Eye Care

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Cromolyn sodium eye drops
Article

Cromolyn sodium eye drops

Cromolyn sodium eye drops are used for the relief of eye irritation caused by hay fever and other allergy-related eye symptoms. It works by locally inhibiting the release of histamine from the eyes, which causes irritation and discomfort. It is not technically classed as an antihistamine medication, as it does not directly work against histamine, however, it does prevent your cells from producing it.

Hay fever – what will soothe my eye symptoms?
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Hay fever – what will soothe my eye symptoms?

You know when the pollen season has arrived if you suffer from itchy, streaming eyes that look red and puffy. It can be uncomfortable, and you feel desperate for some relief. Our pharmacist has put together some remedies to help soothe your eyes and heal your eye symptoms.

How to correctly instill eye drops
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How to correctly instill eye drops

There are many different types of eye drops available both over the counter and via prescription. Eye drops are used to treat a myriad of eye conditions, including hay fever, dry eyes, infections, glaucoma, and more. While they cover a variety of treatments, they all are instilled using the same technique. Below we have a step-by-step guide to help you instill your eye drops effectively!

Ectropion (eyelid)
Article

Ectropion (eyelid)

An ectropion happens when the lower eyelid sags away from your eye, leaving the inner surface of the eyelid exposed. It can happen in one eye or both eyes. When the lower eyelid droops away from the eye, it can affect the ability of teardrops to drain properly. This can cause the eye to water excessively, as well as feel dry and gritty. The eyes can also become red, sore, and inflamed, and this makes the eye more vulnerable to infections such as conjunctivitis. In severe untreated cases, it's possible to develop a corneal ulcer (a sore on the eye's surface) that could affect your vision. But this is rare. An ectropion is different from an entropion, which is where the eyelid turns inwards, towards the eye.

Glaucoma
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Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a condition where there is damage to the optic nerve. This nerve sits at the back of your eye and transports the images your eyes see to your brain for processing. Glaucoma can threaten your vision, either by direct damage to the optic nerve, or by an increase in pressure in the fluid filling the eye, and thereby squeezing the optic nerve. It can ultimately lead to a loss of vision, so it's important it's detected and treated early. There are two usual types of glaucoma, based on whether pressure increases slowly or quickly. Chronic open-angle glaucoma - the most common type - is where pressure inside the eye builds slowly, so the loss of vision occurs gradually. You might not even notice changes early on, but you're most likely to lose vision in the outer edges of your vision (the periphery) first. It's often picked up on a routine check-up with your optician, where they check eye pressure by blowing a puff of air on your eyeball. This type of glaucoma usually affects both eyes and is painless.  About 3 million people in the US have chronic open-angle glaucoma. Acute angle glaucoma is much less common. Pressure builds rapidly inside the eye and threatens vision if not treated urgently. You might feel severe pain in or around your eye or in the head, the eye may feel tight or full, lights may appear to have halos around them and you might complain of blurred vision. You may even feel unwell and be vomiting. This is an emergency and you should seek medical attention urgently. Other possible types of glaucoma include secondary glaucoma – caused by an eye injury or inflammation of the middle layer of the eye – and congenital glaucoma which is rare but present at birth.

Eye infection
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Eye infection

Infections can affect different eye parts, causing a so-called red eye. The conjunctiva – the pink rim if you pull down your lower lid – is the most common site of infection, called conjunctivitis. This usually affects both eyes and goes alongside viral respiratory infections causing cold symptoms. Children may be more prone to bacterial conjunctivitis. You might get a clear, yellow, or green discharge which might cause blurring of the vision until they’re cleaned, and your eyes may be crusty and stuck together upon waking. The usual whites of the eyes look pink, the pink rim looks red, and it looks a bit red and swollen around the eyes. It’s not usually very painful. A stye is a mild bacterial infection of glands on your lashline, causing a painful red pimple on your upper or lower eyelid. This does not usually need treatment and improves after a few days. Other infections are more likely to affect one eye and may be more serious. Keratitis affects the cornea, the glass-like coating of your eye, which may come from bacteria, viruses, or parasites in tap water, and contact lens wearers are at particular risk. You may get the appearance of red-eye, pain, and watering for reasons other than infection, such as uveitis or glaucoma, which require urgent medical assessment. Allergy can cause a similar red eye, but it’s more likely to feel itchy, and both eyes are affected, usually with lots of watering and a gritty or burning feeling.

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