When prostaglandin analogue eye drops for glaucoma became available mainstream in the 1990s, they revolutionized glaucoma management and became the first line treatment for most patients. Now Valeant/Bausch and Lomb has submitted a new classification of glaucoma drop treatment to the FDA for fast-track approval: Vesneo, a combination drop of the proven prostaglandin analogue class with the first ever utilization of topical nitric oxide for additional pressure lowering effect.
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| How aqueous humor travels through the anterior chamber via |
Research has proven the effectiveness of nitric oxide in lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) in multiple animal and human studies. Nitric oxide is a known vasodilator, which can help reduce IOP by decreasing episcleral venous pressure that creates hemodynamic resistance against the flow of aqueous out of the eye. Nitric oxide has an additional benefit of increasing outflow of the aqueous humor through the trabecular meshwork and Schlemm's canal, two of the more prominent drainage structures of the anterior chamber. Prostaglandin analogue category drugs also increase aqueous outflow and drainage, primarily through the uveoscleral pathway (which includes flow across the ciliary muscle and choroid). Theoretically a combination of nitric oxide and prostaglandin analogue medication would cause an additive effect of increased outflow. Studies suggest that as much as 75% of the aqueous humor outflow occurs through the trabecular meshwork through Schlemm's canal, while the remaining 25% is from other tissue. That means our most effective glaucoma drop therapy on the market currently (prostaglandin analogues) targets that 25% of outflow, while if we could target trabecular meshwork outflow (like nitric oxide appears to do in studies) we'd be influencing a much larger area of impact.
No news yet on how much IOP lowering effect we should see from the addition of nitric oxide, but Valeant has targeted a summer 2016 date for FDA testing approval and results should be available at this time.
Time for your next edition! I want to preface this next picture by saying this is a patient with no vision complaints that I had followed for several years previously. I'm just going to start with the picture this time, because you'll spot a few things that are suspicious right away:
1. The most obvious ocular health concern that you'll spot is at the macula. See those yellow color distortions right in the center? Those are drusen consistent with dry age related macular degeneration. This patient came in for her annual exam with a known history of AMD that was being followed, so this macular appearance was expected. But can you see the new issue?
2. Follow the artery (the lighter colored blood vessel) up from the optic nerve and you'll come to a whitish round circle smack in the middle of the artery wall. This is a cholesterol plaque lodged in the arteriole, called a Hollenhorst plaque. Luckily you can see blood passing through the artery to the other side. If the blood vessel is white on the other side of the artery we know we have full obstruction and this would be an artery occlusion instead of just a plaque (occluded arteries are much more serious!). A cholesterol plaque, even when there is blood passing around it, is still a potentially serious threat to vision and systemic health; if there's a blockage in your eye there is likely a risk for cholesterol blockages elsewhere too.
What You Need to Know
Cholesterol blockages or Hollenhorst plaques are often found without causing any vision symptoms, so this is just one more reason why routine ocular health checks with dilation or imaging is a vital part of everyone's preventative health care. The patient above had absolutely no vision complaints, and unless blood flow is being blocked, likely there will be no affect on vision. If there is a plaque limiting blood flow to the retinal tissue, the patient will likely experience blacking out of vision (called amaurosis fugax or transient ischemic attacks) that can last for minutes at a time. Any sudden vision loss is always worth a call to your eye doctor, even when it is painless!
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If your doctor finds carotid stenosis on your ultrasound, it will likely be treated with oral medications like anti-platelet/blood thinners (baby aspirin is a common one) and cholesterol lowering medication like the statin category of meds. Surgical treatment is sometimes required to remove the obstruction -- typically when the carotid is > 60% stenosed surgery is the preferred treatmetn method.
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| Optos retinal imaging showing a Hollenhorst plaque via |
While you might not notice any problems or changes in your vision, if a Hollenhorst plaque is found during your eye exam it's not to be taken lightly. The Beaver Dam Eye Study found that those with Hollenhorst plaques or any retinal emboli were at a 3 x higher risk of fatal stroke over the next 8 years. This is a finding not to be ignored, and just another reason that when you go to your eye doctor, you need to have retinal imaging and or dilation done every single year, even if you don't notice any problems with your vision. An eye exam is a snapshot of your entire systemic health, and using the retina like a window into your body's inner workings can save your life.
