via

Rounding up some interesting new research published this week!

Can a Glaucoma Eye Drop Help Treat Tuberculosis?
New research out of Michigan State University found that ethoxzolamide, a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor found in glaucoma eye drops like Azopt (brinzolamide) may reduce the virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.  The drug makes it difficult for the TB bacteria to grow in it's host environment, and prevents it from being to grow within our body's immune system white blood cells -- increasing our body's ability to fight off the infection.  When coupled with existing antibiotic treatments, the use of ethoxzolamide could potentially reduce the risk of drug-resistant TB strains, and shorten the duration of antibiotic treatment needed to fight the infection.  All carbonic anhydrase inhibitors carry the potential risk for cross-sensitivity in patients with sulfa allergies.

Can an Eye Drop Dissolve Cataracts?
This article has been taking the internet by storm!  Researchers studied a family in China with three children who were born with severe cataracts and found that the children lacked a gene to produce a steroid called lanosterol.  Theorizing that the absence of lanosterol could be the cause of their cataract formation, the researchers then put the steroid to work on rabbit cataracts.  Rabbit lenses with various stages of cataract severity were incubated in a lanosterol solution for 6 days.  In that time significant improvement in clarity or resolution of cataract altogether was observed.  With such promising results in vivo testing was then performed on dogs with cataracts receiving lanosterol drops -- again with statistically significant improvement in lens clarity on the test subjects.  Lanosterol plays a role in preventing protein aggregation, which could help reduce the cloudiness and vision distortion associated with cataract formation.  We are still a long way from having human results to know if this is truly an efficacious and safe way to approach cataract care, but perhaps in the next few decades prescribing eye drops for cataracts will be a common treatment?

Dog cataract before (left) and after (right) lanosterol treatment via

The biggest trend for eyewear this year?  Make a statement.  There's no denying the most buzz-worthy eyewear this year has been daring and different.  Eyewear collections for 2015 have been all about pushing your fashion limits and taking a chance on glasses that will start a conversation.  I've rounded up the top trend-setting designer looks for 2015 so if you are thinking it's time to invest in the next generation of eyewear, here's a good starting-off point.

Miu Miu Rasoir Sunglasses via

Valley Eyewear "A Dead Coffin Club" via

Gentle Monster Trinity Sunglasses via  (unfortunately the Trinity model is out of stock but check out their other reimagining of classic eyewear shapes below!!)

Dior So Real Sunglasses via

Round Ray Ban sunglasses via

via

I stumbled across a recent blog post on Man Repeller that posed a simple question: does mascara make your eyelashes fall out?  The piece kind of jokingly implies the concept is a con used by the author's mother to make her wash her face before bed.  But guess what, our mothers were right and there is science to support that all those terrible things you've been told about mascara, well they aren't just old wive's tales after all.

If you are just joining us in our conversation of current working theories for why myopia (near-sightedness) is becoming so much more prevalent in modern society (an increase of 66% since the 1970s!) then check out our previous articles on peripheral defocus theory and near point stress theory.  Remember all of these theories are not meant to stand alone -- our eyes develop over many years into adulthood, and in addition to genetics there are definitely strong environmental factors at play in determining the prescription we end up with.  Today we're discussing some really intriguing research that is surprisingly simple; how can light change how our eyes develop?

The average US classroom is a dim place -- set around 500 lux on average, but recommended light settings can be around 300 lux for activities like computer and projector use. image via

A glass classroom in Yangxi City, China via

Does this look like your eye? A little red, a little irritated, red rims along the lash margin?  That's the calling card of chronic inflammation caused by ocular rosacea (a type of  chronic dry eye). via

Do you have red rimmed eyes and eyelids?  Suffer from recurrent styes? Watering? Burning? Foreign body sensation? Puffy eyelids? Light sensitivity? If you answered yes to a few of these questions, chances are you have a type of inflammatory dry eye condition we refer to as ocular rosacea.  Ocular rosacea is a very common finding; studies suggest the incidence of ocular rosacea could be as high as 72% of patients with rosacea, and many of us with rosacea are undiagnosed (Chronic facial redness and flushing?  You've probably got it and just haven't been formally diagnosed!).  For years we've been treating ocular rosacea-related dry eye with lid hygiene, artificial tears, and more recently pulsing doses of oral doxycycline used to target inflammation more-so than for any antibacterial properties.  But a new study published in the International Journal of Ophthalmology last month suggests that Restasis, an anti-inflammatory eye drop used for treating dry eye, may be even more effective than our current gold standard treatment of oral doxycycline pulsed for months at a time.

