by Edward J. Huggett, O.D.
I am often asked, "How long is it safe to drive when your vision is deteriorating?" There are three visual factors that are important to consider when it comes to driving. Visual acuity (VA), visual field (VF) and contrast sensitivity (CS). There are others I will not cover here, such as eye movements, useful field of view, depth perception, color vision and eye-hand/foot coordination, etc.
So for driving, let us consider: (1) visual acuity, typically known as the "20/20" or "20/40", etc. measurement and (2) visual field, which is the extent of your field of vision and the size of the area of your vision that has no significant defects such as scotomas
(i.e., areas of your vision that are blocked-out). In the United States, your state will have a very definitive statement as to what these two requirements are. Requirements can be found for your state at the local Department of Motor Vehicles. Not meeting either one of these requirements at any time indicates that you should not drive.
Secondly, I would say that if at anytime you are not feeling safe, then it is time to stop. So, even if your vision is "perfect" and you meet the legal requirements for driving, if you feel like your vision isn't good enough to drive, then don't.
If your vision is deteriorating, then you may need to visit your eye doctor or department of motor vehicles more frequently, sometimes every few months, to determine if you still meet the legal requirements for driving. Typically, eye doctors are the better place to go, as they can determine if your visual field is adequate for driving. Most department of motor vehicles cannot measure that important function of vision.
Changing habits
Certainly, driving under ideal conditions is very different than driving at night, in the rain or snow, or in poor light. Also, glare from headlights or the sun can be a problem. Studies suggest that if drivers are prepared to compensate for aging eyesight by adjusting their driving habits, then deteriorating vision is not necessarily a barrier to safe driving. Changing habits may include:
1. Driving only in daylight or on well-lit roads
2. Driving only in good weather
3. Driving only in the familiar local area
Sunglasses
Generally, the best sunglasses are those that wrap around and protect the eyes from the side as well as the front. A neutral grey tint is usually best, as it doesn't alter the color of traffic signals. But I have found that "blue blockers" or another called "shooters yellow," can increase comfort, contrast sensitivity and ability to see during the day. Polarizing sunglasses can also be helpful. Only through trial and error can you know which color of sunglasses are best for you.
Sunglasses or tinted glasses are never recommended for driving at night. While they may seem to reduce glare from headlights, they also make everything else darker too. At night your eyes need more light, not less.
Final suggestions
Make sure your windshield is clean and scratch-free, both inside and out, at all times. In many cases, even small cracks in your windshield will be a covered benefit for replacement by your auto insurance. Contact your auto insurance company to find out.
Ask your mechanic to check that your headlights are correctly aligned to provide good road illumination, while not causing glare for other road users. Look slightly to the left of oncoming traffic at night to avoid suffering from glare which can take some time to recover from.
Any scratches or smudges on your driving glasses (or sunglasses) will increase glare, so keep them clean! Additionally, AAA has a very nice section on their website at www.aaaseniors.com. This area provides excellent information and an online skills assessment for the mature driver.
Remember, if your vision does not meet a safe legal standard, driving will put the lives of others at risk, and your insurance may be void in the event of an accident. But if you meet the requirements, if you are safe and feel safe, and you have somewhere you want to go, then drive and have fun!
For state vision requirements go to http://www.lowvision.com/vision-requirements-for-driving-in-the-united-states/
Monday, July 26, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Glenn Beck Tearfully Reveals He May be Going Blind
During his “American Revival” meeting in Salt Lake City over the weekend, Glenn Beck revealed some disturbing news to his audience. He has apparently been diagnosed with macular dystrophy, a degenerative disease that affects the eyes and could lead to blindness. Beck told the crowd that a few weeks back he’d visited the “best doctor he could find, because “I couldn’t focus my eyes” (which may explain why he’s been sporting glasses of late on his show).
The doctor told him he has “macular dystrophy” to which Glenn responded: “Is that that Jerry Lewis thing…I should have given more.” Somewhat less funny is the part where the doctor tells him he could go blind within a year…or not — though Glenn manages to turn it into an amusing anecdote: “You’re a doctor like I’m a doctor, aren’t you?!” .
The doctor told him he has “macular dystrophy” to which Glenn responded: “Is that that Jerry Lewis thing…I should have given more.” Somewhat less funny is the part where the doctor tells him he could go blind within a year…or not — though Glenn manages to turn it into an amusing anecdote: “You’re a doctor like I’m a doctor, aren’t you?!” .
