My Original Wayfarers….

The sun is finally starting to shine down on us in Central Ohio. Even though it is beneficial to wear your sunglasses year round, in many circumstances, this is the time of year that we take a quick inventory of those soon-to-be summer items: pool pass, beach towels, good books, bikes, boats, sunscreen and sunglasses.

As an optometrist I am often asked what I prefer for my eyes. Since this blog is about sunglasses, I will stick to the topic at hand. We can discuss my other optical supplies later.

I prefer brown lenses over gray. I want to not only decrease the amount of light into my eyes so that I am more comfortable, but I also want to increase the contrast if and when possible. Brown and amber tints have an orange/yellow base and these colors can be beneficial for giving you that added “edge” to your vision. Think of those bright yellow shooters glasses you have seen in various advertisements and you get the idea. As an aside, we also sometimes use super bright orange and yellow tints for persons who have corneal issues, cataracts, or macular degeneration, also for the same reason.

Next, I prefer polarized lenses. Polarization helps to reduce annoying glare and is incredibly beneficial when around highly reflective objects such as water and snow. I would rather keep this blog to a minimum so for more information on how polarized lenses work, www.allaboutvision.com has a quick tutorial if you are interested.

Finally, I prefer back surface antireflective coating on my sunglasses so that I don’t get annoying “bounce back” reflections when I am facing away from the sun: sometimes I can see things in the periphery of my lenses such as something behind me or else a reflection of my eyelashes. Back surface AR eliminates those pesky reflections.

Here are some tips to remember to help keep your sunglasses in tip- top shape. When you push those sunglasses up onto your head so that you can quickly dart into a building or a parking garage rather then taking them off (we all do it – mine are also great for holding my hair out of my face) you slowly stretch them out. Subsequently they will be looser with time when wearing them the proper way. Don’t hesitate to bring them to your chosen optical shop for adjustment. Furthermore, it is not recommended that you leave your sunglasses in the car on an exceptionally hot day. The intense heat that builds up in the car warps the frame, especially plastic, and this also means they will be out of adjustment that much sooner. If your lenses also warp from the intense heat then they are more prone to pop out of the frame over time.

Speaking of lenses, let’s quickly review proper cleaning technique. Please do not rub your lenses without first wetting them. Lets say I have been out working in the dusty yard…..when possible, I quickly rinse my lenses under running water first to remove the layer of dirt/dust. (I prefer not to rub in any dust, dry or wet). I shake them off and then use an approved spray cleaner. Soapy water works provided that the soap does not have abrasives or moisturizers. When wetting your lenses, avoid the three As: alcohol, acetone, and ammonia (remember Windex has ammonia in it) as these liquids degrade the quality of your lenses over time faster than is normal, especially antireflective coatings. When drying your lenses, steer clear of wood products such as tissues or paper towels. Do not use that terry cloth beach towel which you are sitting on (it’s soon-to-be summer and you are wearing your sunglasses remember? – and this is my blog and so I prefer the pool or beach). Your shirt is not a good idea either. Use cotton towels or microfiber cloths because they are soft and therefore should not scratch the lenses or leave lint behind. Remember, all plastic lenses are scratch RESISTANT not scratch proof.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER EVERYONE! I can’t wait to get out there with my boys; Greg, Ethan and Drew.

“How do you live your dash?”

My cousin, Holly Steger Archer, passed away shortly after Christmas last year. At 30 years of age, she developed a brain tumor an died at the age of 37. Holly was such an inspiration to so many. She fought cancer on her own terms and refused to complain about anything because she thought it was rude. Although I am still very sad, the memorial, which was such a great celebration of her life, gave me some much needed closure. It was nice to hear so many wonderful and funny stories about how she lived her dash. Below is a poem (author unknown) that was read at the service. (Perhaps later I will share with you the other poem used that day as well.)

How do you live your dash?

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning….to the end.
He noted that first came her date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That she spend alive on Earth…
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own;
The cars…the house…the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard….
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real,
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile….
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy’s being read
With your life’s actions to rehash….
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

A little bit of sleuth work….

