The Optomap Makes an Appearance on Dr Oz

In 1990, a 5 year-old boy named Leif went blind in one eye because a retinal detachment was detected too late for treatment. He had eye exams yearly but conventional testing was uncomfortable. His father designed the Optomap in order to make retinal examinations more comfortable and accurate. Recently, Dr Oz featured the Optomap on his show.

At West Georgia Eye Care, we pride ourselves on being able to properly evaluate your eyes with the latest technology available in order to ensure your eyes are healthy and free of disease. A thorough screening of the retina is critical to verify that your eye is healthy. Dilation is the conventional method of examining the retina and is still very useful. With dilation, only 10-15% of the retina can be viewed at one time. In addition, dilation leaves you with light sensitivity and blurred near vision for several hours. The Optomap, on the other hand, is able to capture 80% of the retina in one image. It is quick, painless, and typically does not require dilation drops.

The Optomap is the preferred method of viewing the retina at WGEC. In one snapshot we are able to view the optic nerve, macula, and blood vessels of the back of the eye. The retina is the only place in the body where blood vessels can be viewed directly. So in addition to eye diseases, signs of other diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease can be detected by viewing the retina. Request an appointment today for your complete eye health examination.

Why Can't I Keep My Glasses Clean?

Have you ever wondered why your glasses are so hard to keep clean, or why your lenses keep getting fine scratches on them? It could be the way that they are being cleaned.

We recommend specific methods to care for your eyewear. First, when cleaning your lenses you should only use recommended spray solutions given to you by your eye care professional. We use a spray that can be used directly on the lenses and cleaned off with a soft cloth. The soft cloth that comes in the case with your eyewear can also be used alone to wipe off the occasional smudge or fingerprint.

If you do not have access to your cleaning cloth and spray cleaner, a special mixture of soap and water can be used to rinse your glasses clean while you are at home or on the go. Just make sure that the soap that you are using does not have a moisturizer in it. It will not harm your lenses, but it will leave a greasy film that will be hard to remove. Also, stay away from abrasive materials when wiping your lenses clean or drying them. Something soft like a cloth diaper is best to use when there is no cleaning cloth.

Lastly, consider the environment that you are in most of the time. If you are working in a dusty environment, you should keep your cleaning cloth away from the dust that can attach to your cleaning cloth and cause fine scratches on your lens. If you don’t have to wear your glasses all the time, remember that the best protection for them is in their case.

For more information on eyewear maintenance, or for a demonstration please stop by our office or watch our Youtube video on proper cleaning methods.

How to Pass Your Eye Exam

Which is better one or two, three or four?  For some, these words cause a sudden panic and what might be called, test anxiety.  The pressure to get the "right" answer can be overbearing at times, but an eye exam should not be stressful.  Here are a few tips to help you get through your next examination without breaking a sweat.

At West Georgia Eye Care our goal each day is to make all patients feel at home while providing great care.  Rule number one for a great exam is to relax.  At WGEC, the Optomap Retinal Evaluation is typically the first test you will encounter; the purpose of the Optomap is to obtain an image of the retina.  In other words, we're taking a picture, so open your eyes wide and say "cheese". Retinal detachments along with other retinal disease can be diagnosed with the help of the Optomap.

Rule number two is relax.  The next several tests will make measurements of your eyes to help determine your prescription, among other things.  All you have to do is look at an image in a machine.  Easy, right?

The last part of the examination is determining your prescription and evaluating your eye health.  The doctor will use all the information from the previous tests to fine-tune your prescription.  Your eyes will be evaluated on how well they focus and work together.  During this portion it is important to keep your eyes relaxed, don't try to make your eyes focus on the letters.  So the answer to "which is better",  is the lens that is clearest to you.  There is no "right" answer.'

As doctors, prescribing glasses and contact lenses is important, but your eye health is without a doubt, the biggest concern.  Your eyes will be carefully examined from the front of the cornea to the optic nerve and macula in the back of the eye.  Cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration are just a few things that can be diagnosed when evaluating eye health.    After reviewing all findings, any questions you may have will be answered.  Then it is time to have some fun and select glasses or contact lenses. 

Hopefully, this will help to ease your test anxiety and make your next eye exam at West Georgia Eye Care a breeze.

Contact Lens Solution

Finding the right contact lens solution can be tricky. There are various solutions on the market that are for the different types of contact lens made today. Many stores create their own brand of solution and deceive you into thinking that it is name-brand.  This video shows some of the solutions I recommend to my patients and how to properly care for your lenses.

Welcoming Dr. Carter

I have enjoyed getting to know and work with Dr. Carter. She already feels at home, and she has only been with us for a month. Dr. Carter is making a great impact at West Georgia Eye Care. I thought you would enjoy seeing this from her. Share with your friends. 

Soft Contact Lens

This video is about soft contact lens. I have explained the different kinds of lens that are available at West Georgia Eye Care such as toric, multifocal, disposable and extended wear lens. More videos are to come that go into depth about the various lens available.

Welcome Dr. Carter

We are happy to announce the addition of Jennifer Carter, O.D. to the professional staff at West Georgia Eye Care. Her clinical experience and compassionate methods add yet another component to the available services from our team. 

We are so lucky to find a provider like Dr. Carter for this community. She has a great deal of experience with all aspects of eye care. Dr. Carter has co-managed surgical cases, worked with children who have vision related learning issues and fit every type of contact lens. She is a genuine, caring doctor that truly listens to your needs and makes recommendations that fit your life. To make an appointment CLICK HERE

Types of Contact Lenses

There are three different types of contact lenses. The first lens is a soft contact that is the most common and can be fitted on patients with an astigmatism and a bifocal prescription. The second type of lens is a hard contact. This is a traditional lens that is hard and more difficult to fit and are for patients with special situations. The third contact lens is a hybrid lens. This is a lens that has a soft contact and a hard contact together. The hard lens is in the center and the soft lens is on the outside.

