Vision Therapy is Not Just for Kids
In a recent study in the Journal of Vision, the November 4 issue, researchers found that visual perceptual therapy greatly improves vision in the elderly. The elderly lose skill in depth perception, spatial vision and contrast sensitivity. The study showed that only two hours of vision therapy improved the skills for up to three months after the therapy was finished.
Have You Always had Trouble Reading?
Do You Experience Eyestrain on a Regular Basis?
Do you avoid reading? Do you have trouble playing sports? Have you been diagnosed with dyslexia or attention-deficit (hyperactivity) disorder (ADD/ADHD)? These may all be symptoms of an underlying problem known as a Learning-Related Vision Problem. We have written about this in previous posts but now you can actually “take the quiz” and see for yourself if you or your child has a vision problem (even if the vision is diagnosed as “perfect 20/20″)
Click on the photo to take the COVD questionnaire
Please contact our office for more information about Learning-related Vision Problems at 239.437.2004 . If you would like Dr. Dalesio to take a look at the results of your COVD Questionnaire, you may email the form once you finish it by clicking on the email icon at the top of the questionnaire page. Please call our office for the email address.
EyeDocks Blog Listed as 2010 Top Eyeglasses Blog by Online Medical Assistant Degree
Drs. David Dalesio and Sandra Eveleth are thanking Online Medical Assistant Degree’s blog for naming us one of the 2010 Top Eyeglass Blogs! Thank you, we are honored to be listed here.
LASIK Risks Warned by Former FDA Official
r. Morris Waxler, who was a former FDA official and in charge of approving LASIK devices between 1996 and 2000, has been contacted by angry patients upset “with their LASIK results because of issues with seeing halos, impaired night vision and excessive glare.” He has met with FDA officials recently and requested that the agency issue a public health advisory to alert people of the risks of LASIK.
On September 22, 2010, Dr. Waxler stated appeared on ABC News and stated that 50% of patients experience side effects and 1/3rd continue to need glasses or contact lenses.
In February 2010, Dr. Waxler appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America and reported that the FDA was more focused on the improvement of eyesight than on the subjective side effects patients were mentioning. “I did the best I could…but in hindsight, it wasn’t enough,” he said. Dr. Waxler also shared his belief that the agency messed up in not requiring tougher standards for LASIK.
The president of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, R. Doyle Stulting, M.D., Ph.D., issued a letter to Dr. Waxler stating that Dr. Waxler’s information was “filled with false statements, incorrect citations” and “mischaracterization of results from older lasers…and misrepresentations of the actual performance of modern excimer lasers for the correction of refractive errors.”
Dr. Waxler is working on a citizens petition urging the FDA to stop “the epidemic of permanent vision problems” caused by LASIK.
†Rewritten from an article in Review of Optometry, October 15, 2010 Vol. 147, No. 10 entitled: “Former FDA Official Warns of LASIK Risks”
Most Effective Treatment for Eye-muscle Coordination Problem is Office and Home Vision Therapy
Combined Effort of Office-based Vision Therapy and Home-based Reinforcement Best Effect for Convergence Insufficiency
Researchers in the US have concluded that the most effective treatment for Convergence Insufficiency in children, a condition where the eye muscles don’t coordinate well for close-up work (as with reading, computer work, writing, etc.), is office and home-based Vision Therapy. Symptoms of convergence insufficiency include eyestrain, headaches, blurry vision, double vision, sleepiness, difficulty concentrating and staying on task, frequently losing place while reading, and loss of comprehension. The diagnosis for this condition can only be made with a comprehensive eye examination.
Even if your child has “perfect” 20/20 eyesight, he or she may NOT have perfect vision. There are several more factors with the eyes that contribute to good, comfortable vision including how the eyes work together as a team (binocular vision), how they focus (accommodation), how they “perceive” what they are “seeing” (visual perception), how they work in conjunction with the rest of the body (fine and gross motor skills), and more.
Before jumping to the conclusion that your child has a learning disability, consider having his or her eyes checked by an eye doctor to determine if he or she has a Learning-Related Vision Problem like Convergence Insufficiency that can be treated with Vision Therapy. You may be very surprised! Please call 239.437.2004 for more information or to schedule your next eye exam.
Research Reveals that “Beer Goggles” are Real!
