Eye Donation : The Power To See After Death

What is eye donation?

Eye donation is a process where eye is removed from the body of a deceased person after obtaining consent of the relative(s) closest to him /her. The cornea of such eyes is transplanted in the eyes of patients blinded by corneal diseases.

What is the cornea?

The cornea is the clear surface at the front of the eye which actually appears as black of the eye. It is the main focusing element of the eye. Should the cornea become cloudy from disease, injury, infection, Vitamin A deficiency or any other cause, vision will be dramatically reduced.

Why eye donation is important?

Eye donation is important because about one million people are blinded by corneal diseases in India. And about 25000 are added to this pool every year. But the number of eyes donated are around 12000 which leaves us with increasing deficit of around 13000 eyes every year. Corneal blindness commonly afflicts younger people and deprives them of educational and vocational opportunities. Corneal transplant surgery restores sight and makes a big difference in the lives of these individuals. Many of them still continue to suffer because of non availability of donor eyes. There is an urgent need to enhance awareness of eye donation and procurement of donor eyes to restore parity between demand and supply of donor eyes

Who can be an eye donor?

Anyone can be an eye donor. Cataracts, poor eyesight or age do not prohibit you from becoming a donor. Prospective donors should indicate their intention on donor cards. It is important for individuals wanting to be donors to inform family members of their wishes to help ensure that their desires are fulfilled.

What is an eye bank?

An eye bank is a non-profit organization which obtains, medically evaluates and distributes eyes donated by caring individuals for use in corneal transplantation.

How soon after a donation must a cornea be transplanted?

Enucleation ( removal of the eyeball) of the donor eye should take place within 4- 6 hours of death. A corneal transplant is usually performed within 5 days after donation depending on the eye banking facilities.

What precautions should the family of the donor take to preserve the eyes of the deceased?

Close the eyes of the deceased and place moist cotton and ice covered with polythene over them. Raise the head about six inches with a pillow and switch off the fan.

Is the whole eye transplanted?

No. Only the cornea can be transplanted.

Are there religious objections to eye, organ, or tissue donations?

No. Donation is an opportunity to help save a life or restore someone’s sight. Eye donation is consistent with the beliefs and attitudes of major religions. Most religions preach the continuity of soul and not the body.

Will eye donation affect the appearance of the donor?

No. Great care is taken to preserve the donor’s appearance. Removal of eyeball is followed by the insertion of the artificial eye which restores the original look of the eye

Is there a fee charged for this donation?

No. It is illegal to buy or sell human eyes, organs, and tissues. Any costs associated with eye procurement are absorbed by the eye bank placing the tissue.

Will the donor family be told who received the corneas?

No. The gift of sight is made anonymously. Strict laws prohibit provision of specific information about the recipient available to the donor family and vice versa.

If a person has already signed a donor card, how can they be sure that their wishes regarding donation will be respected after death?

Tell your family you want to be an eye donor. Next-of-kin consent is required for donation, so it is helpful if your family knows ahead of time how you feel about it. Eye donation should not be included in a will as the eyes must be used long before a will can be probated. Nevertheless, the time of making a will is a good time to discuss eye, organ, and tissue donation with family members.

Medical Tourism in India

In this article we’re going to take a look at one of the slightly unexpected ways that you can be diagnosed with High Blood Pressure, what it can do to you if you ignore it and one of the things that you can do about it?

Well why don’t we kick off with the cheerful bit first? Basically if left untreated and ignored it will kill you? How about that for starters?

“OK Steve”, I hear you cry, “hit me with the cheerful stuff and don’t hold anything back!”

High blood Pressure is difficult to spot in the traditional sense of things and the warning signs are very difficult if nigh on impossible for the lay person to identify.

You can be diagnosed in number of ways and you would be surprised how and when you can pick up a diagnosis of High Blood Pressure.

This is not meant to act as an attempt to instil wholesale panic amongst folks. Take yesterday afternoon for example.

I had a routine examination at my opticians for a repeat prescription and to check out my eyes for reading glasses. It was the usual drill for someone in their forties. Basically as a friend of mine had cheerfully pointed out a few years back it wasn’t a case of my eyes being faulty it was more of a case of my arms not being long enough when I wanted to be able to read a book comfortably!

