Contact Lenses Over Glasses

The wide variety of Contact Lenses that are now available means that almost anyone who would normally need to wear glasses can now wear Contact Lenses instead. There are a number of benefits that Contact Lenses have over glasses, here are just a few to convince you that Contact Lenses are the better option:

Contact lenses obviously have no frames so they provide clear all-round vision, unlike glasses which also have poor side vision. Contact lenses are therefore much better for driving than glasses.

Glasses can be fairly weighty on your nose and ears whereas contact lenses have no weight and are not always needing to be pushed back up like glasses do.

Contact lenses do not fog up with changes in temperature like glasses do. This can be especially annoying when opening the oven or in a steamy bathroom.

If you wear eyeglasses then you need prescription sunglasses whereas with contact lenses you can wear any sunglasses that take your fancy.

Contact lenses don't give you problems with blurred vision in the rain or snow as glasses can do. This is because the water does not collect on your contact lenses.

A few things to watch out for when wearing Contact Lenses. Dont try to put them in after chopping chillies...seriously I did this and lived to regret my stupidity for a good few hours of eye watering pain!!!

When tired try not to rub your eyes too hard with your lenses in them as this can result in them folding over and again watery eyes can result and yes I have done this aswell!

One important thing to note is that however hard you try your lenses will not disappear round the back of your eye!!

Check out the deals and information available at http://www.ur-contact-lenses.com

How To Wash Your Eyes After LASIK Surgery

LASIK is an efficient and fairly innocuous procedure. It is capable of treating several refractive errors, such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. The procedure itself entails virtually no pain and provides rapid recovery. Though the vision will be blurry immediately after surgery, visual acuity will be restored within a few days. However, it takes about 3 to 6 months for the refraction to stabilize. It is imperative that you carry out a scrupulous postoperative regime in order to boost the recovery process and avoid unnecessary complications.

Avoid rubbing your eyes for at least the first week after LASIK surgery. The corneal flap cut out during the surgery requires substantial time to heal. Unnecessary rubbing may inadvertently aggravate the wound. You should also take extreme caution to avoid soap, hair spray or shaving lotion from entering your eyes. The eye surgeon will typically provide you with a postoperative kit, which may include a set of eye shields/goggles. Wear them while you are sleeping, at least for the first three nights after surgery.

For at least a week after LASIK, prevent water from entering your eyes, since water hinders the natural clotting mechanism, and therefore might delay the healing process of the cornea. You must also cancel any swimming plans for a minimum of 10 days following LASIK. You must not wear eye makeup for at least one week after LASIK.

Contact sports are to be avoided for at least a week or so following surgery. Furthermore, it is advised that you wear some kind of protection gear for your eyes for a period of a month, even after resuming exercise and other sporting activities. Bright sunlight may lead to scarring, and therefore, sunglasses are recommended on bright days until the cornea heals.

To summarize, though you will able to resume your usual lifestyle within a week or so after LASIK surgery, it is crucial that you protect your eyes to prevent injury or infection. And since the corneal flap does not heal instantly after surgery, you must prevent washing your eyes for at least a few days after surgery.

If you find a LASIK surgery that you are confident with, you will be able to get more information about post LASIK complications.

The LASIK Surgeons Directory - find a LASIK surgery. Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and reports, provides news and views and answers the question How Do I Wash My Eyes After LASIK? at Your Lasik Information.

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Your-LASIK.info

Professional Cosmetic Advice Use A MakeUp Brush

There are a lot of people who nowadays are applying cosmetics using their fingers, in my opinion it looks a lot better if applied using a make-up brush. This article describes the reasons for this and looks at the types of make-up brush which are available.

Blending

A smooth finish is what is required if you really want to look your best. Using your fingers and the fingertips makes it very difficult to get this smooth finish, where as if you use a good quality shaped make-up brush you can.

There are of course various oils in your fingers which can easily transfer to your face to make it look blotchy. This oil can also transfer itself to the make-up itself which can make it difficult to use in the future.

I often see people out and about in pubs and clubs and can tell straight away whether they have used a brush or if they have just simply used their fingers. I know which person I find more attractive.

Control

It is far easier to control the amount of powder or other make-up you are using when you apply it with a make-up brush. If you use your finger tips it is very easy to use too much and your face can become plastered. This can look really horrible and is a huge turn off. I would be thinking, what are you trying to hide beneath all of that make up? It also shows a lack of self-esteem and confidence on the part of the wearer.

This of course was not meant to happen and could have been avoided by using by a brush.

Which type of brush?

Most people believe that long handled brushes are by far the best for applying make-up, this is mainly due to balance.

When looking to purchase these brushes you normally get what you pay for. I would certainly advise where possible to avoid the lower end of the market.

When you look good, you feel good. It is a bit like wearing a new suit which you have spent a lot of money on. When you wear it for the first time to work or to a wedding, it gives you a bit of extra confidence as you know you are looking very smart.

Good quality brushes should if used correctly last quite a long time, they need to be correctly maintained and cleaned however to keep to their maximum effect.

Types of make-up brushes

These are the common types of make-up brush:

Blusher brush

Eyeliner brush

Eyelash comb

Eyeshadow brush

Eyebrow brush

Powder brush

Lip liner brush

If you do not want to or can not afford to buy make-up brushes, and are still planning to apply your cosmetics using your fingers, you need to ensure:

That you always wash your hands first

That you do not use too much make-up

You do not rush when applying the make-up

I hope this article helps you too look even more beautiful!

Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including:

stuttering information

nasty ringtones

quality make-up brushes

What Is The Best Age To Have LASIK?

What is the best age to have LASIK. My opinion would be in the late twenties. I will explain to your the reasons why in this article.

The main consideration with having LASIK too young is that the eye is still growing and the prescription may still be changing. There is a large amount of variation as to when this occurs. But generally, most peoples eyeglass prescription stop changing around their early twenties. The most important thing is that on your eye exam the prescription remains the same for a couple of years. If you visit a LASIK surgeon for the first time make sure to bring your most updated prescription. Otherwise, its difficult to know if your eye prescription is changing. Why is this an issue? Well, if you treat someone and there prescription changes then the effect of the LASIK is going to wear off. As far as we know, LASIK does not affect eye growth.

