It's not too early to think about what you need to do to get your kids ready for school. One of the most important items on your child's "school supply" list should be an eye exam. To succeed at school, it is imperative that children see their very best.

You may not notice that your child has a vision problem, as kids don't usually complain. So get a jump on your back to school blitz by making your child an appointment for a thorough eye exam.

Suggested Reading

• Prepare Your Child for an Eye Exam
• Are School Vision Screenings Enough?
• Signs Your Child Needs Glasses

_{Photo © Peter Dazely / Getty Images}

Who do you call when you are having trouble with your eyesight? Do you know which type of eye doctor you need? There are several different types of eye doctors and eye specialists, including ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians.

Which type of eye doctor do you prefer?

Related:

• How to Choose an Eye Doctor
• What Happens in an Eye Exam?
• Reasons to Have an Eye Exam

A study suggests that silent cerebral infarcts (brain tissue damage) may promote progressive visual-field loss in patients with normotensive glaucoma. Twice as many patients with field progression had silent cerebral infarcts, compared with patients who had stable-field, normotensive glaucoma, reported Dexter Y. L. Leung, MBChB, of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and colleagues.

Note that the study involved Chinese patients, and the findings might not be applicable to other ethnic groups.

Related:

• Glaucoma Knowledge Center
• Glaucoma Facts Quiz
• Video: Glaucoma and the Eye

_{Source: Bankhead, Charles. Silent Brain Infarcts Linked to Progressive Glaucoma. MedPage Today, 1 July 2009.}

Home is the most likely place to suffer an eye injury, according to a survey conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) and the American Society of Ocular Trauma (ASOT). A clinical survey of eye injuries across the U.S., conducted from May 17 to May 24 this year, found that nearly half of the 2.5 million eye injuries that Americans suffer annually now happen in and around the home in common places like the lawn, garden, kitchen or garage.

In an effort to cut down on household eye injuries, the Academy and ASOT recommend that every household have at least one pair of protective eyewear to be worn when doing projects and activities at home to safeguard against eye injuries.

To help promote awareness of eye protection, the campaign also released new public service announcements featuring Norm Abram, master carpenter of the PBS series This Old House and host of The New Yankee Workshop. Mr. Abram has promoted the importance of eye safety while doing home projects for three decades.

Suggested Reading:

• How to Remove a Foreign Object
• Black Eye Treatment
• How to Flush Eyes

_{Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology. Norm Abram Discusses Eye Safety. EyeSmart.com}.

In 2007, approximately 6,300 Americans were treated in emergency rooms across the country due to fireworks-related injuries around the Fourth of July, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Unfortunately, more than 40 percent of all fireworks injuries were to children under the age of 15. Parents are sometimes surprised to learn that sparklers accounted for the most injuries that required medical attention to children ages 4 and under, and even more surprised to learn that sparklers were associated with the most number of injuries to both adults and children.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, "safe and sane" fireworks caused more injuries than illegal fireworks, especially to preschool children.

_{Source: Prevent Blindness America. Fireworks Pose Dangerous Risks, Especially to Children, 25 Jun 2009.}

_{Image © Digital Vision / Getty Images}

Cataract development is a gradual process of normal aging. A cataract is a clouding of the lens that sometimes causes decreased vision, glare, and halos around lights. Cataracts tend to grow slowly over time. Cataract symptoms are often unnoticeable until the cataract becomes significant. Do you know the common cataract symptoms?

Suggested Reading:

• What Is a Cataract?
• Types of Cataracts
• Ways to Delay Cataracts

An antioxidant supplement may slow down sight loss in elderly people. A five-year research program has found the supplement may help those affected by the leading cause of blindness in the Western World. Professor Usha Chakravarthy, from Queen's Centre of Vision and Vascular Science (CVVS), and researchers looked at nutritional supplements for patients with early age-related macular (AMD) degeneration and found they helped sharpen vision.

The supplement used in the study is called CARMA (Caroteneoids and Co-antioxidants in Age-related Maculopathy) and contains the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, and vitamins C,E and Zinc.

Related:

• Nutrients for Eye Health
• Diet and Eye Disease
• What Is Macular Degeneration?

_{Source: Queen's University Belfast. New Supplement May Help Slow Sight Loss In Elderly. Medical news Today, 19 Jun 2009.}

_{Photo © Stockbyte / Getty Images}

Did you know 1.3 million men in the U.S. are suffering from some form of visual impairment? This Father’s Day, surprise Dad with cost-efficient vision aids to help him independently operate the T.V. remote, play poker, read his favorite sports magazines, shop at the local market, and more. These last minute gadget gifts are available for prices ranging from $3 to $3,000 from ShopLowVision.com and Optelec.

Related:

• What Is Low Vision?
• What Causes Low Vision?
• Video: Low Vision Information

_{Source: Berg, Courtney. Optelec. Jun 2009.}

_{Photo © Optelec}

A question from the Vision Forum:

I had my eyes dilated in an exam, and about two hours later experienced nausea, shakiness and dizziness that came on very suddenly. It lasted for about an hour, then slowly went away over the next two hours. I have had my eyes dilated every year since I was ten (I'm 50) and have never had this happen before. Is this a possible side effect of the drug used to dilate?

Answer from the doctor:

Some patients can have a mild allergic reaction to dilating drops. Maybe the last doctor used a different type of drop, or this time your pupils were so dilated they became super light sensitive. At your next eye exam, ask your doctor to use a mild drop, as the last time you had a strong reaction.

Suggested Reading:

• Dilation of the Eyes
• How Long Does Dilation Last?
• What's Involved in an Eye Exam?

Certain eye conditions appear to put patients at greater risk for having a failed corneal transplant, according to the Cornea Donor Study, a multi-center clinical trial conducted by the National Eye Institute. In the study, patients with glaucoma or who had corneal swelling following an earlier cataract surgery were more likely to experience failure of the cornea transplant.

Suggested Reading:

• Corneal Transplant
• Cataract Surgery
• Glaucoma

_{Source: University of Michigan Health System. Factors Linked to Failure of Corneal Transplants. NewsWise, 11 Jun 2009.}