HealthyLife Articles

Tag: Eye Conditions

Avoiding Digital Eye Strain

WORK LIFE

Many people spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen at their job. And when we’re not at our desks, we may be looking at a smartphone or tablet or watching TV. All of these digital screens add up to a lot of strain on the eyes. Viewing a digital screen is hard on the eyes due to glare and reflections. Most screens also have less defined letters than printed paper, making them harder to read.

Digital eye strain, or computer vision syndrome, may cause dry eyes or blurred vision, but it can affect other areas of the body as well. Some people also experience headaches and neck and shoulder pain. If these symptoms bother you when you’re using a digital screen, you may have digital eye strain.

When you are viewing a screen for long periods, protect your eyes from strain by following these tips:

* Keep your screen about four to five inches below eye level.

* Avoid glare by moving the screen away from windows and bright lights. Consider a screen glare filter if needed.

* Rest your eyes throughout the day with the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

* Think about blinking. Many people blink less frequently while viewing a screen. Be intentional about blinking so your eyes stay moist.

* Get regular eye exams from a qualified doctor or optometrist. Be sure to tell your doctor if you notice any symptoms of digital eye strain or vision changes.

Source: American Optometric Association

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Cataract Facts

WELL-BEING

With aging comes the possibility of developing cataracts. In fact, age is the primary risk factor for developing a clouding of the lens of one or both eyes.

Smoking and diabetes may contribute to the proteins in the eye that clump together and begin to cloud vision, but wear and tear over the years is the main culprit, according to the National Eye Institute.

If you have trouble identifying blues and purples, you may have what is called lens discoloration from a cataract forming. The condition can begin as early as age 40, but after age 60 is when cataracts start to reduce the sharpness of your vision.

Other signs of cataract formation include glaring headlights and poor night vision, double vision, faded colors, or frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contacts.

Wearing sunglasses and a hat with a wide brim to block ultraviolet sunlight may help to delay cataracts. If you smoke, stop. Researchers also believe good nutrition can help reduce the risk of age-related cataract. They advise eating green leafy vegetables, fruit, and other foods with antioxidants.

If you are age 60 or older, you should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once every 2 years. In addition to checking for cataracts, your eye care professional can check for signs of age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other vision disorders. Early treatment for many eye diseases may save your sight.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
How Aging Affects The Eyes

Eye Conditions

Growing older does not always mean you see poorly. But you may not see as well as you did before. Common changes that affect your eyes are:

* “Aging Eyes.” The medical term for this is presbyopia (prez-bee-OH-pea-ah). This comes on slowly after age 40. Close objects or small print are harder to see. You may have to hold reading materials at arm’s length. You may get headaches or “tired eyes” while you read or do other close work. Presbyopia can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

* The need for more light in order to see clearly. With aging, the pupil in the eye is unable to open as wide or to adapt to light as fast as it did before. This can make it harder to see in the dark. It can make it harder to tell one color from another. Blues can look like different shades of gray. To help with this, add more and brighter lights in places around the house, such as at work counters, stairways, and favorite reading places. This may help you see better and can sometimes prevent accidents. Also, don’t wear tinted glasses or sunglasses at night, especially when you drive.

Signs & Symptoms and What It Could Be

Signs & Symptoms: Sudden loss of all or part of vision, especially in one eye with sudden weakness or numbness on one side.

What It Could Be: Stroke

What to Do: Get immediate care. Call 9-1-1.

Signs & Symptoms: Vision loss after head or eye injury. Sudden vision loss or blurred vision, and seeing dark spots, or flashes of light all of a sudden.

What It Could Be: Detached or torn retina.

What to Do: Get immediate care.

Signs & Symptoms: Severe pain in and above the eye. Eye redness, swollen upper eyelid. Dilated and fixed pupil. Very blurred vision, halos around lights.

What It Could Be: Angle-closure glaucoma.

What to Do: Get immediate care.

Signs & Symptoms: Object or chemical in the eye.

What It Could Be: Eye irritation or injury.

See “Eye Irritations & Injuries” for more information.

Signs & Symptoms: Gradual loss of side vision. Blurred vision. Halos around lights. Poor night vision.

What It Could Be: Open-angle or chronic glaucoma.

See “Glaucoma” for more information.

Signs & Symptoms: Dark or blind spot in center of vision. Blurred or cloudy vision. Straight lines look wavy.

What It Could Be: Macular degeneration.

See “Macular Degeneration” for more information.

Signs & Symptoms: Cloudy, fuzzy, foggy, or filmy vision. Halos around lights. Problems with glare from lamps or the sun.

What It Could Be: Cataract.

See “Cataracts” for more information.