So, back to the Opticians. There I was resting my chin on the support for this new fangled piece of technology that they now use to check out your eyes and going through the initial process when the Optician turned to me and said “OK now I am going to shoot a few jets of some gasses into your eyes”.

“OK” I thought, “here goes, this should be interesting.”

Anyway a few puffs of gas later – a very painless experience I must add and the Optician turned to me and said “Did you know you have slightly raised Blood Pressure? How long have you been suffering from it and when was the last time you saw your Doctor?”

“Ah, should have told you about that before” I said, “Yes I do suffer from High Blood Pressure and this is the medication I am on.” I proceeded to go through my prescription and she, very professionally, took down copious notes. “Does this sort of thing happen often?”

“You would be surprised by how often it does” came the reply. “When we do our first check on a new patient (or one that hasn’t been to us for some time), the first thing we do is check the blood pressure in the eyes. Left untreated it can eventually lead to blindness. Quite often people don’t realise that a visit to their optician can be the first line in the defence against High Blood Pressure as a condition”

“Now I see” I thought (pardon the pun) – two reasons to go and have your eyes checked regularly. Even if you think you have 20/20 vision (and especially if you work with Computer screens and Monitors on a daily basis). An eye examination can pick up treatable conditions and deal with them as well as providing an opportunity to spot subtle changes that can be the forerunners of much more dangerous conditions such as High Blood Pressure.

Stephen Morgan is Senior Editor for Living with High Blood Pressure and also its sister site Living with Stress. Further information on the above article can be found at http://www.livingwithhighbloodpressure.net/features/it_could_all_be_in_the_eyes.html

The definition of dry eye syndrome is that it is a common condition that occurs when the eyes do not produce enough tears to keep the eye moist and comfortable. Dry eye cases have nearly doubled over the last seven years and the list of lifestyle factors that can dry out your eyes is pretty long.

It can be caused due to central heating, air conditioners, hair dryers, car windscreen demisting, air travel, altitudes, dry climate, saunas, use of contact lenses, spicy foods, alcohol, smoking, activities decreasing blinking rate like driving, reading a lot, working on the computer for a long time, etc.

The main cause is that of normal aging where the volume of the lubricating background is less than half. People with wider eyes and those taking dehydrating medicines are more at risk. Older women going through their menopause are also susceptible due to hormonal changes. Medicines like antidepressants, tranquillizers, oral contraceptives or those taken for blood pressure also increase the risk of dry eyes. Parkinson’s disease too can be cited as a cause.

While we are awake, our eyes produce a mixture of antibiotic lubricants. Blinking spreads these over the eye’s surface before draining into the two tear ducts openings. If the eye cannot make sufficient tears or the tears are too thinly spread or are chemically imbalanced, then they evaporate easily before the next blink. This causes dry spots causing sore eyes.

There are three layers of tears – the first is the mucous layer which serves as a bio-glue. It is formed by the secretion of tiny conjuctival cells in the white of the eye and inner lid. The second layer is called the aqueous layer which is produced by the lachrymal gland below the eyebrow and produces tears according to environmental conditions. When there is an irritant, extra tears are made in a reflex action to combat injury. Hence it is ironic to know that those suffering from dry eye syndrome experience watery eyes. The last layer is called the lipid layer which is oily and seals the tear film by preventing evaporation. The oily substance is derived from a gland along the edges of the eyelids. Blocked glands cause deficiency in tear lipids and dry eyes by excessive evaporation.

Usually, people understand that they are suffering from dry eye syndrome due to redness of eyes, itchiness, etc but it’s better to get it confirmed by the doctor as he is able to measure the tear production and how soon the tears evaporate.

This condition can be treated through artificial tears but it’s a temporary and short term cure that can actually worsen the dry eye condition in the long run. A more permanent cure would be to inject collagen or silicon plugs that can be inserted easily into the tear ducts which work like a plug in the drainage sink in the kitchen. These plugs prevent the tears from draining and hence the human tears are preserved. These can also be removed as easily as they are inserted under local anesthesia. This takes a short time in the clinic of the ophthalmologist.

Drinking eight to ten glasses of water daily, avoiding constant rubbing of eyes and blinking often helps to relieve the pain, stinging, itchiness, burning and intermittent blurring of vision that are some of the symptoms of dry eye syndrome.

