Vision Care | → Eye Doctor In Miami | Miami Optometrist

Posts Tagged vision care

Macular Degeneration Is Actually Decreasing Despite An Aging Population

: Image via Wikipedia

The number of Americans with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) has been decreasing lately, despite what experts have warned for years. Researchers are unsure, but believe this is because of healthier lifestyles.

“The decreasing prevalence of ARMD may reflect recent changes in the frequency of smoking and other exposures such as diet, physical activity, and blood pressure associated with ARMD,” the researchers stated in their paper.

With increased life expectancy and an increase in the number of baby boomers, we’ve been expecting a rise in this potentially vision threatening disease.

The prevalence of ARMD among adults age 40 and older was an estimated 6.5 percent today, which represented a decrease by a whopping 30.8% compared to 1988-1994.

This is, of course, good news as ARMD is one of the nations leading causes of vision loss affecting millions of Americans. Macular Degeneration has a large genetic component so it’s important for you to try to find out your family history and get your eyes checked frequently.

The only management for the most common ‘dry’ form ARMD is certain nutritional suppliments, antioxidents and omega-3 fatty acids. This has only been shown to slow the progress of the disease.

For the more severe ‘wet’ form, anti-VEGF injections directly into the eye have shown some improvement in vision.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care, a family Optometry practice in Palmetto Bay, Florida. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Connect with us:

Tags: blindness, eye doctor, eye exam, eyecare, Health, Macular degeneration, optometrist, vision care, vision loss

Posted in: Uncategorized

Transition Lenses Change From Clear to Dark for Ultimate Visual Comfort

If you need clear prescription lenses indoors or when driving at night, but you also want the comfort of sunglasses without having to change back and forth, then Transition lenses may be “just what the doctor ordered.”

Transition lenses are clear indoors and at night but will darken when exposed to sunlight. They also provide full ultraviolet (UV) protection, so they help keep your eyes both safe and comfortable.

In the simplest terms, a photochromic lens changes color because of a chemical reaction inside the lens. When you wear your lenses outside, exposure to UV light triggers molecules which undergo a chemical reaction that turns the lens darker. When the lenses are removed from bright sunlight, either on cloudy days or indoors, not enough UV light is present to maintain the chemical reaction – and the lenses return to their original, clearer state.

Transition lenses “at a glance”

Transition lenses darken in sunlight and become clear when indoors and at night.
The shade goes from dark to clear – usually within 1-2 minutes.
Lenses will be darker in colder temperatures.
Photochromics are available in plastic, glass & polycarbonate materials as well as single vision, bifocals and progressive designs.
Gray and brown tints are also available.
Lenses don’t darken behind car windshields because the glass blocks out the UV rays that trigger the color change.
There are specialized designs for almost any activity (polarized photochromics for water sports and fishing, etc.) so be sure to mention your hobbies and interests whenever your eyes are examined or you are replacing your eyeglasses.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care, a family Optometry practice in Palmetto Bay, Florida. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Tags: eye doctor, eye exam, eyecare, glasses, lenses, optometrist, optometry, vision care, vision correction

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

A New Pathway For Glaucoma Has Been Discovered

In a new study, researchers identified an unexpected biological pathway that appears to contribute to the development of glaucoma and its resulting vision loss.

Prior research has suggested that the optic nerve head, the point where the cables that carry information from the eye to the brain first exit the eye, plays a role in glaucoma.

In this study, researchers found abnormal forms certain proteins that are also known for their key role in cell loss in Parkinson’s disease. The findings suggest that a biological process similar to Parkinson’s disease unfolds in glaucoma at the optic nerve head.

Dr. Nicholas Marsh-Armstrong, senior study author and a research scientist at Kennedy Krieger Institute added:

These findings are very exciting because they give us several novel targets for future interventions. I believe these findings put us on the cusp of discovering a treatment for glaucoma that may also have relevance for a number of other neurodegenerative diseases.

Future studies will examine this novel pathway and molecular/cellular mechanism to understand precisely what steps go awry in glaucoma and what can be controlled pharmacologically to identify interventions that slow the disease progression.

Dr. Marsh-Armstrong and other scientists at Kennedy Krieger Institute collaborated on this study with colleagues at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, Cardiff University in England, and the University of Murcia in Spain.

Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes blindness by damaging the optic nerve, which sends signals from the eye to the brain. It affects more than 60 million people and is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. While older individuals are at higher risk for the disease, babies and children are also susceptible to glaucoma, especially those with certain neurological disorders.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care, a family Optometry practice in Palmetto Bay, Florida. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Connect with us:

Tags: eye care, glaucoma, Health, optometry, vision care, vision loss

Posted in: Eye Health

Leave a Comment (0) →

Misinformation About Cataracts May Delay Treatment

HealthDay (12/27, Thompson) reported, “Cataracts are a leading cause of blindness among seniors in the United States, with more than half of all US residents developing the cloudy vision of cataracts by the time they reach 80 years old, according to Prevent Blindness America, a nonprofit group that focuses on eye health.” According to eye experts, “people seem to believe things about cataracts that aren’t quite right, including when and how they should be treated.” Unfortunately, “misinformation sometimes leads people to delay treatment long past when it could help them or to expect too much from treatment for this widespread vision problem.”

