The Vision Doc

Have a vision question?

2012-03-18T20:46:00.000-05:00

We get many emails as our readership continues to grow. If you would like a general topic discussed, please email us at eyeq@eyeq.pro . We will consider your topic! We would love for you to share any vision care experience with us!

For specific advice, we likely would need to see you in person, or ask you to visit your doctor.

Keratoconus is more common...

2012-03-18T20:35:00.000-05:00

Have you been told your vision cannot be corrected 'any better'? Let's rule out Keratoconus.
Keratoconus is a corneal problem due to excessive rubbing of the eyes. This may trigger a gene within the cells to degenerate corneal tissue resulting in thinning, and eventual bulging of the corneal membrane, distorting vision. The diagnosis can sometimes be elusive, as many years can pass until changes to the corneal curvature are noticable upon exam.
When patients come to the office, they usually have been to many doctors, and are visually frustrated. It's okay to be scared, that's normal. Especially when surgery may be the only option. But, all fears aside, if the rest of your eyes are healthy, the prognosis for treatment is usually excellent.
Options for treatment include hybrid contact lenses, a mix of hard and soft, for improved comfort and vision. This is a great option for people who 'tried everything'. Mini-scleral contacts work well too. These are larger then gas permeable lenses, and now made in plastics FDA approved for long wear. The latest KeraSoft contacts are fine for those who need comfort, and have a mild case of Keratoconus. Intacts, transplants and crosslinking are all available surgically to help normalize the corneal, but the outcome likely will need vision correction.
I believe Keratoconus is underdiagnosed and more common that stated in literature-- or maybe we just happen to see more people who have been diagnosed seeking out doctors like us .. to get another opinion.

What was that you said?

2011-11-20T16:11:00.000-06:00

Everyday people are having eye exams and taking their eyesight for granted. Yesterday was no different. Meet Sarah (not real name) who is 27years old and working in the fashion industry. She had been to a few different doctors to get help with her vision--and searched our practice out on the internet. "Astigmatism," she tells me, "is why my vision is so bad" and "it's never good with any contact lens or eyeglasses."
After questioning her further, she admitted to sleeping in her contact lenses, using 'the cheapest' solutions for lens care, alway looked for 'bargains,' and 'only came when there was an eye problem'- which were frequent.
It turns out, the lenses she was wearing, belonged to her sister. Sarah diagnosed herself with astigmatism based on discussions with her parents (mom has 'astigmatism')!
Luckily, we were able to set her straight on the proper use and fittting of her contact lenses. Perhaps, she now understands the value of professional eye care-- and is thankful for it.

Another first

2011-09-11T07:10:00.000-05:00

A couple of days ago we were selected to be one of the first few hundred centers in the United States to fit the Duette Multifocal contact lens. These are fit for people with blurry close and distance vision, including astigmatism. The Duette contact lens has the magnification for reading around the lens, not just the bottom like eyeglasses-- thus, you can look straight and see a computer, without having to tilt your head! The first patients fitted were delighted. Some of these folks had previously worn 'mono-vision', some had never worn contacts and others had tried to wear other contacts, but vision was blurry! Although there may be a great deal of hype, and high expectation for this new technology-- the Duette Multifocal really works in correcting vision at all distances. And this technology appears to have it all-- great vision, easy to handle and soft lens comfort. The lenses cost several hundred dollars, and patients are custom fitted. It's great to have another option for people who hate wearing bifocal eyeglasses.

Another opinion

2011-05-29T07:13:00.000-05:00

Last week was busy with red irritated eye visits. This time of year, seems like allergies are a big problem, and lots of physicians prescribe allergy eye drops. This one patient, we will call J., 45 year old who lived about thirty miles from us, had seen 3 doctors. Each had diagnosed an allergy, and each doctor prescribed something different. When she came to the office, we noticed a distinct haze on the front surface of each eye (cornea). This was also making her vision blurry. No pain, no itch, no watery eyes, no contact lenses ever worn. After one look, we figured this was a corneal dystrophy most likely causing dry eye and blurry vision. This case can also be treated with contact lenses to help with vision. After a week of treatment, J. was back to normal, but will need periodic treatment to keep everything clear and moist.

Half Full or Half Empty?

