An extremely contagious disease, Eye Flu is basically the swelling or redness caused in the eye's thin membrane that coats its forepart. It is a condition when an individual has got sore eyes. Eye Flu is infective and can easily be transferred from a single individual to the other via direct contact. The primary cause of Eye Flu is unhygienic and unhealthy state of living but considering the fact that it is transferable, it may additionally be caused when somebody in the vicinity has it. 

Some interesting facts about Eye Flu:

1. Eye flu is induced by a virus infection such as pox virus, herpes, simples virus, adenovirus and myxovirus. Verify this and send me the source of the information.
2. Eye flu is extremely infectious, so if there is someone around you who is infected with it, then there prevails a high risk of you becoming infected with it. Thus take excellent care in order to prevent the infection. 
3. There is a myth that the disease propagates just by looking into the eyes of a septic person. This is just not true. 
4. If someone touches the septic eyes, the fingers get infected and if these fingers come in contact with other person's eyes, there are chances that he might also get infected. 
5. It's possible to get infected from swimming pool too. 

Symptoms of Eye Flu:

1. Red and swollen eyes. 
2. Eyelid Swelling. 
3. Terrible itching in the eyes and or pain in eyes. 
4. Blurring of vision. 
5. Watery discharge from the eyes.
6. Sense of discomfort. 

Prevention of Eye Flu:

1. Make a regular and normal habit of cleaning your eyes with water at least 2 to 3 times a day. 
2. Do not utilize a mutual towel or handkerchief. 
3. Refrain from shaking hands especially with the septic person. Wash your hands with the soap in case you did handshake with the infected person. 
4. Abstain from going to swimming pool that has consistent chlorination of water. 

Proper treatment of Eye Flu:

1. Wear dark eye goggles. 
2. The disease is basically self restraining and usually goes away in about three days.
3. Close your eyes and rub ice wrapped up in a fabric over the eye-lids. 
4. Usage of anti-allergic eye drops at least three to four times a day can largely help to get rid of this disease
5. It is advised to see a eye doctor for proper medication and eyecare.

For more Eyecare treatments and tips, visit today Killeen Eyecare Center at 416 North Gray Street Killeen, TX. 76541

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A Stye is a pimple or abscess on the lower or upper edge of an eyelid. It is a mark of a septic eyelid gland. Sties are generally harmless and seldom impact your eye or vision. They can happen at any age and tend to recur elsewhere in the lid. Sties usually occur on the outside of the eyelid but they can also occur on the underside of the lid. 

A Stye can be an indication of other sicknesses such as chronic skin problems and diabetes. Sties are generally not transmissible. They are also sometimes named as Hordeolums. 

Types of Sties: 

There are basically two types of sties namely external (occurring outside the eyelid) and internal (occurring underside of the eyelid). 

An external Stye begins as a pimple next to an eyelash. As it puffs up, it turns red and sore. The swelling normally survives for various days before it bursts and then heals. The majority of external sties do not last for very long period of time. 

An internal Stye induces a reddish, afflictive swelling, but its location obstructs the pus from coming out on the eyelid. The Stye may vanish entirely as soon as the infection goes away. Yet, it could perhaps leave behind a small fluid-filled cyst that can prevail and may have to be cut open. 

Reasons for Eye Sties:

• While the precise cause of a Stye is not recognized, it might evolve from the following:
• When we utilize our hands to rub our eyes, we not merely bother the oil glands but the bacterium from our hands also gets transmitted. 
• We might stimulate eye irritation and help the bacteria to be transferred if the mascara, eye-liner and any other eye products that we utilize are old and fouled. 
• When the pores of the oil glands are choked, this obstruction forbids the pore from draining, thus leading to swelling. 

Symptoms of Eye Sties:

• Eyes turning reddish associated with little pain and soreness. 
• Rupturing of the eye. 
• Hazy sight. 
• Sensitivity to bright light. 
• Inflammation in some portion of the eye. It will resemble a lump.
• Irritation while blinking. 
• Pain in the eye or eyelid worsened by touching. 

Proper treatment of Eye Sties:

• Warm compression on the affected eye with the help of your hand or some cloth needs to be done for several minutes. It should be repeated at least 3 to 4 times a day. 
• Timely and constant application of the ordered antibiotic drops assists in combating the infection. 
• If the Styee does not react to any of these treatments, surgical operation may be advisable.

