Things You Should Know About Cataracts

Cataracts seem to be a more common eye health and vision problem that we hear about today. In part, this is because as patients age you are no longer willing to accept the limitations that decreased vision from cataracts can impose on your day to day activities. This, combined with ability to restore vision loss from cataracts in a safe, effective and predictable manner with cataract surgery and lens implants for vision correction motivates more patients, at early ages, to seek solutions to help us maintain an active, engaged and productive lifestyle.

About Cataracts

Approximately 25 million Americans have cataracts, which cause cloudy, blurry or dim vision and often develop with advancing age. As everyone grows older, the lenses of their eyes thicken and become cloudier. Eventually, they may find it more difficult to read street signs. Colors may seem dull. These symptoms may signal cataracts, which affect about 70 percent of people by age 75. Fortunately, cataracts can be corrected with surgery. Ophthalmologists who are cataract surgeons perform around three million cataract surgeries each year to restore vision to those patients. Here are some facts people should know about cataracts.

• Age isn’t the only risk factor for cataracts. Though most everyone will develop cataracts with age, recent studies show that lifestyle and behavior can influence when and how severely you develop cataracts. Diabetes, extensive exposure to sunlight, smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and certain ethnicities have all been linked to increased risk of cataracts. Eye injuries, prior eye surgery and long-term use of steroid medication, perhaps for asthma, allergies or breathing problems or arthritis- can also result in cataracts. If you have any of these and are experiencing blurry or cloudy vision, difficulty with night vision especially glare or haloes, you should schedule an eye exam and alert your eye doctor.
• Cataracts cannot be prevented, but you can lower your risk. Wearing UV-blocking sunglasses and brimmed hats when outside can help. Several studies suggest that eating more vitamin C-rich foods may delay how fast cataracts form. Also, avoid smoking cigarettes, which have been shown to increase the risk of cataract development.
• Surgery may help improve more than just your vision. During the procedure, the natural clouded lens is replaced with an artificial lens called an intraocular lens, or IOL, which should improve your vision significantly. Patients have a variety of lenses to choose from, each with different benefits. Lens implants today can correct a full range of vision and help you see clearly at far, arm’s length and near-without being dependent on eyeglasses! While this is great for many patients, studies have shown that cataract surgery can improve quality of life and reduce the risk of falling which is a potentially serious risk and problem for seniors. If you think a cataract is possibly interfering with your ability to see well you should schedule an eye exam and alert your eye doctor.

If you or some you know is experiencing cataract symptoms such as cloudy foggy vision, glare or difficult night driving and would like to learn more about cataract surgery & lens implants please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google+ or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

LASIK & Soft Contact Lens Vision

Vision with Laser Vision Correction after Wearing Soft Contacts

If you wear soft contact lenses and been thinking about LASIK you know the benefit of not having to wear eyeglasses for seeing clearly at distance. But, you may wonder how well LASIK will correct your vision. Another common question is how long you may have to go without wearing your contacts before you can have LASIK, and will that change your results.  A recent

Study reported in the journal of the British Contact Lens Association, Contact Lenses & Anterior Eye compared the vision results of soft contact lens wearers with both LASIK and PRK among groups of people who had stopped wearing their soft contacts for 2 weeks before their laser vision correction, others 24 hours before laser vision correction and those who didn’t wear contact lenses at all prior to laser vision correction.

Results of Laser Vision Correction Compared to Soft Contact Lenses

The patients who had stopped wearing their contacts 2 weeks before having laser eye surgery to correct nearsightedness, vision without glasses was significantly better at one month, and at six months after having laser vision correction was even better than those who had never worn contacts, but only glasses!

If you are a soft contact lens wearer thinking about LASIK or PRK please schedule a free consultation at Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google+ or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Kids’ Back to School Eye Exams

Time for Kids’ Back to School Eye Exams

With back-to-school time around the corner, parents will be scrambling to buy new school supplies and clothes. As they tick off their long list of school to-dos, we are reminding moms and dads not to neglect one of the most important learning tools: their children’s eyes. Good vision and overall eye health are vital to learning. Because children are still growing, being vigilant about eye health is important.

Tips for Kids’ Healthy Eyes & Vision

Get Regular Childhood Vision Screenings - Children’s eyes change rapidly, making regular vision screenings a key step in detecting and correcting eye problems early. In addition to screenings for infants, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends further vision screening for children when they are:

>Pre-School age, between age 3 and 3 and a half

>Entering School

>Experiencing a Possible Vision Problem 

Know and Share Your Family Eye Health History - Everyone should find out whether eye conditions or diseases run in their family. Parents should share that information with the person performing the screening or eye exam when possible. Examples of common eye conditions include nearsightedness, crossed eye, known as strabismus, and lazy eye, known as amblyopia. If these are not treated in childhood, they can cause permanent vision loss in one eye.   

Watch for Signals of Eye Problems - Parents should be alert to symptoms that could indicate an eye or vision problem, such as complaints of eyestrain, headaches and squinting when reading or performing other common activities. Other symptoms to look for include a white or grayish-white coloring in the pupil, one eye that turns in or out, or eyes that do not track in sync together.

