Therapist Unlimited Blog

A popular saying state that the eyes is the windows to the soul.
But recent medical research has shown that eyes is more than just a window for the soul since it can also offer important clues  to your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Researchers of the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) are currently doing an extensive study to prove that blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye reflect changes in blood vessels in other parts of the body, especially the brain, kidneys and heart.
The team of medical experts believed that that blood vessels in the retina can be photographed and the images analysed by a computer to accurately determine a person’s risk of heart attack or stroke cardiovascular diseases that change the appearance of blood vessels in the eye.
Lead CERA researcher, Professor Tien Wong, explained through their study they wish to show that that combining this non-invasive retinal scan with the results from current risk assessment methods will improve precision and reliability in predicting cardiovascular disease.
Wong and his team has taken thousands of eye images and created a program that recognises common features of conditions that cause damage to be seen on the retina.

Your eyes is not only the window of the soul but also an indicator if a man suffers from a form of heart disease.

Once a person has symptoms of cardiovascular disease, damage has already been done to the body. So finding and treating high risk people early, even before they have symptoms, could minimise blood vessel damage and potentially avoid heart attack or stroke.
At present, doctors estimate a person’s statistical chance of developing cardiovascular disease by looking at individual factors such as whether they smoke, their family history, weight, blood cholesterol and blood pressure. Once you get symptoms, more extensive and sometimes invasive tests, such as angiogram are needed to confirm the result and assess severity of damage to the arteries of the heart or elsewhere.
Professor Wong said, "Results from the retinal scan would be delivered to GPs for a better picture of their patient’s health.
Dr. Christine Bennett, chair of the MBF Foundation Steering Committee and Bupa Chief Medical Officer*, went on to say, "This early assessment of the likelihood that a person will develop diseases like heart disease, stroke or even type 2 diabetes has the potential to significantly improve quality of life, reduce hospitalisations and the 50,000 deaths each year caused by cardiovascular disease."
Once a person knows their risk they may be able to delay the onset of developing cardiovascular disease by modifying their lifestyle accordingly.
"We know that smoking, too much alcohol, inactivity and poor nutrition are bad for our health but seeing the evidence not with, but in, your own eyes could be the wake-up call that triggers change," Bennett said.
 

During important celebrations such as Independence Day celebration having fireworks, display is part of the tradition around the world.
Having fireworks, display adds fire and excitement to the event, which is why it is a favorite by people worldwide.
Despite the lure and sparkle, it provide it is good to remember that fireworks display can cause eye injuries to those who are not that careful in using it.
According to the study conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) each year, fireworks are responsible for thousands of injuries to adults and children.
Many injuries affect eyesight, causing permanent damage and in some cases blinding the victims.
Based on the recent data gathered by CPSC, fireworks were involved in an estimated 9,800 injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms in 2007.
The CPSC also reported the eyes were the second most commonly injured part of the body with approximately 1,400 instances.
Of those eye injuries, one-third resulted in permanent eye damage.
While most of these injuries were contusions, lacerations and foreign bodies in the eyes the most important thing to note is that many of these injuries were preventable.

Fireworks display might be a thing of beauty but it can also offer eye injuries to users and bystanders alike.

Moreover, CPSC revealed bottle rockets and sparklers are two of the most common fireworks associated with eye injuries.
Bottle rockets can cause serious eye injuries because they are very unpredictable and tend to fly erratically which can cause injury to bystanders.
They can also break the can or bottle used to shoot them off throwing shards of glass or metal into the air. Many children enjoy sparklers; however, they also send numerous children to the emergency room. Parents may not be aware that sparklers can easily burn children since they heat up to 1800 degrees (hot enough to melt gold).
In addition, the sparks given off can damage the eye.
The individuals shooting off the fireworks are not the only ones being injured. Data from the United States Eye Injury Registry shows that bystanders are injured by fireworks 50 percent of the time.
Be safe this year by staying away from private firework use.
Protect the eyes by attending a professional display, and enjoy the spectacle in the sky.
With the possible eye, injuries it offers are you still keen on using fireworks? Well, the decision is yours.