Color Contact Lenses

The advent of colored contact lenses has brought a revolution in the contact lens market. Colored contact lenses have become very popular among youngsters. These lenses can be enhancement lenses which are used to enhance the natural color of your eyes or they might be opaque lenses which can be used to change the color of your eyes totally. But any sort of color contact lens goes best with proper eye make up. There are various make up tips which should be kept in mind in order to give the best effect to your eyes. The make up you have to apply depends on your skin color as well as the color of the contact lens which you will wear. These are a few tips that you should follow in order to give the best effect your eyes.

Women with fair skin: If you are wearing a green color contact lens then any shadow in neutral or light green in color will look the best. If you are wearing a blue or a turquoise contact lens then you can go for a shadow in blue but a little lighter than the color of your lens. If you are going for an amethyst or violet or a gray lens then a lavender color shadow would suit you the most. On the other hand brown or gray eyeliner will suit much more on a fair skin than black eyeliner. The eyeliner should not be too sharp. If you want to wear a blue or a turquoise contact lens then you can go for a blue mascara to give your eyes a dramatic effect.

Women with medium skin: if you have a medium dark skin then the best options for you are green, violet or blue contact lenses and natural shades would go with these lenses such as taupe, plum or brown. If you are going for turquoise or amethyst color lenses then an eye shadow in dark lavender or plum color will suit you the most.

Women with dark skin: if you have a dark skin then contact lenses of Amethyst, sapphire blue or green color will suit you the most. Bronze eye shadow will go the most with green lenses, mauve or brown shadows will go the best with blue or amethyst lenses and amber color shadow will go best with aqua or turquoise contact lenses.

You should be very careful about your eye make up as they are the most attractive and noticeable part of your body. Lipsticks also play a significant role on your eye color specially shades like dark or light pink and light or dark red would help you enhance your eye color. Always remember to apply eye make up after you have worn your color contact lens.

How To Clean Your Eye Glasses

You must always keep your eyeglasses clean for a clear vision. As you wear it outside, it is very easy for the glass to catch dirt and oils from outside. Also as you use your eyeglasses casually, they pick up fingerprints which may distort the vision.
The sole purpose of cleaning your eyeglasses is to remove the residue or dirt without affecting the lenses. Different types of glasses require different handling. When you buy your eyeglasses you must ask about the ways to take care of them. If you don’t take proper care of your glasses then they will not provide you a clear vision thereby increasing the eyestrain.
Special lens wipes are available in big retails shops and malls for cleaning the glasses. You can use these wipes for any lenses like glass or plastic. They have specific usage instructions and you read them before cleaning your glass with lens wipes. The lens wipes clear the dirt from your glasses without damaging them.
You can clean your glass by washing it under warm water. First remove the dirt by rubbing with a fine silk cloth. Then rinse the glass with warm water. After that apply a mild detergent in your hands and make circular motion in the lenses to remove the oils and residue. Rinse again with warm water. When all the dust is cleared the water will be repelled by the lens and you can dry the glass with a soft cotton cloth. You must wipe the entire moisture in the lens and the frames to keep your glass clean and durable.
For cleaning the nose pads of your glass you can use baby tooth brushes or special brushes for cleaning nose pads. You must not let the brush rub the lens as its bristles may scratch your lens. If your glass has any special coating you have to check with the optometrist for the cleaning process. If you engage wrong cleaning process then it may spoil your glass.
While removing the glass, use both the hands so that frame does not bend. When you are not using the glass keep it in a hard case specially meant for keeping your glass. When you have designer glasses then you have to be more careful as they are expensive. Your glass will stay new and fresh as long you take proper care. Also you need to maintain the glasses clean for a clear distortion free vision.

Causes, symptoms and treatments for conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is a common eye disease that can affect people of all ages at any point of time. This is caused by infection in the transparent layer that covers the white portion of the eyes and in the inner sides of the eyelids. When your eyes are affected with conjunctivitis then they turn red and hence the name pink eye.

