EyeMist.com

EyeMist.com is an online resource for people suffering from Dry Eye, Computer Vision Syndrome, or Allergy Eye. It offers articles and research on treatment, and ways to identify the symptoms of Dry Eye, CVS, and Allergy Eye, as well as Blepharitis and LASIK Eye Surgery.

Healthy Vision: Tips For Preventing Computer Eye Strain From @TheLASIKDoc

RT @TheLASIKDoc Work at a #computer all day? Make sure that your time spent on the computer is not hurting your #vision:

“Make sure that your time spent on the computer is not hurting your vision. Growing up in this day and age, it is becoming more and more common to include technology into our daily life and activities. For some, this could include talking away on your cell phone or Bluetooth to different people across the country. For others, it could mean reading your paperback book off of an iPad or Kindle, rather than carrying around an actual hard copy.” Read More

New Education about Menopause and Dry Eye

Laurie Barber, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Arkansas, talks with Sharon Kleyne about Dry Eye and Menopause.

Dr. Barber practices in all areas of ophthalmology but does research on corneal inflammation, which can be caused by dry eye. There is no skin over the cornea and it is protected only by the corneal membrane and the tear film so it’s very delicate. If the tear film is healthy, the eye is likely to be healthy.

According to Dr. Barber, hydration and diet are critical to retain moisture in the eyes. You should also eat green, leafy veggies, fruit and omega-3’s.

In younger people, according to Dr. Barber, there are very few symptoms of dry eye. Dry eye is most common in people over 35.  Dry eye symptoms include burning, itching, irritated, red eyes, and blurred vision.

The hormonal changes leading to menopause, she explained, start at around age 35, and while men have some of the same hormonal fluctuations as women, women have more hormones and more dry eye.

Ms. Kleyne asked what women can do to treat menopausal dry eye, and Dr. Barber said to do what you would for hot flashes; Exercise, drink lots of water, try to stay in a cool place and wear layered clothing so you can cool yourself off.

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Sharon Kleyne is the founder of Bio Logic Aqua Research, the maker of Nature’s Tears EyeMist. Nature’s Tears EyeMist is an all-natural mist for dry eyes.

William Mathers, MD, Answers Questions About Nature’s Tears EyeMist

Dr. William Mathers, a former consultant for Bio Logic Aqua Research, answered a few questions about Nature’s Tears EyeMist.

How does Nature’s Tears EyeMist differ from eye drops? Nature’s Tears EyeMist utilizes an entirely different approach than eye drops to correct the tear film in a person with dry, irritated eyes. By misting the tear film surface with sub-micro-liter droplets of very pure water, the thickness and concentration of the aqueous layer can be restored to normal without losing the lipid layer or beneficial proteins. Nature’s Tears EyeMist is the first optical application to utilize a water mist rather than chemical eye drops.

What is the role of the tear film in dry, irritated eyes? The human tear film, covering the cornea’s external surface, has three layers. The mucin layer, the aqeous layer, and the lipid layer. The discomfort and blurring of dry eyes begins with the evaporation of pure water from the aqueous layer. This thins the layer and increases the concentration of dissolved electrolytes and beneficial proteins. These dissolved substances keep the eyes comfortable and safe from infection but when they become unnaturally concentrated, burning and stinging result.

When should Nature’s Tears EyeMist be used? Nature’s Tears EyeMist is specifically indicated for patients who do not tolerate artificial tears well. In addition, the product benefits every disorder whose symptoms include dry, irritated eyes. Patients with eye irritation (dryness, burning, itching, fatigue, etc.), from dry eye, contact lenses, post-Lasik surgery, computer eye strain, lupus, scleroderma, harsh indoor and outdoor conditions, airline travel, sports activities, smoke, dust, air pollution and low humidity will all benefit. The mist is effective in all climates and for all ages all over the world. Best results are obtained if the mist is applied properly, which may require a small amount of instruction and practice. Nature’s Tears EyeMist is 100% safe and may be used as often as necessary, even by patients with severe dry eye. The product may be safely used with any other eye application or medication.