To find out more about dry eyes and nutrition and vitamins for eyes visit http://www.vision-care-guide.com/index.php

One of the most common eyesight problems is myopia or nearsightedness. Myopia afflicts almost one third of the population. Myopia or nearsightedness is a condition wherein the person cannot see distant objects clearly without glasses. Usually, nearsighted people can see up-close objects clearly but have problems reading far-away signs and other objects at a distance.

The signs and symptoms of myopia may include headache, eyestrain and fatigue when doing some tasks that require distance vision like driving and playing sports. People with myopia often squint and strain their eyes, which usually cause headaches. For nearsighted and myopic people, far objects appear blurry and indistinct.

Myopia occurs when the eyeball is slightly longer than usual from front to back. Because of this defect, the light rays focus at a point in front of the retina rather than directly on its surface. Myopia is hereditary and usually shows its symptoms in childhood. Although myopia may stabilize at some point, it can also worsen with age, a condition known as myopic creep. Fortunately, myopia or nearsightedness is a mildly debilitating condition that is easily correctible. Nevertheless, there are also cases where myopia is severe and is considered pathologic. Pathologic or degenerative myopia develops in those with extraordinarily elongated eyeballs. This type of myopia typically starts by age twelve and can worsen with age, resulting in progressive or severe loss of vision.

Myopia can be corrected or treated in several ways. Glasses and contact lenses are the most common ways of correcting myopia. Some myopic persons may need to wear glasses and contact lenses all the time. People with myopia have a negative prescription number. The higher the numeral, the stronger the lenses are. Myopia can also be treated through surgery. Refractive surgery can reduce or even eliminate the need for glasses or contacts. The most common refractive surgery is laser-assisted in LASIK. In this procedure, a flap is cut through the top of the cornea. Then a laser removes some corneal tissue and afterwards the flap is put back in place.

Another surgical procedure is PRK. In this procedure, a laser removes a layer of corneal tissue. This flattens the cornea and allows light rays to focus properly on the retina. A surgical method for correcting mild myopia is by implanting plastic corneal rings, which alter the shape of the cornea. They can either be removed or adjusted or can be left in place permanently. There are also non surgical procedures available for persons with myopia. In orthokeratology, the patient wears special contact lenses that slowly reshape the cornea over time. The cornea temporarily retains the new shape allowing the patient to see clearly. Until recently, there have been no medications available to help people with myopia. However, in 2001, a new FDA-approved photosensitive drug called Vysudine was introduced as a treatment for revascularization or the abnormal growth of blood vessels in pathologic myopia.

Myopia is the most common eyesight problem in the world. Almost a third of the population of the United States has myopia. Fortunately, myopia can be corrected and treated. An eye examination is highly recommended for people experiencing signs and symptoms of myopia. Regularly visiting an ophthalmologist is the best way to know if you have myopia. It is also recommended so that you can get your myopia treated and corrected as soon as possible.

Dirk Wagner is the author of the ebook called Cure Myopia Naturally. Visit his website for more information about Myopia and Lasik

‘Dry eyes’ refers literally to what it means - the eyes not having enough of hydration. Why does this happen? It could be because of a lack of the watery secretion of the tear glands. It could be because of a lack of mucin secretion which is the mucous layer in the eye and the third reason could be a lack of lipids, which means the tears evaporate as fast as they are made!

Your tear glands are also called lachrymal glands and they are constantly releasing a watery substance to keep your eyes moist and hydrated. Of course, when you laugh too much or cry, these glands go berserk and go into an overproduction mode so you find yourself wiping away a copious flow of tears. As long as your eyes are hydrated, you face a lowered risk of any infections in the eye. So when the tear glands start producing less, there’s cause to worry. How do you know that it isn’t enough? Besides the itchy, irritable feeling? There is a test that your eye physician will probably subject you to in order to measure how dry your eyes are. This is a sort of litmus test for the eyes and the measurement of the aqueous fluid in them. It involves testing with a strip of paper that measures the amount of hydration. If the score you get is less than 10, it means you have a dry eye problem. Of course, how much below 10 shows you how serious the problem is.

