Our Commitment to Informative Eye Care

“The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts
as to discover new ways of thinking about them.”
― Sir William Bragg

It is very important to us in all aspects of our care that we provide to you information for you to make informed choices. Definitely these links below regarding eye and overall health are influenced by our proactive approach towards wellness and are sourced from venues in research and publications that will continue to evolve and influence treatment options for you to explore.

Of course many of these links lead to very dry reading, so if that’s not for you, in the words of a past OD, save yourself time and scroll down to the bottom and read the discussion, conclusion or summary. By all means explore more on your own, we recommend you stick to reliable sources of study such as:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ and http://www.pnas.org/

Complexity of the Tear Film, Cornea and Ocular Surface

Importance in homeostasis and dysfunction during disease

The tear film is a unique thin fluid layer of approximately 3μm thick and 3μl in volume that covers the outer mucosal surfaces of the eye. As such it is the interface of the ocular surface with the environment.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4225770/

Anatomy of cornea and ocular surface

Important functions of cornea in the eye include protecting the structures inside the eye, contributing to the refractive power of the eye, and focusing light rays on the retina with minimum scatter and optical degradation.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5819093/

Study of Microbiome, Blepharitis and Dry Eye

Impact of Microbiome on Ocular Health

The ocular surface is continuously exposed to the environment and, therefore, it is surprising that it harbors only few commensals with low degree of diversity. This unique aspect of the ocular surface physiology prompts the question whether there are core ocular commensal communities and how they affect ocular immunity.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5082109/

Quantitative Analysis of the Bacteria in Blepharitis with Demodex Infestation

Bacterial infection or Demodex infestation has been reported to contribute to chronic blepharitis. The association between Demodex mites and bacterial flora in this disease remains to be elucidated.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6079233/

Role of P. acnes in Chronic Inflammation and Systemic Infections

Propionibacterium acnes is a gram-positive human skin commensal that prefers anaerobic growth conditions and is involved in the pathogenesis of acne.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK83685/

Ocular surface microbiome in meibomian gland dysfunction

To explore the composition of the ocular microbiome in normal subjects and patients with Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6188152/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27473509

Effectiveness of Lid Hygiene with Blepharitis and Dry Eye

Daily Habits to Maintain Ocular Surface Health

Dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction are largely modern diseases, having recently increased in incidence, and it is an important public health problem. Although, proper eyelid care will ensure the health of the ocular surface, its habit in general population has not previously been reported.

http://primarycare.imedpub.com/daily-habits-to-maintain-ocular-surface-health-internet-survey-on-eyelid-cleaning.pdf

Randomized double-masked trial of eyelid cleansing treatments

Compare the efficacy of a dedicated eyelid cleanser and diluted baby shampoo in the management of blepharitis.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1542012417302355

How to promote and preserve eyelid health

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3484726/

Articles and Study on Macular Degeneration and Supplementation

The human macula uniquely concentrates three carotenoids: lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin must be obtained from dietary sources such as green leafy vegetables and orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, while meso-zeaxanthin is rarely found in diet and is believed to be formed at the macula by metabolic transformations of ingested carotenoids. Epidemiological studies and large-scale clinical trials such as AREDS2 have brought attention to the potential ocular health and functional benefits of these three xanthophyll carotenoids consumed through the diet or supplements, but the basic science and clinical research underlying recommendations for nutritional interventions against age-related macular degeneration and other eye diseases are underappreciated by clinicians and vision researchers alike.

Controversies and Frontiers in Ocular Carotenoid Science

Since the preliminary identification of the human MP (Macular pigment) as a xanthophyll carotenoid by Wald in the 1940s, there has been astounding progress in our knowledge of the roles of lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin in promoting ocular health.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4698241/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5642693/

Macular Pigment and Visual Function in Patients With Glaucoma

Recent studies have shown that macular pigment (MP) is significantly lower in glaucoma patients, this relationship merits further investigation.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6133244/

The Benefits of Vita Risk Genetic Testing

Determines the safety and efficacy of the AREDS formulation. The test should be ordered to direct the use of the AREDS/AREDS2 formulation when taken as treatment against progression to wet AMD. The test result is intended to determine whether the AREDS/AREDS2 eye supplements containing zinc are helpful, ineffective, or possibly even harmful.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/new-genetic-tests-could-help-pinpoint-best-macular-degeneration-treatments-1.4041896
http://www.pnas.org/content/115/4/E696
https://bjo.bmj.com/content/100/12/1731.short

Relationship between anticoagulant medication and massive intraocular hemorrhage

A massive intraocular hemorrhage in the course of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a devastating event. We set out to determine the role of anticoagulant therapy prescribed for vascular or cardiac indications in the development of a massive hemorrhage.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10943671

Macular Degeneration and Aspirin Use

To review current literature of the benefits that aspirin provides for patients’ cardiovascular health compared with the risk of AMD worsening.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28613225

Association between Antiplatelet or Anticoagulant Drugs

To evaluate the association between use of antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs and retinal or subretinal hemorrhage in participants with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the Comparison of AMD Treatments Trials (CATT).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26545320

Macular Morphology and Visual Acuity

To evaluate associations of morphologic features with 5-year visual acuity (VA) in the Comparison of Age-related Macular Degeneration Treatments Trials (CATT).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30189282

Human Aging and Disease

Aging is the most significant risk factor associated with chronic disease in humans. The accumulation of genetic damage throughout life leads to a variety of biological aberrations, including disrupted protein homeostasis, metabolic dysfunction, and altered cellular signaling.

http://www.pnas.org/content/115/12/2866

RxList.com – Owned and Operated by WebMD and part of the WebMD network.

RxList is an online medical resource dedicated to offering detailed and current pharmaceutical information on brand and generic drugs. Founded by pharmacists in 1995, RxList is the premier Internet Drug Index resource. Acquired by WebMD in 2004, our knowledgeable staff at RxList continuously reviews and updates the site with articles written by pharmacists and physicians and data provided by credible and reliable sources like the FDA, Cerner Multum, and First Databank, Inc. to ensure the most accurate and beneficial information is provided.

Common Eye Problems and Infections

The following slides take a look at some of the signs and symptoms of some of the most common eye diseases.

https://www.rxlist.com/eye_diseases_slideshow/article.htm

The Human Microbiome Project

An ever-growing number of studies have demonstrated that changes in the composition of our microbiomes correlate with numerous disease states, raising the possibility that manipulation of these communities could be used to treat disease.

https://hmpdacc.org/hmp/overview/

Considerations in Understanding the Ocular Surface Microbiome

One of the great advances in early-21st-century medicine has been progress in understanding the human microbiota.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4497523/

Effects of cosmetics on the skin microbiome with different hydration levels

Human skin is the front line of defenses against external infectious or toxic substances, and is an environmental habitat that various microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and viruses, can colonize.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5911989/

Eyeing the ocular microbiome

Does current research provide insights to help with treatment of common eye problems?

https://www.eyeworld.org/