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Dogs are said to have the ability to see spirits and other paranormal entities unseen by man. In spite of this ability, vision is said to be the least sensitive sense of a dog. Our four legged friends are noted to have excellent hearing abilities and ultra sensitive noses but vision of dogs is inferior to that of its human friends.

So what kind of vision do dogs have? In spite of the similarity in genetics, dogs vision is different from humans. There was once a theory that dogs are living in a colorless world as they do not have the ability to see colors. Studies have proven that dogs can see colors but unlike humans that have trichomatic vision, dogs are noted to have dichromatic vision. Due to the dichromatic vision, dogs can only see some colors in the spectrum. Although not scientifically verified, dogs are believed to be able to see only shades of yellow and blue. Because dogs have fewer photoreceptor cones, mans best friends do not have the ability to distinguish red and orange colors.

Dogs see better in dim lights. This ability enables dogs to hunt and capture prey even in the night. Running in the dark at high speed would not be a problem to dogs because of their ability to see in the dark. Dogs make dependable guards not only because of their alert and protective nature but also because of this night time vision. Dogs can see better in the dark because they have the ability to dilate the pupils to let more light in.

Behind the dogs retina is a layer of reflective cells known as tapetum lucidum that has the function of reflecting light so that object the dog see in the dark would appear to be well lighted. Dogs have a more accurate and developed wide angle vision and peripheral vision. Dogs can detect the slightest movement even at a distance.

Dogs though find it hard to focus on the shape of object because they are known to have low visual acuity. These animals can detect movements at a distance but they would not be able to distinguish the shape of the moving object. Dog can see distant movements but objects that can be seen clearly by humans as far as 75 feet will be seen by dogs clearly if the object is only 20 feet away

Dogs indeed see the world in a different manner. Even with its inferior vision, dogs still have the qualities that make them endearing pets.

Now that you have read some about how dogs see. How about learning more about related topics like can dogs see colors? Sarahs Dogs answers this and many other questions about dogs.

Photo By Hans from Pixabay

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The Eyesight of Dogs - Good Herald

Tears began glistening in Meredith Tonigish's eyes as she pointed out"Dr. Phil 2017" written on more than 100volunteers' shirts among eye screening stations in the end zone of the Indoor Athletic Complex.

Over the last 17 years,more than 13,000 eye exams have been performed and 7,000 pairs of glasses have been given to Special Olympics Michigan athletes all because of Dr. Philip Irion's vision.

Dr. Philip Irion

The optometrist from Lansingwas instrumental in bringing the first-ever Opening Eyes program to the 2000 SOMI Summer Games, where he and a group of volunteers performed 663 vision tests and gave out 172 pairs of glasses in just three days. Following a brief illness, Irion passed away in March.This year's SOMI Summer Games were dedicated to his memory.

"It's been rough," Tongish said. "The reason we all come out and do this for these athletes is because (Irion) made it happen. He was like thefather to this big Opening Eyes family we have."

Opening Eyes is one of the services provided in SOMI's athlete village during the summer games. At the village,SOMI athletes canreceive services provided by volunteer health professionals at no cost to the athletes and their families. More than 900 athletes received free eye exams thisweekend during the 2017 SOMI Summer Games.

Athletes go through 13 stations where they can receivenear and far sight exams, color exams and fitting for glasses if they need them. Medical volunteers conduct the exams and make the glasses on sight with donated lenses and frames.

Irion was inspired to bring Opening Eyes to Michigan after seeing it at the World Games in 1999. What started out in a small classroom at CMU now covers an entire end zone in the Indoor Athletic Complex's Turf Bay.

Many athletesreceive their first pairs of glasses through Opening Eyes program, said SOMI Chief Program Officer Ann Guzdzial. Free vision care, designer sunglasses and prescription swim goggles are also available to the athletes.

"Many of our athletes can't afford these types of services," Guzdzial said. "I remember one year a little girl ran up and said, 'I can see the bottom of the pool for the first time.'"

In addition to free eye exams, the healthy athlete village also provided dental care and other preliminary examinations to SOMI athletes.

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Opening Eyes and heavy hearts - Central Michigan Life

News & Observer (blog)

Hundreds walk at N. Raleigh park to fight blindness News & Observer (blog) At age 8, Tyler Kirk started losing his eyesight to Stargardt disease, and he battled through Raleigh public schools learning Braille, guided by a white cane and tenacity. A quarter-century later, he works as a securities lawyer in Washington, D.C ...

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Hundreds walk at N. Raleigh park to fight blindness - News & Observer (blog)

Kelly Spain-Kelly and her daughter Delaney walked out onto Walker Street from Future in Sight headquarters Saturday morning.

The mother and daughter were among 500 walkers, clad blue T-shirts, taking part in the nonprofits 14th annual 3k Walk for Sight, an event which raises money and awareness for the visually impaired.

For Spain-Kelly, who works for Future in Sight, and Delaney, who is visually impaired, the walk was especially meaningful.

(Delaney) has a brain tumor, it is inoperable she has a good prognosis for longevity but she is going to more than likely lose all of her vision because of the tumor, Spain-Kelly said.

Spain-Kelly works at the nonprofit as an orientation mobility specialist, helping the blind and visually impaired learn how to navigate in their environments safely and independently. It was Delaneys diagnosis and her experience receiving help from Future in Sight that motivated her to look into the field and go back to school for it.

I called them to find out about programs for my daughter and the person I talked to actually told me about the field and so I did research and went back and got my masters degree, Spain-Kelly said. Based on that, and because of my daughter, I ended up getting hired here when I graduated.

Spain-Kelly came to Future in Sight at a time of change for the organization, formerly known as the New Hampshire Association for the Blind, president and CEO David Morgan said.

Not only has the organizations name changed its also expanded the number of people it serves, with 2,200 covered across the state, Morgan said.

The money raised at the walk is crucial for supporting its expanded services, he said.

The funds raised today will really be to support those programs and the more walkers we have, the more folks that engage, the more likely we are to expand, he said. Because even after serving 2,200 folks this year there are still 28,000 plus over the state and two thirds of them are seniors and many of them will be living alone without access to services.

Among the participants in the race was Glen Booth of Loudon.

Booth, 78, was a fifth year participant in the event, but was walking with his great granddaughter for the first time this year.

Its going to be great, shes carrying one sign, Im carrying the other, he said. I have lazy eye blindness and I know what visually impaired people are going through because of it.

Randy Pierce, the chairman of Future in Sight, told Saturdays crowd that people that were visually impaired should be empowered to live whatever lives they wanted.

I dont have sight I hope the lesson you have, that all of us have learned, is that if your sight is impaired, your vision doesnt have to be impaired, he said, addressing the walkers. Your future can have a beautiful vision if you just look at the world differently.

Spain-Kelly echoed Pierce, saying Delaney was living as normal a life as possible.

She is a spunky little girl and is always happy and positive and really never complains about the treatments, she said.

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Community members turn out in droves to Walk for Sight, raise awareness for visually impaired - Concord Monitor

When the eyes of her mice looked normal, Xu Wang was certain she had done something wrong. She was blasting the mice with blinding light to study how a specific gene affected the animals response to eye injury. All the mice were given the drug tamoxifen. Half were engineered to respond to the drug by disabling the gene a step that would protect their eyes. The control mice, with all genes intact, should have lost sight as photo-receptors the light-sensitive cells in the retina died.

Instead, the retinas of the control mice looked just fine. I was kind of despondent because it didnt agree with our hypothesis, Wang says. She and her mentor, Wai Wong, both ophthalmologists at the National Eye Institute in Bethesda, Md., could have started over with another kind of mouse. But they decided to do the test again. And again.

The spared vision was no mistake. Many experiments later, Wang, Wong and colleagues have shown that tamoxifen, a drug used to treat breast cancer, can help preserve photoreceptors and sight in mice with eye injuries.

