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As you probably all know, our eyes are pretty darn amazing! Our retina converts light into electrical signals that let us see the world. This is nothing short of a miracle, but did you know that some animals have even better vision than us?! Here are some of the best animal peepers on the planet.
1. Best Color Vision: The Bluebottle Butterfly takes the cake here. We have three different cone cells to detect color, bluebottle butterflies have FIFTEEN – some of which are even in the UV spectrum!
2. Best Night Vision: Owls are at the top of this list. Their retinas have 5 times the density of rod cells, compared to ours. Rod cells are specialized photoreceptor cells that are responsible for vision during night-time, or low-light conditions. They also have an extra layer under their retina, called the tapetum lucidum, which reflects light back to the retina, allowing for even sharper night vision.
3. Best Under-Water Vision: Most land animals lose their sharp vision under water. However, sharks are adapted to their conditions. They have a protective layer over their eyes, and they also have the same extra retinal layer that owls do, the tapetum lucidum, to improve their vision in dark, murky waters.
4. Most Complicated Eye: This one is crazy, y’all. The mantis shrimp have eye stalks that move independently and are probably the most complicated eye in the animal kingdom. Each stalk has three different compound eyes, meaning there are different low resolution screens, instead of one single image, that do different things and send them to different parts of the brain. They also have 12 different type of photoreceptors that can detect UV light!
If you notice any changes in your eyes or vision, it is important to get your eyes checked. While not as complex as some animal eyes, our eyes are a unique, invaluable sense that make it so important to keep up with your routine eye exams!
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As end of summer approaches, we are praying for a little cool down in weather and break from this heat! With weather changes (hopefully.. maybe) approaching, we also see changes in the surface of our eyes coming up, with dryness, or maybe different allergens in the air. These changes can make eye drops necessary. These can range from over-the-counter artificial tears, or prescription drops for dry eye, anti-inflammatories, or even for conditions like glaucoma. We’ve all been there, you try to get drops in and you end up with 4 or 5 drops EVERYWHERE on your face… EXCEPT for your eyes! Or you wonder, did it really get in there?! We know sometimes it can be tricky, so here are a few tried and true tricks to help maximize those eye drops!
1. Tilt your head back slightly and look up
2. Gently pull down your lower lid, so it creates a pocket between your lower lid and eye.
3. Hold the bottle vertically, about an inch above the pocket you created and squeeze the bottle until you feel a drop, making sure you don't actually touch your eyelid or eye in the process.
4. Gently close your eye for about a minute afterwards.
Optional: Gently press on the inside corner of your closed eyes right after you insert the drop, with your index finger and thumb for two to three minutes (to keep the drops from draining into your throat and getting into your system).
The same sequence can be repeated lying down on your back, which sometimes can be easier than tilting your head back.
If you are still having trouble getting the drop into your eye:
You can tilt your head to the side, or lie down on your side, and with your eyes closed, put a drop at the inner corner of your eye, the side closest to your nose and then gently open your eyes, the drop should suction right in!
Worst Case Scenario:
If you are still not sure the drop actually got in your eye, put in another drop. The eyelids can hold only about one drop, so any excess will just run out of the eye. It is better to have excess run out than to not have enough medication in your eye.
