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What You Should Know: Emergency Eye Care

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An eye emergency constitutes an event that puts your eyesight at risk. Any such event requires immediate professional treatment to prevent permanent vision loss. Examples of eye emergencies include:

Loss of Vision: If you experience any form of vision loss, even if you are not experiencing pain, contact your eye doctor immediately. In fact, loss of vision is one of the most significant indicators of an eye emergency. Lack of pain in no way diminishes the seriousness of the situation.

Torn or Cut Eyelid: If you experience a cut or torn eyelid, apply gentle pressure with a clean, dry cloth until the bleeding subsides. Then rinse the area with water, cover with a clean bandage, apply a cold compress over the bandage to reduce pain and swelling, and seek medical help immediately.

Scratched Eye: If any direct damage occurs to your eyeball, DO NOT apply any pressure to stop the bleeding. Gently place a cold compress over the affected eye to reduce swelling and help control any bleeding and seek medical help immediately.

Protruding Eye: Any bulging of a single eye, especially in children, is a very serious sign and requires immediate professional attention. Contact your eye doctor immediately.

Foreign Object Under the Eyelid: First of all, DO NOT rub your eye if something becomes stuck under your eyelid. Try to wash it out with water. If that does not work, contact your eye doctor immediately.

Chemicals in the Eye: If any chemicals come into contact with your eye, immediately flush the eye with cool tap water. Turn your head to the side, with the affected eye facing down. Hold the eyelid open and allow the water to run over the eye. Do this for 15 minutes. After flushing the eye, seek immediate medical attention.

Foreign Object Embedded in the Eye: First and foremost, as hard as it may be to resist, DO NOT try to remove the object or apply pressure to the eye. Leave the object in place and bandage the eye. Then cover the healthy eye with a clean cloth or gauze and seek immediate medical attention.

There is a general theme when it comes to eye emergencies; if you experience an eye emergency, seek immediate medical attention and contact your eye doctor – ophthalmologist or optometrist – right away. If you are unable to reach your eye care physician, have a family member or friend drive you to the nearest emergency room. And remember the following advise.

•DO NOT rub your eye.

•DO NOT attempt to remove a foreign object that is in contact with the cornea or that is embedded in the eye.

•DO NOT use dry cotton or sharp objects on the eye.

•DO NOT contaminate a burn. Avoid breathing on the affected area.

If you have any questions about what you have just read or if you would like to learn more about AAEC’s Emergency Eye Care Services, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010.

Located in Annapolis, Maryland, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers comprehensive specialized ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Specializing in glaucoma and cataracts, Dr. Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision.

Sources:

Emergency Eye Care ClearVue.org

Retinal Detachment: Definition, Symptoms, and Treatment

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A retinal detachment refers to a separation of the retina – the light-sensitive membrane in the back of the eye – from its supporting layers. This serious medical condition is typically caused by trauma, diabetes or an inflammatory disorder.

Symptoms of Retinal Detachment

•           Flashes of light (Especially in peripheral vision)

•           Blurred/blurry vision

•           Floaters in the eye. Also referred to as shadows or spots

•           Blindness in a portion of the visual field

The sudden and dramatic appearance of these symptoms is a strong indication that the retina is either tearing or detaching. If you feel you may be experiencing any of the above symptoms, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor immediately. Any sudden change in your vision is a serious medical condition that requires prompt medical attention from your optometrist or ophthalmologist.

Treatment of Retinal Detachment

Most cases of retinal detachment require one of the following surgeries.

•           Freezing (cryopexy): The application of intense cold to the area with an ice probe to form a scar, which holds the retina in place.

•           Laser Surgery (photocoagulation): This is used to seal the tears or holes in the retina.

•           Pneumatic Retinopexy: The placing of a gas bubble in the eye to help the retina float back into place. Then a laser is used to fix the retina in place.

More extensive cases require more invasive procedures, including:

•           Scleral Buckle: This is done to indent the wall of the eye, relieving the tugging of the vitreous on the retina.

•           Vitrectomy: This is done to remove gel or scar tissue that may be pulling on the retina.

If you have any questions about what you have just read or if you would like to learn more about your various treatment options, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010.

Led by Dr. Boles, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers comprehensive specialized ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Specializing in glaucoma and cataracts, Dr. Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

Sources:

Retinal Detachment

Corneal Disease: Explanation, Symptoms, and Treatment

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Your cornea – the clear, protective outer layer of the eye – not only protects your eye from dirt and germs, but also plays a key role in your vision. As light enters the eye, it is focused or refracted by the shape of the cornea. If your cornea sustains damage through disease, infection or injury, the resulting scar tissue can interfere with your vision by blocking or distorting light as it enters your eye.

