Contact Lens Solution Preservative Allergies

“Contact lens solution preservative allergies are not as uncommon as one would think,” commented Fairfield County Corneal Specialist Leslie Doctor, M.D. of Doctor & Associates with offices in Westport, Wilton and Norwalk CT. When substances in contact lens solutions come in contact with your eyes if you are predisposed to being sensitive to them, they can cause  an allergic reaction”, said Dr. Leslie Doctor. Preservatives can cause problems because they can remain in soft contact lenses after cleaning and disinfecting or they can coat the surface of gas permeable lenses. This may cause redness, itching, and watering of your eyes. In many people, a preservative called thimerosal causes this reaction. Reactions to thimerosal and other chemicals may develop at any time, even after you have used the same contact lens products for months or years. Many people who have these reactions have no history of other types of allergies.

In order to treat these kinds of allergies you have to stop wearing contact lenses for some time. You could use lubricating drops over the counter to help relieve redness, itching, and watering of your eyes. Your contact lenses must be cleaned of preservatives that may be bound to them. Once your lenses are clean and your eyes feel better your eye care provider may want you to use a different method of disinfecting your contact lenses.

If you have similar problems with your contact lenses or would like to consider other options of correcting your vision please do not hesitate to call Doctor & Associates for an eye exam appointment at 203-227-4113, visiting www.doctor-and-associates.com or www.facebook.com/doctorandassociates.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.

PXE & Vision Problems in Connecticut

Connecticut Ophthalmologist Leslie Doctor, M.D. commented on Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum or PXE and vision problems. “Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum (PXE) is the name given to a group of connective tissue disorders that affects the elastic tissue of the skin, blood vessels, and the eyes,” noted Dr. Leslie Doctor of Doctor & Associates with offices serving Fairfield County in Westport, Norwalk and Wilton CT. It is also known as Gronblad-Strandberg syndrome. Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum is a progressive disorder that is characterized by the accumulation of deposits of calcium and other minerals in elastic fibers, which are a component of connective tissue. Connective tissue provides strength and flexibility to structures throughout the body.

It affects about 1 in every 160,000 people. The prevalence of Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum is unknown. For reasons that are unclear, this disorder is diagnosed twice as frequently in females as in males. As there is a risk of passing this condition on to the next generation, genetic counseling may be helpful. Pseudoxanthoma elasticum is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, which means both copies of the gene in each cell have mutations. Most often, the parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the mutated gene, but do not show signs and symptoms of the condition. Vascular lesions known as angioid streaks affect the retina of most patients with PXE. They usually appear between 20 and 40 years of age. Angioid streaks may lead to progressive visual failure and occasionally blindness. Bleeding and scarring of the retina may also occur, which can cause vision loss. Laser photocoagulation may be helpful in preventing further bleeding at the back of the eye.

If you have a family member with PXE or you are concerned about your eye health please do not hesitate to call Doctor & Associates for an eye exam appointment at 203-227-4113, visiting www.doctor-and-associates.com or www.facebook.com/doctorandassociates.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.

Eye Exams & Family History in Connecticut

“Your need for and eye exam and the  frequency of your eye exams can be impacted by your family eye history,” commented Connecticut Ophthalmologist Leslie doctor, M.D. of Doctor & Associates with Fairfield County offices in Westport, Norwalk and Wilton, CT. There are a lot of family health problems that might be hereditary. It is important to let your ophthalmologist know about your family ocular history. It is mostly applied to family members that are closely related by blood even though a negative family history does not rule out a genetic familial propensity. Many of us really do not know the ocular status of our relatives, whereas some of us, are very well familiar with their medical conditions. Common familial disorders to look out for and discuss with your ophthalmologist are:

Ø  Glaucoma

Ø  Age Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Ø  Keratoconus

Ø  Retinitis Pigmentosa

Ø  Color Blindness

Ø  Retinoblastoma

Ø  Albinism

Ø  Sickle Cell Anemia

Ø  Diabetes

It is recommended that you have an eye examination with an ophthalmologist even without any visual complaints. Assessment of overall ocular health can be an important indicator of certain general health conditions. Some persons, because of their age, race, systemic health, or other factors, may not have existing eye problems but are at risk for developing certain eye diseases. Eye diseases may be present but exist with no noticeable symptoms until they are far advanced when treatment may be less effective; detecting a condition in its earlier stage will enhance the treatment outcome.

Young adults, 20-39 years of age, are generally at low risk for ocular problems, need to have an eye exam every 3-5 years. Asymptomatic individuals between 40 and 64 should be examined every 2 to 4 years. After age 65, an examination every year is recommended because of the variety of age-related eye conditions that may develop. Individuals with medical conditions that may affect vision, such as diabetes, should be examined more frequently.

If you or someone you know is in need an eye examination please feel free to call us for an appointment at Doctor & Associates 203-227-4113 or visit us at facebook.com/doctorandassociates where you can request an appointment as well.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.

CT Corneal Specialist on Herpes Eye Infections

Fairfield County Connecticut Corneal Specialist Leslie Doctor, M.D. commented on Herpes Simplex eye infections. “My patients with ocular herpes eye infections are often somewhat surprised to learn that this type of corneal eye infection affects many more people each year than one might think. Ocular Herpes or Herpes of the eye is caused by the Herpes Simplex virus and is the most common causes of corneal blindness in the United States today,” stated Dr. Leslie Doctor, of Doctor & Associates with offices in Westport, Norwalk and Wilton, Connecticut. “Patients need to be aware that as many as 50% of people who have an initial Herpes Simplex viral infection of the eye will experience a flare up or recurrence and sometimes this can leads to irreversible scarring of the cornea requiring a cornea transplant.”

