DHA, which is an essential fatty acid found in omega-3 fish oils, collects in nerve cells aiding in their functionality. There have been an abundance of studies comparing elderly that have taken fish oil vs. additional elderly folks that went without it. The conclusion drawn was that those taking the omega-3 oil were far less likely to get degenerative eye diseases that eventually cause blindness.

This was a huge discovery for proponents of fish oil. Another highly common issue that elderly and younger adults deal with alike is dry eyes syndrome; when an individual suffers from this, he or she is rendered unable to produce tears, which causes a scratchy discomfort that can be helped with over-the-counter eye lubricants. What if a person could prevent this from ever happening? Well, it may be impossible to stop it entirely, but fish oil can dramatically reduce symptoms, thereby protecting the cornea from incessant wearing.

Recent studies have shown a direct correlation in regard to extensive omega-3 intake and improved eye health. The best part about fish oil is that it doesn’t have to be taken in a capsule form, it can be consumed by eating fish: tuna, salmon, oysters, shark, and sardines are among those with the most omega-3 content; however, one should heed caution when it comes to consuming large quantities of fish; many of the fish aforementioned contain high amounts of mercury and should be limited or avoided all together. Therefore, it may make the most sense to consume fish oil as a supplement.

The eye chart tells you whether or not you have 20/20 vision. The chart tells you if you are twenty feet away from the eye chart, whether or not you can see as well as the average person who stands twenty feet away from the chart. If you can, then you are said to have 20/20 vision. If you have 20/40 vision, then you can see standing twenty feet from the eye chart, what the average person can see standing forty feet away from the eye chart.

Eye charts are used starting at a very young age. When a child is very young and does not yet know his or her alphabet, the eye chart is full of different sized E’s which are pointed in different positions, with some being sideways, others being upside down or backwards, and some being positioned correctly. The child is then asked by the person giving the eye test, to use his or her fingers to point in the direction the lines coming off the E’s are pointing. So, at a very young age, an eye chart is used to tell whether or not a child is having problems seeing normally.

Most people get their eyesight checked at a doctor’s office, or by an optician in a store that sells glasses, but it is possible to buy an eye chart at the store or to download an eye chart off the internet. These charts can be useful for following your vision, especially if you are having problems with your eyes, but they are not a substitute for having your eyes examined regularly by a professional, as professionals can see many things going on in your eyes that an eye chart cannot tell you, some of which can threaten your eyesight.

When a pair of prescription glasses are ordered, the first thing that happens is an optometrist determins what strength of corrective lenses are needed. A simple eye test, one where the patient covers one eye and reads letters from a chart at a distance, is usually enough to figure this out. A numerical value of the patient’s sight detriment is calculated, and then sent to a laboratory that will craft the prescription lenses.

At the laboratory, the lens starts off as a plastic disc that is 4 inches wide and up to 1.5 inches thick. The front of the disc is curved, and a technician feeds this disc into a special machine that will grind it down. It is ground into the proper curve dimensions to match the level of correction specified. This process of grinding the disc into an actual prescription strength lens is very meticulous and difficult. It is absolutely imperative that these discs come out of the machine scratch free and at the exact prescription or the lens creation process will have to be started from scratch again.

Next, the lens is fit to the frames that the patient has chosen back at the optometrist’s office. Modern eyeglass frames are usually made from paynus plastic. Then, the lenses are tinted with ultraviolet (UV) protection with a special solution. Usually, grooves are cut into the lenses to ensure the proper fit into the chosen frames.

Once the lenses are inserted into the frames and they fit properly in place, they are heated to make them flexible for easy insertion and removal. A quality check is next, to make sure there are no scratches, dents or other imperfections on either the lenses or the frames. Usually, the patient will also be asked to try the glasses on to make sure they are the precise prescription strength. Finally, they are cleaned a final time and given to the patient!

If you are in Odgen and require prescription glasses please call into our shop today to talk to a professional.

The side effects of dry eyes can range from pain or a feeling of having something in one’s eye to light sensitivity and itching. Some even experience blurred vision. Depending on the severity of the symptoms of dry eye, several methods of relief may be employed.

The first and most common is simple eye lubricants and ointments, some of which are available over the counter. For those suffering from chronic dry eye, it is necessary to apply eye drops even when they aren’t in pain or their eyes seem normal. The only prescription eye drop to help the eye increase its own tear production currently is Restasis.

A more aggressive treatment is temporary punctal occlusion, which is a process that inserts a dissolvable plug into the tear drain of the lower eyelid. This is done in order to keep tears in the eye rather than draining. If this route works for the sufferer, permanent punctal occlusion is usually incorporated. This is the same process except silicone plugs are used instead of dissolvable ones.

Sometimes optometrists will prescribe other medications to help increase tear production. Steroids that can be applied to the skin around the eye are just one example. If none of these methods prove to be effective, surgery might be ordered for the patient. When surgery is performed, the ducts that drain tears down through the nasal cavity are permanently closed. This outpatient surgery allows more tears to stay around and in the eye socket, thus keeping the eyes lubricated enough without eye drops.

If you think you suffer from dry eyes, please don’t hesitate to contact us.  Our office is in Ogden and our optometrist will ease your suffering.

In an office setting, an optometrist is responsible for testing the vision of patients by way of various testing equipment and and in office exam. Optometrist often find the onset of major diseases like diabetes long before they set in to the body because symptoms seem to arise in the eyes in many cases. An optometrists is actually licensed to diagnose diabetes and other systemic diseases like hypertension, without referring the patient to a medical doctor. If an abnormality of vision or disease is discovered, the optometrist is responsible for treating and prescribing medicines to for eye disease. Vision corrective lenses are also prescribed for those with less than perfect vision, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Those diagnosed with these problems are almost always prescribed corrective lenses in the form of eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Though an optometrist can diagnose and treat a problem, he or she may not perform surgical procedures. Only a license ophthalmologist can operate on the eyes. An optometrist can however, treat patients with post-surgical care. Because of this, many optometrists and ophthalmologists choose to open joint practices, referring patients to one another for specific forms of care.

An optometrist is also responsible for running an office, including keeping up with patient records, maintaining equipment integrity, keeping a sanitized environment, and managing a help staff. The work can be overwhelming at time, and an optometrist may elect to hire an office manager or optometrist assistant to help ease the workload.

Most optometrists see their patients a minimum of once per year, with prescriptions generally expiring after that time period. Many insurance companies have vision plans, though the cost of basic exam and prescription is relatively low in most cities. The wait time for an appointment can be anywhere from one day to one month, depending upon the reputation and experience of the optometrist being seen.

If you are unsure of whether or not you need to see an optometrist or your normal doctor please don’t hesitate to contact us.  Our office is in Ogden.