After exposure to blinding light, injured photoreceptors send distress signals to summon microglia, immune cells that are the first line of defense in the brain and spinal cord. Microglia support photoreceptors by keeping the connections between them intact. But a photoreceptor SOS brings microglia swarming in to destroy damaged photoreceptors, resulting in vision loss. The same happens in progressive genetic vision disorders such as retinitis pigmentosa. The microglias murderous tendencies are meant to protect, but, Wong notes, their enthusiastic efforts can be overkill.

Story continues after images

Exposure to blinding light killed photoreceptor cells in the retinas of mice (left, dying cells colored pink). Animals given tamoxifen before the light (right), had almost no cell death.

When mice ate chow containing tamoxifen (about six to eight times the dose usually given to humans), the microglia didnt overreact and the photoreceptors were spared, the researchers found. Tamoxifen offered the same protection in mice with a form of retinitis pigmentosa. The killing power of microglia can be reduced by tamoxifen and this resulted in protection, Wong says. The group reported its findings in the March 22 Journal of Neuroscience.

The researchers are looking into whether lower doses of the drug can be protective, too. And there are plenty of other questions, such as how exactly tamoxifen protects against microglial malfeasance. Other scientists have shown that tamoxifen and similar drugs might also reduce nerve cell damage in the spinal cord and brain. The drug is widely used to treat women with certain types of breast cancer. But the eyes present their own challenges. In rare cases, tamoxifen has been tied to vision loss in women taking the drug. The scientists didnt see any sign of that in their mice, but Wong is quick to note that mice are not people.

Wang recalls her early days with patients facing blindness. I felt so helpless, she says. I thought, I want to find a way to solve their problems. She has new optimism. It opens a new window, she says. An old drug can be used in a new way.

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Researchers stumble onto a new role for breast cancer drug - Science News

wreg.com

How to protect your eyesight this summer wreg.com To protect your eyesight, the most important recommendation you need to follow is to wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet radiation whenever you go outside during daylight hours, according to the National Eye Institute. This is true for everyone, no ... and more »

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How to protect your eyesight this summer - wreg.com

WYTV

Hometown Hero's food truck is rolling fundraiser for visually impaired WYTV But Jeff is proof you don't have to have perfect eyesight to have a perfect vision. He considers himself lucky and is giving back to help others through the Foundation for the Visually Impaired which he started in 2010. Jeff used to sell food in ...

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Hometown Hero's food truck is rolling fundraiser for visually impaired - WYTV

Until now, researchers thought that the development of the human brain's visual-processing center stopped in the first few years of life. But a new study challenges this belief, instead suggesting that vision develops until midlife. This may have a significant impact on people with amblyopia, which is an eye disorder that causes what is commonly known as a "lazy eye."

A new study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggests that human vision might take longer to develop than previously thought.

A team of researchers led by Kathryn Murphy, a professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, set out to examine the evolution of the primary visual cortex in the human brain by analyzing the postmortem brain tissue of 30 people, ranging in age from 20 days to 80 years.

Until now, the accepted view has been that in humans, the maturation of the primary visual cortex is completed in the first few years of life.

This traditional belief was based on anatomical studies of how the synapses are formed, as well as how connections within the cortex and between the cortex and other brain regions occur.

However, Murphy and colleagues have previously discovered that there are some proteins in the primary visual cortex that continue to develop well beyond the first years of life.

Their new study confirms these preliminary findings.

In their previous research, Murphy and colleagues looked at the so-called GABAergic activity in the brain. GABA stands for gamma-aminobutyric acid, and "GABAergic" refers to the brain's ability to produce it.

GABA is a neurotransmitter whose main function is to inhibit the action of another neurotransmitter called glutamate.

Their former study looked at the balance between excitation and inhibition in the brain, and how it is linked to the plasticity and aging of the visual cortex. The researchers followed the maturation of this brain region and showed how these GABAergic mechanisms change across the human lifespan.

This previous research showed that the GABA-producing mechanisms continue to mature until quite late in life. However, it still was not clear whether all of the mechanisms that regulate the plasticity of the synapses behaved in the same way. GABA is inhibitory, but what about the excitatory neurotransmitters and synapses?

As Murphy and colleagues explain in their new paper, over 80 percent of synapses in the primary visual cortex are excitatory.

So, to answer this question, the scientists looked at the postmortem tissue of 30 people, of whom 12 were females and 18 were males. They examined their brain tissue using Western blotting - a technique commonly used in molecular biology to separate and identify specific proteins from the mixture of proteins that has been extracted from cells.

The researchers found that some of the glutamatergic proteins - that is, the ones that produce the excitatory glutamate - develop until late childhood, but others develop until around the age of 40.

According to the new research, the visual-processing part of the brain matures until a person reaches 36 years of age, plus or minus around 4.5 years.

This was surprising, as the consensus is that the primary visual cortex stops developing at around the age of 5 or 6 years.

Additionally, the researchers found that the primary visual cortex develops gradually across five stages, which reflect "life-long changes in human visual perception."

"There's a big gap in our understanding of how our brains function. Our idea of sensory areas developing in childhood and then being static is part of the challenge. It's not correct."

Prof. Kathryn Murphy

These findings may have significant implications for conditions such as amblyopia, which is more popularly known as "lazy eye." Currently, medical professionals only prescribe corrective therapies to children who have amblyopia. It is currently estimated that "approximately 2 to 3 out of every 100 children" are affected by amblyopia in the United States.

Treating adults is considered futile, as their visual cortex is thought not to be plastic or respond to treatment anymore. However, Murphy says that their research suggests that more brain areas are more flexible and responsive to experience-dependent plasticity than previously thought.

Learn how blind people's brains rewire to improve other senses.

Excerpt from:
Eyesight continues to develop until your 40s, new study finds - Medical News Today

Kurt B. Nolte, MD

Kurt B. Nolte, MD, chief medical investigator for the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator (OMI), will receive the Eye Bank Association of Americas 2017 Gift of Sight Award at its annual conference in June.

The Gift of Sight Award is presented to professionals who have demonstrated significant support of eye banking and corneal donation. Past recipients have included clergy, legislators, funeral service professionals and others.

Under Noltes leadership, OMI has shown unparalleled support for organ, eye and tissue donation, working closely with New Mexico Lions Eye Bank to ensure that donation is considered in even the most complicated situations. Approximately one-third of all cornea donations that take place in New Mexico each year are coordinated through OMI under the supervision of Nolte and his staff.

This award recognizes the generosity of New Mexico families in donating corneas from their decreased family members to improve the vision of living individuals, Nolte says, combined with the efforts of OMI staff especially, the forensic pathologists, investigators and technicians in fostering the donation process.

Nolte is the former director of the UNM Radiology-Pathology Center for Forensic Imaging and is engaged in radiologic imaging research projects sponsored by the National Institute of Justice. His academic interests include surveillance for infectious disease mortality, autopsy biosafety, the epidemiology and pathology of drug abuse, and the relationship between alcohol intoxication and suicide. He served as the National Association of Medical Examiners Executive Vice President from 2009 to 2015.

The Eye Bank Association of America, established in 1961, is the oldest transplant association in the nation. The association sets standards, provides education and engages in advocacy to support donation, transplantation and research. Its 80-plus member eye banks operate in the U.S., Canada and Asia. These eye banks made possible more than 79,000 sight-restoring corneal transplants in 2015. Compatible corneal tissue is not dependent on blood type, age, eyesight strength or eye color. To learn more, visit http://www.restoresight.org.

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UNM's Kurt Nolte receives national Gift of Sight award - HSC Newsbeat

Stanford University has announced the establishment of the new Mary M. and Sash A. Spencer Center for Vision Research thanks to a generous gift pledged by Mary Spencer in honor of her late husband, Sash. The new center, at the renowned Byers Eye Institute, will support innovative vision research and interdisciplinary collaborations across the Stanford campus.

