It’s a fly! No, it’s a spider! No, it’s a…. vitreous floater. Though you may be relieved to realize you’ve not walked into a swarm of midges after all, for some, the diagnosis of vitreous floaters isn’t particularly welcome either. Seen as little squiggles, lines, cobwebs, or specks that drift across your vision, floaters are both annoyingly common and just plain annoying.
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With dementia affecting almost 6 million people in the US, it wouldn’t be unexpected that you may personally know of someone affected by dementia. The term dementia describes a group of conditions involving impaired cognitive abilities that interfere with daily tasks. The World Health Organization identifies dementia as a global public health priority due to its significant impact not only on the people experiencing dementia, but also on their surrounding communities. In the US, dementia costs the economy over $600 billion every year.
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When you hear of a bionic eye, what first comes to mind? For those who grew up in the 80s and 90s, there’s probably a picture of Arnold Schwarzenegger floating in your mind right now. However, real bionic eyes look and function very differently from the Terminator’s glowing red orb.
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When talking about risk factors for various diseases, gender often comes into play. And we’re not just talking about being more at risk of ovarian cancer if you’re a woman or prostate cancer if you’re a man compared to the opposite gender. Just to name a few – if you’re female, you have a higher risk for autoimmune disease, cataracts, and arthritis, compared to your male counterparts. If you’re a man, you’re more likely to experience cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and pterygia (surfer’s eye) compared to the fairer sex.
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Well, it’s that time. You’re in your mid-40s and your life has been in clear focus until now. No, we’re not talking about a mid-life crisis, though you can still buy that red Ferrari if you really want to. We’re talking about presbyopia. Presby-what, you ask? Perhaps you recall the day your parents started wearing reading glasses but at the time probably didn’t realize that that would be you one day, too.
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The word “pterygium” is derived from the Greek for “wing” (hint: the p is silent). Surely you’d know if you had a wing on your eye, right? Though there is the occasional individual who is entirely oblivious to the pinkish white mass creeping over their eye, most people are aware that they are developing a growth over the cornea. The real question is, what is it? And do you need to worry?
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It’s the dream of many a little boy or girl – to one day become an astronaut and gaze upon our beautiful blue planet not from the earth, but from outer space. However, unless you were a particularly sensible, well-researched child, you may not be aware of the profound effects that space flight can have on the human body. Extensive and ongoing research by NASA and other authorities have found that extended durations spent with your head in the stars can actually result in:
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If you’re one of the many bespectacled people who have considered LASIK laser eye surgery, you may have heard of the term “eligibility criteria” or something similar. Basically, are you suitable for LASIK?
While the definitive answer to this question lies with your eye specialist, there are some general guidelines that can help you know whether to expect a resounding “yes, you are!” or a disappointing “no, unfortunately not.”
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You’re feeling a bit blurry, your vision is going in and out of focus… you think you’re getting some double vision… Do you need new glasses? Or could it be that you just had one too many glasses – of wine?
Around the world, about 117 billion gallons of alcoholic beverages are consumed each year. In the US, beer is the drink of choice, followed by spirits and wine. However, while a tipple or two at a party is generally considered socially acceptable, a number of Americans rely on having a bottle in hand for a bit more than just to look cool or to wet their lips. In 2019, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimated around 14.5 million US residents were living with an alcohol addiction.
While the full effects of alcoholism are beyond the scope of this particular article, there are some interesting facts to know about the effect alcohol has on eyes.
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If you are an experienced sleeper (and most of us are), you would know that a decent night’s sleep is pretty important. However, you probably also know that there are myriad things that can interrupt our sleep – it’s too cold, too hot, too noisy, too quiet, you have a small infant, you have a big infant, or you share your bed with a chronic snorer. If that list wasn’t enough, recent studies have given us yet another sleep-disrupting factor to add to it – dry eye disease.
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It’s a fly! No, it’s a spider! No, it’s a…. vitreous floater. Though you may be relieved to realize you’ve not …
With dementia affecting almost 6 million people in the US, it wouldn’t be unexpected that you may personally know of someone …
When you hear of a bionic eye, what first comes to mind? For those who grew up in the 80s and 90s, there’s probably a picture …