Cataract Patient Urges Others Not To Be Frightened By The Prospect Of Surgery. In a related story, HealthDay (12/27, Thompson) discussed the experiences of Marilyn Norred, a 74-year-old retired nurse who knew “for 30 years that she had cataracts in both eyes.” This spring, she underwent cataract surgery in both eyes after having put up with increasingly blurry vision. She advised readers with cataracts to “look forward to the surgery rather than being frightened by the prospect,” and she characterized her restored eyesight as a “wonderful gift.”

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care, a family Optometry practice in Palmetto Bay, Florida. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Connect with us:

Tags: blindness, cataract, Cataract surgery, eye, eye care, optometrist, optometry, vision care

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

Using Heat to Cool Down Your Burning Eyes ?!?

Dry and burning eyes, especially as the day goes on, is one of the toughest eye conditions to manage. Often patients have a problem with their meibomian glands – special glands along your lid margins that produce a lubricating oil which helps prevent evaporation of tears right off of your cornea.

The oils in the glands become hard, close to a consistency of butter rather than olive oil, and clog the glands, thus stopping your tears from getting this all important oil layer.

In order to soften the oils, you need to use heat on the glands. This is the single most important step to alleviating the symptoms and returning your eyes to their optimal function. This is also the least performed management tip in all of eyecare.

When I mention warm compresses or hot soaks most patients at least pretend to hear me, and some even try it once or twice. But most people think putting a hot towel on their eyes for 5 minutes is very inconvenient.

Warm water on a washcloth is also very inefficient – the washcloth only stays warms for 20 seconds before you have to put it back under the water. So I usually go over a few other methods of warm compresses that I think are easier and more convenient.

The best method, however, comes from a website called The Dry Eye Zone:

CINDY’S RICE BAGGY RECIPE
1. Buy a box of knee-hi stockings. I buy L’eggs Everday knee highs, 10 pair to a box for $5.99.
2. Buy a bag of long grain rice.
3. Put about 1/2 cup of uncooked rice in a single knee high and tie it off with a knot to keep the rice from falling out. Experiment a little with the amount of rice and tying the stocking off at different lengths until you find what works best and is the most comfortable (not too heavy) for you.
4. Put in the microwave on high for 20 seconds to start. Keep nuking until it’s warm enough.
Easy, cheap and you get 20 rice baggies. Use one for as long as you want and then toss it out.

Other methods that work pretty well are buying a microwavable gel pack straight from the drug store, or even a hard-boiled egg, which retains heat for a long time.

Whatever method you choose, warm compresses are the single most important step you can do to help relieve dry, burning eyes. Of course, schedule a comprehensive eye exam with your Optometrist first to make sure you know your exact diagnosis and complete treatment options.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care, a family Optometry practice in Palmetto Bay, Florida. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Tags: eye care, eye doctor, Eyelid, Meibomian gland, optometrist, optometry, vision care

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

Healthy Habits Can Cut Your Risk of Eye Disease

A new study has suggested that women who exercise, eat right, and don’t smoke can possibly cut their risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by more than two-thirds.

The authors wrote:

Adopting these healthy habits may markedly lower the prevalence of early AMD, the number of people who develop advanced AMD in their lifetime, and healthcare costs associated with treatment for this condition.

Participants in the study previously gave researchers a detailed dietary and lifestyle history about six years before AMD was assessed, making them ideal to look at to examine links between behavioral factors and AMD, a leading cause of vision loss among U.S. adults ages 60 and older.

Self-reported diets at baseline were scored according to the content of relatively healthy foods, such as whole grains, vegetables and fruits, and milk, as well as unhealthy foods including saturated fats, sodium, and added sugar.

Responses to questionnaire items on recreational and household physical activity were translated into estimated energy expenditures, expressed as metabolic energy task-hours (MET-hours) per week.

Lowered associations with AMD risk were found to be statistically significant for both diet and exercise. Interestingly, smoking by itself was not a particularly strong risk factor for AMD in this study. Compared with participants who never smoked.

But all three factors combined were a powerful indicator of AMD risk ompared to women who practiced good diet and exercise habits.

The observational study provided no hard evidence for a causal mechanism, but the researchers suggested that healthy lifestyles may keep blood pressure down, which, in turn, could reduce AMD risk.

