Eye Care Learn the latest in the industry

  The Importance of UV Protection Sunglasses It’s finally sunny, which brings everyone’s thoughts to sunglasses… at least for eye doctors!  Dr. is discussing the importance of wearing UV Protection Sunglasses on the KQDS morning show.  Listen to learn more about why those shades are so important!  Also, all sunglasses are 30% off only.  Come in today!

  Are your eyes feeling tired after a day of computer work?  You are not alone!  Computer vision syndrome affects many of us, and Dr.discusses with Jason Manning of KQDS some easy solutions to make your time working on the computer more enjoyable. CVS isn’t known to cause permanent damage. However, it can cause headaches and temporary blurred vision. Other symptoms include: Double vision Red eyes Eye irritation: itching and dryness Neck or back pain If you are interested in learning more about how we can help you manage your symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome, contact us to schedule an appointment.

  Eye Injuries Due to Fireworks Happy! It’s that time of year again. Families and friends gather together to celebrate our Day.  Most of us are excited to be outside grilling, playing games, and of course, shooting off fireworks.  While it’s a big weekend for cabins all across the United States, it’s also a busy one for emergency rooms with a number of eye injuries due to fireworks. We all think that this will never happen to us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take extra precautions when working with fireworks.  The easiest way to stay safe is to leave lighting them to the professionals.  Many cities have large displays you can watch from a safe distance.  Never hold fireworks, especially children.  Their arms are too short to even hold sparklers.  Point fireworks away from buildings, brush, and leaves.  Always be aware of your surroundings when lighting them. Damage to the eye from fireworks can be devastating.  It co...

  Fall Eye Allergies Fall eye allergies will soon be upon us.  discusses the best ways to keep your eyes comfortable during allergy season and symptoms of allergies in eyes. Tips to Treating Eye Allergies at Home Cold Compression Flush your eyes Eye drops Antihistamine eye drops Avoid allergens by staying indoors and keeping your windows closed to prevent the allergens from getting inside Call your eye doctor if you’re not finding relief

  What are Floaters in The Eye? Swatting at bugs that aren’t there?  Eye Floaters are a pretty troublesome, but very common, eye problem.

 Why do my eyes water if they have Dry Eye ? That and other baffling dry eye syndrome questions answered on this clip from “The Best Care for Your Eyes” segment Dry eye, also known as dry eye syndrome or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, is a common condition that occurs when your tears are not able to adequately lubricate and protect your eyes. This can cause a variety of symptoms, including: Stinging or burning sensation in the eyes Opens in a new window www.everydayhealth.com person with dry eyes Redness and irritation of the eyes Blurred vision Sensitivity to light Difficulty wearing contact lenses Feeling like there is something in your eye Increased tear production (paradoxical dry eye) There are a number of things that can cause dry eye, including: Aging: The tear glands produce fewer tears as we age. Medications: Some medications, such as antihistamines, decongestants, and antidepressants, can dry out the eyes. Medical conditions: Certain medical condit...

  What are multifocal contact lenses? Opens in a new window www.allaboutvision.com multifocal contact lenses Mulitfocal contact lenses are type of contact lens that allow people with presbyopia to focus on near and far objects without needing to wear reading glasses. They work by using a variety of optical designs to create multiple zones of focus within the lens. Types of multifocal contact lenses There are three main types of multifocal contact lenses: Center-distance: These lenses have a central zone for distance vision and a surrounding zone for near vision. Concentric: These lenses have a series of concentric rings of power, with the power gradually increasing from the center to the edge of the lens. Aspheric: These lenses have a non-spherical design that provides a smoother transition between distance and near vision. Benefits of multifocal contact lenses Multifocal contact lenses offer several benefits over traditional eyeglasses for people with presbyopia, ...

 Glaucoma is an eye disease that has NO symptoms until one has lost a significant amount of vision.  The only way to detect Glaucoma is with a complete eye exam.  Laser Pointer Eye Damage Can Happen Easily Are laser pointers safe for eyes? Glaucoma Opens in a new window allaboutvision.com glaucoma eye Glaucoma is a leading cause of vision loss in the world. It is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, which carries information from the eye to the brain. The optic nerve is responsible for central vision, which is the ability to see objects clearly straight ahead. There are two main types of glaucoma: open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma. It develops slowly over time and may not cause any symptoms until the vision damage is severe. Angle-closure glaucoma is a less common type of glaucoma that can develop suddenly and cause severe pain, nausea, and vomiting. It is important to...

