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Is rubbing your eyes good or bad for your eyes?

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Is rubbing your eyes good or bad for your eyes?

dry eye small.jpgA patient may be tempted to rub their eyes if their eyes are itching or if they wake up and they’re crusted together or burning a bit, but I always encourage my patients to avoid rubbing their eyes when they can. It’s simply bad for the cornea to rub your eyes.

You can induce corneal changes in shape that can be long lasting.

You can also make whatever symptoms you’re experiencing worse by rubbing the eyes. So, if your eyes are itching because of an allergy, and you’re rubbing them, you’re actually releasing more of the cells that are causing the itching. You’re not helping the problem at all, rather, you’re actually making it worse.

When in doubt and when you feel like you want to rub your eyes, a cold compress is a way to go. It’ll help constrict those vessels and limit the itching and discomfort without actually having to rub the eye.

Two Most Common Dry Eye Symptoms: Burning eyes & sticky eyes

Why are my eyes burning from dry eye?

Dry Eye Asian Man 640×350Patients with dry eye disease often experience burning of the eyes. This is because the tears are protection for the eyeball.

If you have a dry eye disease, your tears evaporate off of the eye very quickly. For example, when a patient blinks, they open their eye, and within three seconds that tear has started to evaporate off the front surface of the eyeball. Now that eye is left without its protective covering!

Since the eye is extremely innervated with nerves, once the tear layer, the protective covering of the eye is gone and evaporated, those nerves are now exposed to the environment and the air. That’s painful for the eye.

The eye needs tears as a protective coating. Once that protective coating is gone, the eye will burn. That’s your indicator that you need to blink!

The eye’s asking for more tears. It’s asking for that protective coating back, and that’s what happens when your eyes start burning. If you get a really good blink in, you re-coat the surface, and the burning is gone. It’s a chronic cycle.

Is it normal to have sticky eyes in the morning?

It is not normal for a patient’s eyelids to stick together in the morning when they wake up. Often, a patient experiencing stickiness around the eyelids or trouble opening their eyes first thing in the morning, it’s very likely that they have inflammation or blepharitis of the eyelids and eyelashes. This is a very common finding during a dry eye examination at the office and something we treat every day. We treat blepharitis or inflammation of the eyelids both in the office with a device called Blephex, which allows us to remove the plaque that grows on the eyelid margin safely.

Then, the patient maintains that therapy at home with eyelid cleaning techniques that we teach them in the office.

COVID & Dry Eye Disease

woman wearing a mask 640The lifestyle changes we’ve made because of the COVID pandemic have absolutely contributed to worsening dry eye symptoms in many of my patients.

Many of us have heard about masks causing an increasing dry eye symptoms and certainly, that plays a role, especially for the professions that are in masks all day or if the masks aren’t sealed tightly around the nose. You can get that influx of air up into the eye all day long, which will speed up the evaporation of your tears and increase dry eye symptoms for that person. I really believe the majority of patients who are experiencing increased dry eye since the COVID quarantine and pandemic are experiencing those symptoms because their screen time has significantly increased.

We know that computer time and screen time is directly linked to dry eye symptoms. Patients simply do not blink enough when they are on screens all day long. Many studies have been done on-screen time and blink rate and not blinking enough is a main contributor to dry eye disease and the main reason why a lot of our computer users have the dry eye symptoms that they do now.

We’re starting to see those symptoms in younger and younger patients. Kids who were once in school are now on their computers six to ten hours a day depending on lifestyle. It’s taking a toll on their eyes! We can certainly help address that in the office.

There are things you can do at home to help fight the symptoms and side effects of what excessive screen time calls. We’ll talk about the importance of blinking. Blinking exercises are actually a thing that we recommend to many of our computer users, but there are also home therapies that really help aid in opening up the glands that produce your tears and keeping them open despite computer time or decreased blink rate.

November 10 is World Keratoconus Day

World Keratoconus Day FB Post
November 10 will be the fourth annual World Keratoconus Day. Keratoconus is an eye disease in which the eye bulges and its shape becomes less spherical, leading to potentially significant loss of vision. Symptoms can also include sensitivity to light and red, puffy eyes.

