Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Lutein Plus for the eyes and beyond! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND In today’s blog I will be reviewing a very popular Invite product, Lutein Plus. Lutein Plus contains lutein, zeaxanthin and DHA. Let’s start with 2 of the most well-known eye studies, AREDS and …
Macular Degeneration part 2 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND In my last blog I began the conversation on macular degeneration. Today I’ll be finishing that important topic. Let’s start with the most common risk factors for macular degeneration. One of the largest risk factors for …
Macular Degeneration part 1
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Macular Degeneration is more common than you might think. In fact according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology age related macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of vision loss in those age 50 and older! Now I am sure you noticed this is labeled part 1. This is because I wanted to really get into depth with exactly what macular degeneration is and I did not feel that one part would really do that justice. Anyhoo when most people hear macular degeneration the first thing that pops into their mind is that macular degeneration is a buildup of drusen. While drusen is a big part of macular degeneration it’s not the entire picture. Macular degeneration is a loss of central vision. However there is typically no loss or change in peripheral vision. There are 2 main reasons why this vision loss occurs and these are due to the 2 different forms of macular degeneration. (1) The 1st form is called wet macular degeneration. This form only accounts for approximately 10% of all cases. (2) While this form is less common it is more severe and you will typically loose vision faster. Now what happens when you have wet macular degenerations is new abnormal blood vessels grow underneath the retina. These new vessels are “leaky” and blood as well as other fluids leak out and this causes the macula to be scarred. Now the other form is much more common and accounts for approximately 80 % of all cases. This is called dry macular degeneration. This is where drusen is important. When you have dry macular degeneration parts of the macula grow thinner and tiny clumps of drusen grow leading to a loss of central vision. (1) To sum things up both forms of macular degeneration lead to changes and eventual loss of central vision. However their underlying mechanism is different (increase in leaky blood vessels vs drusen). What does this look like? Please see the attached picture for a comparison. (3)
Macular degeneration is a prime example of a very series condition that can have either very subtle or even no early warning signs. It is a prime example of why regular eye screenings are so important. What are some of the symptoms you may experience? At 1st you may have trouble seeing in low light. You may notice that your vision is blurry for both up close and distance. Additionally colors may not be as bright. As the disease progresses there may be vision changes or even vision loss. In later stages straight lines may look wavy or corked. In the center of your vision there may be a blurry or even blank spot. Sudden and significant loss of central vision may indicate the development of wet macular degeneration. (4) Now I bet your question right now is but doc how do I know if lines are wavy? Do I just grab a notebook and look at the lines? There is actually something called the Amsler grid. This can be used to help monitor your vision especially if you have any of the risk factors for macular degeneration. Please see the below pictures for a healthy view of the grid as compared to what the grid may look like if there is macular degeneration. (1)
Healthy
Possible macular degeneration
According to the American Academy of ophthalmology to use this grid you do the following:
When it comes to macular degeneration there is still a lot of talk about! In my next blog we will be reviewing the risk factors, as well as any complications that can occur. Lastly we will be reviewing what you can do to lower your risk factors and what supplements are important when you are diagnosed with macular denegation.
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Grape Seed for our vision? Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND A simple internet search for grape seed will show you how amazing grape seed really is! In fact most people know some of the benefits of Grape Seed. But what they may not know is …
Cataracts Explained Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to start off this topic on vision with cataracts for one simple reason – it’s extremely common. In fact I bet you know someone who has cataracts whether it be a relative or friend. Just how …
PINK EYE~ IT’S NOT JUST A CHILDHOOD INFECTION
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is often associated with childhood infections, as we have all probably had a classmate or even ourselves that contracted this during our school years. However, it’s not limited to childhood, as many adults contract this as well. Let’s get more familiar with what pink eye is, how it’s contracted and how to keep our eyes healthy.
So what exactly is pink eye? Simply put, it’s an infection that is typically caused by either a virus or bacteria, although it can sometimes be caused by allergies, COVID-19 or even from some STDs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. Once contracted, pink eye is highly contagious and if you have these certain STDs or bacteria’s in your body when giving birthing, its possible the baby can contract pink eye soon after birth.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The American Academy of Ophthalmology, we know that there are three types of pink eye. Having an understanding of the different types of pink eye can help you to identify it easier, figure out how you may have contracted it, how to aid in clearing it up and also when to seek out a doctor for possible treatment.
Viral conjunctivitis is caused by a virus and is the most common form of pink eye. It is usually caused by cold and sore throat viruses and is highly contagious. This is the form that is thought of when one hears pink eye, as it is typically spread around schools. It can cause redness, irritation and watering in the eye(s).
Bacterial conjunctivitis is caused by a bacteria that has infected the eye(s), is highly contagious and is similar to the bacteria that causes strep throat. It can be seen in newborn babies, particularly soon after birth. It can also be caused by such things as contacts lenses, makeup or makeup brushes. You’ll probably have sore red eyes and see more of a gooey discharge and/or crusting of the eye(s) and/or eyelashes.
Allergic conjunctivitis is cause by an allergy irritant and isn’t contagious. Some allergies that may cause itchy, red eyes would be, but not limited to, cigarette smoke, animal dander or environmental allergies and pollen. While this is an inconvenience, it’s not as disruptive as the viral or bacterial forms and can be managed well.
There are many signs and symptoms to be aware of if you think you are experiencing pink eye, aside from a red or pink hue on the whites of the eye(s). Other signs to be aware of may include swelling or puffiness, itchy or irritated eye(s), excessive watery eye(s) and/or a discharge from the eye(s). Another common sign is waking up to find a crust formed around the eye(s) and/or eyelashes. This may even cause the eye(S) to be “glued” shut. I like to recommend applying a warm washcloth to help breakup the crust and wipe it away.
Pink eye typically heals itself without visits to a doctor. However there are a few things that can be done to ease the symptoms and make the time it takes to clear up easier. It is advised to discontinue wearing eye makeup until pink eye clears up and if you wear contacts, try switching to glasses for a while. Applying a warm, damp washcloth to the eyes can be helpful. Contact your doctor if you experience such issues, but not limited to, pain, puss, light sensitivity, fever or if you’re not seeing improvement in a few days. Try to avoid touching the eye area.
Biocurcumin can be helpful for pink eye as it is said to have anti-inflammatory properties. This is important to help reduce the inflammation and puffiness that often accompanies pick eye. This can be uncomfortable and sometimes painful or itchy, so managing this inflammation can make recovery an easier process.
Quercetin is an antioxidant that has shown to be helpful when it comes to healthy eyes. This is due to the anti-inflammatory properties that it offers.
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8614-pink-eye
www.webmd.com/eye-health/eye-health-conjunctivitis
www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/pink-eye
www.cdc.gov/conjunctivitis/index.html
www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/pink-eye-conjunctivitis
www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/pink-eye-quick-home-remedies
www.webmd.com/eye-health/pinkeye-home-care
www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-curcumin
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28056553/