The other problem could be the lack of enough secretion of the mucin layer in your eye. This is the layer that lies between the eye surface and the inside watery layer. When this mucous-like fluid is deficient, there is not enough of this slightly sticky substance to keep the eyes moist. This, too, could result in an uncomfortable or scratchy feeling in the eye. Sometimes, a lack of mucin makes one feel like there is a piece of grit in the eye that won’t go away. Measuring this is not common but one can deduce that if it isn’t any other cause, it could be a mucin deficiency.

The third problem could be a lack of lipids. When this happens, the tears that are made by your tear glands evaporate so fast that you are left with dry eyes. This can be determined by doing a ‘tear break-up time test’ where a little bit of dye is put into your eye and the evaporation time monitored. As the tears evaporate, the dye gets deposited as spots and this is how the physician knows that the tears are disappearing from your eyes. This process is observed through a special lamp and the time taken for the dye spots to appear is how they calculate just how bad your problem is. In normal eyes, it takes about 10 to 15 seconds for the dye spots to appear. Anything less than this and it’s a deficiency. This, too results in the usual itchy feeling and sometimes a constant feeling of discomfort.

More information on dry eyes
dry eyes

http://www.dryeyecomfort.com

Everyone who has had conjunctivitis (also known as pinkeye) has most likely wondered if there is an effective home remedy for pink eye. After all, it’s no fun waiting in line for the doctor and filling prescriptions when you have such an embarrassment on your face! With so many children in daycare or preschool, the general lack of cleanliness in our society, and the unhealthy lifestyle habits we live by, it’s no wonder pink eye is spread so easily. This article will explore why pink eye is such a persistent problem, and what we can do to prevent ourselves and our children from catching it.

Conjunctivitis is especially common in children because illnesses spread so quickly in daycares and schools. However, it’s not just a problem that children have to endure. Many adults catch it from their children or end up with pink eye in some way or another. It is quite an embarrassing and uncomfortable infection, so many people are interested in learning about avoiding the spread of infection, and even using a home remedy for pink eye.

The best way solution for pink eye is to avoid catching and spreading it. Pink eye is very contagious, so it’s sound advice to avoid infected persons, and avoid everyone if you have it yourself. Hand washing is mandatory. Make it a goal to wash your hands hourly if you feel you’re at risk, such as is the case when caring for an infected person or when you have a cold. Disinfecting commonly used surfaces and washing your bedding thoroughly will help, but there are other precautions you can take, which I’ll describe below.

Many people underestimate the importance of their diet and lifestyle. This careless attitude will lead to problems like pink eye (and worse) whether you like it or not. A healthy body is more resistant to infections and health issues than an unhealthy one. Exercising is a big help because it circulates oxygen, which ensures healthy tissues throughout your whole body. Improving your diet will also nourish your body, making conjunctivitis a rare occurrence.

The following foods are a great addition to any pink eye sufferer’s diet: cucumber, tofu, eggs, clams, and water chestnuts. These foods are especially beneficial to eye health. Chamomile however, can work miracles and is an easy home remedy for pink eye. I suggest buying some pure chamomile tea bags and brewing yourself some tea. When the tea bag has cooled place it upon your infected eye and watch your pink eye improve steadily over the next 4-5 days.

As you can see, conjunctivitis can be controlled more easily than commonly thought. With a little effort focused on cleanliness and health, pink eye is becoming less and less common in my household. It used to be a problem for myself and my family, but I now have the knowledge to make it disappear whenever I wish. You can learn more about my home remedy for pink eye that heals conjunctivitis in just 2 days by clicking here.

Elaine Javis loves sharing her best beauty tips and fitness advice. She has worked with some of the top makeup artists, skin care specialists, and fitness experts in the world, so she has learned quite a few secret techniques that only the hottest models use.

Learn from her experience at http://ModelBeautySecrets.com

Each Child is important to an individual family. It is but natural that parents become anxious if there is any problem to any of the organs of the child. As the eyes are important and very precious, they would be concerned if their daughter or son has eye problems.

There are many eye problems that are commonly found in children. The major problem is the refractive error, the common mode of presentation is that the child is not able to see the distant objects usually seen in the school where the child fails to see clearly the letters written by the teacher on the blackboard. Most of the time the child holds the book very close to the eyes while reading. And also child watches TV and Computers from a very close distance.