How do I apply Nature’s Tears EyeMist? Hold dispenser about 8 to 12 inches from eyes and press the nozzle, misting for 1 to 2 seconds in a sweep across both eyes while keeping eyes open. Do not aim directly at eyes. To avoid reflex blinking, begin by pointing the mist at the side of your eyes. The mist application supplies not only sufficient moisture to replenish the tear film in both eyes, but it also moisturizes the eyelids and the facial skin around the eyes.

Learn more about Nature’s Tears EyeMist on Facebook and Twitter.

Original article: http://naturestears.com/dry-eye-blog/2012/05/29/william-mathers-md-answers-questions-about-natures-tears-eyemist/

Computer Eye Strain and Dry Eye Can Cost You Money, Productivity and Your Vision

If your eyes often bother you after a couple of hours at the computer, you are not alone. Computer eye strain, a form of dry eye disease, has become one of the most common reasons for eye doctor visits.

Eye health advocate Sharon Kleyne cautions that computer eye strain symptoms should never be ignored. Mrs. Kleyne is host of the Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water syndicated radio show, and founder of Bio-Logic Aqua Research.

Sharon Kleyne notes that the tear film of the eye is 99% water and that computer eye strain symptoms usually result from tear film water evaporation. Symptoms include tired, burning or itchy eyes, blurred vision, headaches, poor sleep and elevated stress. The good news, Mrs. Kleyne says, is that with a few common-sense precautions, including the following tips, computer eye strain can be relieved and even prevented.

1. Have an annual professional eye exam.

2. Drink at least eight glasses of water every day.

3. Eat eye healthy foods (dark green leafy vegetables and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids), exercise and fresh air regularly, and get sufficient sleep.

4. Keep a hand-held air humidifier, plants and/or an open container of water near your desk. Because the air is dry, adding water (moisture) to the air reduces dry eye and natural water evaporation due to dehydration.

5. Sip water while you work. Pour bottled water into a glass before drinking.

6. Try to blink more often, taping a reminder to the computer if necessary. When working at a computer screen, your eyes’ blink rate can drop from 30 times per minute to three times per minute, which increases tear film water evaporation.

7. Exercise your eye muscles by looking around the room at varying distances several times per hour (Take breaks away from your desk – outdoors if possible. Crack (or open) a window to let in fresh, humid air (indoor air can be dry, stale and dehydrating).

8. Turn off lights that are too bright, especially fluorescent lights. Or switch to a desk lamp.

9. Periodically throughout the day, moisturize the air around your eyes with a pH balanced (below 7.0), fine-mist eye spray.

The only all-natural, all-water, hand-held eye humidifying device with patented technology to supplement natural tear film water, is Nature’s Tears® EyeMist® from Bio-Logic Aqua Research, a sponsor of the Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water.

© 2012 Bio-Logic Aqua Research

Computer Vision Syndrome and Computer Eye Strain

Benefits of Eye Misting for Computer Dry Eye

We know what you’re doing right now!

You’re looking at a computer screen, aren’t you?

And chances are, your eyes are not happy about it!

Computers and dry eye symptoms.

• Dry eye discomfort from computer use is a growing and increasingly urgent problem.
• Ophthalmologists call this “computer vision syndrome” (CVS), “computer eye strain,” “computer eye irritation” or “computer dry eye.”
• The computer dry eye problem is widespread, and potentially serious.
• Nearly every computer user experiences dry eye discomfort that could lead to loss of productivity, loss of income, and eventually, loss of eyesight

Do you have computer vision syndrome?

If you answer “yes” to question #1 and at least two others, you may be experiencing computer vision syndrome.

• Are you a “Computer Nerd” who uses a computer more than two hours a day?
• Do your eyes sometimes burn or itch?
• Are your eyes sometimes sensitive to light?
• Does your vision ever become blurry?
• Do your eyelids sometimes become heavy or tired during computer use, even though you’ve had plenty of sleep?
• Do you get headaches from using the computer?
• Do your shoulders sometimes feel tight while using the computer?
• Do you have frequent eye allergies?

Other causes of computer vision syndrome:

In addition to computers, several common office conditions could result in computer eye strain, tear film dehydration and dry eye symptoms.

