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EYEmazing Facts

February 02, 2014

We use our eyes without consciously thinking about it. In fact, we mostly take our eyes for granted. Other than using an eye-drop for the occasional bought of dry eyes or fatigue, our eyes require little attention.

According to the National Eye Institute, every five seconds an adult goes blind, and every minute a child goes blind worldwide. Did you know that one in every 12 men is colorblind?

Eye health awareness helps remind us to have our eyes checked regularly-even if you don't wear glasses. Over half of the American population corrects their vision with some lens.

Many people with normal vision think it is not necessary to have their eyes examined until the age of 40, which is completely wrong. We use our eyes constantly even when we are unaware of it.

Eye Facts

Our eyes are fascinating. Consider, for example, the human eye is capable of detecting 10 million color hues. Here are some more interesting facts about eyes:

  • Each blink of an eye lasts for 0.3 seconds, which means your eyes are closed for a total of about 30 minutes per day just from blinking.
  • While dogs cannot see as many colors as humans, tropical fish and a lot of animals that sport naturally bright colors can see even more colors than humans do because these animals have more vision cells.
  • People generally blink every 2 to 10 seconds. That's about 4,200,000 times per year.
  • Reading in dim light does not harm your eyes.
  • Sitting close to the TV has never been proven to be bad for children's eyes.
  • It is not possible for people to sneeze with their eyes open.
  • Our eyes never grow; the size is the same at birth as it is at adulthood.
  • Diabetes is the number one cause of blindness in American adults.
  • The human eye is able to detect 500 shades of gray.
  • On the high seas, sailors wore a gold earring because it was believed to improve eyesight.
  • The risk of glaucoma is increased in men wearing ties tied too tightly.
  • Mascara wands-go figure-are the main cause of injury to the eye.

Eye Problems

Lazy & Misaligned Eyes

There is an old myth that children will outgrow misaligned or crossed eyes. If corrective measures for a lazy eye such as patching the stronger eye are not taken, the child's vision will likely be negatively affected.

When one eye is not used as much as the other, a child's vision is likely to develop poorly. And the brain becomes more and more accustomed to see through only the stronger eye. Unless the eye is forced to work, normal vision doesn't evolve.

The earlier the problem is caught and treated, the more successful the results. The proper eye doctor to see for lazy and misaligned eyes is an ophthalmologist, who may use additional treatments such as eye-drops and eye-glasses and surgery.

Cataracts

When an older person claims their vision is suddenly improving, it is possible that cataracts are the reason. A gradual increased ability to read without eyeglasses, for example, may be the result of becoming more nearsighted due to a cataract.

While years ago, a cataract had to "ripen" before it could be removed, medical advancements are such that a cataract can be removed when it is found to cause trouble.

Cataracts are not uncommon in older people. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of a cataract, make an appointment with a qualified ophthalmologist.

Why You Need an Ophthalmologist

There is a difference between an ophthalmologist and an optometrist, so you can't just see any eye doctor. The principal difference is that the former is a medical doctor with eight years of medical school and hospital training after college, and the latter is licensed and trained on general eye care and can't perform surgery or prescribe medications.

Unlike an optometrist or optician, an ophthalmologist has specialized training in all aspects of eye care including diagnosing and treating all diseases of the eye including cataract, laser, other eye surgery.

Patrick is a regular contributor and writer on health related issues on Healthcare-e.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_T_Langley

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8218868


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