Ocular Herpes may start as a painful sore on the eyelid or surface of the eye.  If left untreated, it may multiply and begin to destroy epithelial cells and progress deeper into the Cornea. If the Ocular Herpes penetrates the deeper layers of the Cornea and causes a Stromal Keratitis it may cause corneal scarring-so prompt diagnosis and treatment of Ocular Herpes is important.

It is estimated that 400,000 people in the United States have had some type of ocular herpes, with more than 50,000 initial and recurring cases being diagnosed each year. Of these, it is believed that 25% are the more severe form of Herpes Stromal Keratitis. The recurrence of Herpes Simplex eye infections is significant in that it appears to recur in about 10% of patients with one year, 23% of patients within two years and 63% of patients within 20 years of their initial infection. Sometimes a recurrence can be prompted by sunlight, stress, fevers or an unrelated eye injury. Quick diagnosis and treatment is the key to avoiding corneal scarring, vision loss and the possible need for a corneal transplant.

If you or someone you know is experiencing any signs or symptoms of corneal infection-especially if they have had any trauma to their eyes-please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113 and request an immediate appointment.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.

About Watery Eyes in Connecticut

Connecticut Ophthalmologist and Corneal Specialist Leslie Doctor, M.D. commented on watery eye and eye watering problems. “Watery eyes are the common description for the eye condition called Epiphora. Watery eyes or excessive watering of the eyes can even result in tears running over your eyelids and down your cheeks. Having enough tears is important for your eye health and vision but having too many tears can be annoying and troubling,” remarked Dr. Leslie Doctor.

Watery eyes or Epiphora can be caused by either or both of two main eye problems. First, watery eyes can occur because you simply produce too many tears. Second, eye watering can occur because the tears you do produce just don’t drain properly. As odd as it may seem, one of the most common causes of producing too many tears is dry eyes. When you have a dry eye your eye can “overreact” and produce too much tear fluid due to the irritation. Then, normally when we blink the eyelids push the tears across the eye’s surface, causing them to collect in the lower inner corner of the eye and draining through a tiny opening called a “puncta” into the nasolacrimal canal and out through your nose. If the puncta are closed or the canal is blocked the tears will simply stay stagnant in the inner corners of your eyes making them seem very watery.

So why do we develop tear drainage problems or excessive tear production problems? There are many causes of watery eye and watering eyes are pretty common in people who have dry eye syndrome, clogged tear ducts from infection of inflammation, conjunctivitis or “pink eye”, exposure to irritation from smog, smoke, excessive dust and chemical vapors as well as foreign bodies, eyelid problems turning in or out and corneal abrasions.

If you or someone you know suffers from watery eyes or is bothered by watering eyes please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113 to schedule an appointment for an examination.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery for vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.

Complications of Cataract Surgery

“I tell my Connecticut cataract patients that although cataract surgery complications are really pretty rare everyone with a cataract who is thinking about having eye surgery always has a concern about what could go wrong”, commented Corneal Specialist and Connecticut Cataract Surgeon Leslie Doctor, M.D. of Doctor & Associates with offices in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Certainly there are things that could go wrong. “Basically in the hands of an experienced Cataract Surgeon using modern cataract surgery techniques we do everything possible to reduce the risk of complications, said Dr. Leslie Doctor.  “When you consider the huge benefit that patients receive in not only in terms of vision but also lifestyle, comfort, convenience and safety the risk of complications is really quite low,” said Dr. Doctor. For routine cataract surgery in healthy patients the complication rate is well under 5%. This might increase somewhat if you have diabetic eye disease, glaucoma or other types of health or eye problems.

So what kinds of things can go wrong? First there are a handful of things that can happen during or within the first 24-48 hours after a Cataract operation. These include the very unusual things like bleeding inside the eye which is really rare, a little bleeding on the surface of the eye or an inner eye infection which is quite rare. Sometimes, if we need to anesthetize the eye using an injection you may have a little “black and blue” eye or an eyelid bruise. This usually clears up pretty quickly. Sometimes the “capsule” around the crystalline lens that is removed as part of the operation might be broken during the surgery and we might need to do a “vitrectomy” as part of the surgery to get a good result. This too is pretty unusual. More common in very nearsighted patients, some patients who have Cataract Surgery can have a retinal detachment. Occasionally in patients who have had “no stitch” Cataract Surgery the actual incision may leak. If this happens it is sometimes necessary for us to put a stitch in place to tightly close the incision. Then there are a few types of complications that can occur over a longer period of time. Very rarely the intraocular lens implant can move off center or the center of the retina can swell. By far the most common complication is a clouding of the lens capsule that has been left in place to support the lens implant. Fortunately, this complication is pretty easily managed with a quick, painless procedure called a YAG Laser Capsulotomy that restores the vision almost immediately after the procedure.

Although it might sound like there are lots of possible complications of Cataract Surgery, rest assured they are quite unusual. This most common one of capsule opacity is easily treated. If you need cataract surgery it is important to have a little knowledge so you appreciate the degree of skill and experience required of your cataract surgeon to help you get the best result.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.

If you or someone you know has Cataracts and has questions about Cataract Surgery and Lens Implant complications please feel free to call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113.