Behavioral factors can also affect the composition of macular pigment which potentially makes the macula more or less vulnerable to various pathologies such as oxidative damage – which causes AMD.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care, a family Optometry practice in Palmetto Bay, Florida. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Connect with us:

Tags: AMD, Eye Disorders, eyecare, Health, Macular degeneration, optometrist, optometry, retina, vision care, vision loss

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

Emma Thompson’s Mother Fears the Oscar Winner May Go Blind

: Image via Wikipedia

From the Herald Scotland:

Phyllida Law, the actress, has spoken about her fear that the blindness that struck her mother in later life will affect her daughters, Oscar-winner Emma Thompson and actress Sophie Thompson.

Glasgow-born Law, who has appeared in many of Emma’s films, including Nanny McPhee and Peter’s Friends, will appear on BBC Radio 4 next Sunday telling her personal and emotional story as part of the eye research charity Fight for Sight’s Christmas appeal.

Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Herald, the 78-year-old recalled how her mother’s glaucoma severely affected the last decade of her life. Law now suffers from the condition herself and fears the problem will, in turn, affect her daughters.

“She didn’t go completely blind, but her eyesight was extremely diminished,” she said. “Her ability to judge distance was diminished. She had tunnel vision really. She had to do things that blind people did, like put her finger on the top of a glass so she would know when it was full.

“Because of my mother’s condition, I was told rather firmly by the opthamologist to go get my eyes tested. I hadn’t had mine tested for ages.”

As a result, in 1993 Law was also diagnosed with glaucoma, but it was caught at a relatively early stage and was treatable. She needs eye-drops morning and night, which is “not inconvenient at all”.

“I’m a lucky one,” she said. “Glaucoma is rather creepy. You don’t know you have it because it doesn’t hurt. It means sometimes you don’t know you have it until it is too late. That’s what happened with my mother. She didn’t know she had it until it got really nasty.”

Glaucoma is the world’s second leading cause of sight loss. It occurs when pressure in the eye builds and, if untreated it severely damages the optic nerve. Around one in 50 people in the UK aged over 40 has glaucoma, rising to one in 10 over 75.

It is also hereditary. Once Law received her diagnosis she insisted Emma and Sophie be tested too. Their eyes are currently healthy, but Law still reminds them every year.

“Of course I worry about their sight,” she said. “I don’t get hysterical about it, but of course I worry. I’m a mother. I’m glad they get it checked.”

She said her concern for her loved ones was the reason for her fronting Fight for Sight’s Christmas appeal. Their work is “flipping brilliant”, she said. “Research happening now could not only improve treatments for me but could also save the sight of my children and grandchildren.”

Fight For Sight has been working in this area for 45 years. This year it spent £3 million funding research into ways of identifying glaucoma earlier and restoring sight lost through conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and diabetic eye disease.

This information is brought to you by Clarin Eye Care, a family Optometry practice in Palmetto Bay, Florida. Please call or contact our office for more information.

Tags: blindness, Emma Thompson, eyecare, glaucoma, optometrist, optometry, Phyllida Law, Sophie Thompson, vision care, vision loss

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

Can Video Games Actually Improve Your Eyes?

To the dismay to parents everywhere, recent studies have come out showing that video games can actually improve some aspects of vision.

For one, playing fast-moving action games is shown to increase hand-eye coordination. Kids learn to respond quickly to a visual stimulus, thus speeding up their response time.

Another use for video games is for children with amblyopia, a condition where one or both eyes never develop 20/2o. Forcing a child to use their weak eye can help exercise and improve vision. Using video games has actually shown even better results by teaching the brain to pay more attention and respond faster.

Of course everything is better in moderation, so too many video games can casue eye strain. Frequent breaks are needed especially for small hand-held games like the Nintendo DS or PSP. Just as with computers, it’s always best to use the 20-20-20 rule– for every 20 minutes of work, take a 20 second break and look at least 20 feet away. That will decrease the strain and discomfort on your eyes.

Remember parents, assuming the homework is done, there are worse things for the eyes than video games. But rest assured, I won’t volunteer that information while examining your child!

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

Connect with us:

How Video Games Reorganize Your Brain [Science] (kotaku.com)
Gaming the Brain (psychologytoday.com)

Tags: Action game, amblyopia, clarin eye care, eye care, eye doctor, Eye–hand coordination, Games, optometrist, optometry, vision care, vision correction

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

When Should Your Child Have Their First Eye Exam?

When I ask most parents about their children’s eyes, almost all of them tell me they had an eye exam at their pediatrician‘s office. I’m here to tell you that that is far from a comprehensive eye exam.

Pediatrician’s offices are good at screening for large distance vision problems, but there is more to vision than just reading the 20/20 line. On the same note, I’ve seen a lot of kids who passed a ‘school screening,’ but get to my office and absolutely need glasses. In fact, if you just do an eye chart you miss 50% of eye problems.

