Hearing & Vision: Dual Sensory Wellness

Vision & Hearing Health Contributes to an Independent Quality of Life
When was the last time you had your hearing checked?  For many of us, it dates back to third grade when the school nurse pulled us out of gym class. We then had a headset put over our ears and raised our hand when we heard beeps.  Why is it that when it comes to our two most vital senses, Vision & Hearing we routinely have our vision checked but not our hearing?  Even when we have an annual physical, our Doctors don’t check our hearing.

In the late 1990’s, several studies were published that defined a health care diagnosis of Dual Sensory Loss.  Beginning in our mid 30’s, we all begin to experience a decline in both our vision and hearing senses.  With Vision, it is much more obvious as our arms get longer, the print becomes smaller and we immediately start reaching for those readers.  Unfortunately diminished hearing is much more subtle.  As our hearing declines we tend to turn up the volume, guess what is being said, activate closed captions and although you may not realize it, we actually can read lips! 

Studies have shown that for those of us who don’t acknowledge and address Dual Sensory Loss, we will experience isolation, depression and in some instances a higher mortality rate.  It is for this reason that many ophthalmology practices have now expanded their annual eye exams to screen for hearing health.  The premise being, if our patients become 20/20 or what we call 20/Happy and can see the emergency vehicle in front of them, shouldn’t we also ensure that they can also hear the siren behind them? 

The screening takes less than a minute and if necessary will result in your Doctor ordering an expanded hearing exam to determine the extent of your hearing loss.  In many instances, it may simply be a buildup of ear wax or those potatoes our parents always said were growing in our ears.  However, it may also be a more severe situation requiring further testing from an ENT.  The great news is, should the hearing loss be “treatable”, advancements in hearing technology can now restore much of your diminished hearing and allow you to live a more independent, quality of life!

If you haven’t had a hearing screening recently, ask the team at The Eye Care & Surgery Center of New Jersey to schedule an appointment for you.  You will be surprised at what you may be missing!

If you or someone you know is concerned about hearing loss or needs help or evaluation for hearing devices or aids, please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.

Help for Watery Itchy Eye Allergies!

Are you really bothered by itchy, watery, red eyes more and more these days? With the pollen season starting to ramp up, this time of year many patients come to see us complaining about red, itchy and watery eyes. These are the typical symptoms of eye allergies. Even with a thorough and careful exam of the ocular surface it can be a challenge to distinguish between ocular allergy and dry eye disease or other ocular surface problems. While we have made good progress in dry eye testing and diagnosis, up until now trying to find the cause of eye allergies and itchy eyes often required intradermal testing by an allergist. These intradermal tests use multiple injections to try and find the cause and it isn’t terribly comfortable or convenient for patients. Now, we are able to do in office testing with a  new liquid antigen eye allergy, This is a novel, FDA approved, pain-free way to test if a patient is allergic to up to 60 different ocular allergens with “no needle and no injections.”

About the New Liquid Antigen Eye Allergy Test
The new eye allergy test uses liquid antigens on a plastic applicator that is placed on the patient’s forearm with gentle pressure-and it provides results in less than 15 minutes. If the patient is allergic to a particular allergen there is a small bump that forms on their forearm. By more accurately determining if and to which antigens a patient is allergic to it gives us the ability to identify where the antigens might be present in the patient’s environment and deal with them accordingly, along with the eye symptoms and signs of the allergy. This in office testing is covered by almost all major health insurance companies.

Help for Red Itchy Eye Allergies
Knowing the cause of the allergies helps us to determine the best course of treatment. Sometimes oral antihistamines alone or with antihistamine or steroid eye drops are necessary whereas in other cases we simply need to counsel and advise the patient to remove and avoid the source of the allergen in their home or workplace. If you have allergies that cause you to experience symptoms such as itchy watery eyes you may be one of a great many allergy sufferers who could benefit from the advances in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies.

If you or someone you know suffers from itchy, red, watery eyes or eye allergies please feel free to call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 800-504-1083 to schedule an appointment. 

