It’s estimated that about 10% of Americans suffer from various forms of this condition.

We have been seeing an increased number of cases of dry eye syndrome in our patients over the last few months. This comes to no surprise as it’s estimated that about 10% of Americans suffer from various forms of this condition. In fact, a recent study found that one particular subtype of dry eye has a 35.8% prevalence. While this common condition affects many, the symptoms are rarely the same for each patient. Therefore, while there is some overlap between cases, the treatment plan is individualized to meet the unique needs of every person.

It is important to understand that dry eye syndrome is a chronic condition that varies with many factors. For example, contact lens use, side effects of medications, systemic conditions, diet, living conditions, and the environment all affect the ocular surface in different ways. In addition, as one can imagine, if any of these variables change throughout the year, so can the signs and symptoms of dry eye syndrome.

Fortunately, dry eye syndrome is relatively easy to diagnose by a trained ophthalmic professional. Additionally, there are many treatment options ranging from lifestyle modifications, to prescription medications, to over the counter remedies. It all starts with a thorough ocular health examination. Itching, burning, tearing, irritation, blur, regardless of the severity or chronicity, does not have to be the norm. If anyone experiences these symptoms, there may be room to improve quality of life.

A cataract is the clouding of the naturally clear lens of the eye.

When we are born there is a clear lens within the eye. This contributes to the spectacle and contact lens prescription. When your doctor observes changes to this lens, cataracts can be diagnosed.

​However, there are many different types of cataracts. Some are associated with specific ocular and systemic conditions, prolonged use of certain medications, past or recent incidents of trauma, chronic sunlight exposure, as well as natural aging processes.

The symptoms of cataracts vary from patient to patient. Although clinically significant cataracts often correlate with symptoms of reduced vision, new glare or halos, poor color contrast, and changes to the spectacle prescription. If any of these occur, it may mean that cataracts are progressing.

Fortunately, cataracts can be removed and quality of life can often be improved. After the cataract is removed, a new clear lens is inserted to replace the old cloudy lens. There are many different types of lens implants that are individualized for each patient. Additionally, cataract surgery is the most common surgery performed in the USA¹. The procedure itself takes about 10 minutes, but there is more time spent prior to and after the procedure for observation. After the procedure, patients are oftentimes less-dependent on spectacles or contacts than they were prior to the operation.

The number of patients with cataracts is expected to double by 2050. The good news is cataracts can be diagnosed at your comprehensive eye examination and steps can be taken to improve vision and quality of life. ​

Contact lenses are available in different forms including gas permeable, soft, and hybrid.

The short answer to this question is no. Contact lenses are available in different forms including gas permeable, soft, and hybrid. The most common type of contact lenses are soft. This is what most people wear, unless they have a specific ocular condition that benefits from a more specialized option.

Within the soft contact lens realm, there are single use or extended wear options. What makes each lens unique is the lens material, oxygen permeability, thickness, curvature, and diameter. Practitioners take each of these parameters into careful consideration when you are initially fit.

Oxygen permeability is arguably the most important parameter. The cornea is the outermost structure of the eye. It relies entirely on the oxygen from the environment to function properly. Anytime a contact lens is placed onto the cornea, whether that be a single use, extended wear, or specialty, the amount of oxygen getting to the cornea decreases. Inadequate oxygen supply to the cornea can result in irritation, dryness, blurry vision, ulcers, and other complications. There are required limits that contact lenses must have based on their modality. These are regulated so contacts can be safely worn by patients. The higher the oxygen permeability of the lens, the more natural the state of the cornea, the more comfortable you will feel in your contacts.

Myopia is continuing to become more popular across the American population, here is how to get on top of the trend.

Myopia, or near-sightedness, affects about 25%of the American population. The concern about myopia as of late has been how the numbers have changed over the past few decades and how they are expected to change in the future. In 2000, roughly 30 million Americans were myopic. By 2050, we estimate that 44 million will be. This is an exponential increase that will affect the younger generations as they age. We know that there is a genetic component to myopia, however this rapid rise is not explained by genetics alone. There are a variety of reasons that explain why myopia numbers are increasing. A few strong suggestions are that near- work demands from computers and tablets has increased dramatically over the years, while time spent outdoors has decreased. Unfortunately, this is the world we live in and these variables are difficult to control.

Myopia in and of itself is nothing to necessarily be concerned about. It is simply one of the four refractive errors someone can have. What can be problematic about myopia however is the degree of it. For example, someone being a -8.50 instead of a -1.50. This is where the concern comes in for providers because additional trends in myopia statistics show that the degree of myopia is also increasing. As the degree of myopia increases, so does the risk of serious ocular complications such as retinal tears and detachments, cataracts, glaucoma, and reduced vision.

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Fortunately, myopia can be corrected with spectacles, contact lenses, and minor surgical procedures. Additionally, new and exciting therapies have been developed to meet this growing demand. Most have targeted the pediatric demographic because evidence supports that intervening during the developmental years significantly reduces the degree of myopia progression in adolescence and adulthood. What this means is that early-intervention may keep patients at -1.50 instead of progressing to -8.50. These therapies include prescription drops, rigid contact lenses, relaxing spectacle lenses, and soft contact lenses. Each therapy is catered to the unique needs of the patient and can be implemented after a comprehensive eye examination. An ideal time to screen children for myopia is before they enter kindergarten. However, astute parents that notice their children sitting close to the TV, holding objects close to their face, or aversion to distance activities are encouraged to bring their children in sooner.

Selecting the right frame and adequate lenses is key to a successful and enjoyable eyewear experience.

