Keeping Your Eyes Safe on Fourth of July

Did you know that many eye injuries happen during the 4th of July? If you're not careful, eye injuries can occur due to unsafe practices using fireworks. Read on to find out some frightening statistics and ways to stay safe this 4th of July!

Original article from Prevent Blindness

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks are involved in thousands of injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms each year.

Most fireworks injuries occur during the one month period surrounding the Fourth of July. Most fireworks injuries occur during the one month period surrounding the Fourth of July.

• fireworks were involved in an estimated 12,900 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments during calendar year 2017 (the latest year for which data is available).
• An estimated 8,700 fireworks-related injuries (or 67 percent of the total estimated fireworks-related injuries in 2017) were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments during the 1-month special study period between June 16, 2017 and July 16, 2017.
• Males accounted for 70% of fireworks injuries.
• 36% of fireworks injuries were to children under age 15.
• Children 10 to 14 years of age had the highest estimated rate of emergency department-treated, fireworks-related injuries. Young adults 20 to 24 years of age had the second highest estimated rate.
• There were an estimated 1,200 emergency department-treated injuries associated with sparklers and 300 with bottle rockets.
• The parts of the body most often injured were hands and fingers (an estimated 31 percent); head, face, and ears (an estimated 22 percent); legs (an estimated 17 percent); eyes (an estimated 14 percent); and arms (an estimated 6 percent).
   
• Fifty-three percent of the emergency department-treated injuries were burns. Burns were the most common injury to hands, fingers and arms.
• On average, 280 people go to the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in the month around the July 4th holiday.

Do not let children play with fireworks 

Fireworks and celebrations go together, especially during the Fourth of July, but there are precautions parents can take to prevent these injuries. The best defense against kids suffering severe eye injuries and burns is to not let kids play with any fireworks.

Do not purchase, store, or use any fireworks 

Protect yourself, your family and your friends by avoiding fireworks. Attend only authorized public fireworks displays conducted by licensed operators, but be aware that even professional displays can be dangerous.

If an accident does occur, minimize the damage to the eye. In the event of an eye emergency:

• Do not rub the eye. Rubbing the eye may increase bleeding or make the injury worse.
• Do not attempt to rinse out the eye. This can be even more damaging than rubbing.
• Do not apply pressure to the eye itself. Holding or taping a foam cup or the bottom of a juice carton to the eye are just two tips. Protecting the eye from further contact with any item, including the child's hand, is the goal.
• Do not stop for medicine! Over-the-counter pain relievers will not do much to relieve pain. Aspirin (should never be given to children) and ibuprofen can thin the blood, increasing bleeding. Take the child to the emergency room at once - this is more important than stopping for a pain reliever.
• Do not apply ointment. Ointment, which may not be sterile, makes the area around the eye slippery and harder for the doctor to examine.
• Do not let your child play with fireworks, even if his/her friends are setting them off. Sparklers burn at 1800 degrees Fahrenheit, and bottle rockets can stray off course or throw shrapnel when they explode.

Blind Children in Chile Get to Experience the Solar Eclipse

In Chile, they have created a system where blind children can experience the conditions of a solar eclipse. In order for children at a school for the blind in Chile to experience the solar eclipse that is supposed to happen in July, they used Braille and sound to replicate the experience. Keep reading to find out how!

original article found at ABC news

A group of children at a Chilean school for the blind used sound and braille Tuesday to experience conditions that resemble a total solar eclipse.

The project at the Hellen Keller school in Santiago comes a week before a July 2 solar eclipse that will plunge parts of South America into darkness.

Thousands of tourists and scientists will gather in northern Chile, which will be among the best places in the world to watch the next the eclipse. The phenomenon will also be appreciated in other South American countries.

The blind children heard different tones using special headphones and LightSound, a tool to experience the variation of light intensity during a solar eclipse through sound. They also read the book "Open your senses to eclipses: South America," using braille.

The experience of touching and hearing a solar eclipse was possible thanks to a joint initiative by NASA, the Chilean Aeronautics and Space Agency, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Chile's Diego Portales University and the Giant Magellan Telescope.