  Scheduling cataract surgery seems like a daunting task.  However, the surgery schedulers at EyeCare Specialists have you covered.  Headed by Vicki, our staff will make sure you feel confident with your surgery experience.  A folder is given for each eye surgery, with very specific instructions and check off lists for eye drops. Do I have to set up a pre-op visit with my primary care doctor?  What about post-op eye visits? No. Our surgery scheduling staff sets up the pre-op physical visit with your primary care doctor, and sets up all post-op appointments at our office.  All appointments are written in your cataract surgery folder. Do I need a driver? Yes. You will need a driver for the day of surgery, as mild anesthesia is given.  Pre-op and post-op visits usually do not require a driver if you feel comfortable driving. When do I take my eye drops?  Will they last the whole time? Eye drops are started 2 days prior to surgery an...

  Lazy eye, or Strabismus , is a growing concern for parents. It is often related to amblyopia, where one eye sees better than the other.  Most likely you know someone that has a lazy eye or had one when they were a child.  But what causes them? Are they serious? Can they be treated? What causes a lazy eye? When children are still developing, it’s very important to make sure both eyes are being used equally. If not, one eye may develop better than the other.  This can be related to your muscles too.  For example, if someone had an accident and was unable to use their legs for a long period of time, their muscles could atrophy.  It can be tough to get that function fully back. Children can have different reasons for favoring one eye more than the other.  One may be that they have better vision in one eye.  We call this refractive amblyopia.  For example, if they see better with their right eye, the left one can start to be ignore...

  Scleral contact lenses may be the answer if you have tried contact lenses but struggled with getting a lens that works. Scleral lenses are larger diameter rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses that offer great comfort and vision. Scleral lenses rest on the sclera, not the cornea, so are very comfortable.  Also, because they are made with an RGP material, the optics are crisp. Initially, scleral lenses were used in more specialty contact lens indications including:  dry eye, keratoconus, corneal scars, post-surgical corneas, or any medical cause making conventional contact lenses ineffective. Now, we’re finding that they work well for most people who have been unsuccessful with contact lens wear, regardless of the reason.  The larger size provides the excellent comfort of a soft lens, and the rigid material improves visual clarity. Scleral contact lenses require a bit of work, however!  The insertion and removal of these lenses is different f...

  Am I a good candidate for LASIK? Laser refractive surgery is used to reduce a patient’s dependency on glasses or contacts. If you’re healthy, at least 21 years old, and your prescription hasn’t changed much in 2 years there’s a good chance you’re a candidate for surgery, free LASIK screenings. Measurements are taken at the screening to determine if you’re a candidate. If you’re not a good candidate for LASIK you may still be a candidate for a different (but similar) refractive procedure called PRK. Fortunately, technology is always changing. A patient who was not a candidate in the past could be a candidate now! Am I too old to have LASIK? LASIK does not eliminate the need for reading glasses after the age of 40. This applies to everyone! So, if you are approaching or over 40 years old, you will need to consider options like monovision (correcting one eye for distance and one eye for near) or reading glasses to see comfortably at near. How long does the surgery tak...

 Does my child need an eye exam? How often should children have their eyes examined? How is it possible to tell if they even need glasses? Parents commonly ask me these types of questions at the end of their own exams.  The recommended time frame is starting at 6 months, then age 3, 5, and annually until age 18.  These numbers can change at the discretion of your eye doctor. Also, if you as parents notice anything unusual happening with your children’s eyes, you should make an appointment immediately.  It is usually easier to address and alleviate any permanent visual problems the sooner we see them. How can we possibly examine someone who won’t cooperate during the exam? We have many different techniques we use, some of which are also used on adults who may be mentally or physically handicapped. We start by checking visual acuity. Depending on age or skill set, we may use letters, pictures, shapes, or even eye tracking. Color vision is tested by having...

  Are retinal tears common? Retinal tears occur most commonly over age 40, although can happen anytime. Often, a retinal tear is brought about by a posterior vitreal detachment, or PVD. PVD’s happen to everyone, and most people have no symptoms. But what exactly is a PVD? The vitreous, or jelly part of the eye, is what helps your eye hold its shape. It sits in front of the retina but behind the lens. It’s sort of the “gooey center” of the eyeball. It starts out the consistency of jello, but as we age, it liquefies. Eventually these changes cause the vitreous to detach from the back of the eye, the retina. Not a big deal, unless the attachment between the vitreous and the retina is tight. If they don’t break apart easily, then you will experience flashes of light, a shower of new floaters, and in 1 of 7 people, a retinal tear. The PVD itself isn’t a bad thing—it’s actually a good thing! Once the vitreous has detached from the retina you are much less likely to have a ...

