Your Eyes. Quite Simply Amazing.

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eye healthYour eyes are not just one of the many parts of your anatomy, your eyes are extremely complex, consisting of seven main parts that focus on objects, transmit information to your brain and detect light.

Every human eye is unique. In fact, as early as the 1950’s, scientists suggested that the patterns of folds and ridges of the iris, the tissue surrounding the pupil of the eye, could be used for identification purposes. Iris patterning has been observed since ancient times, its characteristics studied by diviners to determine a person’s destiny. The iris, which works like the aperture on a camera and regulates light levels that assist in focusing, is also responsible for eye color.

Here are nine additional facts you may not know about your eyes:
1.The ability to see requires about half of your brainpower.
2.You blink about 12 times every minute.
3.Of all the muscles in your body, the muscles controlling your eyes are the most active.
4.While it takes time for most parts of your body to warm up to their full potential, your eyes are on their “A Game” 24/7.
5.The average blink lasts for about 1/10th of a second.
6.Newborn babies don’t produce tears. They make crying sounds but tears don’t start flowing until they are several weeks old.
7.80% of vision problems worldwide are avoidable and even curable.
8.Each of your eyes has a small blind spot in the back of the retina where the optic nerve attaches. You don’t notice the hole in your vision because your eyes work together to fill in the blind spots.
9.The eye heals quickly. With proper care, it only takes about 48 hours for the eye to repair a corneal scratch.

Dr. Latina is dedicated to your sight and to keeping your eyes healthy. Call to schedule an appointment, today: Reading (781) 942-9876. Melrose (781) 662-2216.

Cataract Information You Should Know

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Cataract What is a cataract? Many people “of a certain age” deal with this frustrating eye condition where the lens of their eye gradually becomes cloudy, resulting in blurred vision and some vision loss. You may have heard some anecdotes about who gets cataracts and why and what can be done about them. Regardless of what you know or have heard, read on to learn 8 surprising cataract facts:

1.Cataracts can occur in children and young adults, not just older folks.
2.Cataracts in children and young adults are usually associated with some type of risk factor or other health-related event.
3.Cataracts can be present at birth, although this is uncommon.
4.Over 20 million Americans have cataracts, with three million new cases diagnosed each year.
5.Cataracts are most common in men and women over the age of 40.
6.You can get cataracts if you have diabetes or have had an eye injury.
7.Taking vitamins or low does aspirin does not prevent cataracts
8.Cataracts can’t be treated with eye drops or medicines.

What’s the take-away? Cataracts can be successfully treated with surgery.
•Cataract surgery is extremely safe and is up to 95% successful.
•Most people don’t choose to have surgery when they first develop cataracts.
•Surgery is usually the best option when the cataracts begin to cause enough vision loss to interfere with daily activities such as reading, working and driving.
•Your vision will improve in a few days following your cataract removal surgery.
•You will be able resume your normal activities fairly soon, and your vision will continue to improve in the weeks and months following surgery.

Dr. Latina specializes in cataract surgery and is aware of the apprehensions his patients may have about this surgery. He uses the most advanced and precise method of cataract removal, providing optimum results. We invite you to call to schedule a consultation appointment with Dr. Latina, especially if you believe your eyesight is suffering due to cataracts.

How Diabetes Affects Your Precious Eyes

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diabetic retinopathyDiabetes not only affects your body, it also affects your eyes. Did you know that people with diabetes are more likely to develop cataracts at an earlier age and are twice as likely to develop glaucoma as are non-diabetics?

However, the primary eye condition caused by diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness and low vision in adults.

  • Retinopathy is the term used to describe damage to the retina, the thin, light-sensitive tissue that lines the inside surface of the eye. Diabetic Retinopathy occurs when the small blood vessels that nourish tissue and nerve cells in the retina are damaged. Sometimes abnormal new blood vessels grow fast, or proliferate, in the retina. That condition is called proliferative diabetic retinopathy and affects about one in twenty people with the disease.
  • The symptoms of diabetic retinopathy may include:
  • Blurred or double vision
  • A cloud, veil or streaks of red in your field of vision
  • Blind or blank spots in your field of vision
  • Flashing lights, which may indicate a retinal detachment

Diabetic retinopathy progresses in four stages:

  1. Mild non-proliferative retinopathy: This is where small areas of balloon-like swellings occur in the tiny blood vessels in the retina.
  2. Moderate non-proliferative retinopathy: This occurs when some of the blood vessels that nourish the retina become blocked.
  3. Severe non-proliferative retinopathy: Many more blood vessels become blocked, which disrupts the blood supply nourishing the retina.
  4. Proliferative retinopathy: This occurs when signals sent by the retina trigger the development of new blood vessels in the retina and the vitreous, the transparent gel that fills the interior of the eye. Because these new blood vessels are abnormal, they can rupture and bleed, causing hemorrhaging. Scar tissue can develop, tug at the retina and may cause retinal detachment.

If you think your diabetes may be affecting your vision, don’t wait. Please call to book an appointment, today: Reading (781) 942-9876; Melrose (781) 662-2216.

