Year: 2023 (Page 2 of 3)

Back to school is upon us! There is always so much to remember about back to school. Meet the teacher, school supplies, new clothes, new books, sometimes the list can feel overwhelming. One thing we want to be sure doesn’t get left off the list is making your kids eye appointments before they go back to school.

There are so many reasons to make sure you are getting regular eye exams but it is especially important for kids to get their exams each school year so that they can avoid any issues while trying to learn.

When should Kids start exams?

It is recommended that kids start getting eye exams as early as six months old. This can help to ensure their eyes are developing normally. As they get older, yearly exams will help to identify any developmental issues or long term problems that may need correction.

Ages 2 to 5 years old eye exams are testing for:

• Visual acuity
• Lazy eye
• Stereopsis
• Eye tracking
• Convergence
• Color Vision
• Ocular Health

It is important to monitor these skills because they are imperative for learning and success at school.

As kids grow their eye exams will change to focus on different aspects of vision. The skills tested for kids ages 6 to 18 are:

• Visual Acuity – the ability to see clearly in the distance, up close, and at an intermediate distance.
• Eye Focusing – maintaining clear vision when changing focus from far away to up close.
• Eye Tracking – keeping eyes on target if they are looking from one object to another.
• Eye Teaming – this is the coordination of both eyes to work together ad to judge distances.
• Eye-hand coordination – this is the ability to direct hands by using visual information.
• Vision Perception – this is the ability to understand and remember when they read by organizing images into letters.

Why are exams so important for kids?

It is important for any vision problems to be diagnosed as early as possible to set children up for success at school. Yearly exams will help to do this. Sometimes learning disabilities can be mis-diagnosed when the real problem is a vision impairment.

This can help your child learn and progress better than if these possible issues are left undetected. We recommend using the start of school as a good reminder to schedule an exam. This helps to identify any potential issues before the school year begins and make sure your child is set up for success each and every year.

Call us today to schedule your child’s yearly exam!

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Two things you might not think are connected, air pollution and eye health. We have brought this topic up before but wanted to reiterate how the planet’s climate and pollution can affect your eye health. There is important information we want to make you aware of so you can make small changes in your day to day lives to protect yourself.

Our world is constantly changing, and the affects of pollution are not only making the planet deteriorate. Our bodies including our eye’s are exposed to new and worse pollutants as time goes on.

Climate Change

Climate change has caused an increase in natural disasters over the last 40 years all around the world. This increase is starting to cause concern for eye health as air pollution levels continue to rise.

Some statistics from NASA:

• Most of the Earth’s warming has happened in the last 40 years
• The 6 warmest years on record have been since 2014
• 2016 was the warmest year on record

With these warmer years, we are seeing shorter winters and longer fall and spring seasons. With this in mind, the two biggest eye health threats are air pollution and longer allergy seasons.

Danger to Eye Health

There are a few main issues that are directly related to climate change that are causing the most harm to our eyes.

Air Pollution

Air pollution can lead to a higher risk of age related macular degeneration, dry eye and conjunctivitis (pink eye). There was a study done in Taiwan in 2019 that showed there is a 91% greater risk of developing Age Related Macular Degeneration for those who had been exposed to the highest level of vehicle emissions compared to those who had be exposed to the lowest amount.

Air pollution can also cause immeidate threats. Recently there was a large wildfire in Canada and its smoke and ash polluted the air all the way down the east coast of the United States. These types of air pollutants can blow ash into your eyes causing scratches and discomfort to your eye, as well as cause dry eye symptoms which if not treated can cause other disorders.

Worsen Allergies

Climate change is changing weather patterns that we have grown accustom to. As these weather patterns change so does our environment around us. With a warmer climate world wide, season length is starting to change. Longer spring means longer allergy season for some as well as more pollen being released into the air than in previous years.

With the symptoms of allergies being somewhat misdiagnosed in some cases this can cause issues for people trying to get relief. There is also the issue of the overuse of antihistamines for allergy systems. When used for too long they can cause dry eye and more discomfort.

Higher UV Rays

Climate change is causing our ozone layer to deteriorate which is leading to higher UV ray exposure when outside. UV radiation coming from the sun can cause eye issues such as:

• Cataracts
• Snow Blindness
• Eye Sunburn

There was a global agreement in 1987 that banned ozone depleting chemicals being used, but the damage that was done up until that point has not healed completely.

How to Combat Pollution Related Eye Issues

Everyone can make a difference, even if it feels like you are starting small. It will take all of us to slow down the process of climate change and start to restore our planet to its former glory.