"Being able to explain basic concepts of astronomy, being able to explain eclipses ... it's an effort that we must continue," said Miguel Roth, an astronomer at the Giant Magellan Telescope.

A book in braille and a dozen units of the LightSound technology will also be available to children in other Chilean cities, said María Ximena Rivas, director of the SENADIS national office for disability.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, and scores a bull's-eye by completely blotting out the sunlight.

First Ever Movie starring Deaf-Blind Actor

This week is officially Deaf-Blind Awareness week. A New York City Public library will be showing the first film to feature a deaf-blind actor as the main actor in the film. Read on to find out more about this important film!

Article originally from Patch.com

PORT WASHINGTON, NY—"Feeling Through," a short film that will make history by showcasing the first deaf-blind actor in a featured role, is coming to Port Washington.

The Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults, a division of Helen Keller Services, announced the kick-off of a national screening tour for the film. The New York premiere of the short film will be held on June 25 at the Port Washington Library.

Doug Roland, the film's writer and director, will be on hand. Cast members will also be on-site with HKNC interpreters.

Following the film will be a 25-minute documentary on the making of "Feeling Through," and then a question and answer period.

"Feeling Through" was inspired by Roland's encounter with a deaf-blind man in New York City years ago.

"It occurred to me that I had never met anyone who was deaf-blind before," he stated via press release. "And I certainly had never seen a deaf-blind individual in a film."

In order to accurately represent the deaf-blind community, Roland reached out to HKNC Executive Director Susan Ruzenski. A strong collaborative relationship between them ensued.

"Working with Doug on this project has been an absolute pleasure," she said. "Everyone at HKNC is thrilled for him and the film."

The Port Washington screening of the film is taking place during Deaf-Blind Awareness Week.

The film's New York debut is free to the public and begins at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25 at the Port Washington Library's Lapham Room.

More information is available at www.pwpl.org. Should an audience member require an interpreter or listening device, please RSVP to cindy.witkow@hknc.org.

New Study shows that Dark Chocolate could help Eyesight

There is a new study that was published recently linking dark chocolate to helping eyesight. While this is a new study, it has some promising results! Read on to find out more about this interesting study. 

Article originally from Cool Blind Tech

Scientists from the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas found that antioxidant compounds in chocolate called flavanols gave a slight temporary boost to the eyesight of up to 30 young adults.

The authors of the study, published this month in the Ophthalmology edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association, say they will need to test their results against a wider sample size.

A group of 30 were given blind tastings of either 72 percent cocoa dark chocolate or milk chocolate.

According to the report, those who were given the dark chocolate reported improved visibility of “small, low-contrast targets within two hours compared with milk chocolate, but the duration of this difference and clinical relevance remains uncertain.”

The nutritional value of dark chocolate compared to its milk chocolate relative has long been understood, with antioxidants commonly thought to improve blood flow.

“The duration of these effects and their influence in real-world performance await further testing,” said a team led by Dr Jeff Rabin.

The study’s authors suggest that the improvement in eyesight is the result of increased blood flow to the retina and visual pathways. However, experts believe further investigation is needed before dark chocolate can be prescribed for people with forms of blindness.

Mental Health Tip of the Week

Thinking positively can have a powerful impact on our lives, whether we realize how much or not. This article will give you a few tips and tricks on how to think more positively, how it can benefit your life, and how you can put your positive attitude into action! Keep on reading to find out how this mindset could help you.

The Power of Positive Thinking: How Thoughts Can Change Your Life

By: Brian Tracy

I think you’ll agree with me when I say:

The power of positive thinking is remarkable.

In fact, the idea that your mind can change your world almost seems too good to be true.

I can assure you, however, that I have experienced AND witnessed the good that focusing on the positive can bring.

But before I get into that, let me ask you a question.

Can you guess what the most successful and happy people think about all day long?

The answer is quite simple…

Healthy, happy people think about what they want, and how to get it, most of the time. In this way developing a positive attitude can truly change your entire life.

When you think and talk about what you want and how to get it, you feel happier and in greater control of your life. When you think about something that makes you happy, your brain actually releases endorphins, which give you a generalized feeling of well-being.

