Dr. Clarin | → Eye Doctor In Miami | Miami Optometrist

Posts Tagged dr. clarin

Diabetes Is On The Rise

Diabetes is the number one cause of blindness in America today, which is why the American Diabetic Association recommends a comprehensive eye exam every year by your eye care provider.

Some examples of the changes that we see are bleeding and leaking from the small blood vessels in the retina as well as changes to your eyeglass prescription, both caused by uncontrolled blood- sugar levels. Many times it is your eye doctor who first uncovers the signs that ultimately lead to the diagnosis of diabetes.

According to a new report from the CDC, the number of cases of diabetes may triple by the year 2050, to the point where 1 in 3 Americans will have the disease. This is mainly fueled by:

1. An aging population – The number of adults ages 65 and older are expected to climb from 38.7 million in 2008 to 88.5 million by 2050. Also, a confounding factor is that type 2 diabetes is on the rise in younger people, especially adolescents. This group was rarely affected in the past, but lifestyle factors like obesity and a lack of exercise are mostly to blame for the increase.

2. Minority populations are increasing – African-Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, and Asian-Americans have the highest risk of developing type 2 diabetes. African-Americans, for example, are twice as likely to be diagnosed as non-Hispanic whites. They’re also more likely to suffer complications.

3. People with diabetes are living longer - This is mostly due to better medical care. Public health campaigns and greater emphasis on diabetes education have also likely contributed. With more awareness and better care, the number of undiagnosed cases has also fallen.

Diabetes is a life-altering disease. It is important that you take it seriously and always follow your doctor’s recommendations. Our office is here to help in any way we can, from simple discussions about the effects of diabetes to an in depth examinations of your retina. We are here for you today and into the future.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care Center. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Connect with us:

Tags: blindness, Blood sugar, care, clarin eye care, diabetes, Diabetes mellitus, dr. clarin, eye, eye care, eye doctor, eye exam, optometrist, optometry, vision, vision care, vision correction, vision loss

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

New Vision Correction Options for Baby Boomers on the Horizon

Presbyopia – the unavoidable age related condition that affects everyones near vision at some point in their lives. Usually after your 40th birthday, it becomes increasingly difficult to see up-close objects and text, with more than 60 million people in the United States facing this condition. As of now, your vision correction options are limited to glasses, contact lenses or monovision LASIK – where one eye sees better far away and the other sees better up close.

However, there are new procedures, currently gaining popularity in Europe, that look promising to help with your near vision in the future.

A Corneal Lens Implant with Built-In Vision Correction

The Flexivue lens is an extremely thin lens that is inserted into the cornea of the patient’s non-dominant eye through a tiny pocket made with a highly precise laser. After the lens is inserted, the pocket self-seals and holds the lens in place. The treated eye’s near vision improved significantly without glasses; however, the distance vision did decrease a bit in the treated eye.

“This corneal lens implant appears to be a safe [and] effective way to correct presbyopia in people aged 45 to 60,” said Dr. Ioannis G. Pallikaris. ”Ninety-eight percent of patients were satisfied with their vision; 69 percent reported ‘excellent’ and 30 percent ‘good’ near vision in our survey. Ninety-two percent said they no longer used glasses.”

Dr. Pallikarissaid added that there were no surgery-related complications and a key advantage is that, unlike LASIK and related refractive surgical procedures, the effects of corneal lens implants can be reversed by lens removal.

Corneal Inlay “Pinhole” Optics Sharpens Near Vision

Corneal inlays work by changing the eye’s depth of focus. The procedure involves making a corneal flap just like in LASIK, then placing a small, donut-shaped inlay in the center of the cornea of the non-dominant eye and replacing the flap. The inlay’s small opening creates a “pinhole” effect by blocking peripheral light coming into the eye – which ultimately results in improved near vision. Distance vision is mostly unaffected, but patients may notice a slight difference when they compare their two eyes. Like corneal lenses, inlays’ effects can be reversed by removal.