Tips for Making Readers Fashionable
Reading
glasses are a fantastic and inexpensive way to test out eyewear trends to see
if they work for you. But if you’ve been watching eyewear trends emerge from
the Fall 2015 runways, you might be wondering how you can pull off the massive
sizes and bright colors that graced the models from Jonathan Saunders, Zac
Posen, Versace, Emporio Armani and Karen Walker. It’s not always easy to pull
runway fashion off the runway and make it applicable to your daily wardrobe,
but with a little creative thinking, you can translate the essence of fashion
trends into everyday looks.
1. Try
a new shape
Adding
a pair of reading glasses in a fun shape is a super easy way to work fall
trends into your wardrobe. Play up the retro vibe by trying a cat eye, browline
or round style this fall.
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| Bookworm |
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| Brit |
Feeling brave? Try an oversized square sun reader for a bit of a glamorous look.
Feeling brave? Try a pair with a bit of glitter or a sassy animal print.
Want more style inspiration? Follow Angie on Pinterest to see all of her favorite eyewear trends -- including boards for looks straight off the runway.
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| Rue |
2. Focus on
the details
Trends often hide in the details, and this fall is no exception. Look for readers with a plastic front and metal temples, or add a reader with a keyhole bridge to your collection.
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| Hayworth |
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| Saginaw |
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| Dorian |
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| Roman |
3. Update your
color palette
If you already have an eyewear shape that looks great on you, and you’re not quite ready to add glitter to your glasses, try updating your readers with a new color. This fall is calling for a range of blues, with a splash of olive and a hint of pastels.
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| Applause |
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| Catherine |
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| Sylvia |
Feeling brave? Try a frame in grey, or experiment with a clear frame or any other translucent color.
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| Countess |
How
do I know what reader power I need?
The
best way to find your correct magnification is to ask your eye care
professional during your examination. Your eye doctor can tell you if OTC
reading glasses are a good choice for your eyes, and they can help you figure
out the correct power for each reading task. We find that our customers are
typically unaware that the reading glasses they use for their newspaper will
often be a different power than the readers they use for computer work, and
that they may need different glasses to get their best visual performance.
If
you have a prescription handy, you can call us for help. Once our optician has
your prescription in front of her, she can do a bit of optical math to
determine the best magnification for your OTC reading glasses. Some prescriptions like those with moderate to high amounts of myopia or astigmatism, or those with significant differences in prescription between their two eyes, aren't great candidates for OTC readers and will need custom prescription reading glasses instead. For a quick check in, you
can always print out a handy guide to give you an idea of what power you need for your reading glasses. When printed out correctly, this guide allows you to hold the paper at your desired distance to see the necessary magnification for each task.
Allergy season is almost upon us, and itchy eyes, nose, skin, and throat is par for the course for many. But there are plenty of people out there that experience itchy, irritated eyelid skin all year round and no amount of Zyrtec or Benadryl is going to help. In fact, they will probably make it worse. That's because allergies can cause itching, but so can dryness and inflammation, both of which are chronic and can cause you to experience red, itchy eyeild symptoms year round.
Why do the eyelids get itchy or irritated? The skin of your eyelid is incredibly thin and delicate, and the blood vessels are quite close to the surface. As a result, any internal inflammation causing the veins to dilate and fluid to pool under the eyelid skin is going to make a bigger impact. The thin eyelid skin swells quickly, giving you that red puffy appearance. Check out this post for more
Another culprit to eyelid irritation is the eyelashes themselves. Think of your lashes like little feather dusters, catching debris and keeping it away from the eye itself. The eyelash follicle is a collection area for tons of microscopic allergens like pollen, dust, dry skin, makeup and even an inviting little home for mites like Demodex that survive off of eating your dry skin particles. Read more here. All of this is going on at a microscopic level that you aren't visibly going to see when you wash your face, and as a result, when was the last time you really cleaned carefully right into your eyelash roots? Scary, right.
