Will Sleeping With Wet Hair Make You Blind?

By Janet Martin
he eyes are said to be the mirrors of the soul but they're also one of the most misunderstood parts of the body. That explains why there are a lot of myths surrounding them.

To shed light on this matter, here are some old beliefs you should discard courtesy of Eyevive, an anti-aging cream that eliminates dark circles, puffy eyes, eyes bags, and other skin imperfections. For details, check out eyevive.com.

Old folks say sleeping with wet hair will make you blind. My mom has been telling me that since I was a kid. I admit that can probably happen if you sleep on a bed of nails. Otherwise, there's no connection between the two, according to Dr. Noel Santos, a Manila-based optometrist. Santos believes this myth was perpetrated by mothers who didn't want the pillowcase to get wet.

Some people believe poor eyesight can be corrected by following certain diets or by taking vitamin supplements. This is true only if your problem is caused by a vitamin deficiency. Vitamin A, for instance, is needed for night vision. People who lack this vitamin - which is found in dark green, leafy, and yellow vegetables and fruits - can't see well in dim light because of night blindness. This is a common problem in developing countries.

But gorging on carrots and other sources of vitamin A won't spare you the trouble of wearing eyeglasses if you really need them. Rather than help you, too much vitamin A can cause blurred vision, itchy skin, loss of appetite, hair loss, joint pains, and irregular menstruation.

"Poor eyesight, which is helped by wearing eyeglasses, has nothing to do with nutrition. If you are short of vitamin A, then carrots would enable you to see better in dim light. If you have enough, more does not help," said Arnold Bender, vice president of the International Union of Food Science and Technology in "Health or Hoax?"

Glaucoma is another eye disease which some quacks claim can be cured by a special diet. This disorder is characterized by increased pressure in the eyeball and can lead to blindness.

The exact cause of glaucoma is unknown but the acute form is common among the elderly who are farsighted. The condition also appears to run in families. Chronic glaucoma, on the other hand, may result from the use of corticosteroid eye drops. Other risk factors are eye injuries and diabetes.

To date, no diet has been found to prevent or treat the disease. Following one may prevent you from getting the right treatment and can make things worse.

"Encouraging reports from Nigeria indicate that some glaucoma can be treated with nutritional methods. It is important to understand that most glaucoma in Nigeria and other developing nations is triggered by years of severe malnutrition and malaria. There is no evidence that glaucoma in affluent nations has a nutritional basis, and those afflicted should not be tempted by articles in health food magazines to switch from their eye drops or pills to nutritional supplements," warned nutritionist Kurt Butler and Dr. Lynn Rayner of the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii in The Best Medicine.

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.thearticleinsiders.com

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About Contact Lenses

By Amelie Gam

Decided to go for some contact lenses? Good for you, but before starting to wear them you simply must know something about these wonderful inventions.

The history of contact lenses started in 1500 when Leonardo Da Vinci brought into discussion the concept of contact lenses. Much later, in 1823 a British astronomer discovered that eyesight could be adjusted by wearing lenses applied directly on the cornea. The history of contact lenses evolved from William Fienbloom who created, in 1939, the first contact lens from harsh plastic. It was applied onto the eye with some kind of glue. In 1971, soft contact lenses were invented and, in 1979, the permeable contact lenses first appeared. It was in 1983 that detachable contact lens revolutionized the market. They were invented by a Danish producer who sold his copyrights to Johnson&Johnson. The Company started selling contact lenses on a large scale in 1987. They soon become very popular and remained so until today.

Being a little familiar with the history of the contact lens is not enough. The most important details refer to the situations when it is advisable to wear contact lenses:

- To correct myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia and astigmatism. The most important advantage of contact lenses is that they can correct anisometropy. A person is diagnosed with it when the eyes do not have the same distance point refraction. Even when there are differences over 3 dyoptrics between the eyes, the correction cannot be done by wearing eyeglasses.

- For therapeutic purposes – as a substitute for bandage, after a surgical intervention.

- For esthetic and cosmetic purposes.

There are a few steps that need to be followed when you decide to go for contact lenses:

-First of all, the medical consultation takes about an hour to complete. There are a few things that need to be taken into consideration: the reasons you decided to wear contact lenses instead of glasses and whether you can afford them or not.

-The next step is an exam that you’ll have to take, an exam called “refractometry”. Contact lenses are prescribed together with the spare eyeglasses. Another series of medical exams will follow after this one.