To get more information on various eye diseases and their treatment, contact Killeen Eyecare Center at 254-634-7805.

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Keratitis is a state when our eye's cornea is kindled. In Superficial keratitis, the superficial layers of the cornea are included. In this form, a scar is not left after curing. In Deep keratitis, the deeper layers of the cornea are engaged. A scar is left after curing as a result of which our vision is marred.

Different Types of Keratitis:

The different kinds of Eye Keratitis are as following:

• Viral keratitis. 
• Ulcerative keratitis.
• Bacterial keratitis.
• Amoebic keratitis. 
• Photokeratitis. 
• Contact lens intense red eye is a non-ulcerative sterile keratitis. 

Symptoms:

Some of the peculiar symptoms of this disease are:

• Light sensitivity. 
• Dimmed vision. 
• Pain. 
• Redness. 
• Liquid Discharge. 

Treatment:

Antiviral, antibiotics and anti-fungal medication is utilized to handle the apt organism. After the lab diagnostic figures out the offending organism, the medication is likely to get modified. Occasionally variable medications may be necessary. An aseptic, cotton-tipped applicator might be utilized to gently get rid of septic tissue and enable the eye to cure at an increased rate. 

Laser surgery is applied to eliminate the unhealthy and poor cells. Quite a many infections could require corneal transplants. Inappropriate prescriptions or over the counter formulations make the symptoms more terrible and result in tissue deterioration. 

The particular treatment is determined by the physician on the basis of: 

• The kid's age, general fitness and medical records. 
• Expectations concerning the course of the disease. 
• The child's permissiveness for finite medications, processes or therapies. 

Prevention:

Persons wearing contact lenses must make use of the sterile lens-cleaning and disinfecting solutions. As tap water is not aseptic, it is not able to be utilized for cleaning contact lenses. Follow up health checks are important as minor faults of the cornea can evolve and the patient may not be acquainted with it. As per timeline, change the contact lenses. Due to proteins, there can be some sort of sedimentation on the contact lenses and this may generally induce a multiplied risk of infection. The disposable lenses have to be rinsed off each night and to be dried in the air. Goggles or sunglasses possessing ultraviolet finishing’s can help in shielding against the harmful ultraviolet light.

For more information about various eye ailments, visit us at Killeen Eyecare Center.  We are located in 416 North Gray Street, Killeen, TX 76541. 

Eye Lattice degeneration is an eye ailment that directly affects the retinal area and thus impacts vision. This part of the eye decreases in density as a result of the onset of this disease. The vision loss may be for a certain period of time in some cases while in other cases, it may also be completely irreversible. This makes it very important to begin treatment for this abnormality of the eyes as soon as it is detected.

Causes: Although the exact cause of eye lattice degeneration cannot be pin pointed, some of the underlying factors that can lead to it are:
1)    Myopia is usually associated with this ailment. Most people who are detected with eye lattice degeneration usually also suffer from short sightedness.
2)    There can be certain insufficiencies in the blood vessels located around the eyes. They may not be developed fully thus restricting adequate flow of blood to the retina.

Symptoms: Some of the symptoms that accompany this disease are:
1)    Patients who develop this disease start to experience vision problems and are not able to see faraway objects with clarity.
2)    Although rare, some people may also start to observe white spots as a result of this ailment. This is one of the many complications that may arise.
3)    The vision loss may either be restricted to one eye or be present in both eyes. In case the disease has started to affect one of the eyes, it should be treated immediately to prevent further vision loss and spreading of the disease.

Precautions: There are no particular precautions that can positively help keep this disease at bay. However, you can still do certain things to catch it early on and obtain timely treatment. In case people in your family have suffered from eye lattice degeneration previously, you should make it a point to visit your eye doctor on a regular basis and get yourself tested.

Cure: One treatment method followed by doctors worldwide is laser photocoagulation. This helps to prevent detachment of the retina from occurring if the disease is detected in the initial stages.

If you want to know more about this disease, then feel free to consult Killeen Eyecare Center situated at 416 North Gray Street, TX 76541, Killeen.

