Archive for the ‘Education’ Category

Sunglasses - Do You Buy Cheap or Expensive Ones? UV Protection Is The Most Important Feature

Jul 7th, 11 / 0 Comments

Cheap or Expensive - Sunglasses must provide UV Protection

Cheap or Expensive - Sunglasses must provide UV Protection

Source: Click2Houston.com
By Click2Houston.com
www.click2houston.com

Splurge Or Save On Sunglasses?

Sunglasses can cost $1 to several hundred dollars, but the ones that cost more don’t necessarily protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation more than the others.

KPRC Local 2 tested several dozen pairs of cheap and pricey sunglasses at the University of Houston College of Optometry.

“The glasses tested a little better than I would have expected,” said Dr. Jan Bergmanson, professor at the UH College of Optometry. “It was not a scientific survey, but all of the glasses we tested provided UV protection. Some a little better than others, but they were all credible UV protectors.”

Bergmanson is a glaucoma specialist and has researched the amount of UV radiation it takes to cause damage to the eye. He said the best way to protect your eyes from UV radiation, and the possibility of damage, is to wear wraparound sunglasses or UV-blocking contact lenses.

“Nine days out of 10 in summertime we have radiation levels that are considered dangerous. There are high radiation levels all year round, but particularly this time of year, everyone needs some sort of protection,” said Bergmanson. “Most prescription glasses already have UV protection. The color of lens or darkness of lens has nothing to do with UV absorption.”

He added it is important for children to start wearing UV protective glasses when they are as young as 5 years old.

Bergmanson said he is working to try to get a standard protection factor number required on sunglasses, similar to the way sunscreens are rated. He said he believes that a standard system would make it easier for consumers and health care professionals to understand the UV protection offered by each pair of glasses.

Read the full article here on Click2Houston.com

Sunglasses can be tricky to shop for. You want to find stylish frames, you want quality protection, you want quality construction, but you don’t want to spend a ton of money. If your not sure about which sunglasses will be right for you, contact Gordy EyeCare for an appointment and we will find the right ones for you.

About Your Eyes, Education, Glasses and Frames, In the News

Summer is Here - Do You Know How to Protect Your Eyes?

Jul 2nd, 11 / 0 Comments

UV Rays are as bad for your eyes as they are for your skin

UV Rays are as bad for your eyes as they are for your skin

Fourth of July weekend is here! With it comes all the outdoor activities of Summer and some of the risks as well. We all know of the dangers of UV Rays on your skin, but are you aware of the effects on your eyes? Exposure to the sun can have come long lasting consequences to your eye health and you can go a long way to eye health with the proper sunglasses.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology offers these tips to protect your eyes from the sun:

  • Don’t focus on color or darkness of sunglass lenses: Select sunglasses that block UV rays. Don’t be deceived by color or cost. The ability to block UV light is not dependent on the price tag or how dark the sunglass lenses are.
  • Check for 100 percent UV protection: Make sure your sunglasses block 100 percent of UV-A rays and UV-B rays.
  • Choose wrap-around styles: Ideally, your sunglasses should wrap all the way around to your temples, so the sun’s rays can’t enter from the side.
  • Wear a hat: In addition to your sunglasses, wear a broad-brimmed hat to protect your eyes.
  • Don’t rely on contact lenses: Even if you wear contact lenses with UV protection, remember your sunglasses.
  • Don’t be fooled by clouds: The sun’s rays can pass through haze and thin clouds. Sun damage to eyes can occur anytime during the year, not just in the summertime.
  • Protect your eyes during peak sun times: Sunglasses should be worn whenever outside, and it’s especially important to wear sunglasses in the early afternoon and at higher altitudes, where UV light is more intense.
  • Never look directly at the sun. Looking directly at the sun at any time, including during an eclipse, can lead to solar retinopathy, damage to the eye’s retina from solar radiation.
  • Don’t forget the kids: Everyone is at risk, including children. Protect their eyes with hats and sunglasses. In addition, try to keep children out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s UV rays are the strongest.

If you follow these simple tips you will be able to safely protect your eyes from harmful UV Rays. If you would like to know information or what sunglasses would work best for you, contact Gordy EyeCare today.

Gordy EyeCare would like to take a moment and wish everyone a safe and happy 4th of July! We are thankful for this great nation and all who protect it! Be Safe.

image credit: bartb_pt on flickr

About Your Eyes, Education, Glasses and Frames, In the News

You Protect Your Skin from UV Rays - Do you protect your eyes?

Jun 23rd, 11 / 1 Comment

Do you protect your eyes from UV Rays?

Do you protect your eyes from UV Rays?

Although there’s considerable public awareness about UV light’s ability to burn and age the skin, awareness of its effect on the eyes has “fallen in the shadows,” says optometry professor Jan Bergmanson of the University of Houston College of Optometry, founding director of the Texas Eye Research and Technology Center. A 2009 survey by the American Optometric Association found that one in three adults is unaware of the eye-health risks of spending too much time in the sun without proper protection. Just 29 percent of parents say they make sure their children wear sunglasses while outdoors.