-The distance and diameter of each contact lens has to be carefully measured (Keratometry).

-The testing of the contact lens (which varies from 5 to 30 minutes) is necessary for the individual establishment of the curvature and of the diameter of the contact lens.

-The last step is the periodical exam which varies depending on the type of the contact lens.

Nowadays, we benefit from a large variety of contact lenses so you should have no problems in choosing the right ones for you. There are: -PMMA contact lenses – this type was the first one and it was made in 1960. The contact lens is made from a very durable plastic, polymethyl methacrylate. The disadvantage consists in the fact that it doesn’t allow oxygen in the air to reach the cornea. Instead, when you blink, the oxygen from your tears reaches the cornea. This type of contact lens is preferred for its durability and low cost.

-Gas-permeable lenses – RGPs – allow oxygen in the air to go directly to the cornea. They are made of plastic in combination with silicone and fluoropolymers.

- Soft contact lenses made of plastic that incorporate water have as main attributes flexibility and softness and they allow oxygen to reach the cornea.

-Among the most popular types of disposable lenses are the Acuvue contact lenses. The acuvue contact lenses are designed for people with little or no astigmatism and should be replaced every two weeks. Some acuvue contact lenses are approved not only for everyday use, but for overnight wear too. The advanced version of the acuvue contact lenses is made of materials that allow oxygen pass in even greater amounts than the other types of contact lenses.

Depending on the number of times the contact lenses will be worn, they can be divided into:

- Long term lenses that can be used for up to one year, but not continuously and

- Short term lenses made only for a one time wear. They can be useful for one day and one night, but afterwards they have to be thrown away.

Nowadays, more and more people change their eyeglasses for contact lenses because the latter are more comfortable and esthetical. People can wear them in almost every situation: when practicing sports, at work, in front of the computer, at the beach, when swimming, etc. Not only do they make you healthier, but they can give you the eye color you always wanted.

The contact lens is another proof of how far we’ve come: we have the power to change our own eye color. If you want to find out more information about acuvue contact lenses, please you can visit this site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amelie_Gam

Enjoy 20-20 Vision With Lasik Wavefront

By Chonticha Marijne

Everyone has more than likely heard of Lasik, the vision correction surgery that doesn't involve typical surgical tools and settings. This form of eye surgery has been around a while, and since its inception, fewer people are willing to wear glasses or contact lenses, while opting for the laser surgery that corrects various vision problems such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.

Since its beginnings, Lasik has undergone several advancements and changes, both in equipment, technology and styles of surgery that can now be performed. The most common types of eye surgery these days are known as Lasik, IntraLase and Custom Lasik, also known as Lasik Wavefront.

Lasik using Wavefront technology allows the laser to be customized using three-dimensional measurements taken of each individual patient's eye processing capabilities to guide the laser in reshaping the cornea, or the front of the eye. This method produces extremely precise results, and since it is individualized, optimal results are produced. This type of eye surgery however, is based on the thickness of your cornea and some are not good candidates for this type of laser vision correction. This method is also best used on those with only mild to moderate degrees of vision defects with the aforementioned myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. The design behind the Wavefront technology is that it offers the laser to measure the way your eye focuses on light rays that pass through the cornea and iris. As a result, a map of sorts is designed and the results recorded in the database of the laser, mapping the way your eye has processed various images. Many people find it difficult to convince their vision insurance companies to cover the costs of Lasik Wavefront vision correction, because conditions such as astigmatism and far and near-sightedness can be treated with the more common use of prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. However, if your condition is moderate to severe, or if your eyes are irregular in other ways, Lasik Wavefront may be the only way to correct such vision problems and enable the continued lifestyle desired by the patient.

Wavefront technology not only adjusts how much a patient is able to see, but it also improves depth perception and visual acuity, including contrast sensitivity as well as fine details. While eyeglasses can help, Lasik is by far the most advanced method of surgery that provides optimal results, time after time, and since it is customized, each patient has the potential to benefit from the very best in surgical performance. Lasik Wavefront can, in general, improve vision to at least 20/20, as well as increase chances of attaining even better than 20/20 vision. The non-invasive surgery also decreases risks of loss of current vision status as well as enhancing visual quality, sensitivity and night-vision. If you are considering this form of vision correction for either new or long-standing vision problems, visit your ophthalmologist and discuss the options that may be open to you. As one of the safest methods of performing eye surgery, Lasik offers a variety of methods of each individual case.

