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 […]

Glaucoma is a disease that affects the optic nerve. The disease causes the nerve cells at the front of the optic nerve to die, which leads to partial or total vision loss. The first two types of glaucoma occur with in an eye that has no structural deformities. They are called Open Angle and Normal Tension Glaucoma.

Open Angle glaucoma, also referred to as chronic glaucoma, normally develops after the age of 35 and is the most common form of glaucoma. It occurs when aqueous fluid builds up and causes the pressure inside your eye to increase. The fluid is not drained properly because of a clog in the trabecular meshwork, a sponge-like, porous tissue which drains fluid from the eye. This happens gradually, with no symptoms. It can lead to partial or total vision loss and can only be detected through routine eye examinations.

The second type of glaucoma affects a small percentage of people and is called Normal Tension glaucoma. It occurs with normal eye pressure and can be attributed to an unusually fragile […]

Obesity is now hitting critical levels, and affecting every branch of medicine. The Center of Disease control (CDC) now reports obesity affects 4 out of 10 people. Furthermore, 3 out of 10 people are considered overweight, just shy of obese. The effect on eyes is greatest on the small blood vessels of the eye, which can cause bleeding which leads to blindness. This is mostly in association with systemic diabetes or hypertension in which obesity is a leading factor. Obesity has a very real and lasting effect on individuals and families.

Certain health effects that come as result of obesity are as follows:

Cancer: In some cases, excess fat cells can affect the growth of tumors, according tho the NCI (National Cancer Institute), and thousands of cancer cases are linked directly to obesity.

High blood pressure: Aneurism,stroke, heart failure, and death are the consequences of hypertension. According to the American Heart Institute, obesity is a leading cause of heart disease. Blood pressure is simply the force of the blood pushing against the arteries, and too much […]

We all remember the acronym ROYGBIV to help us remember the colors of the rainbow……….red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. We are all very clear that there are seven colors in our spectrum on the rainbow, but what we may not be very clear on is the interpretation of those colors on an individual basis.

What gives us the ability to perceive color? Is it the eye or is it the brain? What if the same color looks like two different colors to two different people? Science is now explaining this common phenomena. It is caused from the brain trying to tries to determine the color in certain aspects of daylight sun and light reflecting off certain objects.

There have also been known instances when patients who receive injections in the retina of the eye for the treatment of macular degeneration, experience a spectrum of colors that is not explainable to them by the seven colors of the rainbow. There seems to be a plethora of colors they experience that have been previously undetected.

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Many people can recall the 1980s song by Thomas Dolby, that includes the lyrics,

”She blinded me with science! And hit me with technology….”

In the 21st century, it seems that the blind can now “depend” on and anticipate science to restore vision.

Scientific advancement in the arena of neuroscience and medicine have given blind people hope that they never had before. The world of science and technology is providing inroads into greater opportunities in the advancement of sight restoration and retinal prosthetics with measured success.

Global statistics show nearly 40 million people are affected by some sort of blindness, with 15 million debilitated by AMD alone. The advancement of Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) has sparked new research options for the blind, paving the way to future bionic eye treatments. Using eyeglasses with a camera that transmits images to an electrode implanted in the retina, images and movement can be detected. The Argus II, a retinal prosthesis device, is already available in the US and European markets with FDA approval in the United States.

Making a […]

Cataract Surgery is the third most performed surgery in the United States.

With over 3.1 million surgeries per year, this surgery has a very high success rate with 9 out of 10 regaining vision between 20/20 and 20/40.

The surgery begins with the doctor making a small incision into the cornea. Next the surgeon may remove the lens as one piece or use an ultrasound, laser or surgical solution to break the lens into pieces and remove it.

The posterior capsule, the membrane at the back of the lens is left in place so an intraocular lens can be inserted.

Occasionally the entire lens, including the membrane, will be removed to ensure the membrane won't become cloudy over time and interfere with vision. However if the membrane is removed, a replacement lens can not be inserted. In this case corrective lenses must be worn to restore vision.

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