“Results for AcuFocus have remained stable for three years of follow up, and we’ve seen dramatic improvements in corneal inlays in the past seven years of clinical study,” Dr. Durrie said.

Reshaping the Cornea without Breaking the Surface

Perhaps the most surprising cornea-based correction technique among the newcomers is INTRACOR. This technology applies fast laser energy pulses inside the cornea without removing tissue. The pulses cause a biomechanical change in the cornea that shifts its center slightly forward and improves near vision while maintaining distance vision. Small incisions may also be made to correct a small degreesof near- or farsightedness. The procedure, done in the non-dominant eye, takes less than half a minute.

Mike P Holzer, MD, presented two year follow-up data on INTRACOR presbyopia correction in 25 patients. Participants showed significant gains in near vision without glasses and maintained good distance vision. INTRACOR has generated strong interest in Europe, Asia and South America and is gathering momentum in the U.S.

“The procedure is painless, and because no tissue is removed, the risk of infection is extremely low and the body does not need to mount a strong healing response,” Prof. Holzer said. “The cornea is not weakened, as it can be with other types of refractive surgery. Patients’ vision improved within hours of the procedure and remained stable over the follow-up period,” he added.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care Center. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Connect with us:

Tags: 33156, 33157, 33176, clarin eye care, contact, contact lens, Contact Lenses, cornea, dr. clarin, eye, eye care, eye doctor, eye dominance, eye exam, eyecare, focus, glasses, lasik, lens, optometrist, optometry, palmetto bay, Pinecrest, presbyopia, vision, vision care, vision correction

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

Contact Lenses Can Be A Safe Option When Used Properly

In the United States, 40 million people use contact lenses to improve their vision. While most of these contact lens wearers adhere to the guidelines set out by their doctors, many do not. According to the American Optometric Association‘s annual American Eye-Q® survey, many people are putting their health and vision at risk by not following the recommendations of their eye care professionals.

According to the study, a majority of contact lens wearers overwear their lenses. This comes as no surprise to me, as a clear majority of my patients tell me they don’t follow the recommended replacement schedule. Even more alarming, more than twenty-five percent of respondents reported sleeping in their contact lenses, a major risk factor that increases complications by 15 times.

“It’s easy for patients to forget that contact lenses are medical devices and as such, should be handled with an appropriate level of caution,” said Dr. Christine Sindt, OD, FAAO, chair of the AOA’s Contact Lens and Cornea Section and Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Iowa. “Clean and safe handling of contacts is one of the most important measures wearers can take to protect their sight.”

According to the press release, “the AOA’s survey shows that although a majority of contact lens wearers (58 percent) clean and disinfect them with an appropriate solution, another 23 percent of respondents soak or clean lenses in water, and 12 percent store their contacts in something other than a typical storage case. Cleaning and rinsing lenses are necessary to remove mucus, secretions, films or deposits which may have accumulated during wearing, while disinfecting is required to destroy harmful germs. Water does not disinfect lenses; in fact it can actually contaminate contacts. Using something other than an appropriate case for storing lenses can allow bacteria to grow on or near contacts.”

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care Center. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Connect with us:

Tags: clarin eye care, contact, contact lens, Contact Lenses, dr. clarin, eye, Eye care professional, eye doctor, eyecare, lenses, optometrist, optometry, vision, vision care

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

The Solution to Contact Lens Trouble

At Clarin Eye Care Center, we often recommend multipurpose contact lens solutions such as Alcon’s OPTI-FREE RepleniSH, AMO Complete or the new BioTrue from Bausch + Lomb. However, according to a study in the Archives of Ophthalmology, the incidence of complications from wearing contact lenses was lowest with a hydrogen peroxide based solution, such as Clear Care.

