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.

The process of a diabetic eye exam is very simple and straightforward. In fact, in most instances, it is included within the other elements of comprehensive eye exam and you may not even realize that you have had a specific test to check for diabetes-related complications.

Diabetic eye screening is non-invasive. You will be given eyedrops which will blur your vision. These may sting a little when they are administered, but this will pass within just a few moments. Once your vision is blurred, you will be asked to rest your head onto a device and stare down a lens. This leads to a camera which will take images of the backs of your eyes so that your eye doctor can assess the structures, which include the retina, for any abnormalities. You will see a flash when each image is taken, but at no point should you be in any pain.

While dry eye isn’t a serious condition, it can have a major impact on your quality of life. You may find your eyes get tired faster or you have difficulty reading. Not to mention the discomfort of a burning sensation or blurry vision. Let’s take a look at dry eye treatments – from simple self-care to innovative prescriptions and therapies – to help you see clearly and comfortably.

​​​​​​​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.

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. 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.

Every patient is different and so are their eyes. This means that there need to be different types of contact lenses to suit each individual. Some patients have corneal abnormalities which mean that conventional lenses won’t sit comfortably on the surface of their eyes, while others suffer from eye conditions that mean normal contact lenses won’t be comfortable or could irritate their eyes. For more information about specialty contact lenses, don’t hesitate to speak to our dedicated eye care team.

When you were a kid, did you experience your eyes get all reddish and all of a sudden, someone close to you also got to suffer from it? Your eyes, as well as those who contacted it, got itchy and swollen right? Then it must have been that you suffered from pink eyes.

Pink eye is well known as conjunctivitis and it is the infection or inflammation of the conjunctiva or the transparent membrane that serves as a covering for the white part of the eye called the sclera and lines the eyelid. More so, there is usually a tear in the eyes that emits a sticky discharge which develops into a crust while sleeping making it difficult for the patient to open the eyes in the morning.

One thing about the pink eye is that it is highly contagious and it could affect both eyes or just one eye at a time. While it is more common in children, adults are also victims of this eye condition. There are 3 major causes of pink eyes namely:

• Bacteria
  Streptococci and staphylococci are bacteria types that are most responsible for pink eyes. However, chlamydia and gonococci can also cause pink eye. It is accompanied by serious eye pain, itching, swelling, redness, discharge of colorful substance. The spread of bacterial pink eye is usually as a result of using personal items of infected parties, use of makeup materials that have been infected with bacteria, putting dirty hands in the eyes. If not treated, it can last for more than 10 days but if treated, in less than 3 days, it would be resolved.

• Allergies
  Pink eyes caused by allergies are followed by serious itching and tearing of the eyes. Pain is minimal here, although, it comes with a lot of discomforts. Most times, pink eyes happen with the company of sneezing, coughing, etc. Allergens that trigger pink eyes include grass, dust, pollen, mold, ragweed, etc. Allergy based pink eyes are usually not contagious.

• Viruses
  
  

General Symptoms of Pink Eyes

• Scratching of the eyes

• Redness of the sclera

• Pain

• Watery discharge

• Swollen eyelids

• Hazy or blurry vision

• Oversensitivity to light
  
  

Prevention

The best way to prevent pink eyes is by practicing good hygiene. Some of them include:

• Avoid putting dirty hands in your eyes

• Make it a habit to wash your hands often

• Avoid sharing towels and other personal items

• Do not be fond of using dirty items

• Changing your pillow cover regularly is important

• Do not leave makeup item open for too long

• Avoid sharing makeup items like eyeliners, etc.

Treatment of Pink Eye

The treatment of pink eyes is dependant on its underlying cause.

• If it is caused by a virus, you just might have to wait for the virus to run its course which could last for about four to seven days. The virus caused pink eyes could be easily contacted so it is imperative you try to curb its spread. Anything virus cannot be cured by antibiotics but some antiviral drugs could be of help

• Antibiotics are more effective against pink eyes caused by bacteria as they reduce the lifespan of these bacteria. These antibiotics could be in the form of eye drops or pills. Based on the doctor’s prescription, eye drop could be administered about four to six times daily. It is important you finish using your drugs even after the disappearance of symptoms

• To deal with pink eyes caused by allergies, the allergy should be treated. Once treated, pink eyes would disappear. More so, it is worthy to avoid allergens so as not to have pink eyes at all.
  
  

Whenever the symptoms of pink eye emerge, the best preventive measure is to ensure you do not go to school or your workplace. Stay at home until the watery discharge ceases. This is to avoid the spread of it. You should also visit your doctor immediately to begin treatment. While mild pink eyes get to go on its own, some of its serious forms can cause a scar on the cornea

If you are one of the thousands of people considering LASIK laser eye surgery, then you will probably be gathering as much information as possible about the treatment. By this point, you are probably aware of the benefits that LASIK offers, such as a reduced or eliminated need for glasses or contact lenses and greater convenience in your day to day life. However, for many patients, despite the advantages of LASIK, the thought of surgery on their eyes is still a cause of anxiety and fear. One of the best ways to alleviate this concern is to find out more about what the procedure entails.

Your Consultation

Before you can be approved for any form of laser vision correction, including LASIK, you will need to attend a consultation appointment with your surgeon. During consultations, we will perform an examination of your eyes and use your medical and ocular history to determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure. He will also speak to you about the expected outcome from your surgery, making you aware that while LASIK will dramatically improve your eyesight, there is no guarantee that you will not need to wear glasses in some situations, such as while driving in the dark.

