Year round exposure to sunlight can be harmful to your eyes.  Damage from UV rays can cause photokeratitis (sunburn to the eye), pingueculae or pterygium (growths on the white part and cornea of the eye), cataracts and macular degeneration. It is very important to properly protect your eyes.   Listed below are ways to help you accomplish this task:  

    1. According to the American Optometric Association, it is important to make sure your sunglasses block 99 to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays.

    2. Wear a hat with a large brim or wraparound sunglasses when outside.

    3. Wear sunglasses over your contacts.

    4. Don't forget protection for children and teenagers.

    5. Wear sunglasses year round.

Dr. Jennine Lutz

Green tea may help protect against glaucoma and other eye diseases according to a recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.  In this study, rats were given green tea to drink.   The beneficial ingredients of the green tea were absorbed significantly in the retina, lens and other tissues of the eye.  Green tea contains catechins which are antioxidants and are believed to have a protective effect on the eye.  Catechins include vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein and zeaxanthin all of which help reduce harmful oxidative stress to the eye.  The results indicate that green tea could help protect the eye against a variety of diseases.  

Dr. Jennine Lutz

Source:  Health Day 4/23/10 Robert Preidt

The association between long, thick eyelashes and a woman's beauty has been well established since ancient Egyptian culture. This desire to make our eyelashes longer and thicker has not diminished with modern society. In fact, we women are willing to do very invasive and time consuming things to achieve this goal. I have many patients that spend several hours every other month lying on a table with their eyes closed as a specially trained esthetician glues artificial eyelashes into their eyelid margin one by one. One very painful complication of this procedure is corneal abrasion from glue falling into the eye. In addition, our busy schedules make it difficult for us to find the time for this eye lash transformation. Luckily, we now have products like Latisse which have great results but are also easy to apply and not time consuming. Of course, as with anything there is a low risk of side effects with Latisse so make sure you speak to your ophthalmologist if you decide to use this most recent cosmetic innovation.

Priya Desai, MD

There is a lot of talk about oral supplements of Omega-3 Fatty acids, Lutein, and Zeaxanthin for good eye health. Below you will find a list of natural sources of these supplements: Omega-3 Fatty Acids = The most common source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids are fresh cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, herring, and albacore tuna. Other natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids include canola oil, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, flaxseeds and dark, leafy greens. Lutein and Zeaxanthin = Egg yolk has a very high concentration of both lutein and zeaxanthin. Other natural sources include: orange pepper, kiwi fruit, grapes, kale, spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, corn, garden peas and Brussels sprouts. To maximize your intake of lutein and zeaxanthin these fruits and vegetables should be eaten raw or lightly steamed. Of course, if you find it hard to eat a well rounded diet like most Americans, then these nutrients are available in a combination supplement call Eye Omega Advantage sold at various doctors' offices such as Matossian Eye Associates.

Priya Desai, MD

Having received intensive specialized training and performed multiple surgeries using TECNIS Multifocal IOLs, Dr. Ilya Rozenbaum is now listed as a TECNIS Multifocal Surgeon at www.tecnismultifocal.com.  Designed to give patients back their youthful vision, the  Advanced TECNIS Multifocal Lens provides patients with high-quality vision at any distance, and in any light condition "” even in low light.  As a TECNIS Multifocal Surgeon, Dr. Rozenbaum is recognized as a leader in the field of cataract surgery.  For more information about TECNIS Multifocal IOLs, watch the video on our Cataract Surgery page.