Clear Care is our go-to solution for contact lens troubleshooting. The hydrogen peroxide liquid completely cleans your lens and is the only true no-rub/no-rinse solution on the market. When you take your lenses out of the solution, they are as close to a fresh lens as you can get, allowing you to wear them more comfortably for more hours in the day.

There is, however, a reason hydrogen peroxide solutions haven’t become commonplace in the market. The actual hydrogen peroxide will burn if you get it in your eyes. Therefore a bit more care has to be taken when taking out and putting in your lenses. The solution needs to sit in the lens holder to create a chemical reaction and turn the hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. This process take six hours (overnight), and afterwards the lenses and remaining solution can go directly into your eyes. This is different from the multipurpose solutions most people are used to. You cannot store your lenses in a standard lens case with the hydrogen peroxide, it must go in the vile that comes with the solution. But again, it’s worth it. Your lenses will be cleaner and more comfortable afterwards.

If you wish your lenses were more comfortable, if you can’t wear lenses all day or if you have repeated complications with contact lens wear, talk to your doctor about switching your solution to find the solution.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care Center. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Connect with us:

Tags: clarin eye care, contact lens, Contact Lenses, contacts, cornea, dr. clarin, eye, eye care, Eye care professional, eye exam, eyecare, infection, optometrist, solution, vision, vision care

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

Is LASIK Right For You?

Do you wear glasses or contact lenses? Are you nearsighted? Do you have astigmatism? If so, LASIK may be for you! LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is a painless vision correction procedure aimed to free you from needing glasses or contact lenses. And today, this procedure is available to more people than ever before. The actual procedure only last seconds and is over in the blink of an eye. When you sit up from the operating table, you will be able to see the clock on the other side of the room. The next morning your vision will be 20/20 and you can even go back to work.

The LASIK surgeon you choose should be based on the recommendation of your trusted Optometrist, not on the lowest price available or internet coupon specials. We’re talking about your eyes for the rest of your life, so this isn’t a time to choose an inferior product to save a buck. At our office, we recommend and co-manage with Dr. Cory Lessner from Millennium Laser Eye Center. Dr. Lessner has dedicated his career to LASIK and refractive procedures. He doesn’t dabble in other surgeries for other parts of your eye, he simply specializes in LASIK. This allows Millennium Eye Center to reinvest all of their money and time to be at the forefront of refractive care with the latest and greatest equipment available, ensuring better outcomes for their, and our, patients.

Our role in your care is also very important. LASIK starts with a thorough eye exam to make sure you are a proper candidate and that your eye is healthy enough to undergo the procedure. We then manage your post-op care, including your first appointment the very next day. You will visit our office one week and one month later to ensure you are healing properly. After that we will see you at the three month mark and then for your one year anniversary. At each exam we answer your questions, listen to your concerns and examine your eyes to make sure all is going according to plan.

LASIK has become a common option for vision correction today. It is a safe and effective answer to your visual needs. Call our office to schedule a LASIK consultation, your eyes will thank you!

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care Center. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Connect with us:

LASIK eye surgery – All Information (umm.edu)
Your Take: Was Lasik Surgery Worth It? (bargaineering.com)

Tags: clarin, contact lens, dr. clarin, eye, eye care, eye doctor, eyecare, laser, lasik, Ophthalmology, optometrist, vision, vision correction

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

Contact Lenses – How Young Should You Start?

According to a study by the American Optometric Association, eye doctors’ attitudes have shifted regarding fitting children in contact lenses. More than half of optometrists now feel it is appropriate to introduce a child to soft contact lenses between the ages of 10-12, with daily disposable contact lenses being the most frequently prescribed contacts for this age group.

“Studies in children’s vision correction confirm that contacts provide [many] benefits to children beyond simply correcting their vision, including significantly improving how they feel about their physical appearance, acceptance among friends, and ability to play sports, so it’s no surprise that optometrists and parents are becoming even more comfortable with the decision to recommend contact lenses to children when vision correction is required.”

