Eye, Ear, Throat Health

Blepharitis is a chronic condition that refers to inflammation of the eyelids, and typically affects the margins of the eyelids. This is often a recurring condition associated with bacterial infections or skin disorders such as dandruff or acne rosacea. Blepharitis is not serious and symptoms may be alleviated easily. However, symptoms can cause much discomfort and it is therefore imperative that eye hygiene becomes a daily routine.

An eye infection is usually an extremely bothersome condition that causes much discomfort. Caused by viruses and bacteria entering the eye, eye infections affect people of all ages (especially those with weak immune systems and can be highly contagious.

Tonsillitis refers to the inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsils and is the primary cause of sore throats. Your tonsils are a pair of small almond-shaped organs located on each side of your throat, behind and above the tongue. They function together with another set of organs called the adenoids. Although the adenoids are similar to the tonsils, they can be found in the upper portion of the throat behind the nose and cannot be seen.

The term ‘strep throat’ refers to a contagious bacterial throat infection caused by the Group A streptococcus bacterium. The throat becomes inflamed and irritated, resulting in a sore throat, usually of rather sudden onset.

Macular degeneration occurs when the central part of the retina deteriorates. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD) is the most common eye disease and is in fact the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness in the United States in people over the age of 50.

A sore throat is usually due to an infection in the throat area. Sore throat causes are mostly related to cases of pharyngitis or tonsillitis. Aside from pain in the throat area, the sore throat symptoms can also include a reddish appearance or swelling in the throat, ear pain, difficulty swallowing, and a high fever.

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness, affecting approximately 2 million people in the USA. Glaucoma refers to a group of eye diseases in which damage is caused to the optic nerve, and as a result, vision becomes impaired or blindness occurs.

Eye strain is the discomfort experienced when you focus for prolonged periods that causes your eyes and the eye muscles to tire and become over-used. Your eyes are designed to shift focus between near and distant objects. However, most of our work and recreational tasks have been executed at close proximity. Visual tasks such as reading, spending hours at the computer or watching television require you to focus and concentrate – and without you realizing it, you are actually placing strain on your eye muscles. The eye muscles tighten and cause your eyes to become dry, irritated and uncomfortable.

As we all know, the eyes are the organs responsible for sight. The eye is a sensitive organ, with only a small layer of skin (the eyelid), some hair (the eyebrow) and eye fluid or tears to protect it! This is why various triggers can cause serious eye irritation. Factors such as wind, environmental pollutants and toxins, allergies, and bright light can cause common eye problems such as bloodshot red eyes, inflamed eyes, dry eyes, itchy eyes or eye strain.

Episcleritis is an inflammatory condition of the episclera (the connective tissue between the conjunctiva and sclera in the eye). This type of eye inflammation, while bothersome and mildly uncomfortable, usually looks worse than it is and is usually not considered serious. In fact, episcleritis usually disappears within 1 to 2 weeks without any medical treatment. Statistically, women are more affected by episcleritis than men, and it characteristically occurs in people who are in their 30's and 40's. Episcleritis can sometimes develop into a recurrent problem, and in rare cases, may even develop into scleritis.

The gift of sight, while key to the human experience, can be a fragile one. Sometimes it takes a little effort and awareness to preserve our eyesight. While not all eye problems can be prevented, a lot can be done to slow the progression of many eye disorders and prevent visual impairment. There are a number of ways in which to care for our eyes. The importance of good nutrition cannot be emphasized enough. A healthy diet, along with protection from the sun, and necessary precautions to guard against eye diseases are the a few simple steps towards maintaining optimal eye health.

A floater is the term commonly used to describe small spots in your field of vision. Floaters cast shadows over the retina (the light-sensitive inner layer of the eye) and the retina in turn then sends visual signals to the brain, resulting in an image being seen. This causes the person to see small specks that move slowly before the eyes, particularly in certain lights and against certain backgrounds. For instance, when you look at a plain background like a blue sky, you may often see floaters. They can be seen in various forms, as dots, specks, threads or cobwebs.

An inflammation of the eye generally occurs in response to viral or bacterial infection, allergies, environmental irritants, surgery or trauma. While most cases of eye inflammation are not too serious it is important to control the severity of the inflammation as well as the duration to be sure to avoid any scarring and permanent damage.

Tears are formed in several glands around the eye. The water layer is produced in the lacrimal gland which is located under the upper eyelid, while several smaller glands in the lids produce the oil and mucus layers. Each time you blink, the eyelids spread the tears over the eye. When the numerous tear glands in the eye produce fewer tears than they should, there is a chronic lack of lubrication and moisture in the eye, a condition known as Dry Eye Syndrome.