How about being too old? Well as you get older there are two issues. The first issue is that another medical condition in the eye may be limiting the vision. If this is the case it is usually a cataract; a natural clouding of the lens. LASIK does not treat cataracts, the only surgical treatment for cataracts is to remove the cataract and place a lens implant. So, as people get older they may have other eye conditions.

However, there is another issue. At the time of cataract surgery a lens implant is placed into the eye. This lens implantation gives us the ability to treat the eyeglass prescription in many people at the time of surgery. The downside to LASIK is that our measurements to ascertain the correct lens implant power is less accurate in a patient who had LASIK. Therefore in patients who are older the effect of the LASIK may be shortened by the development of cataracts and once the cataracts develop our lens implant measurements are inaccurate.

The third issue is presbyopia, needing additional power to read up close. Patients who are presbyopic or emerging into presbyopia may find they will still need reading glasses after LASIK. This can be treated with monovision correction, but not everybody is a good candidate for monovision. Presbyopia usually begins to occur around age 40. People who are nearsighted can often offset the presbyopia by taking off their glasses to read. This crutch is gone when the nearsightedness is corrected by LASIK.

Everybody wants to know that the LASIK treatment will last forever. While this is unrealistic due to other conditions that effect the eye. There are age considerations will dictate on average how long you can expect the surgery to last. That is why I recommend the late twenties as the ideal age. A person's eyes will likely have stopped growing and there are many years before presbyopia and cataracts develop. The second best time is probably early thirties and early to mid fourties. Early thirties because there are still a number of years before cataracts and presbyopia. Early to mid forties because if you have developed presbyopia by this time you can make a very educated decision if you would like monovision or not.

Marc D. Hirsch is a practicing laser vision correction surgeon. He publishes on http://www.visioncorrectionsurgery.blogspot.com

Benfotiamine And Diabetic Retinopathy

Damage from diabetes can occur in different areas of the eye. It can occur to the cornea, nerves controlling the muscles of the eye, the lens, optic nerve and retina. The retina is the complication that most people and medical professionals think of first in terms of diabetic complications.

Diabetic retinopathy is simply damage to the light sensitive retina. This damage is brought about by hyperglycemia, the medical term for high blood sugar. Retinopathy is directly responsible for approximately 12,000 to 24,000 cases of legal blindness every year in the USA alone. It is reported that there are over 200,000 cases each year globally.

Diabetic complications are even more insidious than these numbers because there are several other types of diabetic eye disease created wholly or in part by high blood sugar in diabetics.

What Can Be Done To Prevent Eye Disease?

It stands to reason that the more informed a person is about a particular situation the better equipped they will be to handle it. Diabetic eye disease is just such a case in point. We need to think of the whole person and not just the eyes when discussing diabetic education because diabetic complications run from eye disease, heart disease, nerve damage, kidney damage, etc. Although benfotiamine has been found useful for all of the above, for the sake of this article in terms of prevention, we will discuss diabetic eye disease in terms of diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is a disease that every diabetic faces the possibility of suffering from somewhere in the course of their disease. The better patients of diabetes are equipped to handle their disease, the lower their risk that they will develop retinopathy. If retinopathy does develop in a patient who is doing all he/she can do to lessen the impact of blood sugar on their bodies, the better chance that they can live productive lives despite the complications and the slower such complications will progress.

What Works Best?

Unfortunately, there are very few options that are showing much promise for the diabetic in terms of diabetic complications. Benfotiamine has been suggested recently to be a strong deterrent against the development of diabetic retinopathy and also shown to slow its progression significantly if it develops. It is showing great promise in the arena of retinopathy, neuropathy and heart/circulatory conditions brought about by excess sugar in the cells.

Benfotiamine, a lipid soluble derivative of water soluble vitamin B1 (thiamine), has been used for the past 12 years in Europe for the treatment of neuropathy, retinopathy as well as heart and circulatory conditions and has shown no adverse effects.

Much of the current research on benfotiamine can be discovered by typing the term benfotiamine into a search engine such as google, AOL, yahoo, etc.

Conclusion

Diabetic complications are a reality that must be an accepted possibility for every diabetic. Diabetic education is highly necessary so that the diabetic community is able to make informed decisions as to their treatment and prevention methodologies. There are few things that show great promise in preventing and/or helping neuropathy, retinopathy, heart and circulatory problems brought about by diabetes. Keeping blood sugar levels close to normal along with adequate exercise in line with the abilities of each individual has shown to help slow the onset of diabetic complications.

Benfotiamine is a nutritional supplement that has shown to be helpful in Europe over the past 12 years in terms of diabetic complications and is now available in the United States, and might be worth the time to investigate further. How about for the diabetic who faces the insidious nature of diabetic complications?

Zach Malott is CEO of Brentwood Health International, a nutritional supplement company involved in distribution and supplying wholesale, retail and end users.

Mr. Malott is available to discuss the research as it applies to benfotiamine in the treatment and prevention of diabetic complications such as neuropathy and retinopathy. He can be reached at:

Phone: 505.354.0526

web site: http://www.emuhealthproducts.com/benfotiamine.html

How To Prevent Eye Damages From Tanning Beds

While most people think tanning beds are completely safe, the truth is that there are two issues to consider with indoor tanning. First, indoor tanning can lead to skin cancer and you can experience eye damage from tanning beds. The key in both cases is to make wise choices and take the appropriate measures to ensure you are safe when using a tanning bed.

Keep in mind that tanning beds are big business - so big that about $2 billions dollars a year is spent by people wanting to get a dark, golden tan. One of the main problems seen in the tanning industry is that too many are so interested in the money that they make exaggerated claims just to get the business. The problem is that obviously, people are being put at risk and have no idea. Therefore, remember that tanning beds and eye damage can go hand-in-hand.

Now, to avoid both skin and eye damage from tanning beds, I want to give you some easy to follow instructions. First, always visit a reputable tanning salon that uses quality beds, disinfects them carefully after each person, changes out bad bulbs, and monitors the amount of time people use the beds. It can be far too tempting to go with a cheaply priced salon but in this case, you do not want to skimp on quality.

