Eye Health information 

recommended by st. anthony eye clinic

• children
• adults
• advancements
• nutrition
• partners

• Why should my child have their eyes examined?

  Approximately 80% of the learning that takes place in your child’s first 12 years of life is vision related. Thus if your child is not seeing clearly, it may interfere with their ability to learn, can lead to low self-esteem, eye discomfort and put them at risk for long term vision loss. Experts say 5 percent-10 percent of preschoolers and 25 percent of school-aged children have vision problems.

  When should my child have their eyes examined?

  According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), infants should have their first comprehensive eye exam at 6 months of age. Children then should receive additional eye exams at 3 years of age, and just before they enter kindergarten or the first grade at about age 5 or 6. For school-aged children, the AOA recommends an eye exam every two years if no vision correction is required. Children who need eyeglasses or contact lenses should be examined annually or according to their eye doctor’s recommendations.

  What should I be looking for to see if my child may have a learning-related vision problems?

  • Turning or tilting head or closing one eye
  • Eyes that move independently of each other
  • Losing place while reading
  • Dislike/avoidance of close work
  • Excessive blinking or rubbing eyes
  • Omitting or repeating words
  • Persistent reversal of words or letters
  • Squinting
  • Complaining of headaches after reading

  What is the difference between a comprehensive eye exam and a vision screening?

  According to study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, vision-screening methods detected only 40-65% of children with vision problems. Frequently, school screenings test only distance vision which may miss many of the conditions that could be found in a comprehensive eye exam.

   

  Why should my child wear sunglasses?

  Outside of the classroom, children spend much more time outside in the sun than their parents. This leaves them more susceptible to irreversible UV damage. We recommend lenses that block 100 percent of UVA and UVA rays to protect your child’s eyes.

   

  InfantSee

  Dr. Burgard is proud to be a part of the InfantSEE program. This public health program provides free vision screenings to babies between the ages of six to twelve months. Testing for strabismus (lazy eye), refractive error (such as near or far sightedness or astigmatism), or ocular disease are all performed. It is important to have your child examined before the age of one to rule out any ocular conditions that may affect their vision and learning potential.

   

• For adults, a regular eye exam is an important part of maintaining your overall health and making your vision last a lifetime. Without an eye exam, critical health issues can be overlooked until it’s too late.

  Our eyes change as we age. In particular, people over the age of 40 may be at an increased risk for age-related eye conditions, some of which may have no visible symptoms until the condition is advanced and difficult, or even impossible, to treat.

  The most common eye problems among adults include:

  • Presbyopia: a natural effect of aging in which the ability to focus on close objects decreases over time. Presbyopia can cause headaches, blurred vision, and the need for more light or sore eyes.​

  • Dry Eye:  a condition which causes symptoms of burning, scratch and irritated eyes.  It actually affects your vision because the tears are part of your refracting system.​

  • Cataracts: distorted or cloudy vision caused by the lens inside the eye losing its transparency over time. Cataracts can require changes to your glasses or surgical removal.

  • Diabetic Retinopathy: a weakening or swelling of the tiny blood vessels in the retina of your eye, and the growth of new blood vessels resulting in blood leakage and other changes. If left untreated, blindness can result.

  • Macular degeneration: a disease that results in degenerative changes to your central vision, and is a leading cause of vision loss among older adults.

  • Glaucoma: a “silent thief” that often has no symptoms until significant damage has occurred. Glaucoma is caused by elevated pressure within the eye, and can lead to serious vision loss if not detected and treated at an early stage.

  Your eyes are also windows to your overall health, and an eye exam can also uncover underlying—and life-threatening—health issues, such as Type 2 diabetes, brain tumors, cancer of the eye, high blood pressure, certain vascular diseases and brain or eye tumors.

  The AOA recommends eye exams every year for those age 18-60 at risk of eye disease or needing vision correct and all patients 61 and older.  Those 18-60 with no symptoms and no vision correction should be seen every 2 years.  Other health conditions assessed by your Doctor of Optometry may also warrant more frequent eye examinations.

• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

  OCT is a safe, painless and non-invasive way to obtain a detailed image of the retina or optic nerve. Until the advent of this technology, doctors had no way to easily visualize the different layers of the retina on a microscopic level. Because of the amazing detail provided by the OCT, we now have the capability to make earlier and more accurate diagnoses. This leads to more timely treatment and better care for our patients. Images from the OCT allow for the early detection of glaucoma as well as monitoring for changes after the diagnosis of glaucoma has been made. It is also provides critical information when assessing retinal problems associated with diabetes and macular degeneration.

