Symptoms of macular degeneration include blurriness and total vision loss in the center the individual’s field of vision. This prevents basic tasks such as facial recognition and reading. Since it is a degenerative disease, a sufferer’s sight will continue to deteriorate over time. Depending on the variety of the condition which has been contracted, there may be medical procedures which will help relieve some of the symptoms of macular degeneration.

There are two different sub-types of macular degeneration, commonly refereed to as “wet” and “dry.” Wet macular degeneration is the result of unrestricted blood vessel growth within the rear portions of the retina. This results in hemorrhaging and scarring which can permanently inhibit eye sight. A type of drug which halts the growth of new blood vessels, called anti-angiogenics, can be injected directly into the eye to prevent further scarring. Although this procedure is considered very painful, regular injections are required to stop further degeneration of the patient’s eye sight.

The “dry” sub-type is the result of the slow atrophy of the retina. This leads to the death of the rods and cones which make up the basis of our ability to perceive color and retain visual acuity. Unfortunately, there are no surefire medical procedures to help those suffering from a dry macular degeneration. However, a battery of drugs and nutritional supplements can be used to help stall the effects of the disease for a period of years.

Patients suffering from early symptoms of macular degeneration such as blurred vision, shadows or blind spots, poor recovery from exposure to bright light, a steady loss in the ability to perceive colors and other chances in their normal vision should immediately consult with a physician. Smokers, overweight individuals, and those suffering from high cholesterol are most at risk for macular degeneration. Although macular degeneration is a very serious condition, with early detection it can become a treatable disease.

The primary reason for selecting a reputable optician for your eye test is to make sure that your eye test uncovers any health issues which may affect your vision or general health. This includes issues like glaucoma, astigmatism, and more. Selecting an optician who has experience in performing a comprehensive eye test can help you discover potential health hazards when they are still at an early stage, and therefore treatable.

A second reason that choosing an optician with experience and a good reputation is that corrective eyewear (glasses, contact lenses, etc) is a significant expense, and a reputable optician can offer sound advice about how the eyes of their patient or client are likely to change. While not ophthalmologists, and therefore unable to make medical judgments about the condition of their patients’ eyes, opticians with good reputations and solid experience over a long period of time can be counted on to recognize when someone is likely to have a prescription which will last a long time (several years) versus someone whose eyes are still in a state of flux. If a client’s eyes are unlikely to change, then spending more on lenses and frames might prove to be an economically justifiable conclusion, while those who find their eyes changing significantly from year to year may want to consider purchasing less expensive vision correction options.

Finally, choosing a reputable optician for your eye test allows you to be sure that your eye test is being performed with superior attention and ability. Too often, individuals pay for eye tests which are ultimately unsatisfactory, resulting in corrective vision alternatives which are inadequate – or worse, unnecessary. By discussing your choice of reputable optician with friends, co-workers, and relatives to find a reputable optician for your eye test, you can receive the prescription your eyes require.

However, experts in ophthalmology suggest that a child have his first eye exam between the ages of six months and one year. At this time, the doctor can diagnose such conditions as amblyopia, lazy eye, and strabismus, crossed eyes. Early intervention and treatments, such as surgery, patches and glasses, work well to treat these conditions before they have any effect on the child’s development.

If no vision problems are found during the first vision examination, a child should be taken for a comprehensive eye exam every two years. This is not the same as a screening similar to that given at school. While this is an excellent indicator of problems, proper eye care for children involves a check of their ability to focus, their ability to see at both near and far distances, and a check to see if their eyes are in alignment. The doctor will probably also do a measurement of the cornea and take a medical history for use in the future.

It is extremely important that children receive proper eye care at a young age because these developmental years are the foundation for future learning. Parents should watch for and report any sign of vision difficulties to their eye doctor. These might include sitting close the television, pulling a book closer to their face than normal, or leaning in to see a picture. Other signals for needed intervention include headaches, squinting or tearing, and difficulty doing school work.

