Optimel

We have another product to help eye surface health, and reduce inflammation. - Optimel Manuka+ Forte Eye Gel. There has been a lot of research on the benefits of Manuka honey based products, and finally we have one here on our shelf. Optimel Manuka+ Forte Eye Gel helps by creating a micro environment to support healing and prevent further damage.

The gel contains a standardized antibacterial Manuka honey developed from Leptospermum sp. This barrier acts on bacteria that may potentially colonise the inflamed tissue - perfect for chronic blepharitis of the eyelids. The gel is applied at night, with a cotton tip. There is a cool tingling sensation, and the gel stays on overnight, and the lids are bathed in the morning.

Read the following comments about Optimel:

“I had an appointment with you in January for on going problems with blepharitis. You recommended I try Opti Mel as well as continue with my current treatment plan.”

”The Opti Mel has made a huge difference to my symptoms. Even the lumps in the middle of my eyelid and on the edge have completely disappeared.  I currently use it twice a day and only occasionally do I need other eye drops in between these times.”

Optimel Manuka+ Forte Eye Gel will be helpful for chronic dry eye as well as sore, irritated eyelids

Sparkle - so easy to order your contacts!

The Sparkle APP lets you order your Bausch + Lomb (B&L) contact lenses from your smartphone - any time. And your lenses are delivered - it’s that easy. Follow the instructions below, we will register you and you are underway.

Vitamin D Deficiency May be Unhealthy for Eyes

Anti-inflammatory and other properties of Vitamin D may play a significant role in eye health, specifically in the possible prevention of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) among women.

At the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions, Associate Professor Amy Millen and her team, found women who are deficient in vitamin D with a high-risk genotype are 6.7 times more likely to develop AMD.

Women are more genetically prone to developing the sight-damaging disease. “This study . . does suggest if you’re at high genetic risk for AMD, having enough vitamin D might help reduce your risk,” said Assoc. Prof. Millen.

“To our knowledge, this is the first study that’s looked at the interaction between genetic risk and vitamin D status in the context of age-related eye disease.”

Researchers analysed data compiled on 1,230 women ages 54 to 74.

Vitamin D shows promise for protecting against AMD because of its anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic properties. Antiangiogenic refers to slowing the growth of new blood vessels, often seen in late stages of AMD.

Assoc. Prof. Millen said patients should not be encouraged to rush out and purchase vitamin D supplements. “Our message is not that achieving really high levels of vitamin D are good for the eye, but that having deficient vitamin D levels may be unhealthy for your eyes.”

Smartphone Blindness

It has been reported in The New England Journal of Medicine that looking at your smartphone in bed at night could trigger a temporary loss of vision. Symptoms can be mistaken for a mini-stroke. However experts at Moorfields Eye Hospital have noticed the symptoms, usually lasting around 15 minutes, can be the result of looking at a screen in bed.

Two people attended the neuro-ophthalmology clinic at Moorfields Eye Hospital after experiencing repeated episodes of temporary vision loss which occured at night. All examinations and further tests were normal, including cardiovascular checks.

One case was a 40-year-old woman with a six-month history of recurrent loss of vision in one eye, lasting up to 15 minutes. The results of investigations for a vascular cause were again normal.

These symptoms occurred only after several minutes of viewing a smartphone screen, in the dark, while lying in bed (before going to sleep in the first case and after waking in the second). Symptoms were always in the eye opposite to the side on which the patient was lying.

A consultant neurologist at Moorfields, explained that both people typically looked at their smartphones with only one eye while resting on their side in bed in the dark – their other eye was covered by the pillow. While one eye adapts to the dark, the other gets used to the light of the device. When both eyes are opened, the one that has been staring at the screen cannot cope with the darkness and can experience temporary perceived blindness.

These episodes were ultimately harmless. But it is a good reminder, look at your phone with both eyes!

Air Pollution and Glaucoma - a correlation

Photo: Andrew Tunnicliffe

Air pollution may be a modifiable risk factor for glaucoma - timely to consider this as the fires burn on across the Tasman.

Researchers from UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital found that people living in areas with higher amounts of fine particulate matter pollution were at least 6% more likely to report having glaucoma. This was compared to people in the least-polluted areas.

This adds to other evidence that people in urban areas are 50% more likely to have glaucoma than people in rural areas. Air pollution may be a key contributor to that pattern.

“We have found yet another reason why air pollution should be addressed as a public health priority, avoiding sources of air pollution could be worthwhile for eye health alongside other health concerns,” said the study’s lead author, Professor Paul Foster (UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital).

“We hope to continue our research to determine whether air pollution does indeed cause glaucoma, and if there are avoidance strategies that could help people reduce their exposure to air pollution to mitigate the health risks.”

“Most risk factors for glaucoma are out of our control, such as old age or genetics. It’s promising that we may have now identified a second risk factor for glaucoma, after eye pressure, that can be modified by lifestyle, treatment or policy changes,” added Professor Foster.

The findings were based on 111,370 participants of the UK Biobank study cohort, who had eye tests from 2006 to 2010 at sites across Britain. The participants were asked whether they had glaucoma. Then they underwent testing to measure intraocular pressure, and have eye scans.

The data was linked to air pollution measures for their home addresses, from the Small Area Health Statistics Unit, with the researchers focusing on fine particulate matter (equal or less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter, or PM2.5).

The team found that people in the most-polluted 25% of areas were 18% more likely to report having glaucoma than those in the least-polluted quartile. Eye pressure was not associated with air pollution, which suggests that air pollution may affect glaucoma risk through a different mechanism.

Air pollution may be contributing to the constriction of blood vessels, which ties into air pollution’s links to an increased risk of heart problems. Another possibility is that particulates may have a direct toxic effect damaging the nervous system and contributing to inflammation.

Air pollution has been implicated in elevated risk of pulmonary and cardiovascular disease as well as brain conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and stroke. Particulate matter exposure is one of the strongest predictors of mortality among air pollutants.

“We found a striking correlation between particulate matter exposure and glaucoma. Given that this was in the UK, which has relatively low particulate matter pollution on the global scale, glaucoma may be even more strongly impacted by air pollution elsewhere in the world. And as we did not include indoor air pollution and workplace exposure in our analysis, the real effect may be even greater,” said Professor Foster.

# AltTextForAll Movement

In October a new movement was launched by Blind & Low Vision NZ. The goal to to make the Internet more accessible by asking us to use the ‘Alt Text’ function when publishing digital images in the ‘#AltTextForAll Movement’.

It involves using the ‘Alt Text’ function to describe images which are uploaded. This is so people with sight loss can participate in the visually-driven digital world by describing the image. More than 6.6 billion images are uploaded everyday to the Internet, but in most cases there is either no description available or a poor attempt made by an AI Bot, which can be inadequate.

To solve the problem ‘#AltTextForAll Movement’ will see the descriptions added to images. The call is coming in the form of an online video featuring Karen, the digital Alt Text voice, explaining ‘Alt Text’.

Blind & Low Vision NZ general manager of marketing and communications Louise von Sierakowski says the #AltTextForAll Movement is easy to get on board with.

“It seems many people aren’t aware of the role Alt Text can play for screen reader users. We hope through this movement that people take a step forward in supporting how those who are blind or have low vision can have independent access to information. It’s simple, but it’s really important.”

Alongside the hero video is a series of smaller videos aimed at international celebrities and organisations, including Ryan Reynolds, Chris Hemsworth, BBC, Ellen, National Geographic and Humans of New York.