Sash and Mary Spencer (Image credit: Courtesy Mary Spencer)

The new Mary M. and Sash A. Spencer Center for Vision Research at Stanford is at the heart of an ambitious vision for advancing research and creating new diagnostics and therapeutics that will change patient care. The goal of the center is to develop new cures and treatments for the most challenging eye diseases, such as macular degeneration and glaucoma, which impact the lives of millions of people often leaving them partially or wholly without sight. The center will be at the forefront of the search for new diagnostics and therapies, both to prevent vision loss and to restore sight, while offering patients access to the latest research, technologies, clinical trials and treatments. It will build on the Byers Eye Institutes reputation for innovation and patient-centered care.

Lloyd B. Minor, the Carl and Elizabeth Naumann Dean of the School of Medicine, said, We are optimistic that with the establishment of this new center, significant advances in vision science will be translated into improved patient care, transforming the lives of millions suffering from eye disease the world over. Of Mary Spencers gift he added, This will create a remarkable legacy for Sash and Mary Spencer for generations to come. We are incredibly grateful for her trust and generosity.

According to Jeffrey Goldberg, MD, PhD, Stanfords chair of ophthalmology and director of the new center, Many diseases of the eye still lack clear and effective methods of prevention, treatment or cure. Although much research is underway, bridging the chasm from the lab to clinical testing and ultimately to proven therapies remains the core challenge to making real progress. He added, Our goal for this new center is to bring together teams of interdisciplinary experts in genetics, imaging, stem cell and neurobiology with leaders in vision science. By harnessing the combined talents and energy available at Stanford and beyond, we can uncover novel therapies and bring them more rapidly to human trials to real patients so that others can benefit in the nearer term. The center will also work toward the development of new diagnostics and methods to help predict eye diseases before they occur, leading to preventive and more personalized care the foundation of Stanfords focus on Precision Health.

Mary Spencer, who suffers from the early effects of macular degeneration herself, believes this new center at Stanford will bring the brightest scientists together at the right place to make a lasting impact on the field of vision science. With the help of her philanthropic commitment, she hopes to witness in her lifetime the discovery of treatments for some of the worst eye diseases and also to create a legacy of excellence that honors her late husbands memory. Dr. Goldberg and the early promise shown by his work using magnetic nanoparticles to promote regenerative therapies for the eye was a major factor in Spencers decision to support the establishment of the new research center. I hope that Jeffs vision for this center will be realized and it will become a place where leading vision scientists from across the country and the world will come together and share their knowledge, she said.

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New Mary M. and Sash A. Spencer Center for vision research established at Stanford - Stanford University News

RICHMOND, Va. If students cant see well, they cant learn well. So Virginia has adopted a new state law to improve student vision screenings. The law will allow schools to partner with nonprofit groups and use digital technology in testing students eyesight.

The law is the result of House Bill 1408, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe earlier this year. The legislation, sponsored by Del. Lee Ware, R-Powhatan, will take effect July 1.

The amendments fortify our efforts to modernize the code regarding vision screening and to deploy modern technology to benefit our schoolchildren, Ware told his colleagues before the House of Delegates unanimously approved the bill in February.

Under existing law, schools must test students eyesight. Wares bill updates the law to reflect advances in screening technology and to allow nonprofit groups to perform the tests.

The bill was amended to allow, but not require, vision screening through digital photo screening by a qualified nonprofit vision health organization, Charles Pyle, director of communications for the Virginia Department of Education, said in an email. The bill was also amended to allow other screening methods by such organizations, provided that they comply with Department of Education requirements.

Under the bill, school districts are allowed to use qualified nonprofit vision health organizations, such as the Lions Club and Conexus for Healthy Vision, for mandated vision screenings.

Students vision must be tested in kindergarten, in second or third grade, and in seventh and 10th grade.

Girl having her eyesight tested by optometrist (SOURCE: Virginia Vision Therapy Center)

Conexus officials worked with Ware on revising the current law.

It really hadnt been updated for, like, 30 years, so we were kind of involved early on in just trying to modernize the code and put in some definitions, said Tim Gresham, CEO of the Richmond-based group. Just kind of bring the code up to todays standard; to include permissive language, to allow for the use of technology that is available today.

Gresham said Ware had been involved with Conexus in the past and had observed what the organization, formerly called Prevent Blindness Mid-Atlantic, was doing in Virginia schools.

So he was aware of the impact that we were having in public schools all across Virginia with our programs and as we modernized our vision screening process, Gresham said. It sort of stood in stark contrast with what a lot of school divisions were doing with traditional, old-school screenings.

Modern testing methods include digital photo screening, in which a camera takes images of a childs undilated eyes. It can detect who is at risk for amblyopia (lazy eye) and other problems.

Vision screenings can be critical to a students success in school.

If a child is not seeing well, they are just not going to perform well in a traditional classroom, Gresham said. A fourth of the public-school-age children in Virginia have a vision problem.

Wares bill gives schools more options to meet the states existing requirement to test students vision.

It really is giving these localities the permission to use an outside organization like ours, Gresham said. So over time, I would hope that most localities would move away from the old, traditional way of screening into a modern use of technology that is out there today.

By Taylor Mills with Capital News Service

Capital News Service is a flagship program of VCUs Robertson School of Media and Culture. Students participating in the program provide state government coverage for Virginias community newspapers and other media outlets, under the supervision of Associate Professor Jeff South.

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Law updates vision screenings in schools - wtvr.com

Summers almost here, so beware the brightest of sunlight! To protect your eyesight, the most important recommendation you need to follow is to wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet radiation whenever you go outside during daylight hours, according to the National Eye Institute. This is true for everyone, no matter what age, year round.

Ultraviolet radiation is the energy radiated by the sun that arrives on Earth in wavelengths too short for us to see. Both UVA (waves that are 320 to 400 nanometers long) and UVB radiation (290 to 320 nanometers long) can be harmful to your eyes. The fix, though, is simple.

The recommendations are that eyeglasses should block UVA and UVB radiation, said Dr. Andrea Thau, president of the American Optometric Association. When shopping for sunglasses, look for a tag or label that says 100 percent protection against both UVA and UVB or 100 percent protection against UV 400.

The UV 400 designation simply means the lenses will block radiation equal to or shorter than 400 nanometers, which covers both UVA and UVB rays, Thau said.

Thau and Dr. Justin Bazan, a doctor of optometry and medical adviser to The Vision Council, a nonprofit trade organization for optical industry manufacturers and suppliers, recommend purchasing sunglasses from a reputable retailer.

These include eyecare provider offices, or brick-and-mortar and online department stores and sunglass specialty shops as they offer sunglasses that meet the necessary standards for proper UV protection, Bazan wrote in an email. He adds that shoppers should be wary when purchasing sunglasses from online auction sites, street vendors and flea markets, as sunglasses available at these locations may not meet the necessary standards for proper UV protection.

Thats all good, but does UV protection wear off over time?

It doesnt, says Dr. Jeff Pettey, assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Moran Center University of Utah and a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

The UV protection is embedded, Pettey said, explaining both the technology and the process have changed over time, advancing far enough that routinely, even on the cheapest pair of glasses, the protection is built in for life.

In the testing weve done, weve never had a pair of sunglasses that didnt meet that UV protection, Pettey said.

He acknowledges that in the early 1990s, tests on childrens sunglasses showed that not all lived up to their UV protection claims, but more recently, we just have not seen that.

Still, he suggests buying from a reputable retailer just to be safe.

Theres no guarantee, because you cant say for certain where your glasses are coming from, Pettey said, adding that theres a test you yourself can perform at any local optical shop that has a UV light meter.

