tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11841768200272789572012-01-07T17:41:07.174-08:00Tips about vision and the eyes, including updates in medical technology, advances in frames and lenses, options for vision correction, eye health advice and concerns. Written by Dr. Eric Stamper of Visionary Eyecare Center in Hendersonville, TN.Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.comBlogger181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-35540036210595809472011-12-15T17:19:00.000-08:002012-01-07T17:27:46.647-08:00

Until last month the answer to that question would have been ‘no’, but thanks to a recent breakthrough in electronic lens technology distorted vision can be almost completely eliminated for most patients by lenses that electronically change focus as needed. Since the creation of progressive lenses distortion in the lower half of the lenses has been a constant problem, and stronger reading powers

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-59134320346965050322011-06-15T17:31:00.000-07:002012-01-07T17:33:34.523-08:00

Those visual distractions are typically called “floaters” even by eyecare professionals, and they may be either completely normal or a sign of a serious eye emergency. Let me first describe what you are seeing and then tell you how to distinguish between normal and dangerous. The inside of the eye is almost completely filled with a clear gel called the vitreous, which is like colorless Jello. In

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-52731660320368542622011-04-08T17:35:00.000-07:002012-01-07T17:41:07.178-08:00

This is a popular myth that dates back to World War II when British fighter pilots were said to have great nighttime success against the Germans due to high carrot consumption. While carrots do contain nutrients like Vitamin A and beta carotene, which are necessary for vision and good for eye health, excess consumption of carrots has not been shown to improve vision. The real eye nutrients

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-56360265635820074302011-01-06T17:38:00.000-08:002012-01-07T17:40:41.530-08:00

The last couple years have seen many new advances in surgical correction and contact lenses that help people get out of reading glasses and bifocals. Almost every contact lens company has put out a new design for bifocal contacts over the past two years, giving us far more options than we ever had before. If bifocal contacts or monovision contacts didn’t work for you before, they may work now.

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-59986435403697066492010-09-27T08:27:00.000-07:002010-09-27T08:27:55.760-07:00

How can contact lenses cause eye infections? Contact lens wear is by far the largest cause of serious eye infections called corneal ulcers. Contact lenses are made of materials that can trap bacteria, fungi, and other dangerous organisms, which then dig into the eye and infect it. There are a few precautions you can take to avoid these infections. First, never, ever for any reason rinse a

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-47129551934534470182010-05-03T11:44:00.000-07:002010-05-03T11:44:35.868-07:00

What allergy medicines are best for itchy eyes? With record-high pollen counts, we are officially in the height of allergy season! Many people suffer from itchy eyes, which is the hallmark sign of ocular allergies. Oral allergy medications can actually dry out the eyes and make matters worse. Allergy eye drops are usually a better solution, but avoid products that advertise that they "get the

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-81270973831375676252010-01-17T07:48:00.000-08:002010-01-17T07:49:59.659-08:00

Q: Can I use a Flex Account or Health Savings Account for glasses, contacts, or sunglasses? A: Yes, yes, and yes, provided the glasses, contacts, or sunglasses have a prescription in them. A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a tax-free account offered with some employer-based health insurance programs in which an employee sets aside a portion of their income each year to be used for medical

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-69837955935495109662009-11-12T11:48:00.001-08:002009-12-17T15:02:25.993-08:00

The air puff test measures eye pressure, which can be an indicator of glaucoma.  However, it is just one method out of many for testing pressure, so although it is important to have your eye pressure tested yearly, it is not necessary that the air puff test be used to do it.  The reason eye pressure is important is because high eye pressure can be an indicator of glaucoma, a disease which can

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-53921861704350241502009-08-24T11:17:00.000-07:002009-12-17T15:31:34.135-08:00

Q. What is the difference between a school screening and an eye exam? A. It is a common mistake to assume that if a child passes a school screening there is nothing wrong with their vision. While school screenings are useful in identifying some of the most obvious and basic vision problems, many vision screenings test only distance visual acuity, or how well someone sees at a distance. Although

