What Are The Benefits Of A Comprehensive Eye Exam?

Comprehensive eye exams evaluate all aspects of your vision and eye health.

• Internal Exam – This is an evaluation of the retina and optic nerve while your eyes are dilated.

• Visual Function and Eye Health – This includes testing depth perception, color vision, peripheral vision and response of the pupils to light, as well as an evaluation of eye focusing, eye teaming and eye movement abilities.

• Glaucoma Testing – This is a test of fluid pressure within your eyes to check for the possibility of glaucoma.

• Visual Acuity – Your doctor will test your vision with different lenses to determine if glasses or contact lenses can improve your vision.
   

Comprehensive eye exams look at your total health history.
Even though you visit a separate office for your eye health, that doesn’t mean your eyes shouldn’t be treated holistically. Your eye doctor will discuss your overall health and that of your immediate family, any medications you’re taking and whether you have high blood pressure or diabetes. They’ll also want to know if you smoke and how much sun exposure you get. All these factors help the eye doctor properly assess your eye health.

Comprehensive eye exams are performed by eye professionals.
Eye doctors are highly trained. Optometrists examine the eyes for visual defects, diagnose problems or impairments, and prescribe corrective lenses. After a bachelor's degree, optometrists complete a four-year program to obtain their Doctor of Optometry degree.

Regular eye exams are important for children because their eyes can change significantly in as little as a year as the muscles and tissue development. Good eyesight is critical for a child’s life and achievements; success in school is closely tied to eye health. School demands intense visual involvement, including reading, writing, using computer and blackboard/smartboard work. Even physical activities and sports require a strong vision. If their eyes aren’t up to the task, a child may feel tired, have trouble concentrating, have problems in school and have difficulty playing their favorite games which may affect their quality of life.
 

When To Perform A Pediatric Eye Exam?

According to the recommendations of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, a child should have initial screening between 6 and 12 months of age, and then routine eye health and vision screenings throughout childhood to help detect any abnormalities as their eyes develop and unless otherwise recommended, every two years thereafter until the age of 18.

For a newborn, an optometrist should examine the baby’s eyes and perform a test called “red reflex test” which is a basic indicator that the eyes are normal. In case that, the baby is premature or at high risk for medical problems for other reasons, has signs of abnormalities, or has a family history of serious vision disorders in childhood, the optometrist should perform a comprehensive exam.

A second eye health examination should be done to infants between six months and the first birthday. This examination includes tests of pupil responses to evaluate whether the eyes pupil opens and closes properly in the presence or absence of light, fixate and follow test, to determine whether the baby can fixate on an object; such as light and follow it as it moves.

And preferential-looking test, by using cards that are blank on one side with stripes on another side to attract the gaze of an infant to the stripes thus, vision capabilities can be assessed. Infants should be able to perform this task well by the time they are 3 months old.

For a Preschooler, between the ages of 3 and 3½, a child’s visual acuity and eye alignment should be assessed. If the child is diagnosed with misaligned eyes (strabismus), "lazy eye” (amblyopia), refractive errors (astigmatism, myopia, hyperopia) or any other focusing problems, it’s important to begin treatment as soon as possible to ensure successful vision correction and life-long benefits.

At School age or upon entering school, the child’s eyes should be screened for visual acuity and alignment. In this age group, nearsightedness (myopia) is the most common refractive error and can be corrected with eyeglasses.

There are some signs that parents can tell if their child has a vision problem, for example, the child may squint, hold reading material very close to face, or complain about things appearing blurry. However, there are some less obvious signs that may indicate vision problems, such as having a short attention span, quickly losing interest in games, projects or activities that require using their eyes for an extended period of time, or losing their place when reading. Also, choosing to avoid reading, drawing, playing games or doing other projects that require focusing up close. Another sign is that a child may turn his or her head to the side when looking at something in front of them. This may be a sign of a refractive error, including astigmatism, so by turning their head helps the child see better.

That’s why it is so important for kids to have regular eye screenings. The earlier a vision problem is found and treated, the better off your child will be in and out of school.

