Posts Tagged ‘eye diseases’

Optometrists and ophthalmologists

There are three types of eye professionals: optometrists, ophthalmologists and opticians, the former two of which are eye doctors.

An eye optician should only take an optician training program or a formal training. They are only licensed to fit and sell kinds of eyewear according to the prescription from an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.

Equivalent to a dentist in educational requirements, an optometrist must get a bachelor degree in science plus a four-year of post graduate training in optometry school. Today, optometrists in the United States are licensed to some clinical rights: vision examination, mens eyeglasses and womens eyeglasses prescription, low vision care, vision therapy, pre- and post-operative care after a surgery and eye medications prescription. The last one is a recent expansion.

The education and training requirements of an ophthalmologist are similar to an oral surgeon, which add one year of internship and a minimum three years of hospital-based residency in ophthalmology to the requirement of an optometrist. Only an ophthalmologist is entitled to conduct an eye surgery.

If you just need a regular eye exam, it is your personal preference to choose an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. Although many optometrists cover the services including common eye problems and chronic eye diseases, such as dry eyes and glaucoma, only an ophthalmologist can provide complex diseases diagnosis and treatment, as well as eye surgeries. In this case, if you have been diagnosed with an unusual eye problem such as macular degeneration and cataracts, you’d better go to an ophthalmologist for professional treatment. Another common operation is co-management. If the patient’s problem is beyond his ability, an optometrist may refer to an ophthalmologist for medical treatment or a surgery, and then the patient is returned to the optometrist for further monitor and treatment.

Vision or health insurance is also an influential factor in choosing an optometrist or ophthalmologist, since they may be authorized eye care providers covered by the vision benefits. You can call the doctor’s office or find their information on the insurance company’s website. You should also be clear that whether you need to submit the insurance claim to the company after receiving eye care from the doctor, as well as the copayment issue. For old people, Medicare may also help in reducing eye care expense, although it does not cover routine eye exams. Under some situations such as insurance coverage and pre-existing eye problems, part of or entire eye exams may be covered.

The cooperation between your doctor and other medical and surgical specialists are also important, in case of some complex conditions. Your friends and colleagues may provide helpful recommendation in doctor selection.

Article Source:http://vision.firmoo.com/eye-exams/optometrists-and-ophthalmologists.html

Vision Library is the information source in area of vision care, including eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, sports protective eyewear, vision error and diseases, vision surgery, ageing and kid’s vision etc., solely sponsored by Firmoo.com, an emerging online optical store offering high quality eyewear at the lowest prices.Firmoo’s return and refund policy make any purchase risk-free.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/vision-articles/optometrists-and-ophthalmologists-1416983.html

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Basic knowledge of contact lenses

Contact lenses have been around for over one hundred years. In those early days, some people were not suitable to wear contact lense since the technologies were not so advanced. But nowadays, contact lenses are available for everyone. And contact lenses today are provided in more options that even colored ones are manufactured.

Contact lenses are one of the three ways that can correct eye diseases such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. The other two are metal glasses and plastic eyeglasses such as LASIK. Actually, contact lense has been the choice of a considerable population. In the United States, about 20 percent of people who need vision correction wear contact lenses.

To some content, contact lenses are special eyeglasses, because they also use lenses to help people improve their vision. However, the two types do have some differences. Eyeglasses are visible to others. They have obvious frames and lenses. In contrast, contact lense is invisible to others, because the lenses are made of transparent materials. This feature of contact lenses does help some people who prefer their appearance without a pair of eyeglasses. Contact lense also eliminates their need for eye surgeries.

Contact lenses can provide the vision correction effects as well as any eyeglasses. Once you put them on, contact lenses “contact” your pupils. Contact lense is large enough to cover your whole pupil even if you turn your eyes around in all directions, so that it can provide complete vision correction. Contact lense just provides unobstructed vision, which is helpful during sports and other activities.

Article Source: http://blog.firmoo.com/basic-knowledge-of-contact-lenses.html

Firmoo’s Blog is the information source in area of vision care, including eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, sports protective eyewear, vision error and diseases, vision surgery, ageing and kid’s vision etc., solely sponsored by Firmoo.com, an emerging online optical store offering high quality eyewear at the lowest prices.Firmoo’s return and refund policy make any purchase risk-free.

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Low contrast sensitivity tests and treatments

Good vision such as 20/20 does not mean satisfying contrast sensitivity. Common vision tests using black letters or numbers displayed against white backgrounds can not reflect your exact contrast sensitivity, since the real world is filled with grey shades. So that special contrast sensitivity testing is necessary.

May eye diseases or conditions may cause poor contrast sensitivity, such as cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy, as well as the side effects from LASIK and PRK. People with low contrast sensitivity may have difficulty in some conditions, such as seeing traffic lights, spot other cars and pedestrians during night driving. Since these people have poor perception of objects that do not stand out from their backgrounds, they may even stumble when they fail to see similarly colored pavements.

The term “contrast sensitivity function” (CSF) is used to describe people’s low contrast seeing ability. A contrast sensitivity test may be included in a routine screening after the visual acuity test, which measures the ability of seeing detailed letters or numbers. With your plastic eyeglasses or contacts lenses wearing on, your eyes will be tested in together by a low-contrast test chart, which consists of bars and dots in different colored contrasts that are used to evaluate the patient’s exact CSF. Your CSF will certainly be affected by the sizes of objects: the larger the objects are, the higher CSF you can achieve.

