Author: hanneszwarts

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HOCL for Dry Eye & Blepharitis

DRY EYES ARE MORE COMMON THAN YOU THINK

It may surprise you to know how many South Africans live with dry eye syndrome (dry eye disease) and blepharitis. 

Some people seek solutions to their symptoms by using artificial tears, prescription eye drops, vitamins, heated eye masks, and other treatments like hypochlorous acid.

You don’t have to live in the desert to experience dry eye symptoms. Around 80% of South Africans experience symptoms regularly. 

Symptoms of dry eye include:

  • Stinging
  • Burning
  • Scratchiness
  • Discomfort
  • Redness

The quality of your tears may be affected. One symptom (which may sound strange) is excess tears that end up rolling down your face. If your eyes are producing a high-quality tear, they should mostly stay in your eye.

Healthy eyes maintain a balance of quality and quantity when it comes to tears. If you’re constantly rubbing or itching your eyes, or if your blinking feels scratchy, you might have dry eyes.

CAUSES

Many parts of your eye are responsible for keeping them hydrated and lubricated. You have many small glands all around your eyelid that emit oils, mucous, and water to keep your eyes feeling fresh. 

Dry eyes are caused by several issues:

  • Meibomian gland dysfunction
  • Reduced tear production
  • Tear evaporation

Environmental factors like digital eye strain, heating and air conditioning, and poor air quality like dust, smoke, or chemicals can also contribute to dry eye.

Other risk factors for dry eye include:

  • Aging: The older we get, the dryer our eyes get
  • Gender: Women are more at risk for dry eyes
  • Some medications can affect tear production
  • Conditions like diabetes, arthritis, rosacea, and more
  • Long-term contact lens use
  • Recent laser eye surgery

BLEPHA-WHAT?

Blepharitis translates to “inflammation of the eyelids.” 

“Blepha” means eyelid, and “itis” means inflammation.

Typically associated with an overgrowth of bacteria along the eyelid and eyelashes, blepharitis is the inflammation of the oil glands in your eyelids.

Often, blepharitis is difficult to treat. Even when it is properly treated, it can come back repeatedly.

Blepharitis is characterized similarly to dry eye, but includes crusty debris or flakes at the base of the eyelashes and blurry vision that is temporarily solved with frequent blinking and cleansing.

If you have recurring blepharitis, you may also experience other issues with your eyes that should be treated.

When your oil glands get infected, this is called a hordeolum. This is a bacterial infection of the meibomian glands ( oil glands) and the eyelid is usually red, swollen and tender to the touch.     A hordeolum can lead to a chalazion, which is a bump on the eyelid made up of hardened oils in the meibomian glands. Chalazia are usually painless and not tender to the touch. If your glands are irritated and inflamed, they can cause your eyelashes to grow in unnatural directions, which could lead to scratching your cornea. Before any of these symptoms persist, ensure you talk to your optometrist about what treatment options are available.

There are 2 main types of blepharitis: anterior and posterior.

ANTERIOR BLEPHARITIS

The outside of your eye can be affected by blepharitis.

Causes can include:

  • An overgrowth of staphylococcal bacteria that live around the eyelashes
  • Demodex mites, characterized by cylindrical dandruff at the base of the eyelashes
  • Scalp and eyebrow dandruff can cause seborrheic anterior blepharitis (an excessive discharge of sebum).

POSTERIOR BLEPHARITIS

Affecting the inner eyelid, posterior blepharitis is often caused by meibomian gland dysfunction, which prevents oil from being properly distributed to the eyelid.

HYPOCHLOROUS ACID

Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl or HClO) might not have an appealing ring to it, but it is already existing within your immune system. When your body encounters bacteria, it naturally releases hypochlorous acid to fight off infection.

This natural disinfectant is used in many different ways in eye care, dentistry, wound care, and dermatology. It provides quick relief from dry eyes, styes, and red, itchy eyelids that may be related to dry eye, blepharitis, or meibomian gland dysfunction.

Doctors have known about the positive effects of hypochlorous acid for many years and have been using it to treat wounds as a disinfectant. The antiseptic and cleansing properties of hypochlorous acid can help clear up dry eye and blepharitis, especially when it is caused by bacteria.

