#opthamalogy

[mangohealth]

Test Your Eye Health IQ

Opening your eyes is the first thing you do every day, so it’s easy to take your vision for granted. But remember the importance of seeing the world with a healthy set of eyes. Find out whether these seven bits of vision conventional wisdom are true or false, and learn a few pointers on how to keep your eyes in top form.

IF YOU’RE NOT A FAN OF CARROTS, GOOD NEWS: THEY AREN’T THE ONLY FOODS THAT PROMOTE EYE HEALTH.

Eating carrots can improve your eyesight. Somewhat true. If you have less than perfect vision, consuming carrots won’t get you seeing 20/20. But the vegetable is chock-full of an antioxidant that the body converts to vitamin A, which is an important nutrient for eye health. This antioxidant, beta-carotene, is the yellowish-orange pigment that gives carrots their distinct color.

If you’re not a fan of carrots, good news: they aren’t the only foods that promote eye health. Dietary carotenoids can also be found in squash, spinach, and other colorful vegetables, such as red, orange, and yellow peppers. Health.com has a round up of more foods to help you eat right and protect your sight.

Reading in dim light will damage your eyes. False. Using your eyes – even in dim light – doesn’t harm them any more than listening to a symphony hurts your ears. Though it may be more difficult to do as we age, it doesn’t have a negative effect on our vision.

You may be wondering, “How can my 10-year-old son see in much less light than me?” Kids haven’t yet lost their near vision, so reading in dim light isn’t nearly as much of a challenge. “Children’s retinas simply tend to work better,” ophthalmologist Anne Sumers explains to Everyday Health. “Reading is always good for your eyes and your brain.”

SCREENS THEMSELVES DON’T ACTUALLY HURT YOUR EYES: THESE SYMPTOMS RESULT FROM YOUR EYES GETTING FATIGUED AND LOSING FOCUS.

Computer time can wreck your vision. Somewhat true. If you’re one of the many people who spends hours in front of a computer screen, you’ve most likely experienced headaches, blurred vision, or dry eyes at one point or another. However, the screens themselves don’t actually hurt your sight: these symptoms result from your eyes getting fatigued and losing focus. When you’re concentrating, you also blink about half as much, often causing your eyes to get dry and irritated.

To prevent these symptoms, try WebMD’s 20-20-20 rule to let your eyes rest: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away or more for at least 20 seconds. This habit can help break the constant strain of focusing on objects up close and get you blinking regularly, generating fresh tears to keep your eyes moist and free of irritants.

Ultraviolet rays can literally burn your eyes. True. The same way the sun can burn your skin, so can ultraviolet (UV) rays cause damage to your eyes. If you’ve ever experienced red or itchy eyes caused by sunshine, you may have noticed that your discomfort didn’t last long. But researchers have found that long-term exposure to UV rays can actually have a permanent effect, including cataracts and irreversible damage to the retina.

So protect your eyes the same way you’d protect your skin: sport sunglasses whenever you spend time outside — even if it’s cloudy. The American Optometric Association recommends sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB radiation, screen out 75 to 90 percent of visible light, are free of imperfections and distortion, and have gray lenses for proper color recognition.

THOUGH THEY MAY CAUSE ‘CROW’S FEET’ OR THOSE WRINKLES AROUND YOUR EYES, SQUINTING DOESN’T ACTUALLY HURT YOUR VISION.

Smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body. True. The phrase “smoke gets in your eyes” is true: smoking and even secondhand smoke increases your risk for vision loss as you get older. Research suggests that cataracts tends to develop later in non-smokers, and according to the National Eye Institute, studies have linked smoking to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and optic nerve damage – all of which can lead to blindness.

Squinting can damage your vision. False. Though they may cause “crow’s feet” or those wrinkles around your eyes, squinting doesn’t actually hurt your vision. As Dr. Richard Rosen, director of ophthalmology research at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, tells ABC News, "Squinting is an attempt to make the pupil smaller – it lets in less light. By closing your lids together, it further enhances your focus.“

However, a habit of squinting could be an indication of another underlying problem. Squinting regularly could be a sign that you need a new eyeglass prescription, for instance, or that you have eye inflammation that’s causing sensitivity to light.