Monday, July 19, 2010
Benefits of Bilberry
Bilberry is the dark and purple fruit of a tall shrub with pointed leaves, which tastes somewhat similar to the American blueberry. The bilberry shrub bears small white and pink flowers which turn into dark purple berries. Bilberry fruit is considered a strong antioxidant and is known to improve blood circulation in body and build strong capillaries. Bilberry extract health supplements are also believed to treat atherosclerosis, cataracts, diabetes(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Diabetes.html), diarrhea, macular degeneration(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Macular-Degeneration.html), night blindness, and retinopathy amongst other diseases. Although bilberry is not believed to be a definite cure for all the claimed diseases, it is still high in demand due to its health-related properties.
Benefits of Using Bilberry
Although bilberry is not an essential component for our body or for the growth and development of our body, it is definitely an important component in disease prevention. The supplement bilberry extract has numerous benefits
1. Strengthens Our Body: Bilberry extract supplements strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and improve blood circulation. Due to its ability to strengthen blood vessels, bilberry extract is considered useful in the treatment of varicose veins and hemorrhoids. It may also prevent easy bruising and is also known to stabilize collagen fiber, which is present in cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. Bilberry extract health supplements can also decrease capillary permeability and fragility, inhibit platelet aggregation, and prevent the release and synthesis of pro-inflammatory compounds. It is also known to reduce blood glucose levels.
2. Cure Ophthalmologic Disorders: Bilberry extract has a numerous benefits for the eye. Bilberry extract supplements improve microcapillary circulation in the eye, which deteriorates with aging, increases oxygen and blood delivery to the eye, improves the pigmented area of the eyes, and increases the activity of enzyme within the retina of the eye besides treating cataracts and macular degeneration. Bilberry extract can also be used to prevent glaucoma.
3. Cure ulcers and fibro cysts: Bilberry extract health supplements can also be used in the treatment of stomach ulcers and fibro cysts in the breast. However only limited research has been done in this area to confirm bilberry’s benefit and more study is needed.
Bilberry Extract Supplement
For centuries bilberries were eaten as a food in both fresh and dried form. Now, bilberry extract is also available as a health supplement in the form of capsules. Bilberry extract is the most effective form of taking bilberry and a typical dose constitutes 40-80 mg – taken three times per day this will contain 25% anthocyanosides.
As always before taking this or any other supplement consult with your physician.
Benefits of Using Bilberry
Although bilberry is not an essential component for our body or for the growth and development of our body, it is definitely an important component in disease prevention. The supplement bilberry extract has numerous benefits
1. Strengthens Our Body: Bilberry extract supplements strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and improve blood circulation. Due to its ability to strengthen blood vessels, bilberry extract is considered useful in the treatment of varicose veins and hemorrhoids. It may also prevent easy bruising and is also known to stabilize collagen fiber, which is present in cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. Bilberry extract health supplements can also decrease capillary permeability and fragility, inhibit platelet aggregation, and prevent the release and synthesis of pro-inflammatory compounds. It is also known to reduce blood glucose levels.
2. Cure Ophthalmologic Disorders: Bilberry extract has a numerous benefits for the eye. Bilberry extract supplements improve microcapillary circulation in the eye, which deteriorates with aging, increases oxygen and blood delivery to the eye, improves the pigmented area of the eyes, and increases the activity of enzyme within the retina of the eye besides treating cataracts and macular degeneration. Bilberry extract can also be used to prevent glaucoma.
3. Cure ulcers and fibro cysts: Bilberry extract health supplements can also be used in the treatment of stomach ulcers and fibro cysts in the breast. However only limited research has been done in this area to confirm bilberry’s benefit and more study is needed.
Bilberry Extract Supplement
For centuries bilberries were eaten as a food in both fresh and dried form. Now, bilberry extract is also available as a health supplement in the form of capsules. Bilberry extract is the most effective form of taking bilberry and a typical dose constitutes 40-80 mg – taken three times per day this will contain 25% anthocyanosides.
As always before taking this or any other supplement consult with your physician.
Monday, July 12, 2010
SMOKING and HIGH HDL CHOLESTROL
Smoking and high cholesterol are two modifiable risk factors that can affect the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
A new study shows that AMD occurs infrequently before age 55 but increases beyond that. There exists the ability to diminish the risk factors by eliminating smoking and lowering HDL cholesterol levels.
The study reveals that early AMD may actually occur in mid-life. Researchers studied participants’ eyes for AMD features that in included drusen size, type, and area; increased retinal pigment; retinal pigment epithelial de-pigmentation; pure geographic atrophy and signs of exudative macular degeneration.