You can take your glasses in and have them tested, said Pettey. This is a handy test for when you doubt your sunglasses have the UV protection claimed by a retail tag or if theyre simply old and you want to make sure.

As far as a hard requirement, UV protection is it, he said. Tint doesnt matter, polarization doesnt matter, and although bigger is always better, UV protection is the essential piece.

The inessentials, though, may also play a role in eye health.

Beyond UV rays

Thau says there are two parts to sunglass protection: One is non-visible radiation, and the second has to do with visible light how much brightness they block.

When youre in the bright sun, like the beach, you do want something 75% or darker to block you from visible light, Thau said. Too much exposure to visible light does bleach your receptors, and some studies have indicated it can impair your night vision and your color vision perception.

Yet blocking visible light has a downside if your sunglasses are not up to UV snuff, suggests Dr. James H. Diaz, an environmental medicine specialist and anesthesiologist.

The darker the sunglass lenses, the more the pupils will dilate and allow more UV light to enter the eye, Diaz wrote in an email. This is true of blue light, which ranges in length from 400 to 440 nanometers.

The longer the retinas are exposed to unfiltered blue light, the greater the risk of macular degeneration, Diaz said. However, the National Eye Institute does not list protection against blue light as necessary when purchasing sunglasses. In fact, research has shown blue light exposure is good for us, as it helps regulate our circadian rhythms and so affects both mood and cognition.

Orange and yellow lenses provide the best protection from blue light, and blue and purple lenses provide the least protection, Diaz said.

Thau noted color is not crucial in protecting eye health. Most popular colors are gray, green and brown. They are the least distorting for color perception, with gray being the most neutral, she said.

People who have color vision deficiencies generally find that they see much better with brown lenses, while green seems to give more contrast, said Thau.

Whether you opt to filter out blue light or not, a good pair of UV-blocking sunglasses can protect both your short-term and long-term health.

Protect your thin skin

Skin around the eyelid is the thinnest in the body, so it is susceptible to skin cancers, Thau said. This thin skin is most likely to develop basal cell and squamous cell cancers, so the recommendation is to wear the largest pair of sunglasses possible to protect the eyelids and surrounding skin.

Meanwhile, Pettey warns that cancers of the eye itself, including squamous cell carcinomas and malignant melanomas, also can result from sun exposure.

The same damage that occurs to our skin occurs to the eye, he said: specifically eye burn, a form of short-term damage similar to a sunburn.

Thau says sun exposure can also cause photokeratitis, an inflammation of the cornea, with temporary symptoms of blurry vision, light sensitivity and a burning or gritty sensation. Too much sunlight may also lead to a thickening and/or yellowing of the conjunctiva, the membrane covering the eye. Though unsightly and annoying your eyes will feel too dry when this happens this doesnt cause blindness, says Thau.

Other conditions caused by too much unprotected time in the sun may have longer-term consequences, according to Pettey. Pterygium, for instance, is a growth of fleshy tissue that can cover part of the cornea and hurt your vision. This is sometimes called surfers eye.

Inside of the eye, as far as function, increased UV light leads to increased progression of cataracts and also likely increased progression of macular degeneration, both of which are conditions that cause loss of sight, Pettey said.

Thau says the latter is the more serious of the two complications.

Cataracts can be removed surgically, but macular degeneration is yours for life, she said. It literally causes damage to the photo receptors. Its like damaging film in a camera, and you cannot replace the film.

One other long-term danger of looking directly at the sun is solar retinopathy. Just like your mother told you, dont ever look directly at a solar eclipse, such as the one coming August 21.

If you were to look at that level of radiation, even for a few seconds, without the brightness of the light telling you to look away because it would be painful, you can actually cause burns on the retina in the back, Thau said. These burns cause permanent damage to your sight, and regular sunglasses are not enough protection for a solar eclipse.

Though the sun is the main cause of UV radiation damage, artificial sources such as tanning beds, lasers and welding machines also produce UV radiation that might damage vision.

One other consideration at least for some is their location on the globe, Diaz said.

Polarized lenses

We have more sunny days in the South, especially in Florida, and the West, especially in California, than in other areas of the US, and therefore, we see more sun-related injuries, said Diaz, who has researched this topic. Naturally, this is also true for the sunniest spots around the globe.

Another problem in the coastal South and all coastal areas is the reflected magnification of UV radiation off of surface waters, Diaz said. UV-blocking sunglasses protect against these reflections, but there is a risk of the same complications that result from direct sunlight.

Beyond the standard UV recommendations, does polarization matter?

I like to fish, and polarized lenses will reduce reflection and glare off surface waters and allow one to see at a greater depth, Diaz said.

Thau says this is not mandatory, its just an optional add-on benefit you can have.

Though most of us are concerned with eye health, the Vision Council reports that only 31% of Americans always wear sunglasses when outside.

Theyre not merely a fashion statement, insists Thau, but if that gets you to wear them, go with it. She herself owns five pairs and has been known to put them on even when sitting in a bright room.

To be safest, Thau recommends that an annual comprehensive eye examination with a credentialed doctor to learn more about eye health and which sunglasses might be most beneficial in any given circumstance.

Its also important for children to start with some protection early, because its cumulative damage over time, Thau said. My family does not walk out the door without their sunglasses on, except at night.

40.712784 -74.005941

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What you should know before buying sunglasses - New York's PIX11 / WPIX-TV

SINGAPORE: When you were younger, your parents would nag at you not to sit too close to the television, or to refrain from reading in the dark, so as not to get myopia in the future. You may find yourself singing the same tune to your kids now. With some 40 per cent of adult Singaporeans suffering from myopia or short-sightedness - one of the worlds highest - its an eye problem many of us are familiar with. Yet, children also suffer from lesser known eye problems.

Stresses senior consultant ophthalmologist Dr Leo Seo Wei, Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to maintaining your childs eye health as many diseases can result in lazy eye or amblyopia, which can cause loss of vision if not treated in time.

So, be vigilant about your mini-mes eye health as acting early might help save your childs eyesight. Read on to learn more about other eye problems junior could suffer from, as well as their symptoms and the treatments available.

STRABISMUS In strabismus, more commonly known as squinting, your childs eyes are misaligned and dont look in the same direction. Babies usually have this problem as their eye muscles are not strong enough to hold the eyeball in a fixed position for long. However, if your babys eye condition persist for months, bring him to the doctor for a check.

What to look out for: Misaligned eyes, eyes that move differently, squinting or closing one eye in the presence of bright light or sunlight, or double vision.

Treatment: In very mild cases, wearing spectacles should straighten out the eye. If not, eye patches or atropine eye drops can also be used. These work by covering or blurring the good eyes vision, forcing the weaker eye to work harder, which strengthens the muscles. As a last resort, surgery might be needed to help loosen or tighten the muscle of the eye.

AMBLYOPIA Amblyopia or lazy eye occurs when the vision of one eye is significantly better than the other and the brain begins to rely on the better eye and ignore the weaker one, Dr Leo explains. If lazy eye is not treated, the brain might start to ignore the images from the weaker eye in the long run, which will have a permanent impact on juniors vision. Lazy eye can be caused by a droopy eyelid or a cataract, which obstructs or disrupts vision. Strabismus can also cause lazy eye as the eyes do not line up as it should, causing blurry vision. Some parents may find it hard to spot amblyopia in their kids as their eyes are well aligned.

What to look out for: Poor vision in one or both eyes, squinting or tilting the head to see, poor depth perception or complains of headaches.

Treatment: Spectacles are worn to correct the sufferers vision. The use of eyepatches and atropine eye drops will also force the brain to pick up images from the weaker eye, instead of relying solely on the good eye. Finally, surgery can tighten or loosen the eye muscle, correct a droopy eyelid or remove the cataract that is interfering with your kids vision.