Early intervention for vision difficulties can keep a child from falling behind his peers on the learning curve. By interceding early enough, parents can assure that proper eye care will keep their children from missing skills due to a lack of visual acuity that will make later leaning more arduous.

If you are a worried parent or just need more advice on proper eye for children then please call us or visit or premises in Ogden.

From glaucoma to macular degeneration, many things can go wrong with the human eye. Prevention is the best medicine when it comes to eye health, and luckily, there are many ways to protect eyes from damage. Most people think of sunglasses and carrots when they think of good eye care, but supplements and diet should also play an important role. The eye, just like any other organ, needs to be kept healthy through good nutrition.

The cells of the eye require specific nutrients so diet plays an important role in eye care. Antioxidants, such as; lutein, vitamin C, vitamin A, carotene, and vitamin E help prevent the buildup of free radicals that cause cataracts and macular degeneration. Foods rich in antioxidants include; dark green vegetables, colorful fruits, berries, tea, and whole grains. Omega-3 fatty acids are also an important part of an eye healthy diet and can be found in fish or fish oil. It is important to reduce consumption of foods rich in sodium, sugar, and Trans fats as these can increase a person’s risk for diabetes.

Vitamin supplements are also key elements to eye care. There are a number of good multi-vitamins on the market, many of which are specifically designed to encourage good vision. Macula Complete, Oculair, ICaps, and Ocuvite PreserVision are a few examples of vision-focused multivitamins. A good multivitamin can provide some necessary antioxidants, but cannot provide them all. The antioxidant, Glutathione, which acts as a “mother ship” for other antioxidants, is also important for overall health, but is only manufactured directly in the body’s cells. The building blocks for this antioxidant are cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine and can be found in the supplement, Immunocal. These amino acids can also be found in raw eggs, raw meat, unpasteurized milk and mother’s milk, but these methods are less than appetizing.

Like any organ, the eye needs to be given the proper nutrition in order to stay well maintained. A good diet and the right nutritional supplement are important parts of overall eye health and can help prevent eye problems such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.

A thorough eye exam scrupulously probe for refractive errors in vision that indicate such common vision conditions as myopia and hyperopia, better known as nearsightedness and farsightedness. Courtesy of visiting the eye doctor, millions of people every year see—quite literally—vast improvements in the quality of their lives with new pairs of glasses, contacts, and office laser surgeries.

Comprehensive exams measure eye pressure and the coordination of eye muscles, too. This enables doctors to make early diagnoses of serious eye diseases that frequently develop with age, including cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Eye examinations can detect developing tumors and other potentially life-threatening health issues. In many instances, completely unforeseen eye disorders can be promptly addressed before any lasting damage to your vision occurs.

In addition to advancing age and previously diagnosed vision problems as sound reasons to schedule regular eye exams, a family history of related disorders is yet another. If, for example, you have a parent, grandparent, or both who suffered from glaucoma, you are automatically deemed at higher risk for developing the same eye disease in the future. A prior eye injury also makes you more likely to encounter further vision difficulties with the passage of time.

Moreover, a frequent eye exam is indispensable for those afflicted with diabetes, high blood pressure, and chronic illnesses of any kind. Our eyesight is often impacted by myriad ailments that are not eye-specific. Vision troubles are sometimes symptoms of diseases originating in other parts of the body.

The bottom line is that scheduling regular exams—yearly or otherwise—is a prudent practice to adopt, regardless of your present health circumstances. Catching eye problems in their earliest stages—of any severity—is crucial to effective treatment and recovery. Eye examinations are preventative medicine. And your eyesight is not something that you want to leave to chance.

Please visit our clinic here in Ogden for a comprehensive eye exam with one of our professionals.

