pressure, optic nerve damage and peripheral vision narrowing still occurs.

Congenital glaucoma: children are born with a defect in the angle hence normal drainage of the fluid is slowed.

Secondary glaucoma: this can arise as a result of other medical conditions such as from poorly controlled diabetes and high blood pressure, poorly managed trauma to the eyes, and wrong use of some medications.

Glaucoma Symptoms

Most forms of glaucoma start without any symptoms until significant loss of vision occurs hence the name “the silent thief of sight”. However, with Angle–closure glaucoma one may experience blurry vision, halos around light and sudden intense pain in the eyes.

Screening and diagnosis of glaucoma

Glaucoma can be detected during routine eye examination where the following tests are carried out.
Ophthalmoscopy is an internal examination of the eye using an ophthalmoscope.
Tonometry is the measurement of pressure inside the eye by using a Tonometer. Numbing drops may be applied to your eye for this test.
Visual field test: This test measures peripheral (side) vision. It helps your eye care professional tell if you have lost peripheral vision, a sign of glaucoma.
Pachymetry is the measurement of the thickness of your cornea.

Treatments

Depending on the form of glaucoma and the degree of damage already done your Eye Doctor would advice you on the best line of treatment to follow. Glaucoma treatments include medicines, laser trabeculoplasty, conventional surgery, or a combination of any of these. While these treatments may save remaining vision, they do not improve sight already lost from glaucoma.

Prevention                                                                              

It is best to prevent vision loss from glaucoma as vision lost cannot be restored. The key to prevention of glaucoma is early detection.

It's World Glaucoma Day today.

Visit any Metro Eye Clinic Practice Center today for a Free Glaucoma Screening, and enjoy
FREE COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAMINATION

Lagos Practice Center pmikoyi@metroeyesng.com:
22, Keffi Street, Off Awolowo Road, S.W. Ikoyi, Lagos | 07045271682

Abuja Practice Center pmabuja@metroeyesng.com:
Suite 17, Uturu Plaza, Plot 653, T.O.S. Benson Crescent, Off Okonjo-Iweala Way, Utako District, Abuja | 0704 318 6929 |

Sango Ota Practice Center pmotta@metroeyesng.com:
89, Idiroko Road, Joju Roundabout, Sango Ota, Ogun State | 07042834173

Ibadan Practice Centers pmibadan@metroeyesng.com:
4, Oluyole Way (Favos Road), Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State | 07042834174
1, Irepodun Close, Ososami Junction, Ring Road, Ibadan, Oyo State | 07044468099

HELP YOUR BABY TO SEE WELL

From the time your baby is born, its vision is maturing and developing. 
Its vision is only partially developed at birth. It can see, but what it sees is not as clear or complete as an adult’s vision. Its retina, which helps distinguish color and light, is not fully developed. This is why you might have heard that newborn babies see in black and white. 

As your baby grows and matures so do the cells in its brain that are responsible for vision. Encouraging your baby to use her/his vision.
This will help in vision development and will help stimulate visual part of her/his brain to thrive. Some time during the first few months of life your baby will begin to track objects with her/his eyes. 

You should consult your doctor if she/he is not tracking by the time she/he is three months old. Here are some visually stimulating activities that you can do with your baby to help improve her/his vision and encourage visual maturity.

Look at black and white (or high contrast) board books together
If you do not have a black and white board book you can make your own with cardboard paper and black markers. High contrast colors, like black and white, are easier for your baby to see. The more your baby uses his vision to see things, the more his vision will thrive.

Purchase a mobile or car seat toy with stripes and high contrast
Stripes attract baby’s attention. In fact, if you have your child’s visual acuity screened while he is a baby, the doctor’s office will likely use black and white stripes to measure your baby’s acuity. Babies will naturally look at stripes. Very thick stripes are easy for baby to see but as the stripes get thinner they become more challenging for babies to see. By measuring how well your baby can see different striped cards your doctor can have an idea of how well your baby can see. Stripes are great for improving your baby’s vision. Try to find toys, car seat covers, or even bedroom decor that contains black and white, red and black, or other high contrast bright colored stripes.

