10 STEPS TO PERFECT DENTAL HYGIENE Whether rich or poor, educated or illiterate, black or white or yellow, good or bad, one

constant remains, and thats eating. Food is the number one reason why we work, and also you need the food to keep working. In the morning before work, during work, after work, food, food, food, not forgetting drinks. All these pass through that mouth of yours. It therefore tells you how much you should care for your dental health, or else problems will start. 1. Brushing This is the most fundamental measure in dental hygiene that most people practice. It is recommended that the teeth should be brushed at least twice a day. This is best done in the morning and evening before sleep, always after meals. The reason why is that bacteria are always after the food particles that are left stuck between the teeth and other fissures within the oral cavity. It is these bacteria that lead to dental diseases, thus they should be starved of food by brushing the teeth. Always remember to use fluoride toothpaste so as to harden your teeth as a measure of protection against attack. 2. Mouthwash Often times, youll wake up with dry mouth because of sleeping with your mouth open the whole night. This denies the oral cavity the much needed saliva that constantly washes away any bacteria in the mouth. You therefore wake up with a film of bacteria on the gums, teeth and tongue, ready to feast on any food available. The best remedy for this is the specially formulated mouthwash that simply washes away all the bacteria. 3. Dental floss Let not the term scare you, if youve never come across it. This is simply a soft thread of floss silk or similar material used to clean between the teeth. The normal toothbrush, no matter how well its used, will never be able to remove all food particles engorged between the teeth. In such cases, hold the dental floss tightly by the fingers of both your hands and move it up and down between the teeth, one at a time until you are through. Do this once a day, preferably in the evening. 4. Diet Sweets, sticky foods, sugary snacks, sweet drinks, etc, are the best treat for mouth bacteria. Avoid these if your dental health is to remain. The action of bacteria on the sugar forms an acid that will eventually corrode your teeth into cavities. Switch to healthy snacks and youll be safe. 5. Fissure sealants If your teeth are deeply grooved, especially the chewing surface, food will always be trapped, and brushing may not help much. Visit your dentist for application of the fissure sealant. 6. Tooth scaling Twice a year, always visit your dental hygienist for a thorough cleaning of the teeth. This involves the removal of every bit of dental plaque and tartar that cant be removed by normal brushing 7. Debridement

This also aims at removing all dental plaque and calculus, only that it uses ultrasonic instruments and other chemicals in addition to the conventional hand tools used in scaling. 8. Fluoride tablets Fluoride strengthens teeth by hardening the tooth enamel, thus guarding against attack. This is the reason why many states are required to add fluoride to tap water. For special conditions, upon the doctors own discretion, you may be required to use fluoride tablets for the same purpose (This especially applies to children). Ensure you follow the prescription as excessive fluoride may again stain the teeth 9. Quit smoking It is now a proven fact that smoking facilitates the accumulation of tartar and plaque on the teeth and gums; just compare the mouths of a regular smoker and a non-smoker! Quit this habit for your safety.

10. Dental chewing gum

If you are into this habit, why not try dental chewing gums? These are sugarless chewing gums taken after meals to stimulate saliva production, rinse away tiny food particles, neutralize the effects of some bacteria and acids and thus lower the risk of developing dental plaques and cavities. If your teeth are far much damaged already, it would be wise to consider a dental implant. This will maintain your professional look and standing in society. No one, after all, wants a tainted image.

