Headaches & Childrens’ Eye Problems

About Headaches and Childrens’ Eye Problems
It is pretty common for parents to bring their children in for an eye exam because they are complaining of headaches. Headaches are a frequent complaint of kids but fortunately they are usually not serious. Some of the more common causes of headaches in kids include migraine, the stress and tension of school, certain foods with nitrate or MSG preservatives, physical trauma, sinus infections and of course eye problems. Parents can be concerned with the serious but truly rare occurrence of brain tumors causing headaches but this is usually accompanied by other complaints of dizziness, weakness of arms and legs and a loss of coordination.

Evaluating Kids with Headaches
As part of evaluating any child with headaches I always want to be sure that there has been a complete and thorough examination by their pediatrician who may need to order additional tests or even a referral to a neurologist. Then I will need to perform a complete eye exam including evaluation of the pupils, a refraction to determine any refractive error or need for glasses, eye alignment and binocularity testing and sometimes possible a visual field examination. Generally I will put drops in the child’s eyes to dilate the pupils, so that the optic nerves can be properly examined and the refractive error can be most accurately measured.

Eye Problems That Can Cause Headaches
If your child has uncorrected hyperopia or farsightedness, it requires extra effort to focus clearly while reading. This can sometimes lead to fatigue and headache. Glasses can reduce the effort required to see clearly at near and improve the headache, if significant hyperopia exists. Mild hyperopia is normal in children, however, and generally does not cause headaches or other symptoms.

When we read or perform other near activities, our eyes pull in toward each other, this is called convergence. The decreased ability to pull the eyes toward each other when viewing near objects (convergence), particularly while reading, may cause headaches. This is called convergence insufficiency, and symptoms include the doubling of images or words, blurred vision, fatigue, and headaches which worsen with prolonged reading. At home eye exercises, sometimes with the help of computer software, can help treat convergence insufficiency. Glasses are sometimes prescribed, but costly in-office eye exercises are rarely necessary.

Acute infections, allergic and inflammatory diseases of the eyes can also cause headaches. These problems are often accompanied by redness of the eye and/ or the eyelid as well as light sensitivity or photophobia. Acute glaucoma can cause headaches, but rarely affects children. Pseudo tumor Cerebri is a condition caused by increased intracranial pressure or too much fluid around the brain, and this causes headache and swelling of the optic nerves, but does not typically cause redness of the eyes. During the complete eye exam we perform we will be able to rule out these problems as a cause of headaches in your child. If we do not find any ocular causes of your child’s headache we may refer them back to his/her pediatrician and/or to a neurologist to look for other possible causes of the headaches.

If you have questions about causes of kids headaches or children’s eye problems, or need assistance please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ 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.

Cataract Surgery with Few Eyedrops!

There are several advancements in cataract surgery that may or may not be in the best interest of a patient, dependent on the circumstances the patient presents with and the protocols of the surgeon performing the surgery. One alternative is TriMoxi, a combination of Triamcinolone and Moxifloxicin intended for intraocular injection at time of cataract surgery. By using this medication, the amount of preoperative and postoperative medications-including eye drops-are markedly reduced, making the patients less dependent on medication and saving significant money as some of the postoperative drops are no longer required. Most patients only require one drop once a day, far less than the standard regimen of three different drops used in combination throughout the day for several weeks. One observation that some patients have postoperatively is a day of blurred vision and floaters, which usually disappear after one week.

If you or someone you know experiences cloudy, blurry vision and difficulty with night driving and faded colors you might wish to learn more about cataracts, laser cataract surgery and lens implants by scheduling a cataract eye exam at The Eye Care & Surgery Center by calling The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visiting The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ 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.

Glaucoma Acupuncture Treatment

Acupuncture for Glaucoma?
With so many advances in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, could it be possible that acupuncture could be a beneficial treatment option for glaucoma patients? Researchers reporting in the American Journal of Ophthalmology evaluated whether the use of acupuncture was an effective treatment for primary open angle glaucoma-the most common type of glaucoma that we diagnose and treat. The researchers carefully considered the effect of acupuncture on intraocular pressure (IOP), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), visual field testing and using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), the health and integrity of the nerve fiber layer around the Optic Disc-all important criteria we use for diagnosing and managing glaucoma. Their study showed that acupuncture has no overall effect on changes in IOP throughout the day and that IOP actually increases immediately after an acupuncture treatment. Further, they found no effect on best uncorrected visual acuity, OCT or visual field tests and thus concluded that acupuncture may offer other health benefits but was not an effective treatment option for glaucoma.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma or needs a glaucoma eye exam and testing please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ 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.