EPIBLEPHARON Epiblepharon is a congenital condition whereby there is an extra horizontal fold of skin near the upper or lower eyelid margin. Normal eyelashes point forward but people with this irregularity find that their eyelashes are pushed against their cornea. Most commonly found in Asian children, this condition will mostly disappear over time when they mature because their facial features change.

What to look out for: Red, itchy and teary eyes. Constant rubbing of the eyes.

Treatment: In mild cases, lubricating eye drops or ointment can be used to treat this condition. In severe cases, surgery might be needed to remove a small area of excess skin and muscle to allow the lashes to point outwards.

RETINOBLASTOMA Retinoblastoma, a form of cancer that grows in the retina, is usually only found in children. This cancer affects foetuses in the mums womb, up till the age of 5. If detected in utero, a foetus with retinoblastoma can be delivered early to initiate early treatment, which can reduce the rate of the disease and help preserve the vision, explains Dr Leo. If treated early, up to 95 per cent of retinoblastoma sufferers can be cured.

What to look out for: A cloudy white pupil or reddish pupil, accompanied with pain and discomfort. The pupil may look larger than normal, the irises have different colours and vision may be poor or reduced.

Treatment: The most common treatment method is chemotherapy oral or through injections or external beam radiation. Radiation is carefully focused onto the tumour to kill cancer cells. Other methods are brachytherapy (insertion of radioactive implants into the disease), cryotherapy (freezing treatment), and lastly, enucleation (removing the entire eyeball). Pointing out that retinoblastoma treatment should be tailored to each individual, Dr Leo adds, The treatment type depends on factors such as location and size of the tumour, and the estimated vision prognosis.

GLAUCOMA In glaucoma, increased pressure in the eyeball can lead to blindness if left untreated. A rare condition thats usually diagnosed within the first year of an infants life, Dr Leo says that most paediatric cases of glaucoma have no specific cause and are considered primary glaucoma. Secondary glaucoma happens when it is caused by, or associated with a specific condition such as aniridia (absence of the iris), trauma or previous eye surgery like childhood cataract removal.

What to look out for: Excessive tearing and blinking, enlarged or bulging eyes, red and irritated eyes, cloudiness of the cornea or sensitivity to light.

Treatment: Most cases of primary paediatric glaucoma are treated with surgery. Other methods include laser and eye drops. Although rare, eye drops might have systemic side effects on children. The younger and lower the body weight, the higher the risk, Dr Leo notes.

COATS DISEASE This happens when blood vessels carrying oxygen and blood to the retina break, leaking fluid and causing a build-up of fatty material in the retina, causing it to swell, which results in either partial or complete detachment of the retina. Dr Leo states that this is a very rare disease she only sees about one patient with Coats Disease per year. Early detection will save your eyesight but if it has already progressed to the final stage, the eyeball might need to be removed.

What to look out for: Yellow eye when a picture with flash is taken, loss of depth perception and parallax (position/direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions). The eyesight worsens (either central or peripheral vision).

Treatment: Dr Leo says, Laser or cryotherapy are utilised to constrict the abnormal blood vessels and stop the leakage of fluid. Surgery might be needed in the advanced stages of the disease to treat retinal detachment. After treatment, the patient will be monitored to ensure that the disease does not return.

Dr Leo Seo Wei is the medical director and senior consultant ophthalmologist at Dr Leo Adult and Paediatric Eye Specialist.

This story first appeared on SmartParents

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Toddler eye problems you may not know about - Channel NewsAsia

Two types of Herpes viruses are involved in infections of the eye. 1. Herpes Zoster, and 2. Herpes Simplex type I. Of these Zoster or Shingles is the more dramatic, causing pain, swelling and a vesicular rash consisting of fluid-filled blisters around the eye and forehead. Direct involvement of the eye results in redness, glare sensitivity and blurred vision. Shingles is due to a reactivation of the virus in persons previously exposed. It is usually seen in older persons who were affected by the virus in their younger days when it manifested as chicken pox. After first exposure the virus remains inactive in sensory nerves. Reactivation is associated with exposure to someone with chicken pox or shingles or when ones resistance is low eg debilitating diseases, cancer chemotherapy etc. Shingles may affect other parts of the body like the chest and abdomen. When the sensory nerve supplying pain to the forehead, temple and eye (the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve) is involved then HZO results. HZO should be considered an emergency, as severe consequences may result. These include severe chronic pain and vision loss. In order to ensure proper follow-up and to reduce suffering and risk of vision loss, early diagnosis, prompt and appropriate treatment is extremely important. Diagnosis may be difficult in the early (prodromal) stage before the rash appears. At this stage the patient experiences fever, malaise, headache, and eye pain prior to eruption of the skin rash. A history of recent exposure to chicken pox or shingles, chemotherapy and aged over 60 should raise concern. One should seek medical attention as soon as the rash appears because the disease can be arrested and unpleasant complications avoided. Sometimes a single vesicle or boil is observed and this may be neglected for several days until symptoms get worse. Occasionally HZO presents as an isolated inflammation of the eye that is difficult to distinguish from other more benign causes of a red eye - conjunctivitis. A vesicle present at the tip of the nose is a sign that the cornea and inner structures of the eye may be involved. This will result in prolonged inflammation associated with grittiness, watering, glare sensitivity, blurred vision and eye pain. Consequences include chronic eye pain, dry eyes, recurrent infection or inflammation, corneal scarring, cataract, glaucoma and loss of sight. Risk

You are at increased risk of getting shingles if you: Had chickenpox as a child Are age 60 or older because your immune system weakens as you age Have a weakened immune system because of a disease like cancer, HIV infection, or AIDS Take medicine that weakens your immune system, such as chemotherapy or radiation for cancer

Prevention: Varicella-Zoster Shingles vaccination in patients over the age of 60 appears beneficial in reducing the rate of HZO.

Can Shingles be spread? Shingles cannot be passed from one person to another. However, the virus can be spread from a person with active shingles to another person who has never had chicken pox. In such cases, the exposed person might develop chicken pox, but they would not develop shingles. The virus is spread through direct contact with fluid from the blisters caused by shingles. A person is not infectious before the blisters appear and once the rash has developed crusts, the person is no longer contagious. Shingles is less contagious than chickenpox and the risk of a person with shingles spreading the virus is low if the rash is covered.

If you have shingles: Keep the rash covered. Avoid touching or scratching the rash. Wash your hands often to prevent the spread of varicella zoster virus. Until your rash has developed crusts, avoid contact with Pregnant women Premature or low birth weight infants and People with weakened immune systems, such as people receiving immuno-suppressive medications or undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, and people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Treatment

Shingles of the eye must be treated by an ophthalmologist. Other members of the medical team, depending on the severity, may include a dermatologist and neurologist. Medications will include antiviral drugs, pain killers, steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, antibiotic eye preparations and topical applications to the skin. Surgery may be required to deal with complications such as corneal scarring. Presented as a public service by the Caribbean Eye Institute. Please email all eye-related concerns to Caribeyett@icloud.com

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Shingles of the eye - Trinidad & Tobago Express

Ask Americans to name the ailment they fear most, and blindness ranks at the top, along with Alzheimer's and cancer, according to a recent survey by the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University. And yet each year, 50,000 Americans go blind, nearly half from eye diseases that are treatable or preventable.

What's worse, the number of Americans who are either blind or visually impaired is expected to double by 2050, most of it driven by an aging population and the growing number of people with chronic conditions that can cause vision loss, such as diabetes, says James Jorkasky, executive director of the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research.

The challenge for vision experts is to make Americans aware of the things they can do to protect their eyesight, including getting a regular eye exam. Only half of the estimated 61 million Americans at high risk of losing their eyesight had an eye exam in the past 12 months partly due to a lack of insurance coverage for preventive eye care and glasses, noted a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report last fall, but also because many eye diseases don't show symptoms in the early stages, so people don't realize they have a problem.

