The changing of the seasons and the holidays bring fun times and activities into our lives, but also mark the beginning of a health concern: Flu season.

Flu season starts in the late Fall and runs through early Spring in some cases, so you want to be armed against this epidemic by doing several things to ensure your health stays at its optimal level. HAND WASHING is a primary deterrent against the flu. Taking vitamin supplements and getting extra rest during the holiday season also helps. Preventative maintenance also includes a preventative flu shot. Many employers and health care clinics offer them at no or little charge. For children especially, they even have a flu mist, so that the needle can be avoided.

Some simple things you can do in your house to prevent flu from spreading is use a bleach water mixture and spray countertops, doorknob handles, light switches, phones, and steering wheels of your car.

Influenza A is the most typical culprit in our fight to stay healthy, so when the outbreak in your area […]

The Sixties………….War, peace, expressing yourself, the Civil Rights movement, and the Beatles. One of the biggest hits of the era was “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles. 

In the health care world, the sun plays a balancing role in delivering its rays to our bodies to help produce Vitamin D. Many people who work indoors are directed to take Vitamin D supplements because of lack of exposure to the sunshine, Conversely, people who are outside a lot have a risk of overexposure causing skin cancer.

The eyes are at risk as well. If sunglasses are not worn, there is a greater risk for cataracts or skin cancers of the eyelids. It is important to know that not all sunglasses are made alike. UV A, B, and C rays are the harmful rays that sunglasses need to protect us from.

However, many over the counter sunglasses do not have UV protection built into the lenses, which can actually cause more damage especially in children. 80% of sun exposure in our lives comes in childhood. Without UV protection […]

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. These famous words of Charles Dickens are playing out today more than ever in the area of technology.

We are living in the best of times to obtain knowledge at the push of a button. But smartphones, laptops, iPads, video games, smart boards, tablets can all add up daily total screen time. Research shows the impact can adversely affect your eyes, your focusing, your moods, and even your ability to sleep and relax. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended only two hours of screentime per day as a standard for children.

What are the symptoms of too much screen time on the eye, and how can you combat these symtoms?

Doctors are seeing an increase in dry eye syndrome because patients do not blink as often when they are staring at the screen for a prolonged period of time. This causes burning or watery eyes, rubbing of the eyes, and frequent headaches.

The key to combatting these symptoms is to consciously […]

We offer a custom eye prescription with new technology for better vision from ZEISS. The ZEISS iProfiler plus® gets a unique finger print of the eye by measuring 2500 data points in less than a minute. Then we combine with traditional exam readings for better results. These results allows us to give you a prescription lens that improves color vision, clarity, depth perception while decreasing glare for improved night time vision.

Have you ever tried to look into a room by looking into the keyhole? You only see part of the room… right? Well, that is what it would be like for your eye doctor to look into your eye through an undilated pupil. They would only see a partial view of your retina, with the possibility of missing vital information about the health of your eyes.

That is why it is important to have your eyes dilated for your exam, whether through traditional eyedrops which will wear off in several hours, or through new technology that can take a panoramic digital picture of the inside of your eye without dilation. Either method will provide your eye care professional valuable insight into your ocular and systemic health. Here are the top 5 reasons to have your full retina evaluated through a dilated view:

1. To have the health of your retina evaluated. The retina is like the film of the camera of your eye that processes the vision accurately. The central retina contains cones for your color and […]
   

Back to School Sale!

CHEERS to your ocular health.

Did you know that nutrition plays a vital role in your ocular health?

Cardiologists stress lean meats, red wine, and exercise for your heart health. But what about your eyes? Well, studies show there are distinct food groups that show extreme benefit to the well being of your vision.

Lutein, found in green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, and broccoli create an added insulation in your retina against macular degeneration. Yellow vegetables and fruit (squash, yellow watermelon) as well as Omega III supplements (fish oil or flax seed oil) also help boost the pigment cells in the macula to promote crisp vision. As a side note, it is best to purchase molecularly distilled fish oil, and take the pills at night to prevent unwanted GI effects or “fish burp” which occurs with less expensive, non distilled fish oils. Remember, not all fish oil pills are created equally.

What about preventing cataracts you ask? Well, studies have shown that vitamin C found in citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapefruit, and […]

Did you know that early intervention in children's vision is the key to success?

• 80% of learning comes through vision.
• In the first year of life, then by at least age 3 or 4, the child needs a comprehensive eye exam.
• 6 months old is not too early.

Even though a school vision screening, nurse evaluation or Pediatrician screening is important, it doesn't take the place of a comprehensive eye exam by an eyecare professional. Some symptoms of an undetected vision problem include: Decreased performance in school, aversion to reading, excessive blinking, rubbing eyes, headache or inability to see 3-D movies.

This could indicate conditions such as amblyopia (lazy eye), nearsightedness (myopia), astigmatism, or farsightedness (hyperopia) that can be corrected with glasses.

More serious conditions may need surgery such as Esotropia, where the eye turns in, or Exotropia where the eye turns out.

Although school screenings, nurses, and pediatricians are extremely valuable, they don't take the place of a comprehensive eye exam by an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist.

In fact, school screenings can give a […]