N e w s l e t t e r

Volume 3, Issue 1

In this issue:

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

For millions of Americans, the threat of vision loss is all too real. However, only half of them are aware that they have a potentially blinding eye disease.
Read More..

The New Generation of Contact Lenses

Bifocals, multifocals, even corrections for astigmatism — with today's contact lenses, you may never need glasses again.
Read More..

More Than Just Fashionable Frames

Wrapped frame designs are all the rage in sunwear these days. But their sleek, stylish good looks are only the icing on the cake. Wrapped designs perform a protective function.
Read More..

Four Things to Know Before You Buy Your Next Pair of Glasses at Northland Eye Care

Part One of Four: Focus on the Lenses. What Type of Lenses do You Need?
Read More..

Extras:

Other Sites: Hale-Qamar Cataract & LASIK Center

Northland Eye Care provides LASIK services co-managed with Hale-Qamar Cataract & LASIK Center of Scottsdale.
Visit Hale-Qamar

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Blind Person Walking For millions of Americans, the threat of vision loss is all too real. However, only half of them are aware that they have a potentially blinding eye disease. Glaucoma destroys peripheral vision and, over time, can cause blindness. The “sneak thief of sight” has no warning signs until sight has already been diminished. Once sight has been lost to glaucoma, it cannot be restored.

Read more by visiting Prevent Blindness America.

The New Generation of Contact Lenses

Bifocals, multifocals, even corrections for astigmatism — with today's contact lenses, you may never need glasses again.

First you wonder when they started printing menus in such tiny type. Then it's your computer: Did somebody fiddle with the display size? And what's with maps?

Welcome to presbyopia, the midlife vision change that makes it hard to read small print up close or focus on near objects. If you've never needed glasses, it may be time for your first pair. If you've been using contacts for distance, you may have to pop on reading glasses when you want to, well, read. And if you've been wearing glasses for distance, you may need to switch to bifocals or progressive lenses (which correct at multiple distances).

Or maybe not. Breakthroughs in contact lens technology are coming so fast that even if you tried contacts in the past and they didn't work for you, they're worth trying again.

Lenses That Breathe

If you ever gave up on contacts because they were too uncomfortable (as one-third or more patients do), consider lenses made of silicone hydrogel, a permeable plastic that allows six to seven times more oxygen to reach the cornea than regular soft lenses do. This not only makes them more comfortable, it also minimizes the problems that plague wearers of other contacts: redness, dryness, swelling of the cornea, and corneal infections. Roughly half of the contacts being fitted today are made of silicone hydrogel. Note: These are slightly stiffer than regular lenses, so you might need a little time to get used to them.

The FDA has approved some silicone hydrogel contact lenses for up to 30 days and nights of continuous wear. Even during such a long stretch, they're as safe as the soft seven-day lenses worn continuously: With either, you have a 1 in 2,500 chance of developing an infection that harms vision. Any infections that do arise with silicone hydrogel are generally less aggressive and more treatable.

Sleeping At Night You can bring down that 1 in 2,500 figure even more by removing your lenses before bed. Leaving any kind of soft lens in overnight increases your chance of infection — up to seven times. Just because silicone hydrogel lenses are approved for continuous use doesn't mean it's the best thing to do.

Lenses for Near, Far and In-Between

Bifocals correct both up-close and distance vision. In the past, many wearers complained that these lenses didn't do either well enough. New bifocal lens designs work better. Some models alternate near/distant/near/distant in concentric rings from top to bottom. Others provide distance correction in the center of one eye, with near correction in an outer ring; the other lens reverses the setup.

Bifocals take getting used to, as do all lenses that provide correction at different distances. You need to learn to ignore the part of the image that's not in focus. Some people can do it, some can't.

Monovision lenses. With these, one lens corrects your dominant eye solely for distance, and the other lens corrects the other eye for near vision. While many people find monovision lenses easier to use than bifocals, you lose some depth perception, which can interfere with driving or playing sports. Also, you don't get any mid-range correction, needed at the computer. You can opt for an intermediate-¬distance lens in place of the one for near vision, but then you may have trouble reading small print.

Multifocals give you all three: near, mid-range, and distance correction. While older studies show that only half of patients stayed with multifocals, today some practitioners say the number is closer to 70 percent. You're a good candidate if you're just beginning to have trouble with near vision and you regularly use a computer.

Lenses for Special Problems

Toric. Soft contacts were once out of the question if you had astigmatism — blurred vision typically caused by an irregularly shaped cornea. Now there are soft toric lenses, created with varying prescription powers that correct the problem.

