My friend's daughter is having tubes put into her ears. What is this for? Is it painful, and how long are these tubes in place?

FRIDAY, Aug. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Eating plenty of antioxidant-rich food such as blueberries, artichokes and pecans may help protect against macular degeneration, the leading cause of age-related blindness in the United States and other developed countries.

U.S. researchers found that antioxidants disrupt a link between two processes in the retina that, in combination, contribute to macular degeneration. Antioxidants also extend the lifetime of irreplaceable photoreceptors and other retinal cells.

FRIDAY, Aug. 29 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to ear wax, it's best to leave it alone, new national guidelines state.

While many people feel they need to remove ear wax -- technically called cerumen and a mixture of secretion, hair and dead skin -- it is actually protective since it has lubricating and antibacterial properties, said Dr. Peter Roland, an ear specialist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. He chaired a panel that released new guidelines Friday from the American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists from the United States and China have identified the first gene directly associated with the onset of severe "dry" macular degeneration, one of two forms of age-related macular degeneration that currently threatens the vision of up to nine million older Americans.

As we age, our eyes inevitably take on a baggy look. Now scientists think they know why.

Fat in the eye socket expands.

The finding could prove useful to the growing number of people not satisfied with the natural look.

Read full story

Hello there! Does anyone know of a good ophthalmologist in the Phoenix, AZ area? My endocrinologist suggested I get a full eye exam but I'm not familiar with any eye docs. Thanks!!

MONDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Add increased suffering for people with ragweed allergies to the list of problems caused by climate change, a new study suggests.

Recent research indicates that increasing global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels are causing longer ragweed seasons and more concentrated pollen counts, says the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, which has devoted the September issue of its Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology to examining the effects of climate change on allergic disease.

It is reported that 4 million Americans and 65 people worldwide have a condition known as glaucoma, a group of diseases that affect the eye and results in a gradual loss of vision. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness.

Causes of Glaucoma
According to the Mayo Clinic, abnormally high pressure inside your eye, or intraocular pressure, is usually what causes the damage to the optic nerve, causing vision loss (glaucoma).

”Smart” Contact Lenses

I've heard more than once that adults who have frequent illnesses (like colds and infections) may want to think about getting their tonsils removed. Is there any validity to this?

MONDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- About half of all American adults don't have the 20/20 vision physicians consider optimal because they are nearsighted, farsighted, or have an irregular corneal curve known as astigmatism, a large, new study reports.

The study revealed that such common eye-focus problems -- collectively known as "refractive errors"-- affect young, middle-aged and older adults of all races. Corrective care for such problems amounts to an estimated $3.8 billion to $7.2 billion annually, the researchers said.