Hydrogels are a type of advanced dressing used to treat a variety of types of wounds, including surgical wounds, burns, diabetic ulcers or ulcers due to vascular disease. Hydrogels are typically used for light to moderately draining wounds as they...
Toric contact lenses correct astigmatism caused by a slightly irregular-shaped cornea. They differ from regular lenses in that toric contact lenses have two powers: one to correct astigmatism, the other to correct near-sightedness or...
Turf burn is a common injury among people who play sports--especially football players. A turf burn is caused by friction which generates heat and removes layers of skin, leaving a painful and unsightly "raspberry" abrasion. Proper treatment of...
It's all too easy to forget you're wearing your contact lenses when you drift off to sleep for a short nap, but you probably won't forget about them upon waking. Most lens wearers have experienced the dry, irritable feeling of contacts left in...
For contact lens wearers, finding the right lens fit can increase comfort, reduce irritation and improve visual acuity. For those who experience irritation when wearing contacts due to decreased oxygen flow to the cornea, oxygen flow gas permeable...
Although all eye drops for dry eye may appear similar, they contain different ingredients in various concentrations. However, most are made up of similar categories of ingredients that coat the eye to keep it moist and lubricated to decrease...
If you are suffering from an ulcer, you might want to consider manuka honey as a complementary and natural treatment. For centuries the Maori people of New Zealand have used the native manuka plant, also known as Leptospermum scoparium, for a...
Manuka honey is hailed for its antibacterial and healing properties. It also may have anti-cancer properties and be useful for cancer patients who suffer issues with radiation therapy. This honey has the potential, however, to interfere with some...
Contact lenses are a convenience that free people from having to wear glasses. However, proper handling and care of your contact lenses is important to keep your eyes healthy and to prevent infections and irritation. It may take a little time to...
Acne is a skin condition caused by the excess production of sebum by the sebaceous glands. Sebum is a waxy material that can cause pustules when it blocks the pores in the skin. Doctors often treat acne scars by removing the upper layers of skin,...
Hyaluronate is a prescription drug available as an injection and a topical gel. It is used as a treatment for knee pain in osteoarthritis in patients who have failed to respond to other treatments. It is also used in eye surgery, for facial...
Contact lenses have evolved in leaps and bounds since the first polymethyl methacrylate hard lens was introduced in the 1940s, with newer materials such as silicone-hydrogel offering greater comfort, ease and extension of wear. However, while...
Sea cucumbers, cylindrical relatives of the sea star, live on the floor of the sea. In some some places, sea cucumbers comprise 90 percent of the deep sea biomass. Some species of sea cucumber are used as a source of food, and scientific research...
If you often indulge in foods such as refined carbohydrates, dairy and meat --- foods popular in the Western diet --- you're likely to have high levels of inflammation in your body. Inflammation contributes to acne formation, so finding ways to...
Bionect is a medication that contains the active ingredient sodium hyaluronate. This medication is indicated to treat skin lesions such as burns, surgical incisions, diabetic foot ulcers and minor scrapes or cuts. Additionally, this medication is...
Many contact lens wearers have accidentally fallen asleep with the lenses in place, resulting in sticky, sore and dry eyes in the morning. Extended wear contact lenses are now available, which eliminate the risks for many who want to sleep in...
What you use on a pressure ulcer depends on the depth of the wound, amount of drainage and type of tissue visible in the ulcer. There are six types of pressure ulcers, ranging from a stage 1, in which the epidermis, or outer layer of the skin, is...
The concept of wearing lenses in the human eye was considered as far back as the 1400s by Leonardo da Vinci. Dr. Gary Heiting, writing for All About Vision, states that the first glass contact lenses were produced in 1887 or 1888. Since the...
Many topical applications, prescription medications and over-the-counter products are available to help promote hair growth. How you look is important to you, and finding a healthy way to promote hair growth may be as simple as looking at the food...
Diabetics typically have problems with wound healing. This can be due to a number of factors, including a weakened immune system, poor circulation and nerve damage which allows wounds to go undetected. Patients with diabetes often require special...
An ulcer is an open sore on the skin that does not heal properly or is delayed in healing. An ulcer can form on the foot due to poor circulation, loss of nerve supply, pressure from too-tight shoe-gear or an injury. According to the Cleveland...
No one knows for sure exactly what causes aphthous stomatitis, small, white ulcers that appear inside the mouth commonly called canker sores, but there are a number of known triggers for outbreaks, including stress and illness. While canker sores...
Eye contact lenses were first developed in the 1960s, and have continually improved. The early contact lenses were known as hard contact lenses. That is, these lenses were rigid. They were made of a plastic called polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)....
Aloe has been used medicinally for thousands of years and it continues to be used today for similar conditions, including skin irritation and lesions. Today, aloe is being studied for potential benefits in treating various types of ulcers...
Manuka honey is a type of honey made by bees that interact with a bush known as the Manuka bush, which is native to New Zealand. This carbohydrate-rich food may provide a variety of benefits because it contains antibacterial properties, according...
A bowel movement is the last step in the digestion process, and is the waste left over after your body has taken the nutrients it needs from your food. If you have a difficult time with bowel movements, you might be constipated. A poor diet might...
The Opti Free Contact Solutions line is made by Alcon, a company that has specialized in eye-care products since 1945 and is among the world's largest producers of contact lens cleaning solutions. Alcon's Opti Free Multi-Purpose...
Imagine a world where your vision is blurry. You go to the optometrist and are diagnosed with astigmatism, a defect in the cornea (surface layer of the eye) that can wreak havoc on your vision. You refuse to wear glasses and your doctor provides...
Manuka honey, a type of honey produced almost entirely in New Zealand, is believed by some to be as powerful as standard antibiotic medications--and in some cases, more powerful--at treating certain types of skin problems and conditions. Although...
