Northcenter Eye Care

Eye exam misconceptions explained

April 29, 2016

We rely heavily on our sense of sight and need to keep our eyes healthy and fully functioning. Comprehensive eye exams are the foundation of eye care, but some people don’t have the complete story on why. The following addresses three common misconceptions about visits to the optometrist to take care of your eyes.

Vision screenings are not substitutes for comprehensive eye exams.

Vision screenings can help identify individuals who are at risk for a vision problem, but they are far more limited than a comprehensive eye exam. Screenings can be performed by anyone trained to do so, regardless of their experience with eye health. A comprehensive eye exam is done by an optometrist.

While a screening can detect potential vision problems, it cannot address the presence or risk of eye disease and other aspects of eye health. One of the best ways to take care of your eyes is to have yearly comprehensive exams, even if you’ve gone through vision screening that gives you the “all clear.”

Patients who wear contact lenses will have a longer exam.

Occasionally we get questions from our contact lens patients about the extra time and expense of their appointments. Working with patients who wear contacts requires additional testing to make sure their lenses not only correct their vision, but also fit properly and are comfortable. After all, contact lenses are applied directly to the eyes which results in increased risk of injury and infection if the fit isn’t right.

While eyeglass prescriptions are valid for up to two years, contact lens prescriptions expire after one year. This is a federal law designed to optimize contact lens safety.

Even people with “perfect” vision need to have their eyes examined each year.

Comprehensive exams include more than just vision testing, so those who skip them are missing out on tracking other aspects of their eye health, including additional measures of visual performance and the early detection of eye diseases. This is as important for children as it is for adults.

Changes in vision are not always easily detected, especially by children who aren’t aware of what “perfect” vision means. Even adults have a hard time recognizing more subtle vision changes for what they are.

We make it easy to schedule your comprehensive eye exam. Call us or click on the scheduling button to the right.

Break bad contact lens habits

February 1, 2016

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 99 percent of the country’s 41 million contact lens wearers are guilty of at least one bad contact lens habit. While we like to think our patients are perfect, we know that it isn’t always easy to follow all the rules when it comes to taking care of your contacts.

Here are some of the top contact lens abuses and tips for avoiding them:

Sleeping in contacts. Almost everyone who wears contact lenses or glasses dreams of a life awakening from sleep with clear vision. Sometimes you are just so exhausted that you fall straight into bed, skipping your usual pre-slumber routine. Unfortunately this can be very damaging to your eyes, as round-the-clock contact lens wear can cause infections.

The solution? If convenience is a factor, consider daily disposal lenses. This type of contact is growing in popularity due to advances that have been made to address astigmatism [link to blog post] and even presbyopia [link to blog post]. At the end of the day, take them out and toss them — something you can do even after your head hits the pillow.

Wearing contacts for too long. Different contact lenses are designed for varying lengths of wear. For example, daily disposables aren’t meant to stay in for a week. If your lenses are recommended for two weeks of use, you shouldn’t stretch it to four. Lenses past their prime are worn and more susceptible to infection-causing germs.

The solution? Remembering when you last changed your contacts is tough if you aren’t wearing daily disposables. Get some help from contact lens manufacturers, such as Acuvue, that will send an email when it’s time to change your lenses. If you are trying to save money, keep in mind that eye infections can be expensive, among other things — and you may pay not only with your money but also with your sight.

Not changing your case. A full 82 percent of respondents in the CDC survey admitted to not changing their contact lens case the recommended every three months. Even if you are discarding your storage solution on a daily basis and keeping your case clean, you are putting your eyes at risk by using an old case.

The solution? Contact lens cases are as abundant as favor bags at a kids party. They often are included in packaging for storage solution. Keep them in a handy spot and swap them out first day of each new season.

Photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net/marin

Contact lenses for astigmatism

October 28, 2015

If you have astigmatism and wish you could wear contacts, we have good news for you. Contact lens technology continues to improve the wearability of lenses that provide correction for a variety of conditions, including astigmatism.

Astigmatism is an irregular shape of the cornea causing errors in light refraction. Some people think that astigmatism is a disease but it’s not. It is actually the most common refractive error because it can be associated with nearsightedness, farsightedness or exist on its own.

Most people who have astigmatism also have difficulty with near or distance vision. Because of the irregularity of the cornea in patients with astigmatism, finding the correct fit and comfort for a contact lens is more challenging. In the past, people with astigmatism were limited to gas permeable lenses, which are more rigid and, thus, even out the surface that light travels through to the eye. But not everyone finds gas permeable lenses comfortable enough for daily wear.

With the development of toric lenses, which are designed to fit the specific shape of each patient’s cornea, people with astigmatism are able to experience the comfort of soft lenses. These lenses continue to improve, and we are now fitting more patients with daily disposables. Many patients like the convenience of daily disposables, which require no cleaning. There is the added health benefit of lower risk of eye infections and discomfort, as each day starts with a fresh new lens. (Even the best cleaning regime can’t remove all the build-up on lenses.)

If you are interested in learning more about contact lenses for astigmatism, please get in touch with us.