LASIK Patient Thank You!

One of our LASIK patients wrote in some appreciative comments……

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thank you to Dr. Confino, Jerette Lerner and the staff of The Eye Care & Surgery Center. I recently had LASIK Surgery and I must say it was one of the most phenomenal medical experiences that I have had. And that is amazing considering that it is surgery! My initial fear with any eye surgery was the possibility that I would see worse than before surgery or to that end that I may lose my vision altogether. However, with meeting all of the staff and Dr. Confino, all of those fears were put to rest. From the start, I was given a thorough evaluation and was impressed by how organized and pleasant the staff was at every step of the process. From that point, Dr. Confino conveyed all of his opinions on the data taken from my eye exams and determined that LASIK was an appropriate surgery for me. After meeting with him I was convinced that my eyes were safe and that I would wake up being able to see clearly. After completing the LASIK procedure, I was surprised by how little of any discomfort there was, and that I was able to wake up the following day with normal vision as if I was wearing my contact lenses. And finally, the most profound part of my experience is now being able to wake up every morning and not see the world as blurry but to truly experience the world and all of its beauty with a sense of clarity using my own eye site.

Thank you again for the gift of clear vision.

James P.
If you or someone you know would like to learn more about Bladeless LASIK or Schedule a Free LASIK Consultation please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ 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.

Eyelash Enhancement with LATISSE™

About Growing Longer Thicker Eyelashes
Women love thicker, longer eyelashes because they draw attention to the eyes and make the face as a whole look younger and fresher. Your lashes are a big part of making your eyes more visible and adding that bright beautiful look to your appearance. LATISSE™ prescription eye drops can actually help you grow fuller, longer eyelashes on your own. LATISSE™ is available from many physicians. As a cosmetic eye plastic surgeon I am a specialist in understanding your eyes and the delicate tissue around your eyes including your lashes, eyelid margins, and eyelids. My training and experience is specifically in the examination and treatment of these of these areas for your eye health and cosmetic appearance-and I am here to help you look your best!

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about LATISSE™ Eyelash Enhancer Eye Drop Solutions & Growth Treatment, please schedule a consultation with Cosmetic Eye Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon Baljeet Purewal, M.D by calling The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visiting The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ 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.

Cataract Surgery Patient Thoughts

A cataract patient at The Eye Care & Surgery Center shares their thoughts…..

“Having worn an eye patch for a year at age six and then having eye surgery at age seven I have taken steps throughout my life to safeguard my vision. Thus, when learning of my need for cataract surgery I wanted an eye surgeon in the top of his/her field. This is why, even though I live in Connecticut, I chose Dr. Ivan Jacobs, practicing physician in New Jersey, to perform my cataract surgery. Dr. Jacobs is an expert in his field who employs the most modern techniques. There are no cumbersome preop and postop procedures. Dr. Jacobs is patient and understanding. These traits are also demonstrated by his entire staff. Everyone is welcoming and accommodating. They treat everyone like their own family. Finally, I am happy to say that now, after cataract surgery, my vision is the best it has ever been--no more nearsightedness. I am very pleased and happy.”

If you or someone you know experiences cloudy, blurry vision and difficulty with night driving and faded colors you might wish to learn more about cataracts, laser cataract surgery and lens implants by scheduling a cataract eye exam at The Eye Care & Surgery Center by calling The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visiting The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ 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

Dry Eye Help with Punctal Plugs

Help for Dry Eye
Dry eye is a very common we hear about from patients almost each and every day. There are many causes of dry eye and we must first carefully examine patients to find the cause and type of tear film deficiency in order to offer help for dry eyes. The good news is that there are many helpful treatment options we can prescribe. One of the most helpful and convenient ways we can help dry eye is by inserting tiny microscopic “plugs” into the tear ducts where your tears would normally drain. These tear ducts are located in the nasal area of your eyelids and are easily visible to us during your eye exam and dry eye consultation using a slit lamp in the examination room. The opening to the tear ducts is called a “puncta” and the tiny plugs are called “punctal plugs.” Researchers reporting in the American Journal of Ophthalmology confirmed the benefits of punctal plus with little risk of complications. Punctal plugs are a convenient treatment we can prescribe when necessary to help you with the symptoms and problems of dry eyes.

If you or someone you know has a question about dry eyes or needs help for dry eye problems or symptoms, please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ 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.