Ocular Melanoma Facts & Information

What is Ocular Melanoma?

Ocular Melanoma (OM) is the most common form of cancer that occurs in the eye. Every year, approximately 2,500 American adults are diagnosed with ocular melanoma (OM). OM is an aggressive malignant cancer that starts in the pigment cells that produce eye color and tends to occur in people with light skin pigmentation and more typically, blue or green eyes and who are over age 50. However, OM also can occur in individuals of every race and at any age. For about 50 percent of individuals diagnosed with OM, the cancer may be fatal, because it metastasizes and spreads to other parts of the body. OM is considered a silent killer. There are no early warning signs, and it is difficult to see when studying your eyes in the mirror.

How is Ocular Melanoma Detected?

Ocular melanoma is typically detected during a routine dilated eye exam. The importance of scheduling regular appointments for many types of “silent” eye diseases cannot be over emphasized.

What are the Signs & Symptoms of Ocular Melanoma?

Sometime people with Ocular Melanoma may experience blurred vision, a change in the shape of the pupil, flashing lights in their vision, loss of vision in the affected eye or a dark spot on the iris-or have no symptoms whatsoever. Researchers have discovered that people with OM tend to have certain gene mutations, which could suggest there is a strong genetic component to the disease. However, scientists have not concluded that these abnormalities are the cause. They believe there may be a connection between the development of OM and prolonged exposure to sunlight or artificial light, such as from tanning beds, but there is not significant research confirming this link.

If you or someone you know is concerned about the risk of Ocular Melanoma (OM) please be sure to call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.

KAMRA™ Inlay Helps Near Vision & Reduces or Eliminates the Need for Reading Glasses

At The Eye Care & Surgery Center almost every day we have discussions with patients about options for near vision correction, including if LASIK is possible, whether multifocal lens implants might be appropriate, and even the option of multifocal contact lenses and progressive eyeglass lenses. Most baby boomers seem to want to decrease their dependence on eyeglasses or contacts and hate having to wear reading glasses.

We are pleased to announce that the FDA has approved the KAMRA™ Inlay-a corneal inlay which is an opaque, ring-shaped device intended for patients 45 to 60 years of age who have diminished or no ability to focus clearly on near objects or small print and require reading glasses. The inlay is not intended for patients that have already had cataract surgery.  The mechanism works by blocking peripheral light rays while allowing central light rays to pass through a small opening in the center of the device, making near objects and small print less blurry.

"In most of the other cornea, cataract and LASIK procedures I perform for patients, lasers of various types give me the ability to do gentle, precise and reproducible surgery. This will be the same with KAMRA™ as I will be able to use a laser to create a pocket in the cornea of one eye and implant the tiny device in that pocket,” said Dr. Confino. “This should give my patients improved near vision in the eye with the implant, while not affecting the distance vision of the two eyes working together." 

If you or someone you know wishes to learn more about the KAMRA™ Inlay for near vision correction instead of reading glasses or any refractive surgery including Bladeless LASIK or Lens Implants at The Eye Care & Surgery Center please call 800-504-1083 to schedule a Free Consultation.

Spring Eyeglass Savings at Tent Event

The Eye Care & Surgery Center in Iselin is pleased to announce their SpringEyewear & Eyeglass Tent Event providing the opportunity for eyeglass wearers to see and try on the latest eyewear lines and to learn about high technology eyeglass lenses from leading designers and eyeglass lens manufacturers. Guests will get great savings on selections and purchases made during the show!

Spring is a time we all like to freshen up our look and getting a new pair of eyeglasses in the latest spring fashions is a great way to do that. This season we are featuring eyeglass frames from Jimmy Choo, Juicy Couture, Carrera, Coach, Versace, Brooks Brothers, NIKE and Max Mara to name a few, along with the Varilux® Physio® digital progressive lenses and Transitions® color changing eyeglass lenses. The Transitions® Lenses are a really popular choice as we enter the warmer weather and want the convenience of the color changing lenses as we spend more time outdoors. To make our guests visit and experience fun, productive and worthwhile, our staff along with designer and manufacturer representatives will be available to assist guests in eyeglass frame and lens selection in order to configure the best looking, best fitting and best performing eyeglass choices. 

