In January of 2010, an MSNBC program called Lockup featured a segment about two prison cell-mates who got eyeball tattoos.  One of the prisoners had the whites of his eyes colored red; the other had his colored blue.  The one with the red-eyes said getting the tattoo was painful (like "hot ice picks"), but didn't reveal the process he used.  He said that he only wanted to do a little dot but the ink spread all throughout the white of his eye.  This program drew attention to an extreme form of body modification, eyeball tattooing.  Eyeball tattoos are created by a tattoo artist who injects pigment directly into the eyeball.  Unlike traditional tattoos of the skin which use a needle with in on it, tattooing the eyeball involves a syringe full of ink that is injected into the eye.  The process requires multiple injections (some reports say over 40 injections) to cover the white part of the eye.  Ophthalmologists warn that although the injected pigment is only a millimeter thick, eyeball tattoos for the purpose of body modification are extremely dangerous and could lead to infection, perforation of the eyeball, hemorrhages, or even blindness.

Melissa Richard, OD

Visual impairment is clearly a significant risk factor for falls.  A good amount of visual impairment can be corrected by ophthalmic care and treatment.  Routine, dilated eye exams for aging adults are critical to screen for eye diseases such as cataracts or glaucoma that lead to central and peripheral visual impairment, and increased risk of serious falls.  Studies show the incidence of falling can be greatly decreased in the elderly following cataract surgery, for example.  Many elderly patients wear corrective spectacles.  Caution must be used when prescribing glasses to elderly adults, as some eyeglass styles, i.e. bifocals or progressive lenses, may be difficult to adjust to and pose a further risk of falling.  Eye care practitioners must remember to discuss with elderly patients their personal visual impairments and the need for extra precautions.   

Rebecca Mueller, OD

The recent successful rescue of 35 Chilean miners involved much more than just getting them to the surface.  Much planning was required to protect the bodily health of these men.  Strict fasting and exercise regimens were required in preparation for their ascent.  The men were also given sunglasses to wear to protect their eyes as they reacclimated to the sun.  The American company Oakley donated 35 pairs of $450 sunglasses to the miners to protect their retinas.  Retinal cells called photoreceptors capture light.  When light exposure is too sudden or too strong, the cells can deteriorate and cause vision loss, termed solar retinopathy.  After more than 2 months underground, the miners eye were fully adjusted to the dark and required sunglasses to prevent solar retinopathy and visual discomfort. 

Rebecca Mueller, OD

Like all chronic diseases glaucoma has a high rate of noncompliance.  Since glaucoma is a silent disease, it is difficult to motivate patients to be on treatment daily for the rest of their lives.  The best way to combat noncompliance is through patient education.  The Internet has made educating the patient much easier and more effective.  Our office emails patients electronic videos regarding their eye diagnosis to help underscore the topics discussed when they were in the room with the doctor.  I have found that many of my patients are much more engaged in their eye exams and test results since we started utilizing these tools.  Hopefully, tools like these will help us increase the compliance with treating a chronic disease like glaucoma.

Priya Desai, M.D.