Let’s talk about sunglasses and UV light exposure. Why are sunglasses important you ask? I will tell you. We all love living in the south where the sun seems to always be shining and the weather draws us outside to exercise and play at the beach or our favorite county park.

Most people are very aware of the effects that too much sun exposure can have on our skin because a bad sunburn is not something you soon forget, but not many people think about how the sun and UV can affect their eyes. Just like we put on sunscreen to protect our skin it is very important to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the harmful UV-A and UV-B rays.

These harmful rays from the sun are what cause cataracts, macular degeneration and pinguecula/pterygium. UV light is also emitted from welding machines, tanning beds and some lasers so you need to be careful around these sources as well.

When picking out sunglasses there are a few things that you want to be aware of. The sunglasses you wear should be wrap around and fit snug to your face. The idea is to keep out as much light as possible. The lenses in the frame should block 99%-100% UV-A and UV-B rays. Typically, gray lenses are better for color recognition, but lens color is definitely a subjective thing. Polarized sunglasses are best to provide good UV protection and decrease glare which can be a huge problem while driving.

I hear patients tell me all the time that their lenses change, or transition, when they go outside, so they do not have a pair of sunglasses. Transition lenses are fabulous and I do highly recommend them, but I stress the importance of minimizing sun exposure as much as possible. Therefore, I believe that people should have both Transition lenses in their dress pair of glasses for short periods of UV exposure AND a pair of wrap-around sunglasses for times of longer exposure, like a day at the beach.

Have you ever heard the old saying, “We pay for the sins of our youth?” Unfortunately, it is true. 80% of our UV exposure leading to cataracts, macular degeneration, and pinguecula/pterygium happens before age 18. The sooner we can get people wearing sunglasses to protect their precious eyes and eye sight, the better it will be.

Offering a much more natural and seamless progression than traditional bifocals or trifocals, progressive lenses offer multiple focal points for almost any visual need. Also known as multifocals, progressive lenses offer clear vision from distance to near vision, with an intermediate vision area in between.

Progressives offer the ability to finally look up and see across the room or down the street while driving. You can likewise look ahead at your PC or a friend sitting at the table through the middle vision area. Then, when you look down to read the fine print, you will see it all comfortably and clearly through the bottom of the progressive lens.

There is a passage that runs vertically down the center of the lens and measurements are taken of the patient in order to fit the lens passage in the correct place so you will be able to access all powers easily and comfortably.

With progressives “image jump” is not an issue at all. Image jump occurs in bifocals and trifocals when the lines on the lenses make a sudden change in power which causes pictures to seem to jump as you move from distance to close up vision. Progressives make a smooth, more agreeable move from distance to close up and back.

The most up to date, state of the art progressive lenses offered today provide the closest thing to natural clear vision that is possible for a person with presbyopia. Although the price of progressive lenses is generally higher than traditional bi or trifocals, most people find the higher price a small price to pay for the ease of transition from near to far vision, and back again, as well as the much sought after no-line and youthful appearance of the progressive lenses.

Overall, progressive lenses give a continuous, seamless view with a gentle and progressive change in focus from far to near, and everything in the middle, without the conventional bifocal line and jump, that is so unseemly to most people. Ask your optometrist about progressive lens options today!

Also known as no-line bifocals, progressive lenses correct presbyopia (a condition that occurs in people over the age of 40 that no longer allows your eyes to accommodate to help read things close up). Many individuals who require the utilization of a bifocal lean toward progressive lenses since they offer an invisible blended appearance between the distance and near vision portions of the lens. The focal points contain no obvious line and increase in strength while you look lower down the lens.

There are different types of progressive lenses. They vary in cost, contingent upon brand, size and purpose. Additionally, progressive lenses must fit correctly. The following are the four main types of progressive lenses available today.

Standard Progressive Lenses: On the off chance that you are searching for a different option to bifocals or trifocals, standard progressive lenses work fine for the vast majority, and are the most economical option. In spite of the fact that the cost of standard progressive lenses is more than regular flat-top bifocal or trifocal lenses, they are still very reasonable.

Offering a pretty wide reading area, standard progressive lenses, however require a specific sized frame to permit enough vertical space to provide a seamless transition from distance to reading vision.

Short Corridor Progressive Lenses: Today, there’s no need to give up on fashion and style for progressive lenses. Short corridor progressive lenses are specifically created to fit into a smaller frame. As a result of their size, it takes a knowledgeable optician to fit them appropriately. You may experience issues adjusting to short corridor progressive lenses in light of the fact that the area (corridor) allotted for reading is not wide, bringing on mild distortion when you look out of the reading area. In the event that you look down to read, look straight ahead, not out of the sides. A good rule of thumb is to always point your nose in the direction where you want to look so you won’t have the distortion.

Office Progressive Lenses: Known also as computer progressive lenses are intended for use in an office setting and designed to give clear vision at around 16 inches through six feet. These office progressive lenses are a fantastic option for individuals requiring clear vision at near and intermediate distances, for example, people on computers most of the day, writers, editors, specialists, painters, designers, dental specialists, beauticians, and mechanics.

