Remember the puff?

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Just about everyone who has had an eye exam is familiar with the “puff of air test”. It measures pressure within the eye using a puff of air, which can be startling.  People who dread this test will be happy to know that we have replaced it with a new device; our modern Tono-pen is a handheld device, slightly larger than a pen.  This small piece of equipment only requires one eye drop for a quick and painless measurement of eye pressure. The test aides in screening for glaucoma.

airpuff cartoon1

Glaucoma is a group of eye disorders that cause damage to the optic nerve, leading to progressive, irreversible vision loss if left untreated.  Glaucoma is also the second leading cause of blindness in the U.S. according to the American Optometric Association.  The main signs associated with glaucoma are side vision loss, high eye pressures, and optic nerve damage.

High eye pressure is the most common sign, but can be affected by changes in heart rate and blood pressure.  Unfortunately, feelings of nervousness or anxiousness when sitting in front of the “puff of air” machine can cause eye pressure readings higher than normal.  This is why it is so important to have a device that can get readings quickly and easily. The Tono-pen does just that; more accurate measurements are taken over time to determine if your eye pressure is increasing and potentially causing glaucoma.  For more information on glaucoma please visit glaucoma.org or the American Optometric Association.

Blog contribution by Joseph Gray , Optometry Intern, College of Optometry ,Western University of Health Sciences

Putting lazy eyes into the dark?

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An eye is considered lazy when vision is mildly to severely reduced. This can be due to a variety of reasons but the most common causes are high prescriptions and crossed eyes. Interestingly it is not the eye that is “lazy”, rather the brain’s vision center. In my practice I do not use the term lazy eye. Instead I use the more appropriate medical term “amblyopia” to describe the eye condition that is prevalent in 2% of the population.

Amblyopia begins early in childhood during critical developmental years. Neuron pathways are forming during this time and what our eyes see (or do not see) affects how good our vision develops. In fact the amazing thing about human neurological development is the ability of our brain to adapt and change according to environmental stimuli. Early in our lives our brain uses input from the environment to form patterns that allow it to be more efficient. Eventually, it loses plasticity and the ability to adjust to new patterns decreases significantly.  In the case of amblyopia, the brain learns to shut out input from an eye with an uncorrected prescription or crossed eye. Traditionally doctors have considered this to be a permanent reduction in vision when not corrected by age 8.

A new solution?

Researchers Kevin Duffy and Donald Mitchell of Dalhousie University recently conducted a study to return the brain back to its early development stages in an attempt to increase its flexibility. They believe this can serve to reset the brain. The study was conducted on kittens with induced amblyopia who were immersed in a pitch black room for ten days. After the ten days vision significantly improved in all subjects! The positive results of the experiments led researchers to believe the treatment may work on children and young adults with amblyopia. However, in order for this treatment to be effective subjects must be completely isolated from light for long periods of time.

The practicality of this treatment is questionable and I am not yet recommending patients to stay in a pitch dark room for an extended period of time.  I am optimistic about the possibility of a brain “reset” and look forward to further developments. I will still maintain that the key to an amblyopia treatment program is to start at an early age while the brain has great plasticity.

Written with Ian Gao, Optometry Intern, College of Optometry ,Western University of Health Sciences

Birth Control Linked to Glaucoma?

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Annual eye examinations are recommended for a variety of reasons including maintaining optimum vision, examining for signs of systemic disease and evaluating the effects of prescription medications on the eyes. The latter of these was emphasized recently with a recent study involving women and birth control. In fact, 10.7 million women used oral contraception in the United States between 2006-2008 according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The study, presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, suggests that there is an increased risk of developing glaucoma in women who have been taking oral contraceptives for three or more years. Researchers from several universities, the closest locally being The University of California, San Francisco used data from a 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

3,406 participants over 40 years old were surveyed on their visual and reproductive health followed by an eye examination. The results showed that women who have been on oral contraceptives for 3 or more years were 2 times more likely to be at risk for being diagnosed with glaucoma compared to women not taking it or for fewer years.

While the study does not show a direct link that long term contraceptive use can cause glaucoma, contraceptive use can be a risk factor that patients and doctors need to monitor. This is especially important if other risk factors for glaucoma such as ethnicity, family history, eye anatomy, or medication are present.  Interestingly, other studies have shown that estrogen is linked to the development of glaucoma, which could be why oral contraceptives, which work by altering estrogen levels, is a risk factor for glaucoma.

Contributed by Peggy Zhu, Optometry Intern, College of Optometry ,Western University of Health Sciences

 

Does computer use damage the eyes?

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A recent CNN article examines a question I get asked everyday. Does computer use damage my eyes?  The answer to this question will vary depending on how one defines the word damage. The quick answer is NO.  There has yet to be a case of permanent computer related eye injury. There are however a myriad of symptoms that can result from prolonged computer use.

There is a label that has been assigned to a group of such symptoms and it is comprised of headaches, blurred vision, tired and dry eyes. The American Optometric Association encompasses all of these under Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).  These irritating symptoms can decrease productivity and increase frustration in the workplace. Certainly we may say this is damaging. Decreased productivity is never good for business.

Damage control

When I examine a patient’s eyes, I am looking to uncover potential obstacles to comfortable vision.  This may include being farsighted or having astigmatism.  In other patients I uncover focusing deficiencies or eye muscle imbalance.  Left uncorrected, a patient may experience headaches or blurred vision, so it is important to correct these issues using glasses or contact lenses.  In some instances surgery may be appropriate.  Use of corrective lenses will relieve many symptoms brought on by prolonged staring at the computer.  By refocusing light, these lenses make the screen more clear and a patient can work more comfortably.

A complete eye health examination has yet to reveal permanent damage in one of my patient’s eyes.  I do find that besides blurred vision the most common complaint of computer users is dry eyes. These include superficial punctate keratitis or dry patches on the cornea and a decreased amount of tears in the eye. I attribute this partially to lower blink rates while using the computer.   Additionally many computer users work in highly air conditioned environments which can dry the eyes.

Damaging or not, using a computer for hours on end warrants careful examination of your eyes and the environment in which you work.

New Multi-focal Contact Lens

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The term presbyopia refers to changes inside our eyes that affect our near vision beginning around age 40. I am excited to introduce a new multi-focal contact lens that addresses these changes, Purvision 2 For Presbyopia.

This is a brand new design and has shown amazing results in studies and in early introduction this year in Europe. Traditionally, the largest obstacle with multifocal contact lenses is to deliver good near vision while maintaining good distance vision. The Purevision 2 For Presbyopia is the latest lens to address this need. Utilizing a 3 zone progressive design it is 22% thinner than its predecessor and provides remarkable comfort.

Early patient studies make me confident that you will find improvement in your visual experience throughout the day whatever your visual demands include. This is especially apparent with night vision. Email me today to discuss if you may be a good candidate for these lenses.

New Multi-focal Contact Lens

/in /by

The term presbyopia refers to changes inside our eyes that affect our near vision beginning around age 40. I am excited to introduce a new multi-focal contact lens that addresses these changes, Purvision 2 For Presbyopia.

This is a brand new design and has shown amazing results in studies and in early introduction this year in Europe. Traditionally, the largest obstacle with multifocal contact lenses is to deliver good near vision while maintaining good distance vision. The Purevision 2 For Presbyopia is the latest lens to address this need. Utilizing a 3 zone progressive design it is 22% thinner than its predecessor and provides remarkable comfort.

Early patient studies make me confident that you will find improvement in your visual experience throughout the day whatever your visual demands include. This is especially apparent with night vision. Email me today to discuss if you may be a good candidate for these lenses.