What the study noted is that there is a low prevalence of early AMD, particularly among those younger than 55 years and a higher prevalence of early AMD in men. Early AMD was associated with those participants who smoked and had high HDL cholesterol levels.
Researchers cautioned that the results were not definitive and that many factors can come into play in assessing the risk of AMD.*
A new study shows that AMD occurs infrequently before age 55 but increases beyond that. There exists the ability to diminish the risk factors by eliminating smoking and lowering HDL cholesterol levels.
The study reveals that early AMD may actually occur in mid-life. Researchers studied participants’ eyes for AMD features that in included drusen size, type, and area; increased retinal pigment; retinal pigment epithelial de-pigmentation; pure geographic atrophy and signs of exudative macular degeneration.
What the study noted is that there is a low prevalence of early AMD, particularly among those younger than 55 years and a higher prevalence of early AMD in men. Early AMD was associated with those participants who smoked and had high HDL cholesterol levels.
Researchers cautioned that the results were not definitive and that many factors can come into play in assessing the risk of AMD.*
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Protect Your Eyes
By DR. ERIK BERGMAN
July 5, 2010
Good eye care is crucial to protecting something that many of us take for granted: sight.
It's one of the five senses that we don't just use every day - we use it almost every waking second of every day. But many face issues with their eyes ranging from nearsightedness or farsightedness, to contagious conditions such as pink-eye, to more serious problems such as macular degeneration and glaucoma.
So what can you do to make sure you don't have a common eye disorder or problem and keep your eyes healthy?
First and foremost, every individual, no matter if he or she has 20/20 vision and has never had an eye problem before, should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam once every two years, if not more often.
The keyword is dilated. The pupil must be dilated for an eye-care professional to get a good view of the back of the eye. One of the top causes of vision loss is diabetic eye disease, and people often don't know they have it until the condition has already affected their sight. The easiest and best way to detect diabetic eye disease, and a range of other issues, is through a dilated exam.
If you're already regularly getting a dilated exam with your ophthalmologist, you've made a great start toward keeping your eyes healthy, but here are some other things you can be doing to protect your sight.
• Find out about your family's eye health history because some eye diseases are hereditary.
• Eat a diet rich in carrots, dark leafy greens, omega-3 fatty acids, fruits and other vegetables.
• Maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking can also help manage conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure that may affect sight.
• Wear protective eyewear, whether it be sunglasses to protect your eyes from UVA and UVB rays, which can cause cataracts and macular problems in the retina, or safety glasses when working with tools or machinery.
• If you wear contacts, clean your hands and contacts properly before putting them in or removing them, to reduce your risk of infection. Give your eyes a rest. If you spend a long time reading or at the computer, follow the 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes, take a break for 20 seconds to look at something at least 20 feet away.
July 5, 2010
Good eye care is crucial to protecting something that many of us take for granted: sight.
It's one of the five senses that we don't just use every day - we use it almost every waking second of every day. But many face issues with their eyes ranging from nearsightedness or farsightedness, to contagious conditions such as pink-eye, to more serious problems such as macular degeneration and glaucoma.
So what can you do to make sure you don't have a common eye disorder or problem and keep your eyes healthy?
First and foremost, every individual, no matter if he or she has 20/20 vision and has never had an eye problem before, should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam once every two years, if not more often.
The keyword is dilated. The pupil must be dilated for an eye-care professional to get a good view of the back of the eye. One of the top causes of vision loss is diabetic eye disease, and people often don't know they have it until the condition has already affected their sight. The easiest and best way to detect diabetic eye disease, and a range of other issues, is through a dilated exam.
If you're already regularly getting a dilated exam with your ophthalmologist, you've made a great start toward keeping your eyes healthy, but here are some other things you can be doing to protect your sight.
• Find out about your family's eye health history because some eye diseases are hereditary.
• Eat a diet rich in carrots, dark leafy greens, omega-3 fatty acids, fruits and other vegetables.
• Maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking can also help manage conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure that may affect sight.
• Wear protective eyewear, whether it be sunglasses to protect your eyes from UVA and UVB rays, which can cause cataracts and macular problems in the retina, or safety glasses when working with tools or machinery.
• If you wear contacts, clean your hands and contacts properly before putting them in or removing them, to reduce your risk of infection. Give your eyes a rest. If you spend a long time reading or at the computer, follow the 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes, take a break for 20 seconds to look at something at least 20 feet away.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