Doctors, too, may need to step up their game. A new study in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology found that in one of four cases, trained eye professionals missed the early, more treatable signs of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) an irreversible loss of vision that affects 14 million Americans.

But there is some good news for those already diagnosed with eye disease, including new treatments and cutting edge research that could bring hope to millions in the near future. There are also simple changes everyone can do to greatly reduce their risk of eye disease. Here's what you need to know:

Cutting edge technologies

Glaucoma is caused by a buildup of damaging pressure within the eye and requires a daily dose of medicated eye drops to hold the disease at bay. Unfortunately, getting patients to follow that regimen daily for years is difficult, says Dr. Andrew Iwach, board chairman for the Glaucoma Research Foundation. Instead, clinical trials have started testing a thin polymer ring to be worn in the eye that would slowly release medication throughout the day. "It's like drip irrigation, rather than flooding the eye," Iwach says.

Using stem cells to regenerate healthy cells in disease-damaged eyes is the holy grail for researchers. This is especially true for incurable conditions that damage the retina, the layer of light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye.

Earlier this year, a Japanese man became the first person to receive retinal stem cells created from donated skin cells to stop his macular degeneration from getting worse.

And scientists at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles report promising results from transplanting stem cells from embryonic cells into patients who had been blind for decades from AMD and another disease. A study in 2014 reported that 10 of the 18 patients who received the cells experienced significantly improved vision.

The Argus II, a bionic retina approved by the Food and Drug Administration, is now being used by more than 100 people with retinitis pigmentosa and other related conditions. It also recently was implanted in the first person with macular degeneration.

This "bionic eye" uses a tiny camera attached to glasses that sends visual data to a microchip implanted in the eye, which then sends light signals to the brain. So far, the vision it provides is rudimentary, but patients say even some vision can greatly improve the quality of life for a blind person.

Ways to help your eyes

To keep your eyes healthy, says the National Eye Institute, get a dilated eye exam to detect problems early; know your family history and whether you're at risk for eye disease; wear sunglasses to block out ultraviolet rays that can increase the risk of cataracts; and control your diabetes to prevent damage to the retina.

Here are five other surprising things that can help:

Adjust your yoga and sleep position: Those with glaucoma should avoid head-down positions in yoga (downward facing dog, for example), which can cause a dangerous rise in internal eye pressure, a study last year found. Other studies show that habitually sleeping on one side can cause greater pressure and worsening vision loss in the eye facing downward.

Got dry, irritated eyes? Add more fish to your diet. The omega-3 oils in fish not only can cut the risk of dry eyes, studies show, but omega-3 fish oil supplements may improve dry eye symptoms. A new study published in the journal Cornea found that taking a daily omega-3 supplement improved dry eye symptoms after six weeks.

Think of it as Vitamin See. A diet high in vitamin C oranges, red peppers, strawberries, broccoli may help curb cataracts by 33 percent. British researchers believe vitamin C helps prevent the clouding of the lens that causes cataracts, but their findings only pertain to vitamin C from food, not supplements.

Send your children outside. Adults aren't the only ones with dry eye woes. A new study finds the same problem among children ages 7 to 12 who spend more than three hours daily looking at a smartphone. Playing outside could help. Researchers at the University of Cambridge report that for every hour children play outside in natural light with far-away horizons, they reduce their risk of near-sightedness by 2 percent.

Exercise (and spinach) helps glaucoma. A brisk walk for 20 minutes four times a week can lower the pressure inside the eye, which helps protect the retina, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation. Adding more dark, leafy greens spinach, kale to your diet could help too. A recent study found that those who ate the most greens were 21 percent less likely to develop glaucoma.

Candy Sagon is a freelance writer.

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How to protect yourself against vision loss, a growing problem - Chicago Tribune

There will be times during games, perhaps between pitches or during pitching changes, that Tommy Pham will give himself an impromptu eye test in the outfield.

Hell pinch one eye shut and make sure the signs around the ballpark are still as crisp as they were the day before, still as clear as they were a few innings ago. Then hell check the other eye. The Busch Stadium carved into the wall behind home plate offers a constant to focus on, but any of the advertisements or scoreboards can become a personal, daily eye chart. This past week, against Boston, Pham actually switched the contact lens in his left eye between innings because he didnt like what he saw or, rather, couldnt see.

To thrive at a game that can change in a blink, this is how vigilant the Cardinals resurfacing outfielder must be to avoid being betrayed by his vision, again.

I look at all of them Busch Stadium, KMOX, the scoreboard, all of that, Pham said. Ive got to make sure this is the best lens because the best lens gives me the best opportunity. If my left eye gets any worse, Im in trouble. If my right eye gets any worse, Im in trouble.

Pham, 29, returned to the majors two weeks ago, and before going on a tear with a .304 average and a .587 slugging percentage in his first 12 games, he warned people they were about to hear a familiar tale. After an aggravating spring, his offensive awakening came immediately after he got new contact lenses. Since first being diagnosed in 2008 with a degenerative eye condition, keratoconus, Pham has had a breakthrough surgery to halt the erosion and since cycled through a variety of contact lenses looking for the right fit, even if its just fit for right now.

Keratoconus causes structural abnormalities in the cornea, warping it and leaving it similar to the shape of a footballs tip. Instead of light bending toward the retina to be processed as an image, the light scatters, splinters. Halos or double images can appear. Pham said he is legally blind in his left eye due to keratoconus.

Its like driving a car with someone who is holding a jar of Vaseline, said Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler, a Beverly Hills, Calif.-based surgeon and ophthalmologist, and then they smear it all over your windshield.

Before Boxer Wachler pioneered a non-invasive treatment, the remedy for the keratoconus was a corneal transplant, and the combination of vanishing vision and that extreme correction has forced athletes from their games. It led one Olympic bobsledder, the late Steven Holcomb, to deep depression and a failed suicide attempt. Boxer Wachlers treatment allowed Holcomb to race again, for a Gold Medal. Keratoconus affects one in 500, Boxer Wachler said, and it was Holcombs recovery and Winter Olympics success that brought new attention to the disease.

Boxer Wachler said hes treated several elite athletes, including an NHL player, but few have a career based around striking a small, fast-moving object with a round stick. Pham is one.

What Tommy Pham sees is different than what we see, said Dr. Edward S. Bennett, a professor and assistant dean for student services and alumni relations at UMSLs College of Optometry. He has been Phams doctor in St. Louis. Its like looking through a window and there might be a smudge, there might be a crack, but there isnt that crisp clear view. If somebody would tell me an individual could play Major League Baseball with keratoconus, Id say, Absolutely not. Only Tommy Pham. I think Tommy is one in a million.

Pham was back at Dr. Bennetts office Friday to get another pair of contact lenses because his backup just wasnt right. Before the Cardinals played recently in Miami, Pham tore two left lenses and had to have a new one flown in from Las Vegas just to play. Most players have a guy who gets them bats, or a guy who can get them fly shoes, or, like Carlos Martinez, a guy they frequent for haircuts. Pham is considering flying home to Las Vegas on Monday, an off day, because hes got a guy who can sharpen my lenses.

His pursuit of better vision hasnt ended since it began, in Jupiter, Fla.

The Cardinals selected Pham in the 16th round of the 2006 draft, and they billed him as an athletically gifted shortstop with bat speed to create havoc. They saw it only in flashes those early years, but Pham mostly struggled. Teammates described seeing details in the spin of breaking pitches he never could and never has, he said Friday. He presumed as a young player that his talent, not his eyesight, was outmatched.