The study followed 38 patients with diagnosed rosacea and ocular rosacea signs and symptoms.  The group was split evenly with 19 patients being started on Restasis eye drops taken twice daily for 3 months, and the other 19 patients being placed on 100 mg oral doxycycline taken twice daily for one month, then once daily for the two months.  All patients were instructed to use daily eyelid hygiene and artificial tears 4 times a day throughout the study period.  Before the study began and then monthly thereafter, patients were scored on symptoms (burning? watering?) and clinical signs (eyelid redness? corneal staining?) by a group of ophthalmologists.  Standard protocol dry eye testing was also performed at these visits, including OSDI surveys, Schirmer's Test and tear break up time.

Red, inflamed meibomian glands can't secrete tear film regularly as you blink,  causing dryness, burning, watering, and foreign body sensation.  That's  why a vital part of dry eye treatment includes lid hygiene and chronic use of  anti-inflammatory medications, be they topical like Restasis or oral like doxycycline.

Unless you've been actively avoiding all news media for the past few weeks, you've probably seen this report out of the Center for Disease Control: your eyes turn red in pool water not due to chlorine, but due to urine exposure.  Studies show that when chlorine interacts with urine and body waste, the ammonia and chlorine interact to form chloramine -- the chemical polymer responsible for that distinctive "pool" smell and those red, irritated eyes.  Shockingly, that's not even the worst thing the CDC found in your swimming pool!  That distinction belongs to Cryptosporidium, a chlorine resistant parasite found in human diarrhea that is the leading cause of water-born illness in the US. Studies do show that in immune deficient rhesus monkeys (and theoretically humans as well) Cryptosporidium can lead to a resilient and contagious conjunctivitis (pink eye in layman's terms).

Wearing goggles is an essential step to protect your eyes!  via

So if you are going to be in the pool this holiday weekend, what's your best way to protect your eyes from irritation and infection risk?

• Wear goggles. Goggles form a tight shield around the face that can limit ocular exposure to anything in the water.  If you need glasses to see, you can also purchase prescription goggles at most local opticals.
• Bring contact lens solution and a case.  The safest course of action is to remove your contact lenses before you get in the water.  If you do get in the water with contact lenses on, the first thing you need to do when you are done swimming is to wash your hands, remove and clean your contact lenses with a multipurpose solution.  Never rinse your lenses in tap water to clean, and rinsing them with saline will help with irritation but cannot fully clean lenses like a multipurpose cleaner can.  Do not keep wearing those lenses the rest of the day without properly cleaning the pool water away.

  If your eye looks like this, take our your contact lenses and don't put them back in until your eye returns to its' normal appearance!  via

• Consider daily disposable lenses. If you are a frequent swimmer, I highly recommend daily disposable contact lenses so that you constantly have a fresh, uncontaminated contact lens every single day.  
• Play it safe.  If your eyes are red and irritated, take your contact lenses out.  The worst thing you can do is ignore your eye when it is telling you something is wrong. Contact lenses trap irritants and parasites against the eye, preventing the eye from being able to blink these dangerous particles away as they would naturally.  If your eye feels irritated, it is a signal not to be ignored!
• Be even more vigilant about not wearing contact lenses if you are swimming in lakes! Despite the shock value of this type of news, swimming in pools treated with chlorine are so much safer than swimming in untreated lake water that is full of pathogens.  The most common blinding corneal infections associated with contact lens wear are caused by exposure to untreated lakes, or exposure to less rigorously treated hot tub or tap water.  Deanne Soza, the young gymnast we talked about in this article is an unfortunate example of how dangerous it is to wear contact lenses in hot tubs -- the residual infection nearly blinded her in both eyes and has been a major setback to her career.  Don't let yourself become the next sad story shared on social media as a warning to others.