EyeMark Newsletters

With Women's Month upon us, I gotta say something. If I ever find myself on a plane travelling through dark, stormy skies, I'd want a woman to be my pilot. Why? Because women's eyes are so much better than men's. I'm talking super-advanced exceptional vision. Think about it... A man looks for something three times, but he still can't find it. It could be a missing sock or a TV remote or one of his very own children. His wife looks and finds it first time around. In fact, she told him where to find it before she even started looking. And of course she was right (which he hates to admit). A woman's eyes can find a parking space from at least one hundred metres away. No matter how crowded the parking lot is, her laser eyes would put Superman to shame in their ability to seek out the free space. Her man would rather park in the first space he sees, which is exactly... you guessed it... one hundred metres from the mall entrance. And then he has to pretend he doesn't see the parking space right next to the entrance. You know, after he's just made his wife walk a distance of one hundred metres. A woman and a man have the same number of eyes. But a woman can use those eyes to watch three kids, a boiling pot on the stove and a TV show... all at the same time. For generations, moms have warned kids...

As Women's Day approaches on 9th August, it is an opportunity to commemorate the courageous deeds of women in history, as well as to celebrate the contributions made by women in all fields. One such woman is Patricia Bath, a pioneer in ophthalmology. Born in Harlem, New York, on November 4, 1942, Patricia Bath became the first African American to complete a residency in ophthalmology in 1973, and to receive a medical patent in 1988. At the age of 16, Bath became one of only a few students to attend a cancer research workshop sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The program head, Dr. Robert Bernard, was so impressed with Bath's discoveries during the project that he incorporated her findings in a scientific paper he presented at a conference. The publicity surrounding her discoveries earned Bath the Mademoiselle magazine's Merit Award in 1960. While pursuing a fellowship in ophthalmology at Columbia University, her research led her to the development of a community ophthalmology system, which increased the availability of eye care to those who were unable to afford treatment. In 1976, Bath co-founded the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness, which established that "eyesight is a basic human right." Its motto is "to protect, preserve, and restore the gift of sight". In 1981, Bath began working on her most well-known invention: the Laserphaco Probe (1986). Harnessing laser technology, the device created a less painful and more precise treatment of cataracts. She received a patent for the device in 1988, becoming...

Do you ever experience specks, threads or cobwebs in your line of vision, only to see them disappear when you try to focus on them? Or do you see flashes of light or sparks flickering across your field of vision when there is nothing there? Both of these are common occurrences for many people, and, although they may be irritating or alarming, they are usually harmless. Although they seem to be outside the eye, they are actually coming from within the eye itself. FLOATERS, FLASHES AND HALOES Floaters are a common complaint, as are flashes, but to a lesser extent. The two may occur separately or together, depending on the underlying reasons. Haloes are less common. The small specks or threads drifting in the line of vision are called floaters. They may have different shapes, which move as the eyes move, and drift slowly when the eyes are still. Floaters are actually tiny clumps of gel floating inside the vitreous humor, the fluid that fills the inside of the eye. The vitreous humor is a clear jelly-like fluid with the consistency not unlike raw egg white. It fills the rear two thirds of the eye, providing a pathway to the back of the eye for light entering through the lens. It is contained within a fine membrane attached to the lens at the front of the eye and the retina at the back. As we age, the vitreous gel starts to thicken, shrink or become stringy, forming clumps or strands that...

My grandmother used to tell me to stop crying because it was bad for my eyes. Crying, or to be more precise tears, are not only not bad for the eyes, but serve a vital function in eye health. They provide lubrication and moisture, helping to keep the eyes more comfortable and facilitating vision. When there is an imbalance in the flow or the composition of tears, dry eye syndrome can occur. What are tears? The eyes constantly produce tears, not only when we experience emotion. Healthy eyes are covered with a tear film, which prevents the eyes from becoming dry and enables clear vision. The tear film is made up of three layers, oil, water and mucus. The top layer, oil, comes from the melbomian glands which produce fatty oils. The oil lubricates the eyes and slows down the evaporation of tears from the surface of the eyes. The middle layer, produced by the lacrimal or tear glands, consists of water, salt, proteins and antibodies. Their function is to provide moisture to the eyes, cleanse the eyes of irritants, and prevent infection. The inner layer, mucus, enables the tears to spread evenly over the eyes. What causes dry eyes? Problems in any of the layers of tear film can lead to dry eyes. Inadequate oil levels can cause the tears to evaporate too quickly, causing dry patches on the surface of the eyes. Any condition that causes blocking of the melbomian glands can cause dry eyes. If the tear glands...