A LOOK AT YOUR DENTAL HYGIENE Often times you will meet that boy or girl, or man or woman, in painful tears, or if not crying, in a somber decisive mood, saying from deep within the heart, Never, never, never again! Ive had enough of the torture and its time to learn responsibility. This is the usual scenario that grips many after a forced visit to the dental clinic, forced because tooth removal is the only option, at least for the average man. The teeth are already decayed, cavity laden, mouth with foul breath, unhealthy gums, name it. Its true that experience teaches fools, but it is not the only teacher. Knowledge is power, and knowing how to maintain dental hygiene is powerful. You certainly have to avoid the dental clinic bed at all costs. Once the dentist decides to hammer off your tooth from its deep roots, youll have a story to tell. Despite the use of anesthesia to rid the pain, the ordeal of your tooth being forced out by queer metallic tools is painful enough. The responsibility of dental care remains yours. The dental professional only comes in when asked to. But why all this fuss about dental hygiene? Eating is a part of life, a very important one, if I may grade it. As the world sits right now, it is no wonder that tooth decay is said to be the most common global disease affecting every family. What causes decay? Part of the food that we eat remains trapped between the teeth and other fissures within the oral cavity. These are deposited on the teeth as plaque, i.e. a yellow sticky film on the teeth and gums, and in some instances on the tongue. The action of saliva on the plaque eventually forms tartar. When bacteria act on these deposits, an acid is formed, and this is the cause of the cavities as it wears the teeth with time. Get rid of plaque Dental care thus basically aims at getting rid of the plaque and tartar from the teeth and gums. To accomplish this, it is recommended to brush your teeth at least twice a day. Fluoride toothpaste should be used as fluoride hardens the teeth. Before brushing the teeth, use some dental floss between the teeth to get rid of food particles. This also allows the fluoride to have better access between the teeth. Move the floss up and down the gaps between the teeth, one at a time. Always remember to massage the gums after each brush to avoid bleeding. Foods to avoid You are what you eat still applies to dental health. Sugar is the number one culprit of tooth decays and other related dental diseases. Avoid sugary snacks as much as possible. These can be replaced with healthy alternatives like raw vegetables, fruits, plain yoghurt, cheese, crackers, etc. Sweet drinks should also be minimized if your teeth are to remain healthy. Dental checkups If youve never thought about it, its now time to plan regular dental checkups with your dental hygienist. The dentist should perform a thorough cleaning of the teeth, through scaling, polishing and debridement. All these loosen and remove deposits from the teeth. Once-a-year routine is recommended. If you take good care of your teeth, never will you hear of tooth decay, periodontitis, bad breath, gingivitis, gum disease and so forth.

ANOTHER REASON TO KEEP SHOOTING THEM Aristotle, that famous Greek Philosopher, once cautioned the world never to think, or even attempt it, without an image. The truth and the weight of this has been seen over the past centuries as better and more complex photographing techniques and equipment continue to be invented. The foundation of photography actually dates as far as the ancient Romans, but the history of cameras starts in the 17th century. From the mechanical Camera Obscura, which worked on the pin-hole mechanism, the world now boasts of the unequaled Digital Photography technique, one that will live for decades to come. You may ask, why all this effort? Surely, it cant just be for entertainment. I can vividly remember my Mums graduation ceremony after her sudden demise. In that overwhelming sorrow and grief beyond control, all tore up, streams of painful tears running down my cheeks, friends and family comforting me, I remember the camera man coming right where I seated. After a nice time of focusing and self composition, the flash flooded my sad face and I knew I had been captured live. Within my heart, I promised myself to keep that particular photo as a reminiscence of that first woman in my life that I loved so dearly. Whenever I look at my album, and in particular that photo, a tear never misses in my eyes, no matter the current mood, whether as high as the sky or very low. Thats exactly what photographs do, evoking feelings and stirring up emotions. We all must have passed through adolescence, where the portrait of the girl of our dreams never missed in our closets. Just a look and the feeling of contentment saturates your whole being. What of your graduation day? What about the day you won that prize after such and such hard work? What of name it. Nothing captures such moments better than a professional photograph. Photography, these days, is also a source of income to many a people. Some companies employ fulltime photojournalists who accompany them on whatever mission they go to for a comprehensive coverage. A wedding will also not be complete without a professional photographer, meaning some coins in the pocket at the end of the day. This is not necessarily a full time job for many, but just a project to earn that extra cent above your usual daytime job. On the internet, no site will attract readers without eye-catching photos of moments or features relating to the story. This is also true for billboards, newspapers, magazines, brochures, product advertisements and instruction manuals. Nothing better summarizes a description than a photograph. In fact, they are enough to tell a whole story, even without a single word. When included in the above mentioned items, the reader immediately gets the message, the interest is aroused and the likelihood of reading the rest of the story becomes high. You certainly have friends with whom you like sharing your lifes moments, be it ups or downs. Story after story is normally told, but often times will the listener ask, Do you have some photos on that? Not because they want to shove you off; that is the power of photography. This will also earn you well deserved accolades. Just the mention of, Wow, what a nice shot! suffices. A smile wont be forced to show on your face. Your self esteem is thus built for even better skills and youll definitely promise yourself perfection of the same. Magazines, newspapers, news sites and other sites like Yahoo are always out for the best photos around the world. They may not adequately deploy their troops to every nook and cranny, and so they depend on you. This fact has led to photo taking contests at the end of which some dear prize is won. Some publishers pay for the photos you send them, for instance, a womens magazine which pays $25-50 for cute kid photos. Unbelievable!