Right on the inside of the eyelash follicle in the delicate waterline area are your meibomian glands, oil glands responsible for secreting the top layer of your tear film with every blink. These glands are easily clogged by dry skin and debris, or by anything that can harden oils like cold air, wind, inflamed eyelid skin (inflammation makes the lid margin swell and can block the gland opening), and not blinking frequently enough (like when we use computers, cell phones, or even read for long periods of time). If your oil glands are malfunctioning, your body can even start making soaps along your eyelid margin which foam up and of course cause stinging and burning. Keeping those oil glands open, free of debris, and properly secreting is essential to comfortable eyelids and the eye itself -- if you don't have a good tear film, your body can't blink away debris properly and you'll have worsened ocular allergies! It's all a terrible feedback circle.
Now that we've got the picture for why our eyelids need help, how do we clean them properly to get rid of debris and reduce irritation? Soap and water is often much too harsh for your delicate eyelid skin, and if we are cleaning right into the lash roots, of course it could get into your eye and burn like crazy. That's why baby shampoo was so popular for a while, but if you've ever used baby shampoo regularly for eyelid cleansing, you know it is incredibly harsh and drying for routine use. Instead, we need a product that will clean, but won't strip all the oils from your skin and leave it parched,dry, and irritated all over again.
My Favorite Products:
Blephadex:
If you don't read anything else, just buy this. Hands down this is the best eyelid cleansing product I have ever used. It is coconut oil and tea tree oil based -- great for sensitive skin types and incredibly soothing. The coconut oil will hydrate your skin while it's cleaning, and the tea tree oil is excellent for reducing Demodex colonies and inflammation. It is an excellent eye makeup remover; you can rub it right into your lash follicles and not worry about burning or stinging. For most people, using this product every other night will be enough on a routine basis, but if you have a lot of irritation going on you might want to use it nightly for a week to get things under control.
Ocusoft:
Before I found Blephadex I had been using Ocusoft pads for years and they work wonderfully. Excellent for nightly makeup removal, non-drying, and easy to find over the counter at your local pharmacy, Target, or even grocery store. Ocusoft also makes an excellent pump bottle foam, a spray version for those who do better with a less aggressive approach, and even cooling gel for night time use.
Avenova:
This hypochloric acid spray is all natural and easy to use -- just spritz a few times on a cotton pad, then rub along your eyelids. It's incredibly gentle but cuts debris and dry skin quickly without you needing to rub much at all. This product is gentle enough for use every single day, but it kills the most common strains of skin bacteria (and even MRSA!) in under 1 minute. If you are prone to chronic styes, this is the product for you. I've had several patients using daily Ocusoft still get styes (a bacterial infection of the meibomian gland), and according to their data, Ocusoft can take more than 30 minutes to kill these same bacterial strains. So if you've tried Ocusoft and are still getting styes, this prescription lid cleanser would be a great alternative. Right now Avenova is the only product listed here that is only available with prescription, typically running about $30 at your local pharmacy.
Why do the eyelids get itchy or irritated? The skin of your eyelid is incredibly thin and delicate, and the blood vessels are quite close to the surface. As a result, any internal inflammation causing the veins to dilate and fluid to pool under the eyelid skin is going to make a bigger impact. The thin eyelid skin swells quickly, giving you that red puffy appearance. Check out this post for more
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Now that we've got the picture for why our eyelids need help, how do we clean them properly to get rid of debris and reduce irritation? Soap and water is often much too harsh for your delicate eyelid skin, and if we are cleaning right into the lash roots, of course it could get into your eye and burn like crazy. That's why baby shampoo was so popular for a while, but if you've ever used baby shampoo regularly for eyelid cleansing, you know it is incredibly harsh and drying for routine use. Instead, we need a product that will clean, but won't strip all the oils from your skin and leave it parched,dry, and irritated all over again.
My Favorite Products:
Blephadex:
If you don't read anything else, just buy this. Hands down this is the best eyelid cleansing product I have ever used. It is coconut oil and tea tree oil based -- great for sensitive skin types and incredibly soothing. The coconut oil will hydrate your skin while it's cleaning, and the tea tree oil is excellent for reducing Demodex colonies and inflammation. It is an excellent eye makeup remover; you can rub it right into your lash follicles and not worry about burning or stinging. For most people, using this product every other night will be enough on a routine basis, but if you have a lot of irritation going on you might want to use it nightly for a week to get things under control.