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Presbyopia is an ailment that affects the eyes and causes problems in vision. The affected person is not able to perform tasks that require focus on close objects like reading, sewing, etc. The reading material may have to be lifted up and away from the eyes in order to be able to make out the letters or they can appear out of focus. Generally, corrective glasses or lenses need to be worn to correct vision.

CAUSES: The main cause of presbyopia is a significant reduction in the elasticity of the natural lens present in the eye. This can be a result of genetic factors and may be acquired as hereditary traits from parents. It can also develop as a result of natural ageing. Research also shows a link between lifestyle factors and this disease and many doctors are of the belief that it can be prevented by developing a healthy way of life.

SYMPTOMS: Presbyopia is characterized by constant mild headaches that are like a strain on the eyes. Whenever you have to focus on anything, you may not be able to concentrate and may have difficulty in tasks like reading. You can also experience problems in writing or performing intricate work like embroidering.

TREATMENT: Most people who have presbyopia may also have myopia. In this case, they will need to wear combination glasses that are fitted with bifocal lenses so that they can correct both their near sightedness as well as far sightedness. If they are only suffering from presbyopia however, normal reading glasses that are available over the counter at any optician can be procured.

There are special lenses that can be prescribed for people suffering from presbyopia. You can visit your eye doctor in order to acquire the same. These are multifocal lenses that are available in materials which are gas permeable.

Apart from this, you can also have surgery done to get your vision corrected. There are many options available like getting LASIK done which is a kind of laser treatment. NearVision CK treatment can also be availed that involves the administration of radio waves to correct vision.

For more information on various eye diseases, visit us at Killeen Eyecare Center. We are located at 416 North Gray Street, Killeen, TX 76541. 

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Iris is the colored part of the eye. Its main function is to control the amount of the eye entering the eye. Iris is the circular muscles that control the size of the pupil and thus control the amount of light entering the eye.

IRITIS
Iritis is the inflammation of the iris of the eye. Since Iritis is the inflammation inside the eye, this condition can be sight threatening.

Causes of Iritis

• Iritis can be caused due to Viral or bacterial Infection
• Trauma to the eye can lead to Iritis.
• Systemic diseases like Ankylosing spondylitis and Rheumatoid Arthritis can also be a cause of Iritis.

Symptoms of Iritis

• Pain and redness in the eye
• Sensitivity to light
• Smaller pupil
• Irregular shape of Pupil
• Headache
• Blurred vision

Diagnosis of Iritis

• Complete eye examination by a qualified Eye Doctor – Slit eye exam
• When Iritis is suspected to be caused by the systemic illness, complete medical evaluation is done. This includes blood tests and X-rays

Treatment for Iritis

• Main aim of the treatment is to reduce pain and inflammation caused by Iritis.
• Cycloplegics drops or Dilating eye drops to enlarge the pupil. These reduce the discomfort in the eye.
• For Infectious causes – Antibiotic eye drops and Ointments are used.
• Topical steroids to reduce inflammation and pain
• In severe cases oral medications may be prescribed

Complication

Untreated or Chronic Iritis may lead to

• Glaucoma
• Cataracts
• Blindness

For complete Eyecare, contact Killeen Eyecare Center serving Killeen, Fort Hood and Harker Heights in Central Texas region

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Myopia or near sightedness is an eye defect in which the image of the object being seen is formed in front of the retina, unlike the normal image formation on the retina. This causes near placed objects to be viewed clearly, but objects that are situated far off appears to be blurred. The two causes of myopia are: either the eye ball is too wide or the cornea is too steep which leads to formation of the image in front of the retina, rather than on it. As the image is formed on the vitreous inside the eye, this leads to the formation if a blurred image.

Symptoms of Myopia

The main symptoms of this eye defect include blurred viewing of far off objects, extreme headaches and giddiness while concentrating on far off objects. While looking at distant objects, myopic people tend to squint their eyes.

Diagnosis of Myopia

A patient's vision for the detection of myopia is tested by making him read letters or numbers on a chart posted a set distance away (nearly 20 ft). The investigating doctor/ optometrist asks the patient to look at and read the board through a variety of lenses to obtain the best correction.  Optometrist concerned also carefully examines the inside of the eye and the retina. An instrument known as a slit lamp is used to examine the cornea and the eye lens. The prescription for the corrective eyeglass is written in terms of dioptres (D), which measure the degree of refractive error. Based on this prescription, the patient can get the corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses made.

