MY CONTACTS FEEL ROUGH

If you don't replace your lenses when you're supposed to, usually monthly, deposits form on them.  These deposits eventually cause the contacts to feel rough.  Then inflammatory bumps begin to form under the eyelids that make it rough even with the contacts out of the eye.  Follow the doctors prescribed disposable schedule.  If you can't afford to wear contacts properly, don't wear contacts.  If it's just a matter of forgetting to change them, set your cell phone to alert you on the 30th of every month in the evening to throw your contacts out.

KRUCKENBERG'S WHAT?

So the eye doctor is looking at your eye with the slit lamp microscope and exclames "Oh, you have Kruckenberg's Spindle!".  To which you reply "What?".   

Kruckenberg's Spindle is when pigment cells congregate on the backside of the cornea.  They are there because of lens zonules scrape pigment cells off the back of the iris and those cells float to the front and become attached to the back of the cornea.  Many of these cells can also clog up the drain of the eye causing pressure to rise in the eye.  This then can cause damage to the optic nerve and subsequent loss of vision.  At that point it is call pigmentary glaucoma.  Until then it is called pigmentary dispersion.  No need to be alarmed.  The patient is just followed once or twice a year depending on his risk. 

Cataract

Can you see the difference between the top and the bottom picture?  The bottom two show a cataract in the left eye. .  The top  is the patient's right eye.   The bottom one is the left eye two years prior than in the middle picture. 

MORE DAMAGE TO THE EYE FROM CONTACT LENS OVERWEAR

The little dots on the cornea below are damaged cells from contact lens overwear.  These can grow into much higher concentration until it becomes too irritating and blurry. 

Fish Oil Good for Vision

Fish Oil: Good For Vision | Medical News and Health Information

Researchers fed mice a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, and found it prevented abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina. That means omega 3’s could help prevent eye diseases like retinopathy, which are caused by an overgrowth of leaky blood vessels in the eyes

Irritated Eyes with Contact Lens Wear

Below shows redness of the top part of the eye.  This is called Superior Limbic Keratoconjunctivitis (SLK).  In middle-aged women who don't wear contact lenses it can be due to hyperthyroid.  In younger patients it is often due to irritation and inflammation stemming from contact lens wear.  It can sometimes be difficult to manage with a combination of lubricants, steroids, anti-allergy drops, contact lens and solution change, cylosporin and others.  

Brown Spot on Retina

The photo below shows a brown spot next to the optic nerve in this young patient.  The brown spot is a choroidal nevus that corresponds to pigmented spots on the skin that we consider normal.  It has potential for growth, even to a malignant melanoma.  So we document it with photos and watch it closely.  At Sonoran Deseert Eye Center we have the capability to take these photos, rather than have to send you to a specialist to perform these photos.