Can smoking damage my eyes?

Yes, it can increase your risk of developing blinding eye diseases!

#1 Smokers are 4 times more likely to develop macular degeneration.  If you already have macular degeneration, smoking can make it progress more quickly.  Vitamin A is one of the  treatment modalities for macular degeneration, but if it is taken by a smoker, vitamin A can increase the risk of lung cancer. 

#2 Smokers develop cataracts earlier!  They are 3 times more likely to develop cataracts in their late 40's and early 50's - smoking causes a yellowing of the lens inside the eye, making it more vulnerable to cataract development.

Coach update:  The new COACH line has just started shipping out and should be arriving within the next few weeks!!

Tiffany & Co. update:  There has been a lot of questions about the Tiffany line lately.  Our stock was a little low in November and December due to a remake of the line.  Tiffany & Co.  has redesigned their line to be more stylish and younger.  They added a significant amount of plastic frames to mimic their jewelry lines.  The new style just arrived a little over a week ago - come in and try them on!

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that gradually destroys the macula (the area in the back of your eye that is responsible for central 20/20 vision).  AMD comes in 2 forms: wet and dry.  

Dry AMD is when the tissue has degenerated and there is only atrophy (cell death), as opposed to Wet AMD that has blood and fluid leakage in the tissue.  Dry and Wet macular degeneration are treated with a combination of vitamins and minerals to fortify the tissue - slowing the progression.

What is up with the COACH eyeglass and sunglass line?

Last year COACH switched design and distribution companies for it's eyewear.  The newly designed line will be out towards the end of January 2012.  Russell Eyecare has already placed the order for the new line, and it should be arriving soon.  We are VERY excited and will be having a COACH eyewear Trunk Show in April to fully welcome the new line.

What is a Trunk Show for eyewear?

A Trunk Show is when the eyeglass representative comes with ALL the styles of eyeglasses and sunglasses for a particular line (example: Prada, Coach, Ray-Ban, Oakley).

What is do High Definition (HD) lenses mean to me?

This is actually a very popular question.  An HD lens is digitally designed - that means it is NOT a stock prescription lens that is just pulled off a shelf and cut out for your frame.  HD lenses are digitally designed by the computer taking your prescription, measurements, and frame position into consideration.  

The digital design gives you clearer, sharper vision that eliminates peripheral distortion in single vision lenses.  

Question:  Can my vision change while I am pregnant?

Answer:  YES!  During pregnancy, changes in hormone levels, fluid retention, and blood circulation can affect your eyes and vision.  Water retention can result in puffy eyelids and cause your cornea to change shape.  The shape change can cause a shift in your eyeglass or contact lens prescription.  Also, due to the shape change, your contact lenses may not fit the same.  The hormone and circulation changes will impact the tear layer on your eyes - so your eyes may feel dry or more irritated.

I'd like to start by saying.....I've never blogged before.  A few patients have asked that I comment on ocular disease, eyeglass trends, contact lenses, etc.  If you have questions, stop in, call or e-mail and I will try to answer them promptly.  By the way, for those of you who have met Buddy, he says hello.

 

This is the number one statement I hear from all patients:"Doc, please don't air-puff my eyes!!!" 

We don't 'air-puff' you just to torture you - I promise.  This test is one of the 3 screening tests for glaucoma.