Myopia is a very common issue throughout the world. Approximately 1/3 of the population in the United States have the condition and over 90% of several East Asian countries suffer from myopia. While myopia may seem like such a common condition that it shouldn’t be cause for concern, it is actually associated with several very serious conditions that can threaten one’s ability to see.
 

What is Myopia

Myopia, more commonly known as nearsightedness, is a condition where individuals are able to see objects that are close to them but may have difficulty distinguishing things at a distance, such as road signs or leaves on a tree. These individuals often squint at objects that are further away to try and help bring them into focus.

Currently, there is no known cure for myopia and recent studies suggest that the more advanced your myopia gets, the more serious the effects can be on your vision. This has led eye professionals to look for ways to slow the progression of myopia in children and young adults as the eyes typically change more rapidly during this time and slowing down myopia progression during these years has a huge payoff. 
 

Types of Myopia Control

There are a few different treatments for myopia that have proven to be effective in a number of studies. Of course, to ensure you find the most effective choice for you, be sure to visit with your eye doctor so they can review your case and recommend the best options for you.

Ortho-K | Ortho-K or Orthokeratology is one practice being used to slow down the progression of myopia. Ortho-K utilizes a special rigid gas-permeable contact lens that is placed into the eyes just before you go to bed. This hard lens helps to gently hold your eye in the proper shape throughout the night. Then when you wake up in the morning and remove the lenses, your eye continues to maintain that shape. This means that people who are nearsighted can see clearly throughout the day, even without wearing contact lenses or glasses. This approach is often preferred for athletes or other active individuals.

Atropine Eye Drops | One of the thoughts about the progression of myopia, is that it is associated with eye strain. The additional stresses that are placed on the eye when straining push the eye further out of its proper shape. Atropine eye drops are specifically designed to help stop the eye from straining and help the muscles relax. Atropine is similar to the eye drops that are used when you get your eyes dilated but lasts throughout the entire day rather than just a few hours. Atropine dilates the pupil of the eye and prevents them from closing too tightly and limiting your vision. This treatment has been shown to be especially effective in slowing the progression of myopia in children.
 
Multifocal Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses | These specialty contact lenses are designed to help reduce strain on the eyes. They have shown great success at slowing the progression of myopia over a three-year period when compared with individuals who wore a standard prescription lens.

Essilor® Stellest™ lenses | Essilor launched Stellest™ lens, a new generation of spectacle lens solutions in the fight against myopia.

With Essilor's game-changing new innovation, it's possible to slow down children's myopia progression by 67% on average so their future can remain bright and clear. 
 

Overview

If you notice that your child is having a difficult time seeing objects that are far away, contact us today to schedule an appointment. Many parents notice changes in their children with their behavior or grades at school, their ability to play sports, or that they may even be pulling back from playing with friends. Treating myopia as quickly as possible can help to reduce your child’s chances of developing a serious eye condition that can threaten their ability to see the world around them. Call today and schedule an appointment to see how we can help your child.

Understanding dry eye will help you determine the best treatment option. Dry eye occurs when a person doesn't have enough quality tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. Tears reduce eye infections, wash away foreign matter, and keep the eye’s surface smooth and clear. People with dry eyes either do not produce enough tears or their tears are of poor quality. It’s a common and often chronic problem, especially in older adults.
 

Preventive Self-Care

Before we delve into more serious dry eye treatment options, here are a few simple self-care options that can manage minor cases of dry eye.

• Blink regularly when reading or staring at a computer screen for a long time.

• Make sure there’s adequate humidity in the air at work and at home.

• Wear sunglasses outside to reduce sun and wind exposure. Wraparound glasses are best.

• Take supplements with essential fatty acids as these may decrease dry eye symptoms.

• Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water each day to avoid dehydration.

• Find out if any of your prescriptions have dry eye as a side effect and if so, see if you can take an alternative.
   

