Avoid Eye Injury from Halloween Contacts

Spooky contact lenses can complete your Halloween costume. But beware of the dangers of illegal costume contact lenses lurking on store shelves and invading online retailers. Though the federal government works to keep illegal and harmful versions of decorative or color contact lenses off the shelves, they can still be purchased at costume shops, gas stations, corner shops and online. Here’s an easy way to tell if your lenses are counterfeit: Can you purchase them without a prescription? If the answer is yes, those creepy lenses are a danger to your vision.

That's why the American Academy of Ophthalmology is urging people to buy decorative contact lenses only from retailers who require a prescription and sell FDA-approved products. It’s easy to forget that decorative lenses are medical devices, not costume jewelry. They must be prescribed and fitted by an eye care professional, just like regular contact lenses. That's because a poorly fitted contact lens can easily scrape the cornea, the outer layer of the eye, making the eye more vulnerable to infection-causing bacteria and viruses. Research shows that people who purchase contacts without a prescription face a 16-fold increased risk of developing an infection.

To help ensure you won’t be haunted by a ghoulish and painful contact lens-related eye infection, here are some tips to follow:

• See an Eye Care Professional for a Prescription for Costume Contact Lenses. Packaging that claims “one size fits all” or “no need to see an eye doctor” is false. Get properly fitted by an ophthalmologist or optometrist.
• Buy Only FDA-approved Contacts. Buy contacts only from eye care professionals or retailers that require a prescription and sell FDA-approved lenses.
• Never Share Contacts. Sharing contacts can spread germs and bacteria, potentially causing blinding corneal infections and even pink eye.
• Practice Good Hygiene. It is important to follow directions for cleaning, disinfecting and wearing costume contacts. See an eye doctor right away if you notice any swelling, redness, pain or discharge from wearing contacts.
• Limit Wear of Colored Contact Lenses to 4-5 Hours. The dye and less expensive materials used in costume lenses can restrict oxygen flow to the cornea. Less “breathable” lenses are less healthy for the eye. Never sleep in contact lenses, even if you have a prescription.
• Spread the Word About the Dangers of Costume Contacts. Don’t let friends make the mistake of wearing costume contacts without a prescription. It can cost them their vision.

If you or someone you know has questions about or needs a fitting for Halloween colored contact lenses please schedule an appointment at Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, or Facebook to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are conveniently located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.

Cataracts Don’t Return: Facts You Might Not Know

 

Cataracts Don’t Return or Regrow

From time to time we hear patients ask about whether cataracts “regrow” after they have had cataract surgery. Sometimes patients will tell us that a friend, neighbor or relative had a cataract regrow. The fact is that cataracts do not come back after they are surgically removed!

When your cataract surgeon performs cataract & lens implant surgery, the cloudy natural lens of your eye is replaced with a clear artificial lens that is placed within a thin membrane-called the “lens capsule”-that is intentionally left in place to secure the new artificial lens. The new lens does not become cloudy again. However, some people do develop what is called a “secondary” cataract some time later after the initial surgery that occurs when the thin membrane that holds the lens becomes cloudy. With a quick painless procedure called a YAG Laser Capsulotomy, your eye surgeon can make an opening in the cloudy capsule, allowing light to pass through again for clear vision. This YAG procedure almost instantly restores clear vision with the entire procedure taking less than 5 minutes and requiring no downtime.

If you or someone you is experiencing cataract symptoms such as cloudy foggy vision, glare or difficult night driving and would like to learn more about cataracts, cataract surgery and lens implants  please call and schedule an eye exam at Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, or Facebook to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are conveniently located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851

What is a Retinal Tear or Torn Retina?

 

What is a Retinal Tear or Torn Retina?

A torn retina is a serious eye problem that can happen when the retina has a tiny tear or hole that actually tears further, like a rip in a piece of cloth.  If not treated right away, a torn retina can lead to an even more serious problem called a detached retina where the retina is lifted away from the back of the eye and puts you at considerable risk of vision loss.

How Does a Torn Retina Happen?

When you are young the vitreous gel in your eyes is pretty firm. As we get older, the vitreous gel in your eyes starts to shrink and get thinner. Normally, the vitreous moves around on the retina without causing problems. But, IF the vitreous sticks to the retina it can pull hard enough to actually tear it. When that happens, fluid can pass through the tear and lift it or detach the retina.

What Will I See if the Retina Tears?

When the retina tears, you may suddenly see flashes of light or floaters. Sometimes blood can leak into the vitreous. This is called a vitreous hemorrhage, and it can cause a large number of floaters to appear suddenly. With any sudden onset of flashes of light or floaters you need to be examined right away as a torn retina can quickly cause a retinal detachment and you could lose vision.

If you or someone you know experiences sudden flashes of light or floaters please call our office and tell us that you need an immediate appointment. Call us at Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, or Facebook to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are conveniently located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851

What is a Stye?

 

A stye-also called a Hordeolum-is a red, sore lump near the edge of the eyelid that grows from the base of your eyelash or under the eyelid. Most styes are caused by a bacterial infection. There are two kinds of styes:

·        External Hordeolum: A stye that begins at the base of your eyelash often from an infection in the hair follicle that looks like a pimple.

·        Internal Hordeolum: A stye inside your eyelid that is caused by an infection in an oil-producing gland in your eyelid.

You can also get a stye if you have blepharitis-an inflammation of your eyelids- that makes your eyelids at the base of the eyelashes red and swollen. When you first get a stye, your eyelid is probably red and tender to the touch. Your eye may also feel sore and scratchy.

There are a number of ways your doctor can treat a stye including warm compresses, antibiotics or in office surgery if the other treatments aren’t helping. Never squeeze stye!

If you or someone you know has a stye please schedule an appointment Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, or Facebook to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are conveniently located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.

Could Eye Drops Replace Reading Glasses?

 

Believe it or not, we may be able to use eye drops instead of reading glasses! More than one-third of Americans have presbyopia, a gradual loss of near vision with age. Most people reach for eyeglasses or bifocal contact lenses, but in the future there may be a promising non-surgical  eye drop treatment for presbyopia. There are two types of eye drops that may help patients with near vision age related focusing problems. One type-called a miotic-constricts the pupil and limits out of focus visual information. Another type-a lens softening eye drop-works by softening the crystalline lens which restores the flexibility of the crystalline lens making it able to change focus as it did when you were younger. Both types of drops are in clinical trials, where their safety and effectiveness are being tested in patients and experts predict that perhaps one drop may get the approval within the next two years. Every person’s eyes are unique and glasses, drops and surgery all have their pros and cons. In the meantime if you or someone you know needs help with presbyopia and near vision please call and schedule an eye exam at Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, or Facebook to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are conveniently located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851