The other problems are – Vitamin A deficiency, Squint eyes and Retinoblastoma (Eye Cancer).

Refractive Errors:

There are mainly three types of refractive errors. Myopia, Hypermetropia and Astigmatism.

Myopia : This is the most common refractive error found in children. Usually it is detected when the child is having problem in seeing distant objects. Occasionally the child may have a slight pain in the eyes after reading for many hours. The light rays are focused in front of the retina in myopia with the result that the objects appear hazy.( If we have to see a clear object it has to be focused on the retina.) Sometimes it has a strong family history. The eye has to be properly examined by a competent Ophthalmologist (not by an Optometrist) and suitable glasses prescribed at the earliest. Regular follow - up is also a must in these children.

Astigmatism is another refractive error seen in children not as frequently as Myopia. Hypermetropia where the child has + numbers in glass, is comparatively less in frequency. Suitable glasses correct both these refractive errors.

Vitamin A Deficiency:

Vitamin A Deficiency is demonstrated in school going children. Usually children in the age group of 6-12 years complain of night blindness. In other words those children have inability in seeing objects clearly in dim light. Sometimes small pigmented patches are seen by the side of the cornea. These are called Bitot’s spots. At this stage the child has lot of watering in the eyes.

A substance called visual purple has to be created in the retina to visualize objects clearly in the dim light. Vitamin A is necessary to create this object. When there is deficiency of Vitamin A in the diet, child gets night blindness. Sometimes some skin problems are associated along with eye problems.

Vitamin A deficiency is treated by giving capsules of Vit.A 2500-5000 IU or 750 mg of beta-carotene. In severe cases injections may be needed. Green leafy vegetables, carrots, milk, curd, butter, egg, liver etc., have rich contents of Vitamin A.

Squint Eyes : The two eyes normally should be in a definite visual axis. A manifest deviation of the visual axis of either eye is known as squint or strabismus. Mainly there are two types of squints – Paralytic and Non-paralytic or Concomitant. Concomitant is the one which is mostly seen in children. Concomitant deviations are for the most part, produced by anomalies of the power of convergence and divergence and the co-ordinated use of the two eyes to obtain binocular single vision. In these cases the amount and character of the deviation does not vary when the eyes are turned to the right or left.

The other classification of squint is – Convergent and Divergent. Convergent squint is the one in which one of the eye is turned inside, whereas in divergent squint one of the eye is turned outside.

Each child with squint has to be properly investigated before undertaking treatment. The common methods of treatment are – 1) Correcting the refractive errors by glasses whenever that is found to be the cause of the squint. 2) Deliberate occlusion or patching of the fixing eye so as to improve the vision of the squinting eye. 3) Suggesting special type of ( Orthoptic) exercises to improve the binocular faculties. 4) By surgery to restore parallelism of the visual axis. One or more of these methods or all four may be needed.

Retinoblastoma: It is the cancer or malignant tumor of the eye , usually seen in children below 5 years. It may be seen at birth or later. This disease not only affects the vision, but also life itself if it is not diagnosed and treated properly at an appropriate time. It may be seen in one eye or both.

Usually the child is brought to the eye specialist with the complaint that something white or yellow material is seen in the eye. If one eye is swollen enormously, it is understood that the disease is advanced. Treatment is usually removal of the eyeball as soon as the disease is diagnosed and the cut portion sent for biopsy. After the removal of the eyeball, if there are any signs of the disease,

Radiotherapy is advised. At this stage the other eye is examined and if any traces are found it is also subjected to radiotherapy. In the advanced stage of the disease, it is mandatory to treat with chemotherapy.

Apart from these eye injuries, congenital cataract and glaucoma are the other diseases of children. Parents and teachers have great responsibility in the proper management of the eye diseases.

The most important part of caring for the visually impaired is understanding what level of acceptance each patient has regarding their vision loss. Most patients referred by their doctors or on their own are emotionally ready to accept assistance. They have moved passed the grieving process and accept the fact that using adaptive methods and devices will allow them to continue performing their activities of daily living.

However, success in therapy may be minimal when therapist and/or patients do not identify the patient’s poor coping capabilities. Patients and therapists may “hit a wall” with rehabilitation efforts and neither may be able to identify the rationale behind the problem. The psychosocial implication arising from poor coping skills can lead to a bad outcome.