Is Lasik Wavefront the right solution for you? Find out more at http://LasikRevealed.com .

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Disposable Contact Lenses - Simple But Powerful

By Martin Smith

Throughout time there have been various means of correcting vision. There was the monocle, then the glasses that were on a chain or a stick, and then there were eyeglasses as we know them today but there were not as many styles as there are now. As technology improved the lenses of glasses were getting smaller. Since many people were always losing or breaking their eyeglasses they were hoping for a way to wear glasses and not have to worry about them being lost or breaking them.

Contact lenses came along and they were great but expensive. If you lost them or dropped them you would have to get new ones. I knew of someone who lost one of her contact lens and she had developed an infection in her eye. The doctor examined her only to find the contact lens had slipped and was not in the proper place. Traditional contact lenses were rigid and took some getting used to.

People were looking for softer and more flexible lenses and lenses they could easily put in. Softer lenses came out and then because they had to be removed every night and cleaned, people started to long for lenses they could wear all the time. As the prices came down and more people were able to purchase contacts, they were getting sick and tired of cleaning them all the time and of the expense of all the cleaning solutions needed.

It would be great, they thought, to be able to throw out the lenses each night and eliminate the need for the cleaning solution. 1987 saw the introduction of disposable contact lenses and they were design-ed to be worn for a specific amount of time before having to be re-placed. There are some terms and explanations that you need to be familiar to understand disposable contact lenses.

* Disposable Contact Lenses - they are discarded and replaced after two weeks if not sooner.

* Frequent replacement lenses - they are replaced every one to three months. Traditional/Reusable - these are replaced every six months if not before.

* Extended wear lenses - you can sleep in them for up to two weeks.

* Daily disposable lenses are removed and discarded every night eliminating the need for cleaning solutions. You and your doctor should determine the replacement schedule. The wearing schedule defines how often you remove, replace, or discard your lenses.

* Day and night Contact Lenses - You wear these lenses day and night for up to 30 days. You then remove them and dispose of them. It is my personal opinion that if you can tolerate them the Day and Night Contact lenses would be the best idea. Imagine what you can do with all the time you save because you aren’t busy cleaning your lenses every night.

The more lenses are replaced the healthier your eyes will be. Over time there can be a build up of calcium, lipids, and proteins on them and make your eyes very uncomfortable and make you prone to infections. Some people wear disposable lenses for theatrical purposes and use color changer lenses. There are all kinds of contact lenses including those with logos and animal eyes.

What are some of the benefits of using disposable contact lenses?

* There is lower risk of infections, lenses are sterile

* There is not enough time for calcium and protein to build up on them.

* They result in clearer vision.

* They are not for use with cleaning solutions.

* There is no worry about having cleaning solutions or storing them.

* Daily disposables are ideal for people who suffer from allergies, especially during the high allergy season.

* The are great for people who wear contacts only a few days a week. They are also cheaper if you wear them only a few days a week.

* If you rip your lenses or lose them, you simply discard them and open a new package.

The benefits of disposable contact lenses are greater than eyeglasses. Some people keep a pair of glasses just in case something has to happen to their lenses.

The decision to use contact lenses including disposable contact lenses should be discussed with your eye care physician. A careful examination should be conducted as well. Do your research some manufacturers of contact lenses will offer you a free trial for at least a week.

You can get disposable contact lenses from eye care places or you can get them online. Either way you will need to have a prescription. Be aware that not everyone can wear contact lenses and only you and your doctor can decide that. You need to decide if you can afford them. Talk to the manufacturers and see if they have any special offers and/or trial periods. Do your research; see what kinds of lens are available for your prescription. Do what is best for you.

(c) www.2020-contact-lenses.com

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About the Author
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of products which includes Bifocal Contact Lenses and Contact Lenses, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information.

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What Shape is Your Face? Simple Secrets Find Your Perfect Pair of Eyeglasses

By Suzanne Hughes

Do you get confused when you look at the hundreds and thousands of eyeglasses in front of you? So many of the frames look so fun, until you put them on and think "how come they don't look good on me?". Well there a couple secrets that opticians have been using for years to help you select that perfect pair of eyeglasses.

The number one factor is to determine your face shape. That's right, what shape is you face? Before you go asking your loved one what shape your face is, be prepared for the answer. If you are told you have a square head, don't take offense! Accept it and move on to eyeglasses that work better for square faces.