The sun can be just as harmful to your eyes as it can be to your skin. Cumulative exposure to the UV rays can contribute to some serious and lasting damage to your eyes and your vision. Some possible consequences are:

Cataracts: A clouding of the eye’s lens that can blur vision. It afflicts one in six Americans over 40 and more than half over 80, about 20 million people. An estimated 20 percent of cases are caused by extended UV exposure.

Macular degeneration: Resulting from damage to the retina that destroys sharp, central vision. It is the leading cause of blindness in the USA.

Pterygium: A tissue growth over the white part of the surface of the eye that can alter the curve of the eyeball, causing astigmatism. If the pterygium starts to grow over the cornea, it can blur or obstruct vision and may need to be removed.

It is not exactly known as to how much sun exposure is needed to damage your eyes, as each person is different, but the increasing UV health related issues are a concern. If you are concerned about the amount of sun exposure you receive, contact Gordy EyeCare today to set an appointment.


image credit: Marcus Vegas on flickr

About Your Eyes, Education, In the News

Baush + Lomb 40 Years Later - Still atop the Optometry Industry

Jun 16th, 11 / 0 Comments

Baush + Lomb continue to impress at the AOA Conference

Bausch + Lomb continue to impress at the AOA Conference

Bausch + Lomb is at the American Optometric Association’s annual meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah this week, and they are still head lining the event with new products. Forty years after they introduced soft contacts to the world, they are bringing some revolutionary innovations to the AOA.

The company will look to debut some of the following innovations this week:

  • Biotrue™, a bio-inspired contact lens solution that works like the eyes to help lenses stay clean and moist throughout the day. A recent study indicated Biotrue could keep lenses moist for 20 hours. Biotrue brings together three key innovations: a lubricant called hyaluronan (HA) found naturally in the eyes, matches the pH of healthy tears, and keeps certain beneficial tear proteins active. Introduced one year ago this month, Biotrue has been the fastest-growing lens care product ever.
  • PureVision® 2 HD contact lenses with precision optics are designed for clear, crisp vision in low-light and help reduce halos and glare. These lenses are some of the thinnest on the market today, which allow for gentle lens/lid interaction and comfortable lens wear.
  • Ocuvite® 50+, an eye vitamin supplement developed to help replace essential nutrients which the eyes lose as one ages. Ocuvite contains three important nutrients, Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Omega 3 which are key to maintaining eye health.
  • Retisert®, the world’s first intravitreal drug implant for the treatment of chronic non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye. Uveitis is one of the leading causes of blindness for middle-aged people in the Western world.
  • Alaway®, an eye drop designed to provide fast-acting relief to the eyes from itchiness caused by pollen, ragweed, grass, animal hair and dander.

Bausch + Lomb continue to be industry leaders in contact lenses and lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments, and ophthalmic pharmaceuticals. They continue to be a pioneer in the field of vision, even after being in business for over a 150 years.

If you have any questions on how these products or if they may be right for you, contact Gordy EyeCare today.

image credit: Lee J Haywood on flickr

About Your Eyes, Contact Lenses, Education, In the News

Dry eye can’t necessarily be cured, but it can be treated

Jun 9th, 11 / 0 Comments

Your eye doctor can help you live with dry eye

Your eye doctor can help you live with dry eye

Dry eye disease is common and can develop for many reasons. Usually, the condition is chronic and cannot be cured. Instead, treatment for dry eyes focuses on relieving symptoms. Dry eye is when the front surface of your eye does not get covered with the right layer of tears and the perfect mixture of oils and water of those tears. If any of these are off, dry eye disease can develop.

Symptoms of dry eye disease may include a stinging, itchy or burning sensation in your eye, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, and mucus in or around your eye. As you’ve experienced, excess tearing can also be a symptom. Normally, tears are produced very slowly. But if that process fails to make enough tears, a different tear production system may be activated. And, unfortunately, this reflex mechanism usually produces too many tears.

Treatment can be done with several techniques, including artificial tears or even medication such as cyclosporine (Restasis). Sometimes antibiotics may even be used to reduce inflammation that can lead to oil production problems. But before you begin treatment, check with you doctor as some medications you may currently be on could be causing dry eye as a side effect.

Work with your eye care provider to find the appropriate dry eye treatment. These therapies won’t cure dry eyes, but they should help reduce symptoms enough so you can be comfortable and function normally in your daily activities.

For information on dry eye disease and treatment, contact Gordy EyeCare today.

image credit: neuroticcamel on flickr

About Your Eyes, Education, Eye Disease

Do it yourself eyeglasses - Vision correction may be in your hands

Jun 2nd, 11 / 0 Comments

Self Adjusting Eyeglasses are the future

Self Adjusting Eyeglasses are the future

An estimated 670 million people around the world lack access to vision correction and over 100 million children don’t have access to basic eyecare. That number can only be anticipated to grow due to economic conditions, but perhaps in the near future we may have a solution to vision correction.