For the eyes, many studies have shown that increased exposure to ultraviolet rays actually increases the possibility of developing certain types of cataracts. While cataracts can be removed surgically, they can present as a serious problem. However, overexposure can cause other eye problems such as pterygium, which is tissue growth on the white part of the eye, and macula degeneration, which is damage to the retina.

Therefore, above anything, always wear the protective eye gear. Remember that not all tanning salons enforce the wearing of goggles so ultimately, you have the responsibility to protect your eyes. If you notice the goggles not fitting correctly, ask for another pair until you find one that does. Many people who tan on a regular basis will buy their own goggles, ensuring their eyes have the best possible protection.

Finally, if at any time you see a tanning salon advertising that their beds do not produce glare so goggles are not needed, you should run away as fast as you can. This is a false claim that is highly irresponsible on the side of the tanning salon owners. This is serious business and you only have one set of eyes so do everything you can to protect them for life.

If you?d like to read more tanning safety tips, visit http://www.tanninginfocenter.com now and learn how to avoid tanning bed dangers.

Understand the Risks of Lasik Eye Surgery

Like any surgery, LASIK eye surgery does have it's fair share of risks and possible complications.

Before going for LASIK, have your surgeon explain to you what these risks are. It's part of the process.

I've described some of them here so that you can have some idea too:

- Over-correction or under-correction. While such errors may occur, it can be easily overcome with a pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses. Of course, in this case, the refractive error is much less than before the surgery.

- Your cornea is at risk of being scarred, possibly resulting in worse astigmatism, and even the inability to put on contact lenses.

- Like any surgery, there is also a risk of infection in LASIK.

- Ok, this one I don't like...it's called Loss of best corrected visual acuity. What this means is that, there is a possibility you will not see clearly after surgery, even with eyeglasses or contact lenses. How lame is that!

- You ability to see things sharply may drop. So even if you have 20/20 vision, objects might still appear a little blurry.

- You might need a pair of eyeglasses while driving after dark.

- The flap that has been cut open might develop complications.

I know it suddenly seems scary right now, doesn't it? I was also hesitant at first.

What you can do is start by choosing the right surgeon.

Then, discuss with your eye doctor, and have realistic expectations for yourself.

Only when you are sure, and confirmed that you are a suitable candidate, should you go for LASIK eye surgery.

Lim Zheng Yang has dedicated countless hours researching on eye care related issues, including, but not limited to, eye problems, eye surgery, eye doctor, eyewear etc. For more information, kindly visit Eye Care Inc

How to Get the Most Comfortable Pair of Contact Lenses

Contacts can be awkward for the first time user, and feel especially uncomfortable. Finding the most comfortable pair of contact lenses for your eyes can be a test of trial and error for you and your eye doctor. The eye doctor part is essential to the comfortable contact equation. Doctors must determine the measurements that your contacts need to be in order to fit them correctly. Without the doctor, contacts may not fit properly and can harm your eyes. Still there is more that you can do to increase the comfort of your contact lenses.

Avoiding Dry Eye

Dry eye causes eyes to appear red and feel gritty. All About Vision offers that this could come from over the counter medicines and prescription medicines, from antihistamines to blood pressure medications. The best way to take care of this when you have contacts is to use contact drops that contain artificial tears. These drops must be for contacts only, as other contact drops can discolor contacts.

Nutrition, Nutrition, Nutrition!

All About Vision offers that one of the most essential ingredients to having healthy eyes and a comfortable contact experience is nutrition. Drinking lots of water and less caffeine and alcohol is important to maintaining eye health. Also, nutritional supplements may help, especially omega-3 fatty acids that are naturally found in salmon, flaxseed oil and many other fish.

The Environment

The environment in which you surround yourself is an integral part on how comfortable your contacts are going to feel in your eyes. Dusty work areas or a house with pets may increase the chances of getting debris caught between the contacts and the eyes. Also, contact wearers should not touch their eyes after using soaps, cleaners, or other similar products. Keep rewetting drops available if you spend much time on the computer or if you smoke. All of these things can keep your contacts from feeling their most comfortable.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Vision-Doctor.com. He provides more contact lens tips and discount contact lenses that you can research and purchase in your pajamas on his website.

Contact Lenses on Vacation 7 Simple Tips

When you are on vacation, contact lenses are great convenience - they are invisible and you don?t have to take them off while swimming. However, contact lenses can also spoil your vacation, if you don?t take precautions. Here are some simple things you can do, to prevent it happening to you.

1. Make sure that you have a spare pair of lenses

Even if the lenses you wear aren?t frequent replacement lenses, it is always recommended that you have spares. A lens can get lost or damaged, and replacements might be difficult to find. If you wear daily disposable lenses, take the amount of lens you need for your vacation plus several extra - just in case.

2. Don?t forget your contact lens case and solution.

Most brand name solutions can be bought in smaller bottles, which are excellent for traveling. And you can get a case that clips onto a solution bottle, so the pieces don?t get separated in your luggage.

3. Don?t let water in your eyes when swimming

Contact lenses are great for swimming and all water sports, but it is best to prevent their contact with water. However, water contains myriads of bacteria, which can get onto your lens and cause keratitis. So it is best to wear tight goggles, when swimming. If seawater gets into your eyes anyway, you should take your lenses out as soon as possible and clean them before putting them back in.

4. You still need sunglasses

Most modern contact lenses, like all Acuvue or Focus lenses, block harmful UV rays. However, the lens only can protect the area it covers, which is not the entire surface of your eye. Also, contact lenses don?t reduce glare. So it is safest to wear sunglasses with high UV protection over your lenses, and a sunhat.

5. Don?t neglect caring for your lenses

If you are tired after a day of sightseeing, it might be tempting to fall asleep still wearing your contacts. This is not a good idea - unless you wear extended wear lenses, of course. No matter how tired and relaxed you feel, take your contact lenses out for the night. See tips for contact lens and eye health

If you don?t want to care for your contacts during vacations at all, ask your doctor if extended wear contacts would suit you. Acuvue 2 can be worn without removal for up to 7 days, and Focus Night and Day for up to 30 days; they are great for vacations.

