How to Save Your Vision in Today's Digital World

Today, most of us are fully immersed in the digital world around us. From our work computers to laptops and tablets to our smart phones that we never leave home without, we definitely always have an amazing amount of information at our fingertips. While technology has continually advanced to allow us access to this amazing flow of information, it can also put a tremendous strain on our eyes. Common symptoms that can result from excessive computer usage may include: eye strain, dry eyes, headaches, fatigue, blurred vision and loss of focus. The combination of these symptoms is often referred to as computer vision syndrome. March has recently been recognized as Save Your Vision month by many national eye care organizations and seeks to bring awareness to computer vision syndrome and how to best manage it. If you are one of the millions of Americans that now use some sort of digital device for more than 8 hours a day, you have probably felt your eyes begin to strain, dry out or become fatigued towards the end of the day. If this is you, then you have suffered from some of the symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome. The barrage of symptoms from this syndrome can range from minor inconvenience to being totally debilitating and decreasing productivity completely. The best treatment for computer vision syndrome is often a combination of changing your digital work habits with the correct ergonomic setup and by taking frequent breaks to look off in the distance using the 20/20/20 rule. This is an easy exercise to relax your eyes so they do not overfocus up close by looking 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes you are at the computer. There are also occupational computer prescription eyeglasses that can help you read the computer and other digital devices. This will not only improve your vision at your proper viewing distance, but also aid your comfort and productivity while using your digital devices. Dry eye treatment may also be needed to help your vision perform optimally when staring at a monitor all day. This is often due to the fact that we tend not to blink as much when working on a computer and the right lubricating eye drop or medication dry eye drop can sometimes make all the difference. To see your best and perform up to your potential at work ask your eye doctor about computer vision syndrome at your next eye exam.

The Risk of Readers

We have all seen them, dangling from a display in your local supermarket, the Over the Counter Reading Glasses or for short Readers. They present as a small selection of inexpensive frames with seemingly many different lens powers to choose from. “Oh, well that one doesn’t look too bad I guess? I think I will try that one on, but what do the different numbers mean? Wow, this one makes objects look really large and closer to me, I wonder if it is even my correct prescription?” I know that many of us have had this experience and wondered if these readers might give us better vision when reading or actually do the opposite and actually hurt our eyes over time. Well, the answer is often yes and yes. While a pair of over the counter readers may improve the reading ability of some, there are definitely many better options to meet the needs of your vision and help you function through all of your individual daily activities. Over the counter readers are usually made of a cheap plastic lens material that may not have the best optical quality for viewing your near work and also represent a one size fits all option with optical centers in the lenses that are not unique to you allowing for more distortion and eyestrain than is found with custom measurements. A custom pair of near work eyeglasses are almost always a better option because of the availability of better lens material, custom measurements which allow you to view near objects directly through a custom optical center of the lens for less distortion, and an anti-reflective coating can also be added to your custom reading eyeglasses to cut down on glare and unwanted reflections when using your computer screen. A progressive lens or no line multifocal lens can also be a great option and holds one big advantage over near work glasses. That is the fact that a progressive lens helps you see at many different distances or focal points, while readers will always be blurry in the distance – causing one to constantly take them on and off, wear them on top of their head, or even use the dreaded granny chain to hold them around their neck. Some will even try to drive with readers and find their distance vision distorted but a dashboard that comes in and out of focus. However, the biggest risk of readers is truly the patient that is self-diagnosing and avoiding the eye doctor. This habit could not only result in selecting an improper near visual aid, but also effectively mask an underlying problem which an eye doctor could detect. The moral of the story is that you only get one set of eyes and it is important that you see your best. So please don’t trust your vision to just an over the counter – one size fits all product, find an eye care professional you trust to help you maintain healthy vision year in and year out.