As a result, you develop a positive attitude.

How to Think Positive

Based on many psychological tests, happy people seem to have a special quality that enables them to live a better life than the average.

Can you guess what it is?

It’s the quality of optimism!

The best news about optimism is that it is a learnable quality. That means you can learn how to think positive by taking adopting an optimistic mindset.

By the law of cause and effect, if you do and say what other healthy, happy people with positive attitudes do and say, you will soon feel the same way, get the same results, and enjoy the same experiences that they do.

Happy People Find Good in The World

Optimists seem to have different ways of dealing with the world that set them apart from the average.

First, they keep their minds on what they want, and keep looking for ways to get it.  They are clear about goals and they are confident that they will accomplish them, sooner or later.

Second, optimists look for the good in every problem or difficulty.  When things go wrong, as they often do, they say, “That’s good!”  And then set about finding something positive about the situation.

What we know is that, if you are looking for something good or beneficial in a person or situation, you will always find it.  And while you are looking, you will be a more positive and cheerful person.

The Power of Positive Thinking

Optimists seek the valuable lesson in every setback or reversal.  Rather than getting upset and blaming someone else for what has happened, they take control over their emotions by saying, “What can I learn from this experience?”

Resolve today to learn how to develop positive thinking and a positive attitude toward yourself, the people around you and your life.

How Do You Train Your Mind to Think Positive?

Training your mind to think positive can be achieved by leveraging a simple concept. Your mind has enough bandwidth to only focus on one thought at a time. All you have to do is keep it focused on uplifting thoughts until you form the same types of neural pathways that are created when you establish a new habit.

When a negative event occurs, remember that it’s your response that truly determines the outcome. Always look for the positive response or optimistic lesson when such events take place.

Positive affirmations are positive phrases that can be repeated over and over to teach you how to get rid of negative thoughts and encourage a positive attitude.

I also find motivation from inspirational quotes and messages to be very useful when trying to induce positive thoughts.

Decide to Be Happy

Resolve from now to see your glass of life as half full rather than half empty. Happy people give thanks for the many blessings in life rather than worrying or complaining about the things they do not have.

Assume the best of intentions on the part of everyone around you.  Most people are pretty decent, honest and are trying to do the very best they know how to.  When you look for something good in their words and actions, you will almost always find something.

Finally, resolve to be cheerful, no matter what happens.

Looking on the bright side is most important when things go wrong.

Your Positive Attitude in Action

It is easy to be cheerful when everything is going according to plan.  But it is when you encounter unexpected setbacks and difficulties that you demonstrate to yourself, and the world around you, what kind of an attitude you really have.

Make sure that it is a positive one!

How Positive Thinking Can Help You

Developing a positive attitude can help you in more ways than you might realize. When you think positive thoughts, you don’t allow your mind (conscious or subconscious) to entertain any negative thoughts or doubts.

After you learn how to think positive, you will notice amazing changes all around you. Your brain will actually begin to operate in a state of free-flowing feel-good hormones called endorphins, which will make you feel lighter and happier. You’ll also notice a major boost in confidence and will feel more capable of taking on new assignments and challenges that might have previously been outside your comfort zone.

By reducing your self-limiting beliefs, you will effectively release your brakes and experience growth like you never imagined. Essentially, you can change your entire life simply by harnessing the power of positive thinking.

Finding the Bright Side of Blindness

David Hagen lost his sight at the age of 67 due to Glaucoma. He has now made it his mission to help those with vision loss by being on the board of a Future in Sight, a nonprofit helping those with vision loss. Read on to find out more about how he turned losing his vision into something meaningful. Original article from Sea Coast Online

HAMPTON -- David Hagen figured it was merely his age that made it harder to see in brightly lit grocery stores or pick out details in a grassy field.

A checkup with an eye doctor seven years ago revealed it was in fact a severe case of glaucoma, a condition that left him legally blind. While the change has been difficult for Hagen, 67, loss of vision brought a new chapter in his life -- working to help other visually impaired people through Future in Sight.