6. Be careful with sunscreen creams and inset repellants

Be very careful to avoid getting sunscreen or insect repellant in your eyes. If it gets into your eyes, it can cause serious irritation. If this happens, take your lenses out and give them a good clean.

7. Wear glasses on long flights

During long flights, most contact lens wearers feel miserable. This is because in an airplane, both atmospheric pressure and humidity are low. As a result, your soft contact lenses dehydrate and draw moisture from your eyes. Many people also nap during a flight, and sleeping in contacts isn?t recommended. If you can wear glasses as well as contacts, it is a good idea to do so in the plane. If glasses are not an option, use special eye drops and make sure you drink plenty of water during your flight.

Keep these simple rules in mind when going on vacation, and your contacts shouldn?t cause any problems to prevent you enjoying your holidays.

Tanya Turner is a contact lens expert and a founder of Contact Lenses Consumer Guide.com/, where you can find unbiased information about eye health and all types of contact lenses with reviews and pictures

Can You Afford LASIK Eye Surgery?

LASIK eye surgery is generally considered to be more expensive than other more conventional surgical procedures. This can in part be attributed to the use of high-tech equipment such as lasers.

Having said that, I think it is worthwhile to mention that the cost of LASIK continues to come down. This is in part due to improvements being made to the overall process, such as the use of more efficient and cheaper lasers.

According to the FDA the average cost of LASIK eye surgery was in the region of $1,344 in 2005. This is a significant reduction from the original numbers listed in 2002 of nearly $1,600.

However, be as it may, when deciding on the type of LASIK eye surgery or surgeon, price should never be the overriding factor. Remember you?re not buying shoes you?re taking a risk, so why not take the best calculated risk by going to someone who has built up a good reputation?

Here are a few things that may help you understand why the costs of LASIK laser surgery are high.

? The fee of leasing the building where the surgery is located

? The leasing or purchase of the laser as well as maintenance of the blades or lasers can increase LASIK cost. Surgeons may also be upgrading to newer and more efficient lasers.

? There may be additional, per eye fees to be paid to the developer or manufacturer of the laser, if the machine is leased.

? You may need special gowns, masks, gloves, medications, or surgical solutions to keep the operating room sterile and safe.

? There may be Advertising and insurance for the office.

When you are considering different LASIK surgery options it may be a good idea to ask your surgeon the following:

? What is and what isn?t included in the cost of the LASIK eye surgery?

? What if complications occur or if enhancements are needed. Will I be charged and if so, how much?

? What about the cost of LASIK medications such as anti-inflammatory or painkillers?

? Will I need temporary contact lenses after LASIK? Are they included in the cost or will they be paid for separately?

? What about follow-up visits after LASIK? What are the costs if they are not included in the fee for the surgery?

Don?t forget to contact your insurance company to determine if they cover the cost of LASIK laser surgery. Some insurance companies don?t cover the cost of LASIK because they see it as a cosmetic enhancement.

If financing is not a problem you should strongly consider using a LASIK surgeon who best fits your needs and addresses your concerns.

For those who already had successful LASIK procedures, the cost of LASIK laser eye surgery is a small price to pay compared to the joy offered by their newly improved vision.

The author L Jimmy Roos writes widely, offering solutions on various topics that affect the human condition. For more information on Lasik laser eye surgery and how it can help you, please visit now http://www.lasikeyeadvice.com

Your EyesThe Windows to Your Soul

Our eyes are one of the most important features on our face. Our eyes not only allow us to see, they show emotion?joy, love, fear and even anger. It is said that when we address one another we should look directly into the eyes of the speaker. A baby?s eyes get noticed for being so large and round, a man?s eyes get noticed for their color and expressiveness. A woman?s eyes should get noticed for the same intrinsic qualities, not for the amount of makeup she has adorned them with.

I like to start with the eyeliner. No matter which type of liner you prefer, (liquid, pencil or even powder) get as close to the lashes as possible, staying on the outside of the eye. Do not apply liner inside the lash line, as this could cause the transfer of bacteria into the eyes. Keep this line of color subtle. Gently smudge it a little with the end of an eye shadow applicator or a brush for a softer, more natural look.

It is always a good idea to apply your eye shadow prior to your cheek color. This way, if the product finds its way onto your cheeks, you can simply brush it away. You may want to dust a little translucent powder on your cheeks and under your eyes to make for an easy clean-up. For a simple, natural look, stick to the neutrals.

Choose a midtone shade for over the entire eye lid. Gently blend a darker color into and slightly above the crease. Blend with a soft crease brush, using gentle strokes up and down so that the crease color fades seamlessly onto the brow bone and the lower lid. Use the midtone again on the lower lid and blend up into the crease. If you are feeling daring, choose a third, lighter color to highlight the brow bone. Blending is the key operation here. No heavy lines of color please. For evening, use the same technique but try more shimmery eye colors.

Lastly, let?s not forget our trusty friend, mascara. Apply your mascara last to avoid smudging it when applying your liner and shadow. Also, any loose shadow particles will stick to your freshly applied mascara?not a good look. Waterproof mascara is great for sports or for going to a tear-jerking movie, however, it is difficult to remove. This can cause product build-up on the lashes, creating a cakey look. Worse yet, continuous use of waterproof mascara and product build-up can cause your precious lashes to break, thus causing you to use even more mascara. A better solution would be a water-resistant mascara. It is much easier to remove. So just remember, what goes on, must come off.

The windows to your soul now sparkle with subtle color, making your eyes and you, yourself, impossible to ignore. Those around you won?t be able to take their bulging spheres off of your beautiful eyes.

Have a great day!

