Why do I have dark circles under my eyes, I am only 38.

Dark circles are not a sign of aging but they can sure make you look old and exhausted. Dark circles can occur at all ages in both men and women. These dark circles are not a sign of any serious illness but make one look a lot older. Besides fatigue and lack of sleep, there are many other cases of dark circles under the eyes. People who tend to have allergies often develop dark circles. If someone in your family has dark circles, then chances are that you will also have dark circles. Other common causes of dark circles include excess stress, smoking, chronic alcohol use, living a hectic lifestyle without rest, excess sun exposure, and having sensitive skin prone to discolorations. The condition is harmless and in most cases, no cause is ever found. The first step towards treatment is getting a decent amount of sleep, discontinuing smoking and alcohol; and applying a cold compress.

Is a bacterial pink eye contagious?

Yes, pink eye from both virus and bacteria are contagious. Hand washing is essential if you want to prevent transmitting the infection to others. If your infection is due to bacteria, then you will need antibiotic drops for a few days. Children hate eye drops and thus you may need to get an ointment to treat the bacterial pink eye. The medications do work fast and you can expect clearing of the pink eyes in 2-3 days. For viral pink eye, just use a warm compress, maintain good eye hygiene and wash your hands frequently

I wear contact lenses and have just been diagnosed with a pink eye. What should I do?

Pink eye is either due to a bacteria or a virus. The infection is also known as conjunctivitis. 


In general, when you have a pink eye you can not wear contact lenses and will have to wait until your infection clears. The disposable contact lenses must be thrown away but the non disposable lenses can be disinfected. 


You must discard all the old supplies of your contact lenses including the solution and the containers. In most cases, doctors recommend not wearing contact lenses for at least 3-4 weeks after an episode of conjunctivitis. This also applies to allergic conjunctivitis.

My daughter has been told that she has a pink eye. How long is this infection contagious?

Pink eye is also known as conjunctivitis and can be caused by either a bacteria or a virus. 


All children who have a pink eye are contagious as long as the symptoms of excessive tearing and redness are present. In most cases, with treatment the symptoms of a pink eye last 3-6 days. Once there is no more tearing the child can return back to school. 


However, if the pink eye was due to a bacterial infection it is important to continue the antibiotic as recommended. Frequent hand washing and good eye hygiene are essential in preventing transmission of this infection to others

My son has been told that he has a viral conjunctivitis, how should I treat it?

Viral conjunctivitis requires no treatment. Viruses do not respond to antibiotics. 


The viral conjunctivitis usually last 2-3 weeks and resolves on its own. In most cases, only one eye is initially affected and then the other eye gets involved in a 2-3 days. 


Anti viral drugs are rarely used to treat viral conjunctivitis that is prolonged or not resolving after 3 weeks. Do remember that viral conjunctivitis is contagious and thus you should wash hands frequently and avoid sharing personal care items with other members of the family.

How does one treat bacterial “pink” eye (Conjunctivitis)?

Unlike a viral infection a bacterial conjunctivitis or pink eye, does require treatment. 


The standard treatment is prescription antibiotic drops which have to be applied several times a day. In most cases, the conjunctivitis resolves in a few days.  


Besides eye drops there are also eye ointments for conjunctivitis. Children hate eye drops and thus an eye ointment may be preferable. The only downside to an ointment is that the stuff is gooey and blurs vision temporarily


You must complete the course of antibiotics as set out by your doctor. In the meantime, wash hands frequently and maintain good eye hygiene.

Should I undergo lasik surgery?

Well, it depends on several factors. First, there is the cost. The price of lasik does vary across the nation but averages around $2,500. Even though some doctors are advertising lasik for less than $1000, do not fall for these cheap mill factories. The results are what you pay for. On the other hand, there are also many instances when you fork out a lot of money and still have a crappy result. 

Lasik after all is a surgical procedure and like all surgery, there are many risks and complications. Complications with the eye are not something trivial and in most cases are permanent. Common reported complications after lasik include dry eyes, blurred vision, floaters, sensitivity to bright lights, double vision and halos.

It is estimated from more than 15-25 percent of people who have Lasik develop one or more of these complications. Of these, 3-10 percent have long term problems with their eyes. In addition if you are into contact sports, then lasik is not for you. 

Next there are both good and bad surgeons-more of the latter. In addition, the results of lasik are not permanent. By the age of 40-45, most people develop progressively diminished ability to focus near objects with age and for this, you will need to resort back to glasses.

All consumers should understand that lasik is a cosmetic procedure. You should never be rushed into it. Moreover, lasik is not covered by any health insurance plan and even when things go wrong, there are no refunds (you can always settle this problem with a visit to a lawyer).
So in the end it depends what you want. Looking cool with “glass-free vision” and possibility of double vision and halos or “vision-with glasses” and having to buy a new expensive Giorgio Armani frame every few years to look cool.