There are many opinions on the topic of texting and driving. The goal of this blog is to neither refute nor endorse the subject, but instead to explore the effects on vision during texting. It is up to the reader to make a judgement call on the endorsement of texting and driving.

You may not be surprised to hear that texting has replaced drunken driving as the number one cause of deaths in the teenage population. According to Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York, teen drunken driving has gone down over 50% since 1991 but the number of people texting and driving has skyrocketed. It is illegal to text and drive in the UK, but not in many states in the USA. Some phone companies are launching ad campaigns to discourage texting while driving, and they are reporting a 23 times higher incidence of an accident if you text and drive.

So why does it make you more likely to crash from a visual perspective? The problem lies in distraction from driving. For example, it […]

And old Creek Indian proverb states, "We warm our hands by the fires we did not build, we drink the water from the wells we did not dig, we eat the fruit of the trees we did not plant, and we stand on the shoulders of giants who have gone before us."

In 1961, the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) was formed. This association stewards over 80 eye banks in the US with over 60,000 recipients each year of corneal tissue that restores sight to blind people. Over one million men, women, and children have had vision restored and pain relieved from eye injury or disease. The Eye Bank Association of America is truly a giant whom shoulders that we stand upon today. Their service and foresight into helping patients with blindness is remarkable.

It is important to give back the gift of sight. You may be asking, “how does this affect me?” On the back of your drivers license form there is a box that can be checked for being an organ donor. Many […]

Christmas is one of the most joyful times of the year… thoughts of cookies, decorations, family gatherings, and toys abound. Birthday parties for kids add to the list of wonderful memories as well. But there are a few toys that may not make memories so fun because of their potential for ocular harm. The American Optometric Association lists dangerous toys each year to warn buyers of the potential harm to children’s eyes that could occur because of the particular design of that toy.

Here is a sample of that toy list:

• Laser toys and laser pointers, or laser sights on toy guns pose serious threat to the retina, which may result in thermal burns or holes in the retina that can leave permanent injury or blindness. The FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health issues warnings on these devices at Christmas peak buying times.
• Any type of toy or teenage gun that shoots a projectile object. Even if the ammo is soft pellets, or soft tipped it can still pose a threat. Even soft tipped […]
  

Our society is on the go…and to match a fast paced life style, technology has to keep up. Thus, the impetus for a unique, wearable piece of technology that customizes your every need was developed: Google glasses. The idea of wearing a computer on your head is not new…Steve Mann invented a form of Digital Eye Glass in the 1980s. The original intent of this invention was to act as a camera to record, and as a computer monitor .

Google Glass, as it is referred to, takes that intent a step beyond by adding features of computer design integrated music, fitness, cycling, texting, golfing, navigation and more. It has been released in a limited “Explore” version selling for $1500.00 US Dollars. They intend to release a public version to the market as well.

This invention has been used in the medical field to help medical doctors assist in remote instructional surgeries and teaching techniques. In ophthalmic medicine, it has an expansive role in educating doctors and students about the retina by allowing a view through […]

Siegfried and Roy’s white tiger dazzled us with its magic. Shamu, the famous killer white whale at Sea World dances upon the water to the amazement of crowds, and who can forget Benji or Lassie as childhood heroes. Have you ever explored the fascinating world of animal vision? Who wins the prize for the the most advanced visual species of the animal or insect kingdom? The results may surprise you.

We all agree that birds of prey (hawks, eagles, falcons etc.) have the best bionics hands down but have you ever considered the vision of the colossal squid, or the dragon fly, the ogre spider or mantis shrimp?

The colossal squid has an eye larger than any sea animal: it's the size of a basketball! The squid’s eyes and 3-D vision are so astute so that they can spy whales that would be predatory to them.

The dragon fly has incredible vision, better than any other insect. Take for instance the common house fly who has around 6,000 eye facets that give them an astounding panoramic […]

Remember back to the last time you experienced the birth of a baby…..What are one of the first questions people ask? It’s “ WHAT COLOR ARE THEIR EYES?”