Dawn Hull
Professional Skin Care Consultant
http://www.MaryKay.com/ShopOnline

Sign up to receive a FREE monthly beauty newsletter: Beaut-e-News - Discover what's new, what's now ? what's changing the face of makeup and skin care! You'll find beauty secrets revealed and tips and techniques that will help you look your beautiful best. Click here to register: http://www.marykay.com/PWS/MyMK/Login.aspx?Moniker=SHOPONLINE

Hyperopia Can Laser Eye Surgery Correct This Condition

Farsightedness and laser eye surgery may not seem to be a good option at first glance. But the success of LASIK has proven that there is finally a surgical technique to correct this vision problem.

What is Hyperopia or farsightedness? It?s a vision problem where persons can see distant objects clearly but experience difficulty in seeing objects close up.

In a normal eye, the light that enters focuses directly on the retina. Those with farsightedness, experience light as focusing behind the retina. This happens when the corneas are flatter, or the eye is shorter.

Is this option: farsightedness and laser eye surgery worth looking into? Yes and a brief explanation of how LASIK and CK works, both recommended surgical techniques for this condition would help you make up your mind.

CK stands for Conductive Keratoplasty and is an FDA approved procedure. In this operation, a small probe, thinner than a strand of human hair, is used to release radiofrequency (RF) energy. The probe goes around in a circular pattern on the outer cornea to shrink small areas of corneal tissue. This circular shrinkage pattern creates a constrictive band (think of the belt tightening the waistline) and increasing the curvature of the cornea.

During the LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) surgical procedure, the surgeon will fold the flap and remove corneal tissue underneath by the use of the excimer laser. This very precise laser removes very tiny bits of tissue thereby reshaping it. Of the two, which option for farsightedness and laser eye surgery, should you consider?

The advantages OF LASIK are it?s an older technique compared to CK which was just recently approved by FDA in 2002. Operation time is relatively fast, from 15 to 45 seconds on each eye. Improvement in vision is felt within 24 hours.

For CK, improved surgical techniques and technology make has made it a more stable technique. It is also non-invasive, there are no knives, or lasers or instruments inserted into the eyes. So it causes fewer complications. This operation normally takes 15 minutes to perform, and compared to LASIK it will take a week before you see improvement in your vision.

Which of these two options for farsightedness and laser eye surgery techniques is the best for you? Do some preliminary research, and make it an in-depth research on each option. Ask your optometrist, which eye surgeon, she or he believes you should see. In the initial consultation, you?ll find out which procedure works for you.

What?s worth remembering is you free yourself from using contacts or eyeglasses. There is a cure for farsightedness and laser eye surgery is it!

Tim Gorman is a successful webmaster and publisher of Vision-Doctor.com an online website that offers discounts on contact lenses, eyeglasses, sunglasses and free information on LASIK eye surgery procedures that you can view in the privacy of your own home.

Laser Eye Surgery Freedom from Farsightedness

What is farsightedness?

Hyperopia, more commonly known as farsightedness, causes the image of a close up object that is normally projected on your retina, to be projected behind your retina causing blurred vision. When a farsighted person views at an object that is up close, both of their eyes move in toward each other trying to converge the image. The same nerves that control the muscles of your eyes also control the focusing power of the lens in your eye. The lens and the muscles surrounding your eye are designed to work together to produce good, clear vision. But when a farsighted person looks at a close up object, their eyes naturally turn in toward the nose as the eyes adjust automatically. But at the same time your brain works to try to counteract what your eyes are naturally trying to do and tries to tell your eye muscles to move your eyes outward away from your nose.

The result of this battle between your brain and your eyes can cause eye strain and double vision. Patients with farsightedness state that when they are tired, they feel a ?pulling? in their eyes when they try to read. And especially when they are over-tired, they may end up seeing double. This is the dilemma when our brain tries hard to correct double vision but when we are tired, it can?t compensate enough.

Is the battle between your eyes and your brain giving you a headache?

Patients with hyperopia complain that their eyes feel strained and they experience frequent headaches with the battle between the brain and the eyes each trying to do what they think is best. Imagine you are a farsighted visitor gazing up at Mount Rushmore. You are able to see the faces on Mount Rushmore clearly and then you glance down at your watch to see what time it is. Because of being farsighted, your eyeball is slightly shorter than normal and your brain sends a message to your corneal lens to try to compensate and become steeper, pulling your eyes away from your nose. But as your eyes try to focus on your watch, the eye muscles surrounding your eyes try to pull your eyeballs in toward your nose. No wonder this battle between your brain and your eyes results in eye strain.

Why does the problem of farsightedness become worse with age?

Many young people who are far sighted can see well enough without glasses because their corneal lens can accommodate by becoming thicker to bring close objects into focus and adjust to becoming flatter to allow clear vision in far away objects. But as we grow older, our corneal lens loses it?s flexibility to change shape. Interestingly, almost all newborns are farsighted at birth.

How can Laser Eye Surgery help to correct far sightedness?

The farsighted eyeball may be too short from front to back for a clear image to be projected on the retina causing blurred vision for objects that are close. The other cause of farsightedness is a cornea that is too flat. To correct farsightedness with Laser Eye Surgery, the surgeon uses a laser to make the center of the cornea steeper which allows for more light bending ability which corrects the incoming light to focus on the retina instead of behind it. As the laser reshapes the cornea, it changes the angle at which you see images and therefore strengthens your vision significantly. Laser Eye Surgery can give you amazing results and permanently change the shape of your cornea in just minutes.

Beth Gabriel is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Lasik-Solutions.com. She provides more Lasik Surgery information and Laser Eye Surgery reviews that you can read on her website from the comfort of your home at 2:00 am!

Contact Lenses for Dry Eyes Your Options

Contact lenses can be a nightmare for people with dry eyes. In a healthy eye, a thin layer of tears always forms under a contact lens. If this layer dries out, the lens starts feeling like sand. Is this the inevitable price you have to pay for the convenience of contact lenses, or is there a better alternative?

Do contact lenses cause my eyes to dry?

There are several causes for eye dryness. First of all, some people simply produce less tears than others, or their chemical composition of their tears is not adequate. The amount of tears produced usually decreases with age.

Another cause is environmental - if you work in an overheated or air-conditioned room, of if you are exposed to smoke, dust or wind, your eyes will feel dry. Dry eyes are also a problem for most computer users. People tend to blink less when working on the computer and blinking is essential for wetting your eyes.

