Break out the balloons!
We noticed an interesting phenomenon this month….. Not only are 4 of our 7 full time employees born in August, but all of their birthdays are EXACTLY 8 days apart. If that’s not a BINGO- I don’t know what is.
We noticed an interesting phenomenon this month….. Not only are 4 of our 7 full time employees born in August, but all of their birthdays are EXACTLY 8 days apart. If that’s not a BINGO- I don’t know what is.
A recent article in US News and World Report discusses a nationwide survey showing vision loss to be equal to or worse than losing hearing, memory, speech or a limb. How about you? Is age-related vision changes and loss a concern? Have you considered what it would be like to lose your sight? Are you taking steps today that could reduce risks of vision loss or blindness tomorrow?
How often do you take your car to be serviced or head to the dentist? How often do you update the anti-virus software on your PC to protect your hard drive?
A routine eye check-up can monitor your eye health – catch problems before they start and keep your eyes in top working condition. There is a lot more to a comprehensive eye exam than “which is better one or two”?
A patient came to see us for his first routine eye exam at the age of 55. He had just started to wear over the counter readers but never had any vision problems. During the visual fields test, Dr. McEathron discovered a field loss in his vision. The glaucoma pressure test and assessment of the optic nerve confirmed a likely diagnosis of glaucoma. The patient immediately began treatment for moderately severe glaucoma. The 10 degrees of near vision field loss seen will never be recovered – the daily prescriptions drops the patient takes will slow progress of the disease, but as of now there is no cure. Another important note to mention- the patient had no family history of glaucoma.
Eye exams are recommended every year. The affordable health care act has deemed pediatric vision one of ten essential health benefits. Many insurance plans include coverage for a routine eye exam yearly. For more information on what your insurance plan covers, call our office and we can provide you with details.
In the beginning of the year- your birthday month – as soon as school’s out for summer or before the year is out – pick a time to schedule your yearly eye check up/regular preventative maintenance and stick to it! Your future self will thank you!
Since today is Dr. McEathron’s birthday- it’s appropriate to communicate more of his tips to slow down age-related vision changes in your eyes.
Choosing to eat healthy can have a long term impact on your eye health and therefore your age-related vision changes. And, the good news is it certainly goes beyond carrots. Antioxidants and other specific vitamins nutrients can reduce your risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma. Furthermore, omega-3 essential fatty acids also help alleviate dry eyes and guards against macular damage.
In addition to food sources, there are many supplements on the market that promote eye health and help prevent age-related vision changes. For example, for individuals at higher risk of eye disease, especially with family history of macular degeneration or glaucoma, Dr. McEathron certainly recommends adding an eye health supplement to your daily routine. There are many such supplements on the market. However, the supplement should provide at minimum the following for maximum effectiveness as a result:
Finally, after researching and evaluating several brands of eye health vitamins, we chose to offer Biosyntrx to our patients at our office. Furthermore, they have three formulations:
In conclusion, taking care of your eyes and entire body now through proper nutrition will give substantial benefits as each birthday passes as a result! Stay tuned for more tips on how to beat those age-related vision changes!
Dr. McEathron often talks to patients about how to slow down age-related vision changes to their vision and eyes. It’s his gentle way of bringing up the inevitable- along with the rest of our body- our eyes change as we age. This blog post is part one of a discussion on how to slow down those birthday induced changes to your eye health and vision.
There is much talk about protecting your skin from the sun- wearing sunscreen daily and link between UV exposure and skin cancer- but let’s talk about your eyes. The tissue on and around our eyes is thinner and more sensitive than the rest of our body. Eyes can sunburn with a great amount of sun exposure in a short time. This effect is called photokeratitis and can be very painful. Symptoms can include watery eyes, burning and feeling like grit is in your eyes. Thankfully it is typically short-lived (up to one week) and usually has no long term effects.
Long term UV exposure to our eyes can however have long term effects, including on our age-related vision changes. UV-A and UV-B light rays speed up the process of forming a cataract and increases the risk of macular degeneration. Both of these conditions affect your vision – cataracts make the world seem cloudy and blurry- which cannot be corrected with glasses, only surgery. Macular degeneration is a loss of the central vision- a blind spot that is irreversible. As previously mentioned- the skin around the eyes and tissue on the eyes is very thin. Consequently, excessive sun exposure without proper protection can lead to skin cancer and premature signs of aging, therefore furthering age-related vision changes.
Whenever you spend time outside, there are easy ways to protect your eyes from the sun to help reduce the risks discussed above. Wearing quality sunglasses that provide 100% protection against UV-A and UV-B radiation is the first step. Transition lenses (that darken in sunlight) also provide 100% UV protection. Wrap-around sunglasses provide the most amount of protection. Don’t forget about protecting children and young adults eyes too! They typically spend the most time in the sun. Therefore, implementing the sunglasses habit can make the biggest impact to their long term eye health. It does this by reducing the amount of accumulative hours of UV exposure!
In addition to sun protection- yearly eye exams to monitor eye health in all of these risk areas are very important. If you have any questions or concerns- please contact us for an appointment today or stop in to talk with one of our opticians about sunwear!
We purposefully choose not to do many “package deals” because we believe your eyes and therefore glasses lenses needs are as unique as you. And, we enjoy discussing the thousands of options available with you to customize a great pair of glasses. However — this summer we’ve partnered with our lab to create an amazing polarized sunglasses lenses package. It combines the best features available in prescription sunglasses. It is also at a great price and still offers some customization options!
The sun’s rays reflect light in every direction. When this light hits a flat surface (roads, water surface, windshield of oncoming car), the reflected light shines back at your eyes and is concentrated- causing glare. Glare reduces your depth perception, distorts your vision and color perception. Glare can even temporarily blind you!
Polarized sunglasses are designed to absorb horizontal light waves which neutralizes glare. This allows you see to objects more clearly without the shine. Tinted lenses reduce the amount of light that travels through the lens, but does not have this benefit. All polarized lenses provide 100% protection against harmful UV-B rays that prematurely age your eyes and the skin around your eyes.
Not convinced? Let us show you a demo! Especially in Bellingham when the sun shines after a rainstorm and we are surrounded by beautiful bodies of water to play on- polarized lenses are life changing.
Included in our polarized prescription sunglasses lenses package are top of the line polarized freeform lenses (either single vision or progressive lens designs). These have premium backside anti-reflective coating. Lenses come standard with polycarbonate material, an impact resistant material that is lightweight and durable. All lenses have an eighteen-month warranty including two remakes for any reason. Your satisfaction is our top priority. Optional upgrades include mid-index and hi-index plastic, full personalized freeform lenses or mirror coatings (multiple colors available). The package savings are over $150 and are still eligible for our multiple pair discount! We have a great selection of sunglasses frames and lenses! Please stop in to talk to our obticians and discuss the polarized lenses package!
Here are some of the latest trends for the 2016 sunglasses style:
Check out these hot looks from our current inventory
Salvatore Ferragamo SF757S (top), Tura 050 (bottom)
Lafont Paris Scala
Face à Face: Top to bottom- Movie, Spicy and Coste
Top to bottom: Seraphin, Calvin Klein, Maui Jim
All mirrored suns by INVU®
“Do you see a Cadillac in there?” asked a patient. I smile and say, “no Cadillac, but yes you have a cataract.” With enough birthdays we all get them, but not all progress enough to remove. It is a haziness to the lens that may get dense enough to decrease vision and make glare problems. Can’t stop them, but can be slowed down with UV protection sunglasses and keeping your circulation system in top shape.
– – Dr. McEathron