Lehigh Valley Center For Sight

As America’s population ages overall, the number of people with eye conditions and disease will increase. Currently the number of us dealing with vision problems is already staggering. If you’re coping with vision problems, you’re not alone. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology , Nearly 1.3 million Americans forty and older are legally blind. About 8% of men and 0.5% of women with Northern European ancestry have the most common form of color blindness. The incidence is lower in almost all other populations. Cataracts impact more than 24.4 million Americans age forty and older, almost twice the number of people living in Pennsylvania. About half of all Americans will have cataracts by the time they reach 75. Glaucoma affects more than 2.7 million Americans age forty and older. Each year about 2.4 million eye injuries happen in the US. Use of protective eyewear can prevent 90% of eye injuries. More than a third of all such injuries happen to those 18 to 45 ...

High blood pressure effects eyesight in several ways, it is important to understand how this happens. High blood pressure puts an extra load on the heart and arteries, causing them to work overtime. As the heart pumps harder to push the blood through the arteries, it creates great pressure on the walls of the blood vessels, capillaries, and veins. Constant pressure damages The Retina , causing a condition known as Hypertensive Retinopathy . Among the symptoms are failing eyesight and Blurred Vision caused by swelling of the optic nerve. The problem can also cause spots on the Retina and bleeding in the back of the eye. High blood pressure is known to trigger various other health conditions including Loss of Vision . When high blood pressure effects eyesight it can cause a lot of serious problems. The retina is damaged due to the pressure of the blood leading to swelling of the optic nerve and narrowing of blood vessels. A large percentage of Americans have high blood pressure,...

We’ve discussed the recommendations for screen time and how the harmful blue light gets to our retinas. Now, we can talk about what we can do as parents to reduce the effects of blue light and exposure to our highly sensitive eye structures. If you’re not a parent of a child or teen, the simplest solution is to reduce screen time. As stated before, this is easier said than done. For our teen population, their entire social network is connected via their digital devices. The only reduction I’ve seen successfully carried out is a usage-stop-time. For instance, a “turn-in-time” for phones and tablets at least one hour prior to intended bedtimes. A negative blue-light side effect is the disruption of circadian rhythms, which means that it disturbs our sleep patterns. Teens are already known to have odd sleep patterns, but throw in an internal clock disturbance from excessive blue light exposure and they’re destined for daytime fatigue. If they wear prescription glasses, always be certa...

There are few alive today who have never heard of Helen Keller , who combated not only blindness but also inability to hear. She wasn't born with either of these afflictions; she was as healthy as any other child until she reached 19 months of age. It was then that doctors diagnosed her with what they referred to as congestion of the brain, which some theorize might have been the scarlet fever. Since she was so young when all this happened, she never got the chance to learn how to speak, and so she spent most of her young life unable to communicate properly. This left her unable to fully grasp her surroundings, and she had trouble interacting with others. People with disabilities are often wrongly seen as helpless and weak. Many people think that, since they can't do one or two things that most others can, they must be unable to fend for themselves and live normal lives. “A blind person can't possibly learn to enjoy their life the way everyone else does, can they? Afte...

The first thoughts for most when vitamin C comes up in conversation are oranges and colds, but there are more benefits vitamin C offers for children’s eye health.  What is it? Vitamin C, (ascorbic acid), is an antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables. This powerful micronutrient is used for skin care, reducing cholesterol levels, and yes, strengthening the immune system. But what good does it do kids’ eyes? When taken with other nutrients, vitamin C can help protect kids’ vision from long-term age-related eye health issues.  Many orange-colored fruits  and vegetables are a good source of vitamin C (especially sweet potatoes), which helps the body form and maintain connective eye tissue, but most kids in the U.S. follow a Western diet. This means they’re not getting enough fruits and vegetables containing vitamin C to help protect their vision as they grow. Regardless of age, almost all cells of the body depend on vitamin C, the eye especially. There are concentrations of this vita...

