Total Eye Care to Conduct Fundus Vascular Abnormalities Study

Posted on May 27, 2011 | 2 comments

We are very pleased to announce that Total Eye Care will start its first clinical study next month. The title of the study is Vascular Fundus Changes in Patients With High Probability of Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency. Check out the video below for more information. We are recruiting patients with either Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome or Multiple Sclerosis so please spread the word. The video has a lot of good information on the study so please do check it out.

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Posted in Ehlers-Danlos, Eye Care, press release, Retina

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Dr. Driscoll Attends International Orthokeratology Academy Meeting

Posted on May 14, 2011 | Comments Off on Dr. Driscoll Attends International Orthokeratology Academy Meeting

April 28-May 1, 2011: Orlando, FL —Richard A Driscoll, O.D. attended the Orthokeratology Academy of America Educational Conference. In keeping with Total Eye Care’s philosophy of providing a complete solution to their patients visual needs Dr. Driscoll has furthered his knowledge in the area of Orthokeratology a procedure where patients wear a vision retainer at night, remove the lens during the day and experience good vision all day long. Says Dr. Driscoll, “some patients simply are not surgical candidates for LASIK or PRK and want a safer alternative to refractive surgery, Orthokeratology provides that safe, effective surgical alternative.”

Current research also shows that the same vision retainers used in Ortho-K can slow myopic progression in children. Said Dr. Driscoll “parents often ask if there is anything they can do to prevent their child from becoming more nearsighted. We can now tell them that studies show Orthokeratology vision retainers significantly slow the progression of nearsightedness in children. New lens designs were also discussed at the meeting and we expect they will be shown to be even more effective. Early reports on these new lens designs will likely be presented next year.”

The keynote address, Myopia as a Public Health Concern, was given by Melbourne Hovell, Ph.D., M.P.H. The international faculty of presenters covered topics including myopia control (including soft lens technology), corneal reshaping research, safety of corneal reshaping, progressive/hyperopic Ortho-K lens designs, new corneal reshaping technologies, post LASIK lenses, Keratoconus / Ortho-K lenses, lens designs for corneal rehabilitation, corneal cross-linking and Ortho-K in China. “This is by far the most widely attended meeting on Orthokeratology and myopia control in the world. There were doctors in attendance from every continent except Antarctica” said Dr. Richard Driscoll, “controlling the progression of myopia was a central theme to the meeting.”

President Dr. Cary Herzberg had the pleasure of announcing the inception of the new International Academy of Orthokeratology(IAO). The IAO brings together Ortho-K organizations from the United States (OAA) as well as Europe and Asia. This international organization will support, promote and advance corneal reshaping worldwide through quality education and research presentations at meetings held around the world.

About Dr. Driscoll and Total Eye Care

Total Eye Care - Colleyvile Contact Info QR Code - SmallDr. Richard Driscoll is a Therapeutic Optometrist and Optometric Glaucoma Specialist. Dr. Driscoll has been taking care of patients in Colleyville and Keller, Texas since 1995. Dr. Driscoll sees a wide variety of patients however his clinical interests include myopia control / orthokeratology, connective tissue disease, keratoconus, post refractive surgery and anterior segment disease.

More information on Ortho-K and Total Eye Care is available at
www.OrthoKDoctor.com
www.TotalEyeCare.com
OrthoKeratology posts on The Eye Doc Blog

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Posted in orthokeratology, Refractive issues

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Does Flax Seed Oil Have a Role in the Treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome

Posted on March 3, 2011 | 8 comments

For strict dietary vegans flax meal may be the only option of increasing the omega 3 fatty acids, albeit an inefficient one. However, for most people flax seed oil’s role is very limited in the treatment of dry eye syndrome. Flax seed meal on the other hand may have a limited role. The biggest disadvantages to using flax seed oil is that you can’t cook with it (it is not stable above 160° F), it must be refrigerated and it has a short shelf life. Flax seed meal, on the other, hand can be used as a shortening substitute, has a very high fiber content, has a much longer shelf life and can be used in baking. Therefore, I would only recommend flax seed oil over omega 3 fatty acids derived from fish if someone did not like the texture of the flax seed meal or flax meal would be inappropriate in a particular recipe.