Artificial Tears

For mild cases of dry eyes, the best option is over-the-counter eye drops. Here are a few tips for selecting the right one:

• Low viscosity – These artificial tears are watery. They often provide quick relief with little or no blurring of your vision, but their effect can be brief, and sometimes you must use these drops frequently to get adequate relief.

• High viscosity – These are more gel-like and provide longer-lasting lubrication. However, these drops can cause significant blurring of your vision for several minutes. For this reason, high-viscosity artificial tears are recommended at bedtime.
   

Prescription Dry Eye Treatments

There are several prescriptions that treat dry eye differently. Your eye doctor can advise the best option for your situation.

• Contact Lenses – There are specialty contact lenses that deliver moisture to the surface of the eye. They’re called scleral lenses or bandage lenses.

• Antibiotics– If your eyelids are inflamed, this can prevent oil glands from secreting oil into your tears. Your doctor may recommend antibiotics to reduce inflammation.

• Anti-inflammatory drugs – These are eye drops to control inflammation on the surface of your eyes (cornea) using the immune-suppressing medication cyclosporine (Restasis) or corticosteroids.

• Eye Inserts – If artificial tears don't help, another option may be a tiny eye insert. Once a day, you place the hydroxypropyl cellulose (Lacrisert) insert between your lower eyelid and your eyeball. It dissolves slowly, releasing a substance to lubricate your eye.

• Tear-stimulating drugs – Available as pills, gel, or eye drops, cholinergic (pilocarpine, cevimeline), these help to increase tear production.

• Autologous blood serum drops – For serious dry eye that’s not responding to other treatments, these eyedrops are made with a sample of your blood. It’s processed to remove the red blood cells and then mixed with a salt solution.
   

Dry Eye Procedures

• Punctal Plugs – Tear ducts can be plugged with tiny silicone plugs to reduce tear loss. By partially or completely closing your tear ducts, it can keep your tears from leaving your eye too quickly.

• LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation – This treatment helps to unblock oil glands. Placed over your eye, the device delivers a gentle, warm massage to the lower eyelid over about 15 minutes.

• Intense-Pulsed Therapy – This utilizes pulses of light to liquefy and release hardened oils that have clogged glands in the eyelids.

You don’t have to suffer from the symptoms of dry eye. Talk to your optometrist about dry eye treatment options designed to address the underlying cause of your condition.

Many patients come to us every day struggling to get through their daily lives with their current choice of vision correction. Some have eyeglasses that do not sit properly on their face or feel that their peripheral vision is hindered by the frames. While contact users may find the lenses uncomfortable or have them fall out at inconvenient times. For these patients, we are pleased to offer orthokeratology, or Ortho-K, a revolutionary way to help you see clearly throughout the day without having to wear glasses or contacts and without having to get laser eye surgery.
 

What is Ortho-K?

Generations ago, eye doctors knew that the tissue in the eye was soft and somewhat malleable. This knowledge caused them to wonder if they could push the eye back into the proper shape, would an individual be able to see clearly even if they were not wearing their prescription lenses. With the development of gas permeable contact lenses, a few eye doctors began to notice that their patient’s prescriptions did not change as rapidly as previously noted and that they appeared to be able to see correctly even when they were not wearing their contacts.

From these early discoveries, the world of Ortho-K was born. Ortho-K is a special treatment to help patients see clearly even when they are not wearing a prescription lens. Instead, a special gas permeable contact lens is placed into the eye each night before bed and the lens gently pushes the eye into the proper shape while you sleep. In the morning, you can remove the lenses and still see clearly throughout the day. Some patients can even see clearly for up to three days after wearing them for just one night!
 

Who Should Consider Ortho-K?

• There are a number of issues that our patients can have with prescription lenses. If you have one of the following conditions or concerns, call our office today to schedule an appointment.

• Allergies to the materials in contact lenses

• Dry eye that is made worse by wearing prescription lenses

• Dirt or other debris that gets under contact lenses

• You play sports and do not want to worry about glasses or contacts

• The ability to wake up at night and see clearly

• A general dislike of glasses or contacts
   

How Long Does It Take?

