Improving Eye Care Through New Technology.

Keeping Your Cornea Healthy with the Konan Specular Microscope

Your cornea is your window to the world. It is the clear front, outer, layer of the eye, and is the most important focusing element of the visual system. The cornea consists of several layers and you must keep these layers healthy to maintain clear vision.

The innermost layer of your cornea is called the endothelium. It is the most fragile layer of the cornea because it only one cell thick. The endothelial cells maintain the fluid balance of the cornea, and a proper fluid balance is necessary to maintain clear vision.

The Konan Specular Microscope is the first clinical instrument to allow us to look at the endothelium in very high detail. Early detection of endothelial damage is important to maintaining cornea health.

Symptoms of corneal endothelial cell damage include morning blur that may clear after several minutes to several hours. This blur can be associated with light sensitivity, or photophobia. If the problems are not resolved, your corneal health can continue to decline.

Risks for corneal endothelial cell damage include:

• Older style contact lenses that do not transmit enough oxygen for your cornea.
• Over-wearing your contact lenses: either the number of hours per day or sleeping with the lenses for too many nights.
• Failure to discard your contact lenses with the proper frequency.
• Past contact lens wearing habits that were incorrect.
• Refractive surgery may negatively affect the cornea.
• Eye diseases including glaucoma, uveitis, and even dry eye!
• Cataract and other eye surgeries can damage the endothelium.
• Diabetes is thought to contribute to endothelial cell changes.

The procedure to evaluate your endothelium is simple, quick, non-invasive, and totally free of any discomfort.

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Macular Integrity: Foresee PHP

One of every five people over age 65 in the U.S. has age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in people over 50. It may cause blindness in about 20% of affected people if not managed correctly.

Foresee PHP is the first comprehensive solution for detecting and monitoring the progress of AMD including the dangerous wet stage that generally does not exhibit symptoms at its early phase.

AMD is a treatable disease. Early and frequent monitoring of patients can detect the disease even before symptoms appear, allowing for early treatment that will save vision.

Most people suffer from "dry AMD." This form progresses slowly and generally does not result in severe vision loss. Many people notice nothing, and will just add more light for reading.

There is nothing normal about dry AMD, particularly if it progresses to the more severe "wet AMD." 15 to 20 percent of people with intermediate stage dry AMD will progress to the wet form.

In wet AMD tiny blood vessels beneath the retina surface grow out of control. The resulting damage from the fluid leakage can be devastating, and leads to rapid, severe, and permanent central vision loss.

The Foresee PHP is designed to reveal wet AMD at its onset and early stages, before the damage causes permanent vision loss.

Regular testing with Foresee PHP can let us know if your AMD is progressing to the severe, wet form of the disease before you experience the first visual symptoms. This can help save your vision.

There are a number of safe, proven therapies for AMD, including medications and laser surgery. If you require therapy, we will discuss the options most suitable for you.

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New Laser Test Detects Glaucoma: The HRT Test

When people hear HRT today, they think of hormone replacement therapy. But in this case, HRT stands for Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph, a new diagnostic procedure proving effective in the early identification of glaucoma. In addition to this timely detection of glaucoma, it also provides information for monitoring the disease in follow-up examinations.

Glaucoma affects about 3 million Americans, and half of these people don't know they have it! A leading cause of blindness in the United States glaucoma is a disease that commonly affects older people, but can occur at any age. It has no symptoms at first; however, over the years glaucoma can steal your sight. With early treatment, you can protect your eyes against vision loss and blindness.

The HRT test is beneficial for people at risk for glaucoma. This includes individuals with a family history of glaucoma, anyone over age 60, anyone who is extremely nearsighted, anyone who has diabetes, high blood pressure, migraines, or heart disease, and those of African-American or Hispanic descent.

The HRT scanning laser ophthalmoscope displays the depth and shape of the optic nerve and surrounding tissue of the retina. It provides detail of early damage and degeneration. Our innovative HRT program and our upgrade to the newly released HRT3 program is part of our commitment to provide vision and eye health care that is the most current and effective.