Encourage play with bright colored rattles or toys
Jingle a bright colored rattle in front of your baby. Let her practice listening to the sound the rattle makes and following the rattle with her eyes. Eventually as her vision improves she will try to reach out and grab the rattle or toy.

Play with mirrors
Place the mirror about 8-12 inches away from your baby to start with. Newborns can only focus on objects that are about 8-12 inches away. If you bring things too close or too far away it may be harder for your baby to focus on it. You can use handheld mirrors or purchase a mirrored activity toy for your baby to play with.

Play peekaboo or hide and seek with your baby
You can play by covering your face with your hands and then saying “peekaboo” or once your child gets older you can cover a toy with a blanket and see if your baby can find it.

Upcoming Events

 Be a part of the

World Health Glaucoma Day

15^th March, 2013

Do not miss out on these special offers in all our branches

• Free Glaucoma screening
• Free registration and consultation for new patients
• Free consultation for old patients

Easter promo is here again!!

Enjoy our freebies

20% discount on frames (Ikoyi Practice)

20% discount on frames and free eye test (Ota Practice)

20% discount on frames and free glaucoma screening (Abuja Practice)

20% discount on frames and free consultation (Ibadan Practice)

………..See the beauty of life

COSMETICS AND THE EYE

                                                                                                                                                                                     
'Do I quit cosmetic use to keep my eyes healthy?'

 

You do not have to. Here’s how you can make sure your eyes are pretty and healthy — these cosmetic safety tips will minimize your eyes' exposure to bacteria:

 

Don't hold onto old makeup — throw it away after a few months.

 

Don't use mascara that's dried out — and never attempt to moisten it with your saliva or water. It’s best to replace mascara every two to three months, or sooner if it is dried.

Keep a permanent marker in your make-up kit, and mark the date you open a new tube of mascara, so you won’t use it past its shelf-life.
 

Keep eye cosmetics cool — always at 30°C or below (that means don't keep them in your car or in a steamy bathroom).

Don't mix and match cosmetics. Use what's intended for your eyes on your eyes only — don't use the same pencil for both lips and eyes, as that can introduce bacteria.

Avoid kohl eyeliners — they may contain dangerous levels of lead. And avoid permanent coloring and dyes for eyelashes, as they can cause irreversible eye damage if not used correctly.

Never share your cosmetics with a friend. Her bacteria will contaminate your eye cosmetics, and vice versa.

Tips for Applying Eye Cosmetics Safely

It's also important to apply your eye makeup safely to help prevent injury. Getting anything that close to your eye can potentially cause damage — so when you're painstakingly drawing that perfect line, take care not to get the cosmetics in your eye.

Never put your eye cosmetics on while you're driving or riding in a car. Your mascara wand can all too easily scratch your cornea — not to mention the risks of inattentive driving. You may also want to avoid applying eye makeup on buses – sudden stops can also increase the risk that you'll scratch your eye.

Skip eye cosmetics when you've got an irritated or infected eye — and if you think that a particular cosmetic is irritating your eyes, stop using it right away.
 

Keep eye cosmetics outside of your eye — don't use eyeliner on the inner eyelids, where makeup can get inside your eye.

Always wash your hands before you dig into your makeup bag and start applying eye cosmetics.

Avoid eye cosmetics that are iridescent, glittery, or shiny, as they may contain ingredients that could scratch or irritate the eye. 

Finally, Make sure that all eye cosmetic applicators are clean before you use them — it's a good idea to wash or replace all brushes and sponges frequently. 

 

Any questions bothering you about the eyes, eye health, optical correction, ocular protective devices etc., may be directed to metroeyesnigeria@gmail.com or info@metroeyesng.com

 

WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT INSTILLING EYE DROPS

"Oh please! How hard caninstilling eye drop possibly be?" 