There are several different conditions including infections, degenerations and other disorders that affect the cornea. These include:

Astigmatism: Caused by an irregularly shaped cornea, astigmatism is a refractive error in which the eye has trouble focusing light. Astigmatism is the most common form of corneal problem. Treatment typically involves the use of glasses or contacts.

 Corneal Abrasion: Caused by trauma to the eye, a corneal abrasion refers to a scratch on the outer layer of the eye. It is the second most common form of corneal distress. Treatment traditionally involves patching of the eye, though newer bandage contact lenses are beginning to see more use. These allow people to stay functional during the healing process.

Keratits: This form of corneal disease is an inflammation of the cornea that occurs with viral, bacteria or fungal infection. Symptoms of keratitis include severe eye pain, reduced visual clarity, and discharge.

Ocular Herpes (Herpes of the Eye): Similar to cold sores on the lip, this reoccurring viral infection produces sores on the surface of the cornea that, in time, can spread deeper into the cornea and eye. There is no cure for ocular herpes, but it can often be controlled with the use of antiviral drugs. You can also try using Valtrex. Valtrex (Valacyclovir) is an antiviral medication used to treat infections caused by certain viruses. It helps the body fight infection by slowing the growth and spread of the herpes virus. It is used to treat shingles (caused by herpes zoster), genital herpes, and cold sores around the mouth. Valtrex is also a treatment for cold sores in children over the age of 12 years old and as a chickenpox medication in children who are over the age of 2 years. Read the full article here: anti-viral-meds.com

Herpes Zoster (Shingles): This is actually a recurrence of the chickenpox virus, since most of us have already had the disease. Symptoms of Herpes Zoster include blisters or lesions on the cornea, fever, and pain from inflamed nerve fibers.

Corneal Dystrophies

There are over 20 of these diseases that cause structural problems with the cornea. The most common forms include:

Keratoconus: This is a progressive disease in which the cornea thins and even changes shape, creating either mild or severe distortion (astigmatism) and nearsightedness (myopia).

Map-Dot-Fingerprint Dystrophy: As the basement membrane of the epithelium of the cornea grows irregularly, abnormalities resembling maps, dots and fingerprints form in the cornea. While this form of corneal disease is mostly painless and causes no vision loss, epithelial erosion may occur, exposing the nerves lining the cornea and causing severe eye pain.

Fuchs’ Dystrophy: Seemingly happening for no apparent reason – although you may have a genetic predisposition to the disease – Fuch’s Dystrophy involves the gradual deterioration of endothelial cells. As these cells thin, they can no longer remove water from the corneal stroma. This causes the stroma to swell and distort vision.

Lattice Dystrophy: This disease is characterized by the presence of abnormal protein fibers throughout the stroma. This can result in the clouding of the cornea and reduced vision and in rare cases, epithelial erosion.

Symptoms of Corneal Disease

 The cornea has the ability to quickly repair itself after most injuries or diseases. However, more serious situations may result in a much more prolonged healing process. If this is the case, the following symptoms should serve as an immediate indicator of a deeper medical issue:

  • Eye pain
  • Blurred/blurry vision
  • Tearing
  • Redness
  • Extreme sensitivity to light
  • Corneal scarring

If you feel you may be experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor immediately. Any sudden change in your vision is a serious medical condition that requires prompt medical attention from your optometrist or ophthalmologist.

Although corneal disease resulting from hereditary factors cannot be prevented, infectious corneal disease caused from bacteria and viruses can be avoided. You should never share eye makeup, contact solution, lens cases, and eye drops with anyone as this may increase the risk of infection.

However, if you do contract some form of corneal disease, vision can be preserved through early detection and treatment. This is just another reason why regular eye exams are so important.

If you have any questions about what you have just read, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010.

Led by Dr. Boles, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers complete ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Specializing in glaucoma and cataracts, Dr. Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

Sources:

Your Cornea: Conditions, Symptoms and Treatments

Blepharitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

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Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelid and eyelash structures.  It is a common eye condition that is typically caused by either a bacterial or skin condition such as dandruff of the scalp or acne rosacea. It can affect people of all ages and is not a contagious condition. Although uncomfortable and chronic, blepharitis usually does not cause permanent damage to an individual’s eyesight.

Blepharitis can be divided in to both an anterior and posterior form. The anterior form occurs along the front edge of eyelid, where the eyelashes are attached. The posterior form occurs along the inner edge of the eyelid that comes into contact with the eyeball. In a large portion of the population blepharitis tends to be a mix of the two.

Causes of Blepharitis:

The anterior form of blepharitis is most commonly caused by either bacteria (staphylococcal blepharitis) or dandruff of the scalp and eyebrows (seborrheic blepharitis).  In rare incidences the anterior form can be caused by an allergic reaction or an infestation of mites.