In reality, how do you discreetly decide for yourself what shape your face is? All you need is a mirror, and it does not hurt to have a pencil and paper nearby.

When you look in the mirror, you are going to ask yourself a couple of questions. For starters, you want to know how if your face is about as wide as it is high. So, does your face seam taller than it is wide? or is it even all the way around?

Next, ask yourself if your face is mostly angular or curved? Some of us have strong lines that edge our faces while others have soft curves.

That's it, you can then step away from the mirror. Now go to your pencil and paper and draw one shape that best defines what you just noticed.

Odds are that you drew either a square, circle, oval, or inverted triangle (heart shaped face). That's right, most of us have faces that fall into one of those shapes. Once you have that decided, selecting eyeglasses for yourself is a breeze.

When you are looking for frames, look for frames that contrast your face shape. Yes, contrast. If you have an oval face, look for frames with strong angles. If you have a square face, you would do best with frames that have more width than length and have soft curves.

Remember your face shape, it most likely will not change, but your eyeglasses will. Now you know exactly which type and style of glasses to gravitate towards.

Suzanne Hughes has put together a an easy to use guide for selecting your eyeglass frame after you have discovered your very own face shape. You will also find hundreds of designer reading glasses frames that you can apply your new face shape knowledge towards when you visit her at http://www.readinstyle.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Hughes

Important Reasons to Choose LASIK Eye Surgery

By Tim Gorman

There are many reasons to choose LASIK eye surgery but If you're currently sitting on the fence when it comes to deciding whether or not to have LASIK eye surgery performed in order to improve your vision you're probably not alone. Everyday more and more consumers suffering from various vision impairments are opting to have laser eye surgery performed in order to improve the quality of their eyesight. However, the reasons for every person seeking out this vision correction treatment may differ. Some folks simply don’t want to wear contacts anymore; others may have just gotten fed up with wearing eyeglasses. No matter what your motivation may be, the decision to have eye improvement surgery is no small task and it should be considered carefully.

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, perhaps the number one reason most people undergo vision correction surgery or LASIK as it is commonly referred to, is so they no longer have a valid need to wear corrective lenses or glasses. Let's face it although LASIK isn't that cheap (prices do continue to drop) the money spent on replacing contact lenses and ordering the supplies necessary to keep them working properly can add up over your lifetime. LASIK eliminates this cost requirement. Even your glasses will need to be replaced as they wear out or your current eye prescription no longer provides the clarity of vision that many people seek. Also for many folks there is always a time when they have either lost or misplaced their eyeglasses only to never see them (no pun intended) again. These replacement costs can get rather large so the funds saved by having laser eye surgery performed may actually turn out to be a large amount when looked at over a period of time.

For many active or sports minded people LASIK offers them an opportunity to continue to compete in athletic activities without the physical constraints of having to wear contact lenses or eye glasses. Even swimming takes on a whole new level of pleasure as you no longer need any eyewear to allow you to see clearly after you have undergone LASIK surgery. I can personally remember attempting to play baseball and football while growing up with glasses on. This was a major hassle since they constantly fogged up and the perspiration really mucked up my glasses. LASIK not only improves your eyesight it also allows a freedom that many folks who were stuck with using corrective eyewear as they grew up have yet to experience. For many this is one of the main reasons to choose LASIK eye surgery.

LASIK also appeals to those individuals that need to indulge their vanity side by allowing them to ditch the glasses they have been wearing in order to see more clearly. With the way human nature is, wearing eyeglasses can leave many people feeling unattractive or self-conscious about the way they look. Laser vision correction surgery provides an immediate boost in the self-confidence of almost everyone that has the surgery performed. Not only can they see better, but now they also feel better about themselves due to no longer having the constraints of needing corrective eyewear.

LASIK eye surgery is a procedure that solves many of today's more common eye impairments and problems. However, it also provides a way to save money by eliminating the normal wear and tear and daily costs associated with other vision correction eyewear such as contacts and glasses. Additionally, LASIK also injects anew sense of confidence in the consumers that undergo the laser eye surgery treatment. If you're still undecided about having LASIK performed keep in mind the items discussed throughout this article. Doing so may just provide the clarity that you need in order to make the right decision.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Vision-Doctor.com He provides more eye surgery solutions, LASIK information and reasons to choose LASIK eye surgery that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

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