Finally, some contact lenses can also contribute to dry eye syndrome. Most soft contact lenses are made from polymers and water - sometimes up to 70% water. While it?s this moist, the lens feels comfortable in your eye; but the water evaporates from the lens as the day progresses. So the lens absorbs water from your tears, leaving you with dry-feeling eyes. Generally speaking, the more water the lens contains, the more prone it is to lose its moisture.

Soft contacts that can help with dry eyes

Since dry eyes is a serious problem for many contact lens wearers, lens manufacturers are constantly working to produce contacts that will be comfortable for people with dry eyes.

One way is to reduce the water content of the lens. Modern silicon hydrogel lenses are only about 30% water - much less than the 50-60% of traditional lenses. Also, the new polymers used in contact lenses help the lens to stay moist.

Out of all the lenses formulated for people with dry eyes, Acuvue Oasis and Proclear Compatibles receive the most favorable reviews from wearers.

Acuvue Oasis, by Johnson and Johnson, is specifically formulated for people who work or live in dry environments. It is made of high-quality polymer senofilcon A and contains a special rewetting agent - Hydraclear Plus - that makes the lens feel moist even if your eyes don?t produce enough tears. Acuvue Oasis is a daily wear contact lens (you should take it off at night), and it should be replaced every two weeks.

Proclear Compatibles, by Cooper Vision, is made from omafilcon A, which has demonstrated very high on-eye water retention, during clinical studies. Also, Proclear uses the revolutionary technology of biocompability. The lens contains PC (phosphorylcholine) - a substance that occurs naturally in human cells. It prevents your body from perceiving contact lens as a foreign object in your eye and trying to reject it. As a result, Proclear Compatibles feel moist and silky in your eye and don?t cause dehydration. Proclear are monthly disposable contact lenses.

RGP lenses for people with dry eyes

Some doctors recommend their patients with dry eyes to switch to Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) contact lenses. The reason is that an RGP lens is made from polymeric materials and don?t contain any water. So water won?t evaporate from the surface of the lens, as with soft lenses. Thus one cause for dry eyes is illuminated.

However, RGP lenses may present other problems for people with dry eyes. Since the lens is rigid, it can irritate your eye if there are not enough tears under it. A rigid lens in a dry eye feels much worse than a soft one.

If you have dry eyes and your current contact lenses don?t feel too comfortable, you don?t have to live with the discomfort. Ask your doctor if the lenses we recommended would work for you.

Tanya Turner is an eye health and vision expert. She provides consumer information, tips and advice about healthy contact lenses as well as reviews of trusted online retailers of discount contact lenses.

Male Plastic Surgery: Happening More and More

In this modern society, beauty and looks are valued an awful lot. As a result, men from all walks of life desire plastic surgery for aesthetic reasons. Men typically crave for a perfect nose, a slender waistline, a rejuvenated face, and normal-shaped ears. The key intent is to attain an enhanced look, which in turn instills a sense of confidence and self-esteem. Perfect features, acquired after cosmetic surgery, do widen a man?s social horizon and certainly help him in wooing pretty women.

Men may also opt for plastic surgery to defy signs of aging. Wrinkles, facial marks and blemishes, unwanted hair growth, all can be effectively erased through plastic surgery. Plastic surgery has always been the primary choice for women when it comes to personal enhancement. However, with increasing awareness about the surgery prospects, more men are lining up for plastic surgery procedures than ever before. In the present scenario, it would not be surprising if a man comes up with a request for a facial plastic surgery so as to acquire the looks of his favorite Hollywood actor.

Men?s facial cosmetic surgery poses greater problems than womens. This is because male facial skin has a richer blood supply. And since male faces bleed more during surgery, there is a possible risk of temporary pooling of blood under the skin, after surgery. Other factors that need to be considered for male facelift are the extent of beard growth and the hairline. Though advanced equipment is capable of averting any danger or risks, male cosmetic surgery is certainly more complex than the female counterpart.

Other cosmetic surgery procedures, including eyelid surgery, nose surgery, liposuction, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), and ear reshaping, are performed in much the same way for men and women. Plastic surgery provides a boost for men in their business life as well as love life. There is simply no reason why men would shun plastic surgery.

Nicola publishes an informational site about liposuction surgery, with articles and news, tips and views to help you make the correct choice about Male Liposuction Surgery at http://lipo.plastic-surgery-info.net

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright http://www.Plastic-Surgery-Info.net

Laser Spine Surgery

Spine surgery is done on patients who suffer from back pain or pain related to the spine. Surgical procedures on the spine are of two kinds - open procedures and minimally invasive procedures. Open procedures require large incisions and muscle stripping. These procedures also require more anesthesias, operating time, and hospitalization and recuperation time. Minimally invasive surgical techniques use tiny incisions made in the skin through which small, specialized instruments are inserted. These techniques cause minimal damages to muscle tissues. Less damage means less pain and a shorter period of hospitalization. The recovery time is also less. Different types of spine surgery can be performed utilizing minimally invasive techniques. Some types of minimally invasive spine surgery use laser technology. Lasers are used to separate or eliminate tissue.

There are several causes for back pain. Once the cause is determined, surgery is done to relieve the patient of pain in the neck, arms, lower back and legs. The first step in a surgery is to make precise incisions to access the affected area. These incisions are made using laser technology.

Another use of laser is in the treatment of herniated or ruptured discs. Discectomy and microdiscectomy are terms that mean the surgical removal of a part or an entire intervertebral disc. Discectomy is an open procedure and microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive procedure to remove a herniated or ruptured disc. In microdiscectomy, a laser fiber is passed through a needle and placed into the disc to vaporize the inner core of the disc. Laminotomy may also be performed in cases of ruptured discs. The ruptured disc puts pressure on one or more nerve roots. Surgery is done to expose the nerve root by removing a part of the covering or lamina that covers the nerve root. Laser beams are used in making incisions and in removing affected parts.

Laser Surgery provides detailed information on Laser Surgery, Laser Eye Surgery, Cosmetic Laser Surgery, Laser Surgery For Stretch Marks and more. Laser Surgery is affiliated with Corrective Laser Eye Surgeries.