Signs & Symptoms: Pus discharge from the eye; the white of the eye and eyelid are red; crusting of the eyelid in the morning; feeling of sand in the eye

What It Could Be: Conjunctivitis (“Pink Eye”).

See “Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)” for more information.

Signs & Symptoms: Firm lump on eyelid or tender pimple on the edge of the eyelid.

What It Could Be: Stye.

See “Stye” for more information.

Signs & Symptoms: Seeing spots, specks, wavy lines, or streaks of light.

What It Could Be: Floaters and/or flashes.

See “Floaters and/or flashes” for more information.

Signs & Symptoms: Blurred vision when you look at close objects; headaches; eyestrain.

What It Could Be: “Aging Eyes” or presbyopia.

What to Do: Call eye doctor for an appointment and advice.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Clean Contacts Matter

SELF-CARE CORNER

If you wear contact lenses, it’s important to keep them clean and care for them properly. Not taking care of your contact lens could cause an eye infection known as keratitis, which can cause serious eye problems. The CDC says 988,000 people had keratitis in 2010. The biggest risk factor was improper care of contact lenses.

You can greatly reduce your risk of this infection by doing the following things each day:

* Wash your hands with soap and water before inserting or removing your lenses.

* Use only sterile contact lens solution and disinfectant. Don’t use water, saliva, or other liquids to store or rinse your lenses.

* Gently rub your lenses with disinfectant daily.

* Remove your lenses before showering, swimming and sleeping.

* Use fresh solution every day. Dump out all the old solution.

* Don’t wear lenses longer than directed. For instance, some disposable contacts are designed to be worn for one day. Some can be worn for several weeks or longer. Ask your eye care professional if you’re not sure.

* Don’t use expired solution or contacts.

* Replace your contact lens case every three to six months.

Source: The American Academy of Ophthalmology

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Cataract

Eye Conditions

A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye.

Get regular eye and physical exams to help detect when cataracts are forming.

Imagine a thick cloud covering the lens of one or both eyes. This is what it is like to have cataracts. You may see glare from lamps or the sun and halos around lights. It is also harder to see at night. Let your doctor know if you have these problems.

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness around the world. Vision can be restored, in most cases, with cataract surgery, one of the safest and most common surgeries done.

Consider cataract surgery when a cataract keeps you from doing the things you want to do. Find out more from the American Academy of Ophthalmology ataao.org.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Eye-Popping Facts

WELL-BEING

Kids (and adults) are spending hours using electronics such as iPads, video games, computers, and smartphones. How much is too much for your eyes when it comes to digital device use?

Eye strain or Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is a serious condition that can cause back and neck pain, dry eye, and even headaches. Statistics show that 80% of what we learn is through our eyes, which means that digital eyestrain and CVS can have a major impact on productivity and success.

VSP optometrist, Dr. Nate Bonilla-Warford suggests these eye-easing ways to avoid digital eye strain:

*Blink often:When looking at a computer or hand-held digital device, it’s common for you to blink 2 to 3 times less than you normally would. This can lead to “dry eye.” Blinking bathes your eyes in tears, and tears are naturally helpful for the eyes.

*Follow the 20/20/20 rule:When spending long periods in front of a digital device, every 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away to allow your eyes to rest.

*Ensure proper lighting:Poor lighting often causes eye strain. To help ease the strain on your eyes, keep bright lighting overhead to a minimum and position your desk lamp to shine on your desk, and not at you.

*Wear it:If you or your child wears prescription glasses-for digital use or otherwise-make sure to have them on.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Cataract 2

Eye Conditions

A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens or lens capsule of the eye. A cataract blocks or distorts light entering the eye. Vision gradually becomes dull and fuzzy, even in daylight. Most of the time, cataracts occur in both eyes, but only one eye may be affected. If they form in both eyes, one eye can be worse than the other, because each cataract develops at a different rate.

Signs & Symptoms

* Cloudy, fuzzy, foggy, or filmy vision.

* Pupils (normally black) appear milky white.

* Frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions. Better near vision for a while, but only in far-sighted people.

* Sensitivity to light and glazed nighttime vision. This can cause problems when driving at night.

* Blurred or double vision. Changes in the way you see colors.

* Seeing glare from lamps or the sun. Halos may appear around lights.

Causes

* The most common form of cataracts come with aging due to changes in the chemical state of lens proteins. More than half of Americans age 65 and older have a cataract.

* Cataracts can also result from damage to the lens capsule due to trauma; from ionizing radiation or infrared rays; from taking corticosteroid medicines for a long time; and from chemical toxins. Smokers have an increased risk for cataracts. So do persons with diabetes and glaucoma.

Treatment

Treatment includes eye exams, corrective lenses, cataract glasses, and cataract surgery, when needed.