Moisturizing. Eye dryness can be an issue for anyone who lives in a dry climate like Arizona, but it can become a major challenge for lens wearers — and it gets worse at middle age. Several new contacts come with claims that they minimize dryness (for one brand, CooperVision Proclear, the claim has been approved by the FDA). Anecdotal evidence suggests that moisturizing contacts help somewhat, but haven't completely solved the problem. Ditto for drops. Formulas are improving, but aren't totally doing the trick yet either. However, there are other methods for helping dry eye symptoms, so don’t get discouraged.

Bright Sun UV protection. Several companies make contacts that filter out damaging UV rays. They shouldn't replace sunglasses, however. Contacts cover only the inner circle of the eye surface, not the whites of the eyes; they also don't protect the eyelids, where sun-related cancers are most likely to crop up.

Safety Update

In May, the FDA issued an alert about Complete MoisturePlus Multi-Purpose Solution. The contact lens product, made by Advanced Medical Optics, had been linked to an unusual number of serious eye infections (Acanthamoeba keratitis), caused by a parasite.

In 2006, a different solution, Bausch & Lomb's ReNu with MoistureLoc, was linked to a fungal infection. In that case, a reformulation of the solution had inadvertently created an environment in which fungi thrived. But researchers also found that lens wearers who'd been careless about cleaning and replacing solution every day were the ones who got infections. These products have been taken off the market, but you still need to:

Wash hands before putting in or taking out lenses.
Rub your lenses when you clean them; soaking alone doesn't remove debris.
Clean your lens case daily (with hot water). Let it air-dry, rinse with multipurpose solution, and fill it with fresh supply. Never top off old solution with new.
Keep your eyes moist. Use rewetting drops or artificial tears several times a day.

More Than Just Fashionable Frames

Sunglasses Wrapped frame designs are all the rage in sunwear these days. But their sleek, stylish good looks are only the icing on the cake. Wrapped designs perform a protective function. The orbital rim of an eye’s socket has a fair degree of curvature to it. Just run your fingers along the eyebrow of one of your eyes and you will feel just how steep this curvature is.

Wrapped eyewear frames are designed to mimic this curvature so that the frames essentially lie on the plane of the eye’s orbital rim. This means that wrapped eyewear that is properly glazed will provide eye protection for flying objects like dust, dirt, cinders, and other airborne particles. Think how important this can be to a motorcycle rider driving at 65 MPH or a person standing on a sandy beach when wind whips up the sand from an approaching thunderstorm. They may be good looking, but wrapped frames are also mighty functional.

Four Things to Know Before You Buy Your
Next Pair of Glasses at Northland Eye Care

Part One of a Four Part Series

Focus on the lenses. What type of lenses do you need?

Glasses There are several different types of lenses. Here is a brief listing.

Single Vision:

Single vision lenses are made for just Distance or just Reading.

Reading lenses are strictly for reading or up close work.

Multi-Focal:

Multi-focal lenses have more than one power or prescription in them and are made so it is no longer necessary to switch glasses back and forth.

Progressive lenses are the most technologically advanced lenses, giving the greatest range of natural vision.

Bifocals are for both distance and reading. They have a visible line separating the reading part from the rest of the lens.

Trifocals have three parts to them, also separated by visible lines on the lenses. The top part of the lens is for distance the second part for arms length and the third part is for reading or up close work.

Other Types Of Lenses:

Computer lenses and Office lenses are made specifically for the office worker. These lenses help the transition from computers, paperwork, and co-workers.

For those with high prescriptions, Mid-Index, High-Index, or Polycarbonate lenses can make thick lenses thinner.

Materials:

Polycarbonate lenses are about half the thickness and weight of a plastic lens, and are the most impact resistant. We recommend these lenses for higher prescriptions as well as all children and anyone who participates in sports or other activities. This is the safest lens currently on the market.

Mid or High-Index lenses are made out of stronger, thinner plastics, ranging in index from 1.56 to 1.74. The higher the number is, the thinner the lens. These are used for strong prescriptions.

Plastic lenses are the most basic lenses and are good for lower prescriptions, as they will get thicker and heavier, the stronger the prescription is.

Glass lenses are the most scratch resistant, but the least safe of all lens materials. They are heavy and can be thick. These lenses can shatter when broken or chipped and can cause injury to the eyes.

For help finding the right lens for you, call us at (928) 226-9300 or stop by. Any one of the staff here can help.

We'll continue with part two of the series: Four Things to Know Before You Buy Your Next Pair of Glasses at Northland Eye Care in the next issue of our newsletter.



