Author: Karen Griffith

Dr. Griffith is the owner and operator of Westside Optometry since 1989.

Quality Sunglasses

Karen Griffith 2 Comments

Sunglasses not only offer style but they offer protection from damaging ultraviolet radiation. Quality sunglasses are more expensive and worth it because of the premium optics, coatings, frames and style.
 The optics of your sunglasses determine the clarity and comfort of vision. Polarized lenses like Maui Jim minimize glare and reflections.
Sunglass lens treatments increase visibility and comfort. Backside anti-reflective coatings reduce glare from behind and repel water and dust. A mirror coating further reflects annoying light and glare.
Well-made frames start with quality materials that resist breakage and bending. The weight and balance of the frame is important for comfort as well.
Frames are styled for specific sports or can be highly fashionable. The details may include flexible hinges, variable color combinations and wrap styling.  

Don’t skimp on your sunglasses. You deserve the best comfort, protection and style.

Digital Eyestrain

Karen Griffith

 

A 2016 report by the Vision Council found that 60% of Americans use digital devices for 5 or more hours each day. 70% of Americans use 2 or more devices at a time.
The term Digital Eyestrain has replaced the term Computer Vision Syndrome due to the increase in types of digital devices. Digital Eyestrain is defined as “physical discomfort of one’s eyes after spending periods of time throughout the day in front of a digital device, such as a computer or smartphone.”

The list of Digital Eyestrain symptoms is long:

Eyestrain, Burning Eyes, Difficulty Refocusing, Grittiness, Dry Eyes, Blurred Vision, Headaches, Irritation, Tired Eyes, Neck/Shoulder/Back Pain, Double Vision, and Redness.

It is reported that we blink an average of 10 times a minute normally, when reading, using a smartphone or other device the blink rate drops to 4 times a minute. Blinking is a vital component to ocular surface health and tear stability. More important than how often we blink is how well we blink. An incomplete blink can cause more tear instability than not enough blinks. A complete blink is necessary to stimulate a muscle on the eyelid margin that releases an important component of the tear film.

Treatment for Digital Eyestrain includes wearing the best visual correction for the task. Reducing glare and fatiguing light with coatings is beneficial also. For contact lens wearers the proper correction for the working distance is important. A clean contact lens surface and proper blinking can minimize dry eye symptoms.

Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis

Karen Griffith

Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis or GPC, is typically associated with contact lens wear. Symptoms include, contact lens discomfort and fluctuating vision. There is often mucus discharge from one or both eyes. A particularly annoying symptom of GPC is dislocation and excess movement of the contact lens.

GPC may occur months or even years after you begin contact lens wear. Among the things that may cause GPC are improper cleaning of contact lenses, infrequent contact lens replacement, and wearing contact lenses for too many hours.

There are tiny papilla on the inside of the upper eyelid normally. Allergies can cause the papilla to swell and secrete histamine which causes itchy eyes. In GPC, the papilla greatly enlarge due to interaction with foreign bodies such as debris on the contact lens or the contact lens itself. The large papilla secrete sticky proteins which adhere to the contact lens causing more debris and forcing the lens to move out of place.

Resolution of GPC includes decrease or cessation of contact lens wear, and often treatment with topical cortico-steroids and mast-cell inhibitors eyedrops. Contact lens wear can usually be resumed with modifications in the lens type and care regime.

Minimize Risk of Contact Lens Related Problems

Karen Griffith

Contact lens safety depends on the wearer following the prescribed lens wear schedule and cleaning regime.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes three key areas to healthy contact lens wear:
1. Healthy contact lens hygiene habits

Always wash your hands with soap and water before inserting and removing the contact lenses

Replace your contact case at least every 3 months.

2. Proper use, care and storage of contact lenses and supplies

Don’t sleep in your contact lenses. Sleeping in contact lenses increases the chance of an eye infection 6 to 8 times.

Replace your contact lenses as prescribed

Rinse out your contact lens case every morning, turn upside down and allow to air dry.

Soft Contact Lens Solutions

3. Regular visits to the optometrist

Contact lens materials and solutions change as do our eyes. To maintain good vision and healthy eyes have an eye examination every year.

Established contact lens wearers tend to have higher levels of case contamination compared to new contact lens wearers. Poor contact lens habits develop over time, don’t become compliant, remember the details of good contact lens care to ensure your continued successful contact lens use.

New Frames at Westside Optometry

Karen Griffith

 Westside Optometry has added a new frame designer to our eyewear collections.
MODO is driven by a passion for finding the optimal balance of form and function. The designers explore materials, manufacturing technologies, and craftsmanship techniques for designs that look and feel perfect.

