Have you ever wondered how soft contact lenses are made? We found this Discovery Channel video from the show How Do they do it? showing how custom soft contact lenses are made.
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Posted in contact lens, FAQ, video
Tagged contact lenses, how do they do it, how to, soft contacts, video
1. You are guaranteed to get the correct lenses in the correct parameters
2. You are guaranteed to get unexpired lenses
3. If your lenses are not performing properly you don’t have to worry about exchanging your old lenses
4. You can exchange unopened, unexpired, unmarked boxes in new condition at your yearly eye exam
5. If you have a defective lens, we will replace it free of charge
6. We have the latest manufacturer’s rebates available to save you money
7. Competitive pricing
8. FREE shipping
9. You will be getting the lenses from an authorized distributor of the brand you wear
10. You will have the satisfaction of supporting a local business that cares about you and your eyes
Image courtesy of Flickr user Malkav.
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Posted in contact lens, Eye Care, eyecare, FAQ, Opinion, Vision
Tagged 1800 contact lenses, contact lenses, Eye Doctor, mail order, online, purchase
Johnson & Johnson conducted a study using rabbits and concluded that UV absorbing contact lenses significantly reduced the UV induced changes in the cornea, aqueous humor (fluid in the eye) and the lens. The study authors concluded that UV absorbent contact lenses were capable of protecting the cornea and crystalline lens of rabbit eyes from UV induced changes.
So the question is how does this affect humans? There are a number of contact lenses on the market today that block most of the UV rays. While we can’t guarantee that the results of the study would apply to humans we can generally infer that wearing this type of contact lens is beneficial for patients that spend a lot of time outdoors and do not wear sunglasses.
UV absorbent lenses do not protect our conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is the clear membrane that covers the blood vessels over the white part of the eye. This is an important reason as to why UV absorbent contact lenses are not a replacement for quality sunglasses. Excessive exposure to UV light on the conjunctiva is a leading cause for pterygia and pinguecula. A pterygium is the fleshy growth that grows over the colored part of the eye, usually located at 3:00 or 9:00. A pinguecula is the yellow bump on the white part of the eye, which is also located at 3:00 or 9:00.
While not a replacement for good sunglasses, using UV absorbent contact lenses, especially in children, is a good practice.
Posted in contact lens, Cornea
Tagged contact lenses, contacts, pinguecula, pterygium, ultraviolet, UV, uv protection
Coopervision has produced this 10+ minute video on how to insert, remove and take care of soft contact lenses. There is a brief commercial at the beginning outlining the different kinds of contact lenses offered by CooperVision. This video outlines the right way to do it. Throw away that contact lens solution everyday!
Here is an interesting video from the TV show How It’s Made on how custom soft contact lenses are made. The vast majority of soft contact lenses prescribed today are mass produced and molded, however if you have a lot of astigmatism or wear special custom ordered contact lenses then the odds are good it was manufactured in a similar manner.
The first year of the Stabilization of Myopia by Accelerated Reshaping Technique (SMART) Study has produced some encouraging results in a recent announcement. According to Dr. Robert L. Davis, co principal investigator of the SMART trial, “The net effect of this contact lens fitting philosophy is to change the cornea shape for the sole purpose of reducing the amount of myopia as measured by change in refraction” . “The results of the SMART Study so far are very exciting,” said Dr. Davis. “The outcomes of this study may revolutionize how we manage young nearsighted patients from this point forward”.
The SMART Trial involves 300 patients between the ages of 8 and 14. The goal of the study is to see if having patients where overnight orthokeratology or corneal molding lenses will stop or slow the progression of nearsightedness. The SMART Trial is the largest of its kind. Other studies have also shown that preventing nearsightedness with ortho-K contact lenses is possible, such the CANDY Study. A study from Ohio State Unversity suggested that wearing Ortho-K lenses overnight actually prevented the eye from becoming longer. The SMART Trial has just completed the first year of the five year study. We will continue to keep an eye on this potientially ground breaking study.
Posted in children, contact lens, orthokeratology, Refractive issues
Tagged children, contact lenses, corneal refractive therapy, myopia, ortho-K, orthokeratology
Why do I need bifocals is a very common question. As a child we have a tremendous capacity to focus at near and as we get older our ability to focus at near slowly decreases to the point where around 40 years of age we begin to notice that it takes a significant effort to read. We need more light than we used to. The print quality has to be good. We can’t read as well in the afternoon. Sometimes we can read at near, but when we look up the distance is blurry. These are all signs of presbyopia. From the age of 40 to approximately the mid 60’s we notice the decline of our near vision. This is called presbyopia (prez-bē-ˈō-pē-ə).
The good news is we have better options available than ever before. Bifocal contact lenses really do work. Read more…
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Posted in contact lens, Vision
Tagged bifocal, contact lenses, contacts, presbyopia, reading glasses
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Bausch & Lomb, manufacturer of the #1 multifocal lens design, has launched its largest integrated marketing initiative with the goal of raising U.S. awareness of presbyopia and multifocal contact lenses. Presbyopia is a naturally occurring vision condition that begins to affect people in their 40s. As the eyes’ internal lenses become less flexible and lose elasticity, the eyes are less able to adjust quickly to rapid changes in focus from distance to near objects, causing blurred vision, most notable at reading distances.
Bausch & Lomb, makers of the Purevision Multifocal Contact Lens, wish to make the public aware that just because you are over 40 doesn’t mean you need to wear reading glasses with your contact lenses. Soft, bifocal contact lenses have come a long way in the last 10 years. Read more …….
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Posted in contact lens, Refractive issues
Tagged bifocal contacts, contact lenses, presbyopia
A new study evaluated the self perception of children between ages 8 and 11, finding that the contact lens wearers had a significantly higher sense of self worth than eye glass wearers in the areas of physical appearance, athletic competence, social acceptance and scholastic competence.
As eye doctors we should not only consider the best mode of correction for the patient but also the social and psychological implications on the child. More information about the Adolescent and Child Health Initiative to Encourage Vision Empowerment (ACHIEVE) Study is available here. This is excellent information for any parent considering whether glasses or contacts are right for their child.
Posted in children, contact lens, eyecare, Refractive issues, Vision
Tagged children, contact lenses, social acceptance
With the advent of disposable contact lenses, cases of Contact Lens Acute Red Eyes (C.L.A.R.E) have been greatly reduced. With the new generation of contact lens materials, known as silicone hydrogels, extended wear contact lenses have made a resurgence. The incidence of vision last as a result from contact lens wear has been greatly reduced the chances of a patient losing vision as a result of contact lens wear, thus actually making 30 day extended wear contact lenses safer than LASIK.
Here is a good video that talks about the dangers of stretching your contact lenses.
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The study comparing the safety of extended wear contact lenses vs LASIK did not restrict itself to patients that complied with the wearing schedule recommended by the contact lens manufacturer and the patient’s doctor. We find that if a patient complies with the prescribed wearing schedule then the incidence of contact lens related red eyes is very low.
Almost without exception if a patient comes in to our office with a red eye they almost always have exceeded their wearing schedule. So the moral story, discard your lenses following the prescribed wearing schedule and enjoy safe contact lens wear.
Posted in contact lens, Cornea, emergency
Tagged contact lenses, pain, red eye, vision loss