Healthy vision, take care of your eyes!

(Mass Appeal) - Imagine a world where you can't see your child grow up or watch the leaves turn brilliant colors and fall from the trees.

Optometrists Dr. Brian Wadman, from Vision Source , and Dr. Jason Besecker, from Pioneer Valley Ophthalmic Consultants , told us how we can keep our eyes safe and sharp for years to come

Pioneer Valley Ophthalmic Consultants, P.C.

Locations:

• 10 Hospital Drive
  Holyoke
  (413) 536 - 3010
   
• 31 Hall Drive
  Amherst
  (413) 259 - 2020
   
• 489 Bernardston Road
  Suite 101
  Greenfield
  (413) 775 - 9900
   

Vision Source of Amherst and Greenfield

Locations:

• 22 University Drive
  Amherst
  (413) 549 - 9400
   
• 489 Bernardston Road
  Suite 101
  Greenfield
  (413) 772 - 5800

New products for correcting vision:

New Spectacle lens (glasses) technologies
We now have new instrumentation that measure more than just someones nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. There are other irregularities in our visual system (higher order aberrations) that affect how we see. Until recently we could not measure these, but we now have technology that allows us to measure them and use these measurements to customize lenses for patients that give them better vision than we could with conventional lenses.

Variable polarization lenses
Most people are aware of Transitions Lenses that change from light to dark when going outside and dark to light when indoors. There is also a lens treatment called polarization which cuts glare better than any other sun glass and is preferred by sportsman and people who do a lot of driving. Until recently these two technologies where mutually exclusive. Transitions now has a variable polarizing lens that both darkens and increases its polarization when exposed to bright outdoor light (UV). This provides sun protection and improved glare protection and visual crispness.

Bifocal Contact Lenses
With aging baby boomer generation needing vision correction for both distance and near, contact lens wear has been a compromise. Choices were to stop wearing contacts, wear reading glasses over contacts that corrected distance vision or wear a contact in one eye that corrected distance vision and in the other eye one that corrected for near. Bifocal Contact Lens technology has been around for a number of years, but the results have been less than adequate until recently. New designs are available that are producing clear and comfortable vision both distance and near with less compromise that before.

With the epidemic of Diabetes in the US, Diabetic Eye Disease or Diabetic Retinopathy is on the increase. Diabetes damages the small blood vessels of the retina (layer of nerves in the back of the eye) and causes bleeding and fluid leakage into the sensitive and fragile retinal tissue. This leads to loss of vision. There are treatments that can slow down or even prevent loss of vision if this disease is detected early. The best treatment of course is to control your blood sugar. Also all Diabetics need eye exams at least annually. If advances eye disease is found, Laser treatments and/or injections of new drugs into the eye can slow down or stop the progression of the disease.

Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a disease of the Optic Nerve (a bundle of nerve fibers from the Retina that transmits images to the brain). Damage is generally related to increase pressure with in the eye. The disease causes permanent and progressive loss of vision starting in the periphery and moving centrally. If undetected and untreated will eventually lead to total blindness. Unfortunately in the most common type of Glaucoma there are no symptoms. Without regular eye exams, patients would not know they had this condition until a significant amount of damage has occurred. Treatments include medications (eye drops), Laser treatment and/or Surgery.

Macular Degeneration
The macula is in the central retina and is the most sensitive part of the retina. It is the part of the retina that has 20/20 vision as well as color vision. This is the part of the retina we use for detailed vision such as reading or recognizing peoples faces. Damage to this area can cause legal blindness. There are two subtypes of Macular Degeneration called Dry and Wet. They dry type leads to slow progressive loss of vision but not allways legal blindness. The only treatments we have are nutritional. Antioxident vitamins have shown to have some protective effect on the Retina. Also Omega 3 Fatty Acids. With the wet form, abnormal blood vessels form in and under the retina, bleeding and leaking fluid that disrupts the delicate retinal tissue, leading to quick and dramatic loss of vision. Treatments for this stage include laser and injections of medication into the eye.

For more information on improving the health of your eyes, visit wadmaneye.com or pvoceyes.com .