Hagen, a Future in Sight board member and Hampton resident, will walk in the 16th annual Walk for Sight Saturday, June 1 in Concord. Participants hope to collectively raise $100,000 to go toward the $1.7 million cost of the organization’s programs and services. Future in Sight provides vision rehabilitation and educational services throughout New Hampshire for people who are blind or visually impaired to help them live independently.

“There are thousands of people who are struggling every day with vision loss and they don’t have any place to go,” said Hagen. “I just want everyone who needs our services to be able to get our services.”

Throughout his life, Hagen was always grateful he had good eyesight. He started wearing reading glasses as he got older, but distance was never a problem. He always had what he called fantastic vision.

“That’s why all of a sudden I realized I didn’t anymore,” said Hagen. “It came on pretty quick.”

It was suddenly difficult to see inside stores as their florescent lights are often hard on the eyes of those with vision problems. He said he recalled wondering why he couldn’t see well as he perused the grocery store aisles.

Depth perception, peripheral and distance also became a struggle seemingly overnight. He recalled struggling to find his dog’s droppings in the grass, his target suddenly lost in a sea of green. Indoors, he began feeling like the room was full of smoke but found no one else was seeing the same vision-blurring fog.

“I thought, ‘Wow, something must be going on,’” said Hagen, who decided to make an eye appointment at the vision center inside Walmart on Route 1 in Portsmouth. He was surprised to learn his problem would take more than a pair of prescription glasses when the doctor told him he had advanced glaucoma, causing high pressure in his eyes.

“He checked it a couple more times and said, ‘It’s pretty serious. We have a serious situation here,’” said Hagen. Despite laser surgery in both eyes and taking multiple medications, he was declared legally blind within six months.

“The specialist told me that I had pretty much gone beyond the point of no return,” said Hagen. “They could slow it down -- the vision loss -- but they couldn’t stop it.”

The news left Hagen scared for his future. Losing his ability to joy ride in his car and other activities was difficult to accept, but he said worst was thinking about what blindness meant for his place in the world.

"Just being in darkness, being a burden to people, being a burden to my family,” he said. “You take all of that for granted, then you realize, ‘I might lose all of that.’”

Today, Hagen takes four eye drops each day to prevent further damage to his eyes. Doctors say surgery could potentially worsen his eyes that are now fragile, so he has ruled that out.

He has difficulty reading letters on signs and during television programs like the news, including large print. To get around, Hagen feels uncomfortable asking people for rides unless they are already heading where he wants to go as he does not want to bother them. He still does activities like mowing the lawn, though he sometimes gets confused as to whether he has mowed the same strip of grass three or four times.

Working with Future in Sight, he said, is a part of what gets him through the tough times emotionally. The group helped 3,400 individuals and families in 2018, and Hagen said he tries to use relationships with the people he meets through Future in Sight to fuel his positivity.

“It’s really a blessing,” Hagen said of Future in Sight. “It’s kind of one of the things that makes me almost see the bright side.”

New Drug approved for Diabetic Retinopathy

There has been a new drug approved by the FDA that could help with diabetic retinopathy when caught in the early stages. Read on to find out more! Original article from Healthline

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in adults across the globe, according to the American Journal of Managed Care.

The most challenging aspect of retinopathy is that it often goes undetected until too much damage has been done and the person affected is already losing their vision.

As a result, this nearly silent assault on the eyes leaves people living with diabetes with few treatment options as the severity of the condition and vision loss worsens.

However, a new treatment option — Eylea, from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals — has just been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat all stages of diabetic retinopathy.

Eylea is a “vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)” inhibitor, which means it works by blocking the growth of potentially abnormal blood vessels. It reduces swelling and reduces the leakage and bleeding that’s responsible for increasing vision loss.

First created to treat diabetic macular edema, Eylea’s recent FDA approval will give people struggling with the threat of vision loss a greater chance of preserving their sight.

Regeneron’s press release reported that during a recently published clinical trial, Eylea reduced a patient’s risk of early signs of retinopathy from progressing into “proliferative diabetic eye disease” by 85 to 88 percent.

“Eylea is the only drug that has been approved for the early treatment of diabetic retinopathy to attempt to prevent the progression of serious retinal complications,” Dr. Mark Fromer, an ophthalmologist at Fromer Eye Centers in New York City, told Healthline.