Once you receive your custom Ortho-K contact lenses, it will take anywhere from one to four weeks to fully see all the benefits to your vision that they will provide. However, some of our patients find that their vision has improved after only wearing their lenses for a single night! During the first few days, you may also still need to wear prescription lenses to see clearly enough to drive or get through your normal day, but that is generally quickly resolved. Also, some patients experience some mild discomfort for the first few nights, but as your eyes adjust over a few days, you should no longer be bothered by the feel of your lenses. Is the Procedure Safe? Orthokeratology was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002. The procedure is considered safe, effective, and reversible. However, there are some side effects associated with Ortho-K. Most of these side effects are a result of improper cleaning of the lenses that can lead to a minor infection. These infections are usually remedied fairly quickly with the use of antibiotic eyedrops.
 

Overview

If you are sick and tired of wearing contact lenses or glasses every single day and would like an alternative way to correct your vision, consider trying Ortho-K. If you would like more information on Ortho-K, please call our offices today and see how we can improve your everyday life.

If you already rely on wearing glasses or contact lenses to be able to see clearly, you may be frustrated with the effect that they have on your life. Regular vision tests, finding glasses to suit your face shape, having to remember to take eyeglasses with you wherever you go, prescription sunglasses, fiddly contact lenses… the list of inconveniences associated with conventional ocular solutions is extensive. 

LASIK is a modern, minimally-invasive procedure that can substantially reduce or eliminate your need to use eyeglasses or contact lenses, allowing you to enjoy life without limitations or inconvenience. The popularity and success of LASIK laser eye surgery have helped to make it the number one elective surgery across the globe. 
 

Candidacy for LASIK

LASIK has an extremely high success rate. According to the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, 96% of patients achieve 20/20 vision or better. However, it’s high success rate doesn’t make LASIK automatically the right solution for everyone.

Candidacy for LASIK is assessed by our doctors on a case by case basis so that you be certain that whatever treatment is recommended for you, it will give you the very best opportunity to improve your vision. During your consultation, our doctors will perform a thorough examination of your eyes and vision, ask you about your general health and talk you through both the procedure and aftercare.

The general guidelines for LASIK candidacy state that patients must:

• be at least 18 years of age

• have had stable vision with no prescription changes for a minimum of 12 months

• have a current prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses that falls between specified parameters (Our doctors will be aware of what these parameters are)

• have no significant medical or eye-related problems such as glaucoma, macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy

• have no history of corneal disease

• not be pregnant or nursing at the time of the procedure

Millions of patients are diagnosed with diseases and conditions of the eye every year. Some of which may not display symptoms until there is irreversible damage to the patient’s vision. The outcome of eye disease can range from temporary discomfort to total loss of vision, which is why all eye problems and diseases should be taken seriously and regular eye check-ups are absolutely essential.
 

What Are The Causes of Eye Disease?

The main causes of eye problems can be divided into five groups:

• Inflammation of the eye and surrounding structures caused by a bacterial, viral, parasitic or fungal infection.

• Injuries to the eye and surrounding structures, either as a result of trauma or an object in the eye.

• Genetically inherited eye diseases, many of which may only manifest later in life and affect the structures and the functioning of the eye which therefore can impair visual abilities. In some cases, however, children are born with these conditions.

• Diseases or conditions, such as migraine or diabetes, which can affect other organs of the body, such as the eyes.

• External causes, such as allergies or eye strain due to over-use, or as a side effect of medication.
   

What Are The Symptoms of Eye Disease?

The three symptoms indicative of eye disease are changes in vision, changes in the appearance of the eye, or an abnormal sensation or pain in the eye.

Changes in vision can include the following symptoms:

• Nearsightedness is caused by an elongation of the eyeball over time, making it difficult to clearly see objects far away.

• Farsightedness is caused by the shortening of the eyeball, making it difficult to see objects that are close-by clearly.

• Blurry or hazy vision, or loss of specific areas of vision, which can affect one or both eyes and is the most common vision symptom. Any sudden changes in vision should be a cause of concern.