We have all seen (and possibly experienced) poorly fitting spectacles. I’m not talking about someone wearing a bold or out-of-date style. I’m talking about the inability to function comfortably or confidently due to the way the frames and lenses were manufactured.

The process starts with an updated spectacle prescription from your eyecare provider. Typically, yearly prescription updates are adequate, but sometimes more frequently is necessary. It’s not common for the prescription to remain optimal after a year's expiration.

After the accurate prescription, a frame should be selected that will work well with the script. For example, high minus prescriptions don't always fit well in large frames. In addition, frames should also be selected based on the shape of the patients’ nose, ears, and head. As well as for the specific tasks that they will be used for.

After the accurate prescription has been determined and the well-fitting frame has been selected, measurements must be taken. The term “PD” is used frequently when it comes to prescriptions, but that is just one of the many measurements taken. Most prescriptions require more than just a PD for ideal vision and comfort. These measurements are best taken by a seasoned optician to avoid error. Just like any other measurement, if it is not precise, it may lead to problems down the line.

If any of these steps are skipped or mishandled, the process breaks down. Things can really get messy when multiple sources are involved. For example, if someone acquires a frame from an online retailer, and uses their script from their trusted optometrist, but takes both to a different optical for the lenses to be made. Troubleshooting frames and lenses that did not turn out as expected can be quite frustrating. This is best avoided by following protocol and keeping everything in-house.

Laser eye surgery is something a lot of patients have questions about.

“Laser eye surgery” is something we’ve all probably heard about, but what exactly does it mean? Lasers are involved in many different types of eye surgeries, both elective and medically necessary, but usually this refers to an elective refractive surgery like LASIK, PRK, or others.

These also are terms you may have heard. Based on what you’ve heard, chances are you either have a good, bad, or curious opinion on them.

Let me attempt to clear up some confusion.

I’ll start with a brief lesson. Your prescription is based mostly on the cornea (the clear structure on the front of the eye). Refractive surgeries manipulate the cornea with the goal being to focus light correctly in the back of the eye so you can see clearly without the need for glasses or contacts. The procedure itself is relatively short, painless, and has great outcomes the majority of the time. This advent has truly been remarkable for patients’ visual needs.

Even if you do not wear glasses or contacts, you probably still love options. This spills over into the world of vision as well. Whether you own multiple pairs of glasses, switch it up with contact lenses, or have even had a refractive surgery yourself and now just wear sunglasses - we all love to have choices. This is what refractive surgery boils down to in my book; an option (in most cases).

The reality is, there are some people that are simply not candidates for refractive surgery. This has to do with anatomy, presence of ocular diseases, systemic conditions, age, and quite frankly, expectations. For this group, the good news is there are more options for soft and specialty contact lenses now than ever before, and the same goes for frames and spectacle lenses.

If you are curious about yourself being qualified for refractive surgery, great, now what? Well, I would recommend getting more information. Where better to start, and who better to go to than the person who has examined and kept a record on your eyes and ocular health over the past years? Your eyecare provider.

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Individualized, non-biased healthcare, is non-negotiable for me. Even if you are qualified you still may not be the best candidate. You may thinkyou are not qualified based on what someone told you in the past when you in fact may be a great candidate. These are all questions that can be addressed at your consultation appointment. From there, an open and honest discussion can take place to make a joint decision for the best plan for care.

Red eyes can be caused by many different things.

We have been seeing a lot of emergency red eye evaluations this summer.

It can be alarming if you wake up with or even slowly develop a red eye throughout the day. You want answers and probably some relief.

The fact of the matter is not all red eyes are the same and believe it or not, not all red eyes can be treated the same.

Some are contagious, others are not. Some may threaten your sight, others may not. Some just might not look that great. Some might be incredibly uncomfortable, but the solution for relief is rather quick and simple.

Viral conjunctivitis, abrasion, allergic conjunctivitis, dry eye, bacterial infections, hemorrhages; These red eyes are not the same.

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The best way to identify the problem is by a comprehensive ocular examination. From here, we can choose the right management plan which may include topical eye drops, oral medications, bandages, or even a direct referral. Don’t hesitate to call for an emergency examination.

Astigmatism is a term heard and used quite often, but what is it?

Astigmatism is a term used quite often. I find that many people become concerned when they hear they have this ocular condition. However, regular astigmatism is benign and quite common. Simply put, it is one of the three types of refractive errors. Most people are either near-sighted, far-sighted, have astigmatism, or are a combination of these.

Near-sighted patients cannot see clearly in the distance when they are not wearing glasses or contacts; far-sighted patients see better in the distance compared to at near; and astigmatic patients may see objects as stretched or hazy at all distances without adequate correction.

Many people have heard the analogy of astigmatism being related to the shape of their eye mimicking that of an American football. There is some truth to this. It all has to do with meridians of the eye being steeper or flatter than the others. When this occurs, light (or vision) does not focus perfectly at the back of the eye. Rather, it focuses on multiple points and makes things look hazy or smeared. Another way to think about astigmatism is that it requires two separate prescriptions to make objects as clear as they can be. When astigmatism is not fully corrected, symptoms are exacerbated at night time, in the rain, or dark conditions in general.

Mild astigmatism usually does not create visual symptoms, however these patients often see much better when they have that mild correction implemeted. Moderate to severe degrees of astigmatism certainly can be bothersome. These patients usually know this is part of their refractive error and they need it corrected for in their glasses and contacts.

The other question I am often asked is “can astigmatism be corrected?” The answer to that is yes of course. Astigmatism can be corrected for just like near-sighteness and far-sightedness. There are multiple options too. Glasses and contacts are the simplest, but LASIK is appropriate for some patients as well as other corneal procedures. Additionally, cataract removal with intraocular lens implantation, if one qualifies.