Dry Eye: Eat a Mediterranean Diet?

Eating a Mediterranean diet has been helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, as well as a reducing the incidence of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Recently, researchers tried to determine whether eating a Mediterranean diet could provide help for dry eyes. Reporting in the journal Cornea, the researchers had patients fill out a Block Food Frequency Questionnaire and a Dry Eye Questionnaire and then studied their tear film and measured its quality and quantity. They then also measured the serum level of Vitamin D for each patient.

 The final results suggested that eating a Mediterranean diet was not associated with an improvement in dry eye symptoms and complaints, but that higher vitamin D levels had a small but favorable effect on dry eye syndrome symptoms. So, while the Mediterranean diet itself doesn’t directly reduce dry eye symptoms, it does seem to be an eating plan that can help promote health and prevent disease for your whole family.

 If you or someone you know has questions about dry eye or wishes to schedule a dry eye examination at Baltimore Washington Eye Center, please call 800-495-3937, visit Baltimore Washington Eye Center or facebook.com/baltimorewashingtoneyecenter.

 Baltimore Washington Eye Center is a leading eye care practice with office locations at 200 Hospital Drive, Suite 600, Glen Burnie, Maryland 21061 and River Hill Professional Center, 6100 Day Long Lane, Suite 207, Clarksville, Maryland 21029, serving the greater Baltimore and Washington, D.C. area. 

Back to School Eye Exams

Back to School eye exams are an important item on the “new school year readiness checklist” for all school age kids. When we consider that most children do the majority of their learning with their eyes, this is just common sense. Add to that the very demanding visual environment children experience as they read, write, play sports, use computers and tablets and on and on…and it is easy to see why scheduling a Back to School eye exam is so important.

It is not uncommon for childrens’ vision to change during their school years and development. Regular eye exams can detect these changes or any eye problems that might hinder their overall well being and academic performance. The most frequent eye problems we find in school age kids are the common vision problems of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Sometimes, not having clear vision in the classroom can lead to the undeserved perception of a behavioral problem or attention problem. What we know is that kids are often unable to verbalize that they have a vision problem as they just don’t recognize it. It is important to observe children for some common behaviors that might indicate an eye or vision problem. Watch for:

·  Frequent eye rubbing or blinking

·  Short attention span

·  Avoiding reading and other close activities

·  Frequent headaches

·  Covering one eye

·  Tilting the head to one eye

·  Holding reading materials close to the face

·  An eye turning in or out

·  Seeing double

·  Losing place when reading

·  Difficulty remembering what he or she read

If your child exhibits any of these please bring it to our attention. Your child should receive an eye examination at least once every two years, more frequently if specific problems or risk factors exist, or if recommended by your eye doctor. The earlier a vision problem is detected and treated, the more likely treatment will be successful.

If you or someone you know has children heading back to school, you are encouraged to schedule an eye examination at Baltimore Washington Eye Center by calling 800-495-3937, visiting Baltimore Washington Eye Center, Google+ or facebook.com/baltimorewashingtoneyecenter.

Baltimore Washington Eye Center is a leading eye care practice with office locations at 200 Hospital Drive, Suite 600, Glen Burnie, Maryland 21061 and River Hill Professional Center, 6100 Day Long Lane, Suite 207, Clarksville, Maryland 21029, serving the greater Baltimore and Washington, D.C. area.