2011-02-26T05:54:00.000-06:00

Back in the 80's, RK was a popular option to correct vision. This used 'cuts' to change the front surface of the eye (cornea) done in a radial fashion like spokes on a wheel--supposedly to normalize vision. Mr. Q came to us with his vision frustration, after going 'all over' since having RK. His cornea was distorted resulting in variable vision throughout the day. This is not uncommon with post RK patients. Although Mr. Q had RK in hopes to relieve himself of wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses-- it was apparent, the only solution to correct vision, other than more risky surgery, was a special contact lens design. I fit him in a 'hybrid' lens having both rigid and soft materials mixed together-- having comfort of soft lenses, but vision like harder lenses. This worked to 'hold' the shape of Mr. Q's eyes to bring him great vision again. However, Mr. Q was not totally satisfied because now he has to wear special contact lenses. Perhaps he should be looking at the glass being half full...

100, 000+ ways to fill your prescription

2011-01-13T06:22:00.002-06:00

When I was a teenager, I worked for a chain of stores doing lab work to make eyeglasses. Then I started fitting eyewear as people from all walks of life entered with their prescription. 'All eyes are different' said the owner of this successful Michigan chain, and 'make sure people always understand all of their options.'

But today, more people want to be on their own to discover 'all of their options.' So, after many years of collaboration with other eyewear experts, we offer OpticalDirect... and you can just click or call for help when needed. It's educational, it's easy and a great way to try on as many pairs of eyeglasses as you want... virtually.

Eyesight issues with hyperglycemia

2011-01-07T23:42:00.000-06:00

Last week we saw a woman who had been to several doctors. Every eyeglass Rx she got varied so much, and she could not see well with anything given. Of course, by the time she came to us, she was very frustrated and dubious we could do any better. At 26 years old, and reportedly good health, with a preliminary Rx for mild nearsightedness, all seemed very straightforward. But because of her past issues elsewhere, we had her blood sugar tested, and found it higher than normal. It was determined her body just could not keep the sugar metabolized properly, and this caused changes to her vision. After care for hyperglycemia, her vision return to normal and she did not need eyeglasses.

10 year old finds vision

2010-11-06T07:17:00.000-05:00

The past week was one of those weeks where all the odd vision disorders came out. Yes, I think it was a full moon. This one is about a boy who was left for blind in his left eye from viral meningitis. The virus actually incapacitated his brain function to the point of coma. With all the docs scratching their head, he recovered and managed to climb back into normal life. When I examined him, eye health normal, and some slow focus issues. With a pair of eyeglasses, and perhaps vision training to speed focus, this boy should succeed to catch up for lost time splendidly. He is well on his way...

New Astigmatism (Toric) contact lens study

2010-10-22T14:42:00.001-05:00

We are conducting a study for people who have been unsuccessful with astigmatism (toric) contact lenses. The new Synergeyes Duette is being fit in selected offices across the country for people with moderate to severe astigmatism. If you had a comprehensive eye exam within the past 6 months, just bring us your records, and eyeglass prescription. Schedule appointment to see Dr Kurtin for a contact lens evaluation and fitting service and get fitted with the new Duette. Reduced fees apply for this study through December 31, 2010. See and feel for yourself...

MultiFokus 2GP now available!

2010-07-18T11:58:00.000-05:00

The original MultiFokus GP contact lenses (www.multifokus.com) were developed to help people who want sharp clear vision in the distance and close-up. Designed for people with focusing issues, or need bifocals, these lenses are great for people who spent lots of time staring at computers.

MultiFokus 2GP takes vision one step further. Not only can these provide clear vision at all angles, they can be worn overnight. This allows for more flexible wearing schedules, and allows for improvement to your vision. Some people have found a temporary reduction in nearsightedness for several hours. The eyes' front surface changes to match the prescription on the lenses, thus normalizing your vision. It works!

No Glasses. No Contacts. No Surgery.

2009-09-04T23:18:00.003-05:00

It's called 'The DreamLens'....
FDA approved to correct vision while sleeping since the turn of the century. This treatment has been shown to reduce nearsightedness as children grow. It's safe and effective to be worn throughout life and can also help people who need bifocals. Correct your vision while sleeping.. and see the next day without glasses or contacts.

Welcome

2009-09-04T04:23:00.000-05:00

Welcome to The Vision Doc. Anything you want to know about vision, you just let me know. Vision is one of the 5 senses (or 6 , if you believe in 'Telepathy,' like me) that often gets trivialized-- usually until a sight threatening event arises. So, the idea of having this blog is to share tidbits of information, gathered from your questions, comments and concerns. I welcome your thoughts wherever you are in the world.