Three Ways You Can Help Prevent and Treat Glaucoma This Winter

Posted on February 21, 2012 by admin

Glaucoma Awareness MonthIn Dallas-Fort Worth, unpredictable winters like this one can have us wearing a coat and mittens one day, a tee shirt and shorts the next. From freezing 29 degrees to 60 degrees to 79 degrees, anything’s possible in a North Texas winter, and, this year, we’ve been dealt it all.

This weather reminds us — winter is a great time for spreading glaucoma awareness. Two reasons why:

1.    January was, in fact, National Glaucoma Awareness Month (sorry we didn’t get to celebrate with you this year).

2.    Some evidence shows that blindness, deteriorating vision, and eye pain—symptoms of glaucoma—can actually be heightened due to winter conditions such as cold temperatures, lack of pressure-reducing aerobic exercise, and winter ailments.

Regardless, awareness is key. And here at 1st Eye Care North Arlington, we’re helping to spread awareness to prevent glaucoma throughout the year. So here are three ways that you can join 1st Eye Care in preventing glaucoma:

1. Gaining Knowledge

A thorough understanding of glaucoma will enable you to spot it early and ease the fears of those who are battling it. We’ll keep you updated about the latest advancements in treatment and early detection here on the 1st Eye Care North Arlington blog, but for more information, check out the Glaucoma Foundation, the Glaucoma Research Foundation, or the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

2. Sharing Knowledge

If everyone knew what could happen and how to prevent it, fewer people would suffer from glaucoma. There are many ways to help spread awareness. For example, the Glaucoma Research Foundation offers free education booklets, and the Glaucoma Foundation encourages people to plan Eyevents—gatherings of friends and family to educate them about eye health and glaucoma prevention.

3. Meet With Us

Contact our Arlington, TX certified glaucoma specialists for more information or to schedule a comprehensive dilated eye exam. The earlier we can detect vision problems, the easier they will be to treat.

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New Year… New Arlington Optometrist? Come Get to Know Us

Posted on January 17, 2012 by admin

Celebrating the arrival of the new year by searching for a new Arlington optometrist? Here are three ways to learn if 1st Eye Care Arlington is right for you:

Eye Doctor Testimonials

We’re not trying to brag, but we do think it is important that all patients take time and care when looking for an eye doctor in Arlington.

In the old days, it seemed much easier to simply ask around and gauge different opinions from across your community to figure out who were the best and most trusted doctors in towns. These days, in a huge city, it’s not quite so easy. But it’s important to hear what other folks think of us. One way to do so is take a look at our testimonial page — we’re truly humbled every time we hear about a positive experience from one of our patients.

(Similarly, following an appointment with us, let us know how you think it went — we’ve become better doctors thanks to the constant feedback we’ve received from patients in the past).

Meet Our Team of Eye Doctors in Arlington

Credentials matter, and an easy way to reassure doubts you might have about our expertise is too take a look at our Arlington Eye Doctor bios. Also, take a second to learn about how we are outside of the clinic. We’re more than doctors — were regular folks proud to be a part of a wonderful community here in Arlington.

We also encourage you to learn about our advanced eye care services such as computerized retinal imaging, corneal topography screening, and LASIK co-management.

Schedule an Eye Exam Appointment

The best way, of course, to figure out if we’re the right Arlington optometrists for your is simply to come visit our clinic. We believe in having a healthy relationship with your eye doctor.

If you have any concerns at all — whether you’ve had a bad experience with an Arlington optometrist in the past or just like to do due diligence before getting an eye exam — schedule an appointment with us. We’ll be happy to meet with you, answer any questions, and show you how we can help.

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National Diabetes Month: Come Celebrate With An Eye Exam

Posted on November 23, 2011 by admin

National Diabetes MonthNovember is National Diabetes Month, and the National Institute of Health and National Eye Institute are encouraging everyone to do one simple thing: Get a dilated eye exam. Here’s why:

As we explained here on the 1st Eye Care Arlington blog a couple months ago, nearly 29 percent of all American adults over the age of 40 with diabetes suffer from something called diabetic retinopathy — a debilitating eye condition where the retina’s blood vessels swell and leak fluid.