Pink eyes cause irritation and soreness of the eyes. The infection may be due to some virus or bacteria or intrusion of certain foreign substances into the eyes. This disease will look severe with children as the eyes turn red and cause pain. This disease is contagious and hence all the members must be alert to protect themselves from conjunctivitis when someone in the household gets affected.

Causes

The reasons causing pink eye may be due to infections or allergies.

Infection can be caused by some bacteria that cause cold, sinus, soar throat and other infections. Certain infections caused in the body by bacteria and virus also turn the eyes red. Bacteria causing sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhea can also lead to pink eyes.

Some people may be allergic to certain types of food and environmental conditions. When they are exposed to their allergic conditions then also they may be affected by conjunctivitis. People may be allergic to chicken meat, grass, seasonal pollen grains and dust mites. They may be affected by pink eye when they were to face the allergic substances.

Certain chemicals like chlorine, soaps and polluted air and smoke may also cause pink eyes. These chemicals may cause irritation in the eyes.

Giant papillary pink eye affects people who wear outdated contact lenses. Those who wear contact lenses must check their eyes atleast once a year and change the lenses if necessary.

Symptoms

The common symptoms include the eyes turning red, irritation and pain. Depending on the causes the symptoms differ slightly.

Pink eyes due to bacterial and virus infections will lead to red eyes that are watery and often discharge of fluid occurs. This starts in one of the eyes and spread to the other and both the eyes will be affected very soon. Infectious pink eyes are highly contagious.

Pink eyes due to allergic environments lead to red eyes with flowing tears, irritation and itch. Both the eyes are affected almost at the same time. This is non contagious.

Giant papillary pink eye will lead to red watery eyes with discharge and tears. This will develop swelling in the inner sides of the eye lids and irritation increases when the same old contact lenses are used.

Treatments

The infections caused by bacteria can be treated with antibiotics. Ointments are also available and they can be applied over eyes to reduce the pain. A clean cloth dipped in warm water can be used to dissolve the discharge thereby reducing the infection.

Infections caused by virus need no treatments. They will go off in their own way as the human immune system will work to fight the viral infections. Antibiotics will not generally work with viral infections. When your children are affected with viral pink ye you must consult the doctor to reduce the pain. Certain medicines may be prescribed by the doctor to help the body combat against the virus. Eye drops can also be applied to reduce the swelling and the irritation.

Anti-inflammatory, antihistamine medicines are used to cure allergic pink eye. The best medicine is to keep the victim away from his allergic conditions. Eye drops are also suggested to overcome the irritation and soreness. Substances causing allergy must be identified and must be kept away from the person to stop the infection from developing.

How the Eye works

The basic function of the eye is often compared to a simple camera.

• Light travels in straight lines but bends when it hits another transparent medium.
  
• The cornea is the curved front surface of the eye. When a ray of light hits this curved surface, it bends. It is here that most of the refraction occurs. The refractive index is approximately 1.376, which is comparable to that of glass or plastic.
  
• The iris is the coloured part of the eye. It adjusts automatically to control the amount of light entering the eye.
  
• The pupil is the hole in the iris through which the light enters. It enlarges when there is less light, so as to allow the maximum possible light to enter. It becomes smaller when you are in the presence of bright light.
  
• The lens is the transparent structure inside the eye that focuses light rays onto the retina. It is flexible and changes its shape and focal length. When we look at faraway things, the lens is pulled flat by little muscles. When we look at close-up things, the muscles pull in and the lens gets fat and round. This way, the eye is able to look at things near as well as far.
  
• The retina is the nerve layer that lines the back of the eye. When your eye focuses on an object, all the light rays from a single point on that object are bent toward a single point on your retina. The odd thing is that the images are inverted as they impinge on the retina! (This is because the rays of light are bent by a double convex lens!) The retina senses light and creates impulses that are sent through the optic nerve to the brain.
  
• The macula is a small area in the retina that contains special light-sensitive cells. The macula allows us to see fine details clearly.
  
• The optic nerve is the nerve that connects the eye to the brain. The optic nerve carries the impulses formed by the retina to the brain, which interprets them as images.