Treatment

There are 2 ways of treating the problem of myopia and achieving clear vision again. One can choose the preferred treatment by them on the basis of age, health, intensity of the defect and the cost factor. The two possible alternatives are:

• Corrective lenses: According to the vision testing results, eye glasses or contact lenses with the prescribed power can be purchased and made use of for restoring proper vision. This is the best possible treatment as it is the least invasive, longest-standing, and the most adjustable option. In young age, the power keeps fluctuating time and again. Glasses and lenses can be changed from time to time. They are also more economical than other treatment i.e. Laser surgery.

• Laser surgery:  Laser surgery is another widely accepted treatment for myopia. There is a good percentage of success rates in treating Myopia of eye through Laser Surgery. In most of the cases, a patient does not need to wear eye glasses or lens after surgery. In some cases, there may again occur the need to wear the glasses.

Prevention of Myopia

The following points should be taken care of, from an early age for prevention of myopia:

• Do not watch T.V. or computer, continuously for long stretches of time. Take a break, wash your eyes and look around after every 40 minutes.
• Watch T.V. from a distance. Do not sit too close and watch. It will strain and eventually damage the eye muscles.
• Take a diet rich in vitamin A, with lots of papaya, carrots, milk products, cod liver oil and meat.
• Get routine vision tests done.

Contact Killeen Eyecare Centre for Eye Glasses, Eye Exams and Eyecare consultation from experienced Eye Doctor in Killeen, Texas.

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Retinopathy is the damage to the retina of the eye and diabetic retinopathy is the damage to retina caused as a complication of the diabetes. It occurs in patients who have long history of diabetes and can even cause the loss of vision in such patients.

Retina acts as a film in the camera for our eye. The image of the object is created on the retina and the image converts into the electrical signals that are passed to the brain. Patient with long history of uncontrolled diabetes have high glucose content in the blood. Accumulation of the glucose in the blood vessels of the retina damages these blood vessels. This causes decreased blood supply to the retina and thus ischemia, which, in turn, contributes to development of retinopathy.

Causes of Diabetic Retinopathy

• Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes and thus diabetes is the cause of the diabetic retinopathy.

Risk factor that may lead to retinopathy in diabetic patients includes;

• Duration of diabetes – Generally patients with long history of diabetes are more likely to develop diabetic retinopathy.
• Increased level of glucose in the diabetic patients
• Hypertension – systemic hypertension in diabetic patients increases the risk of diabetic retinopathy

Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy Diabetic retinopathy can be asymptomatic in the initial stages. Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy in the later stages include;

• Blurred vision
• Partial or complete loss of vision
• Hemorrhage in the retina that causes dark streaks or a red film that may block  the vision

Diagnosis

Eye examination –

• Eye specialist dilates the pupil by putting some eye drops and examines the retina of the eye. Abnormal blood vessels, fatty deposits on retina or hemorrhages can be seen in this dilated eye examination.
• Fluorescein angiography

Treatment

• Photocoagulation – It is the laser treatment wherein the leaking blood vessels of the eye are sealed or repaired.
• Vatrectomy - It is a surgery done to remove the scar tissues on the retina.

Prevention or care of eye in diabetic patients

• Control over blood glucose levels
• Regular eye examinations of patients who have diabetes .Early diagnosis help to prevent blindness or vision loss in the patients.

For complete eyecare, contact Killeen Eyecare Center. Killeen Eyecare Center serves Harker Heights, Killeen and Fort Hood area in Texas.

Cataract is the clouding of the eye lens.
Lens of the eye refracts the light on to the retina of the eye. The lens changes its size and shape to properly focus the light on the retina so that the correct image of the distant or near object is formed on the retina.
   
Causes Of Cataract

• Aging – Lens of the eye is made up of proteins. The protein in the lens maintains the clarity of the lens.  With advancing age the chemical composition of the lens proteins changes and proteins generally gets distorted. This causes clouding in the eye lens.
• Congenital Cataract- Due to hereditary causes, cataract can be present at the time of birth. This condition is rare.
• Recent researches have shown that prolonged exposure to ultra-violet radiations can also cause cataract.
• Severe trauma or injury to the eye.
• Other medical conditions like Diabetes, obesity
• Long term uses of steroids like prednisone.
• Hereditary causes – People with family history of cataracts are more prone to develop the cataract.