Without healthy retinas you won’t be able to see well. The retina is in the rear of the eye. It has millions of light-sensitive cells (called rods and cones) which, along with other nerve cells, receive and organize visual information. This information is sent to the brain via the optic nerve, and if all goes well, you can see.   There are several diseases and conditions that can impact the retina. Depending on which one you’re dealing with, treatment goals may be to stop or slow the progress of the disease, preserve your current vision, improve or restore your vision. Left untreated some of these diseases can result in severe vision loss or blindness. Risk factors include aging, being diabetic, suffering eye trauma, and a family history of retinal diseases. Some of the symptoms can include, Floaters (visual effects that appear as floating specks, strings or cobwebs), Vision that’s blurred or distorted, Problems with peripheral vision, and, Vision loss. You should set ...

Low vision is the term used to describe significant visual impairment that can’t be corrected fully with glasses, contact lenses, medication or eye surgery.  Low vision causes a person to be unable to accomplish some daily tasks due to sight impairments. Low vision occurs when an individual struggles with any of the following common activities: Reading Everyday tasks like personal grooming Viewing photos Recognizing faces Millions of Americans experience a normal loss of vision as they get older and the number of individuals who develop vision problems due to health conditions is projected to continue to rise. There are many things that can cause low vision, including: A few simple approaches can be: Getting an eye exam Update your reading glasses Use bright light for reading If these do not work for you, ask your eye care professional for help or ask for a referral to a low vision specialist. Low Vision Technology   Individuals with eye disease related to...

We previously discussed the frustrations that arise for parents when they read recommendations from medical professionals regarding screen time limits. To fully understand why these limits are so strict despite the fact that they are nearly unobtainable, I’d like to be clear about how blue light gets to our retinas and why it must be filtered and protected against. Blue light is everywhere. You may be surprised to know that our main source of blue light is from the sun, similar to the Ultraviolet light (UV) that we have heard about for decades. In addition, although computer screens, phones, and tablets are a smaller contributor to our blue light consumption, the increased amount of time our children are spending on them is causing us a lot of concern as is the proximity of these devices to our children’s faces. UV light and blue light are filtered by our eyes very differently. To best understand how blue light gets to the part of our eye to cause damage, I like to use an example th...

Bladeless Lasik-High Tech Approach To Vision Correction With the latest technology you may be able to avoid some complications and have a greater chance of obtaining normal, 20/20 vision. A bladeless, or Intralase , approach represents the next generation of very high tech tools used to perform the procedure. LASIK stands for laser in-situ keratomileusis. It’s a popular surgery used to correct vision for those who are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism. It works by reshaping the cornea, the clear front part of the eye, so that light traveling through it properly focuses onto the retina located in the back of the eye. During LASIK surgery, a corneal flap is lifted up and the cornea’s shape is changed to improve focus. The flap is then replaced and serves as a type of natural "bandage" for healing. Traditional LASIK uses a microkeratome blade to create the corneal flap. Intralase is different because the flap is created by using a computer assisted laser, not a man...

Through years of practice and motherhood, Louise Sclafani, OD, FAAO, FSLS, has seen the impact that screen time can have on children. Though she recognizes that the amount of time spent with digital devices is unlikely to drop any time soon, she also knows that there are ways to help protect young eyes. Dr. Sclafani has a solution for parents that offers protection through nutrition: EyePromise ® Screen Shield™ Teen . How Do You Think Patients Will React to This Vitamin? I think, in general, people like to be proactive about their health, and parents want to be even more proactive about their kids’ health. Parents are very aware of the detriments of UV lights on other aspects of the eye, and they’re becoming more aware of the inherent damage that can be caused by digital screens. Blue light from screens is an artificial UV element we haven’t encountered in the past, and nobody looks at the sun for six hours, yet kids are on devices for six or more hours a day! We can’t get kids off ...

Our children are exposed to more and more media via phones, tablets, and computers – both at school and at home. All of this screen time leaves many parents asking: how much screen time is too much? The World Health Organization (WHO) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have shared their latest recommended average screen time per day for babies, kids, and teens. We’ve consolidated these screen time guidelines into a printable format you can use in your household. Click the image below to download or print our full 2-page guide, and voilà, you’re on the road to setting better screen time limits at home! The guidelines listed are a great starting point. Additional ways to monitor and protect your children from the effects of blue light exposure from digital screens include: Participating in regular, physical activity together – walks, bike rides, trips to the park, etc. Monitoring time on devices via screen-time-tracking and parental control apps like Zift and Screen Time...