From a medical point of view, photography is a healing to the soul. Just try one day to go out with a determination to capture natures most interesting features. You may have been so low, but as the beauty in nature unfolds, a calmness and deep appreciation of life results. You begin seeing things in a different angle you may never have had before. Thats the reason why some take photography as a hobby. The same nature is what makes the bigger part of scientific resources and researches. The list is endless, so to say. If you have ever thought of quitting, there is always a reason to keep on shooting. Take that good snapshot to stop the moment from running away.

DO YOU CARE ENOUGH FOR YOUR EYESIGHT? Did you know that? 285 million people worldwide are visually impaired? 13% of these are blind and the rest have moderate to severe visual impairment? 75% of blindness can be easily avoided? One of the most cost-effective healthcare ventures is eye care? There will be 76 million blind men and women by 2020 if no intervention is made?

Shocking facts indeed that ought to put you on your toes as regards your eye care. Ive always had this thought, sorry for the crudeness, but its worth it: Amongst your five senses, if one was to be taken from you, which one would you want to keep at all costs? Eyesight is undoubtedly the answer for many. Its importance cannot be overlooked in this present world. As vital as it is to ones own survival, quite a large number of people have neglected proper care of the same, maybe due to ignorance or just I-care-less attitude. Let me start with something that affects billions today, that is the computer. Almost every household, every office has one. It so occupies the workday nowadays such that a worker may be glued to the screen for hours on end. If this is not checked, eyesight problems may inevitably result. It is always advisable to take some break every 20-30 minutes when working on the computer. The monitor should also be suitably fitted with anti-glare screen or positioned in a way that minimizes glare. Long stares at the screen without blinking might cause the condition known as dry eye. When not at work, youll most probably be spending your time out in the sun, maybe strolling, playing outdoor games, picnicking, etc. Some even work all day long in the sun. Now, the sun radiates some form of energy known as the UV rays, which are invisible to the human eye. Slowly and surely, these harmful rays damage your eyesight and hurt your vision. They even burn your eye and may cause thermal damage. Such small issues are easily avoidable. You only have to wear your sunglasses which will filter light and protect your eyes from the damaging UV rays. A protective hat is also available. If wearing spectacles, please ensure that they are protectively coated to protect your eyes from the UV rays. Lint, dust, eyelash or any other foreign matter may accidentally get stuck in your eyes. Always try to remove the intruder with a clean piece of cloth, wash with water or some eye irrigating solution. The doctor should be consulted if your efforts prove futile. Young children, depending on the climate of an area, may get their eyelids infested with lice. Such should be suffocated by petrolatum or a non-medicated ointment. You may also be suffering from refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness). These are due to very weak lenses or very strong lenses that focus the image in front of or behind the retina respectively. If you ignore spectacles, youll certainly strain your eyes to see things clearly. This only weakens the eye lenses further, thus deteriorating your eyesight more and more each day. You must see the eye doctor for treatment. Some eye conditions can be easily rectified by Over-The-Counter eye products, which vary in brands and ingredients used. Artificial tear drops can be used to lubricate the eyes and thicken tears as a remedy