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-3010725345310620882009-07-07T16:29:00.001-07:002011-05-24T07:39:39.653-07:00

Q: How does the sun affect my eyes? A: Just as it affects our skin, the sun can also do significant damage to the eyes. The damage is done by long term exposure to ultraviolet radiation given off by the sun. The white part of the eye, called the sclera, has very little natural protection. UV exposure over time will cause the white tissue to get thicker, more yellowed, and more bloodshot, which

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-61577497009752286612009-05-10T10:12:00.000-07:002009-05-10T10:23:44.329-07:00

I saw a patient this week with an unusually large stye, which is a bump on the eyelid, more accurately called either a chalazion or hordeolum. When I asked if he had been using any medication he indicated he had applied "Stye" ointment to the eyelid a few times. Out of the 5 or 6 worst styes I have examined, every single one of them had used a topical ointment called "Stye." After the first

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-84534479143574032572009-03-04T12:19:00.000-08:002009-12-17T17:13:54.538-08:00

With the turning of the calendar year a small but important revolution in healthcare has taken place without any help from professional politicians, government health agencies, or media blabbermouths. It has occurred as a significant number of businesses switch from traditional comprehensive health plans to leaner and meaner health savings accounts. What’s more important is that while

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-30851417449193023942009-02-23T04:06:00.000-08:002009-03-04T12:33:47.218-08:00

I don’t know who the first person was who thought sticking a piece of plastic on their eye would help their vision, but they sure hit on a big idea. Since the invention of contact lenses hundreds of millions of people around the world have tried them out, and most of those people have misused their lenses in some way. Today I’m going to tell you about some of the most common and the most

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-86219887700387852272009-02-10T12:49:00.000-08:002009-02-10T12:50:50.654-08:00

In an ironic twist, a medication for glaucoma will soon be prescribed to patients without glaucoma because of one of its unique side effects – longer, thicker eyelashes. During the past decade a new type of eye drop medication called a prostaglandin analog has come into use and rapidly become the first line of defense for treating glaucoma, a progressive eye disease that initially causes loss of

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-47781587856530778672009-02-05T12:57:00.000-08:002009-02-05T13:02:00.850-08:00

Line bifocals were famously created by Benjamin Franklin around 1760. His ingenious design has been in use ever since, but over the course of the last two decades new technology has finally brought more options for presbyopes, which are people who have trouble focusing nearby objects. News flash: this happens to everybody, beginning around age 40! You either are a presbyope now or you will be

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-19009373717751226732009-01-06T21:19:00.000-08:002009-01-06T21:22:22.507-08:00

I see patients every week who are reluctant to get glasses because they have heard that wearing eyeglasses will make their eyes more dependent on the glasses, but don’t you believe it! This is a myth! However, it is a popular myth because certain inevitable changes in the human body can deceptively make this myth appear to be fact. To make matters more confusing there are some companies that have

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-12434635661356144882008-12-27T16:16:00.000-08:002008-12-27T16:30:54.578-08:00

Many people don’t realize that their “yearly eye exam,” or at least a portion of it, may now be covered by medical insurance and not just vision insurance. Thanks to many hardworking optometrists and legislators today’s optometrists now have the same access to filing medical insurance as do any other physicians. This is great news for many Americans because more people have medical insurance than

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184176820027278957.post-24704938616845282842008-12-22T05:48:00.000-08:002008-12-27T16:31:59.433-08:00

First things first - trust me when I say that everybody, even you, will need help seeing up close sometime in your life, probably starting around age 40. This is a promise. 100%. Everybody. Yes, I mean you. Now if you're under 40 you can stop reading now because bifocal contacts are not for you... yet.For everyone else who is wearing reading glasses, bifocals, or just plain struggling to read the

Dr. Eric Stamperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06546721883222482080noreply@blogger.com0