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End of the Year Hours

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Westside Optometry will be open our regular hours with the exception of Monday December 26th and January 2nd.

Mondays and Wednesdays 8:30 – 5:00

Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:00 – 6:00

Fridays 8:30 – 12:00

If you are trying to use your medical flex spending account before the end of the year, call to schedule an eye examination or order contact lenses. Drop by if you want to select new glasses or sunglasses.
We will also be open Saturday January 7th, if you are trying to juggle the kids appointments while they are out of school or home from college.

Use’em or Lose’em

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EvatiK ZylIf your flex spending funds expire at the end of the year consider your eyewear needs. You can order contact lenses, a pair of computer glasses or some sunglasses.

We’ve expanded our new FYSH line to include the men’s frames Evatik. Evatik incorporates innovative designs and lightweight materials.

The new Kate Spade sunglasses have arrived also. Check out “Grady,” the brown is pictured here. The sunglass also comes in black and has polka dots on the inside.  Grady

If you want to order contact lenses, you can simply call the office, they can be shipped directly to you, or use our online contact ordering, the link is on the right of the page. (ORDER CONTACTS)

Holiday Gift Safety

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I think the Prevent Blindness Organzation sums up gift safety better than I can so I am sharing their press release.

Children Should Spend the Holidays with Friends and Family, Not in the Emergency Room

The holiday shopping season is already in full swing for retailers as well as shoppers who are eager to begin purchasing everything on their lists. But, when it comes to toys and gifts, the lowest sale price may not be the safest for children.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates in its most recent report that hospital emergency rooms treated 251,700 toy-related injuries in 2010 throughout the United States. Of that number, 72 percent of injuries were to those less than 15 years of age.

Additionally, the CPSC found that 46 percent of the estimated 251,700 ER-treated injuries occurred to the head and face area. Lacerations, abrasions and contusions made up most of these injuries.

Prevent Blindness America, the nation’s oldest eye health and safety organization, has declared December as Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month. The group encourages everyone to make conscientious purchasing decisions based on what is best for each individual child.

“In the excitement of the season, sometimes we may forget that not every gift is appropriate for every child,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness America. “By taking a few, easy safety precautions, we can keep the holidays happy for everyone!

Prevent Blindness America suggests:

Make recommendations to family members and friends about gifts that you feel are appropriate for your child. Be diligent about inspecting these gifts before allowing your child to play with them.
Inspect all toys before purchasing. Monitor toys that your child has received as gifts to make sure they are appropriate for your child’s age and developmental level.
For younger children, avoid play sets with small magnets and make sure batteries are secured within the toy. If magnets or batteries are ingested, serious injuries and/or death can occur.
Gifts of sports equipment should always be accompanied by protective gear (such as a basketball along with eye goggles or a face guard with a new batting helmet for baseball or softball).
Any toy that is labeled “supervision required” must always be used in the presence of an adult. Keep toys meant for older children away from younger ones.

Always save the warranties and directions for every toy. If possible, include a gift receipt. Repair or throw away damaged toys.
Avoid toys that shoot or include parts that fly off.
Inspect toys for sturdiness. Your child’s toys should be durable, with no sharp edges or points. The toys should also withstand impact. Dispose of plastic wrapping material immediately on toys as they may have sharp edges.
Don’t give toys with small parts to young children. Young kids tend to put things in their mouths, increasing the risk of choking. If the part of a toy can fit in a toilet paper roll, the toy is not appropriate for children under the age of 3.
For more information on safe toys and gifts for children as well as general children’s eye health topics, visit preventblindness.org.

Dry Eye Symptoms and Treatments

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Last time I talked about the risks of dry eye. This included the increase incidence  for people with diabetes. Today let’s talk about the symptoms. Dry eye presents in many different ways: the eyes can sting, burn, feel gritty, scratchy and even watery. That’s right, you can suffer from dry eyes and produce too many tears. The other significant symptom of dry eyes is fluctuating vision. If the tears evaporate too quickly, vision is best right after a good blink and blurs until the next blink. Identifying which layer or layers are compromised is the first step to finding the right treatment.

The tears consist of 3 different components:

1. Oils or lipids from the meibomian glands (in the eyelid)

2. Mucus from the goblet cells (surface of the eye)

3. Water or aqueous from the lacrimal gland (under the brow)

The eyelid can be a problem too. Inflammation of the eyelid margin is often a factor. The eyelid changes with age, it may be scarred or looser causing the lid to turn inward or outward. Either direction has a negative effect on the tears and blinking.