Anyone attending who orders eyeglasses at the tent event will be entitled to a 35% discount on any complete pair of eyeglasses including eyeglass frames, lenses and coatings.

The Spring Eyewear & Eyeglass Tent Event at TheEye Care & Surgery Center will be held on Wednesday April 29, 2015 at 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, from 10 AM until 6:00 PM. 

Is Cataract Risk Associated with Body Mass Index (BMI)?

About Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body Mass Index (BMI) is recognized risk factor for some common diseases including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and other vascular diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a normal weight with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 18.5-<25 kg/m², excess body weight or being overweight as BMI of 25-<30 kg/m², and obesity as BMI of ≥30 kg/m^2. Generally, the association between BMI and risk of cataract has not been obvious.

Research on BMI & Cataract Risk

Using Meta Analysis along with powerful statistical analysis, researchers were able to evaluate the risk of cataracts with being overweight or obesity by using BMI. They found that being overweight or obese were significantly associated with an increased risk of cataracts, especially those called “posterior subcapsular cataracts” which typically cause the greatest vision decline. This relationship was independent of sex, alcohol intake, diabetes and hypertension.

If you or someone you know is concerned about cataracts and weight or body mass index (BMI) please share this information with them and ask them to call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.

Eye Infection Facts to Know

Knowing some basic facts and information about eye infections can be help helpful if you’ve experienced red, itchy eyes, and wondered whether it’s a symptom of allergies or dry eyes or a more serious condition, such as an eye infection.  Here are some facts to know about eye infections, eye allergies and dry eyes.

About Allergies & Dry Eyes

Symptoms of Allergies or Dry Eyes

·         If you work at a computer for an extended time or have allergies to products or airborne substances, you may experience dry, red or irritated eyes.

·         Generally allergies and dry eyes affect both eyes.

·         Treatment options usually include resting your eyes or using an over-the-counter or prescription eye drops, as recommended by your eye doctor.

About Eye Infections

Symptoms of Eye Infections

·         Frequently occurs when bacteria, fungi or viruses attack any part of your eye, including the surface, membrane lining of the outer eye and inner eyelid, interior portions or the soft tissue of the eyelid.

·         Infections inside the eye or in the soft tissue of the eyelid are the most dangerous and if left untreated, the condition may spread throughout the eye.

·         Symptoms usually include redness, pain, discharge, watering and sensitivity to light; usually occurs only in one eye; if symptoms are detected, immediately contact your eye doctor for an evaluation.

Types of Eye Infections

• Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis)-A common infection that is highly contagious.
• Viral Keratitis-Can be simply related to a respiratory virus or cold or more serious such as Ocular Herpes that occurs when exposed to the Herpes Simplex Virus.
• Fungal Keratitis-A fungus commonly found in organic matter such as soil, leaves or branches of a tree.
• Acanthamoeba Keratitis-A parasite that attacks the eye more often in individuals wearing contact lenses and swimming in pools, lakes, ponds, hot tubs or streams who are at increased risk for contracting this infection.
• Trachoma – Usually found in underdeveloped countries. Typically infects the inner eyelid along with eyelashes touching the area can infect the cornea and cause permanent blindness.
• Endophthalmitis- Occurs with a penetrating eye injury or complication following eye surgery and if left untreated, may lead to blindness.

Preventing Eye Infections

·         If you experience symptoms associated with an eye infection, contact The Eye Care & Surgery Center immediately. Prompt treatment is necessary to reduce the risk of permanent blindness.

·         To avoid eye infections, wash your hands throughout the day, especially if you are near an individual with a red eye or other signs of infection. Contact lens wearers should follow care and handling instructions provided by their eye doctor.

If you or someone you know is concerned about having an eye infections please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.