There will be more on the details of each of these lenses in the future.

Diabetes in the Eye

Diabetic Retinopathy is a condition where a diabetic persons blood sugar gets too high.

When this happens, the high glucose level starts a series of events which end in damaged blood vessel walls in the retina.
Symptoms may not be present, but can include bluriness, blind spots, or cloudiness.

Stay up to date on your routine eye exams.

Join Us For A Trunk Show!

Betsey Johnson, Judith Leiber and David Yurman Eyewear Collections

 Betsey Johnson has been rocking the fashion industry with her unique and original design for over 30 years and now she brings her signature style to her very own eyewear collection. We are excited about this event and hope that you can join us!

      Please join us for an exclusive trunk show.        

     WEST GEORGIA EYE CARE

     THURSDAY, MAY 26TH

     10am-7pm

     619 Dixie Street, Carrollton

     RSVP to:

     tiffany@westgaeyecare.com 

Spring Fashion

Spring into Fashion

Now is the perfect time to begin preparing for fashion trends for Spring 2011. That includes your eyewear. Glasses and sunglasses have become the perfect accessory for every aspect of daily life.

With so many styles you can have a distinguished pair for the office, a funky pair for the weekend abd the ever trendy, large sunglasses.

Styles for spring and summer are moving to more of a vintage look for men and women. A vast range of colors with clean lines and a stylish look, look great on everyone.

Kids and teens will enjoy creating a look of their own with frames made just for them, by designers they love. And no look is ever complete without a great pair of "cool shades". Sunglasses are all the rage with larger sizes, unique temples and bright colors.

Come by and visit our Optical Boutique for your personal eyeglass fitting. Our frame stylists will recommend the perfect eyewear to complete your style and have you look, and seeing your best.

Computer Vision Syndrome

Do you look at a computer screen all day?

Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is a very real problem for many people who spend hours daily in front of a computer screen. CVS is a temporary condition from focusing the eyes on a computer display for uninterrupted periods of time.

Rearranging your workspace can create a better work environment. Such as a lighted work station, tilting your computer screen away from you, and taking breaks from looking at the computer every 15 minutes. This may simply be all you need to do to reduce eye strain and other vision related problems related to CVS.

Sometimes, a good pair of computer glasses may help you see better at just the right distance needed for viewing your computer screen. These glasses may be prescription lenses measured for your working environment or non-prescription Gunnar glasses. These lenses offer a specialized lens that combine special lens coatings and a unique tine designed to elimiate eye strain and fatigue.

The most common symptoms associated with CVS are:
Eyestrain
Headaches
Blurred vision
Dry eyes
Neck and shoulder pain
These symptoms may be caused by:
Poor lighting
Glare on the computer screen
Improper viewing distances
Uncorrected vision problems

Be Equipped with Sports Eyewear Protection

Whether you're trading elbows on the basketball court, returning a power serve, or taking a 95 mph fastball, sports eyewear is important. Your sport safety glasses can take your game to the next level no matter what sport you play.

Sports safety eyewear is designed specifically to protect your eyes while playing sports. There is now a wide variety of safety glasses that range in color, size and frame designs.

We recommend that all of our sports eyewear have polycarbonate lenses. The lens is lightweight and shatter resistant. You don't have to wear prescription glasses to wear sport safety glasses.

Glaucoma Basics

Glaucoma is an eye disease that is often called the silent thief of sight. It is estimated that over 4 million Americans have glaucoma, but only half of those know that they have it. Early stages of glaucoma may present no symptoms at all, and if left untreated can cause permanent blindness. There is no cure for glaucoma. However, proper usage of medications and/or surgery can slow down or prevent further vision loss.

Everyone is at risk for having glaucoma, but certain factors may put you at higher risk:

1. African American race
2. Over 60 years of age
3. A family history of glaucoma

Early detection is key to protecting your vision from damage caused by glaucoma. Our doctors along with the American Optometric Association, recommend an annual comprehensive eye exam to maintain proper eye health.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

Many of us make New Year's resolutions, but have you thought about making one for your eyesight? Vision is our most treasured sense so we must do everything that we can to preserve and protect it. What better way to start the year off than having your annual eye exam?

The American Optometric Association recommends that everyone have a comprehensive eye exam annually to detect any vision changes and eye disease in its early stages.

Our comprehensive eye exam includes a complete evaluation of your vision and eye health. After your exam, our doctors can recommend the best solution for you. Whether it's the latest technology in contact lenses or a personalized pair of glasses, we have options for every member of your family.



Floaters Not Dangerous .... Usually

Floaters can come in all shapes and sizes and are usually harmless. However, if you begin to experience several floaters accompanied by flashes of light it could be a sign of something more serious.

Floaters have been described as looking like cobwebs, bugs, specks, or dark spots in your vision.

Floaters are caused by the breakdown of the jelly like substance that makes up the inside of the eye. This can occur in the aging process, eye injuries and certain eye diseases.

Flashes of light, a veil or curtain over your vision, or more floaters than usual could be a sign of a retinal detachment. If untreated, it can lead to blindness.

If you experience any of these symptoms, don't panic, just call our office at 770-834-0212. If you get a recording, leave an emergency message (Option 1) and the doctor on call should reply soon.