For anyone who uses the computer over 4 hours every day, these office progressive lenses are perfect and reduce computer vision syndrome, also known as eye fatigue.

Additionally, these lenses likewise make it much easier to hold your head in a more natural way.

Premium Progressive Lenses: Called by many names, such as “free-form design” or “wave-front technology”, these premium progressive lenses give a much more extensive, distortion-free reading zone. Vision is most often clearer than other progressive lenses, as these progressive lenses are completely custom ordered, sized, and designed specifically to your measurements, and are generally 100% digitally surfaced or ground. This offers the client the clearest and closest to perfect natural vision offered today for someone with presbyopia!

Rather than compacting the lens into the frame, as with a short corridor lenses, this premium lens is completely customized, therefore no matter the different ranges of power, they fit perfectly into any frame you may choose.

We interviewed Dr. Lesslie on the topic of “Ordering Eyeglasses and Contacts Online.” So Dr. Lesslie, please tell us, why shouldn’t we buy our eyeglasses online?

Dr. Lesslie: Cheaper isn’t always better, and in today’s world, we have to be very careful about that since it feels like everyone is trying to get our money. There have been a great deal of advancements in eyewear, and there are now many things which one can only get from their eye doctor as opposed to purchasing them online – things that truly are better for their eyes.

For example, because of the research regarding the effects of blue light from the computer screens and mobile devices, we make sure we provide the appropriate coatings to the lenses, depending on the patient’s specific lifestyle, in order to protect their eyes.

Whereas, if you order online, you don’t have anyone personally discussing all of the details with you, making sure you are getting the best product for you. Yes, you might get a pair of glasses, but they many not necessarily be the best product to protect your eyes.

Many times people try to take their own measurements and order their glasses online, but their measurements are off. They receive a pair of glasses which they don’t see well with. This makes them think that their prescription is wrong, but in fact it wasn’t the prescription at all – their measurements were off.

So, what about contact lenses?

Dr. Lesslie: People like to think that when they get a prescription for contacts that they can just send it off and get exactly what has been prescribed by the doctor. In fact, this is not always the case. With contacts, some companies have been known to replace contact lens prescriptions with a lens that is “close” to what the patient was fit in or just change brands and fits all together.

Such products can actually damage someone’s eyes or possibly cause them to go blind. We believe that it is never a good idea to order contact lenses online from a third party company.

Is it really cheaper to order eyeglasses and contacts online?

Dr. Lesslie: Surprisingly, many times no. We try to keep the prices of our contact lenses quite competitive with the online stores because we don’t want our patients to order online and get a bad product and possibly damage their eyes. Also, many times the online stores may have the actual box of contacts a few dollars cheaper, but they will charge you shipping.

The most well-known part of a comprehensive eye exam is the basic vision test. When you have a general vision test, one of the main conditions the eye care practitioner is checking for is a refractive error. A refractive error means there is an abnormality in the shape of the eye, changing the eye’s ability to focus light directly onto the retina.This causes blurred vision and can usually be corrected by wearing prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses and possibly, alternate treatments such as vision therapy, ortho-k, LASIK or refractive surgery such as LASIK.

The term, “refractive error” refers to a problem with the process of refraction that is responsible for sight. Normally, light rays that enter your eye are refracted or bent through the cornea and the lens, and ultimately converge or are focused onto a single point on the retina. From the retina, messages are sent through the optic nerve to the brain which then interprets these signals into the image that we are seeing.

In order for this process to work effectively, the anatomy of the eye including the length of the eye and the curvature of the cornea and the lens must be just right to be able to focus the light onto the retina. When this is not the case, a refractive error will occur.

There are several different types of refractive errors, depending on which part of the eye is affected, and it is possible to have multiple refractive errors at the same time:

Myopia or nearsightedness:

In myopia the length of the eyeball is too long which results in light coming to a focus in front of the retina, rather than on the retina. This allows the individual to see well when objects are close but not clearly when looking at objects at a distance.

Hyperopia or farsightedness:

Hyperopia is when the eyeball is shorter than normal and can result in near objects being blurry. However, people experience hyperopia differently. Sometimes distant objects are clear while other times people may experience overall blurred vision near and far or no problems at all. In children particularly, the lens may accommodate for the error allowing for clear vision but may cause fatigue and sometimes crossed eyes or strabismus. Hyperopia causes eyestrain or fatigue especially when looking at near objects for a period of time. Often people with 20/20 vision may still need glasses at their desk to relax their eyes and improve concentration.

Astigmatism:

Astigmatism is usually the result of an irregularly shaped cornea (although it can sometimes also be due to a misshapen lens). The cornea, which is normally round, is more football-shaped in an eye with astigmatism, resulting in multiple focus points either in front of the retina or behind it (or both). People with astigmatism usually have blurred or distorted vision to some degree at all distances, near and far.

