Research & Publications

Happy senior couple

Cataract Surgery Could Reduce Dementia Risk

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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birth control pills

Can Birth Control Pills Cause Glaucoma?

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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Presbyopia

Treatment Options for Presbyopia

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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Middle aged man with pterygium in left eye

How Do I Know if I Have a Pterygium?

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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Astronaut in space

So You Want to Be an Astronaut: The Side Effects of Space Flight

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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Older woman smiling with glasses

Can I Have LASIK If…

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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Drinking Alcohol Can Affect Your Eyes

Six Ways that Drinking Alcohol Affects Your Eyes

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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The Link Between Dry Eye and Poor Sleep

The Link Between Dry Eye and Poor Sleep

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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You're Unsuitable for LASIK. Now What?

I’ve Just Been Told I’m Unsuitable For LASIK Laser Eye Surgery. Now What?

You’ve finally saved up those dollars, mentally prepared yourself for the idea of undergoing an eye operation, told all your friends now is the time, and advised work you’re going to need some time off. Then you march into the ophthalmologist’s office armed with your questions about how long the LASIK procedure will take, how long until you can drive again… and, after all that you’re told you can’t have LASIK.
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Research & Publications

Young woman with monkeypox rash holding her arms crossed

How Human Monkeypox Affects the Eyes

In May 2022, the World Health Organization declared (yet another) international public health emergency. While still reeling …

Mental health disorder

How Eye Health Affects Mental Wellbeing

If you think about how much you depend on your vision for everyday tasks, it’s not surprising that being confronted with …

Daughter feeding a carrot to her mother

Eating for Eye Health

What goes in is what comes out, they say. They also say you are what you eat. It’s not a secret that eating well and healthily …