Make Small Eyes Look Great With These Makeup Tips

Emphasising your eyes is one of the most popular choices when it comes to accentuating a part of your face. If eyes are your best feature, it is important to know what to do to make them look even more striking. Have a browse through the makeup tips for small eyes below.

- Frame your eyes with perfectly groomed eyebrows. If you have light colored hair, consider using a darker pencil to assist in shaping them.

- Try using an eyeshadow which contrasts with the colour of your eyes (the opposite on the color wheel). For example, if you have green eyes, use burnt orange shades to draw attention to the area. Be careful to apply it to the edges of your eye, and not the entire eyelid. Blend well with a lighter color.

- Resist the urge to use black or very dark eyeliner or eyeshadow as this will tend to overpower your eyes and make them seem to disappear into the darkness. Use light colors, especially those with a slight shimmer, to create a sense of space and light on your face.

- If you have dark circles under your eyes, use a well-chosen concealer beneath your foundation. This will again remove any darkness around your eye, and give it a larger appearance.

- Open up your eyes even more by curling your lashes and applying a light layer of mascara.

Angela Page writes about Natural Skin & Beauty Care. For further information and products visit http://www.mybeautyfocus.com. You may reproduce this article only in its entirety, together with the link to the author's website, from which this article is sourced.

Eye Strain Caused By Your Computer

Did you know that spending long hours at your computer can put your health at serious risk? Most people does not even consider that possibility, but t does, Working at a desk is extremely hard on your body, and I would like to share this with you so maybe you can avoid some of the most common health risks. One of the most common one is: eye strain.

SAVE YOUR EYES FROM EYE STRAIN

Visual problems like eyes strain may result from overusing the muscles of your eyes. If not careful, eye strain will occur in any eye muscle held in one position for a long period of time. These eye straining activities are as follows: reading, watching television, or staring at the computer.

People with occupations that require lots of staring such as dressmaking, designers, or computer engineers are prone to developing eye strain. Even people who do a lot of reading is prone to developing eye strain like medical students, lawyers, scientists, and researchers. The muscles of your inner eye tightens and irritates your eyes, making you feel very uncomfortable, resulting to eye strain. A five-minute break from time to time is very good to your eyes.

Eye strain may be caused by improper lighting, excessive glaring at the computer screen, bad position of the computer screen, or difficulty reading copy material. Eye strain may present with the following symptoms: pain and burning in and behind the eyes. There may also be headache and eye fatigue. Blurred vision, dry eyes, itching eyes, and burning eyes. It is important to consult a qualified eye doctor at once when you experience such symptoms to prevent possible damage and to learn eye exercises that you can do.

In people over 40 years old, eye strain is usually a sign that they need to get prescription glasses. So it is important to have your eye refracted and see if its what is causing the problem. They may also have chronically dry eyes, and the eye strain may also just be tiredness from overuse of the eyes. To solve this uncomfortable eye strain problem, simply close your eyes for a few minutes ? it will help refocus your eyes. Blinking also helps because it gives moisture to the eyes. Artificial tears also help since strain can lead to eye dryness and re-moistening your eyes ? either artificial tears or by blinking ? is a great way to ease your tight eye muscles.

It is important that people wear eyeglasses that correctly fit because wearing the wrong kind of glasses will just contribute more to the eye strain. It is also possible that wearing these ill-fitting eyeglasses will predispose the individual to develop eye strain.

If you suspect that your eye strain is due to too much staring at the computer monitor, then you may adjust the contrast of your monitor to high. Also try to reposition your screen to avoid glare. When outdoors, do not be caught dead without sunglasses. Squinting due to the sun tightens the eye muscles, so remember to bring nice pair of sunglasses all year round. A big hat also protects you from the harmful rays of the sun, as well as baseball caps which, along with sunglasses, are cool and stylish and protects you fro eye strain.

You may try to arrange your work station so the lighting will not hurt your eyes. Vision breaks are also recommended, so is changing your eye focus once in a while to relax the eye muscles. Eye exercises such as rolling the eyes and tightly close the eye will greatly relieve you with your eye strain. Making sure that the computer screens are clean and streak-free.

A good exercise for relieving eye strain is to lie down, close the eyes, and put a cold compress over your eyes and let it for about ten minutes. People who suffer from eye strain should get enough sleep every night to lessen the symptom.

Dietary supplements help in the reduction of eye strain. Vitamin A is good for all eye disorders. Intra-ocular cellular metabolism is improved by taking in vitamin V complex. Eye fatigue is greatly reduced by taking in Riboflavin.

If the condition persists, then you should see your eye doctor to help you with your eyes' sensitivity to light. Consult an expert before any permanent damage will occur. It might also be an acute glaucoma attack. Anyone who has eye straining occupations should undergo annual exams. People more than 40 years should get more frequent check-ups.

Perform such eye strain exercises and save your eyes.

There are other risks as you sit in front of that computer but it would be to much to write about in this article, so if you would like to learn more about other risks such as:

Eye strain
RSI (Repetitive Stress Syndrome)
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Constant Head Aches
Dizziness
Breathing Problems
Difficulty Concentrating

You can learn all about this in the book: ?The Painless PC?

Hege Crowton is establishing her self as an expert copywriter. She is known for doing in-depth research before writing her articles. Many of her articles are posted on http://www.EzineCrow.com and she also does a lot of writing for http://www.Crowsites.com

Copyright 2005 HealthCrow.com

A Beginner's Guide to Colored Contact Lenses

Today, colored contact lenses has slowly become a fashion that aims to change your appearance. As the old saying goes, 'Eyes are the window to the soul'. With just a pair of colored contact lenses, you have the ability to transform your appearance with a pair of captivating eyes. Therefore, do not under-estimate the impact of a pair of colored contact lenses can really make. Today, colored contact lenses are not only used for cosmetic reason only but it can be used for people who has astigmatism and presbyopia problem.