How LASIK Works

LASIK uses a cool, ultraviolet beam of light to reshape the patient’s cornea. Doing so will more accurately focus the light that enters the eye on to the retina, thus improving the patient’s vision.

The LASIK Procedure

The LASIK procedure is very fast and straightforward. Although you will probably be in the surgical suite for around half an hour, the actual process only takes a couple of minutes per eye. The rest of the time will be spent preparing and ensuring that you are comfortable

Anesthetic eye drops are given to patients before their procedure so that the entire process is pain-free. If you are particularly anxious, it may also be possible for you to be slightly sedated this should be discussed with your doctor at your consultation appointment.

Once you are in position, we will use a femtosecond laser to cut a thin, circular flap into the outer corner. This can then be pulled back to reveal the underlying corneal tissue, known as the stroma so that it can be reshaped using the laser. The exact path that the laser needs to take, known as the topography, will have been pre-programmed ahead of the procedure and can be followed with complete precision and accuracy.

Once the reshaping is complete, the flap can be replaced back over the eye and the surgery is complete. There is no need for sutures or bandages as the cornea will start to heal immediately and without any medical intervention.

Recovery From LASIK

After your surgery, your eyes may feel a little sore, scratchy or itchy, but this should fade relatively quickly. Blurriness is also expected, but again this should disappear within a few days.

After being discharged you will need to have someone pick you up, as you will not be allowed to drive until our doctor has seen you the following day and confirmed that your eyesight meets the legal standard for driving.

In most cases, you will be asked to refrain from doing any intense physical activity for at least a week while your eyes begin to heal, but you should be able to return to work within 48/72 hours of your procedure.

Are There Any Risks Associated With LASIK?

LASIK is considered to be extremely safe, and any side effects are minimal and disappear within a few days. However, a very small number of people do report complications following LASIK, which can range from mild problems such as itching, painful or watery eyes to more serious side effects like a bulging cornea or extreme dry eye. Our doctors will discuss any potential side effects with you during your consultation, and give you the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have.

If you are looking for the very best quality LASIK procedure and patient care, then look no further. With our experience, knowledge, and skill, you can rest assured that your vision is in the most capable of hands. Schedule your consultation with us today by making contact with our friendly, reassuring team.

If you’ve been diagnosed with cataracts, you may wonder if cataract surgery is right around the corner. Not to worry. There are many preventive steps you can take to slow the progression of cataracts and preserve your vision. That doesn’t mean you won’t eventually need surgery, but you can at least delay the need for quite a while.

Protect Your Eyes From the Sun

The National Eye Institute recommends protecting your eyes from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) and high-energy visible (HEV) rays by always wearing good quality sunglasses while outdoors. Look for sunglasses that block 100 percent of UV rays and absorb most HEV rays with large lenses or a close-fitting wraparound style. Remember that the peak hours for sun exposure are between 10 am and 3 pm or 11 am and 4 pm during daylight savings time and that the sun’s rays are strong enough to pass through clouds, so you need your sunglasses every day.

Avoid Steroid Eye Drops

Steroid eye drops are routinely prescribed to treat dry eyes or an arthritic flare-up in the eyes. Unfortunately, they can also speed up the progression of cataracts. Talk to your Optometrist about how you can manage both conditions without inadvertently making your cataracts worse – and hastening the need for surgery.

Check Your Medications

There are over 300 commonly prescribed medications with side effects that may impact cataract progression. Since your primary care physician may not have access to your eye doctor’s medical records, be sure to ask your doctor if your current medications will affect your cataracts. If you must stay on the medication, it’s even more important to avoid sunlight during peak hours and to wear sunglasses.

Quit Smoking

If you haven’t quit already, here’s another good reason to do it: over time, the damage from smoking can double or triple an individual's risk of developing cataracts. If you’ve been a smoker, your habit was probably a big contributor to the diagnosis. The good news is – by quitting smoking now, you can slow the progression of cataracts.

Follow Eye Health Diet Guidelines

Studies have shown that certain vitamins and nutrients may reduce age-related decline in eye health, particularly antioxidants. If you’ve already been diagnosed with cataracts, adding foods rich in antioxidants to your diet will help slow the progression. This list isn’t exhaustive, but here are some examples to get you started: dark chocolate, blueberries, strawberries, pecans, carrots, sweet potatoes, artichokes, kale, red cabbage, beans, beets, spinach, apples, and plums.

Doctors also recommend eating more fish high in omega-3 fatty acids. This has been linked to a potentially reduced risk of cataracts or their progression. You may also consider taking a multivitamin that contains Vitamin C and E. Talk to your doctor or nutritionist about how you might adopt a healthy eating plan that’s designed to prevent cataracts.

Fortunately, making these healthy modifications to your diet can prevent many other lifestyle diseases such as diabetes. Studies have shown that a diet rich in processed carbohydrates can increase your risk of both developing cataracts and speeding up its progression. It’s important to develop a plan that works for you and supports your holistic health.

Take control of your cataract diagnosis by getting regular eye exams, communicating with your doctor, and putting these tips into practice. You’ll have better vision and prevent the need for cataract surgery in the near future.

Retinal Imaging is another great preventative eyecare technology tool. By allowing your eye doctor to have a comprehensive view of your retina, they will be able to detect any developing eye diseases early on, before they have a detrimental impact on your vision and day to day life. Not only can Optomap detect eye conditions such as retinal holes, retinal detachment, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, but it can also be used to identify some general health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer.

Coming Soon!