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One of the type 2 diabetes symptoms is blurred vision. If you have this condition, you might lose sharpness in your eyesight and may not be able to see the fine details of an object. According to Diabetes UK, around one in three people predisposed to the condition will suffer complications with their eyesight by the time doctors diagnose them with type 2 diabetes.

In the case of blurred vision, it can happen unilaterally (one eye) or bilaterally (both eyes). Doctors point to high blood sugar levels as the culprit of this condition. The high levels of sugar cause the lens inside the eyes to become inflamed or swell.

A Permanent and Serious Damage

If you are experiencing blurred vision, it might indicate you already have this chronic ailment and that it is not being properly managed.Consistent high levels of blood sugar can cause damage to the back of your eye or retina. This is known in medical circles as diabetic retinopathy. diabetes to cause serious eye problem Photo: Skitterphoto_Pixabay

The retina requires a steady supply of blood to function properly. This blood supply is delivered to it using a network of miniature blood vessels. With time, uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, characterized by consistently high levels of blood sugar, can cause damage to the blood vessels delivering blood to the retina.This occurs in three major stages, namely, background retinopathy, pre-proliferative retinopathy, and proliferative retinopathy.

Background Retinopathy

This happens when small bulges develop in the tiny blood vessels, causing them to bleed slightly. This does not oftentimes affect your vision.

Pre-Proliferative Retinopathy

In this situation, the blood vessels sustain widespread and more severe changes. This includes the occurrence of considerable bleeding into the eye.

Proliferative Retinopathy

This condition is marked by the scarring of tissue and the development of new blood vessels on the retina. These new blood vessels, however, are weak and can easily bleed, causing more damage and loss of some vision.

The National Health Service, in an advisory, said it often takes many years for diabetic retinopathy to reach that point where your sight is already threatened. If left unchecked and untreated, it can lead to partial or total blindness.

Common Symptoms of Diabetes

Other symptoms of diabetes that people need to be aware of are feeling more tired than normal, itching in the genitals, and with wounds taking a longer time to heal. There is also an urgent need to go to the toilet more often than usual, particularly at night. Some diabetes patients also report losing weight without undergoing a diet or weight loss program.

Link:
Eye Problems That May Indicate You Have Type 2 Diabetes - International Business Times

(CNN) In your health millions of Americans have glaucoma. Half of those people do not even know they have it.

Glaucoma is called the sneak thief of sight. And during National Glaucoma Awareness month, its the perfect time to learn more about the disease.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately three million people have it, and its the second leading cause of blindness.

There are no symptoms, and you can lose up to 40-percent of your vision before even realizing it.

And the vision loss is permanent.

The CDC warns that those with a higher risk of getting glaucoma have a family history of the disease, are over 60-years-old or are African American and over 40, or have diabetes.

Whatever the risk, make sure youre taking steps to protect your eye sight.

Get a comprehensive dilated eye exam by the age of 40.

Talk to your family to see if there is history of vision loss.

And make sure to maintain a healthy weight and control your blood pressure.

If glaucoma is caught early, you can prevent further sight impairment with the help of eye drops, oral medication, or surgery.

View post:
What you need to know about a debilitating eye condition glaucoma - WTNH.com

By Hristina ByrnesJanuary 14, 2020 12:33 am

Its commonly believed that as people get older their eyesight inevitably gets worse. This is technically true, but a healthy lifestyle can significantly delay the development of eye health problems.

Some common age-related eye conditions include glaucoma, dry eyes, age-related macular degeneration which is a leading cause of blindness and cataracts.

Many factors affect the eyes ultraviolet exposure, radiation, some medications. But the single worst thing you can do to cause lasting damage to your eyes is smoke, according to Dr. Scott. B. Sheren, chair of the department of ophthalmology at ProHEALTHcare. An unhealthy diet is second.

You want to avoid bad stuff like saturated and trans fats, which cause oxidative stress on the body, and want to replace them with polyunsaturated fats, omega-3s, and plant-based foods, he noted. Its all about removing the garbage and adding the good stuff.

Some foods, including eggs and supplements, are controversial topics when it comes to eye health often with inconsistent scientific evidence of their health benefits. But there is a consensus around other foods here are 29 healthy eating habits that will change your life.

Click here to see 25 good and bad foods for your eyes.

See the rest here:
25 Foods That Damage and Protect Your Eyes - 24/7 Wall St.

While you wouldnt expect to find yourself sitting next to a cuttlefish in the cinema, the world of 3D movies and glasses is not closed-off to the creatures.

Scientists in the US built an underwater theatre and equipped the cephalopods with specialised specs to investigate how they determine the best distance to strike moving prey with their tentacles.

They use stereopsis (binocular vision) to perceive depth, and may even be better than humans, the study found.Stereopsis is the process of comparing the images and is the same way humans analyse depth.

In order to successfully strike, the creatures must compute depth to position themselves at the correct distance from the prey.If they are too close, the prey may be spooked and escape, and if they are too far their tentacles will not reach.

Read more about cephalopods:

To test how the animals figure out the correct distance, researchers trained cuttlefish to wear 3D glasses and strike at images of two walking shrimp, each a different colour displayed on a computer screen at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

The images were offset, allowing scientists to determine if the cuttlefish were comparing images between the left and the right eyes to gather information about distance to their prey.Depending on the image offset, the cuttlefish would perceive the shrimp to be either in front of or behind the screen.According to the offset, the sea-dwellers struck too close to or too far from the screen.

Ready to head to the cinema R Feord/PA

Trevor Wardill, assistant professor at the department of ecology, evolution and behaviour at the University of Minnesota, said: How the cuttlefish reacted to the disparities clearly establishes that cuttlefish use stereopsis when hunting.

When only one eye could see the shrimp, meaning stereopsis was not possible, the animals took longer to position themselves correctly.

When both eyes could see the shrimp, meaning they utilised stereopsis, it allowed cuttlefish to make faster decisions when attacking. This can make all the difference in catching a meal.

Scientists also found the mechanism that underpins cuttlefish stereopsis is likely different from humans due to the cuttlefish successfully determining the distance from anti-correlated stimulus the left and the right eye images have the same pattern, but are reversed in luminance.Humans cannot to do this reliably.

Paloma Gonzalez-Bellido, assistant professor at the department of ecology, evolution and behaviour in the College of Biological Sciences, said: Our research shows there must be an area in their brain that compares the images from a cuttlefishs left and right eye, and computes their differences.

In the study published in Science Advances, researchers also suggest that unlike other cephalopods squid and octopus cuttlefish have the ability to rotate their eyes to a forward-facing position.They add that it is possible they are the only cephalopods with the ability to compute and use stereopsis.