A person who has cataract surgery usually gets an artificial lens at the same time. A plastic disc called an intraocular lens (IOL) is placed in the lens capsule inside the eye.

It takes a couple of months for an eye to heal after cataract surgery. Experts say it is best to wait until your first eye heals before you have surgery on the second eye if it, too, has a cataract.

Questions to Ask

Self-Care / Prevention

To Help Prevent Cataracts

* Limit exposing your eyes to X-rays, microwaves, and infrared radiation.

* Avoid overexposure to sunlight. While outdoors, wear sunglasses with UV block and wear a hat with a brim.

* Wear glasses or goggles that protect your eyes whenever you use strong chemicals, power tools, or other instruments that could result in eye injury.

* Don’t smoke. Avoid heavy drinking.

* Keep other illnesses, such as diabetes, under control.

* Eat foods high in beta-carotene and/or vitamin C, which may help to prevent or delay cataracts. Examples are carrots, cantaloupes, oranges, and broccoli.

To Treat Cataracts

* Be careful about driving at night. Let someone else drive if you can’t see well.

* Wear sunglasses with UV block.

* When indoors, don’t have lighting too bright or pointed directly at you. Install dimmer switches so you can lower the light level. Use table lamps, not ceiling fixtures.

* Use soft, white (not clear) light bulbs.

* Arrange to have light reflect off walls and ceilings.

* Read large print items. Use magnifying glasses, if needed.

* Schedule eye exams as advised by your doctor.

* Wear your prescribed glasses.

Resources

National Eye Institute (NEI)

www.nei.nih.gov

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
How To Put In Eyedrops

SELF-CARE CORNER

* Wash your hands with soap and water.

* Shake the eyedrop container gently. Make sure the prescription is for you. Check to see how many drops you are to put in and when.

* Remove the cap. Set it aside. Do not touch the dropper tip with your hand.

* Tilt your head back. With both eyes open, look at a point on the ceiling.

* Pull your lower lid down gently to form a pocket for the drop. Position the tip of the bottle less than an inch above your lower lid.

* Squeeze the bottle lightly to allow the drop to fall into the pocket.

* Close your eyes without squeezing them. Keep eyes closed for 30 seconds. Gently blot with a clean tissue.

* Replace the cap on the eyedrop bottle.

* Keep eyedrops out of sunlight.

Other tips:

* Do not wear contact lenses while using eyedrops or ointments.

* If you have eyedrops and eye ointment, put in the eyedrops before the ointment.

* You may find this easier to do in front of a mirror or lying flat on your back.

* Check the bottle’s expiration date. Throw it away if outdated.

Source: National Institutes of Health

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Eye Health At Work

Eye Conditions

Follow your workplace’s safety rules to protect your eyes. Wear safety glasses, goggles, face shields, etc. Keep your safety eyewear clean and in good condition.

More than 700,000 persons in the U.S. have eye injuries at work a year. Most of these could have been prevented.

Find out if and what type of eyewear is required for your job. Ask loved ones if they wear required safety eyewear at work.

Persons who walk through work areas that have eye hazard areas need to wear protective eyewear.

When you visit a worksite that poses a risk of eye injuries, ask for protective eyewear if it is not provided.

Glasses and contact lenses used for other activities may not be effective when working with computer screens.

Let your eye doctor know if you work at a computer so they can prescribe the proper eyewear for you to use.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Look Cool & Protect Your Eyes

SELF-CARE CORNER

Sunglasses are a great fashion item, but their most important job is to protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Prolonged exposure to the sun can damage the surface tissues, cornea, and lens of the eye. It has also been linked to cataract, macular degeneration, and temporary vision loss.

Through its EyeSmart® UV Safety campaign, the American Academy of Ophthalmology offers tips to keep your eyes safe:

Wear sunglasses that protect your eyes from both UVA and UVB rays.

* When you purchase sunglasses, look for either UV400 or 100% UV protection on the label. Frames with a close-fitting wraparound style give the best protection.

* Wear sunglasses even if you wear UV-blocking contact lenses. Contacts do not cover enough eye area.

* Wear sunglasses on cloudy days, too. The sun’s rays can pass through haze and clouds.

Wear a hatalong with your sunglasses. Hats with a wide brim are best.

Protect your children’s eyes.

* Keep children out of direct sunlight during the middle of the day.

* Have them wear sunglasses and hats whenever they are in the sun.

Be extra careful in UV-intense conditions:

* Mid-day to early afternoon, when sunlight is strongest

* At higher altitudes

* Places where the sun is reflected off of water, ice or snow

Learn more about UV eye safety and tips to protect the eyes from the sun atwww.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/living/sun.cfm

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026