While there are treatments for retinopathy that work similarly, experts say Eylea presents the best opportunity for a patient whose retinopathy is detected early to preserve as much vision and overall eye health as possible.

How diabetes threatens eyesight

While a person with diabetes can develop retinopathy even with well-managed blood sugar levels, the condition is generally rare.

Most cases of retinopathy are the result of chronically high blood sugar levels that gradually damage blood vessels in the retina of a person’s eye.

As the excessive amount of glucose in a person’s bloodstream damages and destroys those blood vessels, they will eventually begin to bleed or leak and impair vision, according to the National Eye Institute (NEI).

In addition to diligent diabetes management, one of the only ways to prevent severe vision loss from retinopathy is by stopping it early in its tracks — before symptoms develop — through annual eye exams with an optometrist.

Further developed retinopathy can reveal these signs and symptoms, according to the American Optometric Association:

• seemingly sudden or double vision
• difficulty reading text close up
• pain or pressure in your eyes
• a dark ring or aura around lights or glowing signs
• dark spots in your vision
• images of flashing lights in your vision

What usually follows retinopathy in a person with diabetes is diabetic macular edema (DME).

DME is characterized by the swelling of the macula in a person’s eye, which also severely threatens vision.

Following DME, people can be diagnosed with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), which is characterized by significant vision loss.

Existing treatments to save eyesight

“There are essentially three different types of treatment for diabetic retinopathy,” explained Fromer. “These include laser therapy or injections of two different classes of drugs — steroids or anti-VEGFs like Eylea.”

Avastin and Lucentis are the most commonly known treatments for diabetic retinopathy and are delivered via injection.

However, Lucentis is only approved and intended to treat the later stages of retinopathy and DME.

One of the biggest challenges to these injection treatments is getting a patient onboard with the idea.

While annual eye exams can be difficult for some people to schedule consistently, the fear that might result from being told you’ll need an injection in your eye could prevent someone from receiving treatment altogether.

“Although the concept of injections sounds frightening to most patients, the injections are not painful, as a topical anesthetic is provided prior to the injection,” said Fromer.

Some patients might disagree.

“While they do put a lot of numbing drops into your eye beforehand,” Stacey Divone told Healthline last year, “the moment you see that needle come up to your eye and the liquid is actually flowing into your eyeball, it’s a very unpleasant feeling.”

Divone has lived with type 1 diabetes for 20 years and was diagnosed with quickly progressing DME and retinopathy. She was treated with one injection of Lucentis last year.

During the two days after her treatment, she said the pain in her eyes felt like “razors,” but that pain eventually subsided and she hasn’t needed any additional treatments.

In the near future, noninvasive treatments such as a “glowing contact lens” may be available, dramatically simplifying how retinopathy and DME are treated.

Choose your treatment wisely

Injections of Lucentis and Eylea don’t come cheap. Avastin is actually more affordable than both.

All three are covered by Medicare.

While Eylea proved to be just as effective as Lucentis, both cost approximately $2,000 per injection per eye.

Avastin, on the other hand, costs $50 per injection. Why? The Chicago Tribune’s research attributed it to the increasingly complex money game within today’s health insurance and reimbursement design.

For example, doctors could prescribe a more expensive treatment if the patient is covered by Medicare and then receive nearly four times as much in reimbursement versus prescribing the more affordable option.

Regardless, if a patient’s retinopathy is in the earliest stages, Eylea is their only effective option to preserve their eyesight.

Fromer emphasizes, however, to be sure to discuss all your options with your eye care team.

“Your doctor must be familiar with all treatment options when it comes to treating patients with diabetic retinopathy as all patients do not respond the same to each treatment,” he explained.

“Complications are rare with injections,” he added. “The risk of visual loss if not treated is much greater. The benefits of stabilization of diabetic retinopathy with treatment far outweigh the risks.”

Preservation of eyesight is simple

The American Diabetes Association’s HbA1c guidelines suggest people strive for an HbA1c at or below 7 percent for the best possible prevention of diabetes-related eye complications.