N e w s l e t t e r Volume 3, Issue 1 In this issue: January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month For millions of Americans, the threat of vision loss is all too real. However, only half of them are aware that they have a potentially blinding eye disease. Read More.. The New Generation of Contact Lenses Bifocals, multifocals, even corrections for astigmatism — with today's contact lenses, you may never need glasses again. Read More.. More Than Just Fashionable Frames Wrapped frame designs are all the rage in sunwear these days. But their sleek, stylish good looks are only the icing on the cake. Wrapped designs perform a protective function. Read More.. Four Things to Know Before You Buy Your Next Pair of Glasses at Northland Eye Care Part One of Four: Focus on the Lenses. What Type of Lenses do You Need? Read More.. Extras: Other Sites: Hale-Qamar Cataract & LASIK Center Northland Eye Care provides LASIK services co-managed with Hale-Qamar Cataract & LASIK Center of Scottsdale. Visit Hale-Qamar	January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month For millions of Americans, the threat of vision loss is all too real. However, only half of them are aware that they have a potentially blinding eye disease. Glaucoma destroys peripheral vision and, over time, can cause blindness. The “sneak thief of sight” has no warning signs until sight has already been diminished. Once sight has been lost to glaucoma, it cannot be restored. Read more by visiting Prevent Blindness America. The New Generation of Contact Lenses Bifocals, multifocals, even corrections for astigmatism — with today's contact lenses, you may never need glasses again. First you wonder when they started printing menus in such tiny type. Then it's your computer: Did somebody fiddle with the display size? And what's with maps? Welcome to presbyopia, the midlife vision change that makes it hard to read small print up close or focus on near objects. If you've never needed glasses, it may be time for your first pair. If you've been using contacts for distance, you may have to pop on reading glasses when you want to, well, read. And if you've been wearing glasses for distance, you may need to switch to bifocals or progressive lenses (which correct at multiple distances). Or maybe not. Breakthroughs in contact lens technology are coming so fast that even if you tried contacts in the past and they didn't work for you, they're worth trying again. Lenses That Breathe If you ever gave up on contacts because they were too uncomfortable (as one-third or more patients do), consider lenses made of silicone hydrogel, a permeable plastic that allows six to seven times more oxygen to reach the cornea than regular soft lenses do. This not only makes them more comfortable, it also minimizes the problems that plague wearers of other contacts: redness, dryness, swelling of the cornea, and corneal infections. Roughly half of the contacts being fitted today are made of silicone hydrogel. Note: These are slightly stiffer than regular lenses, so you might need a little time to get used to them. The FDA has approved some silicone hydrogel contact lenses for up to 30 days and nights of continuous wear. Even during such a long stretch, they're as safe as the soft seven-day lenses worn continuously: With either, you have a 1 in 2,500 chance of developing an infection that harms vision. Any infections that do arise with silicone hydrogel are generally less aggressive and more treatable. You can bring down that 1 in 2,500 figure even more by removing your lenses before bed. Leaving any kind of soft lens in overnight increases your chance of infection — up to seven times. Just because silicone hydrogel lenses are approved for continuous use doesn't mean it's the best thing to do. Lenses for Near, Far and In-Between Bifocals correct both up-close and distance vision. In the past, many wearers complained that these lenses didn't do either well enough. New bifocal lens designs work better. Some models alternate near/distant/near/distant in concentric rings from top to bottom. Others provide distance correction in the center of one eye, with near correction in an outer ring; the other lens reverses the setup. Bifocals take getting used to, as do all lenses that provide correction at different distances. You need to learn to ignore the part of the image that's not in focus. Some people can do it, some can't. Monovision lenses. With these, one lens corrects your dominant eye solely for distance, and the other lens corrects the other eye for near vision. While many people find monovision lenses easier to use than bifocals, you lose some depth perception, which can interfere with driving or playing sports. Also, you don't get any mid-range correction, needed at the computer. You can opt for an intermediate-¬distance lens in place of the one for near vision, but then you may have trouble reading small print. Multifocals give you all three: near, mid-range, and distance correction. While older studies show that only half of patients stayed with multifocals, today some practitioners say the number is closer to 70 percent. You're a good candidate if you're just beginning to have trouble with near vision and you regularly use a computer. Lenses for Special Problems Toric. Soft contacts were once out of the question if you had astigmatism — blurred vision typically caused by an irregularly shaped cornea. Now there are soft toric lenses, created with varying prescription powers that correct the problem. Moisturizing. Eye dryness can be