It was new to me, Pham said. Everyone was throwing harder. I was facing competition older than me. So, I just felt, man, this is what I have to do to catch up. I just thought I had to adjust.

In 2008, he hit .203 for the season but also slugged 18 home runs in 394 at-bats. He returned to Florida to pick up the car he left behind, and was greeted there by then-farm director Jeff Luhnow. Pham explained his average was the result of his swing. Luhnow suggested it was his sight. After a flight to St. Louis and a checkup there, Pham was diagnosed with keratoconus. Now he had an explanation.

To save his career, he needed a solution.

Vision is the most important thing (in baseball). Youve got to see it to hit it. Simple as that, said Dr. Don Tieg, a consultant for the New York Yankees who oversees a sports vision institute. Ive worked with (multiple) major-league teams and there was usually one player with some vision issue that youd think would not let them get to the top, and they won a Cy Young Award or are in the Hall of Fame. Athletes compensate. The question becomes how do you do that if youre impaired by keratoconus? More power to him.

During the 2011 offseason, Pham visited Boxer Wachler and had the treatment now named Holcomb C3-R Cross Linking System. The procedure uses a vitamin application and ultraviolet light to strengthen the cornea. Boxer Wachler said hes performed about 6,000 of the procedures, which gained FDA approval last year, and the success rate is 99.3 percent. In a video filmed shortly after he had Holcomb C3-R, Pham describes how hes had other surgeries that brought him to tears.

This one put something else in his eyes: relief.

If I never had it, who knows where I would be right now, Pham said.

Since LASIK was never an option, Pham had a set of contact lenses that improved his eyesight, from 2009 until he landed 52 games in the majors in 2015. He once experimented with a new type of lenses only to have them slide and shift and blot out his vision when he tracked fly balls. He experienced similar issues last season, even as he hit nine home runs. During the All-Star break, he, Dr. Bennett, and Phams handful of self-improvement books drove to Iowa to meet with a specialist for assistance. Another set of contacts came. The issues continued into the spring and undermined his bid for the opening-day roster. Nine years after he learned it wasnt his swing, it was his sight, he had the same lesson. Experimenting with new contacts had backfired on me.

With the help of his optometrist in Vegas and Dr. Bennett in St. Louis, Pham concluded that he needed to use a brand of contacts that uses a corneal topographer literally a map-maker for the eye to create curvatures that allow for a snugger fit on irregular corneas. One flaw can throw his vision off. This is why Pham does his daily check of the advertisements.

K-M-O-X spells clear.

Clear means his career.

With Tommy Pham a mild change can turn a home run into a strike out, said Dr. Bennett, who had Phams permission to speak with the Post-Dispatch. He is just so totally dedicated. He is consumed. Thats why hes been successful.

When Boxer Wachler first met Steven Holcomb, the U.S. bobsled driver had already been to the brink. As he recounted in his book, But Now I See, and elsewhere, Holcomb washed down 73 sleeping pills with whiskey in attempt to escape the blindness swallowing his eyes. Keratoconus was about to force him from his beloved sport, until Boxer Wachler told him about his procedure.

He was still skeptical, Boxer Wachler recalled this past week. All he had heard was this kind of prison sentence of corneal transplant.

What became known as Holcomb C3-R offered more than parole. It improved his vision from 20/1,000 to 20/20, according to reports, and he led the U.S. bobsledders to gold in Vancouver and won two Bronze Medals in Sochi 2014. Earlier this month, Holcomb was found dead in his room at the Olympic training facility in Lake Placid, N.Y. Boxer Wachler became close friends with Holcomb and relayed what the bobsledder often said about the role he came to play for others with keratoconus, now his legacy.

He saw it as a bigger purpose.

Gives them hope, Boxer Wachler said. Gives them hope that they can be helped. You dont have to just wait and wait and lose and then get a corneal transplant. Others see him succeed and know its possible. Tommys story, in that bigger purpose, can give hope, too.

Pham, who has hit his way into a larger role with the Cardinals, acknowledged that hes been asked to embrace a larger role as spokesperson. He noted its something he must consider. In the clubhouse Friday, Pham recounted details of his latest apportionment and during his answers he would close an eye, squint, and open it wide. He was trying to read the nameplate on his locker from the other side of the room. Asked what kept him chasing the game through all this, Pham opens both eyes wide.

Even as his vision failed, his focus remained.

I would regret quitting on my ability before I made it to the major leagues, Pham said. I saw other guys make it to the majors, and there were times I think I was better, that I was good enough.

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Goold: Working to save his vision, Pham never loses sight of goal - STLtoday.com

Julian Roberts, National Association of Vision Care Plans 5:32 a.m. CT May 23, 2017

Throughout the year many Texans make the time for a routine visit to their physician and dentist, and rightly so. But one fundamental area of our health that can unfortunately be overlooked is vision.

May is Healthy Vision Month and an excellent reminder that eye care should be a top priority for all Texans. Vision care is essential health care. And in my role as executive director of the National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP), I am committed to furthering that notion by ensuring people throughout this great state have access to exceptional vision care at an affordable price.

This is an extremely important issue because virtually every age group from young children to the elderly, and everyone in between requires some form of vision care. Consider that more than 80 percent of adults in the U.S. need vision correction. An aging population means that even more Texans will in the coming years need vision correction and eye exams to ensure and protect their sight.

A number of experts have expressed concerns that the rise in use of digital devices with screens will result in the need for increased vision correction at even younger ages. This is concerning because approximately three-quarters of all childhood learning is visual. Proper eye care that commences at an early age is more important than ever.

It is also worth noting that regular eye exams are an affordable, noninvasive way to detect serious medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, neuromuscular disorders and cancer. Its staggering to think how much we could drive down healthcare costs and even save lives here in Texas and elsewhere if we are able to catch serious health issues earlier through routine eye exams.

The results of a recent study commissioned by NAVCP the most extensive review ever of available data indicate that consumers exhibit healthier eye care behavior when they have vision care benefits. The study found that nearly 90 percent of Americans with vision benefits planned on getting an eye exam within the next year, while 67 percent of those who did not have vision benefits had no intention of receiving an eye exam. Once the exam had been completed, almost twice as many people with a benefit planned to get new eyewear compared to those without a benefit. This data establishes a clear link between managed vision care plans and healthier vision habits. It also underscores the value of these plans for promoting better overall health.

Yet, even in the face of compelling data such as this, there have in recent years been legislative efforts in the Lone Star State that have increased consumers out-of-pocket costs and limited their eyewear choices. Texans deserve better.

I encourage you to observe Healthy Vision Month by getting an eye exam or accompanying a family member to the eye doctor. Take control of your vision. Now, see to it.

Julian Roberts is the Executive Director of the National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP).

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Healthy Vision Month a perfect time to focus on eye care - San Angelo Standard Times

Dogs are a lot more complicated than we give them credit for. As a result, sometimes things get lost in translation. Weve yet to invent a dog-to-English translator, but there are certain behaviors you can learn to read in order to better understand what your dog is trying to tell you. The more tuned-in you are to your dogs emotions, the better youll be able to respondwhether that means giving her some space or welcoming a wet, slobbery kiss.

1. What youll see: Your dog is standing with his legs and body relaxed and tail low. His ears are up, but not pointed forward. His mouth is slightly open, hes panting lightly, and his tongue is loose. His eyes? Soft or maybe slightly squinty from getting his smile on.

What it means: Hey there, friend! Your pup is in a calm, relaxed state. Hes open to mingling, which means you can feel comfortable letting friends say hi.

2. What youll see: Your dog is standing with her body leaning forward. Her ears are erect and angled forwardor have at least perked up if theyre floppyand her mouth is closed. Her tail might be sticking out horizontally or sticking straight up and wagging slightly.

What it means: Hark! Who goes there?! Something caught your pups attention and now shes on high alert, trying to discern whether or not the person, animal, or situation is a threat. Shell likely stay on guard until she feels safe or becomes distracted.