Research has also shown that, even for adolescents with type 1 diabetes, an A1c below 7.5 percent significantly reduces the risk of retinopathy.

While taking vitamins A, E, C, and lutein can help improve eye health, nothing can compensate for persistently high blood sugar levels.

And everyone with diabetes should have their eyes examined every year.

The NEI also reported that early detection through annual eye exams can reduce your risk of vision loss by 95 percent.

“The most important information for the patient to have is they must be involved with their care. This means careful vigilance with diet, exercise, and blood sugar control along with regular monitoring with their retinal specialist,” added Fromer. “This is their greatest chance to save their vision.”

A Simple Step to Stop Worrying

A Simple but Effective Trick to Stop Worrying So Much

"I just can't shut off my brain. I worry so much I can't pay attention to what I'm doing." I hear comments like this in my therapy office on a daily basis. 

Whether you're constantly worried about money, or you just can't stop imagining worst-case scenarios, anxiety can be a major problem.

Ruminating about the past and worrying about the future makes it impossible to stay in the present moment. Consequently, worrying will impair your performance and affect almost everything you do.

It can also take a major toll on your relationships. If you're distracted all the time, or you introduce "what if..." questions into your conversations, because you're predicting terrible outcomes, those around you may grow weary.

The good news is, there's a simple strategy that can help you contain your worrying. It sounds counterintuitive, but it really works.

Schedule Time to Worry

Most of the worriers who enter my therapy office are hoping for a quick solution. I don't blame them, worrying takes a toll on your well-being. But there isn't a magic trick or a special pill that instantly cures worrying.

However, there are several cognitive-behavioral strategies that can reduce worrying, and one of the most effective solutions is to schedule time to worry.

That means setting aside 30 minutes each day to worry. Mark it in your calendar or add it to your schedule. Make it consistent if you can, like "I'll worry from 7 to 7:30 p.m. every night."

Then, whenever you catch yourself worrying outside of that time frame, remind yourself it's not time to worry, and you'll have plenty of time to think about those worries during your scheduled time.

Once you arrive at your scheduled worry time, worry all you want. Sit and think about your worries, or write them down, whichever you prefer.

Then, after 30 minutes have passed, tell yourself it's time to get back to your everyday life. With practice, it'll help you contain your worries to just 30 minutes a day.

Why It Works

Several studies have found that scheduling time to worry is an effective way to reduce anxiety, and most studies have found that people experience relief in about two weeks.

A study performed by researchers at Penn State separated participants into two groups. One group was told to schedule time to worry, and the other group was told to continue worrying as usual.

The individuals who scheduled time to worry experienced a significant decrease in anxiety, compared to the control group.

Additionally, those individuals who scheduled time to worry also slept better (insomnia is often linked with anxiety).

So why does this work? One reason is that worrying has no limits. You could worry about the same things over and over again forever, or, you could find endless things to worry about.

Scheduling time to worry contains your worrisome thoughts to just 30 minutes. So, if you're used to worrying half of your waking hours, you'll get a lot of time back.

Limiting your time to worry can also help you make your worrying time productive. Rather than ruminating (which involves dwelling on the problem), you'll be more likely to look for a solution when you know there's a clear limit to how much time you can spend thinking about an issue.

Tips for Getting Started

Here are the quick and simple strategies for reducing the amount of time and energy you devote to your worries:

1. Pick a 30-minute time slot to worry and put it in your schedule every day.

2. Keep your worry time and place as consistent as possible, and don't schedule it too close to bedtime.

3. If you catch yourself worrying outside your allotted time, remind yourself that you'll worry later. (Write down your worry right away if you're worried you're going to forget about it.)

4. When you reach your worry time, set a timer for 30 minutes.

5. Sit and think, or write your worries in a notebook, whichever you prefer.

6. Keep practicing and you'll find that warding off your worries gets easier over time.

Schedule time to worry for two weeks, and you'll likely notice that you're feeling better and sleeping better, because your worrisome thoughts will no longer drain your mental strength all day long.

If your anxiety is serious, however, it's important to see a trained a mental health professional. Anxiety disorders are treatable, and without help, they can grow worse over time.