Last week I was fortunate enough to be able to present RealEyes “Vinny Vision”, an Ohio Optometric Association program, to the third graders at Barrington Elementary School located in Upper Arlington, Ohio. We use a detective to solve a crime, using optical illusions as our clues. Along the way we talk about the size of the eye, how it works, what it means when it doesn’t work properly (near-sightedness & far-sightedness) and how we can keep our eyes safe and healthy.

To aide in understanding the material, a packet of information is given to the student and the RealEyes dvd is loaded into the teacher’s computer and projected onto the Smartboard. Smartboards are large computer driven white screens which are replacing conventional chalkboards of the past. It puts me in the mind of a rather large iPad; it is a very interactive screen where written words or pictures can be manipulated. Touch and drag. This enhanced technology is enabling creative learning to take place, however, a few of the teachers weren’t as savvy as to the nuances with respect to these new digital screens when asked about contrast and font size. Insufficient contrast and decreased font size can simulate a vision problem and it is no wonder that more children are presenting to our office with complaints of not seeing these devices well.

According to a survey by the American Optometric Association, parents are concerned about the effects of evolving technology. Fifty-three percent of respondents with children 18 years of age or younger believe viewing digital screens may be harmful to their son/daughter’s vision. Twenty-nine percent of parents feel concerned that their child may damage their eyes due to prolonged use of computers or hand-held electronic devices. After all, the more intently he/she stares at the iPod in front of , the closer he creeps to the screen.

Think about it as if you were forced to carry a weight around with your muscles contracted for hours on end. Not only would you get tired, but eventually when you finally let go of the weight, your muscles will be stiff and achy. The eyes focus using the ciliary body muscle in order to change the shape of the lens (the weight) and like any other muscle, it can fatigue. Eye strain from a computer or close device or book can be relieved by following the 20-20-20 rule: for every 20 minutes of near work, take a break for 20 seconds while viewing something 20 feet away.

No matter what device your child may be using, whether it is the schools Smartboard or your home computer and electronic devices, or even a good old text book, it is no mystery that routine eye examinations help to reinforce the importance of vision not only for learning but for overall quality of life.

Backpack? Check. New shoes? Check. Classroom supplies? Check. Eye exam?

A few years ago, I was examining a 5 year old little boy in preparation for back-to-school. As I am questioning the Mom and little boy, I ask if he has ever seen double vision. The mother responds “no”, but the little tyke chimes in “yes, sometimes I do.” So I ask him “when do you see double, you know two of the same thing?” I will never forget his cute yet sincere response: “when I am playing dominos.” Ok, you got me little 5 year old….this is true, you need to match up those dominos.

Back-to-school time can be a hectic transition in some households. New bedtime routines need to happen and school supplies purchased. Well, now that you have picked up all of the usual back-to-school items like new sneakers, a backpack and the endless list of community classroom supplies, you can start to focus on other tasks. Don’t forget to have your child’s vision checked.

Unfortunately, even the most attentive parents can miss vision problems. Go look at the size of pictures, the use of bright colors and the font size in a childs story book. Its pretty darn big…no wonder they can see it fairly well. Its not like you can ask your child to read that road sign over there! Most kindergartners I know can’t read well yet. Children don’t always know exactly how it is they should be seeing.

After all, you may think to yourself: “my child had a physical at the pediatrician’s office and a vision screening is done there, right?” The National Institute of Health has determined that distance-vision screenings miss 50% of all problems. Farsighted children can rattle off the 20/20 line in many instances yet struggle to read at near. How many doctors office’s screen for near vision problems? None that I know of. How many of them look for small angle misalignments? Its pretty obvious if someone’s eye is pointing 45 degrees in the wrong direction, but not so much if it is 5 degrees or less. Binocular visual neuropathways are being hardwired at this age. Its important. I’ve never seen them check my children for any of these things. Perhaps if they checked stereoacuity, maybe they would start to have an idea. No. They don’t check for that or color vision issues.

It is essential that your child have a comprehensive eye exam and that can include eye drops and yes sometimes those eye drops can sting a little. You know your child; some are better being prepared for it, others not so much. Others do better finding out right before the drops go in. As a transition for the child, I usually ask about summer activities; after all back-to-school is during some exceptionally warm summer weeks. Does the child like to go swimming? Do you like to jump in and get wet? Have you ever opened your eyes under the water? That’s kind of what the drops are like….they feel wet. Just like the water, they can blur your vision but only for a little while…. If the child doesn’t care for swimming or water, then an approach is taken where he/she can keep their eyes closed and the drops are applied to the inside corner and then we slowly allow them to open their eyes. It doesn’t need to be a traumatic event. Eye exams are important.