Sometimes, a cornea transplant is required in order to treat the eyes. Often, however, patients will make use of specialty lenses (such as scleral lenses, rigid gas permeable lenses, and hybrid lenses) or cross-linking (a minor procedure involving eye drops and ultraviolet light) to obtain the clearer vision. Regular contact lenses are often too ineffective and uncomfortable for patients with keratoconus to use.

Modern research is showing that keratoconus may be far more common than we had believed. It affects those of all ethnic groups and genders, usually manifesting itself in early adulthood. People from communities worldwide experience life with keratoconus, and Owings Mills is no different.

At Eyesymmetry Vision Center, we offer treatment to keratoconus patients from the greater community. Being very familiar with the challenges of life with keratoconus, we join together with friends around the globe in celebrating Keratoconus Day. This annual event is a great opportunity to raise awareness of keratoconus and the treatments available to those who have it.

If you or a loved one would like to be examined for keratoconus and other eye conditions or to discuss treatment options, call us or schedule an appointment. Click here to learn more about keratoconus and the treatments we offer for it.

Blinking and Dry Eye: The Clear Connection

Dry Eye Syndrome Affects Your Blinking

Ever notice that when you blink your eyes, your vision goes out of focus?

Blurry vision does not necessarily mean that you need new glasses. In fact, a very common cause of blurry vision is called dry eye syndrome. Often confused with eye allergies, when your eyes fail to produce tears with the right balance of oils, here eyes can become irritated, red, and even itchy. Over time, this can, in a severe case of dry eye, even affect your vision and make things blurry.

Nearly every week, Eyesymmetry Vision Center sees patients who complain about the following:

  • Driving at night is difficult
  • Very light-sensitive
  • Glare from bright lights can be painful
  • Eyes are constantly red
  • Watery eyes are teary eyes
  • Continuous eye rubbing

While not everybody suffers from dry eye syndrome, there are certainly a number of shared symptoms that can indicate dry eye. One of the telltale signs, however, is when you blink and your vision goes to the focus. Because your vision is dependent on the quality of your tears, any imbalance will tend to disrupt the way your eyes can focus and receive light.

Dry Eye Specialist – Eye Doctor in Owings Mills

If you have noticed any of the following symptoms such as blurry vision or red eyes, schedule an appointment at Eyesymmetry Vision Center for a complete eye exam and dry eye evaluation.

woman holding eyeIs It Eye Allergies or Dry Eyes?

Eye Allergy and Dry Eye symptoms tend to be very similar. They both include redness, itchiness, tearing, and a gritty or burning sensation in the eyes.

 

Is it really an allergic reaction, or could it be Dry Eyes? Before running to the pharmacy for some antihistamines, it would be worth digging into the cause of these reactions in order to assure that you’re choosing the right treatment option.

If you’ve been using artificial tears, prescription allergy medication, or other over the counter medicine to relieve the itchy, dry feeling, but see no improvement— it may be worth visiting the The Dry Eye Center at Eyesymmetry Vision Center and speaking with Dry Eye Expert, Dr. Moshe Schwartz O.D., F.A.A.O., who can provide a diagnosis and solution for your condition.

What’s the Difference Between Eye Allergies and Dry Eyes?

Eye allergies, also known as allergic conjunctivitis, occur when the eyes react to elements that irritate them (allergens). One can develop eye allergies from pet dander, dust, pollen, smoke, perfumes, or even certain foods. To fight off the allergen, the eyes produce a substance called histamine, which causes the eyelids to become red, swollen and itchy — and at times to tear and burn. Those with eye allergies tend to experience nasal allergies as well, which include an itchy, stuffy nose, along with frequent sneezing.

People with Dry Eyes suffer from eyes that feel dry, itchy, swollen, irritated, and at times very painful. Dry eye syndrome can be developed as a result of genetics, age, environment, lifestyle, medications, and the overall health of your eyes. When one has dry eyes, the eyes are either not producing enough tears to keep your eye lubricated, or the tears are not composed of the correct balance of water, lipids, and mucous to maintain proper lubrication.