At our office, we have fit contact lenses in children as young as seven years old. Of course, this required more responsibility from the parents than than the child. Daily disposable lenses lower the risk and complications of contact lens wear by allowing for a new sterile lens everyday. Daily disposables are the cleanest, safest, healthiest and most comfortable way to wear contacts.

In our practice, the most common age to begin contact lens wear is between 12 and 13 years old. Obviously for many children there is significant social motivation to get out of glasses. And for parents, around this age they see their child becoming more responsible.

According to the study, many parents are interested in contact lenses for their kids because the children simply do not wear their glasses during school. While I do appreciate this motivation, I am hesitant to fit a child who doesn’t understand the importance of vision correction. Contact lens wear has to be taken seriously, and I always like to see a child grasp what we are trying to do. I don’t want someone to take vision correction for granted and not respect the potential harm of contact lenses.

Of course, if you think your child is ready for contact lenses, please bring them in for a comprehensive eye exam and a contact lens evaluation. At Clarin Eye Care we are family friendly and can’t wait to share this big moment in your child’s life.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care Center. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Connect with us:

Tags: American Optometric Association, children, clarin, clarin eye care, contact, contact lens, Contact Lenses, dr. clarin, eye, eye care, Eye examination, eyecare, Health, lenses, Medical Specialties, medicine, Ophthalmology, optometrist, optometry

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

Parents: Top Tips For Infant Eye Health

You can never take for granted the health of an infant. It’s imperative for parents to understand some preventive measures that can be taken to keep their babies healthy. In some cases failure to identify early eye symptoms can result in vision loss and even blindness. That’s why a new Pediatric Cataract Initiative has been formed to identify, fund and promote innovative methods of overcoming pediatric cataracts for the long-term benefit of children, their families and their communities.

“Dr. Joseph Barr is a world-renowned optometrist and a member of the global advisory council for the Pediatric Cataract Initiative, a new initiative from the Bausch + Lomb Early Vision Institute and Lions Clubs International Foundation. He shares the following tips to help parents identify vision problems during those first critical months of life:

Dr. Barr recommends that children be given an eye exam before their first birthday; if there is a significant family history of eye problems, then he recommends an eye exam during the first six months. He points out that, “Eye care professionals offer different recommendations on when that first eye exam should take place for a child. While opticians, ophthalmologists and pediatricians may differ in their point of view, I personally like to see my grandchildren get their eyes checked within the first 12 months. An infant’s visual system is developing so rapidly in the first year that any abnormalities in vision can have long-term effects if not identified and corrected quickly.”

During the first few months of life, many babies appear to have misaligned eyes – but this is not usually the case. It’s often an illusion caused by the relatively large size of their eyes. However, there can be conditions that result in misalignment. Crossed eyes occur at a rate of about four percent in the general population. Another approximately three percent of children are eventually diagnosed with amblyopia. Sometimes referred to as “lazy eye,” amblyopia prevents both eyes from working together to produce consistently aligned binocular vision, thus hindering the development of a normal visual pathway. Signs to look for are children covering up or closing their eye or tilting or turning their head to favor one eye. If a child is showing these signs, they should visit an eye care practitioner right away, since amblyopia and crossed eyes can result in certain problems such as distorted depth perception. Early diagnosis and correction is important to prevent long-term vision problems.

At birth or soon thereafter, a doctor will examine infants for a “white pupil” instead of the normal black pupil in both eyes; this often identifies a pediatric cataract. If your baby does show signs of cataract, removal of the cataract and follow up care in the first weeks and months of life is important; failure to act or delay in treatment can lead to loss of vision or functional blindness. In the United States, incidence of pediatric cataract is relatively rare, although it is a more common problem in developing countries.”

