This past year was a big one for visual health and wellness. Here are the top 5 eye health stories of 2017:
The Eclipse
As the solar eclipse made its way across our country, countless eye care professionals waited for the unnerving event to pass to see just how many overeager attendees heeded the warnings given out for weeks before the event. Where concerns over fake glasses should have put millions of men, women, and children at risk, our country took to education instead and was able to use the potentially dangerous situation as a learning experience, and a grand step in the right direction for the future of eclipse observations.
Too Many Lenses
If you for some reason haven’t heard this story, it follows a young woman who’s lack of regular eye care and exams left her suffering from severe discomfort as a result of the 27 contact lenses found in her eye. Yes, the woman who’s careless mistake could have cost her years off her visual health turned out to be okay in the end, with no permanent damage, but her story remains a warning to other as to the risks associated with not paying close enough attention to visual health.
Not A Dry Eye in the House
Step aside drops, ointments, and eye lubes. The newest dry eye treatment, TrueTear, is a small handheld device that stimulates natural tears…through your nose. Yes you read that right. Just like how sneezing or cutting an onion can cause those water droplets to flow unrestricted, the TrueTear device tickles your senses into helping you get relief from those dry eyes, without medication. But Dr. Chaulk has a better idea, make an appointment today, if you are experiencing dry eye symptoms.
Gene Therapy
Probably the most exciting news of 2017 is the approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration of a new gene therapy treatment specifically designed to help in the treatment of a blinding genetic condition known as Leber Congenital Amaurosis. This condition affects countless people, and this new gene therapy could be the answer thousands have been waiting for to restore their vision and optical health, as well as a fundamental starting point to finding better treatments for many other similar and related conditions.
Eye Tattoos = Bad Idea
It’s 2017, meaning we shouldn’t still need to be warning people that tattooing your eyeballs is incredibly dangerous, and yet here we are. Aside from the fact that it looks terrible and could prevent you from getting a normal job and living a normal life, it could blind you or cause any number of other painful and irreversible conditions. Some cases have gone so badly that entire eyes had to be removed. So the next time you’re thinking about how stylish your eye tattoo could be, consider how cute no eyeball at all would be, and figure out what level of risk you’re willing to take from there.
If you’re looking for anything from an eye exam to a surgical procedure anywhere in Northern Michigan, schedule an appointment with Alpine Eye Care by calling us directly at 1.877.733.2020 today to learn more about our practice, read patient testimonials, and receive excellent care.