for dry eye. This can alternatively be done by some ointments just before sleep. Use eyewashes and eye scrubs to rinse debris from the eyes. Some eye diseases are best diagnosed and treated by the optometrist or ophthalmologist. Cataracts, glaucoma, blepharitis and other retinal diseases should immediately be referred to the eye doctor, otherwise blindness may be on its way to you. Observing these will at least prevent many eye diseases and visual defects.

IS TOOTH BRUSHING ENOUGH FOR DENTAL HYGIENE?

Up to now, I vividly recall my experience at the local dental clinic some years past. How comes? I dont believe this. If there is any who takes good care of his teeth, I am that one person! This was my reaction after being unexpectedly diagnosed with a tooth cavity around one of the wisdom teeth. The painful ache had just increased with the onset of the cold season. I could no longer walk out comfortably during the evenings, leave alone the night. In fact, I had to cover my jaws on the outside with some cloth or else I would be in serious trouble. I wondered why the pain, and the least idea that could come to my mind was a tooth cavity. Not that I had not seen people with the same, but I trusted myself beyond normal. Only because I took good care of my teeth through twice-aday brushes, but I was to be proved wrong. I had to face the brutal dental hygienist. I give my credit to the mouth because of what it handles. Imagine all the food and drinks that pass through that small organ, every hour, every day, from the day of bath, till the day of departure. As you feast on all that, the bacteria also demand to have a good share of the national cake. To be able to feed well, the numerous bacteria form a sticky colorless film on the tooth surface. Part of the food you eat, the fluids you drink and the saliva itself will definitely be deposited on the sticky bacteria deposit. This is what the medical professionals refer to as plaque. This is not a lifetime process as you may think. Only four hours after you brush the teeth, the plaque starts forming. It starts just above the gums and flows on to the teeth surface. By the chemical action of the saliva on this plaque, tartar or calculus is formed, which is just a form of hardened dental plaque. All this is food for the bacteria. They break down the sugars and form some corrosive acid which eats away the teeth, as hard as they are. If this is not checked, the acid will slowly corrode the enamel until the pulp cavity is exposed, then the problem starts. Actually, not starting, but this is when you feel the pain because the sensory nerve endings have become exposed to the hostile environment. Even with regular brushing, be it twice or thrice a day, some plaque will certainly escape removal because of the intricate design of the oral cavity. The bristles cannot reach every nook and cranny of the mouth. It is for this reason that dental hygienists recommend dental flossing to be done at least once a day. This simply involves moving the dental floss up and down the gaps between the teeth to get rid of plaque build up there. The fluoride in the toothpastes thus gains access to a larger surface area of the teeth for remineralisation of the demineralised teeth, in simple terms, the opposite of the corrosion. To wash away the bacteria, a regular mouthwash is required. This is particularly vital for those who suffer dry mouth, especially the aged. In addition to these, your dental hygienist must also take a part in cleaning the teeth. Every six months, you should approach the dentist for a thorough cleaning of the mouth, gums, teeth, tongue, etc. They use tooth scaling, polishing and debridement to loosen and remove all deposits from teeth. You only have to part with a few coins and there you are; no pain, no strain.

