Lazy Eye in Kids – A Problem that can Threaten the Vision

Lazy eye is a visual impairment that is usually seen in early childhood years. In fact, 2 out of every 100 children are affected by this condition. Though this is concerning, lazy eye in kids can be treated. But first, it’s important to know what lazy eye is and how it can be cured.

What is lazy eye?

Also known as amblyopia, lazy eye is a visual condition in which the brain favors one eye more than the other. An eye is affected by amblyopia because of a number of conditions that prevent it from properly focusing and communicating with the brain. As a result, the brain ends up favoring the other eye.

The most common cause of amblyopia or lazy eye in kids is a weakness or an imbalance in the muscles responsible for positioning the eyes. It prevents the eyes from properly working together.

Effects of Lazy Eye in Kids

These are the signs you need to look out for if you think your kid may be affected by lazy eye or amblyopia:

• A wandering eye
• Misaligned eyes
• Squinting
• Poor depth perception
• Rubbing one eye
• Head tilting
• Problems with reading and writing

As the kid grows and the condition progresses, they could be prone to more serious risks. In severe cases, lazy eye can also lead to loss of vision. Therefore, it is best to detect the problem as early as possible and understand your kids’ options for amblyopia treatment.

How can I tell if my child has amblyopia?

The signs of lazy eye in children can be easily noticed if you pay just enough attention. The first sign you should look for is misaligned or crossed eyes. This symptom indicates strabismus in which the brain bypasses the visual information that the lazy eye receives.

If you suspect the problem, you can get an eye patch for kids since children with lazy eye complain of blurry vision when their dominant eye is covered. To confirm the diagnosis, consult a certified and experienced optometrist, who may use the test called photo screening, which estimates the child’s eye alignment and helps look for a potential problem.

Lazy Eye Treatment

Glasses – Lazy eye in children can be corrected with glasses sometimes. Children with far-sightedness, near-sightedness, or astigmatism are usually prescribed glasses. The specialist monitors the improvement in vision and lazy eye, and suggests the course of treatment, if needed, after that.

Occlusion or Eye Patch – It is one of the most effective lazy eye correction method. In this treatment, the good eye is covered with a patch so that the lazy eye starts working. With the patch on, the brain will only receive information from the lazy eye, and hence, will not ignore it. The patch must be worn for a few hours every day. Also, children should be encouraged to read, color, write, or do other close-up activities while wearing the patch.

Atropine Eye Drops –Another effective amblyopia treatment, atropine eye drops are used to dilate the pupil and blur the vision in the good eye. It has the same results as an eye patch and is less awkward for children.

Vision Exercises – Vision exercises are really helpful and can be done in combination with other treatments.

Lazy Eye Surgery – Lazy eye surgery may be recommended when no other treatment works. It usually results in better eye alignment and also improves the appearance of the eye.

Amblyopia is a serious vision problem that can even lead to blindness. But the good news is that it is treatable in kids. Therefore, it is important to fix lazy eye in children as early as possible.

Consult the experts at InSight Vision Center and ensure the most comfortable and friendly lazy eye treatment for your child.

Coronavirus and Your Eyes: Fresno Eye Doctor Shares Tips

By now, the whole world knows what COVID-19 is capable of doing – fever, cough, and shortness of breath that can take 2 to 14 days to show up after a person is exposed to the virus. In some people, the infection can get so severe that it can develop into pneumonia, leading to complications or even death.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a couple of reports suggest that coronavirus can also cause pink eye (conjunctivitis) in the infected person.

How Coronavirus Can Affect Your Eyes?

Health officials believe that conjunctivitis develops in about 1% to 3% of people with coronavirus.

Conjunctivitis is an infection of the membrane, known as conjunctiva that lines the eyelid and covers the white part of your eyeball. The symptoms of pink eye include itchiness, redness, tearing, discharge that forms a crust, and a gritty feeling in the affected eye.

How Coronavirus Is Transmitted?

When a person infected with coronavirus sneezes, coughs, sneezes, or talks, the virus can spray from their nose or mouth into your face. It’s likely that you inhale these droplets through your nose or mouth, and it’s also likely for the virus to enter your eyes too.

If you touch an object that has been contaminated with the virus – like the door knob – and then touch your eyes, the virus can enter your eyes.

