The following topics are provided to inform you of advancements and recommendations in the eye care industry. It is our hope that you find these topics to be beneficial and insightful.
New parent? Don’t forget to include Vision Care
Eye care for children
Over 40 Eye care
Over 60 Eye care
Computer Vision
Progressive Lenses - bye, bye bifocal lines!
Transition Lenses – Not in the dark anymore!
Anti-Reflective Coatings
Annual Eye Exams encouraged for Diabetics
Sunglasses: Protection from the Sun
New parent? Don’t forget to include Vision Care / Eye care for children
When a child is born, the eye’s development is not complete. Blood vessels are still growing, the retina is undergoing its final stages of development, and neural connections are being established between the eyes and the brain. Because of this, the first several years of a baby’s life are extremely important in shaping their future vision. If an eye turn starts to form, or the child is born with a high prescription, or there is some anatomical anomaly, these final stages of the eyes’ development will be affected.
You may get no signal from your child that there is a problem. Remember that vision is very subjective and relative; how would your child know that they were seeing poorly compared to yourself? We can look at your baby’s ability to focus and use both eyes together. Serious eye diseases are uncommon for infants, but conditions such as congenital cataracts and other vision problems, can be detected and treated at an early age. If left untreated, some conditions could result in a permanent loss of vision.
According to the American Optometric Association infants should have their eyes checked by an optometrist at about six months of age, then a more comprehensive exam at the age of three, then just before starting kindergarten and then every two years thereafter. Children are always welcome at Barksdale Vision Center.
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Over 40 Eye care
One of the unwanted birthday presents we get, somewhere in the early forties, is blurred near vision. For some of us, taking our glasses off solves the problem, for others taking our glasses off makes it worse. Whatever your scenario, do not fear! You are not suffering from some disease nor are your eyes falling apart; you have simply entered a phase of vision called ‘Presbyopia.’ From the day we are born, the lenses in our eyes that control our focusing ability slowly start to harden. This leads to a decrease in our ability to focus on things up close. As we turn 40ish, the lens hardens up just enough that one morning we realize our newspaper is a little blurry but holding it out farther helps. Eventually all of our arms become ‘too short.’ This is a natural phenomenon and happens to everyone. There is no cure for this, but come in and we can show you how presbyopia is overcome, either with glasses or contacts. You shouldn’t have to worry or concentrate on where you are holding something in order to see clearly. We can help!
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Over 60 Eye care
As you reach your 60's and beyond, you need to prepare for normal vision changes that can include cataracts. Also, be alert to warning signs of more serious, age-related vision problems that could cause blindness. Wise lifestyle choices and regular eye exams can significantly improve your chances of maintaining good eye health even as you age. Stay ahead of the game by calling us to schedule your appointment today!
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Computer Vision
Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is a very real problem for many people who spend hours daily in front of a computer screen. With so many of us using computers at work, computer eye strain has become one of the major office-related health complaints. Studies show that eye strain and other bothersome visual symptoms occur in 50 percent to 90 percent of computer workers. Sometimes, simply rearranging your work environment to create better ergonomics is all you may need to do to reduce eye strain and other vision problems related to CVS. In some cases, a good pair of computer eyeglasses may help you see better at just the right distance range needed for viewing a computer screen.
Getting an eye exam is the most important thing you can do to prevent or treat computer vision problems. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), computer users should have an eye exam before they start working on a computer and once a year thereafter. Feel free to schedule an appointment with us; we can be reached at 540.982.7890.
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Progressive Lenses
There has been a huge surge in technology with progressive lenses. This category of lens provides people who are over 40 the ability to see far away and read up close with only one pair of glasses. They are quickly replacing the traditional ‘lined bifocal’ because they look like a typical pair of glasses (no more line in the lens to alert others to our age) and provide a more natural view of the world around us at all distances. Initially this design only allowed for a very narrow area of clear vision and a lot of distortion on the sides. This problem is being reduced every year, and the newest designs now available have only minimal distortion in the far edges of the lens. While this lens design does cost more than the traditional bifocal, it is our design of choice because it allows for a larger range of clear vision and provides a more natural feel. Come in to learn more about this area and see our demonstrations.
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Transition Lenses
Have you seen the commercials for eyewear that turns dark when you go outside and lightens up when you go inside? The technology is called ‘Transition Lenses.” It has actually been around for many years but the technology is getting better. They turn darker faster and lighten up faster which makes moving from inside to outside much easier and avoids the problem of having to stand still while your lenses adjust to the light level. It is an excellent option for children, providing them with a built-in pair of sunglasses for when they are outside playing. It is also good for adults, but one important note: the lenses require UV rays in order to activate, and vehicle windshields block UV. This means that they will hardly darken when driving, and as such are not a good option for driving sunglasses, for all other uses they are wonderful!
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Anti-Reflective Coatings
Anti-reflective coatings have been around for many years. Their purpose is to eliminate glare and reflections that are inherent in the materials used to make lenses. The major complaint with this technology has been that no matter what is done to clean the lenses, there is a ‘film’ that will not go away. Another complaint has been that this coating will ‘bubble’ over time and peel off. This problem has been erased in recent years, and if your glasses are showing signs of these problems, it’s time to come in and update your glasses! The newest generation of A.R coatings are easy to clean, with on coating actually eliminating static so that it is harder for dust and dirt to stick to the lens! Plus, these new coatings include a scratch coat that will make the lenses more durable and last longer. Many of these coatings carry a two year warranty. Make sure to ask us about them when you come in for a visit!
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Annual exams encouraged for diabetics
Each year, diabetic eye disease silently robs more than 25,000 Americans of their sight. The disease is a leading cause of blindness in adults between ages 24 and 74. To ensure diabetic eye disease is detected before causing permanent loss of vision, diabetics are encouraged to schedule yearly dilated eye exams. Make sure to schedule your eye exam today! Call us at 540.982.7890.
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Sunglasses: Protection from the Sun
Most people are now aware of the importance of protecting our skin from the sun. But are you protecting your eyes? UV rays are divided into three groups: UV A, UV B and UV C. UV A and B are harmful to our eyes, and prolonged exposure over the years will lead to earlier formation of cataracts, a yellowing of the white part of the eye (called the sclera), the formation of several types of growth on the white part of the eye and on the skin around the eyes, wrinkles around the eyes from squinting, and so on.
Cheap sun glasses are simply dark; they don’t necessarily block UV A and B and only alleviate glare by blocking all light from getting into your eyes. The best type of sunglass will not only block UV A and B but will have Polarized lenses and maybe even an anti-reflective coating. This allows the sunglasses to not be as dark, preserving your natural view while eliminating glare and protecting your eyes. We view this topic as one of the most important yet overlooked aspects of eye care.Barksdale Vision Center stocks many brands of sunglasses to help our patients find what is best for them and we educate them in the office on how to preserve their eyes.
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