Author Archives: EYECONTACTS

Recent estimates put the proportion of allergy sufferers in the western world at between 20% and 40% of the population. A large number of those people are suffering from allergic conjunctivitis. However, this condition does not preclude contact lens wear but success depends on a strategic approach that starts with identifying allergic patients. The next step should be to provide them with options to manage their allergy symptoms, making contact lens wear comfortable, according to a paper published in the… Read More ➝

Living in an urban environment can affect a person’s health in numerous ways. Pollution, dust and smog have been linked to respiratory problems, allergies and cardiovascular disease, to mention but a few. These are factors that also affect ocular health and can cause eye problems or discomfort for contact lens wearers. The latter often have to deal with the added impact of working in an office, where they may be required to spend long hours in front of a computer…. Read More ➝

Some children are quite comfortable with wearing glasses and continue to favour them for the rest of their lives. Others, however, decide at some point they would prefer contact lenses. There will be cases when the desire to swap glasses for contacts is driven by the child’s belief that his or her looks will improve. Sometimes, it will be simply a desire to engage in active sporting activities, where contact lenses offer great convenience. Whatever the reason, parents have the… Read More ➝

Cataracts are a common visual problem that afflicts people as they get older. The lens of the eye becomes clouded, leading to a deterioration in eyesight. Vision clarity can be restored through the implantation of Intraocular Lenses (IOLs) and surgical technology is undergoing rapid development. Given the aging global population, the IOL market is set for a modest but steady growth in the years ahead; according to a new report from WinterGreen Research, the market will be worth US$3.8 billion… Read More ➝

A duo of Canadian researchers has published the results of a study suggesting that total darkness could be the answer to restoring vision. As revealed by their publication in the Current Biology Journal, the experiment was conducted on kittens with amblyopia, a condition popularly known as ‘lazy eye’. The kittens used in the study had their amblyopia induced through monocular deprivation, which is to say depriving one eye of visual input. Kevin Duffy and Donald Mitchell, the Dalhousie University researchers… Read More ➝

One often hears older people complaining about the effect age has had on their eyesight. This is particularly bothersome for those fond of reading, making their favourite pastime an undertaking that requires greater effort. However, living in the digital era can be to the advantage of book lovers since tablet computers make it easier for them to read, a German research team has established. The study was a joint effort by the Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) in Meinz and the… Read More ➝

A team of scientists at the University of Florida is developing a bandage contact lense with an extended drug release duration, which potentially creates a new drug delivery system for patients who have undergone eye surgery, FierceDrugDelivery reported recently. The idea of using silicone hydrogel contact lenses as drug delivery vehicles is not a new one but the Florida research team is aiming to extend significantly the length of the release period. Bandage contact lenses are used after eye surgery… Read More ➝

Australia’s Optometrists Association has urged parents to make sure that their children undergo regular eye examinations so as to identify visual problems that could possibly be the root of learning difficulties, the Mercury reported recently. According to Andrew Hogan, a spokesman for the association, an undiagnosed eye problem may be the explanation for learning difficulties. Hogan noted that roughly 60% of children with such difficulties also suffered from some vision problems. The Optometrists Association recommends that children undergo an eye… Read More ➝