Month: May 2014

People with allergies know that it can sometimes be difficult to even step outside of your front door. Dry conditions and irritants in the environment can lead you itchy and burning eyes that make you want to find relief as quickly as possible. Dry eye is not limited to just people with allergies, however. The condition can be a result of a number of different factors, which is why it is important to recognize the symptoms and causes so you can talk with your doctor about getting the treatment you need.

Dry eye occurs when the eye does not produce tears properly or when the tears are not the correct consistency and evaporate too quickly. Aqueous tear-deficient dry eye and evaporative dry eye are the two types of the condition that affect about 12 million Americans. It can occur in women who are pregnant or as a side effect of some medications such as antihistamines, nasal decongestants and certain blood pressure medication. The most common cause of Dry Eye Syndrome is a condition known as Blepharitis, which is present in nine out of 10 cases.

Symptoms of dry eye include irritation, dryness and redness and vision disturbance. You may find that your eyes tear up more than usual and are sensitive to light. Instances of excessive tears may be followed by long dry spells, and dryness can lead to patchy loss of cells in your cornea. If you use soft contact lenses and experience dry eye, talk with your eye doctor about using a different type of lens and getting a solution that can clean out your glands causing the problem.

When it comes to Keratoconus there are many questions about family history. The truth is you should always let your physician or eye care professional know when there is a history of medical conditions in the family. This can help them better assess your conditions. In fact many conditions are diagnosed with the help of family histories.

In past years there was little in the way of treatments when it came to Keratoconus. Many patients had to receive corneal transplants to relieve the Keratoconus. But now there are several new treatments which are very effective in slowing progression, reversing damage, and strengthening the cornea. This gives Keratoconus patients a much better prognosis in there Keratoconus treatment.

For those with a family history of Keratoconus having a family history only makes you at higher risk of getting the condition it’s not a guarantee. There are several steps to diagnosing Keratoconus but it can help the doctor determine your risk.

Below are some tips to help you find out more about Keratoconus:

Research- Research is a big part of being pro-active in your own health. Finding the right doctor, educating yourself on the conditions, and arming yourself with information will help you ensure that you get the right health care.

Finding the Right Doctor-It is important that you are comfortable with the doctor your choose whether it is an eye doctor, or general health care provider building trust and being able to ask them questions will help them and you in your treatment plans.

Be honest with them- No matter how small you think the change is be sure to tell them everything. Leaving things out can hinder your own treatment or diagnosis. Telling them when you have changes or even logging your symptoms will help them greatly in determining what it going on with your body.

Below are Signs of Keratoconus:

• Frequent Eye Rubbing

• Frequent Changes in prescriptions

• Blurred or double vision

• Halos or glares around lights

• Sensitivity to light

• Poor night vision

• Dry eyes
• Squinting or Straining Your Eyes

In traditional treatments glasses, contact lenses like RGP (Rigid Gas Permeable lenses) were used before the eventual corneal transplant. Now with today’s technology we are now rarely using the corneal transplants and treatments are more effective than ever before. Treatments like the Holcomb C3-R® procedure stop this progressive debilitating eye disease. When combined with Holcomb C3-R is combined with INTACS in addition to being effective in slowing/stopping the progression and/or reversing the progression of Keratoconus.

The overall outlook of Keratoconus treatment is a great one and with continued research and improvements to Keratoconus treatments we have less pain, and more improvement in your quality of vision.

Watch how Brianna’s life was changed by these advanced Keratoconus treatments: http://youtu.be/KZFC8NOp_hI

For more information on risk factors of Keratoconus visit www.nkcf.org/about-Keratoconus