 “What is my vision?” This is a common question asked by many patients. Vision, or visual acuity, can be measured in the form of a fraction, such as 20/20, which many consider to be ‘perfect’. But what does 20/20 vision mean? First of all, I need to explain what the numbers in the fraction mean. The top number refers to the distance the vision is tested, or 20 feet. The second number is the distance at which a ‘normal’ eye can see the target. So, if someone’s visual acuity is 20/80, and they are 20 feet from a target to see it clearly, someone with perfect vision can be 80 feet away and still see the same target clearly. 20/80 visual acuity is 4X worse than 20/20. 20/40 vision in at least one eye is needed to have a driver’s license. That’s why you can still “pass” your driver’s test without perfect 20/20 vision. This way of evaluating vision can be performed either without any correction, such as glasses or contacts, or with best correction. Visual acuity i...

  Handheld lasers or laser pointers have conventionally been considered safe for eyes. However, there has been an increase in laser pointer eye injuries over the last four years. This could be attributed to the ease with which laser pointers can be purchased online, and how little the FDA is able to control these purchases. The most common injuries are suffered by males under age 18. Laser eye injuries vary greatly depending on the strength of the laser, the type of light it emits, and exposure time. There are five laser classifications. Class I are considered safe from all hazards, they include CD players and laser printers. Class II are less than 1mW, these include laser pointers commonly used in classrooms and aiming devices. Damage is caused by looking directly into the light for more than 15 minutes. Class IIIa include 1-5mW devices. Some laser pointers do fall into this class. Direct viewing of the beam can be hazardous to the eyes, even for brief amounts of tim...

  Ophthalmic technicians and assistants work closely with eye doctors gathering important information for the eye exam.  Our staff technical staff has monthly training meetings and required hours of continuing education to keep up their skills. Amy, a certified ophthalmic assistant, has some tips to share from the tech perspective on your experience with EyeCare. Here we know every patient deserves the best care possible!  We work hard to provide quality care while valuing our patient’s time.  For both new and established patients, here are some things we, the techs and assistants, would like you to know! Expect to spend at least one hour in the clinic during a complete exam.  This allows time for a preliminary work up with a technician, 20 minutes for dilation, and a thorough examination with your eye care provider. Pupil dilation is a necessary part of a comprehensive eye exam.  Doctors utilize this to examine the inside of the eye and v...

  Retinal tears, also known as, retinal detachments are a common worry when changes are noticed in your vision. But how can you tell if you really have one? There are some signs that are more of a red flag than others. Let’s view retinal tears, their symptoms and severities, treatments, common causes, and how to prevent them. Retinal tear symptoms Typically with retinal detachments or tears, there is no pain and you may experience flashes, floaters, or dark curtains. Let’s review each.  Flashes The retina may produce a flash like a camera when it moves. These flashes usually occur when the vitreous (or gel like fluid) in your eye detaches from the retina. This may create a large floater in your vision. If the connection of the vitreous is tight, it can pull on the retina, which creates the flashing. This is more noticeable when you move your eyes around as this also moves around the fluid inside your eye. If you notice flashing, you need to be seen to prevent...

  Do you ever feel like you’re the only one with questions about eye exams and scheduling?  Rest assured, you are not.  Our front desk staff compiled their top 6 questions asked each day with answers they want everyone to know.  Enjoy! 1) When was my last appointment? We can look that up and schedule an eye exam if needed. It is important to have a complete eye exam every year or two, depending on the recommendation of your doctor. Most insurances will cover a comprehensive vision exam once a year and more than one exam per year if there are new visual concerns. Check with your insurance provider to see the exact coverage you have. However, if you are having new issues contact us and we will schedule an appointment. 2) Will I get a reminder of my next appointment? Yes! EyeCare sends a reminder card two months prior to when exam is due. As your appointment draws closer we will call 2 days prior to the scheduled exams. It is always a good idea to schedul...

  This question is expressed frequently by our patients and, I  feel, justifiably so. Glasses offer a dizzying multitude of designs and options to choose from; which ultimately culminates into becoming an important and major purchase for you! Because glasses are a necessity for so many, and there are so many decisions to consider (not only price), shopping around has also become a necessity. I’ve been fortunate enough to work in both private practice and retail/chain stores and although I do believe there are bad apples in every orchard, I’ve noticed marked differences between the two and so would like to present the argument for buying from your local private practice. Please bear in mind, my sentiments are by no means gospel! These are simply observations and experiences I’d like to share in hopes you’ll think about us the next time you need new glasses (shameless plug, I know)! Your Experience & Quality of Care Typically, chain stores operate as...