The posterior form of blepharitis is typically caused by an irregular production of oils by the glands along the eyelid margin (meibomian blepharitis), which can produce a favorable environment for bacterial growth. Posterior blepharitis is also commonly associated with acne rosacea and dandruff of the scalp.

Symptoms of Blepharitis:

Individuals with blepharitis may experience:

  • Crusting or scaling of the eyelashes
  • Red and swollen eyelids
  • A gritty or sandy feeling
  • Itching or burning
  • Tearing
  • Dry eye
  • In serious cases individuals may note blurring of vision, loss or misdirected eyelashes, styes, and inflammation to other structures of the eye including the cornea and the conjunctiva.

Blepharitis Treatment

Blepharitis is a chronic condition therefore treatment is an ongoing process (similar to treating acne).
The main treatments for blepharitis include a warm compress for several minutes (5-10) followed by a gentle lid massage. This will help to both loosen crusts along the eyelashes and open the glands along the eyelid to better express stagnate oils to allow bacterial growth.

Your eye doctor may also recommend the use of special eyelid cleansers, lubricating eye drops, oral supplements, antibiotic drops, anti-inflammatory drops, or even oral antibiotics in more severe or complicated cases.

The best way to diagnose and manage blepharitis is through a comprehensive eye exam where a doctor can better evaluate an individual’s history, eyelids, and other eye structures.

To learn more about blepharitis and proper eye health, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010.  Located in Annapolis, Maryland, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers comprehensive specialized ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre- and post-surgical eye care.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

Sources:

Blepharitis PubMed Health
aoa.org

An Overview of the Different Types of Glaucoma

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The term Glaucoma actually refers to a group of eye conditions that lead to intraocular pressure (IOP) and damage the optic nerve, the nerve that carries visual information from the eye to the brain. This pressure comes from a buildup of normal fluid called the aqueous humor, which is naturally and continuously produced in the front of your eye.

The different types of glaucoma include:

  • Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma: Affecting around one percent of all Americans (mainly those individuals age 50 or older), it is the most common form of glaucoma. And because this form of glaucoma develops slowly, it rarely ever presents any symptoms and often goes undetected without regular screenings.
  • Normal Tension Glaucoma: Also known as Low-Tension Glaucoma, this form is characterized by progressive optic nerve damage and visual field loss with a statistically normal IOP. The lack of blood flow and the decrease in oxygen to the optic nerve is directly related to this form of glaucoma.
  • Angle-Closure Glaucoma: This form of glaucoma is related to narrow angles. And with several subcategories – including Intermittent and chronic Acute Angle-Closure or Narrow Angle-Closure – this form affects nearly 500,000 Americans, but is most common in people of Asian descent or those individuals with farsightedness (hyperopia). Unlike POAG where the IOP increases gradually, Angle-Closure Glaucoma is characterized by a sudden increase in IOP, often in only a matter of hours. This dramatic increase in IOP can cause severe eye pain, nausea, vomiting, blurry vision and headache. An acute attack is an emergency condition. Long-term effects of Angle-Closure Glaucoma include: scarring of the trabecular meshwork, resulting in chronic glaucoma; cataracts; damage to the optic nerve; permanent vision loss.
  • Pigmentary Glaucoma: This form is a type of inherited open-angle glaucoma, which develops more frequently in men than in women and is most prevalent in individuals in their twenties and thirties. Pigmentary Glaucoma is associated with near-sightedness (myopia).
  • Trauma-Related Glaucoma: A blow to the eye, chemical burn, or penetrating injury may lead to the development of either acute or chronic glaucoma.
  • Childhood Glaucoma: Also referred to as Pediatric Glaucoma, the approach to treatment is slightly different than with glaucoma in adults and almost always requires immediate surgery to relieve IOP. Approximately 80-90 percent of babies who receive prompt surgical treatment, long-term care, and monitoring of their visual development will do well, and may have normal or nearly normal vision for their lifetime. However, if the disease is not caught early more permanent vision loss will result.

The most common symptoms of glaucoma include:

  • Vision loss (most commonly tunnel vision – the gradual loss of peripheral or side vision)
  • Severe eye pain
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Sudden onset of visual disturbance
  • Blurred or blurry vision
  • Halos around lights
  • Reddening of the eye

If you feel you may be experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor immediately. These symptoms are serious and require prompt medical attention from your optometrist or ophthalmologist.

However, many people do not experience any symptoms until they begin to lose their vision. At this point, the damage is irreversible. This is why regular eye exams are so important. While there is no cure for glaucoma, early detection and treatment are your best options to slow or even prevent further vision loss brought on by the disease. Without treatment, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss.

Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of vision loss in the United States behind only cataracts.

If you have any questions about what you have just read, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today!

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

Sources:
Types of Glaucoma GlaucomaFoundation.org

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