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Vision exams should occur yearly or as prescribed by your doctor. Regular eye exams are an invaluable tool in maintaining healthy eyes by detecting and preventing disease. Some diseases develop slowly without causing pain or vision loss. Early detection of any problems can reduce the risk of further harm and allow for a choice of treatment options. Part of your exam includes the following procedures: slit lamp examinations, dilated eye examinations, refraction for glasses and contact lenses and glaucoma pressure testing as well as a series of other computerized tests to determine the health of your eyes.

If you are experiencing any of the following please schedule an appointment as soon as possible:

• changes in vision
• floaters
• flashes
• discomfort
• burning
• pain

Early detection of various eye conditions is crucial to the development of normal vision. It is important to know if there is any history of pre-maturity, delayed motor development, frequent blinking or rubbing of the eyes, any eye turn, family history of eye disease, inability to track objects or maintain eye contact, or any other abnormalities.

According to American Optometric Association (AOA) guidelines, vision exams are recommended at 6 months old, 3 years old, then subsequently every year 1-2 years while the child is school aged. A child’s examination is similar to that of an adult, yet will emphasize various developmental skills such as eye teaming, eye focusing, and eye tracking. A cycloplegic dilated eye exam will be performed to gather the appropriate data needed to finalize a prescription, and check the health of the eye.

Common Eye Conditions Related to Children:

• Refractive Error: Near sighted (myopia), Far sighted (hyperopia), Astigmatism – corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

• Amblyopia: (‘lazy eye’ – decreased vision in one eye): Most commonly secondary to an eye turn, or uncorrected refractive error. Corrected by treating the underlying cause, and may include eye patching and vision therapy exercises to strengthen the weaker eye.

• Strabismus (eye turn) – Esotropia (eye turned in), Exotropia (eye turned out) – may be corrected by using glasses and/or patching of the eye with therapy and/or surgery.

• Binocular Problems – Accommodative Insufficiency or Excess or Accommodative Spasm (focusing problems) , Convergence Insuffiency or Excess (eye crossing problems), Binocular Instability or Oculomotor Dysfunction (eye teaming problems)– may be corrected by a careful glasses prescription and/or vision therapy

Glaucoma, the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in the United States, is an eye disease that can lead to a permanent loss of vision. We utilize the latest and most advanced computerized tests to diagnose glaucoma. Glaucoma generally provides no warning signs or symptoms of disease, making testing an important part of a full vision exam. For those who require surgery, laser treatment can be utilized for precise treatment and quick healing.

A cataract is caused by the clouding of the lens in the eye. As the cataracts progress, eyeglasses prescriptions change frequently and, daily visual function becomes impaired. Cataract surgery involves the removal of the cloudy lens and the implantation of an artificial lens. The current technique for cataract surgery is called phacoemulsification (ultrasound) through a small incision. Since a self-sealing small incision is used, it does not require suture closure, thus the term "no stitch cataract surgery." The entire process is completed in less than ½ hour and is performed under local anesthesia. Our doctors are board-certified and fellowship-trained and are specifically skilled in removing cataracts, and are also experienced in the recognition and treatment of complications of cataract surgery. After surgery with traditional monofocal lenses, most patients experience very good distance vision. However, most people receiving these standard lenses still require reading glasses or bifocals to have a full range of vision.

The term “macular degeneration” includes many different eye diseases, all of which affect central, or detail vision. Age-related macular degeneration is the most common of these disorders, mainly affecting people over the age of 60. Although there are many types of macular degeneration, age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD) is the most common type. Age-related macular degeneration occurs in two forms: “wet” age-related macular degeneration and “dry” age-related macular degeneration. “Wet” age-related macular degeneration is less common but more aggressive in its development to severe central vision loss. “Dry” age-related macular degeneration is the more common type and is more slowly progressive in causing loss of vision.

What is wet age-related macular degeneration?

Wet age-related macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels begin to grow underneath the retina. These new blood vessels (known as choroidal neovascularization or CNV) tend to be very fragile and often leak blood and fluid. The blood and fluid raise the macula from its normal place at the back of the eye and interfere with the retina's function and causes the central vision to blur. Under these circumstances, vision loss may be rapid and severe. Some patients, however, do not notice visual changes despite the onset of CNV. Therefore, periodic eye examinations are very important for patients at risk for CNV. Once CNV has developed in one eye, whether there is a visual loss or not, the other eye is at relatively high risk for the same change.

Contact Lenses

We are dedicated to bringing you the most advanced contact lens materials and designs available, as well as the latest in contact lens fitting techniques. New developments in soft contact lens materials have resulted in lenses which are more comfortable, less dry, and more “breathable”, allowing more oxygen to reach the eye, and these materials are now available in a wider range of prescriptions and wearing modalities. Advancements in lens designs for the correction of astigmatism and for bifocal wearers have also allowed more successful contact lens wear for many of our patients. The use of gas permeable rigid and soft/rigid combination lenses allows us to correct conditions where the cornea (the front part of the eye) becomes misshapen or distorted, such as keratoconus.

Eye Glasses

Eyeglass lenses look simple, but can be quite complex. You can trust our opticians for guidance on the latest and best technology in thin lightweight lenses, multifocal designs and lens coatings. Our opticians are highly skilled in making glasses to your exact specifications using the best choice of materials for your particular needs and budget.