Inflammation in the body has a positive role in helping to heal infections and injuries, but ongoing inflammation that is no longer needed for healing can have the opposite effect. Chronic inflammation can adversely impact health. [Read more...]
Keep Moving: Exercise Benefits Your Eyes
May 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment
The benefits of regular exercise are numerous. Decades of research has shown that exercise is key to weight management, mental clarity, stress reduction, and disease prevention. More recent studies have shown a direct impact on eye health as well. [Read more...]
Vitamin D and Your Eyes
March 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment
The Vitamin D Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing reliable and evidence-based information about vitamin D, notes that researchers consider lack of sufficient vitamin D to be pandemic. [Read more...]
Evidence Supports Increased Screening of Dry Eye Patients for Sjögren’s Syndrome
March 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Last year, the Sjögren’s Syndrome Foundation (SSF) announced a major initiative to reduce the time it takes to receive a Sjögren’s diagnosis by 50%. At present, the average time from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis is over 5 years, which delays treatment and can lead to prolonged discomfort and increased complications for patients. [Read more...]
Rare Disease Support Resources and Rare Disease Day 2013
February 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment
A rare disease is defined as one that affects fewer than 200,000 Americans. Nearly 7,000 rare diseases impact the lives of almost 30 million Americans. Here at BFS, a number of these rare diseases are very familiar to us and to our patient community. [Read more...]
Dry Eye Severity Directly Linked with Decreased Reading Rates
February 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Reading is a critical life skill, essential for communicating with others, keeping up with the news, understanding instructions, succeeding at work, using a computer, or simply for enjoyment. Vision problems can seriously impede reading and make these necessary tasks extremely difficult and, in some cases, impossible. [Read more...]
Prescription Medications and Dry Eye Side Effects
January 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment
New pharmaceuticals and their generic counterparts are approved every week by the FDA. In fact, 2012 was the strongest year of the last 16 with 39 new drugs approved. While this is certainly great news for those whose health conditions can be better treated and managed with these new drugs or medication costs reduced with the approval of generic formulations, all prescription medications can produce side effects. [Read more...]
New Sjögren’s Antibody Discovery Improves Diagnosis
December 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment
With the approach of the new year also comes new hope for those with Sjögren’s syndrome. A recent discovery of a new autoantibody associated with Sjögren’s syndrome is leading to the development of a new diagnostic test that will more accurately identify a diagnosis of Sjögren’s early in the disease process. [Read more...]
Holidays’ Stressors Can Increase Fatigue: Here’s Help
December 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The holiday season is upon us. Although filled with celebrations and excitement, the frenzied pace of the holidays can leave even the most energetic of us feeling exhausted. Coping with fatigue from chronic or serious illness is quite different than the exhaustion that comes from too many late nights and not enough sleep. [Read more...]
Like Coffee? Here’s Another Reason to Drink Up!
October 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Ahhhh….coffee. The first thing I used to do every morning was head straight for the coffee maker. I’ve found that most people fall into one of two camps: you either love coffee or hate it. I’ll freely admit that I love everything about it! Certainly coffee isn’t everyone’s morning pick-up beverage of choice, but for those of you who do indulge in caffeinated beverages, here’s an interesting study that highlights the benefit of caffeine for dry eye sufferers. [Read more...]