Lakeside Eye Care
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
MERRY CHRISTMAS
We are collecting food for the Kootenai County Food Bank in our office all December long.
Bring in a non-perishable food item and get a FREE microfiber cleaning cloth!
PLEASE DONATE for those less fortunate in our community.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Back to School
September has arrived, and so has the back-to-school season! To celebrate, Lakeside Eye Care would like to honor all those dedicated students by offering 25% off a complete pair of eyeglasses. Kindergarteners through college students are welcome to take advantage of this special offer until the end of this month! (Offer cannot be used with some insurances; certain restrictions apply).Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Doctor Calderwood gets Muddy!
Our own Dr. John Calderwood participated in this year's first "Muddy Miles" event, sponsered by the Dirne Community Health Clinic. Dr. Calderwood's team came in first out of over 400 participants in the 2 mile fun run! People of all ages and fitness levels were encouraged to participate in this family- friendly obstacle course designed to test endurance while letting everyone play in the mud! Teams and individual runners tromped their way through the mud at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds while onlookers tossed water ballons at them. Prizes were given to the first to finish the race, but also for the contestants who got the muddiest, had the best costumes, and showed the most team spirit. All the proceeds from the benefit went to Dirne so they can continue to provide high qualilty, yet affordable health care in our community.
Monday, February 13, 2012
DRY EYES and Plugs!
We have all heard of dry eyes and probably have experienced it first hand. The gritty, sandy, dull ache in the eyes that can occur for a myriad of reasons. If this is a chronic feeling and you've tried artificial tears to no avail, then there might be a better solution.This multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface results from insufficient tear production, excessive tear evaporation or abnormal tear composition. Most patients suffering from this complain of burning, itching, redness, sensitivity to light and even reduced visual clarity.
Punctal plugs are an effective treatment option for many people with dry eye syndrome.
You should first know that the punctum is the tiny opening in the lower and upper lid of each eye that allows for tears to drain into a network of pathways that eventually lead to the throat. Without these punctum tears would start over-flowing and spill over the lower eye lids.
If dry eye is related to insufficient tear production then one could argue that "plugging" the punctum would keep tears on the eye longer helping dry eye symptoms.
And that's exactly what happens. A very small silicone (permanent) or collagen (dissolvable) plug is inserted into the opening of the punctum, like a cork in a bottle. Typically only plugging the punctum on the lower lids and not the upper lids is sufficient to yield desired results.
I've used these many times with patients in my practice and have had great success. In my opinion if artifical tears or medications have been ineffective to fight chronic dry eye, Punctal Plugs are a good option. If you have questions or want to know more feel free to contact me through Lakeside Eye Care.
John Calderwood, O.D.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Buying Glasses Online
Over the last hundred years, the customary way of receiving glasses has been through a licensed and trained optical professional. However, the convenience of the internet has led many people in recent years to order their glasses online, and receive them by home delivery. Although this may seem simple and easy, studies have shown that significantly more errors are made, and safety requirements are not met.Studies of glasses provided by online vendors have been conducted from 1999 through 2011 by multiple universities, optical labs, and vision committees. The investigations tested prescription eyeglasses ordered from online vendors for compliance with prescription accuracy and impact resistance requirements in the U.S. Researchers first analyzed the spectacles to verify that the prescription was correct, and that specified lens treatments were present such as scratch coatings, anti-reflective coatings, and transitional properties. The glasses were then tested for impact resistance in regards to safety regulations.
Of all the glasses ordered online that were evaluated, 28.6% failed prescription accuracy in at least one of the lenses and 22.7% failed impact testing. Of all children's spectacles, 25% were not made with polycarbonate lenses. Polycarbonate is an impact resistant material that is mandatory for anyone under the age of 18 for safety reasons. In short, over half of the inspected pairs of glasses were not made correctly.
As stated in the Journal of the American Optometric Association, “Many patients likely do not realize that... spectacle lenses that provide refractive correction are classified in the United States by the FDA as Class I Medical Devices. A valid prescription from a licensed doctor is required, optical tolerances should be maintained, and physical requirements, including impact resistance, must be met.” If these parameters are not met, problems such as eyestrain, blur, double vision, and headaches can develop.
Despite cost, glasses received without the physical dispensing process comes with the risk of significant prescription and safety errors. In addition, a professional optician brings a lot more to the table, such as style tips, cleaning and care advice, and the ability to adjust the frames to fit comfortably. Plus, when shopping online, it becomes more difficult to truly know how colors will look and how the shape of the glasses will look on the individual. It just might be worth a little extra money to have glasses dispensed by a professional, (IN PERSON), to ensure quality, accuracy, and safety of the eye wear.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Healthy Lifestyles for Healthy Eyes!
According to Review of Optometry magazine, women who eat healthy, excercise regularly, and don't smoke significantly lower their risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In a study of 1,313 women ages 55 to 74 years old, women who ate the healthiest were 46% less likely to have AMD. Women who got regular physical activity lowered their risk by 54%, and those who ate right, exercised, and didn't smoke were 71% less likely to get AMD. Therefore, women who incorporate all three of these factors into their lifestyles are over two thirds less likely to suffer from macular degeneration! While genetics is a contributing factor that can't really be controlled, Julie Mars, professor of Opthalmology at the University of Wisconsin writes "Adopting these healthy habits may markedly lower the prevalence of early AMD, the number of people who develop advanced AMD in there lifetime, and healthcare costs associated with treatment for this condition." The results of this study also serve to show us that the risk of developing AMD is not just passed down to generations through DNA, but also through the behaviors and habits we are brought up with.Monday, June 27, 2011
Promising Adult Stem Cell therapy studied in eye disease
According to recent articles put out by American Optometry Association News and Review of Optometry magazines, science stands on the brink of offering treatment and possibly even cures for those people suffering from various retinal diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and other conditions. By harvesting stem cells derived from adult skin or even bone marrow, scientists have been able to convert these cells into what are called "pluripotent stem cells," and ultimately into retinal neurons. Theoretically this would allow for retinal reconstruction and vision restoration. In addition, because these cells can be manipulated to resemble embryonic stem cells, the political and ethical issues that have always surrounded this area of science can be side-stepped.
One study performed on mice showed that within six weeks, transplanted stem cells had begun to reside in the appropriate area of the retina and form into healthy looking tissue. Further experimentation showed detection of light and increased electrical activity, meaning the new photoreceptor cells were making connections with the neurons of the retina. The experiements have not gone without complications- more serious ones have included retinal detachment and tumor formation. Regardless, the results of these studies remain promising.
The next step will be to bring this new technology into larger animal test groups, and eventually human trials. In October 2011, the World Stem Cell Summit will meet with government representitives, ethicists, investors, scientists, and patients to discuss how this groundbreaking technology can be transformed into vision-saving treatments. Though actual cures may be in the distant future, it seems likely that life-changing advancements in vision restoration are just on the horizon!