Selecting a pair of sunglasses

This week’s blog on Selecting a pair of Sunglasses has been contributed by Dr Hamed Mofeez Anwar, Consultant Corneal and Refractive Surgeon.

Selecting a pair of sunglasses

Sunglasses may help you look cool and fashionable but they are also designed to protect your eyes, so choosing a pair of sunglasses is about more than just looking good.

 

 

 

1) The lenses

UV protection
It’s important to protect against excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Make sure that you check to see if they protect against 99% of UVA rays and at least 95% of UVB rays.

If they are labeled as ‘cosmetic’ or don’t provide any information about UV protection, it’s better not to get them.

Distortion
Make sure you check for distortion by holding the lenses up to a fluorescent lamp. As you move the sunglasses up and down, check that there is no wave distortion that will also distort your vision. If there is none, this is a good sign.

Scratch resistance
Finally, make sure that the lenses in the sunglasses are scratch resistant, as scratched sunglasses are damaged and useless.

The colour
Note that the colour of the lenses doesn’t just affect your fashion statement, it affects how well you detect contrast and differentiate colours. The colour of the lenses you choose can make a difference to your vision and can enhance contrast, which is always useful, but the colour of the lens can also affect the ability of the eye to detect colour differences, which may be a problem – when driving, for example.

2) The frame

Shape
Sunglasses come in all shapes and sizes. Generally, finding a contrast between the shape of your face and the shape of the frame will look good. For example, if you have a round face, more angular frames will work well, and if your face is squarer, a rounder softer frame shape will look good.

Fit
Like any pair of glasses, choose sunglasses that fit your face and are comfortable to wear, so take care when trying on new pairs. They should feel well balanced and not squeeze the head, ears or nose, and sit on the bridge of the nose without touching the eyelashes.

The sunglasses should balance on the bridge of the nose and ears; if they feel inclined to one side, you need to adjust them.

The size
Make sure that the lens area is not too small, so that it will be able to block sunlight effectively

Retinal Vein Occlusion

This week’s blog on Retinal Vein Occlusion has been contributed by Dr Hassan Aziz, Consultant Vitreoretinal Surgeon.

What is Retinal Vein Occlusion?

Retinal Vein Occlusion occurs when a retinal vessel is occluded, blocking the drainage of the blood from the retina. This results in the accumulation of blood (retinal hemorrhages) and fluid (macular edema) in the retina and leads to a drop in the visual acuity (clarity of vision).

What are the risk factors for Retinal Vein Occlusion?

Risk factors for Retinal Vein Occlusion include: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, primary open angle glaucoma.

What are the types of Retinal Vein Occlusion?

There are two types of Retinal Vein Occlusion:

  • Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO)
  • Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion (BRVO)

How is Retinal Vein Occlusion diagnosed?

Retinal Vein Occlusion is diagnosed clinically with a dilated eye examination. Additional imaging such as fluorescein angiography and ocular coherence tomography (OCT) may be needed to confirm the diagnosis and monitor the progression of the disease.

Treatment:

Treatment of Retinal Vein Occlusion includes:
Ocular treatment:

  • Observation if only a small vein is involved and does not affect the macula (central part of the vision).
  • Intravitreal injections of either anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents or steroid injection to treat the macular edema.
  • Laser photocoagulation may be administered to the peripheral ischemic retina.

Systemic treatment:

  • Management of systemic factors (close control of blood pressure and blood sugar levels).

Prognosis:

Retinal Vein Occlusions tend to have a relatively good prognosis if diagnosed and treated early. Delayed treatment may result in permanent retinal ischemia, neovascular glaucoma and tractional retinal detachment.

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai reassures patient that lesion in eye was not a cancer – Moorfields Dubai advises community to consult appropriate subspecialist for accurate diagnosis

[:en]27 March 2018 (Dubai – United Arab Emirates): Consultants at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (Moorfields) are advising the community to seek regular eye checks with appropriate specialists and subspecialists to benefit from the deeper level of expertise needed to diagnose accurately and treat the most serious and complex eye conditions. The advice comes in the wake of a patient at the hospital who had previously been diagnosed with a cancer in the eye, in another hospital; the Moorfields team was able to diagnose it as a benign mole. The patient did not need any treatment and is being monitored.
According to Moorfields, an eye examination by an experienced consultant ophthalmologist or relevant subspecialist is the safest way to ensure accurate diagnosis and treatment, and to avoid the stress and worry involved in misdiagnosis. Subspecialists undergo additional and more in-depth training in their field, known as a ‘Fellowship’. A check on doctors’ credentials will help identify their levels of expertise and experience.
The Moorfields patient (a 56 year-old male from France) had been diagnosed with a cancerous tumour and advised to seek urgent treatment in Europe, after it was discovered. In fact it was a benign mole, hidden in the back of the eye where it was not easy to locate. This kind of mole, known as a ‘choroidal naevus’, affects about 10% of the population and most just need monitoring, as the risk of them becoming cancerous is about 1 in 8,500 cases.
Dr. Mandeep S. Sagoo, Consultant Ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, a leading expert in eye tumours, who is a regular Visiting Consultant to Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, and who examined the patient, explains: “In this case, the patient was fortunate that the mole was benign and not cancerous; the patient was very relieved at the diagnosis and no treatment was required, although we recommend regular and careful monitoring to detect any change. Our experience in diagnosing hundreds of eye tumour patients a year ensures that our consultants are capable of recognising a cancerous tumour and what treatment – if any – is required. Photography and ultrasound scans help to make the diagnosis. In this case, seeking further medical opinions eventually paid off with the correct diagnosis and no need for costly travel and medical expenses for the patient.”
Dr. Sagoo concludes: “Make sure that all the family members have regular eye checks because many additional health problems can also be picked up, as well as vision related issues. Even when cancerous moles are detected in the eye, around 25% of them do not present with symptoms in the early stage and will only be picked up during an examination by a trained optometrist or ophthalmologist.”
Dr. Sagoo will be available for consultations at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai from April 7-8, 2018. For appointments:
Telephone: (+971) 4 429 7888
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