Red, Itchy, swollen eyelids are often due to a condition called blepharitis. Blepharitis tends to be a chronic condition due to thick eyelid mucous gland production that sticks to the bases of the eyelashes. This adherent mucous can allow bacteria to overgrow and also attract and retain allergens. The standard treatment for blepharitis is doing warm compresses and cleaning off the eyelids with a mild baby shampoo and water solution.

This treatment works for some people but there are many more sufferers who have chronic irritation and relapses despite this treatment. If the warm compresses and eyelid scrubs are not quite keeping the condition under control there are several other additional treatments that can be used to control the symptoms.

One such treatment that your doctor may decide to use an antibiotic/steroid combination drop or ointment. We usually use these for short periods of time to try to bring the condition under control. They are not good to use chronically because it can build resistant bacteria and the steroid component […]

A quick explanation and background of a progressive addition lens is necessary in order to understand the importance of choosing the proper lens for your needs.

A progressive lens gives people an array of prescriptions – placed in the proper positions throughout the lens – to best imitate normal vision. Imagine having the precise correction needed to see a television screen more than 15 feet from you, while reading this article on your desktop computer, and then looking down at your keyboard in order to start entering the address to your favorite website. This, in a nutshell, is exactly what the progressive lens is ideally capable of accomplishing with one pair of glasses.

Having the least amount of peripheral distortion, and one of the wider ranges in both distance power, astigmatism, prism, and add power availability, we find this lens to be very versatile. The most important thing to you is that this product feels very natural in front of your eye. For first-time progressive lens wearers, there is […]

Keratoconus is an eye disease in which the cornea deforms from its normally curved dome shaped and becomes cone shaped. Sometimes there is a flaw in the collagen, the material of the cornea that weakens and allows the cornea to stretch into an irregular cone shape.

The cornea is the clear tissue located at the front of the eye and it refracts and focuses light as it enters the eye. Therefore abnormalities of the corneal surfaces can severely distort vision.

Symptoms usually start in the teen years with near-sighteness and astigmatism which can often be treated with contact lenses or glasses. At the onset it can be difficult to detect.

It is first diagnosed when the cornea starts reveal progressive irregular distortion and eventually becomes to advance for conventional glasses or contact lenses to correct. At this critical point it is often treated with specially designed contact lenses to provide a smooth optical surface to focus light rays and impede progression of the bulging cone shape.

In some case keratoconus can progress to the point that […]

Dry Eye Syndrome is characterized by itching, burning, gritty, red eyes. There are many causes for Dry Eye and, consequently there are many treatments.

Your tears serve many important functions. They wash out debris, keep your eyes moist and have special enzymes that neutralize microorganisms that colonize your eyes. Tears are made up of three layers, the lipid, aqueous and mucus layers. The lipid layer is the outer oily section, the aqueous layer is the watery middle part, and the mucus layer is the inner section closest to your cornea. The layers are produced by different glands in your eyelid and a problem with any of them can cause dry eye syndrome. If left untreated, dry eye can cause tissue damage and scarring of the cornea, leading to major vision problems.

There are many factors that can cause dry eyes. Age, certain medications, insufficient blinking, chemical composition of tears and environmental factors like sunlight, wind, dust and smoke. Dry Eye is also the number one complaint of people who wear contact lenses. With all of these […]

Corneal Molding, also know as Ortho K or OrthoKeratology is a non-surgical procedure used to temporarily reshape the cornea. Some mild cases of near sightedness and astigmatism can be treated by simply changing the shape of the cornea, to correct the way it refracts light.

A specially designed contact lens, which is rigid and gas permeable, is made specifically for your eye. This lens can be worn during the day or overnight. The lens itself is fitted so that it places gentle pressure on the center of the cornea, causing it to change shape. The outer part of the lens surrounds your central visual zone and is further away from the surface of the eye. The combination of the pressure at the center and space around the outer part causes a reshaping of your cornea. With your cornea reshaped the light can now focus properly on the retina at the back of the eye.