• There are many ways you can start contributing to air pollution clean up:
• Recycle any recyclable materials
• Car pool or use alternative transportation like Bikes
• Plant Trees
• Shut off lights in rooms you are not in
• Use electric yard tools
• Don’t burn waste

In regards to keeping your eyes safe, always wear a quality pair of sunglasses while outside or exposed to the sun. Avoid being outside in high air pollution areas. Most importantly, regularly see your eye doctor to make sure your eyes are in tip top shape.

We have talked about this topic on our blog before, but it has been a little while so we thought it would be good idea to re-visit it this month. According to the AAO this disorder is on the rise for several decades. They estimate that by 2050, almost HALF of the worlds population will have nearsightedness. So lets take a look at what this disorder is and how to treat or prevent it.

What is Myopia?

Myopia is commonly referred to as nearsightedness. It is when objects up close look clear but objects in the distance are blurry. So it may be easy to read something like a restaurant menu, but when you are driving you are unable to read road signs that are far away.

Myopia is currently categorized into two levels, either high or low myopia. You can be diagnosed with either and your eye doctor will prescribe the best contacts of glass lenses to correct your vision for you.

Usually if children are diagnosed with myopia, their level will rise but can level off in their twenties.

How to tell if you have Myopia?

There are some symptoms you could be experiencing that might be because of myopia. These include:

• Headaches
• Eyestrain
• Squinting
• Difficulty seeing things that are far away
• Blurry Vision

Of course the most effective way to find out if you or your child have myopia would be to schedule an eye exam and let an eye doctor diagnose it.

What Causes Myopia?

If you have myopia, then the shape of your eye is preventing light from bending so that the light is not landing on your retina. In an eye without myopia, the cornea and lens will work together to bend the light you see and have it land directly on the retina. The retina will then send a signal to your brain which allows you to see.

If your cornea is curved too steeply or if your eye is longer than normal it can cause the light rays you are seeing to not fall on your retina which then makes it harder to see.

How is Myopia Treated?

The easiest way to treat myopia is with glasses or contacts. After an eye exam, your eye doctor will prescribe a lens that will help to correct your vision. Your prescriptions will change over time, which is why it is important to see your eye doctor each year. They can change your glasses or contacts to better correct your vision as your vision changes.

There are also surgeries that you could be a candidate for. Theses types of surgeries are called refractive surgeries and include:

• LASIK
• Epi-LASIK
• PRK
• SMILE

Refractive surgeries an ophthalmologist removes the natural lens inside your eye and replaces it with an artificial lens. The new lens helps to aim the light at the retina to help you see more clearly.

Can Myopia be Prevented?

There is some research to support being able to prevent myopia from progressing and one of the theories is to encourage children to spend more time outdoors. Balancing indoor and outdoor time can help protect against myopia.

The best way to combat any eye disorder is to regularly see your eye doctor. If you or your children are experiencing any of the above symptoms we described, call us today to make your appointment!

As we grow older, it can get easier and easier to let things like your regular eye exams slip through the cracks. We wanted to re-visit this topic because there are so many reasons to have your eye’s examined regularly. There are implications of other health concerns that can be caught in an eye exam. It can be easy to think your vision doesn’t need any correction, until you get an exam and realize you haven’t been seeing the world as clearly as you could have been!

Why You Need to See a Doctor

Eye diseases are can go unnoticed with no symptoms for a long time before they cause harm. If you are regularly seeing a doctor, they can notice changes in your eye before symptoms occur. If caught early enough some diseases can be treated to prevent vision loss later on.

We actually offer a specific service not all eye doctors have, the Optomap Prime, which allows our doctors to do a comprehensive eye exam without having to dilate your eyes. This new technology takes away the invasive process of dilation that can deter some people from their regular eye exam. Make sure to ask us about this at your next visit.

An eye doctor is going to examine a few different things in your eye exam such as:

• visual acuity (sharpness)
• depth perception
• eye alignment
• eye movement

In addition to catching eye issues early, an eye exam may also be able to catch other health conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. They can let you know what they find so you can follow up with your primary care doctor.

Regular Eye Exams Save Vision

Like we were saying, if some eye conditions are caught early enough, there are treatments that can help to save your vision. An eye exam can catch some common eye diseases. Some common eye diseases that can lead to permanent vision loss are:

• Cataracts – this is a clouding of the eye lens and is the leading cause of vision loss in the US.
• Diabetic Retinopathy – this causes damage to blood vessels int he back of the eye.
• Glaucoma – this describes a group of diseases that damage the optic nerve.
• Age Related Macular Degeration – this is a gradual breakdown of the light sensitive tissue in the eye.