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| Pads or Foam Version via Amazon |
Ocusoft:
Before I found Blephadex I had been using Ocusoft pads for years and they work wonderfully. Excellent for nightly makeup removal, non-drying, and easy to find over the counter at your local pharmacy, Target, or even grocery store. Ocusoft also makes an excellent pump bottle foam, a spray version for those who do better with a less aggressive approach, and even cooling gel for night time use.
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| Ocusoft pads have been solving eye irritation successfully for years and are easy to find over the counter at your local pharmacy or on Amazon |
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| The HypoChlor spray or gel is a new product, great for eyes that don't need the intensity of the foaming pad and need a more gentle approach without sacrificing effective bacteria and inflammation control. Applying HypoChlor gel at night is a great soothing way to kill bacteria and reduce eyelid swelling while you sleep. via |
Avenova:
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When I'm examining the front surface of the eye in the slit lamp microscope, I'm carefully evaluating your eyelids, lashes, conjunctiva, and cornea. The cornea is the clear tissue that acts as the window for light entering your eye -- because it is clear light penetrates unobstructed through your pupil and onto the retina for visual processing. But when the cornea is not clear, this can greatly impact vision and ocular health long term. Scars, corneal degenerative conditions, inflammatory events, or oxygen deprivation can all permanently cloud the cornea. These areas of cloudiness generally aren't reversible, but if it has happened already to you, it's your doctor's job to make sure that you know everything you need to do to prevent further corneal opacification (cloudiness). A real common finding I see in the exam chair looks like this:
Do you see that whitened spot at the bottom of the cornea? There are little blood vessels inside which you can faintly see within the whitened portion. This is a mild case of corneal pannus, about 1 mm in size which is what I will often see in my patients. Pannus is growth of vascularized tissue within the otherwise avascular cornea -- to make that simpler, you have blood vessels growing into your cornea which causes a cloudy/whitened area within a tissue that is ideally perfectly clear for maximum light penetration.
What Causes Pannus?
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| The above picture shows pannus caused by contact lens overwear/abuse. |
What Causes Pannus?
- Oxygen Deprivation From Contact Lens Wear: When you wear contact lenses, the material each lens is made from has a certain number of oxygen particles that can pass through the material in a given time. This breathability score is called Dk/t and a quick google search can tell you what the oxygen transmission is for your current contact lens brand. Most of today's most popular multiple wear lenses have really high Dk/t scores -- many over 100 units which is very highly breathable. But if you don't throw your lenses away at the appropriate time, or you sleep in your contact lenses when you don't have the proper lens to do so, you are risking starving your cornea of that vital oxygen it needs. If the body let's your cornea starve for oxygen underneath your lenses, your cornea will die -- that means blindness! Instead, it tries to save you by shooting blood vessels from the conjunctiva or the white of the eye into the cornea to help get by, but the result is pannus -- a permanent cloudy place that you will never be able to see through again. When your doctor sees pannus they know that your contact lens habits aren't working for you -- that means changing to a higher oxygen lens material, changing your wear schedule, or if severe enough you may have to permanently change to glasses wear only.
Much more severe pannus in a patient with limbal stem cell deficiency via - Chronic Inflammation: Not all of my patients with pannus are contact lens abusers. Many of them suffer from chronic inflammatory conditions like dry eye, previous severe viral infections of the cornea, or injuries like burns. Pannus is like scar tissue, showing areas that have been damaged by acute events or chronic irritation. What's going on in dry eye that could cause this kind of damage? Your tear film is the cornea's only protection from the harsh outer world -- ceiling fans, vents, bright sun, staring at the computer or your cell phone for hours at a time. It's a hard world out there. When you don't have an adequate tear film, your cornea is exposed to these harsh environments, and additionally the tissue begins to become inflamed. Dry eyes are red and irritated because of the inflammation they are associated with -- the lower tear volume on your eye's surface means an excessive amount of inflammatory mediators hanging out on the eye. Their job is to trigger your eyes to start watering to put moisture onto the eye when it is needed, but with that watering comes more inflammatory mediators and you enter a feedback circle of continuous eye irritation. When I see pannus in a patient with ocular rosacea or dry eye, it means that we need to significantly increase lubrication with eye drops or gels, and it's probably a great time to consider a topical anti-inflammatory like Restasis or pulses with steroids like Lotemax or Alrex.