Most definitely at one time or the other, we must have used an eye drop and we either applied it ourselves or got someone else to do it, hence we ask the above question.  I will tell you the story which inspired this piece and I am sure it will make you see the importance.

I saw a patient some time ago with swollen red eye. She had used an eye drop but got no improvement, rather it was getting worse. After examination, it was found that she had bacterial conjunctivitis and the eye drop she had used was actually the right eye drop. 

Further questioning revealed that she had used a needle (non-sterile) to open the eye drop.
This little action rendered that eye drop ineffective and this is because microorganisms from the needle contaminated the eye drop and introduced more microorganisms into the eye aggravating the infection.

This is just one of the many things you probably never knew about using eye drops. 

Did you know that…….?

To open your eye drop for the first time, just press the cap tightly then open. This punctures a hole in the tip of the dropper. However, if this does not work, use a new needle (new syringe needle) to puncture a hole on the tip.

Drops should always be put inside the lower eyelid and not on the cornea (the transparent tissue covering the dark part of the eye).

You should not touch the tip of the bottle with your fingers, or let it touch your eye during instillation to prevent contamination.

In cases where the eye drop is a suspension, you should shake the bottle before use.

Some (but not all) eye drops need to be stored in the fridge. Always ask your doctor about the mode of storage.

Contact lenses should be removed before instilling eye drops except for re-wetting drops. This is because some eye drops contain substances that are absorbed by the contact lens, which can cause adverse reactions in the eye.

10 simple steps in instilling eye drop

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
• Wipe your eyes with a clean tissue to clear any residual discharge (in cases of infection)
• Tilt your head backwards, pull your lower lid downwards to form a pocket and look upwards.
• Hold the dropper or bottle with your other hand above the eye and gently squeeze one drop into the pocket made by the lower eyelid. Take care not touch the eye or eyelashes with the tip of the bottle. This is to prevent microorganisms from the eye from getting into the eye drop and contaminating it.
• Close your eye for 2 to 3 minutes and tip your head down as though looking at the floor. Do not to blink or squeeze your eyelids.                                          
• Place a finger on the tip of the eye close to the nose (tear duct) and apply gentle pressure. This reduces the amount of the drug that gets into the tear duct; reducing systemic absorption.
• Wipe away any excess liquid with a clean tissue.

• If you have more than one drop to put in, or are using more than one type of eye drop, wait about ten minutes before putting the next drop in. This is to ensure that the second drop does not wash away the first.
• Replace and tighten the cap on the dropper bottle. Do not wipe or rinse the dropper tip.
• Wash your hands once again, to remove any medication.

Instilling eye drops is truly not difficult but there are some little ‘dos’ and 'don’ts' associated with its use as you have seen above.

If you did ask that initial question, -‘Oh please! How hard can instilling eye drop possibly be?’ 

I hope you had an interesting read and have picked up a few new tips on the proper use of eye drops.

WHAT COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MY HEADACHE?

Many people are still in the state of confusion on how to find a solution to their persistent headaches. Some have tried several drugs, going from one doctor to another just to have a minute rest from the hammering headache which has become part of their daily living. Since drugs could not solve their problems, they have come to a conclusion that headache is inevitable. 

Alas! Have you been told that your eyes might be the source of this inevitable headache? You may wonder, “what is the relationship between headaches and my eyes?” Well, refractive errors in the eye can lead to eye strain, which in turn causes headache. 

Refractive errors include astigmatism, hyperopia (farsightedness) and myopia (near sightedness).

Astigmatism:  It is caused by an abnormal curvature of the eyeball or the refracting surfaces in the eye. This makes objects up close and/or at a distance to appear blurry. The individual is forced to strain the eyes to make the images sharper, leading to headaches.

Headaches due to astigmatism is very common. Usually this refractive error can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses relieving the individual of the headaches.