Depending on tooth-brushing alone may cause you more harm than you thought. ONE CUSTOMER WELL TAKEN CARE OF Lifes rugged road may not have allowed me to own a personal car, nor be able to hire taxis while on the go, and therefore I use what we commonly refer to as Public Transport. One afternoon, as I sat on the back seat of the 14-seater, this nursery rhyme could no longer keep its peace. It just came so vivid to me and I found myself humming it over and over again. I will NEVER go to Bosco any more more more, Theres a big fat policeman on the door door door, He will catch you by the collar, cast you by the river, I will NEVER go to Bosco any more more more! The Nissan had just started moving after being packed with passengers, big and small, to capacity. Back at home, we mostly use the 14-seaters, which the touts have unashamedly converted to 20-seaters. You may marvel, but this is from the horses mouth. Having nothing to do, I just stared at the enormous colorful posters on the inside, of which one caught my eyes: If in a hurry, just alight and run. Just next to it, another one read: Board the vehicle anywhere you like but only alight at designated stages. As I digested these quotes, one more struck my eye, Its your money we are after, if you desired comfort, a personal car will do. This actually made me to close my eyes so as to enjoy the rest of the journey. You can imagine the intimidation the passengers feel in such a situation. Is it because the majority has no other choice but to use this public means? While thousands of companies, businesses and enterprises are spending millions to educate their employees on customer service skills, I wonder what part of the world these people are in. I remember taking a flight once, just within the country. Though it was a mere 45-minute flight, Ive always longed to relive that great experience. Not because I was simply off the ground, but the kind of staff I met there, who provided the much needed customer satisfaction. The tough economic times may be the cause of indifference amongst some business persons, to the extent that they pass this on to their customers, being the most probable person to interact with. Little do they know that they are actually killing their own businesses. The fact that the customer is always right will ever hold. Regardless of the emotional state of the customer, the person serving him/her has no right whatsoever to talk back with disrespect. It remains the duty of the receptionist to understand all situations in a calm and contained manner, and deal accordingly. Good customer service skills may be inborn or may be acquired through proper training by qualified personnel. The employer must therefore very carefully consider what kind of employees to hire. Gone are the days when ones academic qualifications would win him a good job. Interviews are in fact changing rapidly as the recruiting teams seek that extra personality that suits the job beyond the technical knowhow. It is not always that the perfect candidate will be found, but the most appropriate can be worked on and moulded into an excellent employee. Some of these skills are: excellent communication skills; flexibility; leadership ability, persuasive sales skills; patience; professionalism; problem resolution; confidence and the right attitude. If these be present in your business, success is a guarantee, if you can recall Jim Rohns famous quote, One customer well taken care of could be more valuable than $10,000 worth of advertising. No customer will sing the before-mentioned nursery rhyme on his way from your premises.