In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults in the United States, and nearly 57 million Americans are at risk of getting diabetes (by 2050, that number is expected to rise to 100 million). According to the National Eye Institute, 96 percent of adults said they would get a comprehensive dilated eye exam if their health care provider suggested they get one.

This is encouraging because doctors have gotten much better at diagnosing diabetes earlier, treating high blood sugar more effectively, and addressing other risk factors for eye disease more consistently. This has led to a drop in diabetes-related eye problems — from 24 percent of diabetes patients in 1997 to just 17 percent in 2010.

Yet, unfortunately, statistics show that people aren’t doing what their doctors recommend. WebMD reports that not everyone with diabetes is doing what they could to prevent eyesight problems from developing:

The not-so-good news is that only 63% of people with diabetes and vision problems get the recommended annual eye exam.

“Most vision loss caused by diabetes could be avoided by managing the disease well –good control of blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol — and by getting a dilated eye examination every year to find problems early and treat them in time to avoid serious vision damage,” study researcher Nilka Rios Burrows, MPH, an epidemiologist at the CDC’s diabetes division, says in an email. [...]

Buse says that people can’t afford to become complacent about these risks. “With appropriate prevention and treatment measures, I am convinced that people with diabetes should be able to live out normal life expectancies with little or no increased risk of disabilities,” Buse says. He agrees with Burrows that diabetes patients should “control blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol and get a dilated eye exam every year by an eye care professional.”

Joel Zonszein, MD, says don’t wait until you have eye problems to go get an exam. “See the eye doctor and continue to see the eye doctor yearly even if you see perfectly well to make sure that there aren’t any changes.” He is the director of the Clinical Diabetes Center at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y.

Here at 1st Eye Care Arlington, we believe wholeheartedly in preventative care, and regular eye exams are an important part of treating problems as soon as they develop for everyone — not just folks suffering from diabetes. But, of course, it’s especially important for folks with conditions like diabetes that can have adverse effects on their eyesight to stay disciplined about scheduling regular eye exams.

Our Arlington eye doctors are eager to meet with you. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

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Just Say No to Self-Certification: Schedule an Eye Exam

Posted on October 18, 2011 by admin

arlington eye examsYou might want to buckle up extra tight next time you go cruising through the Empire State.

According to CBS New York:

Drivers won’t have to worry about taking an eye exam in New York. The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles is dropping its requirement for vision tests to make it easier for drivers to renew licenses online or by mail.

Starting Wednesday, drivers will “self-certify” that they meet the vision requirement when they renew. New licenses and commercial licenses will still require eye tests at a DMV office or by a doctor.

We won’t comment on whether or not eye exams should be required to get a driver’s license, but this is a good reminder of the broader safety implications associated with eye exams. Simply put, it’s probably not the best idea to rely on yourself to notice when your eyesight begins to slip, because eye care professionals can spot eyesight problems before they develop and become serious inhibitors.

The thing about eyesight loss is that, with certain conditions, it often happens slowly—so gradually, in fact, that many folks don’t notice it happening until they notice that an activity has become significantly more difficult to do. For some activities like reading small print, this is merely an inconvenience. But for others like, say, driving a car on a fast highway at twilight, the danger of unchecked eyesight is obvious.

Furthermore, many eyesight loss conditions can, in fact, be treated or cured, but doing so is much easier and more effective at early stages. Waiting to get an eye exam until the loss of eyesight has advanced enough to become clearly noticeable or a hindrance to activities in your daily life might mean that the condition is too advanced to be easily treated.

Here at 1st Eye Care Arlington, we strive to make eye exams as accessible and affordable as possible, because we understand the importance of early eye problem detection. Our team of Arlington eye exam specialists can examine, inform, and empower you about what sort of eye issues have either developed or might emerge in the near future. Scheduling an appointment is easy — contact us for more information.

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Two Ways We Smooth Eye Care Anxieties

Posted on September 26, 2011 by admin

1. Technology

Eyes are sensitive, delicate things, so we’re thrilled with technological advancements in the optometry field that have made it easier to diagnose and treat eye problems without ever actually touching the eye. Your eyes are just not something you want to trust to the human hand if there are better options available for eye exams.