We have published blogs on each of these conditions, if you are looking for a deeper dive into them check out the other blogs on our website.

How Often Should You Have an Eye Exam?

It is very important for children to have their eyes examined frequently as they are growing. There are some learning disabilities that can be misdiagnosed vision problems, and you won’t know until your child has an exam. It is recommended that children get at least one exam between the ages of 3 and 5. Ideally school aged children should be examined every year, especially if you are noticing any issues with focusing at school.

People with diabetes should have a dilated eye exam every year and people who are at higher risk for glaucoma should have a dilated exam every two years.

If you can’t remember when your last exam was, it is probably a good idea to schedule one!

Since we are entering summer vacation this week in the tri-county area, we thought it would be a good time to re-visit the importance of wearing sunglasses when spending time out in the sun.

Our area offers so many amazing outdoor activities, it makes it hard to stay indoors when it’s sunny outside! Between the relaxing beaches, the many rivers and neighborhood pools, there are so many ways to cool off during the summer.

When you are out in the sun most people don’t forget to put their sunscreen on. Next time you are getting ready to lather up, make sure you remember the sun protection for your eyes!

Why can the Sun be Harmful?

Many of us have experienced a sunburn at least once in our lives. A sunburn is a more immediate example of the damage sun can cause on your body, but the same sun can also damage your eyes if you don’t protect them.

The sun gives off Ultraviolet radiation, and this type of radiation is what causes sunburns. It can also cause a type of sunburn to your eyes called Photokeratitis. This condition damages your corneal epithelial cells and this can lead to various degrees of discomfort. It can be mild irritation or severe pain.

Prolonged exposure to UV radiation from sunlight can increase your chances or developing more serious eye problems later in life. UV radiation exposure has been linked to:

• Cataracts
• Age Related Macular Degeneration

Another, lesser known, threat to your eye health are reflective surfaces such as water, road surfaces, snow, or windshields. If enough light is being reflected off of these surfaces it can damage your eyes with extended exposure.

How to Protect Your Eyes

The best way to protect your eyes from UV radiation from the sun is to always wear sunglasses! Anytime you are outdoors make sure you have a pair with you. It is also important to make sure your sunglasses have the correct UV protection you need.

We have so many different styles and brands of sunglasses. Come see us to find the perfect pair for your face!

Our staff is ready and waiting to help with any questions you might have!

May is mental health awareness month. We wanted to shed some light on how vision loss can affect your Mental Health and then offer tips to cope with major vision impairment or loss.

There has been a close link found between eye health and mental health. It is more likely that someone who has vision loss or impairment will suffer from mental health issues. According to the CDC, 1 in 4 adults with vision loss report experiencing anxiety and depression.

Which Vision Problems Impact Mental Health the Most?

Any vision problem that leads to or results in vision loss are most likely to cause mental health issues. These vision problems can include:

• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Age-related macular degeneration
• Glaucoma
• Retinitis pigmentosa

Three of those four problems are some of the most common in the US.

Mental Health Disorders that Impact Eye Health

While vision problems can cause mental health decline, mental health disorders can also impact eye health. People who suffer from a mental health condition are more likely to develop vision issues.

Its not known yet what the link is between mental illness and vision issues but there are some theories:

• Stress is a big factor in the development of eye conditions so depending on what mental health disorder someone suffers from, the stress from it could play a part in deteriorating eye health
• There are also some researchers who think that there re neurological roots shared between certain mental health issues and vision issues.

How to Cope with Vision Issues

There are a few ways to cope with vision loss that can help to improve your mental health. If you are suffering from vision loss or severe vision impairment make sure you try to learn as much as you can about your condition. It can also be helpful to meet with a counselor who can help you navigate the feelings your experiencing. Lastly make sure you are utilizing any assistance devices that can help you maintain your quality of life.(ie. text to speech software, hand magnifiers, smartwatches with speech capabilities).

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we hope we have made it clear how important your mental health can be. It can affect all aspects of your health, including you vision.

As always, make sure to make an appointment with us if you are experiencing any vision problems!

Stress is a big factor in our society today. So many outside stressors can cause a lot of damage to your health. Did you know that in addition to your overall health, constant stress can also cause issues for your eyes?

Types of Stress

There are two main types of stress.