• Forced-air heating and cooling.
• Synthetic chemicals (plastics, paint, cleaning fluids, etc).
• Insulated windows and walls.
• Fluorescent lighting.
• Stress.
• Low indoor humidity.
• Your diet.

Your eyes depend on the tear film.

• The highly complex “tear film” covering the eyes consist of water, oil, electrolyte, antibodies, protein and mucus. The tear film moistens, lubricates, oxygenates and protects the eyes; and forms a light transmitting surface that enables you to see.
• The tear film is 98% water. Every time you open your eyelids, you expose the tear film to evaporation and natural water loss.
• Dry eye symptoms occur when too much water evaporates from the tear film without replacement (this process is highly complex, also involving tear glands and brain messaging).
• More dry eye education
• More tear film education
• Computers accelerate tear film dehydration and water evaporation because:
  • They create or reflect glare and intensely bright light.
  • They are almost always indoors, which tends to be less humid than outdoors.
  • They cause a decreased blink rate (blinking replenishes the tear film), which may drop from 30-40 times a minute to three times a minute.
  • They contribute to brain and body stress, which is dehydrating.
• To re-hydrate dry eyes, simply add water to the dehydrated tear film!
  • Formulated eye drops are inconvenient to apply, excessively large in volume, contain little natural water and are not always effective.
  • Nature’s Tears EyeMist instantly and conveniently replaces lost tear film water.

Nature’s Tears EyeMist.

To supplement tear film water and minimize dry eye symptoms, mist your eyes frequently with Nature’s Tears EyeMist. With no dosage limit, all-natural Nature’s Tears EyeMist may be applied whenever computer dry eye symptoms are experienced. Always keep Nature’s Tears EyeMist beside your computer (and combine it with a complete daily hydration program that includes drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day).

Computer vision syndrome prevention tips:

• An eye care professional may prescribe special “computer glasses.”
• Keep a glass of water (And Nature’s Tears EyeMist) near your desk to help humidify the air.
• Drink bottled water while you work…but pour it into a glass first. Total daily water intake should be at least 8 to 10 glasses.
• Make a conscious effort to blink more often.
• Several times per hour, look around the room at objects of varying distances.
• Take scheduled breaks away from your desk (outdoors if possible).
• To reduce glare, position your computer so windows are at the side of your computer rather than in the front or back. Adjust window blinds accordingly.
• If possible, turn off fluorescent overhead lights and switch to a desk lamp.
• Attach a glare-blocking hood or filter to your monitor.
• Crack a window to let in humid air from the outside. Outdoor air is free of re-circulated bacteria and shed skin particles from co-workers, which enters via the heating/cooling system and can cause eye and skin dehydration.
• Set the REFRESH RATE on your monitor as high as you can (over 85). Use a flat-screen if possible. A low refresh rate (60 or less), on a cathode ray monitor, can cause dry eye, eye strain and headache.
• Take a shower every day that allow plenty of steam and water to penetrate your eyes, skin, breathing passages and lungs.
• Every couple weeks, take a long, luxuriant hot body bath with a cup of Epsom salt dissolved in the bathtub water. This will detoxify, lubricate and humidify dry eyes and skin, improve skin flexibility and benefit all part of the body.
• Keep your body fit: Reduce stress, establish a daily program of sleep, fresh air and exercise, control your weight, avoid sugar (which is dehydrating) and eat lots of dark green leafy vegetables (eye food).

The Dangers of Pet Dry Eye

“Dry eye in humans is often environmentally related and has become the number one reason for United States eye doctor visits. Pets are subject to the same environmental conditions and are far more prone to eye injuries and diseases, including cat and dog dry eye. As a pet “parent,” monitoring your dog or cat’s eye health is critical. Eyes should always be kept moist and, of course, you must make sure your dog or cat eats properly and drinks enough water.”

Sharon Kleyne, syndicated radio talk show host*

The state of eye care in pets.

According to Animal Eye Care, which runs 39 ophthalmology clinics for pets, dogs and cats are subject to numerous eye diseases. The list on their website includes blepharitis, eye injuries, cataracts, conjunctivitis, corneal ulcers, eyelid masses and glaucoma.

