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Archive for the ‘Contact Lenses’ Category

Contact Lens Over Wear Syndrome (OWS)

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

If you wear your contact lenses longer than the appropriate timeframe every day, you are at risk of developing a condition called contact lens over wear syndrome (OWS). Over wear syndrome often leads to eye pain, tearing, redness, and a decreased overall vision quality. Typically, OWS is the result of patients wearing their contacts to bed at night, or failing to replace them with new contact lenses when necessary. OWS is often painful and can result in serious vision problems.

If over wear syndrome is left unaddressed, it can lead to:

• Eye infections
• Decreased vision
• Growth of vessels in the cornea
• Permanent loss of your best corrected vision

When you wear your contact lenses for too long, you essentially starve your corneas of oxygen. Your body’s reaction to this deprivation is to produce new blood vessels in your cornea that help provide the oxygen your eyes lack. Unfortunately, these new blood vessels often alter the shape of your cornea, and they can leak, leaving deposits.

If you are not cautious, wearing your contacts for too long can threaten your vision. LASIK eye surgery is a valuable solution for patients who want to be freed from their daily dependence on contacts. However, if you have OWS, you will need to stop wearing your contacts for a certain period of time and let your eyes heal before LASIK can be performed.

If you have further questions about contacts, OWS, or LASIK, please contact an experienced ophthalmologist in your area today.

Posted in Contact Lenses, Eye Safety, LASIK, Laser Vision Correction | Comments Off

Presbyopia

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

Having 20/20 vision is nice. It’s the way your vision should be. Millions of people need corrective lenses to see 20/20 because of myopia. However, these individuals, as well as those who have natural 20/20 vision may find when they hit their early 40s that things that were once so crystal clear up close have begun to get fuzzy. This blurred vision may be more than a passing thing, it may be presbyopia.

Presbyopia is part of aging, and unavoidable for nearly everyone after they’ve reached 40. It’s the reason your grandparents all wear reading glasses, and it’s the reason your parents hold their books and magazines as far away from them as they can.  Presbyopia is, for all intents and purposes, age-related farsightedness.

Why people develop presbyopia is not fully understood, and there are a couple theories. One is that the lens begins to become hard due to proteins. This makes the lens less flexible to focal changes. Another theory is that the ciliary muscle begins to weaken. This makes it harder for the lens curvature to steepen to see things near. A third, and newest, theory is that the lens continues to grow, and by age 40 it has grown so much that the ciliary muscle does not have enough space to contract and steepen the lens. However, this last theory is not held by many eye doctors right now.

Whatever causes presbyopia can only be fixed by the old standbys: corrective lenses, LASIK, and conductive keratoplasty (CK).

If you are 40 or older and have noticed your near vision beginning to blur, find an experienced eye doctor in your area to test you for presbyopia today.

Posted in Contact Lenses, LASIK, Laser Vision Correction, Presbyopia, Visual Acuity | Comments Off

Contact Lens Risks – Lens Solution

Monday, December 12th, 2011

There can be several contact lens riskscaused by prolonged usage and improper cleaning. However, even proper cleaning may not protect you from the potential risks of contact lens usage.

According to the FDA, Complete MoisturePlus Multipurpose Contact Lens Solution was recalled in May due to a potential contamination of a deadly infectionknown as acanthamoeba keratitis. Over 20 cases of infection linked to this lens solution have been reported to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, but the FDA fears many consumers may be unaware of the recall. If you have a bottle of Complete MoisturePlus Multipurpose Contact Lens Solution, discontinue using it immediately.

Avoiding Contact Lens Risks

The best way to avoid the risks of contact lenses is through a refractive surgical procedure such as LASIK. With a LASIK procedure, you can free yourself both from the hassles and risks associated with contact lenses. Talk to your ophthalmologist today about your many options for LASIK surgery and get on your way to preventing these types of unnecessary risks.

If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of LASIK, please use the doctor locator at eyes.com to find an experienced ophthalmologist in your area today.

Posted in Contact Lenses, Eye Safety | Comments Off

Nonprescription Colored Contact Lenses

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

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Happy Halloween; Don’t Go Blind

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Once again, ophthalmologists are warning people who are deciding to dress up for Halloween this year to be careful with decorative contact lenses. All of these lenses may look great with scary costumes (vampires are a very popular choice with these lenses), but it’s what might happen to your eyes as a result of wearing them that’s truly frightening.

Contact lenses are prescription only, fitted by a trained ophthalmologist. Sticking ill fitting, over-the-counter lenses into your eyes may cause pain and inflammation. Redness, tearing, and serious pain are not uncommon. These risks can lead to corneal abrasions and blindness.

Goopy, pus-filled eyes, and deep red around the pupils is truly a terrifying site to behold. For you, those around you, and your eye doctor eye infections can be very difficult to deal with. Prescription eye drops, sitting in the dark to avoid light sensitivity (sort of like vampires), and more is not worth it.

Although some of these lenses have been banned for several years, and contacts in general have been classified as medical devices by the FDA since 2005, it is still very easy to get them from costume shops, pop-up Halloween stores, and even beauty supply stores. Know that you risk blindness for one or two days of looking scary.

Eye health is important to remember all year long. When Halloween comes around, if your perfect costume requires you to put these decorative lenses into your eyes, you may want to speak with an eye doctor before, and not after, the big Halloween party.

