Friday, June 7, 2013

What Now? What You Need to Do After Cataract Surgery

If you think surgery marks the finish line, think again. After the procedure, there are a lot more things to keep in mind. Among these are things that you have to do to help yourself have a faster recovery. The following are a few pointers that you have to keep in mind after the operation:

Take a rest.

Regardless of the body part involved, resting is essential after every operation. Rest helps your body to relax and promote healing. Give yourself a break; do not force yourself to function the way you do during normal days.

Take the medication.

Those medicines are given to you for a purpose. Never forget to take them because they will help in the healing process. For instance, those eye drops are important to keep your eyes in good condition. Make sure to use them as much and as often as necessary.

Take care of your eyes.

If you need to go out, make sure that your eyes are shielded as they are still very sensitive. Dust and other irritants are your number one enemies. Never, ever go out without the eye protection provided by the doctor a day after the surgery. Furthermore, refrain from doing strenuous activities.


Surgery has just saved your eyes by giving them new life. It's only right that you be careful and not waste that opportunity. Help yourself recover and relish the gift of sight.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

What to Remember Post-Laser Cataract Surgery

The high success rate of laser surgery for cataract removal is one of the reasons many people are signing up for it. Though they do not doubt the effectiveness and safety of laser surgery, patients still have reservations about any discomfort or pain they may experience after the outpatient procedure. Professional eye doctors put their clients' minds at ease by listing down what they can expect after laser cataract surgery.

A feeling of dizziness is common after surgery because local anesthesia and other medications to help the patient relax is typically used. Gritty or burning sensations in the eye is likewise normal in the first several hours following the operation. Such minor discomforts are expected to be resolved a day after. Whatever happens, do not put pressure on the eye or eyes that underwent the procedure.

The patient is advised to have someone accompany him since driving is not allowed 24 hours after the operation. The patient can engage in walking, television watching or reading; although it is better if the eyes are rested upon reaching the house. Immediately after surgery, the client may stay at the recovery area to rest and receive post-op instructions.


The patient will have to wear a lightweight eye shield to protect the eyes from injury. Eye drops and other medications to prevent severe inflammation will be prescribed by the eye doctor. It is also important to take note of follow-up appointments to ensure quick recovery.  

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Trust Walk: In Real Life, It's Not So Fun

As the name implies, Trust Walk is an activity that aims to build trust between pairs or groups of people. In its simplest form, it works by blindfolding one of the participants and having him weave through obstacles under instructions from his seeing partner. When successful, it brings people much closer to each other, but otherwise it just causes injuries and animosity between partners.

One of the lessons taught by the Trust Walk is that your eyesight is very important. If you don't have any practice moving around blind, you're going to be bumping into stuff. Whether you build any trust or not during the game is up in the air, but surely you're going to come out relieved that you can actually see.

In life, people are usually only given a single pair of eyes to work with, and they are therefore something to treasure and take care of. Even when your eyesight goes blurry, there's still a chance that a skilled surgeon can do something for you; what's important is that you don't leave things to chance and always be on the lookout for any problems.

If you want, you can look at Trust Walk as “bonding and learning through trauma”. You may not be building any trust with every fall you take, but at least you're learning to appreciate your eyes more. It may just be a game, but it gives you a glimpse of how difficult it is to live without the sense of sight.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Living in a Visual World: The “Eyes” Have It

Eyesight is the most important sense of the human body. At least, that's how most people feel, thereby making blindness one of the most haunting fears for anyone who's ever been able to see. The sad thing is that for a lot of people, this is more than just a fear but a reality, and they are the only ones who can really understand what it's like to live in darkness.

It's not only blindness that people should be concerned about. Countless individuals are dealing with conditions that, while not leaving them sightless, are nonetheless a big inconvenience. Nearsightedness, far sightedness, and double vision are only a few examples, and there's even color blindness, too, which is altogether an entirely different level of troublesome.