Sharon Kleyne, entrepreneur, water and health advocate, and host of the Sharon Kleyne Hour -Power of Water syndicated radio talk show, points out that nearly all of these eye diseases are either the result of pet dry eye (a disease characterized by insufficient water content in the protective natural tear film covering the eye), or have pet dry eye as a side effect (Pet dry eye often results from diet and/or medication).

She reiterates what many veterinarians are discovering – that treatment of these diseases will be far more effective if you simultaneously treat for cat or dog dry eye.

Cat and dog dry eye.

Sharon Kleyne’s research has discovered that eye dehydration and dry eye disease among humans are more widespread than commonly reported (nearly every human suffers from occasional dry eye symptoms and it usually goes undiagnosed). “If dry eye is under-diagnosed among humans,” says Mrs. Kleyne, “the condition is almost unrecognized among professional pet care experts – despite the fact that the incidence of dry eye may be even greater among dogs and cats than among humans.”

“The good news,” according to Mrs. Kleyne, “is that there are many ways pet owners can be proactive in monitoring their pet’s eyes to keep them hydrated and healthy.

(Note: Because of the “third eyelid” membrane, a normal dog or cat eye is slightly better protected and better moisturized than a human eye. But because pets are exposed to far more high risk situations, their eyes are more subject to injuries and infections.)

Dry eye symptoms

Pet dry eye in is closely linked to conjunctivitis, red eye, blepharitis (eyelid inflammation) and corneal ulcers. Symptoms may include: (1) redness of the white part of the eye, (2) eyelid inflammation, (3) frequent eye infections and dripping, (4) lack of “shine” in the eyes or a noticeable thickening or unevenness of the tear film’s usually invisible lipid (oil) component, (5) indications of eye discomfort such as frequent squinting, blinking or pawing at the eyes, (6) unusual dryness of the fur and/or mouth.

Environmental risk factors include; (1) living in an extremely dry or desert climate, (2) frequent exposure to wind, cold and solar radiation, (3) frequent exposure to dirt (very common among dogs), dust, smoke or chemical fumes, (4) prolonged exposure to climate controlled indoor environments such as forced-air heating and cooling and insulated walls and windows.

High risk dog breeds: bulldogs, cocker spaniels, lhasa apsos and west highland white terriers.

Suggestions for pet eye care, including cat and dog dry eye.

• Control exposure to high risk situations.
• Inspect your pet’s eyes frequently, watching for symptoms described above and for symptoms of other eye diseases.
• See your veterinarian if your pet shown any symptoms of any eye disease, including dry eye.
• For mostly indoor pets, make sure their home is well-humidified. Open windows, have lots of plants around, set out bowls of water or purchase a room humidifier.
• Make sure your pet is well nourished and drinks enough water every day.
• Apply Nature’s Tears EyeMist several times a day to maintain natural tear film water content and also to keep fur well hydrated. This routine can prevent or alleviate dry eye and help reduce dry eye as a side effect of other diseases.

Suggestions for pet watering.

Pets vary in the amount of water they like to drink and getting them to drink more can be a challenge. Do not assume that they will drink the exact right amount of water “by instinct.”

• Pets should drink one cup of water per day for every 10 pounds of weight.
• Follow the recommended diet for your pet’s species, age, weight, state of health and lifestyle.
• Water sitting in a bowl all day can become contaminated and also lose oxygen and therefore taste.
• Change water bowl frequently or purchase a pet watering device.
• Don’t let pets drink from puddles or lakes.
• Add water to your pet’s food.
• Offer them water occasionally – especially after activity.
• Pets require more water if they are ill.

*Don’t miss the Sharon Kleyne Hour – Power of Water Mondays at 10 a.m. PST/PDT. The syndicated show may be heard on Voice America/World Talk Radio, Green Talk Radio and Apple iTunes. Go to http://www.SharonKleyneHour.com for summaries and replays of past shows.

Online Sources:

WebMD for pets, PetMD, Animal Eye Care, Free Drinking Water, eHow, Hugs Pet Products..

© 2011 Bio-Logic Aqua Research All Rights Reserved