The doctors at Insight Vision Center, Fresno, CA, have been closely following the coronavirus updates and would like to offer tips on how to stay healthy and protect your eyes while hunkering down at home.

Below are some eye protection guidelines you can follow:

• Avoid rubbing your eyes.

1. 1. If you have the urge to rub your eyes or adjust your eyeglasses, don’t use your fingers, instead use a tissue. And if you must touch your eyes, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after touching your eyes.
2. 1. Switch to eyeglasses for a while instead of wearing contact lenses.
      
      If you tend to touch your eyes a lot for no apparent reason, consider wearing glasses more often. Wearing eyeglasses instead of contact lenses decreases the irritation in your eyes due to contact lenses, and you are more likely to pause before you touch your eyes. If you want to continue wearing contact lenses, ensure that you follow the contact lens hygiene to reduce your chances of an infection.
   2. Wear glasses for an added layer of protection.
      
      Although sunglasses or corrective eyeglasses can protect your eyes from virus-infected droplets, they do not provide 100% protection. The virus can enter into your eyes through the exposed areas such as the side, top, and bottom of the glasses. If you are taking care of a sick patient or if you are potentially exposed to the virus, wear safety goggles for a stronger defense.
   3. Stock up on critical eye medicines.

      Don’t wait until the last minute to contact your pharmacy and request a refill of your medications. During the lockdown, there may be a shortage of supplies, so it is advisable to stock up on critical medications, enough to get you by in emergency situations during the quarantine. If you have trouble getting approval from your insurance company, ask your pharmacist or your ophthalmologist for help.

   4. Practice safe hygiene and social distancing.

      Follow these general guidelines issued by The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to slow the spread of disease:

• Wash your hands as often as possible for at least 20 seconds using soap and water. Make it a habit to wash your hands after you use the restroom, cough, sneeze or blow your nose, and before eating.
• If you do not have access to soap and water, use a hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol).
• Avoid touching your face — eyes, nose, and mouth.
• If you cough or sneeze, use a tissue and throw it away immediately. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow and then wash your hands.
• Maintain social distancing. Avoid close contact with people. Stay at least 6 feet away from a person with a respiratory infection.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Disinfect commonly touched objects and surfaces, such as countertops and doorknobs in your house.

Blurry Vision & Cloudy Vision: Here’s What You Need to Know

Majority of people who have difficulty in seeing make a very common mistake when describing their poor vision. They interchangeably use the terms blurry vision and cloudy vision. However, there is a thin line of difference between both these terms. Both of them can be caused due to very different reasons. So, let’s find out what exactly these conditions are and understand their causes.

What is Blurry Vision?

Blurry vision is when the object you are looking at appears to be out of focus. In such condition, you may feel that squinting will make the object clearer. One of the best examples of blurry vision is the way an image appears on camera before you adjust the lens or give it a moment to focus on the subject. Symptoms include poor peripheral or left or right field of vision.

What are the Causes of Blurry Vision?

There are multiple factors which can cause blurry vision. Some of the most common ones are as follows:

• Near-sightedness, far-sightedness or astigmatism
• Cataracts
• Corneal scarring or opacification
• Abrasions to cornea
• Age-related macular degeneration
• Optic Neuritis
• Retinopathy
• Injury or trauma to the eyes
• Infectious retinitis

Some conditions in particular can cause headache as well as a blurry vision. These include migraine, low blood sugar, stroke etc.

What is Cloudy Vision?

Cloudy vision is when it feels like you are looking at everything through a haze or fog. You might feel like there is a blurry film on your eyes and you can almost wipe or blink it away. For instance, looking through smudged glasses or through a window on a foggy morning is what having a cloudy or foggy vision feels like. It can be caused due to different reasons. Hence, the combination of its symptoms depends on the underlying cause. Its commonly occurring symptoms are as follows:

• Double vision
• Appearance of halos around lights
• Light sensitivity
• Watery or dry eyes
• Poor night time vision
• Bloodshot or red eyes

What are the Causes of Cloudy Vision?