  Digital Retinal Camera

  Sometimes a picture is truly worth a thousand words! Our office is equipped with the latest advancements in technology, including digital imaging.  By taking a high-resolution digital photograph, we are able to show you exactly what we see when we look at your eye under high magnification. This photo documentation can be used for comparison at later exams.

  Visual Field Analyzer

  A visual field test measures how much peripheral or side vision you have. This test will detect any loss of peripheral vision and provide a detailed map of the extent and depth of that loss, which is helpful in diagnosing diseases such as glaucoma or macular degeneration and in monitoring for drug toxicity caused by some common medications. It is also performed when a patient has unexplained visual disturbances or vision loss. In these cases, it may uncover a pituitary tumor or other disease process requiring prompt attention.

  Digital Refraction

  With Digital Refraction, we test how well you can see an eye chart using a giant pair of glasses called a phoropter.  This is a test in which you are the only one who knows the answers. You will compare different lenses and tell the doctor which lenses provide clearer vision. The digital system offers detailed comparisons and at the touch of a button we can easily compare your old prescription lenses with the new ones.

  The doctor depends on your answers to get the Digital Refraction examination right. Sometimes it can be frustrating as it can be difficult to tell which lens gives you the clearest vision, but that is a sign we are getting really close to the ideal choice for you.

  Macular Densitometer

  Macular Pigment protects the macula from free-radical damage caused by blue wavelength light.  A risk factor for developing AMD is low Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD).  There is now a device called the Densitometer that measures MPOD, the relative health of your macula.  The macula is the sight-sensing center in the back of the eye. 

  The three major components of the tissue are the carotenoid pigments Meso-zeaxanthin, Zeaxanthin and Lutein. On the surface, one’s macula may appear healthy. However, if the levels of the carotenoid pigments are low, this may predispose one to developing AMD. By measuring MPOD, we can now identify at risk patients. Low MPOD is a modifiable risk factor for the development of AMD.  Risk reduction can begin now, even if you are in your twenties

• Omega-3 Fish Oil

  Like most nutrients, omega 3’s are not manufactured within the body, therefore levels must be maintained through diet.  While seeds, nuts, vegetables and fish are viable sources of omega 3, it is difficult to ensure you meet healthy daily intake levels of these important nutrients through diet alone.  Not to mention, the typical American diet is notoriously low in omega 3’s and excessively high in omega 6’s, which can promote inflammation and lead to a number of health concerns.

  Omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil help maintain healthy structure and function of the ocular tissue by supporting tear production, and protecting eyes from oxidative damage.  There is a wide range of quality among fish oil supplements. Use the following guidelines to ensure a high-quality product:

  • Purity:  purified of mercury, lead and other harmful toxins
  • Freshness: minimized oxidation for no fishy taste
  • Taste: fishy smell or taste means a poorly made oil
  • Triglyceride Form: for optimal absorption and results
  • Third party Testing: ensures quality, freshness and purity
  • Sustainability: responsible fishing protects our seas
  • Please ask one of the doctors at the St. Anthony Eye Clinic about their recommendation for a high quality fish oil supplement.

  MacuHealth

  Macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness in the world today, currently affecting more than 30 million people.  If this trend continues, the number will double in 20 to 30 years.  Degeneration of the macula, the portion of the eye where light is focused, is devastating and life altering.  The macula is responsible for crisp, straight ahead vision, such as reading, driving, and recognizing faces.

  While the exact cause of macular degeneration is unknown, many risk factors have been identified.  Having a low macular protective pigment (MPP) level has been identified as one of these.  MPP is a unique accumulation of three yellow carotenoids (lutein, meso-zeaxanthin, and zeaxanthin ) that are only found in the anterior portion of the central macula.  This yellow layer acts like a shield over the delicate retinal cells that give us sight.  The MPP filters out and absorbs cell damaging, high-energy, blue wavelengths of light.

  Our bodies do not manufacture carotenoids, they must be consumed.  MacaHealth with LMZ3 is an exclusive triple carotenoid supplement, containing lutein, meso-zeaxanthin and zeaxanthin, which has been clinically proven to increase MPP levels in as little as six months!

•