One of the best uses of flax seed meal is its high fiber content therefore, I would recommend flax seed meal in baking to increase our dietary fiber and any ALA (alpha linolenic acid) converted to the omega fatty acids is just an extra bonus. In addition, flax seeds are not digested by our bodies and should not be considered as a dietary source of fiber or omega 3 fatty acids. The flax seed’s shell is very hard and must be crushed if our bodies are to utilize it. Therefore, if you must rely on flax as a source of omega 3 fatty acids utilize flax seed meal.

This article is the fourth and final article in a series on Omega 3 fatty acids in the treatment of dry eye syndrome.

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Posted in dry eye, dry eye syndrome

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Which is a Better Source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids Fish Oil or Flax Seed Meal

Posted on February 28, 2011 | 2 comments

The short answer, without question is fish oil. We have found better results by eliminating the flax seed oil and greatly increasing the EPA and DHA (we like 2000 mg to 3000 mg of EPA and DHA combined). Flax seed oil is very unstable and thus has a short shelf life at room temperature. Flax seed oil also does not contain omega 3 fatty acids, instead our bodies must convert the ALA (alpha linolenic acid) contained within the flax seed into the omega 3 fatty acids that can then be used by our bodies. Another disadvantage to flax seed oil is that our body’s conversion of flax seed oil to EPA or DHA is very inefficient. The conversion ALA to EPA/DHA rate has been reported to be between 4% and 15% (worse for DHA than EPA and lower for men than women). A person’s conversion rate can vary based on many factors. Therefore, fish is a much better and efficient source of omega 3 fatty acids.

This article is the third in the four part series on using omega 3 fatty acids in treating dry eye syndrome

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Posted in dry eye, dry eye syndrome

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Selecting the Right Fish Oil Capsule for Dry Eye Relief

Posted on February 22, 2011 | 4 comments

As eye doctors we recommend that our patients with dry eyes increase their dietary intake of omega 3 fatty acids. Our typical dosage is 2000 mg to 3000 mg in a combination of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This translates into 4 oz of wild, Atlantic salmon per day. Regardless of how much we like salmon we probably don’t want it every day no matter how many different ways there are to fix it, therefore fish oil capsules are a necessary dietary supplement. Unfortunately, not all fish oil capsules are created equal. Often inferior and/or low dose varieties cause “fish burp” and indigestion while others can not be efficiently used by our bodies. Here is an article on how to evaluate the different types of omega 3 fish oil capsules.

This article is the second of a four part series on using omega 3 fatty acids in treating dry eye syndrome

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Posted in dry eye, dry eye syndrome, Macular Degeneration

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Study Shows 70% of Dry Eye Patients Improve with Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

Posted on February 21, 2011 | 5 comments

A hot topic currently in medicine revolves around the multiple benefits of increasing the Omega 3 Fatty Acids in our western diets. At Total Eye Care we have recommended increasing the essential fatty acids in our diet for many years. A pilot study, conducted by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, on the efficacy Omega 3 Fatty Acids in the treatment of dry eye syndrome was published in the journal Cornea. 36 patients with dry eye syndrome were involved in the study. The control group was given a placebo and the study group was given a daily dose of 450 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 300 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and 1000 mg of flaxseed oil. The patient’s symptoms and objective findings were assessed at baseline and then again 90 days later.

The objective findings suggested that there was increased tear production as well as an improvement in fluorophotometry (the assessment of the tears with fluorescein dye), however more importantly 70% of the study group experienced an improvement in their symptoms versus only 7% of the control group. This data compares well with what we see clinically at Total Eye Care.

This article is the first in a four part series on using omega 3 fatty acids in the treatment of dry eye syndrome

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Posted in dry eye, dry eye syndrome

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Dr. Meghna Lilaram Joins Total Eye Care

Posted on January 24, 2011 | Comments Off on Dr. Meghna Lilaram Joins Total Eye Care

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Posted in children, Computer Vision, Eye Doctor, optometrist, press release, Vision Therapy

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Scanning Laser Technology Available for Patients With Glaucoma & Macular Degeneration

Posted on November 26, 2010 | 3 comments

New technology now available at Total Eye Care allows us to scan a patient’s retina for glaucoma and macular degeneration, and the best part ….. it does it  WITHOUT DILATION! This new instrument is called the Zeiss Cirrus OCT and it is truly state of the art.