Nearly all farsighted children will pass a vision screening, and most in fact won’t require glasses. But as an Optometrist with you child’s best interest in mind, I want to know their exact prescription and make sure we’re not missing any problems.

Vision is responsible for 80% of what kids learn, so it’s important to make sure they can see clearly and comfortably. That’s why I recommend every child has a comprehensive eye exam before they start kindergarten. It’s so vital to make sure your youngster starts school seeing their best, to ensure they get off on the right foot and have every advantage to excel at school.

When I do a pediatric exam, of course I test distance vision. I also test your child’s ability to use both eyes together and focus at near. I look for symptoms of headaches, trouble reading, or subtle eye turns.

Our office is very kid friendly and we work closely with many pediatricians. And even though taking your child to yet one more doctor’s appointment may seem like a chore for both of you, just know that visiting the eye doctor is not likely to be as upsetting for a youngster as visiting the pediatrician. As I tell all of the kids to put them at ease, we don’t have shots, only letters and a flashlight.

Pediatric exams are fun and rewarding for us, knowing that we are integral in your child’s overall eye and health care.

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

Tags: Child, children, clarin eye care, eye care, Eye care professional, eye doctor, eye exam, Eye examination, optometrist, optometry, Pediatrics, vision, vision care

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

Don't Take Your Sight For Granted

By Nikki Temkin

How much time do you spend staring at the computer screen? Do you wear sunglasses outside? When was the last time you had your eyes checked? The answers to these questions may say a lot about the state of your eyes.

Many of us take our sight for granted yet, when asked, most people fear losing their sight more than any other sense. It may be true that medical advances have sometimes made it possible to correct vision, replace diseased parts of the eye and even heal some forms of blindness. But, if you’re lucky enough to have perfect vision now, taking care of your eyes is essential to keeping them perfect in the future.

Optometrists in a survey found that more than 14% of their patients had computer vision syndrome (CVS) – not surprising considering that humans weren’t designed to sit and stare at a screen all day. But, staring at a computer screen will most probably uncover your eye problems rather than cause them.

“The high visual demands of computer work and play make many individuals susceptible to the development of eye and vision-related problems,” says optometrist Jeffrey Anshel. “With the proliferation of portable electronic devices such as laptops, palm pilots and video game players, it’s no surprise eye-care professionals are seeing more patients who complain of ocular discomfort.”

The increased use of smaller, portable work and recreational gadgets such as smartphones and tablet computers may contribute to eye fatigue. “Eye stress and strain may be caused by a combination of individual visual problems, improper viewing habits and poor environmental conditions, such as glare, improper workstation set-up, dirty screens, poor lighting and viewing angles,” says Anshel.

But, it’s not just computer geeks who need to be careful. Your genetics also play a role in the health of your eyes. If anyone in your family suffers from anything like macular degeneration (an eye disease in which the macula, a structure within the eye, gradually deteriorates, leading to decreased vision or blindness) or any eye disease, then be extra vigilant.

The best thing you can do for your eyes is to have an annual examination. Optometrist Brian Levin says: “Children should ideally have their eyes tested at the age of three. If you have a family history of eye problems such as early cataracts, then it may be possible to take a medication that will help to prevent this happening to you.”

In South Africa, cataracts are the leading cause of blindness, affecting 160000 of an estimated 250000 blind population. Another important preventative measure is always to wear sunglasses when out in the sun as sun damage can lead to macular degeneration and cataracts. And remember, the sooner an eye problem is identified, whether it be poor eyesight or glaucoma, the more successfully it can be treated.

Tips for healthy eyes

Have an annual eye exam.
A red eye or a pain in an eye that doesn’t go away within a short time, or changes in your vision, need to be checked out.
Wear sunglasses with UV protection and a hat when you’re outside. This is especially important for anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors, such as golfers or gardeners.
A healthy diet and lifestyle is good for your eyes.
Smoking contributes to macular degeneration.
If you have a medical condition such as diabetes or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, you’re at an increased risk of developing a serious eye disease.

Use an anti-reflective coating on your lenses if you’re at the computer for extended periods to reduce the glare. Check that the contrast setting is not too bright and sit at least an arm’s length away from the computer screen. If you’re light sensitive, consider putting a small tint into the lens as well.
After every hour at the computer, take a five-minute break to relax your eye muscles. Also, blink more when you’re sitting at the computer and every 20 minutes, look away for 20 seconds.
Avoid always working at the computer from the same distance. Change your focus regularly.
Computers can give off a lot of heat, causing dry eyes. Use artificial tears to moisten the eye.
If you’re older than 50, consider a specialised pair of glasses for the computer.
Teach children not to hold books or computer games too close to them.

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

Tags: clarin eye care, computer, Contact Lenses, eye care, eye doctor, eye exam, eyecare, glasses, optometrist, optometry, vision, vision care, vision correction

Posted in: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment (0) →

Page 1 of 3 12 3

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