Besides the InfantSEE screener which is done at 9 months of age, our office recommends an exam before kindergarten, and then again before the third grade, unless of course you feel there are other issues prior to this. From there we can start to get a feel for how a child’s vision is developing. Future recommendations are made from there as to when and why a child should return. So get on that phone and schedule an eye exam for your child today. We hope to see you soon.

Have a happy 4th of July!! No Eye injuries please!!

With summer essentially upon us, the 4th of July is just around the corner. For my family, and hopefully yours, the 4th of July is a fun time filled with great family memories. Just as Paul Revere rode through town calling for all to wake up and ready themselves for independence, our civic association will happily awaken us with local trumpeters playing festive 4th of July music at 7:00am. After downing some much needed coffee, we bike over to a friend’s house for (more) coffee and bagels. Then as a group we all walk another block to Northwest Blvd so that we can catch the local parade. On our walk back to pick up our bikes we stop by the same tent each year to pick up some hotdogs, baked beans and potato salad before we head home for a much needed nap. We then start getting ready for the evening festivities which include another cook out, relay races, glow sticks and finally local fireworks which we watch from our front yard.

We choose to let the professionals launch all of the fireworks and hope that you do as well. According to Prevent Blindness, each year, on average, there are approximately 10,000 emergency room visits due to firework injuries. Of those approximately 1/5 are eye injuries. Many of those result in permanent ocular damage. What a way to not only ruin the 4th of July but also to forever alter the course of someone’s life.

I think about my own childhood and can distinctly remember watching my brother as he lit bottle rockets out of a Coke bottle, launched Roman candles from his hand, and even pinched firecrackers between his fingers while he lit them on fire. If it didn’t light the first time, he would keep trying to relight the dud. We would light sparklers and quickly wave them through the air, spelling our names as we went. We were so lucky that we weren’t one of the statistics. I sincerely hope that you and your family are not one either.

At times, I feel like I am spoiling all the fun. However, if even one child at our party were to injure himself or another child, I would never forgive myself for providing the tool necessary to burn, and potentially blind another person. As an optometrist, I take eyesight very seriously and hope you do as well. There are numerous websites available to learn more about firework safety if in fact you find it absolutely necessary to set off your own display. Please at a minimum take the time to learn as much as possible beforehand.

Have a safe and absolutely wonderful 4th of July everyone!!

Pilot Dogs

Hats off to Dr. Greg Good and Mr. Shawn Curtner for their loyalty and support of such an awesome program and the inventive way they are fundraising for Pilot Dogs.

Pilot Dogs is a not for profit organization founded in 1950 to train guide dogs for the visually impaired. As such, there is no charge to the participants for their services. The purpose of the Pilot Dogs program is to teach the blind to work as a team with their dog. The dogs are trained individually for 3 to 4 months and then trained for another 4 weeks with their new masters. Pilot dogs are initially raised in a private home until they are ready to begin their training. A typical breed used as a pilot dog includes German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Golden Retrievers, Standard Poodles, Boxers, and Labrador Retrievers.

Check it out and support a worthy cause!!

Successful “bifocal” contact lens fitting

Presbyopic contact lenses these days are more multifocal in nature then ever before yet we still refer to them as bifocals. There are numerous designs to chose from center near, center distance, astigmatic, and translocating to name a few. Even in spite of all of these great advances, monovision, where one eye sees distance and the other eye near, still has its place within the optical arena. However, there will still be some small compromises with any of these fits, multifocal or monovision, and often it is about appropriate expectations. It will never be 100% and on small occasions you may need some “cheaters” if the print is that small. Your expectation should be more along the lines of activities of daily living; cell phones, receipts, menus, watch, newspaper article (not the teeny tiny text necessarily), computer screen, magazine, or novel if done with moderation. Some things will simply be too small: a medicine vial or a phone book. Again, it is all about motivation and expectation.