3. What youll see: Your dog is standing, leaning slightly forward. His body and legs are tense, and his hacklesthose hairs along his back and neckare raised. His tail is stiff and twitching, not swooping playfully. His mouth is open, teeth are exposed, and he may be snarling, snapping, or barking excessively.

What it means: Dont mess with me! This dog is asserting his social dominance and letting others know that he might attack if they dont defer accordingly. A dog in this stance could be either offensively aggressive or defensively aggressive. If you encounter a dog in this state, play it safe and back away slowly without making eye contact.

4. What youll see: As another dog approaches, your dog lies down on his back with his tail tucked in between his legs. His paws are tucked in too, his ears are flat, and he isnt making direct eye contact with the other dog standing over him.

What it means: I come in peace! Your pooch is displaying signs of submission to a more dominant dog, conveying total surrender to avoid physical confrontation. Other, less obvious, signs of submission include ears that are flattened back against the head, an avoidance of eye contact, a tongue flick, and bared teeth. Yupa dog might bare his teeth while still being submissive, but theyll likely be clenched together, the lips opened horizontally rather than curled up to show the front canines. A submissive dog will also slink backward or inward rather than forward, which would indicate more aggressive behavior.

5. What youll see: Your dog is crouching with her back hunched, tail tucked, and the corner of her mouth pulled back with lips slightly curled. Her shoulders, or hackles, are raised and her ears are flattened. Shes avoiding eye contact.

What it means: Im scared, but will fight you if I have to. This dogs fight or flight instincts have been activated. Its best to keep your distance from a dog in this emotional state because she could attack if she feels cornered.

6. What youll see: Youre staring at your dog, holding eye contact. Your dog looks away from you, tentatively looks back, then looks away again. After some time, he licks his chops and yawns.

What it means: I dont know whats going on and its weirding me out. Your dog doesnt know what to make of the situation, but rather than nipping or barking, hell stick to behaviors he knows are OK, like yawning, licking his chops, or shaking as if hes wet. Youll want to intervene by removing whatever it is causing him discomfortsuch as an overly grabby childand giving him some space to relax.

7. What youll see: Your dog has her front paws bent and lowered onto the ground with her rear in the air. Her body is relaxed, loose, and wiggly, and her tail is up and wagging from side to side. She might also let out a high-pitched or impatient bark.

What it means: Whats the hold up? Lets play! This classic stance, known to dog trainers and behaviorists as the play bow, is a sign shes ready to let the good times roll. Get ready for a round of fetch or tug of war, or for a good long outing at the dog park.

8. What youll see: Youve just gotten home from work and your dog rushes over. He cant stop wiggling his backside, and he may even lower himself into a giant stretch, like hes doing yoga.

What it means: OhmygoshImsohappytoseeyou I love you so much youre my best friend foreverandeverandever!!!! This ones easy: Your pup is overjoyed his BFF is back. That big stretch is something dogs dont pull out for just anyone; they save that for the people they truly love. Show him you feel the same way with a good belly rub and a handful of his favorite treats.

The best way to say I love you in dog? A monthly subscription to BarkBox. Your favorite pup will get a package filled with treats, toys, and other good stuff (and in return, youll probably get lots of sloppy kisses). Visit BarkBox to learn more.

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Scientists Use the Tweaked Genes of a Virus to Halt Vision Loss - Mental Floss

The Columbus Lions Club transports donor eye tissue two months out of the year, in May and October. Lion Linda Madsen and Lion Bob Groh act as the Columbus Lions eye coordinators. This year the Columbus Lions are celebrating their 30th anniversary as a club, and over these years have transported countless numbers of boxes containing donor eye tissue. Many of the clubs members and their family and friends drop what they are doing to transport eye tissue when they receive a call from Madsen or Groh, to ensure that the donor eye tissue is delivered in a timely manner. So far this month, 26 boxes of donor tissue have been transported (with 11 days left in May that might add to this total).

Lion Jack Sanderson was delivering three boxes of donor eye tissue to the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin on Saturday May 13 when Jimmy Cliffs song I Can See Clearly Now came on the radio. He said it was very inspirational to him since he knows that delivering donor eye tissue could lead to someone regaining their sense of sight. Sanderson transported a total of five boxes of tissue that day, because the Lions Eye Bank had processed tissue that was intended for transplantation that needed to be sent out.

The Columbus club is part of the Cornea Express, a statewide relay of Lions Club members who transport tissue throughout Wisconsin. The Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin uses this unique process of transporting donor eye tissue, and it makes a huge impact. When a donation occurs, local Lions clubs are called upon to transport the corneal tissue to the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin via a relay system. Volunteers use their own vehicles to transport the donor tissue.

The Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin needs eye and corneal tissue from donors of most ages. The eye tissue is used for more than just restoring vision: It can also be used to further research for certain diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. The Lions Club has a focus of helping people prevent blindness, and this is just one of the examples of what Lions do to serve their communities.

To read donor stories and learn more about Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin, go online to lebw.org.

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Columbus Lions help transport donor eye tissue - Columbus Journal

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Walking briefly with a black Labrador retriever named Robin solidified Chris Halls idea into a goal.

The Findlay man craves independence, but has lost nearly all vision the last three years because of advanced glaucoma. He recently has been considering getting a guide dog to help him navigate the world.

Butts

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Before I lost my eyesight, I was very active, he said. Now, I cant go anywhere, really, unless Im with my wife. I want to be able to let go of her and walk myself.

The Sight Center of Northwest Ohio hosted a workshop Friday with the Guide Dog Foundation, based in New York. Representatives of the foundation brought several dogs, answered a slew of questions, and let about 20 attendees experience walking with a guide dog.

It gives them a better idea of what a dog can do, what a dog cant do, and whats involved in getting a dog, Greg Levick, a field representative for the foundation, said.

Stacey Butts, executive director of the center, said staff often field questions about guide dogs. The workshop the centers second such event gives people a chance to ask the experts, experience what its like to walk with a dog, and decide what their mobility preferences may be.

People walk out with a pretty good feeling if its something they want to pursue, she said.

Mr. Hall now walks with a cane, which he said is slow and sometimes challenging. Walking with Robin felt more natural, and hes now decided to pursue getting a dog of his own.

Christopher Hall, left, learns how to hold the harness of Robin, a Labrador retriever, from Greg Levick, from the Guide Dog Foundation.

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Its going to be much faster with a dog, he said. I can get out and do things.

Ms. Butts said a person must first be proficient with a cane before getting a guide dog because the canine is not always going to be able to accompany its handler. A dog can get sick or injured, need a break, or just be problematic to bring along.

Brandi Shepard of Sylvania, a teacher at Southview High School, has only 8 to 20 degrees of vision in one eye. For now, shes doing well and doesnt use a cane, but attended the event in preparation for losing more of her vision.

After walking with one of the guide dogs at the workshop, she decided to hold off on obtaining one of her own.

Giving up that complete control to the dog is both liberating and frightening at the same time, she said. At this point, having the vision I still have, I dont think I could give up that control yet.

Ms. Butts said guide dogs can make a person more visible, helping increase safety for someone with vision impairment.

Someone might not notice a white cane, but everyone notices a dog, she said.

Mr. Levick noted handlers also will have to learn how to deal with people who want to pet or otherwise interfere with their guide dogs, as well as people who dont know the law regarding public access rights for service animals. The dogs also require daily care and ongoing training.

There are difficulties and challenges that come with it, Ms. Butts said. So its really a preference, whatever someone is comfortable with.

Contact Alexandra Mester:amester@theblade.com,419-724-6066, or onTwitter @AlexMesterBlade.

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Sight-impaired get guide-dog tryouts - The Blade - Toledo Blade