Continue reading here:
Scientists give cuttlefish 3D glasses to test their eyesight - sciencefocus.com

It is not just experienced drivers that have issues with their eyesight either; on average 12 people a week fail their driving test before it even starts because they cant read a clean number plate from a distance of 20 metres. The DVLA requires drivers to be able to read (with glasses or contact lenses if necessary) a car number plate from 20 metres, have accurate vision to at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale and an adequate field of vision.

With an estimated 8.9 million (21 per cent) of drivers admitting to not having their eyes tested in the last two years and 1.1 million (3 per cent) never having had their eyes tested at all, it is likely thousands of drivers are unaware they are not safe to be in charge of a vehicle because of poor vision. Drivers can be fined up to 1,000 if they dont inform the DVLA about a medical condition that affects their driving and could be prosecuted if involved in a collision as a result. Eye care professionals believe there should be stricter rules regarding eye check-ups, with 81 per cent of optometrists supporting a change in law so annual eye tests are made mandatory for drivers.

Almost one in four (24 per cent) drivers would put their own life and that of others at risk by waiting until their licence was revoked rather than giving up driving voluntarily because their eyesight had deteriorated so badly they couldnt drive safely. People are also unwilling to report friends and family to the DVLA, allowing them to keep driving even if they thought they couldnt see to drive safely. Only four per cent of people have reported a friend or family member to the DVLA over concerns that their eyesight was too bad to drive.

Steve Barrett, head of motor insurance at Direct Line, commented:If people do not have regular eye tests, they may not even realise their vision is impaired when they get behind the wheel, which leaves them a danger to themselves and other road users.

A simple eye test, that takes a moment in time, can ensure drivers have the appropriate corrective glasses or contact lenses so that their vision is adequate to drive.

Dr Nigel Best, clinical spokesperson for Specsavers said: Our vision can deteriorate slowly, meaning it is sometimes difficult to detect a change ourselves but subtle variations can increasingly affect both perception and reaction time when driving. We welcome this research and hope it will make more road users aware of the risks they run by not having regular eye tests, whether it is potentially losing your driving license or worse, causing a collision on the road.

It takes around 25 minutes for an optician to conduct a thorough vision and eye health check. To take this simple step every two years or more, if recommended by your optician, isnt an arduous task, particularly when you weigh up the potentially negative consequences of driving with impaired vision.

Regional findings

Residents of Brighton are the least likely across the UK to regularly visit the optician, with a third (33 per cent) of people failing to have an eye test in the last two years. Residents of Birmingham (30 per cent), Glasgow (30 per cent) and Leeds (30 per cent) are also risking driving without the right corrective lenses because they have failed to have their eyes tested in the last two years.

Table one: Regional insight into how recently residents have had an eye test

Link:
134 drivers a week have licence revoked by poor eyesight - Actuarial Post

This article was reviewed byRhonia Gordon, MD, who is a clinical assistant professor with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology atNYU Langone.

For many new parents, watching their baby become aware of his or her surroundings is an exciting, beautiful process. As the baby begins to pay more attention to faces and interact socially, it's clear that the once pea-sized embryo is finally becoming a tiny little person of their own.

"Babies can actually make eye contact right from birth," says Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, MD, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Council on Early Childhood.

Eye contact is one way that parents can tell that their baby is starting to take a greater interest in the people around them.

Early on, in the first few months, newborns will be especially attracted to a few specific things, like the color red and heavy contrast like black and white, Navsaria says. They're also attuned to the human face, or at least its general outline, even as their eyesight is still developing.

As babies grow, they begin to make conscious efforts to engage socially, which goes beyond just a natural propensity for human faces.

Compared to their first month, when they could only focus on objects about a foot away, babies three or four months of age have better color perception and can start to make out other objects besides faces, like toys.

By four months, they should also start to exhibit more conscious behavior like reaching for their toys and smiling deliberately at you when you make eye contact.

Babies might show a reflexive smile, grinning for no apparent reason, from birth, but between four weeks to four months, they'll develop a social smile, either responding to another person or trying to get someone else to smile at them, Navsaria says.

By age one, if a child doesn't seem to be able to lock onto objects or make conscious eye contact, it's crucial to speak with your pediatrician, Navsaria says. Going to the doctor can also help parents understand if their baby is actually having trouble with their vision, or if the problem is with hearing or something else, like autism.

Eye contact is very important in terms of a child's brain, social, and emotional development, Navsaria says. "It's one of the key ways in which we make connections with other human beings."

In early childhood, forming those early connections with parents and having a loving, nurturing, supportive relationship is the single most important thing for development, Navsaria says.

For the most part, though, a baby's vision will develop on its own. "The eyes generally take care of themselves," Navsaria says. So there's no need to try to give your infant an at-home eye exam unless you think something might be wrong. When in doubt, always contact your pediatrician.

Visit link:
When babies make eye contact and what to expect as their eyes develop over the first year of life - INSIDER

A potential new treatment for a disease that robs people of their sight is being tested in Coquitlam.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is, according to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, the leading cause of vision loss in Canada. More than 1.4 million Canadians suffer from AMD and the diseases prevalence among older Canadians will only grow as Canadas seniors population doubles over the next 25 years. There is no known cure.

People with the dry version of AMD are being sought for a clinical trial led by Coquitlam ophthalmologist Kevin Parkinson. The study involves treatment with an investigational medical device that could possibly help patients retain and, in some cases, improve their visual acuity.

The trial will be conducted on behalf of EMC Inc., a Calgary-based company. Participants will be treated with a computerized electrotherapeutic device the companys engineers have researched, designed and built to treat the symptoms of dry AMD.

The Canadian governments regulator for medical devices, Health Canada, authorized the trial in July. A regulatory panel, the Western Institutional Review Board, which is based in Washington state, will confirm the trials investigators are appropriately qualified and the protocol approved by Health Canada is being implemented correctly. The Coquitlam trial will involve 60 volunteer patients.

Dr. Parkinson is the primary investigator leading the trial. About 30 optometrists in the Metro Vancouver area have been recruited to refer patients with AMD for participation.

The treatment is not intrusive. It requires no drugs as part of its regime. Instead, it employs EMCs own patented micro-current therapy. The idea is as old as electricity but is comparable to a modern-day TENS device. Its both cutting-edge in design and technology, lightweight for ease of use and patient comfort, and simple to operate in the hands of trained personnel.

The goal of the Coquitlam research study is to enroll a sufficient number of subjects to see how safe and effective the investigational device is with people who have dry AMD, said Brent Saik, EMCs optometry consultant. We want to evaluate the devices ability to improve participants eyesight. Each treatment session lasts approximately 30 minutes.