Oxford University atomic physicist Josh Silver is working on a break through in low-cost, self adjustable lenses, that people could personally adjust without the need of an optometrist. Silver first came upon this project back in 1995 and has steadily made advancements. Today, the lenses are made of two film membranes that are separated by a silicone gel, and can be adjusted by adding or removing liquid with a syringe type tool. The amount of fluid affects the curvature of the lens and the amount of vision correction.

Currently the cost of these lenses are set $19 a pair but Silver hopes to be able to eventually provide the glasses for $1 a pair.

For more information on vision correction with eyeglasses, contact Gordy EyeCare today.

image credit: Muffet on flickr

About Your Eyes, Education, Glasses and Frames, In the News

Video game has medical purpose

May 26th, 11 / 0 Comments

Vision disease testing has a new ally

Vision disease testing has a new ally

Wait a minute parents, could this be? Could there really be a video game out there that actually serves a purpose other than entertainment? Well apparently the answer is, yes there is.

Tariq Aslam, a consultant at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and senior lecturer at the University of Manchester, realized that it was difficult to get children to have a proper eye exam in test for problems such as glaucoma, drug side effects, and other conditions. They could not sit still or respond correctly to get an accurate testing and therefore were being wrongly diagnosed and improperly treated.

He realized that the ideal way to overcome a short attention span and lack of cooperation was to get children involved in playing a computer game, which would automatically measure their peripheral vision depending on exactly how they played.

So far the 17 children age 4 to 14 have participated in the test and early feedback has been positive. Aslam is optimistic for the future and the ability to get this testing to developing countries and the equipment is inexpensive.

For more information on disease testing for children, contact Gordy EyeCare today.

image credit: meddygarnet on flickr

About Your Eyes, Education, Eye Disease, In the News

Macular Edema, Alimera’s “Iluvien” a Diabetes treatment on the horizon?

May 19th, 11 / 0 Comments

Alimera Sciences Inc., which specializes in drug treatments for the eyes, said Friday it filed a new request for marketing approval of its drug candidate “Iluvien”, designed to treat an eye disease that affects diabetes patients.

Iluvien is designed to treat diabetic macular edema, which is the thickening of the retina near the macular center, and if left untreated can lead to loss of vision and other symptoms in patients with diabetes.

The FDA rejected Alimera’s application in December of 2010, stating it wanted more data on clinical trials. The refilling this week included an additional year of data.

For more information on vision concerns in patients with diabetes contact Gordy EyeCare today.

image credit: Neuroticcamel on flickr

About Your Eyes, Education, Eye Disease, In the News

Testing Vision-related Symptoms of Athletic Concussions

Apr 26th, 11 / 0 Comments

football concussionsAthletic concussions have been at  the forefront of medical research for the last couple of years. The NFL has been the main culprit in the social spotlight as its athletes have become bigger, faster, stronger, and the hits have become more violent. More importantly than the violence has been the medical treatment given to players immediately after a big hit, but the answer might be on the horizon.

Recently, neurologists and ophthalmologists at the University of Pennsylvania discovered that a children’s reading test designed by Dr. Alan King and his colleague 35 years ago has the potential to become the next, big thing in concussion testing.

The King-Devick Test, which takes less than two minutes, requires a person to read single-digit numbers in a four-page flipbook while being timed.

University of Pennsylvania researchers found in a study of 39 boxers and mixed martial arts fighters, the times of those who experienced head trauma were significantly worse than those who were not struck in the head. According to the study, fighters who lost consciousness were 18 seconds slower on the test after their bouts.

King believes the test can be used in any sport where head injuries are prevalent, notably football and hockey.

He sees trainers, coaches and physicians being able to use the test on the sidelines during games to determine whether a possibly concussed athlete can continue playing. Researchers are viewing the King-Devick Test as a major step forward in helping diagnose concussions in a timely manner.

For more information on vision related symptoms of concussions, please contact Gordy EyeCare today.

image credit: Vlastula on flickr

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Reddit
  • Sphinn
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Ping.fm
Education

Your Eyes

May 3rd, 10 / 2 Comments

Improving Your Night Vision: Do you have difficulty seeing in the evening or at night? As people age, they are more prone to night vision problems. Although this condition cannot be eliminated completely, improvements are possible.

First, you should have your eyes checked annually. Nearsightedness may become worse in the evening because you have difficulty focusing at a distance. It is very important for your optometrist to prescribe the correct eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Second, you should have an anti-reflective coating on the lens of your glasses. This helps reduce glare and can significantly enhance night vision.

Third, a good diet with lots of vegetables can help improve eyesight. Current research shows that green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collard greens can maintain healthy eyes and good vision.

Brought to you as a community service by:
Gordy EyeCare
Dr. Griff Gordy
5009 Riverchase Dr 100-C
334-291-5125

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Reddit
  • Sphinn
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Ping.fm
About Your Eyes, Education