For more information on Dr. Barr and the Pediatric Cataract Initiative, visit www.PediatricCataract.org.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care Center. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Connect with us:

Tags: amblyopia, cataract, clarin, clarin eye care, dr. clarin, eye, eye care, Eye care professional, eye exam, Eye examination, eyecare, infant, optometrist, pediatric, vision, vision loss

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

Attention to Warning Signs Can Save Your Vision

In the UK’s Daily Mail (10/13), reporter Janette Marshall details her personal experience with a retinal tear. The “first warning sign was a sudden onset of frequent flashes like cartoon lightning streaks,” followed by numerous floating black spots. Eric Ezra, director of vitreoretinal surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital, explains that ”early diagnosis and treatment is essential.” Without immediate treatment, “a torn retina can cause the entire retina to detach from the back of the eye, causing loss of sight,” possibly within “a matter of days or even few hours.” It is imperative that if you experience any symptoms such as flashes of light or new floating spots in yourvision that you call your eye doctor immediately and schedule an appointment.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care Center. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Tags: adam clarin, clarin, detachment, dr. clarin, eye, eye care, eyecare, optometrist, optometry, retina, tear, vision, vision care, vision loss

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

Deaf People May Develop "Super Vision" To Compensate For Hearing Loss

According to a recent report, scientists believe the brain adapts to the loss of hearing by rewiring itself to enhance sight. Parts of the brain that normally locate sound can learn to do the same job using vision instead. Some experts believe that losing one sense early in life at a time when nerve connections are still being made allows the brain to rewire itself to compensate. As a result, deaf [people] have an enhanced ability to observe moving objects.

Study leader Dr Stephen Lomber, from the Centre for Brain and Mind at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, said: “The brain is very efficient, and doesn’t let unused space go to waste. ”The brain wants to compensate for the lost sense with enhancements that are beneficial. For example, if you’re deaf, you would benefit by seeing a car coming far off in your peripheral vision, because you can’t hear that car approaching from the side; the same with being able to more accurately detect how fast something is moving.”

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care Center. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Connect with us:

Tags: clarin, clarin eye care, deaf, dr. clarin, eye, eye care, eyecare, hearing loss, optometrist, Peripheral vision, vision

Posted in: Uncategorized

Navigating the Insurance Maze

As an Optometrist, dealing with different medical insurance and vision plans can be very confusing. I can only imagine what it must be like from the consumer’s point of view – being that you may only use your benefits once or twice per year.

Often times a patient will come to our office with both a vision plan and a medical plan, and not know which insurance carrier will be responsible for the exam. In theory, it’s very simple. If your reason for coming to our office is for a routine check such as for glasses or contact lenses, then a vision plan is responsible. If you came in for a medical reason, such as dry eyes, a red eye or to follow your eyes for diabetic changes, then your medical coverage would be billed for the visit.

There is often a misconception that because we are Optometrists that we only file claims through vision plans. That is simply incorrect. We are contracted providers with most major medical plans and our training has allowed us to treat and manage complex medical conditions. We file your medical insurance just as a local Ophthalmologist or urgent care center would.

The problem with filing a medical visit through a vision plan is that they only reimburse for routine diagnoses (such as myopia, astigmatism, etc.) and will not pay us if you have a medical condition such as a red eye or an advanced cataract. Of course, even if we file your exam through your medical insurance, you can still use your vision benefits for glasses or contact lenses.

Our office does not make these rules– they are defined by the insurance carriers and vision plans themselves. We will do everything to work with our patients to help navigate through the maze the insurance system has set up. I hope this cleared up a little confusion regarding medical versus vision plans.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care Center. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Tags: clarin, clarin eye care, clarineyecare, dr. clarin, eye, eye care, eye doctor, eye exam, eyecare, insurance, medical, medical billing, medical insurance, optometrist, vision, vision insurance, vision plan

Posted in: Optometry

Leave a Comment (0) →

Monday	9:00am – 6:00pm
Tuesday	9:00am – 6:30pm
Wednesday	9:00am -5:30pm
Thursday	9:00am – 6:00pm
Friday	9:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday	By Appointment

Related articles