The big take home is that when your doctor sees pannus, they know that the surface of your eye is in need of a change. We can't get rid of pannus with today's medicine -- it's a scar that will always alert your doctor that your eyes need special care. But with the proper intervention your doctor can help keep pannus from spreading into larger and larger areas and having greater detrimental affects on your vision.
You've probably heard of Latisse, the eyelash growing serum that was discovered when glaucoma patients taking prostaglandin analogue eye drops had the desirable side effect of longer, thicker eyelashes. But there's new research showing that not only can prostaglandins make your eyelashes fuller, they can also penetrate the skin and reduce under eye puffiness too. XAF5 is a topical ocular ointment made by Topokine Theraeutics derived from prostaglandins that specifically targets under eye bags. XAF5 breaks down subcuntaneous (under the skin) eyelid fat that causes those pesky puffy under eye bags, or steatoblepharon in the dermatological world. The ointment works by penetrating through the skin and binding to fat cells, shrinking them in size and also preventing new fat cell formation.
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| Under eye bags are prolapsed pockets of the orbital fat that surrounds your eye in the socket. via |
90 patients between the ages of 40 and 70 applied XAF5 as a topical cream to their eyelids for ten weeks. The level of eyelid bags were graded on a 1 to 4 scale (called the Lower Eyelid Steatoblepharon Severity scale). The results: "just under half" of treated patients experienced a 1 point improvement in their eyelid puffiness on the LESS scale after ten weeks of treatment. The patients also reported a change in their appearance: 75% of patients reported improved appearance and 85% said they were satisfied with the treatment.
Potential Side Effects
The makers of XAF5 report they are using "a different" prostaglandin than that found in Latisse, one they claim won't cause darkening to the eye or eyelid skin which is a known side effect of Latisse. Another possible side effect of shrinking the fat around our eyelids is creating a sunken globe appearance as the eye settles deeper into the orbital socket. This side effect is sometimes seen with glaucoma patients taking prostaglandins, and is what tipped researchers off initially that the medication could be repurposed for cosmetic use. Researchers report that if a sunken eye appearance does develop, the results will reverse once XAF5 is discontinued. The most common reported side effect with XAF5 application was skin redness, which occurred in 18% of users. Phase 3 clinical trials will be forthcoming.
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| Right and left photos above show the same patient who had been using prostaglandin glaucoma eye drops for 7 years on the right eye only. Note the picture on the left shows longer eyelashes and reduced orbital fat with a more sunken globe appearance as compared to the picture on the right which is of his untreated eye. via |
Looking for doctor recommended ways to treat under eye puffiness and dark circles until XAF5 becomes available for prescription? Check out this post for the best at home treatments and products available now.
1. You probably don't have a bacterial infection. If you've been diagnosed with pink eye (acute conjunctivitis) the far and away most likely cause of your infection is a virus. Research suggests that as much as 80% of acute conjunctivitis episodes are viral. Bacterial conjunctivitis is significantly less likely, which is why the use of antibiotics when diagnosed with pink eye is very controversial (using antibiotics when you don't have bacterial infections increases the risk of resistant bacterial strains).
2. Yes, you should see an EYE doctor. Your eye doctor can tell the difference between viral, bacterial, and other types of conjunctivitis, but getting the proper diagnosis elsewhere will be a challenge. A 2008 review study reported that in primary care facilities conjunctivitis is correctly diagnosed less than 50% of the time. In order to determine the nature of your eye infection, a doctor needs specialized equipment that just won't be found at your primary care or urgent care facility. The good news: your eye doctor can tell which type of infection you have by using the slit lamp microscope and sodium fluorescein dye staining to assess the conjunctiva and cornea. They may even have a test for viral ocular infections called AdenoPlus that confirms adenovirus strains found in many viral infections with a quick n-office sample. Head to this post to learn more about the difference between the appearance of viral and bacterial conjunctivitis.