How Are Eye Allergies and Dry Eyes Treated?

eye drops

Eye allergies can be treated using artificial tears, medicated eye drops, decongestants, antihistamines, or anti-inflammatory medications. Depending on your specific case, Dry Eye Expert, Dr. Moshe Schwartz O.D., F.A.A.O. may recommend a combination of treatments.

However, if it is determined that you have dry eyes, Dry Eye Expert, Dr. Moshe Schwartz O.D., F.A.A.O. may suggest artificial tears or lubricant eye drops to alleviate the discomfort, and in some cases, may even prescribe drops or steroids. For patients with more acute cases of dry eyes, the doctor might suggest alternative treatment options, such as LipiFlow, True Tear, TearCare or scleral lenses.

If you’re suffering from any of the above symptoms, speak with , who will examine and thoroughly assess the source of these reactions, determine whether they are caused by allergies or Dry Eyes, and provide the right treatment.

The The Dry Eye Center at Eyesymmetry Vision Center services patients from Owings Mills, Baltimore, Ellicott City, Randallstown, and throughout Maryland.

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Call Us 410-587-0099

Your Child’s Eye Exam & Their Future

Preparing for school means new school supplies, meeting new friends and teachers, and ensuring your child visits their eye doctor for an eye exam. Although schools may offer vision screenings within a few weeks or days of the new school year to ensure a child doesn’t struggle with poor visual acuity, none of the staff or even trained nurses check for visual problems, such as binocular vision and accommodative eye skills that play a significant role in near vision. Children who develop reading problems may have passed vision screenings yet were never examined by a professional optometrist.

Another benefit of coming to our practice is that we specialize in myopia management. Traditionally, the only way to handle nearsightedness or myopia progression in a child is to increase the prescription, often resulting in thicker glasses. Over a few years, a child will end up jumping from a low prescription of -.5 or -1 to a high prescription of -3 or worse! Unfortunately, high myopia has been identified as a lead cause for eye disease in old age, such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and even retinal detachment. A person can be 3-4x at risk for eye disease from having a prescription of -4 compared to someone with a low prescription.

Why does myopia cause eye disease?

Although LASIK surgery can help you see without eyeglasses, once a person’s eyes have worsened to a low prescription, the shape of their eye has elongated to a point that leaves the retina in a precarious state. Laser vision correction merely corrects the surface of the eye, but without preventing myopia progression, the damage has already been done. Therefore, the only way to safely secure one’s vision from greater risk is myopia management, in other words, taking steps to stop progression in its tracks.

What should a parent consider for their child’s next year at school?

Come to our practice and schedule an eye exam with our eye doctor, Myopia Control Specialist, Dr. Moshe Schwartz O.D., F.A.A.O.. We’ll not only evaluate the child’s complete eye health, but we’ll guide on the proper steps to slow myopia progression. We have methods through specialty contact lenses to stop advancing myopia, but often we’ll educate parents on how to slow progression through good habit building.

  • Children need 2 hours of outside play. Build their long-vision muscles!
  • Reduce screen time
  • Practice the 20-20-20 Rule.
    • Take a break from close vision work every 20 minutes,
    • Then look at something 20 feet away (or further)
    • Spend at least 20 seconds doing this before returning to your close-up work.

We look forward to seeing you and your children and getting the entire family prepared for the new school year with confidence & healthy vision.

Spring Dry Eyes

woman applying eyedroppers, close upSpring is a time of renewal, when the harsh winter is just a memory and the outdoors seem to beckon us to go outside. While spring may be in the air, so are allergens. Allergies during the spring season can cause dry eyes and have a particularly severe effect on people with Dry Eye Syndrome.

During the spring months, pollen, pet dander, mold, and dust can be found in the air. These airborne allergens can trigger uncomfortable reactions like itchy, red, and watery eyes, as well as sneezing and sinus congestion. At The Practice Name Dry Eye Center, we can offer you long-term relief for your seasonal dry eyes.

