Q: I keep getting these bumps on my eyelids. I’ve been told they are styes, but why do they keep coming back?

Posted on February 20, 2008 | 2 comments

A: Styes are red, painful bumps on the eyelid and are chronic problems for many patients.  Styes are caused when the glands along the lid margin become clogged and infected, much like a pimple on our face.  Some patients are more susceptible to the recurrence of styes because they may have blepharitis, a common lid condition.

If you notice a small lump on your eyelid it is best to see your eye doctor as soon as possible.  The longer the treatment is delayed the longer it will take to resolve it and the more painful it becomes.  If a stye is not treated promptly or is very large a lump may remain.  These lumps (the medical term is chalazion) can be left alone or they may be removed surgically for aesthetic reasons.

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Posted in Eye Lids, eyecare

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Q: I know I should have my child’s eye’s examined at 6 months of age but how can you get good information from a child that has not learned to talk yet?

Posted on February 18, 2008 | Comments Off on Q: I know I should have my child’s eye’s examined at 6 months of age but how can you get good information from a child that has not learned to talk yet?

A: Accurate results can be obtained from children and adults whom can not communicate verbally. Rather than asking the patient “which is better”, objective tests are used which require no responses from the child. Computerized testing and a diagnostic procedure called retinoscopy can be used to determine an accurate prescription for young children. Drops can often improve the accuracy of these procedures. Your child will also be examined for “lazy eye”, abnormal ocular development, and eye diseases.

Frequently, the examination takes only 15-20 minutes, and the vast majority of children enjoy their time at the office. Best results are usually obtained if the visit is scheduled when your child is usually at his or her best, by avoiding nap times or typically fussy periods.

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Posted in children, examinations, FAQ, Refractive issues

Q: “What is the Difference Between a Therapeutic Optometrist and an Optometric Glaucoma Specialist?”

Posted on February 15, 2008 | Comments Off on Q: “What is the Difference Between a Therapeutic Optometrist and an Optometric Glaucoma Specialist?”

A: An optometrist who is “therapeutic” is trained and licensed to treat eye diseases and write prescriptions as needed, in addition to ascertaining the need for visual corrections such as glasses, contact lenses and refractive surgery. A therapeutic optometrist has completed eight years of college and postgraduate instruction leading to the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree and the conditions they treat and manage vary by state.

An optometric glaucoma specialist is an optometrist that has gained training in addition to that of an therapeutic optometrist allowing him or her to treat patients with glaucoma. The glaucoma specialist can also prescribe oral medications in addition to the topical ophthalmic medications prescribed by the therapeutic optometrist.

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Posted in Eye Care, FAQ

Myopia, Nearsighted, Farsighted, Hyperopia, Astigmatism, etc. What Does It All Mean?

Posted on February 12, 2008 | 4 comments

Without a doubt these are the questions that eye doctors are most frequently asked. It can be confusing when there are common terms for medical conditions. I hope this clears up some confusion. Our first posts will be about the different refractive conditions.what is myopia

Myopia or nearsightedness is a condition where a person’s uncorrected vision is only clear up close. Instead of the light focusing on the retina, it focuses in front of the retina. A myopic person can read a magazine, however their distance vision is blurry and requires glasses or contact lenses to make it clear.

Myopia is treated with glasses, contact lenses, LASIK, PRK or orthokeratology.

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Posted in Refractive issues

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Astigmatism, it’s not a Disease

Posted on February 8, 2008 | Comments Off on Astigmatism, it’s not a Disease

Many people feel astigmatism is a bad, progressive disease. Actually astigmatism is caused when light focuses in two points in the back of the eye because the eye is not in the shape of a sphere. An eye with astigmatism has often been described to be in the shape of an egg or football, to some degree this is true, though an astigmatic eye is not exaggerated to that degree. Most people have some astigmatism. Visually, a person with uncorrected astigmatism will often see a faint shadow on letters or objects.

Emmetopia is when an image focuses on the retina. A person that is emmetropic has uncorrected “normal vision”.

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Posted in Refractive issues

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Hyperopia or Farsightedness and Presbyopia are Often Confused

Posted on February 1, 2008 | 1 comment

Line drawing demonstrating hyperopiaHyperopia, commonly referred to as farsightedness, is when a person sees better in the distance than at near. Light entering the eye focuses behind the retina placing a blurry image on the retina. For a hyperopic person to see clearly at any distance a muscle, inside the eye, called the ciliary body, must focus the lens inside the eye. As we get older it becomes more difficult for the eye to accomplish this auto focusing. Because of the eye’s ability to focus, farsighted people often don’t need glasses until their 30s or 40s.

Uncorrected farsightedness, however, may cause a person to experience eyestrain or an eye turn (strabismus), depending on the degree of farsightedness and the patient’s age. The younger we are the easier it is for the eye to compensate for farsightedness. Uncorrected farsightedness can lead to amblyopia. Farsightedness and presbyopia are often confused.

Presbyopia

A person is presbyopic when the crystalline lens in the eye can no longer focus well at near, making reading glasses or bifocals necessary. A person can be both farsighted and presbyopic or nearsighted and presbyopic. Presbyopia typically begins in our early 40s. The older we get the more difficult it is for our eyes to focus at near. The effects of presbyopia level off in our mid to late 60s. Bifocals allows a person with presbyopia to see clearly at near and intermediate distances.

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Posted in Refractive issues

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Q: Why are my eyes so dry lately?

Posted on January 25, 2008 | 1 comment

A: Many conditions can contribute to dry eyes, including both your health and your, environment. Are you near any ceiling fans or heaters? Does your car’s heater or air conditioner blow directly on your eyes? Some medications, such as antihistamines, decongestants and diuretics can also contribute to dryness. Hormone changes, such as those attributed to pregnancy or menopause may also be a factor. Some people have a condition called blepharitis, where their lids become dry and flaky, this too can contribute to dryness.Other people may be suffering with “Sjogren’s Syndrome”, which is an autoimmune disorder where the mucous membrane glands are attacked causing significant dryness and discomfort.

Your optometrist can evaluate the source of your dry eyes and initiate a treatment plan. Dry eye syndrome is very common and can be successfully treated. In addition to eye drops there are many new solutions for the treatment of dry eyes that don’t require the use of eye drops.

 

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Posted in Cornea, dry eye syndrome, examinations, Eye Lids, FAQ

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Hello world!

Posted on January 22, 2008 | 2 comments

Welcome to the new Eye Doc Blog. We hope you find this information both informative and helpful. Our goal is to provide all patients with answers to questions that they forgot to ask their eye doctor and to provide more information about issues their doctor discussed with them.
We will also answer a “most asked question of the week” in addition to providing articles or links to helpful eye care resources on the web.

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