Category: Eye Examination

Diabetic Awareness Month

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If you have diabetes, it requires attention every day of the year, not just the month of November. But I am going to take advantage of Diabetes Awareness Month to remind you that your eyes are important and can be significantly impacted by diabetes.
First and most important, keep your blood sugar levels under tight control. In the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, people on standard diabetes treatment developed retinopathy four times as often as people who kept their blood sugar levels close to normal. In people who already have retinopathy, the condition progressed in the tight-control group only half as often.

Diabetic Retinopathy

These impressive results show that you have a lot of control over what happens to your eyes. Also, high blood sugar levels may make your vision temporarily blurry.

Second, keep blood pressure under control. High blood pressure can make eye problems worse.

Third, quit smoking.

Fourth, see your optometrist at least once a year for a dilated eye exam. Having your regular doctor look at your eyes is not enough.

Fifth, see your optometrist if:

your vision becomes blurry
you have trouble reading signs or books
you see double
one or both of your eyes hurt
your eyes get red and stay that way
you feel pressure in your eye
you see spots or floaters
straight lines do not look straight
you can’t see things to the side as you used to

Don’t procrastinate. If you have diabetes and haven’t had a dilated eye exam in the last 12 months, schedule an eye exam now.

Westside Optometry Expands Services

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I’m going to crow a little here. The California State Board of Optometry notified me that I’m officially licensed to provide glaucoma care. This is an endeavor I started 10 years ago with Dr. Karen Griffithcourse work at UC Berkeley. I put it on hold because the state requirements were insurmountable. Laws changed and last January I made the decision to finish what I started with more coursework through UC Berkeley. After hours of online cases and tests (how things changed in 10 years) and two days of grand rounds at the  School of Optometry I had completed all the education and patient cases.
Most of my patients won’t experience any difference in their care. But for those who I’ve been observing more closely for suspicious glaucoma findings, I won’t have to refer you to someone else as I can now treat the disease.

 

First Exam for Infants

Karen Griffith

The first year of life is one of the most critical stages in childhood development. From the moment a baby opens it’s eyes, newborns undergo dramatic physical and mental changes.Acuity Testing Infants
During the first 12 months, infants should have a comprehensive vision assessment to determine proper development and identify any health problems. Early detection and treatment of potential problems are vital to a child’s development . For information about how Dr. Griffith examines babies click here.
One in every 10 children is at risk from undiagnosed eye and vision problems, yet only 13 percent of mothers with children younger than 2 years of age said they had taken their babies to see an eye doctor for an examination. Early intervention is critical to successful and cost-effective treatment. Unfortunately, during the course of their young lives, most children probably never have an eye examination.
Please take advantage of the InfantSee program. Dr. Griffith fully supports this American Optometric Association program designed to examine all infants between 6-12 months. There is no cost or qualification required. Call the office (707)762-8643, and ask for an InfantSee exam for your infant.

Glasses before Medications

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High, undiagnosed hyperopia (far-sightedness) can cause children to display symptoms similar to ADD/ADHD, including difficulty concentrating and problems with reading. Before any child is prescribed medication for ADD or ADHD, a thorough eye examination is vital. Vision  Screenings done at the pediatricians or by a school nurse often miss hyperopia. Most children with hyperopia can see in the distance fine, but have difficulty focusing on objects close to them. It’s scary to think about how many kids are taking medications just because they’re farsighted.

Schedule an eye examination!

Back-to-School

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Computers and smartboards are common in today’s classrooms. As electronic devices transition between home and school, it’s clear that the use of these technologies is evolving from a trend to a necessity, even among the youngest students.

According to a study by the American Optometric Association (AOA), 41% of children have their own smartphone or tablet and 32 percent use both eBooks and textbooks at school. Additionally, 66 percent of children use a computer or tablet to do homework or study. With the consistent use of electronic devices throughout the day and evening, children of all ages can face a number of visual challenges.

Ongoing use of electronic devices won’t damage vision, but regular, lengthy use of technology at school or for homework can lead to a temporary vision condition called computer vision syndrome (CVS). Symptoms of CVS can include eye strain, headaches, fatigue, burning or tired eyes, loss of focus, blurred vision, double vision or head and neck pain. The doctors at Westside Optometry recommend that students  rest their eyes by following the 20-20-20 rule. When using electronic devices or doing near work, take a 20-second break, every 20 minutes and view something 20 feet away.

One in four children have an undiagnosed vision problem simply because they may not recognize that their eyesight isn’t optimal or is changing. Comprehensive eye exams are one of the most important investments a parent can make to help maximize their child’s education and contribute to overall health and well-being, especially since some vision problems may not have warning signs. Unfortunately, parents often assume that if a child passes a school screening, their vision is fine.