ONE WAY TO SAY NO TO THE TOP THREE Truly, the world has never been in the state it is now, whether you like this fact or not. It is just in the last year that the world population hit the unbelievable 7 billion mark. In contrast to this, as much as people are increasing, millions are dying every day. Just visit a news site, turn on the radio or the television, and just have a glance on the headlines. For sure, you will not miss death: death through tribal clashes; death through wars; death through terrorism; death through road/air/rail accidents; death through starvation; death through suicide and, most shocking, death through diseases. Diseases are the number one cause of death today. No longer are they reserved to the aged, but to people of all ages, infants, children, youths, adults, and both sexes, no prejudice at all. Despite the improving medical sector the world over, all cases have not been able to be contained, sometimes because they are presented to the specialists when its already very late. Many of these diseases have just come to prominence in the last century. Of all these, the top three that claim millions of lives worldwide are heart diseases, cancer and stroke. Other deadly ones in the list are infectious and parasitic diseases, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Digestive diseases and respiratory infections. Talking of heart disease, Im an eye witness, following the recent departure of a loved one. Being in her forties, she had perfect health and no one would think of anything like passing away at such a time. She had never complained of any illness. She was just going to work as normal as any man or woman would do. But one morning, something strange happened. In her normal morning hour rushes, she suddenly feels tired and longs for rest; she complains of some chest pain; breaks into a cold sweat; a bit nauseated; she stops talking immediately; a few gasps for breath and within minutes, she is a gone case. Of course the post mortem results read something like cardiac arrest and thats what it is actually. The most probable cause for this is said to be a buildup of a fatty plaque around the arteries that eventually narrows them, to the extent of depriving the heart of the much needed oxygen from the lungs. Without any warning, no symptoms, no awareness, this condition leads to an immediate death through heart attack. But how on earth does a fatty plaque build around the arteries? Next is the cancer, which is medically known as malignant neoplasm. This is defined by medical professions as an uncontrolled and invasive growth of an alien form of a normal tissue. In simpler terms, our cells mutate, undergo rapid cell division attack the other cells. According to the World Health Organization, a third of all cancer cases are attributed to smoking, a third to poor diet and lack of exercise and a third to genetic and other factors. Finally, the Stroke. This is caused by a spontaneous hemorrhage into the head, either by rapture of small arteries within the brain or by rapture of aneurysms. Hemorrhage is related to high blood pressure, and high blood pressure is as a result of The only two possibilities after a stroke are death or survival with disability. To think of the remedy of these is another topic for another day, but one thing stands out: DIET. Reliable statistics have it that 65% of these can adequately be prevented by proper diet. The major cause for heart disease is the ever increasing consumption of refined foods and hydrogenated fats. Cancer is also caused by sedentary lifestyles, overeating of rich foods, modern food processing and other factors. The high blood pressure that causes stroke undoubtedly results from unhealthy diet and poor lifestyles. If everybody would make the decision to eat well, most, if not all, of these cases would not be heard. Purpose to invest time, energy and money into your diet and lifestyle and you may live happily ever after.

PHLEBOTOMY AND WHAT IT INVOLVES Most probably, youve once visited the doctor either in your locality or some far-off hospital. After the doctor is done with the initial diagnosis, he must have written some kind of information on a form and sent you to another specialist who then obtains a blood sample from you for further diagnosis. This is the person we refer to as a Phlebotomist. The act of making an incision in a vein and drawing blood from a patient is what is called phlebotomy. In some hospitals and other medical centers, the obtaining of blood samples and performing other blood tests is done by the doctor or the nurse. This was also the case in the recent past. However, due to the ever developing medical sector, the need has arisen to have specialists for this specific job. Training institutions for phlebotomy have thus been put in place, with state examinations and various certifications in place. As a matter of fact, the phlebotomist cannot operate in isolation. Once the case is brought to the doctor, he/she may require some blood tests to be done, either for further diagnosis or just to determine and monitor the levels of important blood components such as sugar, hemoglobin count, blood proteins, etc. The doctor therefore writes a requisition form in which he specifies the tests to be done, the patients information and any other specific requirement. This is the starting point of phlebotomy. Upon the study of the requisition form, the phlebotomist makes a decision on what to do. Depending on the age and condition of the patient, he can perform venipuncture, fingersticks or heel sticks. The patient must first be correctly identified by checking the previous medical records. His/her physical disposition is then carefully assessed so that the specialist may know exactly how to handle the situation. The medical profession is particularly known to be tough because the patient can be anything from anywhere. Some come with serious injuries, maybe from accidents, others suffer trauma from great shock, others fear anything called a hospital and thus contact white-coat hypertension, some may want to control what the doctor does and does not do, some come unconscious, some come dangerously mutilated, etc, etc. With so many varied conditions, it requires proper training to perform the job skillfully. Phlebotomists are thus trained to perform their job without reaction to the patients medical condition or state of being. The only precaution they should take is protecting themselves from coming into contact with the patients blood and other body fluids. These may contain harmful protozoa which may lead to spreading of dangerous diseases. Likewise, the blood should be drawn using aseptic techniques to avoid contamination of the blood. This behooves the phlebotomist to learn how to correctly use all the equipment involved. These include: evacuated collection tubes, needles, holders, tourniquet, alcohol wipes, gauze sponges, adhesive bandages, needle disposal units, gloves and syringes. The blood should be collected in vacuum-sealed sample tubes. This should immediately be labeled at the drawing area to avoid confusion. The need for sample recollection or rejection should then be assessed there and then. Depending on the operation of the hospital, it may be the phlebotomists job description to also perform the required tests on the blood sample. Interpretation of the results is done and the relevant authorities contacted thereafter. With the introduction of phlebotomy, the operations in the medical industry have become more specialized, thus efficiency greatly improved. You may be interested in pursuing phlebotomy as a career. Follow this link for more information on hot to become a phlebotomist, how much youll earn and how to improve yourself: http://www.phlebotomistsalaryz.com/