The goal of dry eye treatment is to restore the tear film balance. Addition of a humidifer, drops, ointments, supplements, change in diet, and/or punctal plugs can all be helpful. Once the cause of dry eye disease is identified I can create a treatment plan.

The first thing I recommend in treating dry eye disease is to control the factors that you can. Check out the last blog for a list, you can’t change your age or gender, but you can control your blood sugar, and some environmental factors.  What you eat or do not eat matters too. Too much caffeine will dehydrate you. If you are a fan of energy drinks that are high in caffeine and sugar, try a week or two without them and see if your eyes feel better. I’ve seen significant improved in contact lens tolerance with the elimination of these drinks.

Do not suffer from dry eye, call Westside Optometry for evaluation and treatment. For more dry eye information download http://old.westsideoptometrynow.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Dry-Eye-Syndrome.pdf

Dry Eye and Diabetes

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November is National Diabetes Month. Last year and in previous blog posts, I wrote about diabetes and the eye. Today I want to talk about dry eye disease (and diabetes).

Dry eye can lead to decreased vision, corneal scarring and secondary bacterial infections. Not to mention the general discomfort and reduced quality of life from the symptoms.

There are 8 Risks Factors for the Development of Dry Eye Disease:

  • AGE The older you are the greater the risk for dry eye.
  • GENDER Women are twice as likely to develop dry eye than men.
  • ENVIRONMENT This includes smoking, airplane travel, computer use, low humidity environments and several other considerations
  • LID MARGIN DISEASE This is especially true of meibomian gland dysfunction. Meibomian, an icky sounding word on its own, but you should see the glands under a microscope when they are plugged or inflamed. It’s not pretty.
  • CONTACT LENS WEAR Contact lens wear contributes to dry eye and increased symptoms
  • OCULAR SURGERY Surgical procedures  such as LASIK or cataract removal can cause temporary dry eye in patients who have predisposing risk factors.
  • MEDICATIONS Many drugs including oral anti-histamines or anti-acne medications like (Isotretinoin)

And for the risk factor that ties this all in with Diabetes Month…

  • SYSTEMIC CONDITIONS This includes not only diabetes but also rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid disease.

The mechanism responsible for dry eye disease in diabetic patients is unclear, but many studies have been done. One study found that the rate of dry eye disease was higher if the HbA1c values were higher. Yet another good reason to maintain diabetic control and lower HbA1c values.  Another study showed that the tear proteins of diabetic patients are different from those of healthy subjects. More than half of the people who have diabetes experience dry eye symptoms and suffer from ocular dryness. Controlling the diabetes and managing the dry eye disease can lessen or alleviate the discomfort of ocular dryness.

Is LASIK Right for Me?

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I discuss LASIK with several patients each week and realize I have never written about it. LASIK is a refractive procedure that quickly, painlessly and permanently changes the corneal topography (shape of the front of the eye) to correct a person’s vision. Many people are candidates for the procedure, but some are “better” candidates than others. My strongest recommendation goes to people with astigmatism. This refractive condition is usually caused by the shape of the cornea and often makes contact lens use challenging or impossible. My second favorite candidate for LASIK are people with myopia or  nearsightedness. I do want to qualify this because some myopes are not great candidates. Someone who reads and works at the computer comfortably without glasses or contact lenses will require more education about future vision changes and glasses. The other end of the myopic spectrum are people who are really really nearsighted and too much corneal tissue would have to be removed to be safe. Otherwise most nearsighted people are very good candidates and enjoy the results.

Other important criteria include stable vision. LASIK will not prevent  the prescription from changing. I like to see no changes in the distance vision for at least 12 months, preferably 2 years. If the vision is going to change, it will, with or without the refractive procedure. If you have the procedure, you can expect good vision without glasses for a very longtime.

The actual laser procedure takes 2 minutes or less per eye. Many precise measurements are taken before the procedure. Proper alignment with the laser is made in all axes. A super thin flap of cornea is created with the Intralase Method which uses tiny, ultra-precise pulses of light. It is laid back while the surgeon lasers the tissue underneath it to correct the refractive error. The flap is carefully replaced and smoothed into place. And that is the extent of the actual LASIK. The rest is healing and post-operative care. Some lifestyle modifications are required initially, but most people are surprised how much they can do and see right after surgery.