Below are some symptoms that can indicate a child has a vision problem:

  • Squints while reading or watching television
  • Turns or tilts head or covers an eye
  • Consistently performs below potential or struggles to complete homework
  • Has behavioral problems

Call Westside Optometry (707)762-8643 to schedule an eye exam for your child.

How to Prevent Red Eyes in Pictures

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Why Do Eyes Look Red in Photos?
The appearance of red eyes in pictures, known as the “red-eye effect,” occurs when a camera captures light reflecting from the retina at the back of your subject’s eye when a flash is used at night and in dim lighting. Eyes look red in photos due to the rich blood supply of the choroid, a layer of connective tissue at the back of the eye that nourishes the retina and gives it its red pupilnormal red color. When a camera flash goes off, the pupils of your subject’s eyes don’t have time to constrict to reduce the amount of light entering their eyes. Therefore, a large burst of light reaches their retinas, reflects back, and is captured on film.
How Can You Prevent Red Eyes in Photos?
1. Don’t look directly at the camera. Tell your subjects to look slightly away from the lens, so their eyes won’t catch the flash at a direct angle. This will reduce the likelihood of red eyes in pictures.
2. Make the room brighter. The darker the environment, the more dilated the subject’s pupils become, which increases the likelihood of red-eye effects in photos. Making the room less dim by turning on more lights can help eliminate red eyes.
3. Turn on the anti-red-eye function. Most modern cameras have this feature. Red-eye reduction functions emit short flashes of light in quick succession before the camera actually takes the picture.
The burst of light beforehand makes the subject’s pupils constrict, and there’s not enough time between flashes for them to re-dilate, thereby reducing the red-eye effect in photos.
The more distance between the lens and the flash, the less likely you will have red eyes in pictures.
4. Move the flash and the lens further apart. This method doesn’t work for internal-flash cameras, but if you have an SLR (single lens reflex) camera, use an external flash that connects to your camera. Moving the flash further away from the camera body will prevent light reflecting from your subject’s pupils from entering the lens (it will reflect back toward the flash, not the lens), preventing the red eye problem.
5. Make sure your subjects aren’t drunk! We all know that people who have had one (or three) too many alcoholic drinks have slower reaction times. But did you know it also affects the response time of our eyes? Red eye happens more often when you’re intoxicated, because your pupils don’t close fast enough and let in too much light.

Why Do Only Some People Get Red Eye in Group Pictures?
This depends on numerous factors. The most likely reason is that the people without the red-eye effect were not looking directly at the camera or they were not in direct line with the camera’s built-in flash.

What to Expect during your Eye Exam

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Welcome to Westside Optometry!
Your eye exam will include questions about you, how you use your eyes, your health and visual challenges. Preliminary testing includes keratometry  (measure of the surface of the eye), photographs of your fundus (retina, macula, optic nerve head), and visual field testing.

Normal Retina Photo
Drs. Griffith and Staton will refract your eyes (find spectacle prescriptions for distance, near and possibly the intermediate range). We will thoroughly exam the health of your eyes. This includes dilating the pupils to do a complete examination of the inside of the eyes. The dilation typically lasts 3-4 hours. Most people are comfortable driving afterwards, we recommend sunglasses. Working on a computer or at near may be difficult immediately after your exam so schedule your day accordingly.

The doctors will discuss their findings and recommendations with you. This may include, treatment for dry eye, glasses, contact lenses, LASIK, safety glasses or referral for cataract consultation.

Optimize your Visit

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“Dr. Griffith, why are you so nosy?”

I do ask a lot of personal questions butPhoroptor 1945 they are relevant to your health and how you use your eyes. Changes in medications, your health, occupation, hobbies and interests all effect your eyes. Did you know that many medical conditions can affect your eyes? Some  diseases like rosacea, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and diabetes can have a negative impact on the eyes and related structures. Smoking affects the circulation in your retina and dries out the surface of your eye. Topical and systemic medications can also affect the eyes. For example, many drugs contribute to dry eyes and blurry vision. Some medications even cause cataracts, glaucoma and retinal changes.
How you use your eyes is also very important. If you work on a computer many hours a day, your needs are different than someone who is in a retail setting or a classroom. Other activities such as playing music, bike riding and fishing all can be enhanced with the right pair of glasses or correction. If you play certain sports, protective eyewear is important. So at your next visit, give me as much information as possible so that I can provide you with the best vision care.

Eye Charts for Airplanes

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Even the eyes in the sky need to check acuity once in awhile. There are a number of “eye charts” throughout California for this purpose. Airplane eye charts provide a platform for aerial photography to calibrate and focus aerial cameras traveling at different speeds and altitudes. Works for satellites too.