AMD causes damage to the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for seeing details. It limits the sufferers ability to drive a vehicle, recognize faces, read, sew or do fine work. Virtually all AMD begins in the dry form; the Canadian Ophthalmological Society says nine of 10 Canadians who have AMD suffer from the dry version.

Another of the trials objectives is to confirm EMCs mechanism of action theory: that is, treatment with the EMC device improves permeability of the blood vessel membranes and cells, and allows better oxygen and nutrition delivery to the cells. In other words, pulsed micro-current electrotherapy can re-awaken hibernating cells that impair vision.

The likelihood of an individual developing AMD is largely determined by genetic predisposition, ethnicity and health. Caucasians, and those whose parents, grandparents or siblings have had AMD, are at a substantially increased risk of developing the disease. Many studies have asserted that those with a history of smoking are also particularly susceptible.

Participation in the trial is limited so EMC is asking that inquiries be limited to those whose vision is between 20/50 and 20/200. Participants can live anywhere, but must be willing to travel regularly to Coquitlam. There is no cost to the participant, who will be provided with a detailed consent form. Those wanting more information are asked to call 604-685-3937 or email clinicaltrialsemc@gmail.com.

Read this article:
Possible treatment for leading cause of vision loss seeks study volunteers - The Tri-City News

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A little girls Marfan syndrome was identified after she had her eyes tested for the first time in Ilkeston.

Kathleen OHara, known as Kitty, was only three years old when she first visited Specsavers with her mother, Amy, for a routine eye exam in November 2017.

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I noticed that Kitty had vision problems, she held the books very close to her face and looked up, so I took her to the optician, said Amy.

Very young children who can identify simple forms can have an eye exam at opticians. An eye test examines the overall health of the eye as well as vision. When examining Kittys eyes, Specsavers optometrist, Navin Nehra, found a problem with his crystal lenses, structures in the middle of the eye that focus light on the retina, these are the same structures that can be affected. by cataracts, usually when we get older. But with Kittty, it was not a cataract, the lenses themselves were not in the right position and a referral to the Queens Medical Center (QMC) in Nottingham was made, where Kitty was seen in the week.

About one in 5,000 children experience this type of lens shift, known as ectopia lentis, so its really very rare, says Navin. This is the first time I have seen the problem with a client in my ten year career.

At the hospital, the doctor talked about a few ways to explain Kittys symptoms, before diagnosing connective tissue disorder, Marfan syndrome. Although there is no cure, without treatment, victims risk sudden death and may go unnoticed because of its obscurity.

Since the diagnosis, Kitty has had countless doctors and hospital appointments to improve her chances of a healthy life as she ages. She has had two eye surgeries, uses a wheelchair because she gets tired easily and takes medicine for her heart.

Amy adds, If it wasnt for me to have her take the eye test, we might not have been wiser. The earlier it is detected, the better, so I am very grateful for the quick reference made by Navin.

Very few people know about Marfan syndrome, so we really want to raise awareness of the signs it could save lives.

As a rule, people with the disease are tall with long fingers. The eyes are often the first indication, as lenses tend to slip, although not everyone with Marfan syndrome has eye problems.

The syndrome is a genetic disorder and about three-quarters of people inherit the gene from their parents, while one-quarter have no family history of the disease. Its signs are not always present in early childhood. Some people do not develop functionality, including heart problems like an aortic enlargement, until they are adults.

Without early diagnosis and treatment, people may be at risk for life-threatening complications. The earlier certain treatments are started, the better the results.

Krishna Parmar, manager of Specsavers Ilkeston, said: Kitty is a wonderfully resilient little girl and we are delighted that she is getting the treatment she needs. She always brightens our day when she comes to the store.

If you notice any changes in your childs eyes or eyesight, it is important to check them as soon as possible.

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Link:
Kitty's eye condition discovered during a routine trip to the optician - themediatimes

WITH her eyes swollen beyond recognition and her sight failing by the minute, reality star and TV presenter Lizzie Cundy was petrified.

Just two days earlier, the 51-year-old mum of two had had filler injected in her eye sockets in an attempt to get rid of her under eye bags.

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Lizzie's self-esteem was in tatters after her boyfriend, nightclub owner Jeremy Gordeno, had also been seeing the 21-year old daughter of a previous lover in October last year.

"I was devastated," she says quietly.

"He could have been her granddad. It was such a betrayal. I couldnt sleep, my self-confidence was at rock bottom."

A friend recommended a new cosmetic treatment to boost her self-esteem Lizzie quickly booked an appointment.

"She told me she had had some filler in her under eye area to take away the bags and that it took 10 years off you. Shed actually had it done and she looked great," says Lizzie.

"It was a case of wanting a quick fix."

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The practitioner had rooms on Londons swanky Harley Street, yet within minutes of the treatment Lizzie knew something was wrong.

Her under eye area had puffed up beyond recognition and as the hours went by her vision was blurring, leaving her panicked and terrified.

"I literally didn't know whether or not I would go permanently blind," she says, her eyes filling with tears at the memory.

"It was like something from a horror film my vision had gone blurry, I was blinking and blinking trying to focus and I just couldnt. I was panic-stricken."

Now she was desperately relying on the intervention of an experienced cosmetic doctor to save her sight.

"I thought of everything I would lose being able to look at my gorgeous boys all because I had been trying to improve the way I look. My heart was beating so fast. It was horrendous."

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While little known, botched filler procedures have led to 200 documented cases of vision loss in recent years, with 35 in the UK alone being left blind in one eye or both.

It happens when filler is mistakenly injected into an artery, blocking crucial blood circulation to the optic nerve.

This can happen even when the injected area is much lower in the face.

"I didnt know any of this," Lizzie says. "Now it makes me sick to think I risked my sight."

Her terrifying near-miss which unfolded just three months ago - is one reason Lizzie has lent her voice to Fabulous's Had Our Fill campaign, calling for tighter regulations of the cosmetic treatment industry and urging people to do their research before they submit to potentially life-changing procedures.

"I want what happened to me to be a warning to others," she says.

"It was the scariest time and I wouldn't want anyone else to go through what I did."

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No stranger to cosmetic interventions, Lizzie - who openly admits she had a boob job following the birth of sons Josh, 24, and 19-year-old James - is candid about the fact that she first turned to facial treatments in the wake of the 2010 breakdown of her marriage to former footballer Jason Cundy.

"I literally didn't sleep, I felt really tired, and I looked awful, so I had a bit of Botox in my forehead and suddenly I looked better. People told me I looked good considering everything I was going through," she recalls.

It quickly became 'shall I have a little bit more?'