By the time this happens, you have not just seen, you have perceived. Vision is not so simple as we have made it sound. Two people look at the same scene and see different things. We recognise things with different associations. In these ways seeing is so closely connected to the understanding of what is seen – perception.

Eye Care Tips

• Take A vitamin diet to make eyes brighter. (papaya, eggs, fish, milk, cilantro etc.,)
  Wash eyes with cold water to get sparkling eyes.

• Put sliced cucumber over your eyes to treat dark circles.

• Put potato slices on your eye to get rid off those dark circles.

• Soak amla overnight in water and use this water the next morning to wash the eyes.

• Soak cotton in Luke warm milk and cover eyes with it for 15 min.

• To soothe tired eyes, dip cotton pads in chilled milk and place on closed eyes for 10 minutes. Now relax completely.

• To completely relax the eyes and the surrounding muscles, close your eyes and think of something that is pleasant or soothing and at a distance. Now gently open your eyes and look into the distance. Next focus on an object at arm's length. Do this extremely relaxing exercise four or five times a day.

• If your eye twitches, or your eyes are red and feeling itchy, massage your scalp with curd.

• Soak 1 tsp. dry amla in one cup of water overnight. Next morning strain it through a muslin cloth and then add one extra cup of water. Splash your eyes with this solution each morning. This makes your eyes sparkle.

• For Puffy Eyes: Grate a potato with its peel and apply on your closed eyelids for about 20 minutes and relax completely. You may even take a nap.
  
  
• Wash your face before sleeping, and ensure that there is no make-up on your face before you sleep, because, make-up creams may spoil your face as it will be there for the whole night. It is better if no cream is applied. What I feel is, wash your face before sleeping and if at all you want to apply any cream, just apply night cream and none other than that.

Basic Eye Care

Vitamins & Herbs For Healthy Eyes

For Red Irritated Eyes:

Eyebright Solution:

• 2 tablespoons eyebright herb (Euphrasia)
• 2 cups of hot water
• 2 cotton balls
• Steep the herb in water for 3 minutes or until cooled. Strain. Dip a cotton ball into the liquid and wipe eyes. Reduces redness.

Improves Night Vision

Mix together 30 drops of Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) with 8 ounces water, drink 3 times a day. Or drink 2 glasses of blueberry juice a day.

Improve Weak Eyes

Drink a glass of carrot juice daily

Relieve Eyestrain:

Place slices of cucumber over closed eyes for 15 minutes. Its cooling and refreshing to the eyes.

Reduce Swelling or Puffiness:

Use green tea that has steeped for five minutes and cooled. Wipe the eyes with this solution several times a day.

Drinking tea helps to deter cataracts.

Vitamins and Minerals For Eyes:

Vitamin A : Improves night vision. Food Source for vitamin A is dark green leafy vegetables, carrots, spinach, broccoli, eggs, cheese and butter are also great sources.

Vitamin B complex is good to reduce redness in eyes and can help eyes that are sensitive to light. Food Sources for vitamins B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cobalamin): pastas, breads, milk, dark green vegetables, mushrooms, tuna, nuts, avocados, bananas, liver.

Carotene allows the formation of visual purple in the eyes, which helps improve weak eyes. A good source of carotene is: carrots, broccoli, cabbage and peas.

Life Style and Eyes

For Athletes

Keep in mind that an athlete may still require protection against injuries during contact sports, no matter which type of vision correction he chooses. If there is any risk of being hit by a fast-moving ball or other object (as in racquetball, squash, hockey, etc.), eye protection is highly-recommended, whether you are wearing contacts or not. A polycarbonate eyeguard will not distort vision.

While some manufacturers have develSoped contact lenses that offer protection from ultraviolet rays, many lenses do not. In any case, sunglasses or dark goggles should be worn to protect the eyes in sunlight outdoors, particularly in such sports as swimming, skiing or ice-skating where they may be a lot of glare.

Performers&Actors: contactlenses on stage

Contact lenses provide a double benefit to the active lifestyles of performers, who may need to change or enhance their appearance while dancing, acting or participating in dramatic activities that may be as vigorous as a major league baseball game.