If you have any questions or comments about refractive surgery, please leave a comment or call the office (707)762-8643.

The Contact Lens Case

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Not much thought goes towards the contact lens case. But this little keeper of contact lenses can harbor microbes and oils that contaminate the contact lenses. Dirty contact lens cases make for dirty contact lenses, increasing the chance of blur, discomfort and infection of the eyes.

Eye Hygiene Care - set of contact lens cases

A recent study in Australia showed that the manufacturer’s recommendation of rinsing with multi-purpose contact lens solution and air drying is not enough. The most effective technique to remove the most bacteria was to rinse and wipe the case with a tissue before air drying.

I have always advocated dumping the contact lens solution every morning and rinsing the case with hot water then air drying. I am now adding the use of multi-purpose solution (MPS) instead of water and wiping with a tissue as well. For soft contact lens wearers, using the MPS to rinse instead of water is safer. For rigid gas permeable wearers, hot water is still indicated. (the soaking solutions are too viscous to be effective).

Contact lens case care (soft lenses)
1. Dump solution
2. Rinse with multi-purpose solution
3. Wipe with a tissue
4. Air dry

Contact lens case care (rigid gas permeable lenses)
1. Dump out solution
2. Rinse in hot water
3. Wipe with a tissue
4. Air dry

And the final step to maintaining a clean contact lens case it to replace it regularly.

Halloween and Contact Lenses

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It is the time of year when I worry the most about improper contact lens use.  I am revisiting a post from last October about colored contact lenses. The perfect Halloween costume is not worth putting your eyes at risk.

Contact lenses should only be purchased from an authorized contact lens distributor, an eye doctor and some retail outlets. In the U.S., contact lenses cannot be obtained legally without a prescription. Instruction for proper care and handling should be included when the lenses are dispensed. Without proper fitting and care there is a risk of bacterial infection, corneal abrasion and corneal ulcers. Some of these consequences are painful, some can be blinding.

 In 2005, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified all contact lenses, whether they correct vision or are used simply for cosmetics as medical devices.  Not only do the lenses have to be FDA approved, but so do the dyes. Any product in your eyes or touching your eyes should always be dispensed with a current prescription from your eye doctor. Don’t risk your eyesight, if you are interested in colored contacts give the office a call.

cosmetic contact lenses

The World through Rose Colored Glasses

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I never think of prescription sunwear as a luxury. Comfortable, clear vision outdoors is as important as general clear glasses. I use my sunglasses for driving, sports and enjoying a book outdoors. The color of the lens tends to be personal and specific to how the glasses will be used. I personally prefer a grey lens, but different color lenses can actually improve your vision in certain situations. While some colors increase depth perception, others improve vision in low light situations and some reduce glare and eyestrain in bright light. I’ve included a list to help you select your next pair of sunglasses. See what fits your needs and lifestyle. Rose colored lenses may or may not be in your future, but maybe gray or green will make your eyes a little happier.

  • YELLOW offers excellent depth perception, provides good contrast in low light.
  • VERMILION Improves color perception in low light, excellent for overcast days
  •  BROWN/AMBER Blocks blue light, reduces glare, improves contrast.
  • GRAY transmits true colors evenly, reduces glare, low color distortion.
  • GREEN enhances contrast in moderate light, reduces eyestrain in bright light.

Other sunglass features include POLARIZATION, which filters refective glare and enhances color contrast and depth perception. FLASH MIRRORS limit the amount of light entering your eyes so you feel more comfortable.

If you want to try different color samples, come by the office. If you have any questions about special conditions or different sunglass lenses, leave a comment.

Eye Irritation

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The skin condition, Acne Rosacea, may affect the eyes. A recent survey by the National Rosacea Society reports that 60 percent of rosacea patients also have eye involvement. In fact, ocular symptoms may appear before the effects of rosacea appear on the skin. Ocular Rosacea is characterized by redness around the eyelids, bloodshot eyes and watery appearance. Sufferers of Ocular Rosacea experience foreign body sensation, burning or stinging, dryness, itching, light sensitivity and blurred vision.

Gentle, consistent cleaning and oral medication may relief the symptoms of ocular rosacea. If ocular rosacea is not treated, patients could endure potentially serious consequences, such as scarring or corneal damage that could lead to decreased vision.

If you have any questions or would like more information about ocular rosacea, call the office or post a comment.