She quickly moved on to facial filler in her cheeks and laughter lines - and it didnt take long before she was addicted to both fillers and Botox.

"It quickly became 'shall I have a little bit more?'. I would leave it a month and then I'd start feeling anxious and want a little top-up," she reveals.

But little did she know that this chasing youth would almost cost her her sight.

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Had Our Fill campaign

BRITAIN'S Botox and filler addiction is fuelling a 2.75billion industry.

The wrinkle-busting and skin plumping treatments account for 9 out of 10 cosmetic procedures.

50% of women and 40% of men aged 18 to 34 want to plump up their pouts and tweak their faces.

Fillers are totally unregulated and incredibly you dont need to have ANY qualifications to buy and inject them.

83% of fillers are performed by people with no medical training, often in unsanitary environments - with devastating results.

Women have been left with rotting tissue, needing lip amputations, lumps and even blinded by botched jobs.

Despite the dangers, there is no legal age limit for dermal filler, which is why Fabulous has launched Had Our Fill, a campaign to:

We're working in conjunction with Save Face and are backed by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) and British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).

We want anyone considering a non-surgical cosmetic treatment to be well-informed to make a safe decision.

Weve Had Our Fill of rogue traders and sham clinics - have you?

Lizzies television work, reporting from the red carpet, also left her under pressure to look younger.

"I was told by one boss that I had to take a few years off my age because it's a young industry. I felt that younger people were snapping at my heels," she says.

"The irony was that I'd never worked so much - yet inside I was really unhappy and lonely.

"Looking back, I probably should have spoken to a therapist but instead I thought another appointment with the cosmetic doctor would sort me out."

Then, in 2012 her straight-talking mum told her she had gone too far.

"I did a big photo shoot and afterwards my mum said, 'Lizzie you look different and it's not in a good way'.

"It was the wake-up call I needed, and I decided to embrace a more natural look, she reveals.

"A lot of people said I looked better so that boosted my confidence. I was in a much better place."

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But when she discovered Jeremy, who she met in a bar near her Hampshire home in December 2018, had been cosying up to another woman, her old securities came flooding back and she returned for filler.

Yet from the moment the 15-minute treatment was administered by the therapist - who The Sun has chosen not to name - Lizzie says she felt uncomfortable.

"I could feel the injections were very near my eye - the needle was brushing on my lashes. I kept saying, 'Is this right?' but she just reassured me," she recalls.

Leaving the clinic, Lizzie could already feel her eyes swelling.

"I rang on my way home and said it didnt feel right - but the woman said that was normal. Then as soon as I got home, I looked in the mirror and it looked like there was a shelf under my eyes. It was also slightly burning."

Panicked, Lizzie rang the clinic again, only to be told to give her treatment time to settle.

"By the next day they looked even more swollen, so I actually went to my GP. He thought I might have a sinus problem and gave me antibiotics."

Back home her eyes continued to swell.

"I'd never had such a reaction like this. I literally had to put Vaseline over my face and all these different things to try and help. It just kept getting worse."

When she woke up the following morning her vision was blurry.

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Fillers by numbers

2.75 billion - estimated value of UKs non-surgical cosmetic industry

59% - 13 to 24 year olds see lip fillers as routine as getting a haircut or manicure

68% - young people say friends have had fillers

160 - different types of dermal filler available for use in Europe, compared to only 10 in the US where they have tighter regulations

1,617 - complaints received by Save Face last year regarding unregistered practitioners

1.2 million - posts for #lipfillers on Instagram

3.9 million - Google searches for lip fillers in UK last year

40% - 13 to 19 year olds say images on social media cause them to worry about body image

She says: "I had to get up early for filming and my eyesight was already a bit blurry and my eyes were more swollen than ever.

"I was filming a documentary about Meghan Markle and kept thinking 'I cant let people down'. The make-up lady had done her best to cover the swelling but when I was looking at the auto cue, I literally couldn't read it.

"I was really blinking, trying to focus and it was really difficult and I was thinking 'I can't properly see'. "It was like something from a horror movie and I realised I had to act fast."

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Lizzie rang the number of a cosmetic doctor who had helped a friend when she had lip filler that had gone wrong.

"I got his number, sent him a picture and he said, 'You have to come in now'," she recalls.

She got there as quickly as she could, only to be told by the doctor that the treatment was so dangerous that he had to try to dissolve it instantly.

Worse, there was no guarantee that the treatment would work.

"He said he could only do his best, but he had to attempt to get rid of the filler now before it did any more damage," says Lizzie.

"I was petrified. I had to keep my eyes open while he administered more injections round my eye socket praying it wouldnt make things worse."

Thankfully the treatment combined with a collagen wave, which uses radio frequency energy to smooth skin did the trick.

"Literally it was like watching magic at work, you could see it all going. The doctor told me I was incredibly lucky.I vowed never again."

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Three months later she is still counting her blessings as well as vowing she is done with cosmetic injectables.

"Whats happened has given me a bit of kick up the backside - I know I have to have a bit more self-esteem because cosmetic surgery isn't the answer. Never say never but for now I want to learn to love who I am and to be the best I am at my age."

Lizzie is using vitybox as an alternative source of collagen.

Here is the original post:
Lizzie Cundy reveals fillers in eye sockets BLINDED her as she battled to stay young after catching lover - The Sun

One symptom of type 2 diabetes you need to watch out for is blurred vision. This refers to the loss of sharpness and inability to see fine details. Diabetes UK report that one in three people will have complications with their eyes by the time theyre diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Blurred vision can happen in either one eye (unilateral) or both (bilateral) eyes, and is caused by high levels of blood sugar with those with type 2 diabetes (diagnosed or not) resulting in the lens inside the eye to swell.

Diabetes UK point out there are other common symptoms of diabetes people should be aware of:

If you notice blurred vision, it could indicate that you have diabetes that isnt controlled.

Persistent high blood sugar levels can damage the back of the eye (retina), medically known as diabetic retinopathy.

The retina needs a constant supply of blood to function, which it receives through a network of tiny blood vessels.

Over time, uncontrolled type 2 diabetes (signified by persistent high blood sugar levels) can damage the blood vessels servicing the retina.

READ MORE:How to lose visceral fat: Best oil to cook with if you want to reduce harmful belly fat

This happens in three main stages:

Background retinopathyBackground retinopathy is when tiny bulges develop in the blood vessels, which may bleed slightly but don't usually affect vision.

Pre-proliferative retinopathyPre-proliferative retinopathy is when more severe and widespread changes affect the blood vessels, including more significant bleeding into the eye.

