6 Common Eye Concerns After 40

 Jan 25, 2021

Your Guide to the Different Types of Pink Eye and How to Treat Them

As the kids head back to school and the weather changes, we and ourselves doing more activities that put us in
close quarters with others. These circumstances make us more susceptible to infections, including conjunctivitis,
better known as “pink eye.”

“Symptoms of pink eye, or conjunctivitis, include red eyes and discharge that may cause the eyes to feel irritated,” says Dr. Lisa Porter.

About three million cases of pink eye are reported in the U.S. every year. According to the National Eye Institute,
pink eye is one of the most common and treatable eye conditions in children and adults. Here’s what Dr. Porter wants patients to know about how pink eye spreads, how to prevent it, and how to treat it.

3 TYPES OF PINK EYE:
Pink eye may be caused by a virus, bacteria, or allergies. Viral pink eye is the most common type of conjunctivitis. Sparked by the same virus that causes runny noses and sore throats in people with the common cold, it is extremely contagious. It may cause burning, red eyes with a watery discharge.

Bacterial pink eye, caused by a bacterial infection, and is also contagious. It causes sore, red, and goopy eyes.
Allergic pink eye is not contagious. It comes from an allergic reaction to environmental factors like; pollen,
smoke, or pet dander. It can result in itchy, red, and watery eyes and may cause puffy eyelids. Children are most likely to get viral or bacterial pink eye. That’s because they’re in close proximity with others at schools and daycares. Contagious pink eye commonly spreads through direct contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids—usually through hand-to-eye contact.

PREVENT THE SPREAD OF PINK EYE
Here are some steps you can take to help prevent the spread of pink eye: Wash your hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer when available. Don’t touch or rub your eyes. Don’t share anything that touches the eyes, including eyeglasses, makeup, masks, or costumes. Make sure to use your own towel, blanket, and pillowcase.

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR
Please visit your eye doctor immediately if a person experiences these symptoms:
Vision changes
Goopy or matted eyes
Significant discomfort
Light sensitivity
Increased redness
Swelling of the eyelids
Fever
Your doctor will prescribe prescription eye drops as needed.

6 Common Eye Concerns After 40

 Jan 25, 2021

Don’t Ignore Dry Eyes: Symptoms, Causes, and Customized Treatments

Imagine the discomfort of having sandpaper scrape across your eyes, leaving them gritty, irritated, and desperately
longing for relief. This is the reality for millions of individuals suffering from dry eyes, a common condition
that can disrupt daily life and impact overall eye health. Many people think that having dry eyes is a normal part
of the day and are surprised to hear of the many treatment options available. Dry eyes can be a serious ocular
condition that can affect vision long term. It can be brought on with certain medications, environmental factors
or just slowly develop over time. The problem with dry eye is that if it is left untreated it causes inammation in
the eye and progresses until some intervention happens. Symptoms of dry eyes include dry, gritty or burning
sensation in the eyes, redness, watery or teary eyes and mucus that make the eyes feel “glued shut” after sleeping.

For the majority of people that experience occasional dry eyes, artificial tears can be enough to treat the symptoms. Some worry that they can become dependent on these eye drops, but studies have shown that we continue
to make the same amount of tears whether we are using them or not. They help lubricate the front surface of
the eye and alleviate the symptoms. At times, though, it can be more serious and require a more in-depth evaluation
and intense treatment.

There are two main types of dry eye and are usually both present to some degree. Aqueous deficient dry eye is
when not enough tears are produced which can leave the eye barren and dry. The second type is evaporative
dry where the lipid layer (the top layer of the tear film) isn’t well formed. The lipid layer is important in keeping the tears from evaporating and drying out. There are many different ways to target each type including prescription drops, warm compresses, eyelid scrubs and many more.

The best thing to do in order to prevent worsening of symptoms is to have a comprehensive eye exam and determine the cause of the dry eye. At A-B-See Vision Care we will customize your treatment so that the problem area is taken care of and you can enjoy comfortable clear vision.

Dr. Scott Hyatt
A-B-See Vision Care