Acute Stress – This type of stress is short term and can go away quickly. It helps you to manage dangerous situations, like when you slam on your breaks or ski down a steep slope. This type of stress can also occur when you do something exciting or new. Everyone encounters this type of stress at some point in their lives.

Chronic Stress – Chronic stress lasts for a longer period of time. Chronic stress can be caused by finances, work or relationships. This kind of stress can last weeks or months. This is the kind of stress that can cause long term health problems.

What Stress Can Do To Your Eyes

If you have chronic stressors in your life but you are not doing anything to manage that stress you may see many health problems start to show up. Some health issues linked to chronic stress are:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Skin problems

Of course, vision problems are on the list as well. One of the biggest links from stress to vison is the stress hormone cortisone. This hormone is gradually released by the body as a reaction to stress. It can increase your heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and muscle tension. Cortisol also helps to regulate the digestive and reproductive systems during a stress crisis.

If you are experiencing chronic anxious moments it can result in a dangerous increase in cortisol levels. When cortisol levels will disrupt the blood flow from the eye to the brain which can cause vision problems.

The majority of stress related vision problems are usually temporary but if you have a consistent issue it could be related to stress. Some stress related vision issues are:

• Light Sensitivity
• Tunnel Vision
• Eye Twitching
• Extremely dry or wet eyes
• Blurry Vision
• Eye Strain
• Eye Floaters
• Double Vision
• Vision Distortions

Ways to Manage Stress

If you feel like you could be experiencing some of the above issues and think it could be related to chronic stress here are some tips to help you learn to manage your stress.

• Take breaks from the news and social media – disconnecting from screens and traumatic news stories can help lower your stress levels.
• Take care of yourself – eat healthy, get regular exercise and make sure to get enough sleep.
• Schedule time to unwind – make sure to make time for activities you really enjoy.
• Talk to your family and friends – it can help to get your troubles off your chest. Talk to someone you trust about what you’re feeling.
• Connect with your community – having a good support system around you can help you to make the time to relieve stress.

We are always thinking of ways to give our patients the knowledge they need in order to take care of themselves. If you have any vision issues that you are concerned about make an appointment with us!

Since this week was tax due date week, we thought it would be great time to focus on Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts. These type of accounts can be offered by your employer and can be used on vision expenses throughout the year.

What is the difference between an HSA and FSA?

HSA – Health Savings Account

• You or your employer contribute pre tax dollars
• Unused contributions roll over year after year
• HSAs must accompany a high deductible health plan (individual or through employer
• Withdrawals are allowed with 10% penalty
• HSAs have higher contribution maximum than FSAs

FSA – Flexible Spending Account

• Typically FSA funds must be used by the end of the plan or calendar year
• Account cannot be used after you leave the employer
• FSAs must accompany group insurance through employer
• Withdrawals are not allowed

What Can you use your HSA or FSA funds on?

Your vision insurance is probably going to cover on set of glasses or give you an allowance on what you can spend. If you contribute to a FSA or HSA you can use those funds to purchase the more expensive frames you want, or more than one pair of glasses to switch out your frames form time to time. In general you can use your funds for:

• Reading glasses
• Progressives
• Prescription blue light glasses
• Prescription anti-fatigue glasses
• Prescription glasses
• Prescription sunglasses

You can also choose to use your funds on contacts if they are medically necessary!

There are other things you can use the funds on as well aside form hardware. Other approved expenses would be eye exams, LASIK, copays and deductibles, eyeglass cleaning supplies and eye drops! It is important to check with your individual FSA or HSA provider to make sure anything that might fall into a grey area is covered.

What is NOT Eligible?

While there are so many things you can use these funds on there are still some things you shouldn’t use it on.

• Non-prescription glasses
• Non-prescription sunglasses
• Non-prescription contacts
• Insurance premiums

How to use your funds

This is going to depend on your specific plan. Some proivders will send you a debit card that you can use on the approved expenses. Other plans will require you to pay out of pocket but get reimbursed so it is important to hang on to receipts.

Bottom Line

FSA and HSA accounts can be a great way for you to set aside pre-taxed funds to spend on health expenses throughout the year. When enrolling in your employers benefits, make sure to take a look at the average expenses your family has each year to determine how much to contribute to your plan. Make sure to make the most of the benefits your employer offers!

Even if your vision is fine!

We believe it is important to arm our patients with knowledge. It is important to highlight what some eye symptoms could mean so you know what to look out for. We also know that it can be easy to forget about your eye health if you don’t have any current issues with it.