The collection includes styles for men and women in lightweight materials and amazing colors. We know you’ll appreciate the look and comfort of  the MODO frames.

 

 

What Are the Symptoms of Glaucoma?

Karen Griffith

Do you think you will know if you have glaucoma?

The first symptom of the most common type of glaucoma (open angle) is permanent loss of vision. Once vision loss occurs it is downhill, the damage from glaucoma is irreversible and challenging to slow down.
Glaucoma signs include increase intra-ocular pressure (IOP) which is measured during an eye exam. Visual field loss, also measured during an eye examination and loss of retinal nerve fibers and damage to the optic nerve, visible during a dilated eye examination. The best way to determine if you have or are at risk of glaucoma is by having a dilated eye examination.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve usually caused by increased pressure inside the eye.

Glaucoma Risk Factors:

Family history

Age – greater than 60

Diabetes

Race – African American have higher risk

Treatment

Glaucoma is treated with drops or surgery and sometimes both.

Don’t wait until you have vision loss to learn that you have glaucoma, schedule an eye exam today.

 

Bright Winter Eyes

Karen Griffith

Protecting our eyes in the winter is essential for preventing short and long term problems.
Eye dryness is very common, especially on cold brisk days. Finding comfort near a warm toasty heater or fireplace can dry the eye surface too. Maintain good eyelid hygiene, stay hydrated and use artificial tears to control mild dry eye symptoms.

iStock_000023582367SmallSunglasses are important for preventing keratitis (a burn on the cornea surface) and aging effects such as cataracts, pinguecula and macular degeneration. Snow-blindness or keratitis is a painful corneal condition that can occur when the outermost layers of the cornea are damaged (like a sunburn). Damage can occur in as little as an hour of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, the risk is intensified at higher altitude.

Damage to the eye doesn’t stop on the surface. Cumulative ultraviolet exposure damages the lens of the eye causing cataract formation. Research has also found that UV radiation contributes to macular degeneration.

Wearing good UV blocking sunglasses protects all layers of the eye. The UV radiation reflected off of water and snowUV and sunglasses is dangerous too.

Don’t hang-up your sunglasses because it is winter, year-round UV protection is a proactive way to promote good eye health and clear vision for adults and children.

Contact Lens Prescriptions

Karen Griffith

A contact lens is a medical device, like a breast implant or a hearing aid. Contacts can be worn to correct vision as well as for cosmetic or therapeutic reasons. In the United States, all contact lenses require a current prescription. A contact lens prescription generally expires on a yearly basis. This is to ensure that the eyes are healthy enough to support contact lens wear and that the current contact lenses are still the most appropriate. Dr. Griffith

An eye examination is necessary to determine the suitability of contact lenses and also to determine the size, parameters and limitations of the eye. This typically includes a refraction to determine the proper power to see clearly, keratometry to measure the shape and size of the cornea and a thorough health assessment of the eye.

Conditions that may complicate contact lens wear include dry eye, irregular and high astigmatism and eyelid irregularities.

I See Smoke

Karen Griffith

A google search looking for “what’s in a cigarette?” produced the list below. Most of the products containing these ingredients earn a special danger or poison label. The substances are not listed on a pack of cigarettes.

Here are a few of the chemicals in tobacco smoke and the other places you can find them (list from the American Lung Association):

Acetone – found in nail polish remover
Acetic Acid – an ingredient in hair dye
Ammonia – a common household cleaner
Arsenic – used in rat poison
Benzene – found in rubber cement
Butane – used in lighter fluid
Cadmium – active component in battery acid
Carbon Monoxide – released in car exhaust fumes
Formaldehyde – embalming fluid
Hexamine – found in barbecue lighter fluid
Lead – used in batteries
Naphthalene – an ingredient in mothballs
Methanol – a main component in rocket fuel
Nicotine – used as insecticide
Tar – material for paving roads
Toluene – used to manufacture paint

How naive am I? I thought all the danger in cigarettes came from the nicotine in the tobacco leaves. I couldn’t understand where all the poisons and toxins on the above list came from. Further googling introduced me to the “additives” in cigarettes. Chemicals are added to the tobacco to flavor and fragrance the cigarette “brand”. There are additives for improving texture and holding the leaves together. I can only assume that burning the tobacco and additives creates more toxins.

 

 

Crying man with cigarette So what does this have to do with eyeballs? Unfortunately smoking contributes to many ocular conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration, dry eye disease, diabetic retinopathy and retinal vascular occlusions. Fortunately if you quit inhaling the toxic chemicals, the risk of related ocular diseases is nearly extinguished to the non-smoker level.