• Double vision means a single clear image appears to repeat itself. This could be accompanied by other symptoms like headaches, nausea, a droopy eyelid, and misalignment of the eyes.

• Floaters are specks or strands that seem to float across the field of vision. These are shadows cast by cells inside the clear fluid that fills the eye. These are usually harmless, but should be checked out as they could point to something serious such as retinal detachment.

If a patient is suffering from red, itchy, or watery eyes, along with sneezing and a runny nose, there is a good chance he or she has eye allergies. Our optometrist can help patients find relief from their itchy and watery eyes, especially if he or she wears contacts. After diagnosing a patient with eye allergies, we will often prescribe special eye drops or change the type of contact lens that is prescribed, as certain varieties of contact lenses are more susceptible to accumulating allergens.

Just a few decades ago, computer vision syndrome (CVS) was not known or understood. With an increase in the role of computers in our lives, it has become increasingly common. Researchers believe that 50-90% of people who use computers in their daily lives have experienced CVS to some degree. The amount of time that many people stare at a computer screen is increasing, and this puts a significant strain on our eyes.

CVS is not considered a single specific problem. A suite of issues may be assigned to this syndrome. Additionally, with the increased use of school computers, tablets, and smartphones, children are also susceptible to CVS.

This syndrome is like many other repetitive motion-type conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome. The problem can start because our eyes move in the same way throughout the day (reading text on a screen). Once an issue has started, it can get worse as we continue the same behavior. While reading alone causes the same motion, screens are considerably harder for our eyes to view. Digital screens add flicker, contrast, glare, and light that all put additional strain on our eyes.

If you should use some type of corrective lens but don’t, these issues can only accelerate due to the additional strain put on your eyes.

As we age, these problems can also progress. Around the time that people turn 40, the lenses of their eyes begin to harden with a disease called presbyopia. This hardening affects your ability to see objects that are closer to you.
 

What Happens If I Have CVS?

There is currently no proof that CVS causes long-term vision impairment or blindness. Continuing to use a computer or any other type screen can continue to be an annoyance or reduce your ability to see properly. Some of the warning signs of CVS are:

• Blurred vision

• Double vision

• Red or dry eyes

• Headaches

• Neck pain

• Back pain

• Eye Irritation
   

If you don’t properly treat CVS when these symptoms occur, you may begin to notice that you suffer from a decrease in overall quality of life or job performance.
 

Treatment Options

Fortunately, CVS can usually be treated with just a few small changes to your viewing habits, or to the settings of your screen itself.

Reduce Glare – It’s essential to reduce the amount of glare that comes off your computer screen. The glare adds additional strain to our eyes. You can reduce the glare by changing the angle of your computer screen so that it doesn’t reflect light back to your eye. You could install a dimmer switch and reduce the brightness of the overhead lighting. If you have natural light that enters your office, you can try moving your monitor to a different location and then adjust the settings of your blind to reduce or block the light coming in. You can also purchase a glare filter that goes over the top of your screen.

Move Your Desk – Your ideal monitor position is just below your eye level and approximately 20-28 inches in front of your eyes. You shouldn’t have to change your head position or strain your neck to read what is on your screen. If you work with printed materials, put a stand next to your monitor to keep everything at the same height.

Change Your Settings – Simply changing the settings of your screen can result in a significant reduction in your eye strain. You can adjust the brightness and contrast, and even change the font size to make things easier for you to see.

Take Breaks – Your breaks don’t have to take up much time. Doctors recommend using the 20/20/20 rule. This rule simply states that every 20 minutes you should look at an object 20 feet away for twenty seconds. Additionally, if you feel that your eyes are strained, it’s a good idea to get away from your screen for a few minutes. 

Update Your Prescription – Reducing the amount of work your eyes must do to see is always a good idea. Making sure that your prescription is accurate for you helps to reduce that strain. There are also options now to include an anti-glare coating on your glass lenses that help to reduce all the glare that passes through the lens to your eye. You can also use sunglasses that have polarized lenses to help protect your eyes.