A Truly Happy Easter

Whether it’s a yearly tradition with your family or not, we’ve all been able to say we’ve been on an Easter egg hunt, competing with our friends and siblings to find the most eggs. But what about kids who can’t see? How are they supposed to go on a hunt for Easter eggs?

Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort and AT&T have a very special Easter egg hunt planned for 50 children who are blind. The two partners have put a creative twist on the traditional Easter egg hunt—they made it about the children’s sense of hearing, rather than their sense of sight. Each egg will beep, making it easier for the kids to find the eggs.

The children, who attend the Blind Children’s Learning Center in Los Angeles, are unable to enjoy the simple pleasures most children experience, like going on an Easter egg hunt, but this year they will be given the opportunity to make some wonderful memories.

In addition to the Easter egg hunt, Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort has also planned cookie decorating and a surprise visit from the Easter Bunny. The Easter egg hunt will be held on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at 10 a.m.

References: Los Angeles CBS Local

Sun Safety

With March upon us, spring is fast approaching. The outdoor activities, backyard barbecues, and the warmer temperature are all signs of a brighter season, which means more time spent outside. And as we learned from our blog post about Anderson Cooper and his temporary blindness, protecting our eyes from the sun is extremely important! 

Sunglasses protect our eyes by filtering light and shielding our eyes from damaging sun rays. A good pair of sunglasses reduces glare and filters out 99% of UV rays, which can even protect our eyes from common eye diseases, like cataracts!

Many doctors recommend wearing polarized glasses while driving, boating or fishing, because polarized lenses reduce glare, and thereby reduce eye strain and improve visibility. While finding the right protective sunglasses for yourself, remember that children are even more likely to suffer the harmful effects of sunrays because their eyes are not as developed. The lenses in children’s eyes are clear, which allows greater levels of UV light into the eyes, so it is especially important for children to wear polarized sunglasses while outdoors. 

Wearing sunglasses is an easy and fast way to protect your eyes from sunburn, cataracts, blindness and even cancer, so make it a point to buy a pair of sunglasses for every person in your family today!

Eye-Opening Information About Cataracts

In the Journal Sentinel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, an article titled “Eye-opening Facts and Myths About Eye Health” was released explaining the startling facts about eye health and cataracts.  Cataracts is the leading cause of blindness among older adults.  More than half Americans have cataracts by the age of 80.

So what is this disease that more than half of elderly Americans suffer from?  Cataracts is a clouding of the eye’s lens.  A cataract blocks light needed for sight.  Your vision may become blurry or dim because light can’t pass properly through the lens to the retina.  Another difference between a cataract eye and a normal eye is the scattered light rays between the lens and the retina.

How does one know if they have a cataract?  Three changes to your vision that might be a sign of a cataract are: blurred or double vision, light seeming to dim for reading or up-close work, and changing eye prescriptions often.

How does one treat cataracts? Surgery is the only proven treatment for cataracts.  Similar to removing a lens from a camera, cataract surgery replaces the old lens with an intraocular lens implant.  The intraocular lens implant is an artificial lens that come the closest to a normal human lens.

What will one’s sight be like after the surgery?  The lenses move with the eye, therefore there is no loss of side vision with the lens.  Yet, you may not be able to see distant objects clearly for some time after surgery.  If you decide not to have a surgery, cataract eyeglasses magnify everything 30%.