Hyperopia: This is usually caused by the axis of the eyeball being too short. The headaches associated with this refractive error are also the result of too much strain being placed on the eyes from an attempt to correct for some imbalance, especially when engaging in some form of near work such as reading, beading, pinging, etc. Eyeglasses and contact lenses are a relatively easy way to correct for the condition and to eliminate the headaches that are associated with this refractive error. 

Myopia: It is caused by the eyeball being too long, or the cornea being too steeply curved. The strain on the eyes from this refractive error especially when trying to see distant objects causes headaches. Eyeglasses and contact lenses are effective at both correcting the vision and eliminating headaches.

 

 It is important to know that there are other eye problems which can cause headache. Headaches caused by refractive errors are majorly felt towards the front of the head.

You are therefore advised to see an eye doctor if you have a persistent headache for proper diagnosis.

VALENTINE SPECIAL

Valentines day, a day to love, a time to show that special person how much they mean to you.

There was a man who had such a person. He had that day all planned out.  He ordered a cake and had it sent to her office.  He sent numerous text messages expressing his feelings.

Later that evening he took her to a prestigious restaurant that had a romantic setting.

The meal was tantalizing and the wine was exquisite. While they were having desert, the man gently took hold of both hands, looking intensely and said. “Look into my eyes, tell me what you see”. The beautiful lady moved closer to him, starred intently into his eyes and replied.  “Oh! You have an encroaching pterygium. Can I book you for surgery in my clinic?”

Hilarious! I guess that’s what you get for dating an eye doctor.

On a serious note. What is an “encroaching pterygium”?

According to Millidot’s dictionary of optometry and visual science, a pterygium is a triangular fold of bulbar conjunctiva in the interpalpebra fissure, with its apex advancing progressively towards the cornea, usually from the nasal side.

I hope that’s not too technical. All its saying is that a pterygium is an abnormal mass of tissue arising from the conjunctiva of the inner corner of the eye.  It is common among people in warm, dry climates and/or people who are on the long term, exposed to outdoor elements or smoky/dusty environments.

It is benign but sometimes may become red and inflamed.  When it advances onto the cornea, it is then said to be encroaching.

Management

UV – blocking spectacles are advised due to the apparent link with exposure to the environment.  Patents are advised to avoid smoky or dusty areas as much as possible.

Ocular lubricants can also be used to reduce the feeling of dryness in some instances.

In cases where the encroaching pterygium is significant i.e. blocking the visual axis and/or cosmetically unacceptable, surgical excision is advised.

DIABETIC RETINOPATHY: EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS

 

Diabetes is on the increase worldwide, due mainly to the rise in the number of people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes increases the risk of a range of eye diseases, including cataract (diabetic cataract), but the main cause of blindness associated with diabetes is diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is the name given to the changes in the retina, which occur over a period of time in diabetics. The retina is the back part of the eye where objects form images and it is made up of cells, which are sensitive to light.

 

THINGS EVERY DIABETES PATIENT SHOULD KNOW

 

Diabetes will eventually affect the blood vessels in the eyes. This is called diabetic retinopathy, and it can lead to visual impairment and blindness.

By controlling your blood sugar and blood pressure, you can reduce the damage diabetes can cause in your eyes.

Diabetic retinopathy in most people has no symptoms - you cannot tell if you have it. Only an examination of the back of the eyes (by your eye doctor) can detect it, and you should be examined every year.

Diabetic retinopathy is treatable if it is found in the early stages.
 

If you attend all your screening or clinic appointments and have treatment when recommended, it is unlikely you will go blind.

 
If you do not attend diabetic eye screening or eye clinic appointments, your diabetic retinopathy can become very advanced and will affect your vision. If left untreated, you may go blind.

Modern treatments with laser and drug are very effective in stopping vision loss. Unfortunately, treatment cannot restore vision that has already been lost.

A family history of diabetes definitely indicates one should check even more frequently as early detection means better prognosis.