Eye Care & Surgery Center NJ Bladeless LASIK Laser Cataract Surgeon Blog

Monday, November 22, 2010

Traveling and Dry Eyes

Holiday Travel:
If you are flying somewhere this holiday season don't forget your rewetting drops. Air travel tends to dehydrate your skin AND your eyes. Keep a bottle of artificial tears with you and put a drop in beforeyou take off, during flight and when you land. Your eyes will thank you. Safe traveling.

Today's Chuckle:

The pro football team had just finished their daily practice session when a large turkey came strutting onto the field. While the players gazed in amazement, the turkey walked up to the head coach and demanded a tryout. Everyone stared in silence as the turkey caught pass after pass and ran right through the defensive line. When the turkey returned to the sidelines, the coach shouted, "You're terrific!!! Sign up for the season, and I'll see to it that you get a huge bonus." "Forget the bonus," the turkey said, "All I want to know is, does the season go past Thanksgiving Day?"

Friday, November 19, 2010

Protecting Your Eyes While Cooking

With the holidays upon us, we prepare to gather with family and friends to celebrate and enjoy. Some of the delicious offerings will be made with onions. To protect your eyes from the tearing and burning during the preparation of this vegetable, peel, slice and chop your onion next to an open flame on your stovetop. The gases are absorbed and will not irritate your eyes. Be careful not to allow your clothing, hair or cookware near the open flame. Pleae keep children away from stove as well.
Happy Cooking!

Today's Chuckle:

An elderly man in Phoenix calls his son in New York and says, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing, forty-five years of misery is enough."

"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams.

"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the old man says.

"We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her," and he hangs up.

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like heck they're getting divorced," she shouts, "I'll take care of this." She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at the old man, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Okay," he says, "They're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own fares Now what do we tell them for Christmas?

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Chuckle Today

One Sunday morning, the priest saw little Davey staring up at the large plaque that hung in the church's foyer. The plaque was covered with names and small American flags were mounted on either side of it.

"Father Donovan," the boy asked, "what is this?

"Well, son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service," the priest explained. They stood together quietly, staring at the memorial plaque.

Little Davey softly asked, "Which service? The 9:00 or the 10:30?"

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Baggy, Saggy Eyelids

Your eyes are one of the most important aspects of your appearance, and one of the first areas to show signs of aging. For some, this can occur as early as your twenties to early thirties. If the eyes project a lack of energy due to overhanging skin and puffiness, you may appear tired or older. Conversely, if the eyes are more open and relatively free of creases and folds, you will probably seem more rested and youthful.

Cosmetic Facial Plastic Surgery is a popular way to help you look your best. Eyelid Surgery or Eyelift is known medically as blepharoplasty (blef-er-o-plasty) is actually one of the most frequently performed cosmetic plastic surgery procedures for the face. There are two types of blepharoplasty, upper eyelid blepharoplasty and lower eyelid blepharoplasty where each procedure corresponds to the area of the face where it is performed.

You might benefit from eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty if:

•Your upper eyelids appear hooded
•It's become increasingly difficult to put on eye makeup
•Even after you've had a good night's sleep people ask you if you're tired
•You have puffiness under your eyes that never goes away
•You are developing bulges in the corners of your upper eyelids
•You have trouble keeping your eyes open
•Your upper eyelids always feel heavy
•Your eyes appear to have become smaller
•Your eye makeup smudges very easily
•You've lost the fold of your upper eyelid
•Your peripheral vision is decreased
•You have excess skin and crepe like wrinkles beneath your eyes
•Ever since you can remember you've had baggy eyes

A Chuckle-A-Day:


There were two old guys, Abe and Sol, sitting on a bench in a park feeding pigeons and talking about baseball, just like they did every day. Abe turns to Sol and says, "Do you think there's baseball in heaven?"

Soloman thinks about it for a minute and replies, "I dunno, Abe. But let's make a deal: If I die first, I will come back and tell you, and if you die first, you come back and tell me, if there is basebal l in heaven."

