Traditional Eye Makeup Can Poison You

Michaeleen Doucleff, NPR recently reported in the KUHF News for Houston about how eye makeup used to protect children can poison them instead.

Kajal, which is also known as kohl and surma, is illegal in the U.S. because of its high concentration of lead. This traditional eyeliner has as much as 54 percent lead.

Lead is a neurotoxin. And it's especially harmful to babies and young children. Even small amounts can damage developing brains and cause permanent problems.

Recently the toddler of a family, which had emigrated from Afghanistan as refugees, now in Albuquerque, was tested for lead at preschool. The child's blood levels were off the charts. The child’s blood contained more than five times the level considered dangerous by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The toddler’s younger brother, a 4-month old baby, had even higher amounts of lead in his blood.

Staff at the New Mexico Department of Health immediately suspected the eye makeup as the metal source. The parents said they were using the kajal to promote eye health.

Scientists have known for decades that kajal can contain lead. And the metal can easily seep into a child's blood through the skin or eyes.

While in this case, the family admitted that they had brought the traditional eyeliner with them from Afghanistan, a study published in June found that 24 of 36 American lipsticks tested had traces of lead them. However, the largest concentration was about only about 1.3 parts per million — or 0.00013 percent.

It was also reported that now that the parents have stopped using the kajal, the blood lead levels have started declining and neither of the children have shown any adverse symptoms.

Our eyes are very delicate organs, and we should plan routine eye exams whether or not we notice any problems.

By getting your eyes checked regularly, you’ll be able to keep them healthy your whole life. Neglect can be costly!

Click here to schedule an eye exam at 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore.

Retinitis Pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of genetic disorders that affect the retina’s ability to respond to light. This inherited disease causes a slow loss of vision, beginning with decreased night vision and loss of peripheral (side) vision. 

Eventually, blindness results. Unfortunately, there is no cure for RP.

Retinitis pigmentosa is often hereditary (runs in families). If you or your partner has retinitis pigmentosa, there may be up to a 50 percent chance that you will pass it along to your children.

The symptoms of Retinitis Pigmentosa are:

· Decreased night vision

· Process to loss peripheral vision.

· Difficulty in identifying colors

For people who have RP, it is important to remember that there are many low-vision devices, tips and rehabilitation services designed specifically to help people with low vision maintain an active and independent lifestyle.

For more details about Retinitis Pigmentosa you can visit the website by clicking here.

If you have poor night vision or a loss of side vision, or if there is a history of retinitis pigmentosa in your family then drop in at 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore in Florida at any of our three locations for your eye exam by our Independent Optometrist.

Photophobia

Photophobia is when your eyes are uncomfortable in bright light. It is a fairly common symptom and for many people, photophobia is not due to any disease. Severe photophobia may occur with eye problems and can cause severe eye pain even in relatively low light.

The causes of photophobia are:

·       Inflammation inside eye

·       Burns to the eye

·       Corneal abrasion

·       Corneal ulcer

·       Drugs such as amphetamines, atropine, cocaine etc

·       Excessive wearing of contact lenses, or wearing badly fitted contact lenses

·       Eye disease, injury, or infection (such as chalazion, episcleritis, glaucoma)

·       Eye testing when the eyes have been dilated

·       Migraine headache

You can reduce the photophobia by taking care of these things in mind

·      Avoiding sunlight

·      Closing your eyes

·      Wearing dark glasses

·      Darkening the room

To know more about Photophobia you can read the original article published on Medline Plus.

If you feel that you are sensitive to light and the sensitivity is severe then call your doctor or drop in at 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore, Central Florida’s premier eye care provider. There are three locations in Winter Park, Melbourne, and Orange City, all of which have an Independent Optometrist on site for an eye exam. Drop in today.

Junk Food Can Harm Your Vision

Researchers at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary studied that overindulgence in fat-filled snack foods may heighten the risk of developing advanced age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness and vision impairment in the United States.

The irreversible eye disease affects the central vision of about 10 million Americans, and those numbers are expected to grow as Baby Boomers hit their mid-50s.

Previously, it was considered that only the smoke can cause this disease but now it has been proved that junk food can harm our eye vision. 

Dr. Nancy Snyderman told in an ABCNEWS that "Before this, smoking was the only identified risk factor for macular degeneration. What the study shows is that specific types of fats, especially the kinds used in processed snack foods, can increase your risk of age-related macular degeneration more than twofold."

To read the original article you can visit http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=126765.

20/20 Eyeglass Superstore® keeps you updated on various eye diseases and eye conditions and shares various tips about eye care with you. Drop in at any convenient location at Orlando, Melbourne or Orange City for an eye exam by an Independent Doctor of Optometry.

Blepharitis – Symptoms and Treatment

Do you have:

•   Eye and eyelid irritation?
•   Crusting of the eyelid/eyelashes?
•   Itchiness of the eye?
•   Tearing?
•   Redness in the eyelid margins and in the eye?
•   Burning sensation?

Unfortunately if your answer is YES to the above questions, then these symptoms indicate that you could be suffering from Blepharitis, which is a common and ongoing condition where the eyelids become inflamed (swollen), with oily particles and bacteria coating the eyelid margin near the base of the eyelashes. 

The underlying causes of blepharitis aren't completely understood, however it can be associated with a bacterial eye infection, symptoms of dry eyes or certain types of skin conditions such as acne rosacea.

A close examination of your eyelids and eyelashes by an eye doctor is usually all that is needed to diagnose blepharitis. Your doctor may test your vision, perform a slit-lamp microscope exam, and test your eye pressure as well.

Blepharitis is often a chronic, or ongoing, condition, but it can be controlled with the following treatments, and your ophthalmologist will help you identify which treatments are most appropriate.

·         Warm compresses

·         Eyelid scrubs

·         Antibiotic ointment

·         Nutritional therapy 

·         Good hygiene

For more details, you can read the original article published on geteyesmart.com.

Your eyesight is your most precious sense. 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore of Melbourne, FL is always glad to share helpful information about eye facts/health tips with you! We’d love to help you in any way we can, so come on by and see us at one of our 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore locations in central Florida.