Proliferative retinopathyProliferative retinopathy is when scar tissue and new blood vessels, which are weak and bleed easily, develop on the retina. This can result in some loss of vision

The NHS point out that it usually takes several years for diabetic retinopathy to reach a stage where it could threaten your sight, but it can cause blindness if left undiagnosed and untreated.

Anyone with type 2 diabetes is potentially at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.

However, those with the highest chance of developing this complication of diabetes include those who:

Read the rest here:
Type 2 diabetes symptoms: The sign in your eyes that could signal the condition - Express

That's the equivalent of more than 130 every week.

Every year more than 7,000 British drivers lose their licence as a result of poor eyesight, new research has revealed.

Figures uncovered by insurance company Direct Line through a Freedom of Information request show that 19,644 drivers had their licences revoked between January 2017 and September 2019 because their eyesight did not meet the required standard. Thats the equivalent of 134 drivers per week, or more than 7,100 a year.

The figures also show that an average of 12 people a week fail their driving test before it has begun because their eyesight isnt good enough. According to the government, all drivers must be able to read a clean number plate in daylight from a distance of 20 metres - something that is checked by an examiner before the driving test begins.

Night driving eyeglasses on car arm rest

However, it seems that most drivers arent having their eyes tested regularly to find out whether theyre up to scratch. Direct Line quizzed 2,000 UK adults and found that a fifth (21 percent) have not had their eyes tested in the past two years, while three percent confess to never having had an eye test.

Perhaps more worryingly, a quarter of respondents (24 percent) said they would rather wait until their licence was revoked, rather than voluntarily giving up driving because their eyesight had deteriorated. And Direct Line says people are unwilling to report friends and family with worsening eyesight to the DVLA, with only four percent of respondents having taken that course of action.

Elderly man in glasses driving a car

Steve Barrett, head of motor insurance at Direct Line, said drivers should take regular eye tests to make sure they arent putting themselves and others at risk.

If people do not have regular eye tests, they may not even realise their vision is impaired when they get behind the wheel, which leaves them a danger to themselves and other road users, he said. A simple eye test, that takes a moment in time, can ensure drivers have the appropriate corrective glasses or contact lenses so that their vision is adequate to drive.

Senior patient checking vision with special eye equipment

And Dr Nigel Best, clinical spokesperson for Specsavers opticians, said eye tests could uncover changes to our vision that we might struggle to notice.

Our vision can deteriorate slowly, meaning it is sometimes difficult to detect a change ourselves but subtle variations can increasingly affect both perception and reaction time when driving, he said. We welcome this research and hope it will make more road users aware of the risks they run by not having regular eye tests, whether it is potentially losing your driving license or worse, causing a collision on the road.

It takes around 25 minutes for an optician to conduct a thorough vision and eye health check. To take this simple step every two years or more, if recommended by your optician, isnt an arduous task, particularly when you weigh up the potentially negative consequences of driving with impaired vision.

Optician in surgery giving man eye test

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7,000 drivers a year lose their licence over eyesight concerns - Yahoo News UK

I write this article sitting in a car wash, leaning against a stone wall.

I am aware that I am surrounded by people I do not know. How do you sit at a car wash? Insulated and keeping to yourself? Or do you want to people watch or engage someone?

Is this meant to be an opportunity for alone time or can it be a time to say hello to the person next to you?

But the person next to me on this beautiful afternoon is texting on their cell phone.

I decide to keep to myself and check my emails. I eventually stop emailing and allow myself to become present to this moment ... even with a rock station blaring in the background ... breathing in and out, becoming a part of the whole.

We only have one moment at a time and we often take our moments for granted as we go from one thing to the next.

And besides taking time for granted, we also take our authentic self for granted, the self that was created in the image and likeness of God. That's the self that has a soul, a spirit, an essence created to love and receive love.

In our very busy lives, care for our souls is hardly something we worry or think about unless we go to a church or a synagogue or a worship center.

Care of the soul? I ask this question as the New Year begins and especially as a new decade begins.

A new decade! I am sure you feel it ... wonderment at the dawning of the year 2020!

A new year often includes new resolutions, but a new decade?

That feels ripe for mid-course adjustments if needed!

Yesterday I was talking to someone who said this year 2020 literally invites the invitation for clear vision. Isnt that something else!

The year 2020 is such a metaphor for clearer vision for us to consider.

We know that 2020 eyesight in an optometrist office is good news indeed! So how will we foster 2020 eyesight for soul-filled living?

Maybe some adjustment can happen with the eyes of your heart, to learn to look upon the world and see more clearly the presence of God in creation and in people. Maybe the adjustment needs to start within, at your soul level.

I saw the following on Facebook and it was recently texted to me. It is such a concrete way to do some soul-care:

Welcome to flight #2020! We are preparing for take off into the New Year! Please make sure your Attitude and Blessings are secured and locked in an upright position.

All self destructive devices should be turned off at this time. All negativity, hurt and discouragement should be put away. Should we lose our attitude under pressure during the flight, reach up and pull down a Prayer. Prayers will automatically be activated by Faith. Once your Faith is activated you can assist other passengers. There will be NO BAGGAGE allowed on this flight.

The Captain has cleared us for takeoff.

Our destination is kindness, understanding, forgiveness, caring, respect and love. Please take this flight with me ... Happy New Year & May you have a safe and smooth 2020.

May you go gently into this New Year in the ways best for you. May you see with 2020 vision the blessings and opportunities, the world and Gods people before you.

The Rev. Paula Vukmanic is rector of St. Francis Episcopal Church

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Dawn Unity Column: Instead of resolutions, the year 2020 offers a whole new vision - Palos Verdes Peninsula News

These days, when Nancy Cowan greets her famous falcon named Banner, she offers a bow and utters a little chup as a hello.

Banner, who went through a landmark cataract surgery in 2014, does the same in return. This bird of prey and her falconer have a unique relationship the human saved the falcon from an early demise by insisting that Banners eyesight be corrected, and thanks to animal imprinting, the falcon now sees Cowan as her mate.

She sees me as her boyfriend, husband, whatever, Cowan explained.

The imprinting process started after the surgery that gave Banner new lenses in her eyes so she could see again. Everything to Banner was new again and she needed to relearn the world, Cowan said.

Banners eyes were very blurry because she had stitches in the eyes. She had lots of medications and stuff poured into her eyes, Cowan said. We got her home. We thought she could see but we werent sure.

The same perch she sat on every day, the same one she could easily master without sight, became a foreign object. Even her favorite meal, a freshly plucked quail, was strange to her.

Cowan reintroduced Banner to her surroundings through her sense of touch. Once her talons touched the perch, she was able to identify it. The same went for the quail.