In eye care, hypochlorous acid is used for the ongoing treatment of blepharitis and chronic dry eyes. Remember that blepharitis is caused by an overgrowth of bacteria around the eyelids.   Hypochlorous Acid is a great natural antimicrobial agent and it works by significantly reducing  the amount of bacteria around the eyelids and eyelashes. HOCL reduces the bacterial load around our eyes by over 90%. It also reduces inflammation due to bacteria around the eyes.   When there is less bacteria around the eyes, blepharitis is well controlled and symptoms of chronic dry eyes are also improved. It has also been shown that hypochlorous acid is effective in the management of bacterial and viral conjunctivitis.  

HOW TO APPLY HYPOCHLOROUS ACID FOR BLEPHARITIS AND DRY EYES?

Commercially available hypochlorous acid used for eye care comes in a spray bottle as well as an eye drop. The spray can be applied with the eyes closed, and simply sprayed directly onto the eyelashes. Alternatively, it can be sprayed onto a cotton pad and then gently spread along the eyelashes and eyelid margins. No need for excessive rubbing.   You don’t need to rub it or rinse it off. The eye drop is instilled like any other eye drop. HOCL is very gentle. It is colourless and essentially odourless.  There is no stinging or discomfort upon application and is generally very well tolerated by patients. It is a natural, gentle way to significantly reduce the bacteria on and around our eyelids.  The solution is safe for long-term daily use and is stable and pure without additives.    

FIND YOUR SOLUTION

If you suffer from dry eye or blepharitis, or if you experience any symptoms, speak with your optometrist about what options are best for you. At Hannes Zwarts Eye Care, we use a variety of specialised products and treatments to provide you relief from your dry eye symptoms.

Regular eye exams are the best way to maintain optimal eye health. Your doctor will examine your sight, the health inside your eye, and around the outside.

FOR FURTHER READING AND SCIENTIFIC PAPER ON HYPOCHLOROUS ACID PLEASE FOLLOW LINK.

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Sports Eye Safety Awareness

September is Sports Eye Safety Month and this is something that’s mostly overlooked.

Read on for some interesting facts, first aid for sports injuries and some of the injuries you can sustain from sports without proper protection.

Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month is necessary to draw attention to the importance of keeping your eyes safe during sports. No matter what sport you’re playing, there can usually be a chance of injury if you’re not careful. There are thousands of sports-related eye injuries every year.

Whether you wear contact lenses or spectacles, there are ways to avoid this. There is a higher risk of sports injury in some and less risk in others, but precautions should be taken in all sports for your best chance to avoid any harm.

WileyX is the world’s best protective eyewear. Decades of innovation and design refinement make this one of the most popular eyewear brands to use for any protection needed. See our WileyX collection here.

What sports cause eye injury?

Tens of thousands of eye injuries occur each year, but with the right precautions, this can be avoided. Sports that are particularly prone to causing eye injury include:

  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Hockey
  • Cricket
  • Paintball
  • Squash
  • Rugby
  • Tennis
  • Golf

Games that feature a ball of some kind are more than likely to cause eye injuries. This isn’t surprising when you consider a flying ball could easily go in any direction if the hitter isn’t particularly skilled or just isn’t paying enough attention. The good news is that protective eyewear can help you avoid injury to the eyes while playing sports.

What kind of injuries can occur due to sports?

Corneal Abrasion: One of the most common injuries due to sports is a corneal abrasion. An abrasion is a scratch on the surface of the eye. In most healthy patients, an abrasion will heal in 2-3 days. However, it is important to see an optometrist to treat the abrasion, and possible infection and also to inspect the eyes for any other injuries.

Traumatic Iritis: Traumatic Iritis is inflammation of the iris (coloured part of your eye). With Iritis due to any cause, you can have eye pain, blurred vision, and usually sensitivity to bright lights.

Hyphema: Another common injury is Hyphema or bleeding inside the front part of the eye. The bleeding will resolve on its own usually within 1-2 weeks but it can cause other severe eye problems including glaucoma so it is important to see your optometrist and follow instructions carefully if you have this type of injury.

Angle recession: This is damage to the fluid drainage system of the eye. If there is a significant degree of angle recession, you are at risk for glaucoma long-term.

Retinal tear of Retinal detachment: Thankfully this type of injury is rare but you are at risk for this up to one year after any injury. Be mindful for any new flashing lights, floaters, or little black spots in your vision, or a curtain coming over your vision. If any of these occur, see your optometrist as soon as possible.

It is important to get your eyes examined if you have any eye trauma or injury to check for the problems listed above as well as any other sequelae to trauma that your optometrist can diagnose and treat before they affect your vision and life permanently. The best solution is always prevention!