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| via Viral infections classically have follicular reactions in the palpebral conjunctiva. With a slit lamp microscope your eye doctor can tell the difference between follicles (a lymphatic reaction) seen here above, versus papillae (an allergic or bacterial sensitivity reaction) seen below that is more classic for allergies or bacterial conjunctivitis. Can you see the difference? |
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4. You'll get better (eventually) without treatment. Viral conjunctivitis infections are typically self-limiting, resolving full within 1-2 weeks. Your body's immune system fights off the infection just like when you have a common viral cold. That's why the most common treatments for conjunctivitis involve cool compresses and frequent artificial tear use. The infection itself is highly contagious, so frequent handwashing and avoiding directly touching others for the first 7 days is the best way to prevent spreading the virus to family, friends, coworkers, and your other eye. Because the symptoms can be so severe (see Bob Costas' epic pink eye debacle from the 2014 Winter Olympics as a case in point), many doctors do offer treatment with topical steroids to reduce the swelling and redness, but these drops won't fight the viral infection or make you less contagious in any way. Additionally, treating viral infections with antibiotics won't help treat the virus you have, but some doctors will prescribe these if they feel your risk for a secondary bacterial infection is high (lowered immune system, patients at risk, etc).
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| Many people wondered why Bob Costas didn't get treatment for his eye infection and missed a good amount of his Olympic broadcasts. Viral infections have no anti-viral treatment so he was forced to wait it out, but perhaps steroid eye drops would have made him more comfortable during the ordeal. via |
5. Not all viruses are created equal, and not all are self-resolving. In 1.8 to 2.3% of acute red eye infections, the underlying culprit is the highly dangerous herpes simplex virus. This type of viral infection does necessitate prompt treatment -- permanent corneal damage and blindness is a possibility. So how do you know if you have the more common, self-limiting viral conjunctivitis that just needs palliative treatment, or this much more aggressive viral infection? This is where a trip to your eye doctor is essential! Herpetic infections typically have tell-tale corneal and eyelid lesions that will allow your doctor to prescribe the proper medication. If you have scabby, crusty lesions along your eyelid or face or blurry vision and a concurrent red eye, you need to see a doctor immediately!!
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| Herpes Simplex Keratitis has tell-tale corneal dendritic lesions that your eye doctor can find when they use sodium fluorescein dye staining. Just one of the tools that your eye doctor has the probably won't be found at urgent care. via |
For the last few years if you wanted the ultimate contact lens for all day comfort, you've probably been wearing Dailies Total 1. There have been several new lenses to launch since then, but in my opinion none of them came close to competing with Dailies Total 1... until now. CooperVision's new MyDay daily disposable lens offers fantastic comfort and clarity, and will definitely become an active competitor to Dailies Total 1's current spot on the top of the contact lens heap.
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The Lens:
MyDay is a silicon hydrogel daily disposable lens, meaning it has higher oxygen transmissibility than many other daily disposable lenses on the market. This is a great health point for people with previous history of eye infections or corneal neovascularization or scarring from prior contact lens issues. The health benefits of this higher breathability puts this lens in a top lens safety category with Dailies Total 1 and Acuvue TruEye. The lens material itself is incredibly thin and lubricious -- when placed on your eye it truly does have that "I don't feel like I'm wearing contact lenses" feel.
Base Curve: 8.4 mm
Diameter: 14.2 mm
Power Range: +6.00 to -10.00
Dk/t: 100
Head to head this lens fits very similar to Dailies Total 1 with a steeper base curve and typically very little movement on the eye with blink (creating excellent comfort). A big pro for MyDay is that it is available in plus powers; Dailies Total 1 is still currently only available in -0.50 to -10.00. Another real advantage to MyDay is its' aspheric optic design, meaning that the lens corrects for the average cornea's "higher order" aberrations -- irregularities that bend and bounce light, disrupting the crispness and clarity of your vision. Corneas with low amounts of astigmatism or corneal irregularity could potentially achieve better vision in a lens with aspheric optics. Update: I wore this night driving recently on a dimly lit highway and was really impressed with the quality of my vision compared to my other two favorite contact lenses for comfort, Dailies Total 1 and Acuvue 1 Day Moist. Just remember, aspheric optical designs can give better vision to some by adjusting for the normal light bouncing aberrations coming off an average cornea , but if your cornea is not average, then it may not give you noticeable vision changes.