One of the most common eye condition which causes cloudy vision is cataracts. As a part of the aging process, the lens of the eye loses its transparency in cataracts. Hence, it is generally seen in older people. Dirty or damaged contact lenses are also a very common factor resulting in cloudy vision. Besides, if the contacts are worn for too long, eyes become overly dry and can result in cloudy or blurred vision.

Other causes include changes in or damage to the cornea due to infections or inflammations. Also, conditions such as macular degeneration, optic nerve disease and diabetes may cause your vision to turn cloudy.

Since blurry vision and cloudy vision both can indicate presence of certain serious health issues, it’s important to get your eyes regularly checked. An ophthalmologist can identify early signs of eye health issues and even detect related signs of other underlying diseases.

If you too are experiencing any symptoms of either blurry or cloudy vision, or have any queries related to eye health, get in touch with us. Our experienced team at InSight Vision Center can help you with any queries or issues related with vision and eye health.

How to Choose the Best Eyewear for Sports?

If you are a sportsperson who also wears glasses, then you know that the most frustrating thing is not being able to perform well in sports because your vision is blurry.

Though you should not wear glasses for contact sports such as rugby, soccer, and hockey; you must speak to your ophthalmologist to get the right pair of sports eyeglasses when you play other sports. Sports eyeglasses are essential gear for an active sportsperson.

Continue reading How to Choose the Best Eyewear for Sports?

The Do’s and Don’ts of Swimming with Contact Lenses

There’s no other activity that gives you that total-body workout as much as an hour of swimming does. From toddlers to seniors, it’s an activity enjoyed by all. The summers have already begun and everyone wants to cool off with a dip in the pool.

But have you wondered what the water is doing to your eyes? Swimming with contact lenses can potentially damage your eyesight. Your eyes may not only suffer bacterial contamination but in addition, you may experience irritation in the eye once you step out of the pool. Infections and sight-threatening conditions like a corneal ulcer may be a potential vision battle.

Eye Issues Due to Swimming:

Your eyes are safe as long as bacteria and irritants don’t get through the tear film that keeps the cornea lubricated. The moment chlorine and the tear film interact; your tear is exposed to the chemical in chlorine which carries a ton of pollutants.

Here’s a look at the two common eye conditions caused by chlorine exposure:

1. Conjunctivitis
   Conjunctivitis is often known as Pink Eye and is a water-borne bacterial eye infection.
2. Eye Irritation
   Eye irritation caused by chlorine results in redness and blurry vision, along with the damage of the tear film.

Swimming With Contact Lenses:

When you are swimming with contact lenses, the cornea in your eye suffers a setback in the form of an infection. Chlorine water should never touch your contact lenses. This is especially dangerous to your vision because your lenses may shrink and deprive it of the oxygen it needs. For certain contact lenses like the gas permeable (GP) ones, your ophthalmologist will strongly discourage you from wearing them while swimming. In case you forget to take them off while swimming, make sure you dispose them off immediately.

At InSight Vision Center, we recommend that you use daily disposable lenses if you are a regular swimmer.

We recommend you to take the following precautions if you are swimming with contact lenses:

1. Wear Well-Fitted Goggles
   If you are swimming with contact lenses, your eyes will need that extra layer of protection. Well-fitted goggles are essential part of your swimming gear since pools contain a ton of chlorine. Your vision will not be compromised underwater. And vision problems like eye irritation and infection will not surface.
2. Use Eye Drops
   If you experience even the slightest irritation after a swim, it suggests that your eyes need some lubrication. Put a few drops in each eye to restore the tear film on your eyes.
3. Take off Your of Contact Lenses
   Taking your contact lenses off is your best bet. Chlorine can let bacteria enter your eye lens which can result in a more serious problem. If you absolutely insist on wearing them, get them cleaned with a solution immediately after a swim.
4. Visit Your Eye Doctor
   In case the pain or irritation persists more than a day, it’s time for you to visit your eye doctor. Address the issues to your doctor and how long you have been suffering the irritation.

Swimming is a fun way to exercise and stay fit. But the activity comes with some responsibility. Take all the necessary precautions before diving into the pool. Make sure you take your contact lenses off if you often experience eye irritation. Don’t ignore any signs that may bring discomfort to your eyes.

Book an appointment with an experienced eye doctor in Fresno, CA if you have persisting eye irritation or if you need a fresh pair of contact lenses recommended to you.