Your eyes are a window to your soul. Somewhat true. Your eyes can indeed give you a glance at your overall health. Dry eyes can be an indication of rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or thyroid disease, while blurry vision, on the other hand, may be an indication of diabetic retinopathy, which is the most frequent cause of new cases of blindness among adults between the ages of 20 and 74. Stay on top of any symptoms you experience by keeping up with regular eye exams once a year. 

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The posts on this blog are for information only. They are neither intended to substitute for a relationship with your doctor or other healthcare provider, nor do they constitute medical or healthcare advice of any kind. Any information in these posts should not be acted upon without consideration of primary source material and professional input from one’s own health care providers.

[thescienceofequus]

Meet SOLSTICE! "Sol" went blind about 4 years ago, gradually, due to an illness. He now sees via a 3-D-wave echolocation device called BlindSight by Jordycanid.com. 

He came to CWER in March 2015, and was fitted with the 1st ever equine version of the BlindSight earlier this year. The device sends out a grouping of sound waves similar to that of a dolphin approximately every second, so he gets 'snapshots' of the world, like a child's flipbook cartoon. Watch the whole video to see how incredibly well "Sol" is able to navigate his world!!!

This is working AMAZINGLY well for our Solstice and in fact we now have a 2nd blind horse here who is just starting to learn to use one. We are working with the designer to just to the eye positioning and views of a prey animal rather than predator, and think the next box will be a huge step forward for Sol's vision

-- Crosswinds Equine Rescue Inc.

Additional information from the Paulick Report:

Solstice, a 10-year-old, blind Quarter Horse that resides at Crosswinds Equine Rescue in Sidell, Ill., recently gained the ability to “see.”

The first horse to be fitted with BlindSight, “Sol” as he is known, is quickly learning to use the device to help him navigate his environment. The device sends out a grouping of sound waves every second, similar to those a dolphin uses. Sol is able to get “snapshots” of the world, like a cartoon flipbook.

Sol quickly learned to “read” the pictures and see what is in front of him. He can now “see” an object about 3 inches in diameter (he will still trip over a 2” x 4”). He has become very dependent on the box—he even learned to shake his head when a wire was loose to get it clicking again. When his halter is taken off for whatever reason, Sol stands rooted to the spot until it is placed back on his head.

The rescue and engineer Paul Propst are working on adjusting the eye positions of BlindSight to that of a prey animal rather than a predator; Sol will get another box soon, allowing him to understand his environment even better.

Originally designed for his sister-in-law’s blind Golden Retriever, Propst created BlindSight to use a sound frequency above the human hearing range to provide echo information to dogs. The dog’s brain then provides a virtual picture of its surroundings. While people tend to lose the ability to hear higher frequencies first, dogs actually lose low frequency hearing first, which allows them to still hear this high-pitched tone.

Though horses lose the higher frequencies first, because they can hear a wider range than humans, BlindSight can still be beneficial for many horses.

A second blind horse at Crosswinds Equine Rescue, Inc. is beginning to learn to use BlindSight, as well.

Learn more about BlinsSight at Jordy Canid.com

[odinsblog]

Is Rand Paul a board-certified ophthalmologist, or is Rand Paul a one man ophthalmology board?

The American Board of Ophthalmology, the board that certifies ophthalmologists, says he isn’t one. Rand Paul is a fake doctor accredited by his own fake optometry board.

Rand Paul likes to tell people he is “board-certified.” Though he isn’t board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, he is certified by the National Board of Ophthalmology. That latter “group” though is an organization led by Rand Paul. More accurately, the National Board of Ophthalmology is Rand Paul. You have to give it to him, the guy is good at naming his groups things that sound real.

When a Louisville reporter tried to ask Paul why he claims to be board-certified when he isn’t and why he set up the National Board of Ophthalmology, he stonewalled:

“I’m not going to go through all that right now,” Paul said while at the Great Eastern National Gun Day Show and JAG Military Show, in Louisville. Asked when he would talk, Paul said: “Uh, you know, never…”

Paul created the NBO with himself as the organization's president, his wife as vice-president, and his father-in-law as secretary.

h/t Wonkette and Salon