My Review:
If you read my rave reviews about Dailies Total 1 back in 2013, you know what a big fan I am. I honestly didn't think that my contact lens wearing experience would be matched by any new product. But in my personal wearing experience, MyDay was at least as good on comfort, and just a little better on clarity than Dailies Total 1. The lens stayed comfortable well into my 16 hours of wear, and I never had to use moisturizing drops or manipulate the lens under my eyelids to rehydrate. I found the lens material to feel very similar to Dailies Total 1, so if you are someone who had difficulty with removing Dailies Total 1 lenses, it is possible that you may have the same experience with MyDay. Both of these lenses have low modulus materials (meaning they are very flexible and bend to the shape they are touching) and very high lubricity -- your fingers will glide right over them if they are wet when you try to remove the lens. You also won't be able to easily slide the lens around on your eye -- your fingers are more likely to slide on the lens surface than you are to move the lens around without the proper amount of force. If you are having difficulty with removal it is best to let your doctor know so they can help teach you the proper technique for removing these more "slippery" lenses. The real pro to this more lubricious lens texture is that on your eye, your eyelids will glide right over the lens surface too, meaning that you will have that fantastic "am I wearing a contact lens??" feeling.
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| I thought the "Instantly Forgettable" marketing campaign is a cute touch -- and at least in my experience, it definitely held true :) via |
I tried to think of at least one potential con about the lens, and the only thing that really comes to mind is that the handling tint is really faint. It will be a challenge to see the edges of this lens (especially if you have a high prescription!) to determine if the lens is inside out, and it will be hard to spot this lens if you drop it by mistake.
Because of the very low material modulus, the lens should properly fit a variety of corneal curvatures despite the steeper base curve. Lower modulus materials drape and form easily to surrounding surfaces, meaning that even though the lens comes in only one base curve and diameter, it can potentially properly fit many different corneal shapes and curvatures. Your doctor will carefully assess to make sure this lens is a proper fit for your cornea during your contact lens evaluation.
Have you tried MyDay yet? I'd love to hear your opinions and thoughts about this exciting new product!
I am not affiliated with CooperVision in any way, and this is not a sponsored post. All opinions provided are from my own personal wearing experience.
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Can a Glaucoma Eye Drop Help Treat Tuberculosis?
New research out of Michigan State University found that ethoxzolamide, a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor found in glaucoma eye drops like Azopt (brinzolamide) may reduce the virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The drug makes it difficult for the TB bacteria to grow in it's host environment, and prevents it from being to grow within our body's immune system white blood cells -- increasing our body's ability to fight off the infection. When coupled with existing antibiotic treatments, the use of ethoxzolamide could potentially reduce the risk of drug-resistant TB strains, and shorten the duration of antibiotic treatment needed to fight the infection. All carbonic anhydrase inhibitors carry the potential risk for cross-sensitivity in patients with sulfa allergies.
Can an Eye Drop Dissolve Cataracts?
This article has been taking the internet by storm! Researchers studied a family in China with three children who were born with severe cataracts and found that the children lacked a gene to produce a steroid called lanosterol. Theorizing that the absence of lanosterol could be the cause of their cataract formation, the researchers then put the steroid to work on rabbit cataracts. Rabbit lenses with various stages of cataract severity were incubated in a lanosterol solution for 6 days. In that time significant improvement in clarity or resolution of cataract altogether was observed. With such promising results in vivo testing was then performed on dogs with cataracts receiving lanosterol drops -- again with statistically significant improvement in lens clarity on the test subjects. Lanosterol plays a role in preventing protein aggregation, which could help reduce the cloudiness and vision distortion associated with cataract formation. We are still a long way from having human results to know if this is truly an efficacious and safe way to approach cataract care, but perhaps in the next few decades prescribing eye drops for cataracts will be a common treatment?
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| Dog cataract before (left) and after (right) lanosterol treatment via |
