Cataracts are something that everyone develops as they get older. A cataract is a cloudiness of the natural lens of your eye. When this happens, your vision gets blurry. You also may have more difficulty driving at night or in the rain. You may see halos around lights and are more bothered by glare. Colors appear to be washed out. When your vision is no longer correctable to 20/20 with glasses or contact lenses anymore, it's probably time to start thinking about cataract surgery.
Well...a new study mentions that visual impairment has been associated with lower cognitive ability among older adults. And the study shows that improved vision after cataract surgery is associated with slower cognitive decline. Although the study doesn't identify the mechanism to explain the relationship of reduced brain function and cataracts, it's thought that more sensory input to the brain is better for cognitive function.
The difference is pretty significant. Cataract surgery can slow down cognitive decline as much as 50%! The same goes with hearing loss. Those who wearing hearing aids for hearing loss can reduce cognitive decline up to 75%!
As an optometrist, I diagnose and manage cataract patients, recommending cataract surgery when the time is right. Will this study influence me to recommend cataract surgery sooner than later? Maybe. What I can tell you is that the amount of people after cataract surgery who say "I wish I would have done this (cataract surgery) sooner" is very high.
So, if your vision is blurred or you have any of the other symptoms at the beginning of this blog post, please consider coming in to our office for an eye exam. Maybe you'll just need an update in your eyeglasses or contact lens prescription. But if you are having issues due to cataracts, I'll make you to get you the right referral for cataract surgery when you're ready...sooner than later, of course!
Many people needlessly suffer with dry eye, and think that it's "normal." Dry eye disease causes blurred vision, watering, redness, burning, itching, foreign-body-sensation, grittiness, irritation and so on. Dry eye is more common today than 10-20 years ago due to the increase in use of digital devices: cell phones, tablets and computers.
I recognized a need for an Dry Eye Center in Berks County, so that our office can adequately diagnose, manage and treat dry eye effectively! I'd like to introduce a new piece of equipment to the office called the Oculus Keratograph 5M. This instrument measures the curvature of the eye to help with complex contact lens fittings. BUT, it also contains advanced instrumentation and software to analyze the meibomian glands...the glands that produce normal tears. If your meibomian glands are clogged or not functioning properly, you're more likely to suffer from Dry Eye Disease.
Oculus Keratograph 5M
After determining that you have dry eye, I will get you on a treatment plan to alleviate your dry eye symptoms. It may be as simple as using artificial tear eye drops and hot compresses. Or we may have to add Restasis or Ziidra, two prescription medications that act on the anti-inflammatory pathways that typically cause dry eye. Using medicated eyelid wipes and high quality fish oil supplements with an appropriate amount of EPA and DHA will also assist in reducing those nagging dry eye symptoms.
So, if you've been suffering from dry eye long enough, and you're finally ready to do something about it, please contact our office to schedule an appointment for a dry eye evaluation.
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Press Release to Berk-Mont Newspapers published online 10/13/14. Link to the article here.
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Stores that sell contact lenses without a prescription is illegal.
Those who purchase decorative contact lenses as an accessory for a
Halloween costume can put their eyes at risk, warns Dr. Brendon J.
Weaver from Weaver Eye Care Associates in Bernville.
There are many different designs of Halloween contact lenses out
there: crazy, funny, scary, in any color, size and shape imaginable.
However, if these lenses are purchased without a prescription from an
optometrist, they could lead to blurred vision, red and irritated eyes,
and eye infections that can cause irreversible vision loss.
“Whether they correct your vision or not, all contact lenses,
including Halloween or decorative-only contacts, are considered medical
devices by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” said Dr.
Brendon J. Weaver in Bernville.
Halloween contacts are commonly sold at Halloween costume stores
and flea markets, as well as beauty salons, convenience stores and the
Internet. These contact lenses put consumers’ eyes at risk for bacterial
infections, allergic reactions, and inflammation, which may then
require a medical visit with your local optometrist to treat the
corresponding problem.
“Consumers may feel they’re saving money by skipping the trip to
the eye doctor to get properly fitted with decorative contact lenses.
However, not only do over-the-counter contact lenses pose a higher risk
of eye problems, but the consumer’s perceived savings may go right out
the window with the numerous office visit co-pays and eye-drop
medications prescribed to treat the eye problems resulting from those
lenses,” added Dr. Weaver, who created a YouTube video warning consumers on the risk of wearing Halloween contact lenses (found below).
According to the AOA’s 2013 American Eye-Q® consumer survey, 17
percent of Americans have worn decorative contact lenses that don’t
provide vision correction as part of a costume or for other cosmetic
purposes. Of those individuals, 24 percent purchased them without a
prescription from a source other than an eye doctor—a great concern to
doctors of optometry.
If someone is interested in wearing decorative contact lenses for
Halloween, it’s important for the optometrist to examine that person’s
eyes to make sure they are healthy enough to support the wear of contact
lenses. The optometrist will select the appropriate material,
curvature, diameter and power (if corrective vision needed as well in
the specialty contacts) to ensure that the lenses are fitting their best
and that the patient has the best possible vision and comfort with
those lenses.
The American Optometric Association offers the following recommendations for all contact lens wearers:
Wear contact lenses only if they are fitted and prescribed by an optometrist.
Do not purchase contact lenses from gas stations, video stores,
websites, or any other place not authorized by law to dispense contact
lenses.
Make sure contact lenses are properly cleaned and disinfected as instructed by your eye-care professional.
Make sure you wash your hands before handling and cleaning your contact lenses.
Never swap or share contact lenses with anyone.
Never sleep while wearing contact lenses unless they are extended-wear lenses specifically designed for that purpose.
Information on violations should be well documented and reported
to the FTC as quickly as possible with a request for FTC investigation
and action. Violations can be reported to the FTC electronically
directly through the FTC website, https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov.
If a consumer has been harmed or injured due to the illegal sales
of Halloween contact lenses, report the incident to the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) through the FDA’s website,
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/HowToReport/ucm085568.htm.
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Please share to those thinking about wearing Halloween Contact lenses this year!