They shake on it and, sadly, a few months later poor Abe passes on. One day soon afterward, Sol is sitting there feeding the pigeons by himself when he hears a voice whisper, "Sol... Sol...."

Sol responds, "Abe! Is that you?"

"Yes it is Sol," whispers the spirit of Abe.

Sol, still amazed, asks, "So, is there baseball in heaven?"

"Well," says Abe says, "I got good news and I got bad news."

"Gimme the good news first," says Sol.

Abe says, "Well... there is baseball in heaven."

Sol says, "That's great! What news could be bad enough to ruin that!?"

Abe sighs and whispers, "You're pitching on Friday."

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

The Liquid Facelift

As we get older, it is not uncommon for many people to experience some loss of facial fat, muscle tone and even bone loss that can result in developing a haggard or hollowed out appearance. When this occurs, the youthful, taut facial skin often begins to look saggy.

In our youth, typically the cheekbones represent the widest facial area whereas the narrowest is the chin area, forming a “triangle of youth”. With aging, volume is lost under the eyes, around the cheekbones and sometimes the temples, causing sagging and widening of the jawline and jowls. Often this changes the “triangle of youth” into the “pyramid of age”.

Some patients elect to have a surgical facelift, which addresses the sagging skin-but not the loss of volume supporting the fullness of the facial features. Improving the sagging but not addressing the volume loss can result in a “tight” appearance and even a gaunt look. By using the non-surgical technique of volume replacement with Sculptra® Aesthetic injections it is often possible to help minimize or eliminate the problems of loose skin and volume loss.

Sculptra® Aesthetic helps to restore the “triangle of youth” by replacing the loss of fullness in the mid face. It actually “lifts” by lessening the redundant skin that sags to the jowels by filling the tissue space thus smoothing wrinkles and providing a firm and youthful appearance.

Depending on their individual situation and expectations, some patients may require a surgical facelift or they may actually achieve their desired results with volume replacement alone. Occasionally, it may be necessary to use a combination of a surgical facelift and volume replacement.

Volume replacement treatment, such as Sculptra®, is relatively easy to inject and is biodegradable thus not permanent. Depending on the areas of concern and personal goals, The Eye Care & Surgery Center’s Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon, Christopher Thiagarajah, M.D., may suggest just using Sculptra® Aesthetic alone or combining it with other non-surgical or surgical options to achieve optimal results.

Chris Thiagarajah, M.D. is an Ophthalmologist & Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon at The Eye Care & Surgery Center in New Jersey. As a Fellowship trained Oculofacial Surgeon Dr. Thiagarajah is a specialist in the full range of facial cosmetic procedures to help patients look their best and minimize the effects of aging. These include Eyelifts, or Blepharoplasty, Brow Lifts and Midfacial Lifts as well as non-surgical treatments such as BOTOX® Cosmetic, JuvĂ©derm®, Sculptra® Aesthetic and Dysport® to help smooth fine lines and wrinkles.

Chuckle of the Day:
A photographer from a well know national magazine was assigned to cover the fires at Yellowstone National Park. The magazine wanted to show some of the heroic work of the fire fighters as they battled the blaze.

When the photographer arrived, he realized that the smoke was so thick that it would seriously impede or make it impossible for him to photograph anything from ground level. He requested permission to rent a plane and take photos from the air. His request was approved and arrangements were made. He was told to report to a nearby airport where a plane would be waiting for him.

He arrived at the airport and saw a plane warming up near the gate. He jumped in with his bag and shouted, "Let's go!" The pilot swung the little plane into the wind, and within minutes they were in the air.

The photographer said, "Fly over the park and make two or three low passes so I can take some pictures."

"Why?" asked the pilot. "Because I am a photographer," he responded, "and photographers take photographs."

The pilot was silent for a moment; finally he stammered, "You mean you're not the flight instructor?"