Eye Problems Made Simple

Cataract : Simple Info


Lets look at the eye anatomy first, what part is affected by cataract?

A cataract is the clouding of the lens of the eye. The most common type is age related. There are other cause are like diabetes,trauma and many more.

The photo above is an example of a Mature Cataract that needs cataract surgery. Now the question is, when your doctor tells you that you need to be operated ,what will your doctor do? What is actually being done?

Let me put it simply :

The cataract is actually the lens of the eye. In structure it can be compared to a hamburger.

The meat patty being the middle layer ( nucleus) of the lens. The top half of the bun is the anterior capsule that is removed during surgery and the lower half of the bun is the posterior capsule which must remain intact to hold the new clear lens implant( Intraocular Lens ).


In the past, cataract removal had been done manually, but now it can be done with the aid of phacoemulsification machine.

Depending on your surgeon, anesthesia could be local/topical ( meaning you are awake and can hear everything but not feel any pain) or IV sedation ( an anesthesiologist will put you to sleep). The microsurgery is done in 15 to 30 minutes. Either way,the procedure is generally on out patient basis.

The cloudy lens is replaced with an IOL ( intraocular lens). Your doctor will discuss what kind of IOL you want /need .The present high technology and scientific innovations has paved the way to a simple 15 minutes to 30 minutes out patient procedure.

You will be then given antibiotic eyed rops and anti inflammatory eyedrops to help in the healing process. Surgery done manually takes longer to heal ( approximately 2 months maximum). You are advised not to strain during this healing period. While the ones done by phaco has smaller incision so they heal faster and can be back to normal their activities in approximately 3 weeks to 1 month.

Nowadays, there is really no reason why a patient would go blind because of cataract. For the less fortunate ones, we also screen patients who can be done as charity cases. Plus we have government hospitals who offer free cataract surgeries with very minimal hospital expenses.

I hope I live to see the time when we no longer see blind people due to neglected cataract that has become complicated that we cannot do anything about it.

Take care of your eyes!

Boracay Experience

Thanks to "Milky's Dive" in Boracay, I had a complimentary dive. It was a stunning experience. This was free for me! But everyone can enjoy the same experience for only 900 pesos. If you contact me before going to Boracay and you will do this , I can ask Milky (Owner/friend) for a discount!

I have Boracay for 5 times now, If you have a tight budget and would want to save with your accommodation, i can recommend " Alice in Wonderland" along station 3, costing only 2000 pesos good for 4 people. It is near to the talipapa where you can buy swim swear and "pasalubongs" at a bargain. But if money is not an issue and you just want to enjoy to the max, try "Astoria" along station 1 and very near to the grotto, where you can witness the beauty of the setting sun.

Getting there is easy by plane from manila to caticlan. Then 15 minutes ferry from caticlan port to the island of Boracay. You can then choose to ride on a trike or a min cab. Just found out lately that the last trip of the ferry is as late as 10 pm depending on the traffic.

Boracay has something for all walks of life. There is a quiet part in the north side of the island, the Eco Village which is near the Puka Beach. More private and more quiet environment but water tends to be a little rougher.

For people who love the crowd , calm beach and night life, the long stretch of the main white beach along station 1 to 3 is the place to be. Here, they say "What you see in Boracay you leave in Boracay".

If you have any questions at all and if you are planning a vaction to Boracay, feel free to ask. I will try my best to answer. Enjoy life to the fullest!

For a good map of the Island and to help you with which hotel to choose, try this website : http://www.toursboracay.com/boracay-map.php

Photoshop CS5

Photography enthusiasts, Photoshop CS5 is amazing! I am a neophyte in photography but i get hooked to editing my pictures with this program.
Here are sample pictures i practiced on to create HDR using CS5.

One more interesting thing that is new in CS5 is "content aware fill" that enables you to erase unwanted wires and posts and even unwanted people! LOL. Here is the before and after photos as an example.

ORIGINAL PHOTO TAKEN FROM TINAGO FALLS, ILIGAN, PHILIPPINES

AFTER USING CONTENT-AWARE FILL in CS5

Everybody is gone, except for the little boy!

Isn't it more fun to click and edit in CS5?! If you have any questions, feel free to ask, I will try to answer if i can.

Happy clicking everyone!

Eyes Scramble

Sore eyes? Dry eyes? Headache?

This is the place where you can ask questions and advices how to go about with your eye problems. Since i spend a lot of time in the computer ( after work), I decided to offer free advice here.

Computers and cellphones are now basic parts of our lives, from kids, students to working adults. Needless to say, technology has been the most common cause of eye strain, from simple dry eye to red eye and headache.

Pain around the eyes and headache are the 2 most common complaints. It could be due to dry eye and eyestrain caused by excessive computer use for several hours. Or you might need an eyeglasses! The most inexpensive way to prevent dry eye is to blink! We often forget to blink if we are in front of the PC or TV. If you have problems somewhat related to the ones i mentioned, just ask away and i will try to help. Also, the safest eyedrops to start with is lubricant or artificial tears. This will help prevent dry eyes. You can also try

Most common is eye infection or sore eyes. My advise is to stop rubbing your one red eye with a hanky because chances are you will rub it in your other eye and you will get both eyes infected! Not only that, you have to understand that you get sore eyes thru contact or touch, not by just looking. To avoid spreading it within the household the rule is "no touch". And of course it has to be treated with antibiotics eyedrops for 7 days.

It is still best to have an appointment with your eye doctor as soon as you can.