Conversely, when the therapist has the ability to identify the patient’s level of understanding in the coping process, both are more likely to achieve success with vision rehab.

I aim at having multiple resources available for patients and their family members. Many times, peer counseling accelerates the patient’s involvement and level of understanding in vision therapy. For example my patient “GS” was grieving the loss of her vision. When GS reached out to us, she needed guidance not only to regain her independence but achieve her desire to read bedtime stories to her child. GS began vision therapy simultaneously with peer counseling and found help from both settings.

GS was more motivated about participating in vision therapy knowing members of her peer group had themselves gone through vision therapy and had successful results. GS benefited in the participation of both vision rehab and counseling as she gained skills with coping from both groups. She gained knowledge and understanding about the numerous adaptations for day-to-day activities; available resources to help with transportation, free services such as large print books, and radio reading services. She was able to call on peers whenever she found it difficult to cope and gained control of her life one day at a time. With assistance from her peer group members, GS was able to understand and follow the work assignments given to her by the Occupational Therapist. By the end of our vision rehabilitation, GS was familiar with her recovery process and had slowly recovered the things she lost and the ability to read to her child for the very first time!

She completed vision rehab after having met her goals but identified that her rehabilitation process may continue for the rest of her life. For example, as she regained the ability to read, her efforts may continue month after month so as to increase reading speed. GS became aware of many other patients and members of her peer counseling group who had surpassed their expectations of what could be accomplished, such as writing a book or using the computer. GS acknowledged it all happens in steps, and patients require patience and realistic expectations to succeed.

http://www.TheYVC.com
http://www.LowVisionServices.com

World’s Blindness & Poet’s Vigil

1) World’s Blindness

Man can’t seem to see
He’s divided
The worlds in disarray;
All us little sheep—
Are now fast asleep
While Satan’s on His way!

In the dead of night
He’ll burn daylight:
Covered us with blindness;
When we do awake,
It will be too late
Lost somewhere in the stars!

#1376 6/24/06

2) Poet’s Vigil

Poet, find your way
In the outward trail;
Quickly, please—today
Write, that man my read
Images deeply glowing
For time is short for all
In the global picture now.

#1375 6/24/06

Note: We have tough choices to make in the future, as this new century moves forward; no magic yet, just hopefully mature actions; we live in a world when hard fingerprints is the one that makes right and wrong legal, not that it is. When I was a kid, when someone said this was “Right, and this is wrong,” I was expected to listen; now it is pushed under the rug. We seem to need the editorial pages of newspapers to tell us what’s right and wrong, and in most cases the paper is only a view of unknowing, uncaring people putting something out there so they can make a buck, the “Herald Tribune,” comes to mind, they got a lot of opinion, comments, they think is written in stone, when in essence, it is some kid green with life, and war, never been in one, never will telling us all what is right and wrong. They are hired because they can come up with fancy words, nice sentences, no common sense, but they can spell; God help us all.

In these two poems, “Poet’s Vigil,” for example, it should be noted, we as poets, parents, government officials, have a duty to show in words and actions, what is really happening, stretch out the rights and wrongs. And in the second poem “World’s Blindness,” it is no more than reading a daily international paper, traveling around the world and seeing what is happening: the devil is working overtime, as we play ‘Blind Man’s bluff.”

See Dennis’ web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

Many people have very sensitive eyes and obviously the human species has not fully adapted to handle high-definition Television or computer screens. Worse off most people work way too close to their computer screens and are causing damage to their eyes. And as their eyes worsen they end up getting even closer in order to see the screen, again increasing the damage. What can be done about this problem many ask?

Well you can start by paying attention to how close you are to the computer screen and making sure you are working in adequate lighting. If not you could be exacerbating the problem. For those who are already working very close to the computer screens, they need to realize that this can damage the eyes, as there is an energy field, which comes out from the modern day computer screens.

Any chance on suing for this problem if your eyes are damaged? Probably not as the companies, which make the screens are not US based and are contract companies making components for the larger companies or name brands who sell the computers.

The fact is it is your responsibility as a computer user to be careful with your eyes and to make sure you are using the equipment properly. Remember you only have one pair of eyes and if you ruin them or damage them really badly now, there may not be a way to repair them anytime soon with modern technologies.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/