By testing your eyes using bar and dot patterns displayed against varying contacts or intensities, your highest and lowest contrast sensitivity can be determined and plotted into a curve, which shows your contrast sensitivity readings. Tests under both bright and dark conditions can provide more detailed information about your images process capability.

As a volunteer, you can get a contrast sensitivity test as a necessary part of the evaluation of new ophthalmic devices such as LASIK excimer lasers and new intraocular lenses required by FDA. Once you are diagnosed with low contrast sensitivity, some remedies are available, depending on the source of the problem. Usually, artificial lenses with a yellow filter can improve contrast. If the low contrast sensitivity is caused by higher-order aberrations, wavefront lenses or LASIK are the right choices. Another option is intraocular lenses with yellow tints, which can also offset low contrast sensitivity.

Article Source:http://vision.firmoo.com/eye-exams/low-contrast-sensitivity-tests-and-treatments.html

Vision Library is the information source in area of vision care, including eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, sports protective eyewear, vision error and diseases, vision surgery, ageing and kid’s vision etc., solely sponsored by Firmoo.com, an emerging online optical store offering high quality eyewear at the lowest prices.Firmoo’s return and refund policy make any purchase risk-free.

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Contact lenses applying techniques

Both experienced and newbie wearers may have specific problems with contact lenses. One of the common problems is inside-out lens, even though it never brings any damage. When the lens on your finger forms a “U” with the top edges flared out, rather than a perfect “U”, it is inside out. Some contact lenses offer a handling tint or brand laser marking to help you see them easily.

There are many tips for contact lenses applying. The preparation work of hands washing should avoid scented or oily soaps, because they may adhere to lens surface. You can shake the lens case to loosen lenses but never use your finger. Always slide the lens out of case onto your index or middle finger. For easier applying, you can look upward or forward. To better settle the lens, you should roll your eyes in a complete circle and then blink. It is better to apply the lens to a same eye every time.

For soft lens removal, always use your nails-clipped index finger and thumb finger to lift it off the eye, with your eyes looking upward or sideways and lower eyelid pulled down. For rigid contact lens, the removal process is easier that it can be popped out into your palm with proper handling. There are still removing devices that only touch your lenses.

Although contact lenses with a UV blocker can not replace regular sunglasses for complete UV protection, they still protect the white part of the eyes that is covered. Evidences show that UV light may lead to various eye diseases such as cataracts and photokeratitis. You should ask your doctor if the contact lens has UV protection treatment, since it is always provided in a clear form to avoid vision disturbance.

Contact lenses may affect your eye makeup to some degree. Many tips are useful in preventing lens from adhering makeup. You should apply your lenses before getting makeup. Use allergy-free makeup brands such as Almay and Clinique. Keep your eyes closed when you applying powder and brush off excess powder before opening your eye. At night, you should firstly remove your contacts without touching your eye makeup. Your eye makeup should be replaced frequently to prevent bacteria built-up.

this article is come from:http://vision.firmoo.com/contact-lenses/contact-lenses-applying-techniques.html

Vision Library
is the information source in area of vision care, including eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, sports protective eyewear, vision error and diseases, vision surgery, ageing and kid’s vision etc., solely sponsored by Firmoo.com, an emerging online optical store.

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Symptoms and treatments of amblyopia

There is vision problem called amblyopia or lazy eye among children below six, which always affects only one eye. Its symptoms include eyestrain, overall poor visual acuity, headache, and one-eye squinting. The patient can also realize the fact that his two eyes are not equally functioning.

Trauma, strong uncorrected nearsightedness or farsightedness and strabismus are some of the reasons that may cause amblyopia. People with amblyopia usually have poor central vision in one eye. Potential blindness can be caused if amblyopia is left untreated.

Since the brain turns off the weaker eye, one treatment for amblyopia is vision therapy exercise, which forces the brain to see through the amblyopic eye. The most common application is patching the stronger eye, which may take several hours each day or all day long for weeks. For convenience, children can take use of prosthetic contact lenses, which block vision in the stronger eye while offering natural eye color.

Atropine eye drops can also be placed in the stronger eye and then its vision can be blurred. This way of treatment eliminates the constant vigilance to check the patch. Certain studies have proved that atropine drops have become an effective alternative to patching. The disadvantage of atropine is its broad side effects, including light sensitivity, flushing and potential paralysis.

Since strong uncorrected refractive error can be one of the reasons that cause amblyopia, corrective eyeglasses and contact lenses may be prescribed to treat this vision problem. And sometimes eyeglasses are in a combination of patching.

The best way to treat strabismus-caused amblyopia is surgery, which corrects the problematic muscles.

Early treatment of amblyopia is essential, since it will never disappear naturally and may lead to permanent visual problem as serious as vision loss. And the risk of eye diseases on the stronger eye should also be considered.

this article is come from:http://vision.firmoo.com/eye-diseases/symptoms-and-treatments-of-amblyopia.html

Vision Library
is the information source in area of vision care, including eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, sports protective eyewear, vision error and diseases, vision surgery, ageing and kid’s vision etc., solely sponsored by Firmoo.com, an emerging online optical store.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/vision-articles/symptoms-and-treatments-of-amblyopia-1332819.html

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