What makes the color of our eyes appear as they do? What role do genetics play? What if you don’t like your eye color….. can you change it? Are there any medications that can change the eye color? Get ready to explore the science behind eye color by starting at the beginning…….

Baby’s eye color can change. A baby can start out with blue eyes, for example, and change to brown as they age. It’s all dependent on a brown pigment called melanin which develops as a child ages. The more melanin present, the darker the eye color. Brown eyes have the most pigment saturation, green/hazel eyes have less melanin, and blue eyes have the least pigment. The color of eyes are dependent upon genetics. Genetics are complicated, but generally speaking brown trumps blue in the probabilities if there is a brown eyed parent. This is because darker […]

Your Eyes…….We only have two of them so treat them well and learn how to keep them safe from harm. Here is a list of five vital ways to prevent injuries to one of your most precious assets, your vision.

1. Wear Safety Glasses. Failure to wear protective eye wear is one of the main causes of job related injuries to the eye according to OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration). Safety glasses are made from a polycarbonate material which can withstand the impact of a .22 caliber bullet. Safety glasses at work protect you from foreign bodies and chemical exposure into the eye area. Wearing protective eyewear for yard work, weed eating, and cutting wood keeps injury from high velocity foreign bodies in the eye to a minimum.
2. Wear Sunglasses with UV A and UV B protection. Doing so protects the thin skin around the eyes from sunburn, and also helps protect your ocular system. It has long been stated that excessive exposure to sunlight causes cataracts, so using ultraviolet (UV) protection in your sunglasses is vital. […]
   

The changing of the seasons and the holidays bring fun times and activities into our lives, but also mark the beginning of a health concern: Flu season.

Flu season starts in the late Fall and runs through early Spring in some cases, so you want to be armed against this epidemic by doing several things to ensure your health stays at its optimal level. HAND WASHING is a primary deterrent against the flu. Taking vitamin supplements and getting extra rest during the holiday season also helps. Preventative maintenance also includes a preventative flu shot. Many employers and health care clinics offer them at no or little charge. For children especially, they even have a flu mist, so that the needle can be avoided.

Some simple things you can do in your house to prevent flu from spreading is use a bleach water mixture and spray countertops, doorknob handles, light switches, phones, and steering wheels of your car.

Influenza A is the most typical culprit in our fight to stay healthy, so when the outbreak in your area […]

The Sixties………….War, peace, expressing yourself, the Civil Rights movement, and the Beatles. One of the biggest hits of the era was “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles. 

In the health care world, the sun plays a balancing role in delivering its rays to our bodies to help produce Vitamin D. Many people who work indoors are directed to take Vitamin D supplements because of lack of exposure to the sunshine, Conversely, people who are outside a lot have a risk of overexposure causing skin cancer.

The eyes are at risk as well. If sunglasses are not worn, there is a greater risk for cataracts or skin cancers of the eyelids. It is important to know that not all sunglasses are made alike. UV A, B, and C rays are the harmful rays that sunglasses need to protect us from.

However, many over the counter sunglasses do not have UV protection built into the lenses, which can actually cause more damage especially in children. 80% of sun exposure in our lives comes in childhood. Without UV protection […]

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. These famous words of Charles Dickens are playing out today more than ever in the area of technology.

We are living in the best of times to obtain knowledge at the push of a button. But smartphones, laptops, iPads, video games, smart boards, tablets can all add up daily total screen time. Research shows the impact can adversely affect your eyes, your focusing, your moods, and even your ability to sleep and relax. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended only two hours of screentime per day as a standard for children.

What are the symptoms of too much screen time on the eye, and how can you combat these symtoms?

Doctors are seeing an increase in dry eye syndrome because patients do not blink as often when they are staring at the screen for a prolonged period of time. This causes burning or watery eyes, rubbing of the eyes, and frequent headaches.

The key to combatting these symptoms is to consciously […]