First Aid for Eye Emergencies

Knowing what to do for an eye emergency can save valuable time and possibly prevent vision loss. Here are some instructions for basic eye injury first aid.

Be Prepared

  • Wear eye protection for all hazardous activities and sports at school, home, and on the job that could lead to an eye injury.
  • DO stock a first aid kit with a rigid eye shield and commercial eye wash (make sure it is not expired) before engaging in activities where an eye injury could occur.
  • DO NOT assume that any eye injury is harmless. When in doubt, see an optometrist immediately.

Chemical Burns

In all cases of eye contact with chemicals

  • Immediately flush the eye with water or any other drinkable liquid. Hold the eye under a faucet, shower, or pour water into the eye using a clean container. Keep the eye open as wide as possible during flushing. Continue flushing for at least 15 minutes.
  • If a contact lens is in the eye, begin flushing over the lens immediately. Flushing may dislodge the lens.
  • DO NOT bandage the eye.
  • Seek emergency medical care promptly after flushing.

Specks in the Eye

DO NOT rub the eye.

  • Try to let tears wash the speck out or use a commercial eyewash.
  • DO NOT use tweezers or other items to try and remove the speck.
  • If the speck doesn’t wash out, seek medical help immediately.

Blows to the Eye

  • Apply cold compress without pressure.
  • Seek emergency medical attention in cases of pain, blurry vision, one eye sticking out more than the other, blood inside the eye, or discoloration (black eye), which could mean internal eye damage.

Cuts and Punctures of Eye and Eyelid

  • DO NOT wash out the eye with water or any other liquid.
  • DO NOT try to remove an object that is stuck in the eye.
  • Cover the eye with a rigid shield or the bottom half of a paper cup without pressure. Secure the shield or cup to the brow above the eye and the cheekbone below the eye without putting pressure on the eye.
  • Seek emergency medical care immediately.

Sources:

everharteyes.com

preventblindness.org

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This is what you should know about sunglasses

When shopping for shades, the most important thing to look for is the level of UV protection offered by the lens. The safest bet is to buy sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection, or UV 400 protection.

Most expensive sunglasses offer this level of protection on all models, but there is also a wide selection of cheaper sunglasses with adequate UV 400 protection. However, UV protection and lens quality are two different things.

Generally, when you buy a more expensive pair of sunglasses, you will be getting a higher quality lens that will provide a clearer, sharper, more pleasing image with less distortion. See our selection of WileyX sunglasses here or our most recent blog about WileyX here.

What are UV rays?

Sunlight is the main source of UV light, which are high-energy, invisible rays. There are three types of UV light.

UVA rays have the longest wavelengths, followed by UVB, and UVC rays which have the shortest wavelengths. While UVA and UVB rays are transmitted through the atmosphere, all UVC and some UVB rays are absorbed by the earth’s ozone layer.

So, most of the UV rays you come in contact with are UVA with a small amount of UVB. The UV 400 label on sunglasses gives the assurance that the lenses absorb the harmful UVA and B rays up to a wavelength of 400 nanometers.

Here are 9 common myths about sunglasses:

You don’t need sunglasses on a cloudy day False: UV rays are just as potent on a cloudy day as they are on a clear day, and proper eye and skin protection are always needed.

Sunglasses with 100% UV protection are expensive False: You don’t have to pay a premium for proper UV protection. While more expensive sunglasses may offer more stylish frames, higher quality lenses, sharper images, and less glare, it is very easy to find inexpensive glasses that offer 100% UV protection. If you do buy an inexpensive pair of glasses, you might want to have them tested by an optometrist.

Lenses with darker tints are more protective than lenses with a lighter tint False: The tint of the lens has nothing to do with the UV protection of the glasses. A clear lens with no tint and 100% UV protection is better for your eyes than dark, heavily tinted sunglasses without UV protection. In fact, dark lenses without adequate UV protection are actually worse for your eyes than not wearing glasses at all, because the dark tint causes your pupils to become dilated, thus exposing your eyes to more harmful UV light.

You should have UV coating put on your lenses for extra protection False: If your glasses already have UV protection, they do not need to have added protection put on them.

Photochromic lenses don’t block out UV rays as well as regular sunglasses False: As long as they offer 100% UV protection, photochromic lenses provide the same level of UV protection as regular sunglasses.