Months after the initial procedure, Cowan and her husband, Jim, who run the New Hampshire School of Falconry on their Deering property, discovered one of the implanted lenses in Banners eye had curled up, leaving her with enduring poor sight.

Cowan got back to work.

After a human goes through cataract surgery, a follow-up procedure using lasers to clear up any scar tissue is routine. Cowan found a doctor at Concord Eye Center willing to do the procedure and then pleaded to the New Hampshire Board of Medicine to allow a human procedure to be performed on an animal. Once again, Cowan prevailed.

After the laser cleared up her vision, Banner was seeing the world anew. Thats when she began to view Cowan as Mr. Right.

When falcons get ready to mate they will make a food transfer, Cowan explained.

Thats the males job to bring food to the female, Cowan said. In exchange, the female will offer a piece of food back to the male.

Twice a year, during the mating season for falcons, Banner will excitedly greet Cowan when she delivers a quail and offer a piece back. That was the telltale sign that Banner was in the mood for love, Cowan said.

Cowan is considering whether she could breed Banner, a lanner falcon, with a male gyrfalcon she has at the school. But thats just an idea.

Besides the occasional desire for avian hanky panky, Banners life has mostly returned to normal for a captive bird of prey, except for one thing she isnt used for hunting anymore.

If I can just handle her and have her have a happy life, interact with her as an imprint, thats all I want to do, Cowan said. Im not going to ask her to go into an environment where if she doesnt come back to me shes gonna get killed within a day or two via great horned owl or red tailed hawk. Im not going to ask that.

Visitors still come to the school looking for Banner, who was quite the local celebrity after her story went international, including an article in the London Daily Mail.

It was fantastic, Cowan said. In London, they were very excited. It went all over the world. Shes world-famous.

As a result of Banners celebrity-status and all she has learned from the bird, Cowan is working on a second book, which has the working title Eyesight and Insights, she said.

Boy, they teach you a lot of things that you never would have suspected when you have 11 birds youre dealing with. You really get a different viewpoint of the world than you do normally, Cowan said. So the insights will be there and the eyesight part is going to be about restoring Banners vision. And thats a long story.

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With restored sight, Banner the falcon has relearned the world - Concord Monitor

ALL drivers and riders should have an eye test this year to help reduce the number of accidents, says road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist.

The group is warning that the UK's driver eyesight regulatory system is no longer fit for purpose and needs to be updated.

Neil Worth, GEM road safety officer, said: "You should only drive when you're sure you can see properly. After all, poor eyesight is linked to more than 3,000 fatal and serious injury collisions every year.

"We continue to be concerned that there are too many people driving whose eyesight has deteriorated to a dangerous level. This puts their own safety at risk, as well as the safety of others sharing the same road space.

"A detailed professional eye examination will mean any problems can be identified and - in the vast majority of cases - corrected, meaning the risks are reduced considerably.

"So many people are staying behind the wheel into their eighties and beyond. This, coupled with the greater volume of traffic and an increase in distractions, both inside and outside the vehicle, points to the clear need for more regular and detailed eyesight testing."

The eyesight test was introduced to the driving test in 1937 and has been amended only in minor ways to reflect changing number plate sizes. It is the only eyesight test drivers are required to undertake until they reach the age of 70.

According to GEM, the test is crude and outdated, as it only measures visual acuity - the sharpness of an individual's vision. It could also quite easily examine a driver's field of view, as is done in many US states, to check whether motorists can see and react to what's happening around them.

Mr Worth added: "This year we are encouraging drivers to ensure their eyesight goes beyond 20/20. After all, 20/20 is only an expression of normal visual acuity, but the requirements for safe driving go beyond clarity of central vision.

"Asking someone to read a number plate at 20.5 metres (67 feet) cannot on its own be a measure of their fitness to continue driving. A proper eye test will also measure peripheral awareness, eye coordination, depth perception, ability to focus and colour vision."

GEM believes all drivers should have an eye test every two years, just to ensure there are no safety concerns about their vision and to deal with any issues at an early stage.

The organisation is also calling for every new driver to produce evidence of a recent eye test when first applying for a licence and to obtain a mandatory vision test every 10 years in line with licence renewal.

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20/20 vision alert to drivers - Eurekar

A West Australian mum said her son complained of losing his vision before he was diagnosed with a rare and potentially fatal disease.

Mum Christina Thomas, from Secret Harbour south of Perth, told Yahoo News Australia her eight-year-old son, Theo, first had trouble seeing in November while doing motocross.

Theo pulled into the pit area and said he was having trouble seeing because of a smudge, she said.

I told him to clean his goggles. He then went out to continue riding.

Theo kept racing but missed the chequered flag and did another lap. This continued a few times that afternoon.

Theo Thomas, 8, has a rare illness which affects the nervous system. Source: Supplied

On the following Monday, Ms Thomas received a phone call from her sons school.

They told me, Theo cant see, she said, adding Theo had been sitting at the front of the classroom.

He was a metre away from the whiteboard.

The boy was taken to an optometrist who noted vision loss in both eyes. He was rushed to Perth Childrens Hospital in the days that followed.

Theo had lost 100 per cent of the vision in his right eye and things only got worse.

The Secret Harbour boy was diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica in December. Its widely considered to be a similar illness to multiple sclerosis with no cure.

According to MS Australia, neuromyelitis optica, also known as NMO or Devics syndrome, involves the inflammation and destruction of optic nerves.

Patients with NMO have antibodies which mistakenly attack the nervous system.

The boy's receiving ongoing treatment but has some paralysis in his right arm and issues with his sight. Source: Supplied

NMO also affects the spinal cord and can leave patients paralysed.

Theos condition is rare too.

A study published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry in 2017 found just 193 cases of NMO recorded in Australia and New Zealand.

Adding to the rarity of Theos diagnosis, NMO is found to be more common in women, with females six times more likely to be affected by it than males.

Ms Thomas said her boy was in really good spirits and never complained.

He never says hes in pain, she said.

He just stands an inch away from the TV to play Minecraft.

When asked about Theos future, his mum said she was unsure how long he would survive.

I know this will most likely kill him, she said.

Its just a matter of time. Ive been crying so much. Im surprised I have any water left.

Theos condition is a matter of two steps forward and one backwards.

Earlier this week, the boy was told by doctors hed regained 50 per cent of his vision, but he had a lumbar puncture.

He also has permanent damage to his retinal nerves and currently is suffering some paralysis in his right arm.

Theo's mum said he's suffered permanent retinal damage. Source: Supplied

Story continues

Theo can still walk. Hes stopped motocross for a while, but the plan is for him to be back riding shortly after doctors gave him the green light.

