Taking Care of Little Eyes

Kentucky law requires that all children entering kindergarten or transferring from another state have an eye exam by an optometrist or medical doctor by January 1, following entrance into school. If you have a child entering school in August, call us now to beat the rush.

According to the Optometric Association, five to ten percent of pre-schoolers and 25 percent of school-aged children have vision problems. This can affect both learning and social skills. Playing in the backyard is not as much fun for children who cannot see friends and toys. Once your child starts school, a vision problem can impair her ability to learn. Children who cannot see print or the blackboard may become frustrated.

Vision screenings performed by a pediatrician or school nurse are designed to alert parents to the possibility of a vision problem and are not complete examinations. One study found that 11.3 percent of children who passed a vision screening were found to have a vision problem in need of correction. Common correctable vision problems found in young children include amblyopia (lazy eye) strabismus (crossed eyes) and focusing problems.

Our doctors see patients age three and older. Special tests have been developed to check the vision of children who do not know the alphabet. School-age children with no visual problems should have an eye exam every two to three years. If your child needs glasses or contact lenses, schedule a visit every 12 months. Because some vision problems can be corrected if caught while the child’s vision system is still developing, it is important to have those little eyes checked.

Vitamins and Eye Health

Did you know that taking vitamins can help support healthy eyes? It’s true; a research study sponsored by The National Eye Institute showed that taking vitamin supplements helped to slow the process of advanced macular degeneration. Vitamins also give you valuable nutrients that you need each day for a healthy body and healthy vision. However, taking vitamins should not replace a healthy diet.

Vitamins for eye health have been evaluated for their potential in being therapeutic for eyes. Vitamins C, A and E have been identified in particular because they appear to improve, protect and support eye health. If you eye doctor feels you need added vitamins he or she can instruct you in what eye vitamin or multi-vitamin would be best for you.

If you decide to start taking vitamins and you are pregnant, nursing or taking blood thinners you will want to check with your doctor. Remember that vitamin supplements generally are safe and beneficial but you should always follow label instructions unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

Ophthalmic Photography

Ophthalmic photography is a highly specialized form of medical imaging used for the study and treatment of disorders of the eye. Through the use of state-of-the-art equipment, doctors can document parts of the eye such as the cornea, iris and retina.

The retina is the "film" of the eye. Images passing through the clear structures of the cornea and lens are focused on the retina to give us our view of the world. Special instruments called fundus cameras, when used by skilled photographers, can document the condition of this miraculous anatomical structure.

When fundus photography is performed after the injection of a fluorescent dye into the bloodstream via a vein in the patient's arm, the procedure is called Fluorescein Angiography. With special colored filters, only the dye is photographed as it travels through the vessels in the retina. These studies, performed by ophthalmic photographers and interpreted by ophthalmologists, are used in differentiating one retinal disease from another and in determining appropriate courses of treatment. These diagnostic tests can be done by using special film cameras or even with digital technology.

The slit lamp camera is a horizontally mounted microscope, coupled with special illumination devices used to photograph the cornea. This photo slitlamp produces high magnification views of disorders that would be impossible to observe with the naked eye. Technology now even allows for this to be done digitally.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) uses a general technique of superimposing, or "interfering" two or more light waves which creates an output wave that is different from the input waves. The OCT creates a cross-sectional view of the object being photographed. The OCT is a non-invasive test and very accurately documents abnormalities of the retina and optic nerve head.

Ocular photographic technology has changed drastically in the past several years. Ophthalmologists are now able to diagnose and treat ocular diseases much more quickly now than in the past, largely due to digital photography and other state-of-the-art equipment. Eye care and treatment of ocular diseases has certainly come a long way and continues to be ever-changing for the best.

Walk with The Eye Care Institute To Cure Diabetes

This year The Eye Care Institute will have a major role in the 2008 American Diabetes Association Step Out To Fight Diabetes Walk.

The American Diabetes Association has the mission of Care, Cure, and Commitment to fight diabetes. The Louisville office provides resources, support and education to those with diabetes, and helps fund research to help cure this debilitating disease.

We are committed to helping support the American Diabetes Association reach its goals as diabetes is a leading cause of blindness.

The Walk will be held at Bowman Field on October 18, 2008.

We are inviting you, and all of our patients, to walk on our team. If you do so, you will receive a free Eye Care Institute Walk t-shirt. There is no registration fee. All that is required is a donation directly to the American Diabetes Association.

In an upcoming newsletter, we will offer a link to allow you to sign up online to walk with us.