If you are suffering any of the side effects of placing decorative contacts into your eyes, please find an experienced eye doctor in your area immediately to avoid serious injury or blindness.

Posted in Contact Lenses, Diseases and Conditions, Eye Safety | Comments Off

Contact Lens Risks

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

Contact lenses are one of the safest and most effective ways to correct refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). There are very few risks associated with this vision correction method. However, if you do not properly care for your lenses, it is possible to develop an eye infection.

It is important to follow the cleaning instructions provided by your ophthalmologist. If your lenses are supposed to be removed every night and not worn for more than two weeks before discarding, then don’t sleep in them and wear them for a month. This will greatly increase your risk of infection or other complications.

Other contact lens complications, while rare, include:

• Dry eyes
• Corneal scratches
• Corneal abrasion
• Changes in the shape of your cornea
• Allergic reactions to contact lens solution
• Protein deposits on the contact lenses, which may lead to discomfort or infection

Maintaining sanitary conditions when handling your contact lenses is an easy way to reduce your risk of complications. Always wash and dry your hands thoroughly before putting in or removing your contact lenses. Never reuse old solution after cleaning. It is also a good idea to replace your contact lens case every three to six months since bacteria can accumulate on these cases which may lead to infection.

If you start experiencing problems with your contact lenses, consult your eye doctor immediately to make sure you haven’t developed a serious issue.

Please contact us today to find an experienced ophthalmologist in your area.

Posted in Contact Lenses | Comments Off

Decorative Contact Lenses Present Halloween Danger

Thursday, October 28th, 2010

When creating your Halloween costume, don’t be tempted to buy decorative contact lenses to complete your costume without a prescription. While federal law prohibits the sale of contact lenses without a prescription, some unscrupulous novelty and costume shops still carry them. These over-the-counter contact lenses can be very dangerous to your eyes as they are not fitted to your eye shape by a professional and may not be properly manufactured.

Ophthalmologists have urged consumers to remember that contact lenses are a medical device, not just a costume accessory. With Halloween less than a week away, ophthalmologists worry that they will see more eye injuries from over-the-counter contact lenses showing up in emergency rooms and urgent care facilities.

Just this week, CBS News reported a case in which a mother was injured by defective contacts that sliced her cornea, which became infected with a virus. This type of corneal infection can cause serious and permanent loss of vision, and this woman’s vision was still blurred months after the incident.

If you are interested in decorative contact lenses, either for a costume or for vision correction, please visit our directory to find an eye doctor near you to get a proper prescription for safe contacts and protect yourself from eye injury.

Posted in Contact Lenses | Comments Off

Features to Look for in Protective Sports Eye Wear

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

For people who play sports, protective sports eye wear is becoming an essential part of the uniform. Enhancing eye safety and reducing sun glare is important in the United States since more than 40 thousand people are treated each year for sports related eye injuries. However, not all sports goggles are ideally designed for every sport.

When selecting a sports goggle, you will want to find a pair that:

• Comfortably fits your head
• Provides full protection for your sport
• Is made out of high quality plastic
• Can fit inside of a helmet, if necessary

Your eye doctor will be able to take the sports goggles you choose and fit them to your face. Ensuring a snug fit reduces instances of slippage, and helps provide for ultimate eye safety.

You can visit a sporting goods store for sports goggles, but it is important to remember that only an experienced ophthalmologist will be able to properly fit your goggles for your needs. Additionally, your eye doctor can fit your frames with your prescription, and has access to the highest quality, scratch and impact resistant materials on the market. You may save a few dollars up front by purchasing your sports goggles from a sporting goods store, but only your eye doctor can provide you with ultimate protection and durability.

If you are interested in learning more about protective sports eye wear, please locate an experienced ophthalmologist in your area to schedule an appointment.

Posted in Contact Lenses, Technology | Comments Off

Protective Sports Eye Wear

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

In nearly every modern day sport, the popularity of protective sports eye wear is growing. Much of the popularity has to do with trendy new styles, adding individual flair to a team uniform, but equally important is the enhanced safety sports goggles provide.

In the United States each year, over 40,000 athletes are seen in hospital emergency rooms due to sports related eye injuries. Athletes take time to ensure they are protecting their bodies against injury, but only recently has an increased awareness of eye safety been duly acknowledged. Debris, errant balls, fingers, elbows, and feet can make contact with your eye in any number of sports, and having protection between your and eyes and these objects protects you from irritation, discomfort, and even vision difficulties.

Protective sports eye wear is made from a scratch resistant, incredibly strong plastic. The frames can be fitted with prescription or nonprescription lenses, and serve not only to protect your eyes, but to cut down on glare and reduce sun damage. With enhanced safety and increased vision, it’s no wonder protective sports eye wear can now be seen on both professional and hobby athletes.

Talking to your eye doctor about the type of sports you play will allow him to fit you with a pair of sports goggles that are ideally suited to your athletic activities. With a wide variety of designs and styles, your ophthalmologist can fit you with protective sports eye wear that will keep your eyes safe while allowing you to express your unique individuality.

If you are an athlete and interested in protective sports eye wear, please locate an experienced ophthalmologist in your area to schedule a fitting appointment.

Posted in Contact Lenses, Technology | Comments Off