National Glaucoma Awareness Month

As we get closer to the new year, what better resolution than leading a healthier lifestyle. One item on everyone's list for the upcoming year seems to be heading back to the gym - to improve their fitness level, or just eating healthier overall for a better quality of life. However, how many of you think about going to the eye doctor more often for preventative vision and eye healthcare? Though it may be down your resolution list a bit, making it a point to see your eye doctor for regularly scheduled eye exams is a must in order to keep seeing your best. It does not matter whether you wear corrective lenses or not, or even if you think your eyes are in perfect condition. Getting a regular eye exam is a necessary part of your overall healthcare regimen, and vital to make sure you are able to continue maintaining healthy vision. One national organization, Prevent Blindness America is helping promote the importance of regular annual eye exams by recognizing January as Glaucoma Awareness Month. Today close to three million people actually have Glaucoma, but some of them do not even realize it because there are often no warning symptoms. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States of America and the first major leading cause of preventable blindness. Approximately 120,000 Americans are mostly blind because they suffer from Glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness in the United States of America. The condition is also 6 to 8 times more common to be found in African-Americans than in Caucasians. Glaucoma is an eye disease which damages the optic nerve (the pathway for vision between the brain and eye) in the back of the eye most often when eye pressure is elevated in an individual’s eye for an extended period of time. This process can often decrease peripheral vision without symptoms, thus earning it the moniker of “the silent thief of sight”. As such, annual eye exams are the number one deterrent from individuals suffering vision loss caused by Glaucoma and other preventable eye diseases. This is because even in a routine eye examination, your eye doctor can detect signs and/or risk factors of Glaucoma. Many patients are familiar with the dreaded “air-puff test” which is one method of measuring eye pressure, but there are also other methods – such as the Icare Tonometer which measures intraocular pressure (IOP) with no drops or puff of air required for a more comfortable and accurate assessment. If Glaucoma is detected early enough, there are many steps that can be taken in order to maintain the amount of healthy vision one currently has through topical (eye drops), laser, or even surgical treatments. So make sure you make an annual eye exam a part of your healthier lifestyle and keep seeing your best all year round.

Edwards Eye Care Utilizes Advanced Retinal Imaging Technology

When starting our practice, Edwards Eye Care in Hickory Flat, we knew that it would be important to go above and beyond to give our patients the best eye care experience possible. To this end, we sought out some of the latest technology available to deliver superior patient care, such as the optomap retinal imaging technology. Now residents of Cherokee and North Fulton have access to fast, non-invasive, painless and comfortable technology that gives a broad view of the back of the eye; something no other device is capable of doing. The images provide our eye care team with information on numerous diseases that affect not only a patient’s eyes and sight but his or her overall health including cancer, hypertension, retinal detachment, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy; which is the leading cause of blindness. Preventative eye care has never been more critical than it is today, because regular eye screenings play a vital role in preventing loss of sight and detecting systemic disease. A comprehensive eye exam, including an optomap retinal imaging test, can aid in the early-diagnosis of potential problems for people of all ages, including young children. Eyes have been referred to as the ‘window’ to a patient’s overall health and can reveal conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. At Edwards Eye Care we are committed to improving the health of our patients, encouraging regular eye exams and making the eye examination process a pleasant experience. By offering our patients advanced retinal imaging technology like the optomap, we can meet those objectives and potentially drive patients to earlier diagnoses and improved overall patient health. The optomap retinal imaging test, is a patient friendly, quick and comfortable exam which captures and analyzes an image of virtually the entire retina in a quarter of a second. It takes only minutes to perform and allows the patient to view their retinal image with the doctor during the exam while also providing an annual permanent record for comparisons, tracking and diagnosing potential issues. The optomap retinal imaging technology has received worldwide recognition as an important eye care diagnostic instrument and was also recently featured on “The Doctors” program. For more information on how to take advantage of the opportunity to have optomap retinal imaging at your next comprehensive eye exam please call Edwards Eye Care at 770-479-0222 or request an appointment online at www.EdwardsEyeCare.com.

