EYE EXAMS

TESTING FOR MORE THAN 20/20

Our eye exam tests much more than 20/20 eyesight. The Snellen fractions (20/20, 20/100, etc.) are measures of sharpness or clarity of sight (visual acuity). 20/20 just means that at a distance of twenty feet a person can clearly see a certain size letter on the eye chart. There's more to healthy vision than 20/20!

Our comprehensive vision exam goes beyond 20/20 to evaluate many important visual skills, such as:

• Retina Examination
  Replacing the very common dilation of the pupils (which typically causes blurred vision and sensitivity to light for many people) with a laser scan, the OPTOS retinal exam takes eye care to a higher level in providing for early diagnosis and treatment.

• Visual Acuity at Near
  Is vision clear and single at close distances? Clear sight at short distances is critical to reading, writing, close work, computer use, etc.

• Eye Teaming Skills
  Do the two eyes aim, move, and work as a coordinated team? Weaknesses in binocular (two-eyed) vision and eye teaming skills can cause numerous difficulties, including convergence insufficiency and poor depth perception.

• Eye Focusing Skills
  Do the eyes maintain clear vision at varying distances? Rapid, automatic eye focus adjustment is critical to learning, reading, writing, sports, etc. Deficiencies can cause visual fatigue, reduced reading comprehension, and/or avoidance of close work or other activities.

• Eye Movement Skills
  Do eye movements show adequate muscle control, tracking, fixation, etc.? In the classroom, normal eye movements allow rapid and accurate shifting of the eyes along a line of print or from book to desk to board, etc. In sports, efficient eye movements contribute to eye-hand coordination, visual reaction time, and accurate tracking.

• Reversal Frequency
  Is confusion or reversal of letters or words (b, d; p, q; saw, was; etc.) within the normal ranges for a given age? Past the age of seven, frequent visual and written reversals might indicate a visual perceptual dysfunction.

Above are just a few of the many visual skills evaluated during our comprehensive vision exam. In addition, the health of your eyes, inside and out, is carefully evaluated for such problems as cataracts, glaucoma, hypertension, diabetes, etc.
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VISION EXAMS FOR CHILDREN

The American Optometric Association recommends that pre-school children receive a complete vision exam at the ages of six months, three years and five years. It is particularly important that a child have a complete evaluation in the summer prior to entry into Kindergarten. While in school, yearly evaluations are recommended.
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VISION EXAMS FOR ADULTS

The American Optometric Association recommends a yearly eye exam for adults -- not only to detect and to diagnose vision changes or problems -- but, also to maintain eye health. For example, glaucoma, a disease caused by increased pressure in the eye, commonly goes unnoticed by adults. Regular vision examinations are also important for the prevention of vision problems created or aggravated by today's academic and professional demands.

21st century lifestyles demand more from our vision than ever before. Adults in our technological society constantly use their near vision at work and at home. C.V.S. (Computer Vision Syndrome) is one of the fastest growing health concerns in the workplace today. Environmental stresses on the visual system (including excessive computer use or close work) can sometimes induce headaches and/or visual difficulties which can be effectively treated with corrective lenses and/or Vision Therapy.
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DRY EYE SYNDROME

WHAT IS DRY EYE SYNDROME?

Tears function to keep the eyes lubricated and comfortable. Dry eyes are caused when the tear glands in the upper and lower eyelids do not produce enough tears and/or the tear ducts drain too much tears off the eye surface. This phenomenon causes the eyes to feel irritated, scratchy, burning, red, and uncomfortable. Amazingly, Dry Eye Syndrome, or DES, is the most common of all eye disorders, affecting approximately 20% of our population.

WHAT CAUSES DES?

DES has many causes which help to explain why millions are affected. The most common causes include the aging process, contact lens wearing, hormonal changes in women, environmental factors and disease or medication side effects.

TREATMENT OF DES

Depending on the intensity of the condition, treatment may be as simple as using artificial tears a few times a day. In more persistent cases, a simple non-surgical procedure is available that provides long-term relief of DES through the use of tiny plugs called "punctal occluders".

Tear ducts carry tears away from the surface of the eye. Punctual occluders plug the tear duct, which will prevent tears from draining away too quickly. This is a widely performed procedure, and is safe, quick, painless and totally reversible.

NEXT STEPS?

If you experience the symptoms described in this web site, you may suffer from DES. Untreated, your symptoms will most likely intensify, making your daily life unpleasant, or worse, deteriorate your visual acuity. Ask Dr. Spinozzi for recommendations that can help you. You don't have to suffer!
Contact Dr. Spinozzi for an appointment.