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Retinal Imaging and You

Computerized digital images of your retina dramatically enhance our capability to help us care for your vision and eye health. Retinal imaging helps us to help you! Our new Helioasis-Canon Retinal Imaging System enables us to detect and make an early diagnosis of many abnormal conditions.

With this advancing technology, we are able to compare the initial images of the inside of your eyes with those images that we take in the future. Diabetes, hypertension, glaucoma, macular degeneration, brain tumor, and stroke may all be detected through retinal imaging. Subtle changes can easily be discovered, and if required, early treatment can be instituted.

Retinal imaging is also important if there is a family history of these diseases, as early detection may help to prevent future vision or health problems.

You have come to expect the highest level of care at our office. The extensive enhancement of our retinal imaging system now includes computer monitors in our examination rooms for improved patient education. This will allow us to show you any abnormality that we discover in your eyes.

Medical insurance typically will cover the cost for retinal imaging only when there is an existing eye disease. All screening imaging is non-reimbursable by insurance.

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Vitamins for Your Eyes …Now There Is Something You Can Do

The macula is the nerve center of eye, a pinhead size area where all fine vision takes place. This central vision area is required for all detailed work including “straight ahead” viewing, reading, and driving a car. Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD or ARMD) is the leading cause of blindness in Americans over the age of 65.

The risk of AMD significantly increases with age. Between the ages of 64 and 74, one in four people have AMD. Over age 75, the number increases to one in three.

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), a ten-year clinical research study recently released by The National Eye Institute (NEI), proved that a specific formula of antioxidant vitamins plus zinc slowed the progression of AMD by 25 percent. This study proved that only this specific formula was effective in delaying the progression of macular degeneration.

The recommended AREDS dosage is found in two daily Viteyes capsules. This formula is now available at our office.

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Dry Eye Omega Benefits

Not all Omega-3 products are equal. Many manufacturers use synthetic formulations that are not readily absorbed.

Dry Eye Omega Benefits are in their natural triglyceride form to insure maximum bioavailability and absorption, and to give the most beneficial results. And it must be remembered, that the human body needs to absorb over 3 grams of Omega-3 everyday for proper benefits to be achieved.

Dry Eye Omega Benefits is formulated with a high amount of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), a natural anti-inflammatory. It works from within the body to help address and alleviate the irritation and discomfort associated with dry eye syndrome and meibomian gland dysfunction.

Research shows that Omega-3's are a crucial element in relieving inflammation in the lacrimal glands of the eyelids. This inflammation can lead to meibomitis and chronic lid disease.

In addition, it has been found that these same Omega-3 essential fatty acids are beneficial in allowing the oil glands in the eyelid to produce a healthy tear film.

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Dry Eye Treatment

Millions of people are affected with dry eyes. Approximately 75% of all people over age 65 will suffer from Dry Eye Syndrome. This is a condition in which the tear glands of the upper and lower lids do not work properly. Either not enough tears are produced, or the tear ducts drain away too much tears off the surface of the eye.

There are actually three distinct layers in our tears. The oily and mucous layers lubricate the eye, and the watery layer is produced in response to an irritation, injury, or emotion. Sometimes, the lack of oily or mucous lubricating layers is irritating enough to cause an over-production of the watery layer. In this case, you have a “wet dry eye”. Left untreated your symptoms will probably get worse, and possibly cause a decrease in your visual acuity.

Treatments vary with the severity of the problem. In uncomplicated conditions, we can use specific over-the-counter artificial tears (not generic or store-brands) several times per day. In more persistent situations, we progress to prescription Restasis, and/or try tear-saver punctal plugs to provide better long-term relief.

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Eyelash Enhancer

Allergan has received FDA approval for Latisse, a beauty treatment that increases the length, thickness and darkness of eyelashes. Using a drug that was originally developed to treat glaucoma, this beauty aid will be applied daily to the base of the upper lashes with a disposable applicator.  Full results occur in three months, but results will vary between patients.

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