So here at 1st Eye Care Arlington we employ a host of cutting-technology. Computerized retinal imaging and corneal topographic screening both help us detect and diagnose developing eyesight problems at early stages. Similarly, lasers used in technology like the GDx Nerve Fiber Analyzer give us a clear look at your optic nerve, allowing us to measure its thickness and detect glaucoma.

You just sit back and relax.

2. Education

We understand the anxieties — your eyesight is a precious thing, critical to both your quality of life and ability to make a living. But one of our goals is to make sure that our patients don’t suffer from unnecessary fear, stress or anxiety. In fact, stress can lead to other health problems, exacerbate your eyesight problems, and make treatment difficult.

For example, many people with early-stage eye problems delay coming to see us out of fear. Instead, they’ll sometimes just live with eye pain and discomfort, continue repeating poor habits that are possibly contributing to the problem in the first place, or just give the problem time to worsen while an easy early-stage fix is available.

Education is an empowering, comforting thing, and we invest heavily in helping our patients understand what’s happening to their eyes, how we can treat the problems, and how they can help themselves with small changes in diet or lifestyle. If nothing else, education gives our patients peace of mind about what’s ahead and allows them to make informed, level-headed decisions about their eye care.

Contact our expert Arlington optometrists for more information. If you’ve got an eye problem, the sooner we can take a look at it, the better. We’re here to preserve your quality of life — you’ve got nothing to fear.

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Back to School: Give Your Child the Best Chance to See and Succeed

Posted on August 23, 2011 by admin

Fall is right around the corner, which means it’s back to school time for kids. Have you thought about a precautionary eye exam for your son or daughter before classes get rolling again?

Eyesight problems often happen gradually. Some kids don’t even notice that there’s a problem with their eyes until they’re struggling to read their textbooks and frustrated that they’re not learning more quickly.

If your child has been complaining about having trouble reading, the problem could be with their eyesight. So it’s a good idea to go ahead and schedule a Arlington eye exam with us. The exams are painless. In fact, they’re truly the easiest exam your child will take all year.

Even if the exam turns up a problem, there’s no need to fret. For a limited time, we’re making the need for eyeglasses and contact lenses as painless as possible for parents as well, including $20 off a year’s supply of contact lenses, $100 off a complete pair of glasses (no insurance) with the purchase of a year-long supply of contact lenses, plus 50 percent off second pair of glasses (no insurance).

Whether you’re a student or a parent, here’s what you can expect from an eye examination:

Diagnosis:

We take a close, careful look at both the internal and external structures of your eye via cutting edge computerized instruments. We do this to spot early signs of common eye diseases like corneal and retinal disease, eye infections, macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma, plus systemic problems like diabetes and hypertension.

Treatment Recommendation:

If we detect a problem, we’ll give you an informative, thorough explanation of all the treatment options. For bigger problems, that can mean (usually painless) surgery or medicine. But for most problems, eyeglasses or contact lenses do the trick — and we maintain large inventories of both on-site for your convenience. If not, send your kids back to school with a welcome extra bit of peace of mind.

Go ahead and schedule an eye exam appointment if you think one of your children might be struggling with an eyesight problem. Good eyesight is simply step no. 1 for great grades.

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Corneal Topography Screening, Explained

Posted on August 8, 2011 by admin

What is the cornea?

The cornea is made from a sort of transparent issue on the front part of your eye, where you would put in your contact lenses. It’s actually the first part of the eye to make contact with light, during the delicate process of focusing on the eye’s retina, and it’s responsible for nearly 70 percent of the eye’s refractive power.

What can the procedure detect?

Unfortunately, many things can go wrong with the cornea. Keratoconus, for example, is a degenerative disorder that makes the cornea thin and warp into a conical shape, which of course causes major vision problems. Corneal dystrophies, infections, allergies, and pink eye (conjunctivitis) are common cornea problems. Even extended usage of contact lenses can sometimes lead to abnormal changes in the cornea.

Corneal topography screening is an excellent test for detecting maladies involving misshapen or deformed corneas in their early stages, before they become more serious problems, and decide whether refractive surgery or LASIK surgery can be used to fix the problem. Cornea topographic screening can also be used to improve the fit of contact lenses.

How does it work?

Since the cornea plays such an important role in properly refracting light in a way that can then be processed by the retina and sent on to your brain, the exact curvature and shape of your cornea is matters to the quality of your eyesight. Any irregularities, like those stemming from keratoconus or contact lens-related problems, need to be spotted.