It is the perception of symmetry in the face that one appears more attractive to another. An interesting finding as reported in the September issue of “Optometric Management” is that acute alcohol consumption seems to reduce one’s ability to detect asymmetry in faces and, hence, increase the ratings of facial attractiveness of others!
Dr. Paul Karpecki, an Optometrist practicing in Lexington, KY, says the central nervous system (CNS) depressive effect of alcohol slows down the focusing system (accommodation) and may even cause double vision (diplopia) which can add to the inability to detect this facial asymmetry.
3D Movies and Why Some People Can’t Enjoy Them
With the popularity of 3D movies and the early signs of 3D media for the home, there are many people who wonder why they cannot enjoy the excitement of this experience. They get headaches, double vision, or even have the inability to see things in 3D. Many of these people don’t even realize why this is the case. A trip to the eye doctor usually reveals one of the many reasons for this:
Crossing or Turning In/Out of the Eyes (strabismus):
This may even be very subtle and remain undetected without an eye exam. On the other hand, many patients may be aware of having crossed eyes or see it in their children but never realize this may affect their ability to see in 3D (have good binocular vision). What they may also not realize is that a course of Vision Therapy performed by a Behavioral Optometrist may restore their ability to enjoy the 3D experience.
Laziness of the Eye (amblyopia):
This is an eye condition where the vision in one eye is suppressed due to an eye turn or a large difference in how the 2 eyes “see”. Many patients and parents of young patients are surprised to discover this during their first eye exam. Since the ability to see 3D requires that both eyes see equally well with best correction and do not have crossed eyes or an eye turn, amblyopia will prevent patients from enjoying the 3D experience. Binocular vision may be achieved in these patients with an eyeglass or contact lens prescription and/or with vision therapy.
Eye Diseases:
Other causes of loss of binocular vision may include eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, macular degeneration, eye injury and anything else that reduces a patient’s vision or affects the muscles surrounding the eye.
Find Out the Reason for Your 3D “Woes”
If you put on those wonderful 3D glasses and experience headaches, double vision or cannot see what all the “fuss” is about surrounding 3D movies (since you can’t “see in 3D”), contact your local eye doctor and let them know what your symptoms are. Maybe there’s a treatment for you!
Nearsightedness has increased 66% over the past 30 years!
The incidence of nearsightedness, or myopia, has risen 66% since 1971 in the USA. Researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to evaluate over 12 thousand patient records and found an increase in myopia in all age groups. A link to the Archives of Ophthalmology abstract is found here.
Dr. David Dalesio, a Behavioral Optometrist, specializes in vision therapy, which can help reduce the amount of nearsightedness associated with increased near point stress. Some common causes of eye strain leading to increased myopia are computer use, gaming (on laptops and/or hand held devices) and reading for extended periods of time. One simple form of therapy is the 20/20/20 rule. For every 20 minutes doing close work, take a 20-second “eye break” and look at something beyond 20 feet. This gives your eyes a little time to relax. In addition, once an hour get up from your chair and stretch.
Myth Busted! Colored Overlays Do Not Improve Reading
A recent article in the Journal of Behavioral Optometry, Volume 20/2009/number6, looked at the relationship between eye movements while reading and Irlen Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome (SSS). Researchers placed colored overlays on the reading material that patients with SSS were told to read. The study used all 10 different Irlen colored filters to see if any color did improve eye tracking while reading. Not one of the overlay colors made any difference in the eye movements while reading. The study’s authors and Dr. David Dalesio agree that those diagnosed with SSS truly have an underlying binocular or accommodative vision disorder. In fact, Dr. Dalesio recommends a full course of Vision Therapy to improve eye tracking and/or focusing abilities which will, in turn, improve reading skills.
Study finds no improvement in reading ability
For the full article, click here.
New Multifocal Contact Lenses sure to be a “Hit”
Multifocal contact lenses for your vision needs
CIBA Vision™ has recently released it’s new multifocal contact lens known as the Air Optix® Aqua Multifocal. It is definitely showing some promise for emerging Presbyopes (the condition that occurs over the age of 40 when the focusing ability of the eye slows down and requires a reading prescription) as well as those more advanced.
“It is always a challenge to fit someone with contact lenses when they reach the stage of needing a separate reading prescription”, states Dr. Sandi Eveleth. “This new design offers our patients another opportunity for success in eliminating the need for eyeglasses most of the time”. Call 239.437.2004 for more information or to set up an appointment for a fitting of this brand new lens.