The process is painless and not permanent, so retainer contacts must be worn periodically to maintain the shape of the cornea. This […]

Blepharitis is a common problem for both children and adults. It is an inflammation that affects the eyelids and eyelashes and can be brought on by bacterial infections, poor eyelid hygiene, excessive oil production and allergic reactions. There are two types of blepharitis; anterior and posterior.

Anterior blepharitis affects the front of the eyelids where the eyelashes attach. It is caused by bacteria or dandruff from the scalp. Symptoms include redness of eyelids, itching, irritation and a crusty build up on the eyelid.

Posterior blepharitis affects the inner eyelid and is caused by a problem with the oil gland within the eyelid. It is characterized by redness and swelling of the eyelid, along with itching, burning, tearing and irritation.

Blepharitis can be treated in a variety of ways including cleaning and massaging eyelids, applying a warm compress and antibiotics. However, long term effects can cause problems, so it is important to consult with your eye care provider.

So you’ve had your eyes examined and picked out your new frames, and now you have an array of lens options from which to choose. One important option to consider is investing in an Anti-reflective coating, also known as AR coating. This feature has multiple advantages that can benefit almost anyone who wears glasses.

Today’s modern lens materials have a higher refraction index than previous materials did, which means they can produce a stronger prescription with a thinner and lighter piece of lens. The trade-off is that they are more prone to reflection and glare. AR coating will cut the glare, and also some formulations will even strengthen and harden the newer plastic materials.

If you drive at night, you probably have noticed that the headlights of the other cars make it hard to see. An Anti-reflective coating reduces the amount of glare you encounter, enabling you to be a safer night-driver.

AR coatings also benefit computer users. Tests have shown that glare from computer monitors can cause extra vision stress, and add pressure on the […]

The bio-microscope and the slit lamp form a two part instrument that your eye doctor uses during a comprehensive eye exam to view both the anterior or front portion of your eye and your eye lids at high magnification. The slit lamp uses a high intensity light source to illuminate the front of your eye or lids. The width of the beam is adjustable from a full beam to a thin slit of light, enabling the doctor to better evaluate the health of your eyes.

The bio-microscope is basically a stereo microscope tilted forward to look at the lids and lashes and the front of your eye. With dilation solution and special hand held lenses, your doctor can focus on the back of your eye as well, to view the retina internal structures.

Your doctor might also apply orange fluorescein eye drops and use a cobalt blue filter on the slit lamp. The die, injunction with the blue light, enables your eye doctor to better see any imperfections on the cornea, white of the eye and […]

Looking for the perfect sunglasses? If you drive or spend time outdoors, polarized lenses can give you clearer vision by enhancing contrast and eliminating glare.

Glare is caused when light bounces off a smooth surface. Problems from glare range from annoyance to eye strain to temporary blindness.

Light vibrates along all axis. But when light strikes a reflecting object, such as water or a highway, a high percent of light waves bounce off in similar horizontal angles.

Polarized lenses contain microscopic vertical lines that effectively cancel out the horizontal waves—thereby reducing glare.

Select a pair of polarized glasses from the display rack. Find a bright glare on the floor, or tabletop. Next, look at the glare through the glasses. The glare is gone. Rotate the glasses sideways while looking at the same glare. Now rotate back. You can clearly see the difference.

By reducing glare, polarized sunglasses will prevent strong light from damaging your eyes, reduce your eye strain, and improve the way you perceive colors and contrast.

Glaucoma is a disease that affects the optic nerve. The disease causes optic nerve damage, which leads to partial or total vision loss. These two types of glaucoma both stem from a problem in the angle between the cornea and iris of the eye. They are called Narrow Angle and Closed Angle Glaucoma.

Narrow Angle glaucoma can develop either quickly or slowly and usually occurs in people with farsightedness. It occurs when the angle narrows causing the aqueous fluid to build up. This narrowing is caused by a bowing of the iris. Narrow Angle glaucoma can only be detected through routine eye examinations. It can cause vision loss and can also lead to an emergency condition called closed angle glaucoma.

Closed angle glaucoma, also called angle closure glaucoma, develops quickly and is a medical emergency. It occurs when the iris bows forward so much that the angle is completely closed. That means that no aqueous fluid can escape, which causes the pressure to build up rapidly. There are many symptoms associated with closed angle glaucoma such […]