Color contact lenses work by filtering all the color in the light except the desired color. There are few different categories of colored contact lenses:

Opaque lenses
Opaque lenses can dramatically change the natural color of your eyes regardless of how dark is your eyes color. It has a solid colored 'ring' that covers the iris while leaving a clear hole in the center to let the light passes through. Majority of colored contact lenses are opaque.

Enhancement tint
Enhancement tints lenses are translucent and are used to enhance your natural eye color (therefore, it also known as enhancer tints). If your natural eye color is dark color, enhancement tints lenses will be hard to make the color change visible. Therefore, enhancement tints lenses are recommended for light colored eyes only.

Visibility tints
Visibility tints do not change the eye color at all. It is slighted tinted for handling purpose so that you can remove and insert the lenses better. Also, it helps to find your contact lenses more easily if they are dropped or misplaced.

Light Filtering tints
Light filtering tints is the latest development in colored contact lenses. It is designed mainly to be used in sport such as tennis, golf or baseball. Light filtering tints can enhance certain colors while muting other colors. As a result, it is easier to target the balls that stands out against the background. For example, tennis players wearing light yellow or gold tint colored contact lenses would track the ball more easily by brightening the background. Recently, Nike's MaxSight Sport-Tinted contact lenses is the latest sport contact lenses that aims at athletes who are reluctant to use sunglasses due to fogging, scratching or inconvenience. This tinted contact lenses will give a devilish red-eyed appearance that function much like sunglasses by cutting down on glare.

Colored contact lenses are available as extended wear, disposable and daily disposable. Majority of colored contact lenses come in the form of soft lenses which are usually comfortable to wear and easy to adjust even for the first timer. In general, colored contact lenses are fun and safe to wear. However, if you feel uncomfortable and experience some irritation, you should contact your eye care practitioner immediately.

With continuing technology improvement in contact lenses industry, the price of contact lenses has become so affordable that you can simply try out various color contact lenses. You will probably look great on the popular bright blue eyes that everyone loves. Or you can try the green or lavender color contact lenses that create the exotic look. There are so many colored contact lenses to choose from that you probably have to try them all on to find the color that match your skin and hair tones.

Color contact lens is a fast growing market. Many large contact lenses manufacturers are producing a variety of new design and colors contact lenses every few months. In other words, you have more options to choose now. At present, Wesley-Jessen (acquired by CIBA Vision in 2000) is the market leader in colored contact lenses. They have produced a popular range of Freshlook colorblends contact lenses. In addition, you can also find wide selection of other popular colored contact lenses such as Acuvue 2 Colors, Focus Softcolors, Durasoft 2 Colorblends, CibaSoft SoftColors and many more.

Internet is an excellent place where you can buy colored contact lenses online. Unlike local eye-care shops, you are not geographically restricted to buy contact lenses online. Moreover, it is convenient and easy to make price and product comparison on the web that help you to save times and money. If you are looking to buy cheap colored contact lenses, online market is the right place for you. On the Internet, you can find many online stores with large collection of cheap colored contact lenses. But before you make your purchase, you should only order from reputable online contact lenses stores that offer money back guarantee or full refund should you not satisfy with your purchase.

Andrew is the owner of Color Contact Lenses Guide, a website that provides informational guide to colored contact lenses - how to choose the right colored contact lenses, where to buy discount colored contact lenses online, how to get free color contact lenses and more. Visit his website at:http://www.find-colored-contact-lenses.com

Two Things You Do Not Know About LASIK Eye Surgery

The eye can be examined with relative ease as to both its function and its structure. A functional examination includes the ability to move in the orbit and the reaction of the pupil to light and accommodation.

The function of the eye may be tested in several ways. The patient may be asked to identify illuminated letter or objects of varying sizes on what is known as the Snellen chart.

Conversely, the examination of the structural part of the eye may be made in several ways. Tension within the eyeball is measured by a ?tonometer.? In certain diseases, especially in glaucoma, the tension in the eyeball is increased markedly.

However, it should be well remembered that a patient with an eye problem might have other problems as well. Often other physical conditions are primary and affect the eye as a consequence. The appearance of the eye can alert the patient and the physician to difficulties in some disturbances of other parts of the body even before other symptoms present themselves.

Consequently, one?s dependence on sight is emphasized when one faces a temporary or possible permanent loss of this vital sense. Hence, when corrective measures are sought, certain forms of vision correction such as contact lenses or eyeglasses are prescribed.

On the other hand, some people are bothered with the fact that they have some framed lenses or contact lenses in front of their eyes.

For this reason, advanced surgical operations were established to encourage decreased utilization of contact lenses or glasses. One of which is the now popular LASIK eye surgery.

Basically, LASIK eye surgery is the short term for ?Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis.? Like its tangible counterpart, LASIK eye surgery is another form of vision correction. The only difference is that with this type of surgery, one?s vision is corrected permanently.

With LASIK eye surgery, the refractive errors in the cornea are permanently transformed. This can be done using an ?excimer laser.?

The main purpose of this surgery is to create a threadlike, rounded ?flap? in the cornea using a blade known as ?microkeratome.? In a series of unfolding and laser processing, the cornea is finally reformed, allowing better the eye to direct more light into the retina.

Popularity vs. Disadvantages

Amidst the growing popularity of LASIK eye surgery, there are still disadvantages that people must know. Probably, the main reason why this type of eye surgery has become well accepted is because most of its cases had been successful.

However, in spite of its success, there are still some drawbacks. Here is the list:

1. It is an operation applied to the most sensitive part of the eye

Because LASIK eye surgery involves the operation of the retina, which is one of the most sensitive portions of the eye, most people say that the operation can be very risky.

In other words, a simple error could almost cause an individual?s lifetime blindness. Hence, it is important to consider many factors before deciding whether LASIK eye surgery is the right corrective measure one has to undergo.

2. It is not a perfect procedure

LASIK eye surgery may correct your vision but it does not necessarily mean that it can give you a perfect vision. Even if statistical reports show that 70% of the patients may have 20/20 vision, this does not necessarily mean they have ideal vision as well.

Given all these things, it can be deduced that, in spite of the popularity of the operation, LASIK may not always be the ideal eye surgery the way most people view it.

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