Polarised, anti-glare lenses are all you need to protect your eyes from UV rays False: While polarised and anti-glare lenses may offer better image clarity, a more comfortable viewing experience, and give you better vision when driving or playing sports, they have nothing to do with UV protection. That being said, most polarised lenses also offer adequate UV protection. Again, if you are in doubt, have your sunglasses checked by an optometrist.

Lens colour is important when it comes to blocking UV rays False: Just like lens tint, lens colour has nothing to do with protecting your eyes from UV rays.

Yellow or amber-tinted “Blue Blocker” lenses offer more protection than regular sunglasses False: While some experts argue that the so-called “Blue Blocker” lenses block additional light waves that are harmful, research has yet to prove this for certain. “Blue Blockers” are currently viewed by most experts as a personal preference choice.

Children don’t need sunglasses as much as adults False: Children often spend even more time in the sun than adults and need proper UV protection just as much. It is also far more common to find cheap children’s sunglasses that do not provide adequate UV protection. Always make sure they have the UV400 label.

Source: Vision Magazine December 2019

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15 Interesting Facts about your Eyes

Did you know that the eyes themselves are not what actually allow you to see? They are simply a conveyance for messages sent to the brain, via the optic nerve.

Similarly, did you know that only one-sixth of your eye is even visible to the outside world? Or that your eyes are comprised of more than two million intricately connected working parts? And that’s just the beginning! Here are 15 fascinating facts about the eyes.

The only organ more complex than the eye is the brain.

Your eyes focus on 50 different objects every second.

Your eyes can distinguish approximately 10 million different colours.

It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

Ommatophobia is the fear of the eyes.

80% of all learning comes through the eyes.

Your eyes can detect a candle flame 2.7km away.

Your iris has 256 unique characteristics; your fingerprint has just 40.

Heterochromia is the medical term for having two different coloured eyes.

Only one-sixth of your eyeball is visible.

Your eyes have cells called rods and cones. Rods are responsible for vision at low light levels. Cones are active at higher light levels.

The average person blinks 15-20 times a minute.

The shark cornea is nearly identical to the human cornea and has even been used in human eye surgery.

Did you know that the lens in your eye is the fastest contracting muscle in the body?

The optic nerve contains more than one million nerve cells.

Source: Vision Magazine June 2020

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5 Reasons why Wiley X Sunglasses are a Must-Have

Wiley X is an eyewear brand founded by a veteran. Sunglasses by the brand prioritize safety and style. Each design focuses on wearable comfort for active situations. Many of the brand’s glasses and goggles are prescription ready. Whether you want to customize sunglasses lenses or select your favorite shade of polarized or mirrored lenses, here are 5 reasons to sport Wiley X Sunglasses.

  1. The Tactical Origins Of The Brand – This brand was founded in 1987 by Myles Freeman Sr., a veteran of the United States Army. Ballistic-rated spectacles and goggles by this brand are mainstays on the Authorized Protective Eyewear List maintained by Program Executive Officer Soldier for members of the U.S. Army. Among civilians and veterans, this brand remains a popular choice for sports such as cycling, fishing, hiking, hunting and shooting.
  2. The Durability and Quality of Eyewear – To call the fans of this eyewear brand loyal is an understatement. From active-duty service members reserves, veterans and civilians who demand the best protective eyewear on the market, wearers tend to purchase similar safety glasses and sunglasses. Some long standing styles by this optical company have been sold for years or re-released in updated versions with improved features.
  3. Many Prescription-Ready Sunglass Styles – Popular Wiley X sunglasses such as the Saint, Rebel, Romer3 and and Boss come ready for customization with corrective lenses. Check to see whether your favorite style can accommodate your prescription, as some frames cannot accommodate prescriptions that exceeds +/-3.00 or +/-4.00. Distortion may be an issue with high RX lenses in wraparound frames. Wearers of powerful prescriptions should pay attention to the base curve and lens compatibility of frames.
  4. An Option for Interchangeable Lenses – Some styles of sunglasses are compatible with an interchangeable set of non-prescription Light Rust, Smoke Grey and Polarized Smoke Green lenses. It may be necessary to select a single lens tint for prescription eyewear or pair this eyewear with a prescription insert.
  5. Safety Rated Sunglasses and Glasses – This brand makes safety glasses that meet ANSI Z87.1 basic or high-impact, military and federal workplace eye safety regulations. If you require ballistic or high-impact eyewear check to see whether your favorite frames have this rating and make sure that the lenses you order satisfy the same safety standard.

Source:

Safetygearpro.com