Small details can make a big difference and can determine how successful a patient may be with any of these lenses. For example, it is not wise to fit a strabismic (eye turn) patient in a monovision contact lens since he/she can not suppress adequately to be able to switch eyes. As well, in either type of fit it is always beneficial to know which is the dominant eye for distance viewing since minor adjustments to a single eye during the fit can reap big benefits. Furthermore, it is important to discuss how you use your eyes daily…are you a truck driver who needs better distance vision then near or are you a lawyer reading small print on contracts daily and are willing to compromise your distance slightly to gain more up close? It is a balancing act and at times we “rob Peter to pay Paul” but it needs to be done with forethought as to what realistically will work depending upon a person’s vocation and/or daily hobbies.

Don’t be afraid to contribute to the fitting process because chances are you will be better equipped to help steer your optometrist to the best lens for your needs. In many cases, fitting “bifocal” contact lenses is just as much art/creative process as it is science. Occasionally patients will give up, assuming that there is no other solution. Another monovision example would be an intolerance to glare while driving at night from the near eye. Spare-specs to be worn over the contacts for driving are a viable solution if that is the only draw back. Take them off when you get where you are going.

Presbyopic contact lenses help to free us once again from the dependency upon glasses. Since presbyopia, the inability to read at near due to an aging change within the lens of the eye, happens in our early 40s, many of us will spend half of our lifetime with blurred vision for reading. (for those who are naturally near-sighted, this is an off setting penalty and we can discuss that in a later post) It is nice to know that there are great contact lenses to help.

“When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”

As St. Patrick’s day draws nearer, may the luck of the Irish be with you. Like our facebook page and automatically enter yourself into our drawing for $125 gift card to be applied toward optical products.

UV light and your eyes

The electromagnetic spectrum can be divided into low energy rays, such as microwaves and infrared, visible light which is what we see everyday, and high energy rays, such as ultraviolet and x-rays. For the purposes of this post, we will concentrate on ultraviolet (UV) since it is one of the most common causes of radiation injury to the eye.

There are three categories of high energy invisible UV rays: A, B, and C. UV-C rays are usually blocked by the atmospheric ozone, however, this could become more of an issue on those days when there is an ozone alert. UV-A and UV-B are the forms that are absorbed by the eye, particularly the cornea, lens and retina. UV light is linked to photokeratitis, (solar burn), cataracts, macular degeneration and chronic solar toxicity disorders such as pinguecula, pterygium and carcinomas.

Other factors can play a roll in a persons exposure. For instance, UV exposure is greater at higher altitudes and in zones nearer to the equator. However, highly reflective surfaces, such as swimming pools, sandy beaches and snowy terrains can nearly double a persons exposure from the UV rays reflecting back into the eyes. Furthermore, certain medications such as tetracycline, sulfa drugs, birth control pills and diuretics can increase your body’s overall sensitivity to UV light.

The risk of UV radiation damage to the eye is cumulative. Some studies estimate that nearly 50 percent of our lifetime exposure to UV rays may occur by age 18, especially since children usually spend more time outdoors then adults.

It is for all of those reasons that we recommend sunglasses for all of our patients in addition to a brimmed hat when or if possible. The amount of UV protection sunglasses provide is unrelated to the color or darkness of the lenses. In fact, clear plastic prescription ophthalmic lenses will block out approximately 60 % and polycarbonate lenses will block out approximately 90%. Additional coatings or clips can help to get that percentage as close to 100% as is reasonably possible

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Did you know that more than 2.2 million Americans age 40 and older suffer from glaucoma? To make matters worse, nearly half do not know they even have the disease. In many instances there is no pain involved and with both eyes open, the better eye will make up for the weaker eye and so people are unaware.

So many of my patients sit in the exam chair and ask “What are my pressures today doc? I want to make sure I don’t have glaucoma.” I am happy that he/she is asking, because it means that he/she understands that this disease can be a sneak thief of sight and there is reason for concern. However within the past decade, glaucoma research has enable the ophthalmic community to better understand some of the risk factors associated with the disease. For example, findings such as decreased corneal thickness, a history of sleep apnea, or even certain oral medications in those persons with narrow angles can all alter a persons propensity to develop the disease.

You don’t know, if you don’t go. Schedule your routine eye exam today.