Lately, I’ve noticed that no matter what media outlet you frequent, you’ll see warnings regarding the dangers of blue light . This available information, coupled with my focus on pediatric patients, has allowed me to notice a large increase in the number of parents asking me how to better protect their children’s eyes. Many times, they ask me with hope-filled voices if they should be reducing “screen time” for their kids by banning Snapchat and Fortnite in order to accomplish this task. I’ve found myself answering this from two perspectives. First, I answer as an eye care professional. It’s important to understand what the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends: no screen time under two years old and no more than an hour a day from ages 2 to 5. Beyond that, a limit of two hours a day is recommended. As an eye doctor, I agree that, in a perfect world, these limits would be ideal to best maintain eye health. My other perspective comes as a parent. In the public-school district whe...

If you have dry eye syndrome, the best thing to do is to get some dry eye supplements . When the body stops producing enough tears to clean out dust and other particles, this results in dry eyes. Dry eye naturally occurs as we get older or when women start their menopause cycle. It can also be a sign of a mild to serious side effect when taking medications. Some other causes of dry eye syndrome can be due to the dry or windy weather outside, being inside an air conditioned room all the time, or not blinking enough when at the computer desk. The most heard of complaint from Contact Lens wearers is that their eyes get dry after prolonged or long-term use of contact lenses. However, if none of these reasons are the cause for your dry eyes, then it might be time to check with a doctor. Dry eyes could be a symptom of certain diseases like arthritis, ocular rosacea, lupus, or Sjogren's syndrome. Some of the typical symptoms among people who experience Dry Eyes are dryness, a burning...

According to a small study published in the Journal of Glaucoma , a short course of mindfulness meditation reduced intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). The practice also normalized stress biomarkers and positively modified gene expression. Mindfulness meditation may be a therapeutic resource to reduce IOP and help glaucoma patients. Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness in the U.S. This serious eye disease affects mostly seniors. They gradually develop “tunnel vision” due to optic nerve damage . Any lost sight cannot be restored. For that reason, early detection and intervention are necessary. Primary open angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma. People who are developing glaucoma often do not notice until vision is threatened. Regular eye exams are important for catching glaucoma. Most of the time, intra-ocular pressure is high in open-angle glaucoma patients. The doctor and patient will aim to keep intra-ocular pres...

Retinitis Pigmentosa occurs whenever there is an injury or damage done to The Retina . The retinas purpose is to convert any light into tangible images and then transmit its findings to the brain. In order for it to be classified as pigmentosa, the retina must show that there are several genetic Eyesight Disorder present. When pigmentosa progresses, many people will experience night blindness or tunnel vision. How fast the Eye Diseases progresses to absolute blindness greatly depends on the type of person who has pigmentosa. Some have started to go slowly blind in their elder years, but others who have this have gone completely blind when they were children. Retinitis pigmentosa is considered a type of progressive retinal dystrophy. Basically comprising of several inherited disorders, which cause irregularities in the photoreceptors or the retinal pigment epithelium of the Retina . This irregularities cause the retina to have a Loss of Vision over a period of time. People who f...

The main cause of Macular Degeneration is basically a breakdown of the support tissue that maintains the Macula.   The Macula is located roughly in the center of The Retina , temporal to the optic nerve. It is a small and highly sensitive part of the retina responsible for detailed central vision. The fovea is the very center of the macula. The macula allows us to appreciate detail and perform tasks that require central vision such reading.   It begins with the accumulation of waste and lipid deposits that clog this support tissue, making it impossible to keep the macula’s rods and cone cells clean and supplied with adequate oxygen. Without adequate oxygen, the rods and cones eventually asphyxiate. In wet Macular Degeneration , abnormal, unstable blood vessels grow thought the support tissue, probably in response to the lack of oxygen. Ironically, these vessels are prone to leaks, which feed the rods and cones with blood, asphyxiating them even more quickly. But why does this w...