Monthly Archives: February

Simple Strategies to Make Living with Cataracts Easier

Cataracts are the result of the eye’s natural lens becoming cloudy. When cataracts are present, there are noticeable vision changes that come with it.  For example, blurry vision is an extremely common result.  Additionally, you may become extra sensitive to light, have trouble seeing at night or experience double vision.  While these symptoms can make daily living more difficult, there are some ways to make functioning with cataracts easier.

Sunlight Protection

One of the best ways to slow the progression of cataracts is to make sure your eyes stay protected from the sunlight.  Wearing the right sunglasses is essential, and can make a big difference for proper UV and glare protection.  You might want to choose sunglasses with special tints or coatings, or anti-glare lenses.  Additionally, you can also find select styles of eyeglasses that also provide anti-glare options. Our expert team can help you choose the perfect glasses to fit your lifestyle and needs.

Diet

There has been a lot of research that shows that nutrition can play a big role in slowing the progression of cataracts. The results of numerous studies have indicated that increasing your levels of antioxidant vitamins C and E, as well as the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin, reduced the risk of both the development and progression of cataracts.  Vitamin C can be found in many citrus fruits and green vegetables while foods such as nuts and seeds are a good source of vitamin E. To increase your lutein and zeaxanthin, eat more green leafy vegetables, squash, pumpkin or carrots.

Eye Exercises

Certain eye exercises can help to strengthen your eyes and ease eye strain.  And while strengthening your eye muscles cannot actually cure cataracts, it can help to slow the progression.  Try gently rolling your eyes in a clockwise circle a few times, then reverse to a counterclockwise motion. You can also try moving your eyes from side to side, or in the shape of a figure 8.  Another exercise to try could be changing focus, by focusing on a finger held a few inches from your face, then shifting to an object farther away, then back again.

Lifestyle Changes

Making some changes to your daily activities can help make life easier when you have cataracts.  For example, magnifying devices and reading lights can help ease eye strain for reading or other activities.  Also, it is wise to limit nighttime driving, as cataracts can cause glare around headlight or streetlights, making it difficult to see.

Develop a Plan With Your Eye Doctor

One of the most important ways to manage your cataracts is to see your eye doctor regularly.  The professional team at Family Vision Development Center is committed to helping our patients with cataracts live a full and rewarding life. During your comprehensive eye exams, we can closely follow the progression of your cataracts and detect any changes in vision as early as possible.  Additionally, we can ensure that you have the most accurate and up-to-date prescription for your eyeglasses.  During your visits, we will make sure you have a cataract treatment plan in place and will explain all of your options, including the possibility of surgery if your cataracts start to interfere too much with your quality of life.

Contact our Aurora office at 630-862-2020 to learn more or to schedule your appointment.

10 Warning Signs a Baby Has a Vision Problem

As a parent, one of the most important things in life is ensuring the happiness and well-being of your baby.  You do your best to make sure they have everything they need, but it can be difficult at times to know if something is wrong, especially when it comes to a vision problem.  Because they cannot speak, they can’t come right out and tell you that they are having trouble with their vision.  But luckily there are some other ways to discover if there might be a problem with their eyesight.

Common Vision Problems in Infants

Before understanding the signs of a vision problem, it’s important to know some of the most common conditions that affect infants and children.

• Refractive errors – in which light does not focus correctly on the retina. This usually results in blurry vision, causing kids to have difficulty seeing things up close (farsightedness), far away (nearsightedness), or both (astigmatism).
• Lazy eye (Amblyopia) – a disorder that occurs when the eyes and brain do not work together properly, causing the brain to favor one eye. This can cause blurred vision, poor depth perception or one or both eyes to drift in and out.
• Strabismus – a condition in which the eyes are not lined up properly, leading them to point in different directions. This can cause a child to experience double vision, or seeing an object in two different places at the same time.
• Blocked tear duct – which occurs when the eye’s drainage system for tears is obstructed. Tears cannot flow properly, often leading to an irritated or infected eye.

There are, of course, many more conditions that can cause a vision problem in an infant. Disorders such as pediatric glaucoma or pediatric cataracts are more rare, but they can result in difficulty with vision and can even lead to vision loss.  These issues and more can be discovered during your child’s eye exam.

Signs to Watch Out For

So the question is, how do you determine if your child is experiencing a vision problem if they can’t tell you?  Apart from an eye exam, any of the following symptoms can indicate a possible reason to be concerned:

• Eyes that look like they are crossed or looking in different directions (after the first month or two)
• Unable to follow an object with both eyes
• Excessive watering
• Head tilting or turning to one side
• Extreme sensitivity to light (after the first month or two)
• Frequent crust in either eye
• Drooping eyelids
• Eyes look cloudy
• Eyes that flutter or move back and forth
• Frequent squinting

When to Visit the Eye Doctor

It is important to establish good habits right from the start for regular eye exams for your child.  They are extremely valuable for maintaining your child’s healthy vision throughout their life.  Of course, if you ever have any concerns at all about a vision problem, visit your eye doctor immediately.  But as a rule, the recommended ages for eye exams for children are 6 months, 3 years old and before kindergarten.  Following that, they should be performed yearly after age 5.

At Family Vision Development Center, we provide thorough, professional care to all members of the family in our friendly Aurora location.  We specialize in vision therapy services for kids of all ages and are here to answer all of your questions regarding your child’s vision.  Contact us at 630-862-2020 to learn more or to schedule an appointment.

Additional information can be referenced here