Wear Protective Eyewear When Playing Sports - Eye injuries while playing sports can cause serious damage, whether by getting smacked with an elbow during basketball or hit with a hockey stick. If your child plays racket sports, hockey, field hockey, baseball or basketball, consider having them wear goggles or other certified protective eyewear. 

If you or someone you know has a child that needs to schedule an eye exam please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google+ or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Vision Problems in Preschool Children

Vision problems and visual impairment in preschool children can lead to learning and development problems that impacts long term academic and even social success. Researchers reporting in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology studied the prevalence, demographic and geographic variations of visual impairment in kids and projected what might lie ahead.

In 2015, more than 174 000 children aged 3 to 5 years in the United States were visually impaired. Almost 121 000 of these cases (69%) arose from simple uncorrected refractive error, and 43 000 (25%) from bilateral amblyopia. The number of preschool children with visual impairment is projected to increase by 26% in 2060. Hispanic white children will account for the largest number and proportion of cases, followed by African American children.

This study suggests that the number of preschool children with visual impairment is projected to increase disproportionally, especially among minority populations. Vision screening for refractive error and related eye diseases may prevent a high proportion of preschool children from experiencing unnecessary visual impairment and associated developmental delays.

If you or someone you know has a child that needs to schedule an eye exam please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google+ or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Stroke Warning: Retinal Artery Blockage!

Retinal Artery Blockage May Warn of Impending Stroke

A certain retinal vessel disease may be a warning of an impending stroke! When an artery or vein in the retina becomes blocked or “occluded” it can be a sign of more serious health issues that need to be looked-quickly! A central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a disease of the eye where the flow of blood through the central retinal artery is blocked. Patients suffering from a central artery occlusion experience a sudden, severe, painless loss of vision in one eye. While there can be several different causes of the blockage, most often a central retinal artery occlusion is caused by unhealthy carotid arteries which supply the head and neck with oxygen. Unhealthy carotid arteries are those that have atherosclerosis, are narrowed and filled with a waxy fatty substance that forms plaques that can break off and end up in the retinal circulation. Retinal artery occlusion is a significant warning of a stroke risk and indeed more than 15% of the patients having a central retinal artery occlusion experience a stroke within 4 years after the artery blockage.

A retinal artery occlusion is a medical emergency as the loss of vision is fast an irreversible.  If you or someone you know experiences a quick painless severe loss of vision in one eye, please call us immediately and relay your symptoms to the person taking your phone and request an immediate appointment. Please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google+ or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Sunglasses Help Protect You from Serious Eye Problems!

With summer in full swing, the days are longer, the sun hotter, and the threat from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays, greater. Excess sun exposure can put you at risk of serious short-term and long-term eye problems. This is true for young and old, year-round. Prevention is simple. Wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet radiation.

Keeping Your Eyes Safe from the Sun

When shopping for sunglasses always ask the optician, or look for a tag or label that says 100% protection against both UVA and UVB or 100% protection against UV 400. UV protection is the essential piece you need to look for in a pair of sunglasses. Darkness and color do not indicate the strength of UV protection, and neither does the price tag! There is no doubt about the consequences of not protecting your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays. If your eyes are exposed to strong sunlight for too long without proper protection, UV rays can burn the cornea-called photokeratitis- and cause temporary blindness in a matter of hours. Long-term sun exposure is linked to more serious eye disease, such as cataracts, certain types eyelid cancer and growths on or near the eye. A lifetime of exposure also likely increases progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition that can cause blindness. In addition to wearing UV protecting sunglasses, also consider wearing a hat with broad brim. They have been shown to significantly cut exposure to harmful rays. Also, don’t forget the sunscreen! 

If you or someone you know wants to learn more about UV damage to the eye or select and be fit with proper sunglasses, please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google+ or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Smartphones & Dry Eyes in Kids

Symptoms of dry eyes and dry eye disease as well as ocular fatigue are known problems that can result from the excessive use of video display terminals. Kids today spend an awful lot of time texting on smartphones, playing games on smartphones and generally just engaged with various apps on smartphones. Researchers were interested in learning more about any increased risk and progression of pediatric dry eye disease that might be associated with smartphone use. Not unexpected was the conclusion that increased VDT use such as smartphones or computers in children was found to be associated with the occurrence of ocular surface symptoms of dryness and fatigue. Also somewhat expected was the clinical finding that the longer the kids used the smartphones the greater the symptoms and disturbance of the eyes’ surface. The authors then suggested being aware of excessive smartphone use in kids and educating them as to reducing their use of smartphones if they become troubled by eye fatigue or dryness symptoms.

If you have kids that are heavy users of smartphones or iPads or tablets of any type and they complain about dry eyes, grittiness, sandiness or have red burning eyes and even eye fatigue, please be aware that the VDT may be having a negative impact on the child and schedule an appointment so that we be sure there are no other eye problems. Please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google+ or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.