Basically, corneal topography screening maps out the geographical shape of your eye’s cornea. This detailed picture allows us to detect any changes in its shape, and decide on a future course of remedial action.

Is it painful?

Nope. All you do is basically stare at a sort of highly-advanced digital camera. It only takes a few seconds. It’s completely non-invasive. And it’s completely pain-free.

There’s no reason to wait, in other words. If you’ve been experiencing any sort of eye problems lately, schedule a consultation with us. The earlier we can use methods like corneal topography screening and computerized retinal imaging to detect problems, the easier effective treatment will be.

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Computerized Retinal Imaging: A Higher Standard of Care

Posted on July 26, 2011 by admin

Computerized retinal imagingTechnology is simply amazing sometimes. Computerized retinal imaging (also known as digital retinal imaging) gives us a cutting-edge, state-of-the-art look at our patients’ retinas that both dramatically improves diagnostic capability while lowering patient pain and discomfort. Best of all, it’s completely safe.

Here are three benefits:

1. More Accuracy

Simply put, computer retinal imaging is the most advanced diagnostic test in the industry for spotting early signs of eyesight calamities like glaucoma, macular degeneration (a leading cause of vision loss among the elderly), retinal holes and defects, and optic nerve abnormalities.

Basically, the technology provides unprecedented ability to instantly view the retina and optic nerve in stunning detail. This allows us to spot minor problems before the become major problems, and prevent permanent vision loss. The best way to repair vision loss, of course, is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Early detection is critical.

2. Less Discomfort and Less Disruption to Your Day

With computerized retinal imaging, there’s no need for pupil dilation to get a thorough look at your eye. While we work hard to make sure our regular eye exams are as painless as possible, computerized retinal imaging removes any possibility of discomfort. For most people, eye drops aren’t necessary because nothing actually touches your eye. It’s as simple as having a photo taken.

And instead of spending the day in those thick, black protective sunglasses, you’ll leave our office ready to resume your normal schedule. This, of course, gives you the peace of mind when scheduling an eye exam. There’s no need to wait until you can take an entire day off from work to do so.

3. Future Care

The images can be saved, stored, and reviewed again in the future. Photo documentation gives us tremendous diagnostic ability, because we can see how your eyes have changed over time. This makes it much easy to understand how your eyes have changed over time, and predict the sorts of eye problems you might face in the future.

Contact us to discuss scheduling a computerized retinal imaging exam. Even if you’re not currently experiencing significant eyesight problems, it’s a good idea to begin building a digital record of your eyes now, in order to make it much easier to accurately diagnose and treat future problems.

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How UV Rays Damage Eyesight

Posted on July 18, 2011 by admin

Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy the great outdoors and “get a little bit of sun.” But despite how good it feels and looks to get a little bit of a tan, the sun just isn’t much of a friend to the delicate system that is eyesight.

Those ultraviolet light (UV rays) that we love and loathe are a type of radiation. And, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, those rays can alter the cells in our eyes and lead to long-term damage, like cataracts and retinal and corneal injuries.

According to the EPA

Research has shown that UV radiation increases the likelihood of certain cataracts. Although curable with modern eye surgery, cataracts diminish the eyesight of millions of Americans and cost billions of dollars in medical care each year.

Other kinds of eye damage include pterygium (tissue growth that can block vision), skin cancer around the eyes, and degeneration of the macula (the part of the retina where visual perception is most acute). All of these problems can be lessened with proper eye protection. Look for sunglasses, glasses or contact lenses if you wear them that offer 99 to 100 percent UV protection.

As we mentioned last time here on the 1st Eye Care blog, more than 20 million Americans over the age of 40 have cataracts. By 2020, more than 30 million Americans are expected to suffer from cataracts (costing more than $7 billion each year to treat). Many of these cases stem from overexposure to UV rays.

So what can we do to limit this type of eyesight damage?

1. Learn

Some facts:

Not all sunshine is created equal. UV intensity can change based on several factors, including latitude (the closer you are to the equator, the stronger they’ll be), reflection (snow and water are worse), and altitude (be careful when climbing those mountains — UV intensity increases by approximately 10 percent with every 1,000 meters of altitude).