Before colored contact lenses were available to the public, movie stars were using them to change their eye color. Audrey Hepburn won an Academy Award for Wait Until Dark in 1967, in which she played a blind woman, wearing lenses specially designed to make her appear so.

Computer Use and Eyes

Instead of starring on the silver screen, or slugging home runs out of Fenway Park , a great number of people spend the majority of their workday in front of a computer screen. By one estimate, nearly 90 percent of those people working at a video display terminal (VDT) experienced some form of vision problem as a result.

How do you tell if your symptoms are related to your computer use?

VDT-related symptoms occur some time after you start work. As the workday progresses, your symptoms will become more acute. What are the symptoms that are related to computer use?

• Difficulty focusing after working at a computer, with blurry or double vision
• Eyestrain or eye fatigue
• Headaches or backaches
• Dry and/or irritated eyes
• Neck stiffness or discomfort
• After-images when looking away from the screen
• Sensitivity to lighting
• Muscle spasms

Are there environmental factors that could affect your symptoms?

• Bright lights in your peripheral field of vision could add to discomfort or reduced visual performance.
• Reflected light on your computer screen can decrease the contrast of screen characters and possibly force you to assume an awkward position to see around the glare.
  The location of your screen could cause awkward positioning.

To determine the cause of your symptoms, you should visit your eye care professional. Before going to your appointment, however, take note of the environment in which your symptoms occur and at what times they are greatest. This will aid your doctor greatly in the diagnosis.

If computer eyestrain is the diagnosis, there are simple methods to ease the discomfort:

• don't focus on a single object for a prolonged period of time;
• improve the lighting around your monitor;
• blink often;
• frequently close your eyes, then look far into the distance (down a hallway or out a
• window) every 15-20 minutes to relax them;
• sit at least 18-28 inches away from the screen;
• tilt the monitor slightly below eye level; and
• keep your screen dust-free to minimize visual interference.

Personal Reasons of Eye Care

Eye care is essential to maintaining the health of our eyes. People with eye diseases that greatly affect their vision face many problems. They are physically hampered by impaired vision. They are not able to perform daily activities like driving or working. Some are barely able to see or have lost their vision entirely. They are also faced with emotional stress. People with dramatic eye problems face many issues that can lead to solitude and depression. This strain also affects friends and families.

They are not able to enjoy everyday moments or special events. Eye problems can also be very costly to individuals. The need for eye wear, eye surgeries, and other needs can greatly affect a person or a family is income. Some people are not even able to work because of their eye problems. There are several steps everyone can take to help prevent eye diseases and the problems related to them. It starts with knowledge of keeping the eye healthy and following good guidelines for maintaining good eye health.

There are many eye diseases that can be prevented or whose progression can be slowed down with proper precautions and healthy eating. Eating a lot of Vitamins A, E, C, and some Zinc and Selenium can help prevent many diseases including those that affect the eyes. Visit the nutrition page on what foods contain these vitamins and minerals. Certain diseases might be causes by other factors such as obesity, diabetics, exposure to ultraviolet light, smoking, certain medications such as steroids, and many other factors. It is a good idea to ask your eye care doctor for specific steps you can take. People with obesity or who are diabetic should have more routine checkups since they are more likely to develop certain eye diseases.

Those who are outside most of the day should use protective sunglasses or eyeglasses to prevent heavy exposure to ultraviolet light. People who smoke or take certain medications should ask their doctor if they are more likely to have eye diseases because of family background. These little measures can help your eyes healthy and keep all the emotional, physical, and financial problems that come with eye problems away.

Know your eyes

Tears: The first line of defence, they also serve as lubrication by keeping the eyes moist and nourished; they also have a corrective lens function.

Eyelids: Their main job is to protect your eyes from dirt, dust and harsh light.

Eyelashes: A protective net for your eyes.

Cornea: A refractive zone that guides light to reach the retina.

Pupil: Controls the amount of light that enters your eyes.

Lens: A refractive zone that also guides light into the retina.

Retina and Optic Nerve: A bunch of intricate wiring that carries vision signals between your brain and eyes.