Modern Eye Care, Old Fashioned Service

My wife Anne and I are thrilled to have opened our new eye clinic this month – Edwards Eye Care- in beautiful Cherokee County. After practicing optometry in the metro Atlanta area for the past five years, we had been searching to find the perfect community to start our own eye care practice. Little did we know that the perfect area would turn out to be just a few miles from our family in Woodstock, Georgia. We are now settling in to our new eye care office in Hickory Flat and are truly excited about the future of our practice in this growing area. When we began talking about the vision for our practice, we knew that we wanted to be in a family friendly environment where we could make a positive impact on the community. While we do provide quality eye care services and products, we know our job is not complete until all our patients know the importance of annual comprehensive eye care in order to maintain proper vision and overall health. The comprehensive eye exam is so important because through routine visits eye doctors are able to diagnose an eye disease such as glaucoma or macular degeneration in its early stages to save vision, or even pick up on a systemic condition like diabetes or hypertension through viewing the retina which can in some cases save lives. As a secondary emphasis of our practice, we knew that giving patients a comfortable experience within our eye care office would be important to alleviate anxiety that can sometimes accompany a visit to any doctor. To this end, we designed our practice to incorporate comfortable elements of the home environment in order to put our patients at ease when coming to our office. As you walk in you will notice traditional craftsman architectural elements that complement our large selection of designer eyewear within our optical. When entering the exam rooms, a patient will notice the newest technology available to monitor proper eye health, such as the Optomap Retinal Camera, which takes a wide view image of the inside of the eye. These elements were all carefully thought out to provide our patients with the best eye care experience available. We are excited to have found the right community for our family and our practice. We look forward to serving the eye care needs for residents of Woodstock, Canton and the surrounding Northside area for years to come. Thank you for your support and we look forward to meeting your family soon. For more information on our practice or to schedule your next eye examination please call 770-479-0222 or visit www.EdwardsEyeCare.com.

Edwards Eye Care Opening Soon!

Coming very soon! Annie and I are excited to announce the opening of our own eye care practice on Monday October 15, 2012 in Woodstock, Georgia. We would like to give a huge thank you to all those that have helped us along the way. We are very excited to offer comprehensive eye care services and products to the residents of Woodstock, Canton, and surrounding areas. To find out more information about our office please visit http://edwardseyecare.com/ or call 770-479-0222 to schedule your next eye care appointment. We are now scheduling patients for mid October and beyond. You can also follow our practice for updates and exclusive offers on facebook at www.facebook.com/edwardseyecare.

Spring is here and eye allergies are in full swing

Have itchy, red eyes been an all to common occurence for you since the beginning of spring this year? You may be suffering from eye allergies. While it is estimated that 50 million Americans suffer from all types of allergies, approximately 4 percent of allergy sufferers report that eye allergies are their primary allergy, and these can often be caused by many of the same triggers or allergens as indoor/outdoor allergies. For some, eye allergies can prove so uncomfortable and irritating that they interfere with job performance, impede leisure or sports activities, and even curtail vacations. What are eye allergies? Eye allergies may also be called “allergic conjunctivitis” by your eye care professional. This is a reaction to indoor and outdoor allergens (such as pollen, mold, dust mites or pet dander) that get into your eyes and cause inflammation of the conjunctiva, the tissue that lines the inside of the eyelid and helps keep your eyelid and eyeball moist. Eye allergies are not contagious. Other substances called “irritants” (such as dirt and smoke, chlorine, etc.) and even viruses and bacteria, can compound the effect of eye allergies, or even cause irritation symptoms similar to eye allergies for people who aren’t even allergic. The eyes are an easy target for allergens and irritants because, like the skin, they are exposed and sensitive. Certain medications and cosmetics can also cause eye allergy symptoms. By way of response to these allergens and irritants, the body releases chemicals called histamines, which in turn produce inflammation. To read more about eye allergy symptoms and treatments please click the following link to read a recent article from all about vision.