He will also be back in the classroom.

Hes very shy and quietly spoken, Ms Thomas said.

But hes determined in what he does.

Ms Thomas has started a GoFundMe page to help her family as Theo undergoes ongoing medical treatment.

Do you have a story tip? Email:newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us onFacebook,InstagramandTwitterand download the Yahoo News app from theApp StoreorGoogle Play.

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'This will most likely kill him': Boy, 8, diagnosed with rare disease after losing eyesight - Yahoo News Australia

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. The phrase 20/20 vision refers to normal eyesight vision; according to many ophthalmologists, a person with 20/20 vision can see what an average individual can see on a standard eye chart when they are standing 20 feet away from the chart. Why my reference to 20/20 vision as I start my insights column? Well, our calendars will show the year 2020 by the time you read this, so focusing (pun intended) on vision as we begin a new year seems insightful (pun intended again) to me.

During the past year, the University of Nebraska has been reflecting on its 150-year history since being chartered in 1869. This milestone was a stimulus to not just look backward, but also to look to the future across the entire breadth of the university including the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff. Our Center is one of three R&E Centers in the state. The other two are the West Central REC in North Platte, and the Eastern Nebraska REC located north of Lincoln near Mead.

During the latter part of 2019, the three REC Directors (myself, Kelly Bruns and Doug Zalesky) have been involved with a planning process with the objective of developing a statewide strategic vision for the research and extension centers. While this process is still ongoing, there are some key outcomes relative to a unified vision. Here are two of those:

In an effort to better represent all three of the land-grant missions (i.e. research, teaching and extension) of the university across Nebraska; these Centers will transition to Research, Extension and Education Centers, or REECs. The second E will be added to focus greater involvement in teaching and educational efforts, in addition to extension education. The following paragraph from a draft document seeks to describe what the added E will entail for Research, Extension and Education Centers:

In partnership with UNL, the College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources (CASNR), and local college resources, REECs will support college-going and workforce development. This includes providing internships and experiential learning opportunities for students, micro-credentials (certificate and digital badge programs) for lifelong learners and assisting with degree completion, particularly for mid-career individuals seeking career advancement through degree attainment.

A statewide survey of research and extension center stakeholders was conducted during the fourth quarter of 2019. Survey results from the over 250 respondents identified eight important opportunities on which to focus. These are listed in rank order according to survey results:

Water and nutrient management, impacting both water quality and quantity.

Innovative cropping systems to improve soil health, conservation, sustainability & profitability.

Developing resilient food animal production systems.

Precision agriculture for both crops and livestock.

Developing programing for financial resiliency of ag producers.

Connecting the rural-urban interface through agriculture and science literacy.

Workforce development for agricultural systems.

New and innovative technology to reach more people.

These eight opportunities are certainly not new to those who currently work at the off-campus research and extension sites. In fact, there are numerous current programs and initiatives at the Panhandle R&E Center, which focus on aspects of the above list. However, the survey will provide further guidance to our statewide planning and vision for the Panhandle REEC going forward.

During 2020, it is our objective to crystalize our strategic vision to define and emphasize pathways to continue to serve the Panhandle in meeting the challenges of the next decade, and beyond. I invite you to hold us accountable during our 2020 journey as we strive for 20/20 vision to better serve Nebraskans. Have a good month and enjoy the new year.

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Jack's Insights: 2020, the year of vision - The Business Farmer

A five year old girl Julia Zuikova of the Omsk region is rapidly losing vision, against which needs urgent surgery. The child was diagnosed with cataracts, what happened after three months from the moment of birth.

Gradually the number of health problems began to increase. In particular, it was found that the child also nystagmus and amblyopia. Right eye the girl stopped to see because of the film, therefore, an urgent need in operation to replace the lens. However problems with eyes for Julia Sunboy not over. There is a serious loss of vision in the right eye observed minus 14 in the left minus 7. Because of the nystagmus the doctors refused re-operation. Help five year old girl was offered at a clinic in Moscow, theres also warned that the possible optic nerve atrophy.

The childs parents sell the car to raise funds for the surgery. Also help one young patient tries to provide charitable center Raduga. Foundation website you can donate money to the preservation of vision girl you need a total of almost 1.58 million rubles.

Natasha Kumar is a general assignment reporter at the Times Hub. She has covered sports, entertainment and many other beats in her journalism career, and has lived in Manhattan for more than 8 years. Natasha has appeared periodically on national television shows and has been published in (among others) Hindustan Times.? Times of India

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Rapidly losing his eyesight five year old girl from Omsk region needs urgent surgery - The Times Hub

Animal care specialists at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park were concerned when they noticed cloudiness in the left eye of Leslie, a 3-year-old female western lowland gorilla. Closer inspection confirmed the lens had changed and the left eye was shifting haphazardly, prompting Leslie to favor use of her right eye.

Given Leslies young age and developmental stage, Safari Park veterinarians organized a team of internal and external experts, including ophthalmologists and anesthesiologists at UC San Diego Health, to perform the Parks first-ever cataract surgery on a gorilla.

As veterinarians, we are experts in our species but we are not necessarily specialists in all of the different fields of medicine, said Meredith Clancy, DVM, San Diego Zoo Safari Park associate veterinarian. We rely heavily on the amazing community we have here in San Diego to help us out.

On December 10, 2019, surrounded by animal care experts and veterinarians in khaki uniforms and UC San Diego Health medical team members in scrubs, Leslie rested comfortably in the operating room at the San Diego Zoo Globals Paul Harter Veterinary Medical Center. A pharmaceutical muscle blocker prevented even the slightest of movement, allowing Chris W. Heichel, MD, cataract surgery specialist at Shiley Eye Institute at UC San Diego Health, to perform the delicate procedure.

Heichel and his team employed a specialized microscope and instruments designed for cataract surgery to successfully remove the cataract in Leslies left eye using gentle suction. Once the cloudy lens was removed, a new artificial lens was inserted, which is designed to provide Leslie with clear vision for the rest of her life.

While Heichel has performed thousands of eye surgeries on human patients, ranging in age from one day to 105 years, this was his first surgery on a gorilla.

Fortunately, the similarities between the anatomy of human and gorilla eyes are great enough to allow us to safely navigate the procedure without complication, said Heichel. The remainder of the eye appeared to be in excellent health, indicating exceptional vision potential for the rest of Leslies life.

A cataract is a clouding of the clear lens behind the colored part of the eye, known as the iris. Cataracts typically develop over time, as part of the normal aging process, but they can also be caused by trauma to the eye. Once a cataract develops, the lens becomes progressively cloudier and vision deteriorates.

