Black Eyes-Not What You Think

 

Image:www.theeyenews.com

This is not in the sense that most of us know or experienced. When a black eye is mentioned most of us think of the bruising and swelling from physical injury causing the tiny blood vessels to leak blood and fluid under the skin around the eye. There is a rare eye disorder, it occurs in 1 in 50,000 people, known as aniridia which makes the eye appear to have no iris and the eye looks completely black.

Aniridia is a serious rare genetic eye disorder that affects the colored part of the eye-the iris. The iris is partially or fully gone and the pupils are abnormally large and may be oddly shaped. In some cases, other structures of the eye are poorly developed affecting the cornea, anterior chamber, retina, and optic nerve. Aniridia often is found in both eyes but can affect each eye differently. Aniridia can be present at birth or appear later in life.

The cause in most cases is due to a mutation in chromosome 11 and it affects the PAX 6 gene. The PAX 6 gene belongs to a family of genes that play a critical role in the formation of tissues and organs during the development of the embryo.

Symptoms of Aniridia include:
Poor vision
Sensitivity to light
Fast uncontrollable shaking “to and fro” eye movement
Eyes don’t line up

Aniridia treatment is usually directed at treating and improving vision. Patients will need regular eye exams to watch for complications such as cataracts and glaucoma. Some patients will need special glasses to protect their eyes from sunlight, protect them from injury and correct any loss of visual sharpness.

Complications to be on the look-out for:
Aniridia-related keratopathy
Glaucoma
Cataracts
Problems with the optic nerve
Retinal tearing or detachment



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Sources:

www.Coopersvision.com https://bit.ly/3m3hMEn

www.cedars-sinai.org/ https://ceda.rs/3m2sPNW

www.aapos.org https://bit.ly/37HQqv1

Limbal rings how do you wear them?

 

Noooo….

You don’t wear them although in some cultures limbal rings are believed to show spiritual purity others believe it to be attractive. Limbal rings are associated with youth and health. Not having limbal rings has not been associated with any health conditions and should not be of concern.

So what are limbal rings? Limbus means border or edge. The limbal ring is a dark ring of pigment around the iris of the eye (The colored part of the eye). Where the sclera, which is the white part of the eye, meets the cornea. What makes it attractive is the contrast – The iris appears more colorful and the white of the sclera is whiter.

Does everyone have limbal rings? Most people are born with limbal rings. As people age, the rings will probably start to thin out and become less visible. This typically happens sometime in your 20s. People with light-colored eyes will have more prominent limbal rings and they are more visible later in life.



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Sources:

www.psychologytoday.com

www.ttdeye.com

www.healthline.com

3-D Printed Artificial Corneas

Image: www.sciencedirect.com

3-D printing for medical applications is no longer the future, it is now. 3-D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three-dimensional objects from a CAD model or a digital 3-D model. The creation of a 3-D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process, an object is created by laying down thin successive layers of material in the form of liquid or powdered plastic, metal, or cement and thin fusing layers together. 3-D printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing which is cutting out or hollowing out of a piece of metal or plastic with a milling machine. Liquid polymer form is the most common type of 3-D printing. The polymer is cured rapidly by ultraviolet light. This is the primary use in medical applications and is referred to as stereolithography.

Researchers have created the most advanced artificial cornea using 3-D printing and bio-ink made with human stem cells. The cornea is the protective, clear outer layer covering the eye. 3-D printed artificial corneas made of decellularized corneal stroma and stem cells. Stroma is a type of cell that makes up certain types of connective tissue (supporting tissue that surrounds other tissues and organs). Decellularized tissue is made by chemically or physically removing the cellular compartment of living tissue.

This process uses a simple, low-cost 3D bio-printer to form the shape of a human cornea. This bio-ink was successfully expelled out of the printer. The researchers then showed that stem cells on the printed cornea grew, creating a human cornea.

3D-printed corneas will now have to undergo further testing. It is likely patients will have to wait several years before 3-D printed corneas are approved for use by the FDA in the United States. These devices represent help to those with severe corneal damage or disease. This technology may eventually replace the use of donated corneas in eye surgery. Bypassing the complications of finding a donor match from deceased donors where the need far exceeds the supply.

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Sources:

www.news24.com

www.usnews.com

www.cancer.gov

www.ophthalmologytimes.com

www.3dprinting.com

www.medicaldevice-network.com

www.popularmechanics.com

Contact Lens Health

Proper care of your contact lenses can help you see better and keep your eyes healthy. Your habits, supplies, and eyecare provider are all essential to keeping your eyes healthy. By following your eye care provider's instructions on how to properly wear, clean, and store your contact lenses.

Don’t sleep with your contact lenses in your eyes. It will create problems like:
-redness and irritation
-When your eyes and contacts dry out too far you can damage the cornea
-It greatly increases the risk of infection

Wash your hands-Hand washing is the most important step you can do to keep your eyes and contact lenses and yourself healthy. If you think about all the things you touch during the day (doorknobs, keyboards, and countertops, etc...). All those microbes are transferred from your fingers to your contacts and into your eyes. This can cause a nasty infection that may damage your sight.

Keep contact lenses away from all water-As we know water is essential to life, but there are still many microorganisms even in the best water treatment facilities of North America and Europe. In most cases, these organisms in water can be fought off by the human gut when ingested and not make us sick, but your eyes don't have the same ability to fight. A particularly dangerous germ is an ameba called Acanthamoeba, which can cause a very serious type of eye infection, Acanthamoeba Keratitis. An infection that is painful and difficult to treat. Treatment for Acanthamoeba Keratitis sometimes takes a year or more to recover. Though it is rare may require a corneal transplant or result in blindness. Water in swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, and rivers can be sources of even more dangers of infection.

Properly clean your contact lenses
1. Wash your hands first
2. Fill each chamber of your contact lens case with fresh solution
3. Make it a habit of beginning with the same eye so as not to mix the lenses up.
4. Place one lens in the palm of your clean hand, apply a few drops of disinfecting solution. With one clean finger gently rub the lens back and forth in your palm to clean the lens surface.
5. Rinse your lens thoroughly with more of your solution and put it into your clean contact lens case.
6. Repeat this routine for your other lens, close the case and leave your lenses to soak overnight.

Properly clean your contact lens case-The same bacteria from your fingers can wind up in your contact lens case, it can be a breeding ground for germs, transferring to the lenses. The following steps will help keep lenses clean and eyes healthy:
1. After putting lenses in your eyes, empty the old solution from the case (never reuse disinfecting solution).
2. Rinse the case with a little clean contact solution and rub the cups of the case with clean fingers. Rinse the case with clean solution again.
3. Allow the case to air dry, upside-down without the caps, clean the caps also, and allow to air dry, until ready to use.
4. Periodically you can put the case in the dishwasher to disinfect replace the case in boiling water for five minutes to prevent bacteria from building up.
5. Discard the case and replace it with a new one every three months.

Talk with your eye care provider. Proactive vision care can prevent more serious conditions later.

Be prepared-carry your glasses with your current prescription in case you need to remove your contacts, also a bottle of extra cleaning solution, and a contact lens case.

Sources:

www.cdc.gov

www.clevelandclinic.org

www.health.usnews.com

Image: www.cdc.gov



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#PittsburghOptometrist