Learning About Macular Degeneration

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Macular DegenerationMaintaining your wellness profile is an important lifestyle goal, and knowledge is a powerful tool to help you in that endeavor. Your eyes are vulnerable to many different conditions as you age, so staying informed about your eyes and the conditions that may affect them is crucial.

  • Did you know that Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in adults over the age of 60? If you are dealing with AMD as part of your aging process, you are undoubtedly aware of its affect on your ability to see well, especially at night.
  • Did you know that there are lifestyle choices that may help prevent macular degeneration or keep it from progressing? Even though there are no cures for it, there are lifestyle choices you can make that may help prevent AMD or slow its progression. If caught early, AMD is much easier to monitor and treat.

Here are eight healthy lifestyle tips that may help save your eyesight as well:

  1. Get regular eye exams. This is the number one, most important change to make in your eye health as you age.
  2. If you have high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, manage them with regular exercise and weight control.
  3. If you are a smoker, quit. Smoking greatly increases your risk of developing AMD.
  4. Always wear sunglasses when you are outdoors – even on cloudy days – and make sure they are designed to block damaging high energy visible “blue” light and UV rays that can damage your retina.
  5. Take a daily nutritional supplement that includes a high dose combination of vitamin E, vitamin C, Zinc and beta carotene.
  6. Eat fish or take a fish oil supplement daily.
  7. Reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates.
  8. Eat dark, leafy green vegetables, such as raw spinach every day.

If it has been a while since your last eye exam and you would like to learn more about macular degeneration, call our office to schedule an appointment, today: In Reading (781) 942-9876; in Melrose (781) 662-2216.

Do You Have “Floaters”?

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eye conditionsYou’re not alone if you see squiggly, flickery, little black spots in your eyes that seem to disappear when you try to look directly at them. Although they seem strange and may even be alarming, the truth is seven out of ten people experience some version of eye floaters during their lives.

There are different types of floaters, but all occur in the vitreous gel, the clear substance that fills your eyes, helping your eyeballs maintain their shape and allowing light to pass through your retinas. When you are born and throughout your youth, the vitreous has a gel-like consistency. But as you age, the vitreous becomes stringy, begins to shrink, and particles form in the gel. These particles block the light passing through your eyes and cast shadows on your retina, which you see as floaters.

Possible causes of floaters may be:

  • Bursting blood vessels in your retina – These floaters usually look little black dots, which can resemble smoke or a cloud of gnats. They can last for months, but usually resolve themselves as your body reabsorbs the blood.
  • The formation of protein clumps -These floaters usually look like cobwebs, squiggles or tadpoles. They remain in the vitreous gel permanently, and can be ignored.
  • Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) – When the vitreous gel pulls away from your retina, floaters resemble cobwebs, a mist or a veil that obscures a portion of your field of vision. These floaters usually become less noticeable after a few months. Lightening streaks or light flashes accompanied by floaters can also be PVD. These flashes may appear off and on for weeks or months, but usually eventually

Floaters and flashes could signal a health problem if you experience a rapid onset of them. Their sudden appearance could mean that the vitreous is pulling away from your retina or that your retina is becoming dislodged from the back of your eye. When the retina is torn, vitreous can invade the opening and push out the retina, leading to a retinal detachment.

If you have questions, would like to know more or are concerned about floaters, call to schedule a consultation appointment, today: In Reading (781) 942-9876; In Melrose (781) 662-2216.

 

 

What Do You Know About Glaucoma?

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GlaucomaYour eyes are precious and caring for them is a top priority. There are many conditions and diseases that can affect your eyes and your vision – glaucoma, the “silent thief of sight,” is one of them.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve in which the nerve damage leads to progressive, irreversible vision loss. The two most common types of glaucoma are chronic open angle glaucoma and closed angle glaucoma. It is the second leading cause of preventable blindness in the country, even though there are effective treatments available. Glaucoma generally affects both eyes, although one may have more severe signs and symptoms than the other.

Most people have no early warning signs and no symptoms. However, glaucoma can be diagnosed at an annual eye exam and treated so that it does not progress.

Here are some things that raise your risk of developing glaucoma:

  • Advanced age – People over the age of 60 are at higher risk.
  • Gender – Females are three times more likely to develop glaucoma as males.
  • Myopia – People with myopia, also called nearsightedness, have a higher risk of glaucoma.
  • Some illnesses – People with diabetes or hypothyroidism have a higher chance of developing glaucoma.
  • Eye injuries or conditions – Some eye injuries, especially severe ones, are linked to a higher glaucoma risk. Retinal detachment, eye inflammation and eye tumors can also cause glaucoma.
  • Corticosteroid use – Patients on long-term corticosteroids have an elevated risk of developing several different conditions, including glaucoma. The risk is even greater with eyedrops containing corticosteroids.

Treating glaucoma involves improving the flow of fluid inside the eye, reducing its production, and sometimes both. Damage caused by glaucoma is irreversible; glaucoma cannot be cured but it can be managed. Regular eye exams and proper treatment can slow the progression of glaucoma and prevent further loss of sight.

We specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. If you have concerns about your vision, call to schedule a diagnostic eye exam, today: In Reading (781) 942-9876; In Melrose (781) 662-2216.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Amblyopia: Lazy Eye

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