How Do The Seasons Affect Dry Eyes?

Although certain people with sensitivities to allergens may be more prone to allergic reactions, the seasons of the year can trigger these responses, too. In the winter, for instance, dry eyes can develop in people who live in climates with a lot of dry, cold air or strong winds. Sitting in direct aim of a heater may feel wonderful when it’s cold, but it can also dry out the eyes. In the summer when the heat is intense and people run their air conditioning systems regularly, dry eyes can develop from being in the direction of cold air.

A 5-year study found that 21% of the 3.4 million visits to an eye doctor during that time were related to dry eyes. Each year, there was a peak during April, proving that there is a likely correlation between allergens and dry eye cases.

Common Symptoms Of Seasonal Dry Eyes

The most common symptoms of dry eyes in the spring are:

  • Blurry vision
  • Burning
  • Gritty feeling
  • Itchiness
  • Redness
  • Stinging
  • Soreness
  • Watery eyes

It may seem odd, but watery eyes are a frequent symptom of dry eyes. It’s the body’s way of trying to self-heal the dryness by releasing excess tears, a condition called Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS). This condition gives some relief, but because these tears contain an inadequate amount of water, the relief is temporary and more long-lasting options are needed.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with The Practice Name Dry Eye Center. We have the knowledge, years of experience, latest technologies, and effective solutions to give you relief for your dry eyes this spring season.

Relief For Dry Eyes In The Springtime

Close up of blue eyeDry Eye Doctor Name treats patients from all over CITY 1, State who are suffering from seasonal dry eyes. Depending on your specific case and the intensity of your symptoms, the doctor may recommend daily artificial tears or lubricant eye drops to alleviate the pain. These can stimulate your eye’s natural tear production to moisturize the eyes and provide comfort. In some cases, prescription drops or steroids can produce similar results.

For patients with severe types of dry eyes, the doctor may talk to you about punctual plugs. These are tiny devices that are inserted inside the tear duct. They block your tears from draining out, which forces them to stay in your eye, coating and moisturizing the area.

Have you heard about scleral lenses? These are contact lenses that are made from rigid materials and contain a tiny pool of water, which provides moisture to dry eyes. Scleral lenses have a large diameter that covers the entire sclera (white part of the eye) without touching the cornea, so they can fit more comfortably. Because each person’s eye is unique, scleral lenses must be custom-fitted for each patient.

When It’s More Than Allergies

If your symptoms persist long after spring is over, and especially if they worsen, this may indicate signs of a more serious eye condition.

Examples can include any of the following:

  • Blepharitis (inflamed eyelids)
  • Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
  • Corneal Abrasions
  • Dry Eye Disease
  • Styes (an oil gland infection that causes a bump in the eyelid

We hope you take the time to enjoy this spring season. Should you experience any visual discomfort or are naturally prone to dry eyes, contact Dry Eye Doctor Name and the caring staff at The Practice Name Dry Eye Center. We’ll examine your eyes and discuss your personal needs to create an action plan that’s right for you.


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Call Us 410-587-0099

Prevalence of Keratoconus & Likelihood of Detection

Eye Doctor, Keratoconus Treatment in Kelowna, BC.

Ever wonder how common is keratoconus in Owings Mills, Maryland?
Do people simply develop keratoconus overtime? Is it genetic?

Keratoconus has been a very complex and elusive eye disease that continues to baffle the world of eye health. Still, recent advanced surgical procedures and specialty contact lenses can help keratoconus patients achieve relatively normal vision, although the costs are generally high.

In severe cases where a cornea transplant is required, a patient will need to recover at home for weeks or longer placing strain on the rest of the family and finances.

How likely is someone to end up with keratoconus?

Estimates suggest that 1 out of 2000 people suffer from keratoconus.
Some optometrists who work with keratoconus patients speculate the rate is far more common nearing 1 out of 1000. Keratoconus, regardless, is considered rare, and there aren’t many indications that pinpoint which person is more likely to develop keratoconus.