Symptoms OfCataract

• Blurring and gradually loss of vision
• Diminished color vision
• Difficulty in glare
• Increased nearsightedness
• Double vision in one eye
• Increased difficulty of vision at night

Diagnosis

• Visual Acuity test – This test is done to evaluate the problem with the vision. It is done to test the vision. By reading the letters or numbers from the card held 14 inches from the face.
• Dilated eye test- Pupil us dilated or widened by putting some eye drops in the eye. The eye is then examined by the doctor. This test allows the doctor to see more of the lens and retina.
• Glare sensitivity test

Treatment Of Cataract
The symptoms of the early cataract can be improved by

• New eyeglasses for altered vision
• Brighter lighting and magnifying glasses during reading, watching TV
• Anti glare sunglasses
• Surgery – Surgery is done only when symptoms of the cataract doesn’t improve with above methods and are so severe that they cause difficulty in performing daily life activities. In cataract removal surgery the natural lens of the eye that has developed opacification is removed and artificial lens implant is inserted.

Killeen Eyecare Center provides consultation and treatments for various eye problems.

It is the infection of the cornea which causes disruption of the cornea’s epithelial layer. Corneal ulcer is generally an open sore on the cornea.

What is cornea?
Cornea is the outermost, transparent, convex layer of the eye that shields the rest of the eye from external particles. It also transmits and focuses light in to the eye. Cornea does not have blood vessels and blood supply and thus it’s more prone to infections. It gets its nourishment from tears and other liquids present in the eye chambers.

Causes of Corneal Ulcers

• Infection Cornea is the outermost layer of the eye and hence its prone to different kinds of the infection. Bacterial, viral or the fungal infection in the cornea may initiate the inflammatory process in the cornea and thus lead to ulcers on the cornea.
• Injury to the cornea by certain foreign particles like glass, metal may lead to tiny tears on the cornea. These tears can easily get infected and ulceration of the cornea.
• Wearing contact lenses for long time may also act as a source of infection and injury to the cornea and thus it may lead to the corneal ulceration. Extended use of contact lenses (wearing lenses for many days without removing them at night) is also a common cause of corneal ulcers.
• Dry eyes – Certain medical conditions that causes dry eyes . Since tears are the main source of the corneal nourishment, all the conditions that causes dry eyes may lead to corneal ulceration
• Inadequate Eyelid Closure – Certain medical conditions like Bell’s palsy can cause inadequate eyelid closure. This exposes the cornea to dust, infection or trauma which may again lead to corneal ulceration

Symptoms of the corneal ulcers

• Pain in the eye
• Redness of eye
• Inching and burning sensation in eye
• Discharge from the eye
• Impaired vision
• Sensitivity to light

Diagnosis
Optometrist will do detailed physical examination of the eye with the help of special eye microscope. Ulcers can be detected by using the microscope.
If infection is the cause of the ulcer, sample can be drawn from the eye and sent to laboratory for the identification of the causative organism.

Treatment

• Causative organism for the infection is detected by the culture sensitivity of the sample drawn from the eye
• If the ulcers are caused by bacterial infection then antibiotic eye drops are given.
• For viral infection antiviral eye drops and for fungal infection antifungal eye drops are used.
• If ulcer is severe, hospitalization is done and IV antibiotics are given.
• Pain medications to relieve pain in the eye
• Cyclopegic eye drops give rest to the eye
• For non-healing or progressive corneal ulcers, surgery is performed (Corneal transplantation)

Eyecare at home

• Apply cool compresses to soothe the eye
• If discharge is coming out of the eye and forms crusts on the eyelid, apply warm compresses. Gently wash the eyes with clean water.
• Rest the eye to relieve pain and discomfort
• Avoid sunlight.
• Wear dark glasses
• Do not touch or rub the eye with fingers
• Limit the spread of the infection by washing hands regularly
• Avoid wearing contact lenses for few days

Seek immediate medical help if

• The discharge from the eye becomes greenish
• Vision is decreased
• Excessive pain in the eye
• Excessive sensitivity to light