In any case, eyesight is one of the most precious gifts that people enjoy. Without it, many won't be able to fully appreciate the beauty of the world around them. Having said this, it is important to take care of and appreciate your eyes for as long as you could.

Don't take chances and immediately visit a professional at the first sign of trouble with your eyesight. Medical technology has come far, and most problems are but a simple fix for a skilled doctor. Don't wait until you're blind to have regrets; it's a visual world, after all, and it would be a waste to stop seeing it.   

Laser Eye Surgery and Preventing Visual Impairment

Activities that expose the eyes to large amounts of radiation can cause strain on these organs and lead to the blurring of one's sight. People who work in front of computers for hours on end are only some of those who are at risk of contracting vision problems. Others are born with poor eyesight, which can get worse as they near a certain age.

However, people who suffer from early signs of visual impairment are not doomed to blindly walk the face of the Earth for as long as they live and breathe. While eyeglasses serve to decrease eye grades, surgical procedures have proven to be another efficient option to improve vision as it can lead to immediate and significant results.

An eye surgery or an ocular surgery is a type of medical procedure that is performed on the eyes by an ophthalmologist. Eye surgery is currently conducted through the use of lasers, which reshape the layers underneath the cornea to correct refractive errors. Only those above the age of 18 are allowed to undergo this procedure.

Since its conception, laser eye surgery has become a popular way to correct various eye diseases such as near-sightedness or myopia, far-sightedness or hyperopia, and astigmatism. As proof of its effectiveness, surveys reveal that 92 to 98 percent of the people who underwent laser eye surgery are said to be deeply satisfied with the results of the procedure.


Sunday, June 2, 2013

Battling Blindness: How to Avoid Getting Trapped in a World of Darkness

Some argue that the eyes are the windows to one's soul, but nobody disputes the fact that they are a person's windows to the world. The eyes give people their sense of sight; through these organs, humans are able to appreciate the beauty of creation. Unfortunately, not everyone gets through life with a 20/20 vision.

The lack of visual perception or total blindness is a condition that plunges individuals into a world of darkness. This condition stems from physiological or neurological factors, which range from genetic defects to willful actions such as deliberate attacks against the eyes through gouging, for instance. Age can also affect the performance of the eyes.

When you fail to see things as clearly as you did before, you can rush to the nearest eye center to have your eyes checked. Once specialists find out that you are suffering from eye problems, they may suggest that you take corrective measures such as wearing eyeglasses or undergoing laser treatment to rid yourself of your dilemma. Eye implantation can also be done on those who were born or became blind.


Blindness may not be inevitable, but it does not mean that you can take chances. If you want to preserve your sight to see what the future holds for you, then start by eating food rich with vitamin A and reducing the hours you spend watching television or browsing the Internet, as these are known to cause strain to the eyes.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Learning How to Deal With Diabetic Retinopathy

Being diagnosed with diabetes can be one of the worst times of your life. As there is no permanent cure for this illness, it is a lifelong odyssey of insulin shots and major sacrifices to your lifestyle, whether you are infected with Type I, Type II, or gestational diabetes. Many people are correct in thinking that diabetes is a result of consuming too much sweets. Did you know, however, that it can affect your vision, too? This is called diabetic retinopathy, a condition that severely affects the retina due to the bleeding of local blood vessels and the forming of new ones that are not as effective.

Diabetic retinopathy is usually split into early and advanced phases; the early stage can be slowed down through consultations with your endocrinologist. Treatment of the eyes is recommended at the advanced stage, mostly through laser-based devices. Focal laser treatment is used to seal the leakage of blood vessels and other eye fluids. Scatter treatments involve using laser burns spread out over the target area to reduce the size of the abnormal vessels. Vitrectomy, which is performed under general anesthesia, will concern the removal of scar tissue or fluids tugging at the retina.


Being a diabetic requires extra care of the body. This includes learning about the effects of the disease on other parts of your body, such as your eyes, and knowing how to treat it before you go completely blind. An eye doctor will help work it with you.