The Zeiss OCT uses infra-red light from a scanning laser to make a very high resolution, 3D image of the inside of your eye, much like that of an MRI. We can now identify retinal objects as small as 4 microns. So how small is 4 microns? A single sheet of 20 lb copy paper is 100 microns thick. This new technology allows us to detect glaucoma and macular degeneration much earlier as well as allowing us to detect and track subtle retinal changes.

Who is a candidate for this new technology? Anyone with a family or personal history of glaucoma, glaucoma suspect or macular degeneration should take advantage of this technology.

Call the Colleyville office at 817.416.0333 and let Rona or Kelsey know that you would like to take advantage of the new scanning laser technology right away.

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Posted in Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, Optic Nerve, Retina, Technology

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Contact Lens Cases – An Often Overlooked Source of Eye Infections

Posted on October 19, 2010 | 6 comments

When was the last time you replaced your contact lens case? Next to dirty hands contact lens cases are probably the most common source of bacteria that will contaminate your contact lenses.  The best time to replace your contact lens case is when you get a new bottle of contact lens solution, or better yet make the move to daily disposable contact lenses and skip the contact lens case and solutions altogether.

Contact lens casesTo prevent the contamination of your contact lens case the eye doctors at Total Eye Care recommend that you thoroughly rinse the entire empty contact lens case, including the lid or caps with tap water. Next air dry your case by placing it upside down on the counter.

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Posted in children, contact lens, Tips

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All About Pinhole Glasses

Posted on October 11, 2010 | 3 comments

A few times during the life of The Eye Doc Blog I’ve been approached by numerous merchandisers to review or place banner ads promoting pinhole glasses.  This begs the question do pinhole glasses work?  The simple answer is it will make the image a little clearer and much darker.  Comparing the vision from pinhole glasses to that attained by prescription lenses is like comparing your vision at midday versus 20 minutes after the sun sets.  OK, maybe pinhole glasses aren’t that good.  Pinhole glasses however do have a valuable purpose.

How Do Pinhole Glasses Work

First let’s discuss how prescription lenses focus light on the eye.  Prescription lenses focus light on the fovea (the most sensitive part of the retina where we have our best visual acuity) by taking all of light that is entering the eye and focusing it at one point, on the fovea.  The further the light is from the center of the pupil the more it most be focused to allow us to see clearly.  Image Copyright 2010 R. Dirscoll, O.D. Light that enters the pupil at the center does not have to be focused at all. This is how pinhole glasses work.  Pinhole glasses block out all of the light in the periphery that must be focused in order to hit the fovea and allows in only the light that enters directly into the center of the pupil and thus does not need to be focused.

Do Pinhole Glasses Serve Any Purpose

Pinhole glasses are used in a doctor’s office to see if a patient, presenting with a red eye, for instance, can see better if she was wearing her glasses. As an example, a new patient presents to an eye doctor’s office with a red eye. After we have asked them the typical questions to provide some history about her red eye we want to see how well she is seeing.  Often, a patient with a red eye was driven to the office by someone else and didn’t bring their glasses. After we check their vision we see that they have 20/80 vision in their red eye. Now the question becomes is their poor vision due to not wearing their glasses or is there another cause?  Enter pinhole glasses, or more likely a pinhole occluder (a paddle with lots of little holes in it). We recheck our patient’s vision while she is looking through all of those little holes and lo and behold her vision through the pinhole glasses is 20/30.  It’s still not 20/20, however we now have an additional degree of comfort that if she was wearing her glasses her vision would be normal. A pinhole is used to see if the vision is likely to improve with glasses.

So there you have it. Pinhole glasses, while certainly not a substitute for prescription eyewear, do serve a purpose as a screening tool for refractive conditions.

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Posted in Refractive issues

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