Presbyopia:

Presbyopia is an age-related condition which usually begins to appear sometime after 40. As the eye begins to age, the lens stiffens and can no longer focus clearly on objects that are close.

It’s important to note that presbyopia is often confused with hyperopia, as both cause problems focusing at near distances. However, high hyperopia can also cause blur at far distances as well, especially in dim lighting, and depth perception problems can result in motor vehicle accidents. In these instances people with hyperopia could use glasses at any distance.

If you are having trouble seeing, it is important to have an eye exam to determine the cause of the problem and to effectively correct your vision. Even if your vision is fine, you should schedule a routine eye exam on a regular basis to ensure that your eyes are healthy and that any potential problems are caught early.

‘Tis the season for giving, and parents, grandparents, family and friends need to know which toys and games to leave off the list because they can pose a risk to children’s health and eyesight. Last year nearly 252,000 emergency visits were due to toy-related injuries, almost half of which were to the head or face. Further, about 1 in 10 children’s eye injuries treated in the emergency room can be traced back to toys, most of which occur in children under 15 years of age.

The most common types of eye injuries that occur from toys can be anything from a scratch on the cornea (the front surface of the eye) to very serious injuries that can threaten vision such as traumatic cataracts, corneal ulcers, bleeding inside the eye and retinal detachment.

Most of these injuries can be prevented by taking the proper measures to evaluate the safety of gifts before they are purchased and to supervise children during any play with toys that could have the potential to cause damage or harm.

Here are some tips on how to select safe toys for children this holiday season:

1. Check age recommendations on all toys to make sure they are age appropriate and suitable for the child’s maturity level. If younger siblings are present, ensure that any toys made for older children are kept out of reach.
2. When possible, check toys for a seal of approval that the product meets national safety standards from a toy safety testing organization such as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or the Canadian Toy Testing Council.
3. Do not purchase toys that have a projectile or sharp, protruding parts. Toys such as darts, guns, arrows or sharp propelling toys can cause serious eye injuries that can lead to permanent eye damage and even vision loss. Even high-powered water guns such as super soakers or soft foam dart guns can cause significant damage when shot at close range.
4. Purchase safety eyewear with polycarbonate lenses to accompany sports equipment, chemistry sets or woodworking tools. Speak to your optometrist to learn more about the best option for your child’s hobby of choice.
5. Check that toys with sticks or handles such as swords, fishing rods, pogo sticks, brooms or pony sticks have rounded edges or handles and avoid or supervise use with little children.
6. Any toys or devices that have a laser or bright light (such as laser pointers or flashlights which are sometimes used by kids to play laser tag) can be dangerous. Bright lights such as those produced by high-powered flashlights can cause temporary vision loss that can lead to a risk of a fall or accident. Further, laser pointers are not safe for use by children as the light intensity can cause permanent vision loss if shined in someone’s eyes.

When purchasing a toy for a child that is important to you, make sure you are considering what is most important – their safety. Ask us if you have any questions about the eye safety of a toy or gift you are considering.

Have you ever thought about how vision works? Seeing is an incredible gift made possible by a system in which the eye and the brain process visual information from the outside world. If any step of that process does not function properly, vision will be impaired.

Similar to a camera, the eye transmits light from the world around us into an image that we can perceive. Certain parts of the eye even function like the different parts of a camera such as the shutter, the lens and film (if we can hearken back to the days when we used film in cameras). Here is a quick breakdown of the fascinating way our eyes and brain enable us to see and experience the world around us:

The Vision Process

Light reflected from an object in our field of view is gathered by the cornea which is essentially the clear “window” to our eye. The cornea then refracts the light rays through the pupil (the center of the iris where light enters the eye). The iris, which like the shutter of a camera will enlarge and shrink based on how much light is coming in, then passes the image onto the crystalline lens. Just like a camera lens, the lens in the eye focuses the light rays, projecting them to a point at the back of the eye called the retina, where the image will appear upside down. The retina contains a thin layer of color-sensitive cells called rods and cones that perceive color.

From the retina, the visual signals travel to the brain via the optic nerve. The brain receives information from both eyes and must then converge the images (and flip them right side up) to get a complete picture.

Vision Problems

A breakdown in vision can happen at any point in this process. From the muscles that control the eyes, to the parts within the eye, to the pathway to the brain. Sometimes vision impairment is due to technical problems with the eye receiving the information and passing the signal on, such as convergence insufficiency (inability to coordinate the eyes to converge on one point), myopia (nearsightedness) or cataracts (clouding of the lens).

Other times, the eyes might work perfectly, but there is a problem with the brain interpreting the signals it receives. In these cases we can’t “see” in the traditional sense, because our brains aren’t able to properly “read’ the signals or we don’t know what we are looking at. This is the case for some learning disorders that are caused by the visual processes in the brain such as dyslexia.

As you can see, vision is quite a complicated process. A simple vision exam isn’t always able to determine vision problems, especially in children which is why it is so important to have regular comprehensive eye exams, to measure the health of the eye and all of its parts.