If you have always had 20/20 vision, or never experienced any recurring headaches or spots in your eyes, you may not remember to make a yearly eye appointment.

Even if you have no current vision problems, it is still a great idea to visit the eye doctor yearly. We wanted to highlight a few reasons today on our blog.

REASONS

1. Blood Pressure – a routine eye exam can identify if your blood pressure is consistently high. High blood pressure leads to many other health problems and if caught early, there are a number of lifestyle changes you can make to help combat it.
2. Vitamin Deficiencies – an eye doctor can identify vitamin deficiencies from an eye exam. This can help you combat any symptoms you may not be able to identify on your own.
3. Macular Degeneration – this incurable eye disease is the leading cause of vision loss. The sooner it is diagnosed the better change you have of combatting its effects. It is still unknown the exact cause, but it is believed to be linked to age and genetics.
4. Diabetes – this disease may seem unrelated, but people with diabetes have a higher risk of losing their eye sight. A yearly eye exam can help identify symptoms that might not be apparent to the untrained eye.
5. Vasculitis – this causes inflammation of your blood vessels and can affect several organs at once. Your eye doctor may be able to catch it before your family practitioner if it is showing signs in your eye. This can cause organ damage and vision loss so its very important to catch early.

Make an appointment today!

In addition to the reasons detailed above, there are many other underlying conditions that can be caught by routine yearly eye exams. TriCounty Eye Associates cares about your overall health. We hope you now know that an eye exam is just as important for preventative care as it is for vision problems.

Continuing to bring awareness to our patients is an important part of what we do. We are always here to answer any questions you may have! Don’t forget to make your yearly eye appointment!

When you think of the eye doctor, the first thing you think of is probably eye glasses. We have focused on reading glasses. sun glasses. blue light blocking glasses and contacts on our blog before. We thought it would be beneficial to bring a deeper dive into the world of Glasses since that is, after all, our specialty!

It can be so overwhelming once you know you need corrective lenses. There are so many factors that go in to choosing the correct frames and lenses for you. Luckily, you have TriCounty Eye on your side, and we are dedicated to making sure you have the right prescription and frame style for you!

Type of lenses

There are two types of lenses that are the main type used in eye glasses:

Single Vision Glasses – These type of lenses are most widely used because they can help people with various types of focusing issues. These lenses can also be used in the form of reading glasses. People who need reading glasses have good distance vison but have lost some near sighted vision with age. Readers can be purchased at drugs stores or online, but its really always best to get a profesional opinion.

Multifocal Glasses – These type of lenses are used to correct distance vision as well as nearsightedness. Depending on the severity of your diagnosis , the eye doctor will decide what kind of multifocal glasses will work best for you.

Bifocal – these lenses have correction in the top half for seeing at a distance as well as correction in the bottom half to help with reading. Some bifocal lenses can have a portion of the top of the lens specialized for glancing up at objects in the intermediate or near range.

Trifocals – these lenses have three different lens corrections, one for distance, one for intermediate and another for near vison. All in one lens. Pretty impressive!

Progressive lenses – these lenses function the same way as bifocals and trifocals but they do not have any clear division lines between the different types of lens. While these lenses typically do look better than the regular trifocal and bifocal lenses, they do have area that is lost due to lens transition so you may not have as big of a space for each portion as you need or would like.

Computer glasses – these are glasses specifically designed based off of your individual prescrption and your amount of time using a computer screen. They are usually multifocal lenses that will help to reduce eye strain while using a computer for long hours. They also help you to transition from a computer screen, to white boards to printed pages seamlessly.

Lens Material Options

There are four different materials that your eyeglass lenses can be made out of:

• Plastic – these are lighter, more flexible, and less likely to shatter than glass
• Polycarbonate – these are for high impact, usually worn by athletes
• Trivex – a newer plastic material that meets the same standards as polycarbonate
• High Index – this are thin, lightweight and usually recommended for people who need high vision correction.

There are pros and cons to all of them, and its something you can absolutely discuss with your doctor when you have your next exam.

Once you have your eye exam, the doctor will decide which lens is right for you. Its important to understand where your eyes are lacking so you know how to use the glasses that end up getting prescribed to you.

We also offer so many different brands of eye glass frames to choose from. We love to help our customers pick out the best frame for their face shape and for what they will be using the glasses for!

Call us today to get your eye exam scheduled and enjoy the personal attention we give to each and every customer to make sure they end up with the best vision correction option for them!