WHEN TO CONSULT THE OPTOMERIST Of the five senses common to all humans, eyesight is deemed as the most vital one, reason being its delicate nature and use. We all wonder how the blind feel in that helpless state of theirs. Those who became blind in the cause of their life really have a story to tell. About the ones born blind, I dont know what to say. It is shocking that there are 285 million visually impaired people currently in the world, with the number expected to rise by quite a percentage if nothing is done. Well, you might think you are safe, thats good, but its good to determine if you are at risk. Many a times our eyes become problematic and we just brush it off or use some over-the-counter drugs. Normality resumes at times, but the problem worsens at other times. Those who become blind dont just wake up and find that they can no longer see. Maybe they simply start by experiencing some minor discomfort in the eye, maybe some suffer from some systemic diseases, and the symptoms persist until their vision is permanently damaged. If some preventive or control measure was taken, statistics have it that 75% of these problems would not be there. Some conditions do not necessarily need the attention of the eye doctor. In the cause of handling household chores, playing out, driving, swimming, walking, etc, foreign material like lint, dust, insects, plastic/wooden chips and eyelashes may get stuck in the eye. As a first aid measure, take some clean piece of cloth and try to wipe and remove the object since they are always easily accessible. Rinsing with water or some other eye irrigating solution should follow. If the foreign substance proves a hard nut to crack, the eye doctor should immediately be consulted. Lice infested eyelids can also be smeared with some little petrolatum or a non-medicated ointment to suffocate the lice eggs. Dry eye may sometimes result from using the computer for long, or staring at any screen for long hours on end. The failure to blink constantly deprives the eyes of the so much needed natural tears that protect the eye and keep it moist. This may lead to irritation and may actually interfere with vision. In such a case, an artificial tear drop from the local retailer will suffice for lubrication of the eye. An alternative is the eye ointment, but this should be specifically used before sleep because it blurs the vision for some time. The same condition may be serious enough to be given much attention. If the failure to produce enough natural tears persists, it may make you feel a burning or stinging in the eyes, itchiness, redness due to the inflammation of the eye, extreme sensitivity to smoke and a gritty or sandy feeling in your eyes. Such will require you to visit the optometrist for professional treatment. Whether aged or young, you may start having blurred vision, seeing ghost images, seeing one item as two (double vision), or even having a sense of some film over the eyes. When reading, the lights may seem to dim and strong light will dazzle you. This may make you want to change your eyeglasses, if you have one, but the change seems not to work. You might be suffering from eye cataracts if such symptoms and other related ones befall you. This clouding of the eye lens is best treated by the optometrist. Dont hesitate because the problem might worsen faster than you think. Those living in houses with poor water supply and sanitation and poor health services are also at risk of contacting trachoma. This is notoriously known as the number one cause of blindness worldwide. The bacterium causing this is easily transmitted through direct/indirect contact and also through flies. Thus if anyone in the family is infected, proper preventive measures should be employed to safeguard the rest. The eye doctor will always give the recommendations for living with such in the house. Fortunately, blindness can be prevented by surgery of the eye, therefore rush to the optometrist as soon as possible. Many problems may crop up with the eye, some self-treatable, some requiring professional attention. As vital as the eye is, dont ignore any condition, for help may just at your doorstep.