Atmospheric ozone is another factor, and one you can monitor through news reports and weather reporting resources. The EPA provides a handy tool for finding UV levels for your specific location.

Clouds have a limited shielding effect, but it’s only limited. Just because you can’t see the sun doesn’t mean its rays can’t reach you. In fact, cloudy days can be some of the most damaging on eyesight, because people are less likely to wear sunglasses while outside.

UV radiation peaks between April and September (although snow can reflect up to 80 percent of UV rays — be careful skiing).

2. Wear Sunglasses

Most sunglasses do a decent job of cutting down UV rays, blocking out between 60 and 90 percent of “UV-A” rays and 99 percent of “UV-B” rays. Several types of heavier-duty sunglasses exist as well, like polarized lenses and transition/photochromic lenses (which adjust automatically to the level of rays present). Sunglasses are also a smart way to keep damaging dust, pollen, and other particles from making their way into your eyes.

Here at 1st Eye Care Arlington, we provide a diverse range of prescription sunglasses from leading brands, including Reptile, Maui Jim, Ray Ban, Juicy Couture and Prada.

3. Cover Up

Still, even sunglasses won’t entirely eliminate UV rays. So, while sunbathing, consider draping a small towel over your eyes. Instead of reading, try listening to a podcast or a book on tape. Of course, this could lead to the dreaded fell-asleep-in-the-sun sunburn — but your eyes, at least, will thank you.

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Cataracts and You: An FAQ

Posted on June 7, 2011 by admin

June is National Cataract Awareness Month. Here at 1st Eye Care Arlington, preventing and treating cataract is a cause we’re fairly passionate about. The stats are startling:

According to Prevent Blindness America, nearly 20.5 million Americans over the age of 40 suffer from cataracts. But among elderly Americans, nearly 70 percent of all Americans are affected by cataracts by age 75. In total, more than 30 million Americans are expected to have cataracts by 2020, costing more than $7 billion each year in treatment.

Our guiding philosophy for cataracts is simple: Diagnose early. Treat early. Practice healthy life habits that can prevent cataracts from forming in the first place. And help all of our friends and patients learn as much as they can about cataracts in order to stay informed and stay healthy.

Let’s take a look:

What are cataracts?

Basically, a cataract is when the lens of one of your eyes gets clouded. The lens, of course, plays a key role in the quality of your vision by regulating how light passes into the inner-eye and by focusing images that get passed to your retina. A cataract hinders the way light filters through, which causes vision to blur, cloud, or dim.

The clouding often comes from clumps of protein that can build up on the eye, as well as general wear and tear to the lens.

What causes cataracts?

Certain cataracts causes can’t really be helped, including diabetes, family history, and eye injuries. Age-related cataracts develop from protein buildup on the lens, or from the gradual “yellowing” or tinting of the lens (aka lens discoloration). But there are some habits that can contribute to cataract development that people can avoid, including smoking, overexposure to UV rays from tanning beds or the sun, or steroid use.

How do I know if I have cataracts?

Most of the standard eyesight ailments could indicate a cataract, including blurry or double vision, or the dimming of otherwise clear vision. If it feels like you’re reading in a dark room, if you notice a distinct drop in your night vision, or if bright lights begin to cause headaches or eye pain, the problem could be cataracts. Yellow (or milky) spots in the pupil could also be a symptom.

Since cataracts share symptoms with other eyesight problems, be sure to schedule an appointment for an eye exam in Arlington with us as soon as you notice something amiss. Proper, rapid diagnosis is key to effective treatment.

How can a cataract be treated?

Specific eyeglasses can help treat the symptoms of early cataracts. But surgery is the only cure. If you are diagnosed with Cataracts, Our doctors will discuss the new advances available with Cataract surgery using multifocal IOLs to not only improve your vision but also can eliminate the need for eyeglasses after surgery.

Nearly three million Americans will undergo cataract surgery in 2011, where an artificial lens replaces the clouded lens. In fact, cataract surgery is the most common surgery performed in the United States. With so much practice, eye surgeons have gotten pretty good at it too — cataract surgery boasts a 95 percent success rate (you might still need corrective lenses after the surgery, but you’ll be able to see again). Cataracts usually develop slowly, so early detection can make full recovery more likely.

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