Keratoconus is most commonly diagnosed with:

  • African Americans
  • Males
  • Teenagers/Early 20s

Keratoconus means that the cornea has developed an irregular shape, often leading to light sensitivity, blurry vision, and the inability to wear soft contact lenses.

These symptoms can indicate keratoconus, but further examination by an eye doctor will best assess whether you have keratoconus. An optometrist would need to use digital imaging to assess the health of the eye’s surface. Some forms of digital imaging check inside the eye to review blood vessels, the retina, or macula to ensure the critical aspects of the eyes structure is healthy. A patient with keratoconus who skips digital imaging or receives the wrong form of assessment will often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years.

In order to ensure the best care and earliest detection for keratoconus or any corneal irregularity, schedule your next eye exam with one of our eye doctors in Owings Mills, Maryland, today.

8 Tips to Relieve Winter Dry Eyes in Baltimore, MD

Optometrist dry eye clinic in Baltimore, MD
Whether you live in a climate with cold winter weather or you are planning a ski trip up north, winter can be a challenge if you suffer from dry eyes. Dry, cool air, cold winds and even drier indoor heating can cause eye irritation, burning, itchiness and redness, and sometimes even excessively watery eyes as more tears are produced to compensate for the dryness. Many people have a chronic feeling that they have something in their eye and some even experience blurred vision. These symptoms can be debilitating!

Dry eyes is one of the most common complaints eye doctors get from patients during the winter season, especially in the cooler climates. That’s why we’d like to share some tips on how to relieve dry eye discomfort, and how to know when your condition is serious enough to come in for an evaluation.

Tips to Relieve Winter Dry Eyes:

  1. Keep eyes moist using artificial tears or eye drops. You can apply these a few times each day when the eyes are feeling dry or irritated. If over-the-counter drops don’t help or if you have chronic dry eyes, speak to your eye doctor about finding the best drops for you. Since not all artificial tears are the same, knowing the cause of your dry eye will help your eye doctor determine which brand is best suited for your eyes.
  2. Use a humidifier to counteract the drying effects of indoor heaters or generally dry air.
  3. Point car vents or indoor heaters away from your face when the heat is on. Try to keep your distance from direct sources of heating, especially if they blow out the heat.
  4. Drink a lot! Hydrating your body will also hydrate your eyes.
  5. Protect your eyes outdoors with sunglasses or goggles – the bigger the better! Larger, even wrap-around glasses as well as a hat with a wide brim will keep the wind and other elements out of your eyes. If you wear goggles for winter sports, make sure they fit well and cover a large surface area.
  6. Soothe dry eyes using a warm compress and never rub them! Rubbing your eyes will increase irritation and may lead to infection if the hands are not clean.
  7. Give your eyes a digital break. People blink less during screen time which is why extensive computer use can lead to dry eyes. Follow the 20/20/20 rule by taking a break every 20 minutes to look 20 feet away for 20 seconds and make sure you blink!
  8. Eye care girl putting in Contact lens in Baltimore, MDFor contact lens wearers: If you wear contact lenses, dry eyes can be particularly debilitating as the contact lenses can cause even further dryness and irritation. Contact lens rewetting drops can help your eyes feel better and may also allow you to see more clearly. Not all eyedrops are appropriate for use with contact lenses, so ask your optometrist which eyedrop is compatible with your contacts and cleaning solution. If rewetting drops don’t help, consider opting for glasses when your dry eyes are bad, and speak to your optometrist about which brands of contact lenses are better for dry eyes. Many people find dry eye improvement when they switch to daily single use contact lenses.

Chronic Dry Eyes or Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry eye syndrome is a chronic condition in which the eyes do not produce enough tear film, or do not produce the quality of tear film needed to properly keep the eyes moist. While winter weather can make this condition worse, it is often present all year round. If you find that the tips above do not alleviate your discomfort or symptoms, it may be time to see a optometrist to see if your condition requires more effective medical treatment.

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