If you try to read on the beach and use ordinary reading glasses, the squinting you do in the process can cause some serious wrinkles, and sunlight may damage your eyes as much as your skin if you fail to take the necessary steps to protect them. Children can also use prescription sunglasses, and they will reap the benefits of wearing them later on. Those who wear contact lenses will find that they can use them to refresh their eyes, and even the most style-conscious will find something they like. (They should also note that their contact grade and eyeglass grade may differ.) Polarized sunglasses, which are corrective, filter the light waves that result in glare but allow other types to enter, and the wearer is free to enjoy the scenery without doing any squinting.

Those who are interested in prescription sunglasses should always consult a vision professional and be aware that certain frames may not suit the shape of their face or be impractical because of the thickness of the lens they need. The options available for those interested in prescription sunglasses include the following:

● Fit-overs – These are plain sunglasses that are meant to be worn over your prescription glasses.
● Adapters – These are prescription glasses that you can attach to the bridge of ordinary sunglasses.
● Prescription sunglasses – These will be ground according to your unique specifications.

Prescription sunglasses are popular with athletes, including bikers, joggers, hikers, skiers, race car drivers, and others. Some choose the tight-fitting wraparound style, and others prefer the well-known aviator style from Ray-Ban. They are generally made form regular plastic (CR-39), high-index, and polycarbonate. Above all, whether they are corrective or not, your sunglasses should be 90% effective or more in blocking UVB and UVA rays.

If you are looking for prescription sunglasses please do consider calling into our store in Ogden, where our specialists will take care of you.

Most vision clinics give complete adult and child eye exams, and are able to tell you whether or not you are having any problems with your vision or your eyes. Complete eye exams include, but are not necessarily limited to, a vision test, a glaucoma test, and an exam to detect cataracts, hypertention, diabetes, and problems with your retina.

Some vision clinics offer emergency treatment for eye injuries and/or will treat your eye if something has gotten into your eye. Most vision clinics will treat eye illnesses such as pinkeye, and are able to prescribe and/or dispense medication for any eye illness you may have.

Some vision clinics are more elaborate and may include treatment of diseases of the eye, as well as refractive eye surgery and it’s aftercare. If they do not actually do the laser surgery at the vision center, the vision center most likely can examine your eyes to see if you are a candidate for the surgery and refer you to a laser surgeon.

Going to a vision clinic regularly, will help detect any problems, diseases, or illnesses of your eyes. Early detection can help you to keep as much vision as possible throughout your life, as well as start treating any illnesses or diseases as quickly as possible. Prevention of blindness is very important, and regular eye exams can help save your sight.

Of course, vision centers are able to tell you whether or not you need glasses or contacts, and can give you a prescription to get your glasses or contacts made. Many vision centers have contacts on site, so you do not need to go somewhere else to get your contacts. Vision clinics can be less expensive than going to a doctor in private practice, but this is not always the case.

It is important that you and your children get regular eye exams to help keep your eyes in good health. Vision clinics are a good way to make sure your eyes stay as healthy as possible.

Our vision clinic is based in Ogden.  Give us a ring, or call in, to see how we can help you.

Just like everything else, daily wear disposable contacts have pros and cons:

Pros:

• Lipid or protein deposits don’t occur as also bacterial or fungal growth. Since the contacts are replaced every day-or on a frequent basis-the eyes of the wearer will be protected from allergies.
• Problems that arise from insufficient storage or incorrect handling don’t occur because the lenses are discarded on a daily or frequent basis.
• Disposable contact lenses can be found in a wide array of colors.
• They are very lightweight and constructed of materials that don’t irritate the eyes.
• Contacts known as daily wear lenses or soft lenses let oxygen pass through them and into the cornea, which provides great comfort.

Cons:

• Disposable contact lenses cost a bit more than long lasting lenses.
• They can be used only to correct a limited amount of eyesight problems.
• They are not very durable at all.

Always consult with your optometrist to find out what type of disposable lens is the best choice for you. You should also compare issues like durability, comfort, costs and the like. Just remember that the Internet is brimming with information regarding the pros and cons of disposable contact lenses and you should take full advantage of it to make an informed decision.

Or, why not call into our office in Ogden where you can speak to our highly qualified opticians for more advice.