Heichel, Clancy and animal caregivers suspect that Leslies cataract was a result of an injury, either from a fall while the youngster was practicing her climbing skills or from an overly rambunctious play session with other young gorillas in her troop.

As she recovers, Leslie will require both topical and oral antibiotics and steroids to prevent infection and to control postoperative inflammation, said Clancy. Leslie will be monitored closely, but she is already back with her troop in the Gorilla Forest habitat at the Safari Park.

Following successful healing, the remaining concern is the possibility of cloudiness recurring.

The eye has an envelope that holds the lens in place. It should remain clear, but sometimes after cataract surgery, the envelope will get a little cloudy, said Heichel, professor of ophthalmology in the Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology at UC San Diego School of Medicine. In a human patient, we can laser the envelope to remove the cloudiness. That might not be quite so easy for Leslie, therefore I made a little opening in the back of the envelope to maintain her clear vision in the future. I am grateful for the chance I had to work with the exceptional San Diego Zoo Global team to help have a positive impact on Leslies life.

Because of Leslies age, the Safari Parks animal care team was concerned her 31-year-old mother, Kokamo, might be upset about Leslies absence from the gorilla habitat during the procedure. They elected to anesthetize Leslie and Kokamo at the same time, and use the opportunity to perform a routine health check on Kokamo, which included dental, cardiac and overall physical assessments. The results of Kokamos exam showed that she continues to be in good health.

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Researchers Come Together to Save 3-year-old Gorillas Eyesight - Tdnews

In addition to this being the start of a new year, it is the beginning of a brand new decade. This year also marks the commencement of my fifth decade as a pastor.

In every church I have served over the past 40 years, the leadership team would conduct the arduous work of casting a vision for the congregation. A carefully crafted vision pictured a preferred future for which goals and objectives became stepping stones. A vision serves as a vehicle to get you where you want to go. A vision is crucial for a church, an organization, a nation as well as an individual.

Crossing the threshold of this New Year, Im in the process of formulating a vision for this season of my life. Perhaps my work in progress will prompt you to initiate or personalize your own. Although my eyesight has diminished with age, when it comes to the next 12 months my vision this year is definitely 2020.

Because seeing is believing, visualizing desired change is the first stage in realizing what you long for. Picturing a preferred future can be translated into goals or resolutions. I believe my New Years resolutions will motivate me to become more effective as a husband, father, grandfather and pastor.

This year I resolve to glance back while gazing forward. Lessons learned this past year are worth reflecting on. Embracing nostalgic moments has a way of softening the hardship of current realities. But too much past-pondering can be counterproductive. The operative words are glance and gazing. My 2020 vision invites me to spend more time contemplating the future than considering the past.

This year I also resolve to focus on what is right with our world instead of being so quick to identify the issues that bother me. The headlines of national and world events can coax us into thinking crime, scandal and injustice dominate human existence. I am determined to look for the good and decent in every day. Godwinks, generosity and random acts-of-kindness are more common than we realize.

I also resolve to engage people who think differently than I do when it comes to matters of faith, political perspectives and cultural values. While I treasure what I believe to be true, I want to esteem people created in the image of our Creator even more. In this current milieu of hate speak and adversarial-ism, I refuse to give in to us-versus-them ideology.

Furthermore, I resolve to look inside myself when my sense of worth starts to blur and I have a hard time remembering what I am skilled at doing. Focusing on what others affirm in me can silence my doubts and clarify my calling in life. Reviewing past achievements (and failures) serves to remind me of what I can easily forget. Watching film is not just the prerogative of NFL players.

Finally, I resolve to look up when I start to lose my focus on matters of the heart. I determine to always admit my need for help no matter how many candles will adorn my next birthday cake.

Even though Ive been a man of the cloth since 1979, I first learned the importance of admitting my helplessness when the cloth that defined my position in life was a security blanket I pulled across the playroom. Requesting a helping hand from a parent paved the way for acknowledging ones need for God. And that need to look up never goes away.

So, theres my 2020 vision. My picture of a preferred future is still a work in process, but its something tangible on which to focus. Heres hoping youll discover the wide-eyed wonder of picturing your dreams for the coming year.

Greg Asimakoupoulos is the chaplain at Covenant Living at the Shores retirement community.

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Prescription for a 2020 Vision | On Faith - Mercer Island Reporter

Optometrists back call to make regular eye tests mandatory for drivers

More than 130 drivers a week have their driving licence revoked by the DVLA because their eyesight doesnt meet the minimum standard.

Figures from the DVLA reveal that an average of 7,000 people a year lose their licence due to failing eyesight but it is feared there could be many more with unsafe vision still on the roads.

The data was obtained by Direct Line Motor Insurance which also found that an average of 12 learners each week are refused a licence before even getting behind the wheel because their vision isnt up to scratch.

The DVLA requires drivers to be able to read (with glasses or contact lenses if necessary) a car number plate from 20 metres, have accurate vision to at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale and an adequate field of vision.

Failure to meet these standards means drivers face having their licence taken away and between January 2017 to September 2019 19,644 drivers fell foul of the rules.

Separate research suggests as many as 8.9 million drivers havent had their eyes tested in the last two years, meaning many more could be suffering from deteriorating vision without realising.

Worryingly, the research found that as many as a quarter of motorists would continue to drive even if they knew their eyesight wasnt up to the legal minimum standard, putting themselves and other road users at risk.

It also found that more than three-quarters of optometrists (81 per cent) supported changing the law to make annual eye tests mandatory for drivers.

Failing to inform the DVLA of a medical condition which affects you ability to drive carries a fine of 1,000 and if defective vision is found to have contributed to a crash you could be prosecuted.

Steve Barrett, head of motor insurance at Direct Line, commented: If people do not have regular eye tests, they may not even realise their vision is impaired when they get behind the wheel, which leaves them a danger to themselves and other road users.

A simple eye test, that takes a moment in time, can ensure drivers have the appropriate corrective glasses or contact lenses so that their vision is adequate to drive.

Dr Nigel Best, clinical spokesperson for Specsavers said: Our vision can deteriorate slowly, meaning it is sometimes difficult to detect a change ourselves but subtle variations can increasingly affect both perception and reaction time when driving. We welcome this research and hope it will make more road users aware of the risks they run by not having regular eye tests, whether it is potentially losing your driving license or worse, causing a collision on the road.

It takes around 25 minutes for an optician to conduct a thorough vision and eye health check. To take this simple step every two years or more, if recommended by your optician, isnt an arduous task, particularly when you weigh up the potentially negative consequences of driving with impaired vision.

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Over 7,000 motorists a year stripped of their driving licence because they cant see - Lancashire Post