an issue for anyone who lives in a dry climate like Arizona, but it can become a major challenge for lens wearers — and it gets worse at middle age. Several new contacts come with claims that they minimize dryness (for one brand, CooperVision Proclear, the claim has been approved by the FDA). Anecdotal evidence suggests that moisturizing contacts help somewhat, but haven't completely solved the problem. Ditto for drops. Formulas are improving, but aren't totally doing the trick yet either. However, there are other methods for helping dry eye symptoms, so don’t get discouraged. UV protection. Several companies make contacts that filter out damaging UV rays. They shouldn't replace sunglasses, however. Contacts cover only the inner circle of the eye surface, not the whites of the eyes; they also don't protect the eyelids, where sun-related cancers are most likely to crop up. Safety Update In May, the FDA issued an alert about Complete MoisturePlus Multi-Purpose Solution. The contact lens product, made by Advanced Medical Optics, had been linked to an unusual number of serious eye infections (Acanthamoeba keratitis), caused by a parasite. In 2006, a different solution, Bausch & Lomb's ReNu with MoistureLoc, was linked to a fungal infection. In that case, a reformulation of the solution had inadvertently created an environment in which fungi thrived. But researchers also found that lens wearers who'd been careless about cleaning and replacing solution every day were the ones who got infections. These products have been taken off the market, but you still need to: Wash hands before putting in or taking out lenses. Rub your lenses when you clean them; soaking alone doesn't remove debris. Clean your lens case daily (with hot water). Let it air-dry, rinse with multipurpose solution, and fill it with fresh supply. Never top off old solution with new. Keep your eyes moist. Use rewetting drops or artificial tears several times a day. More Than Just Fashionable Frames Wrapped frame designs are all the rage in sunwear these days. But their sleek, stylish good looks are only the icing on the cake. Wrapped designs perform a protective function. The orbital rim of an eye’s socket has a fair degree of curvature to it. Just run your fingers along the eyebrow of one of your eyes and you will feel just how steep this curvature is. Wrapped eyewear frames are designed to mimic this curvature so that the frames essentially lie on the plane of the eye’s orbital rim. This means that wrapped eyewear that is properly glazed will provide eye protection for flying objects like dust, dirt, cinders, and other airborne particles. Think how important this can be to a motorcycle rider driving at 65 MPH or a person standing on a sandy beach when wind whips up the sand from an approaching thunderstorm. They may be good looking, but wrapped frames are also mighty functional. Four Things to Know Before You Buy Your Next Pair of Glasses at Northland Eye Care Part One of a Four Part Series Focus on the lenses. What type of lenses do you need? There are several different types of lenses. Here is a brief listing. Single Vision: Single vision lenses are made for just Distance or just Reading. Reading lenses are strictly for reading or up close work. Multi-Focal: Multi-focal lenses have more than one power or prescription in them and are made so it is no longer necessary to switch glasses back and forth. Progressive lenses are the most technologically advanced lenses, giving the greatest range of natural vision. Bifocals are for both distance and reading. They have a visible line separating the reading part from the rest of the lens. Trifocals have three parts to them, also separated by visible lines on the lenses. The top part of the lens is for distance the second part for arms length and the third part is for reading or up close work. Other Types Of Lenses: Computer lenses and Office lenses are made specifically for the office worker. These lenses help the transition from computers, paperwork, and co-workers. For those with high prescriptions, Mid-Index, High-Index, or Polycarbonate lenses can make thick lenses thinner. Materials: Polycarbonate lenses are about half the thickness and weight of a plastic lens, and are the most impact resistant. We recommend these lenses for higher prescriptions as well as all children and anyone who participates in sports or other activities. This is the safest lens currently on the market. Mid or High-Index lenses are made out of stronger, thinner plastics, ranging in index from 1.56 to 1.74. The higher the number is, the thinner the lens. These are used for strong prescriptions. Plastic lenses are the most basic lenses and are good for lower prescriptions, as they will get thicker and heavier, the stronger the prescription is. Glass lenses are the most scratch resistant, but the least safe of all lens materials. They are heavy and can be thick. These lenses can shatter when broken or chipped and can cause injury to the eyes. For help finding the right lens for you, call us at (928) 226-9300 or stop by. Any one of the staff here can help. We'll continue with part two of the series: Four Things to Know Before You Buy Your Next Pair of Glasses at Northland Eye Care in the next issue of our newsletter.

All Content Copyright © 2008 Northland Eye Care, PC - All Rights Reserved To manage your subscriptions to our emails, please click here. This message was sent to our Monthly News mailing list. You may unsubscribe from this list only by replying to this message with the subject 'unsubscribe'.