Protect Your Eyes from Winter Rays

Your eyes don’t know what season it is.

Whether it’s winter, spring, summer or fall, your eyes need protection from the sun’s harmful rays.

Most people recognize the need for sunglasses during warmer months and in warmer climates. However, when the temperature starts to dip, people often assume that eye protection is no longer necessary (or even silly).

Why Winter Shades are Important

• The sun is positioned at a lower angle in the sky during the winter, so the rays may affect the eyes more directly
• Fresh snow reflects 80% of the sun’s UV rays, causing extreme glare (dangerous when driving, skiing, etc.)
• Dry eye symptoms can worsen during dry winter months; wraparound sunglasses or sports goggles may help
• Overexposure to harmful UV rays can lead to cataracts and macular degeneration in Richmond
• Polarized, anti-reflective sunglasses can block 100% of UV radiation (ask your eye doctor for recommendations)

Another Reason for LASIK

If you are nearsighted or have astigmatism, you will need corrective lenses to see distant objects clearly; that means investing in a good pair of prescription sunglasses to wear all year long. The other option is to wear contact lenses with over-the-counter sunglasses. However, dry, cold winter air can cause eye irritations for contact wearers.

LASIK vision correction in Richmond can make wearing sunglasses in the winter:

• More cost effective (in the long run the one-time cost of LASIK is cheaper than the ongoing expense of replacing and maintaining glasses and contacts)
• More fashionable (because of the vast choices that exist)
• More comfortable (no trying to fit goggles over glasses)

Wear Sunglasses All Year

Back in 1984, Corey Hart hit the music charts with his hit, “Sunglasses at Night.”

While Mr. Hart may have worn his sunglasses in the evening hours, to stress the importance of protecting your eyes against daytime winter rays, we’d change the song to “I wear my sunglasses all year…”

Sport your cool sunglasses all year long. And if you don’t want to invest in prescription sunglasses, consider having LASIK at Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center. Dr. Lipstock offers free LASIK Consultations to ensure you are a good candidate for the procedure and answer all questions you may have. Contact Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center today to arrange your appointment: 804-288-1543 or lipstocklaser.com. 

Serious Eye Conditions Growing in Young People

According to Medical News Today, a recent survey of optometrists has shown that the number of young people being diagnosed with serious eye conditions such as dry eye and blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids) is growing. Many of these doctors were also concerned that certain sight-stealing vision conditions may be developing at a younger age:

• Glaucoma
• Cataracts
• Age-related macular degeneration

This phenomenon of deteriorating eye health may be due to any number of reasons, including:

• Diabetes
• Poor nutrition
• Increased usage of computer, tablet or smart phone screens
• Smoking
• Lack of sunglasses
• Improper contact lens usage

It’s important to note that even if you have your vision corrected through a procedure such as LASIK in Richmond, and even if you achieve 20/20 vision after the procedure, it is still possible to develop serious eye conditions. Regular eye exams are vital to the overall health of your eyes because they can detect any“silent” problems that are developing so treatment options can be explored.

If you are experiencing any changes in your vision or would like to learn more about ways to protect and preserve your eyesight, contact Lipstock LASIK & Cataract at 804-288-1543 or lipstocklaser.com to schedule an eye exam in Richmond. Lipstock LASIK & Cataract also offers free LASIK Consultations to help patients reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contacts. 

Save Your Vision Month

March is Save Your Vision Month. Sponsored by the American Optometric Association, this observance is to remind Americans about the importance of having regular eye exams to help preserve and maintain their eye health. The following is a general eye exam schedule for people with normal eye health and good overall health:

• Infants: Pediatrician screening at 6 months
• Preschool children: Pediatrician screenings from age 3 to 6
• School-age children: Regular vision screenings at school
• Adults: Every 2 years
• Adults over 60: Annually

If your child’s pediatrician or school suspects a vision problem, or if you have a history of eye disease or eye problems in your family, a full eye exam by an optometrist or ophthalmologist will be recommended. Children and adults who wear glasses or contacts should have an eye exam every year.

Even if you’ve had LASIK vision correction in Richmond and no longer need glasses or contacts, it’s important to maintain contact with your eye doctor in Richmond to preserve your eye health. You probably know that regular eye exams can identify common eye diseases, even those that have no outward symptoms, such as diabetic retinopathy. Even if you are not experiencing any vision changes, certain conditions like glaucoma or cataracts can be “silently” stealing your vision – even if you’ve had Ricmond LASIK. Early detection will help protect and preserve your vision.

Eye exams not only protect your eyes…they can also protect your overall health! By looking at the blood vessels in the eyes, your eye doctor can also identify chronic systemic diseases, such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

March is definitely the month to focus on your eye health; it’s also National Eye Donor Month (to promote cornea transplant awareness) and Workplace Eye Wellness Month (to promote reducing eye injuries while on the job).

Richmond eye exams are typically quick and painless, so there’s no excuse to put this health maintenance appointment on the back-burner. Schedule your eye exam today! Call Dr. Lipstock at Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center to schedule an eye exam in Richmond. 

National Eye Exam Month Has Arrived

August is National Eye Exam Month. This observance is a good reminder about the importance of having regular eye exams. Often people take their vision for granted, especially if they don’t need to wear corrective lenses. Even those who are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism might become complacent about exams if their vision is stable.

The Mayo Clinic recommends the following guidelines for a healthy eye exam schedule:

·         Children: before entering first grade, then every two years

·         Healthy adults up to age 40: every 5-10 years

·         Adults age 40-65: every 2-4 years

·         Adults over age 65: every 1-2 years

Of course, if you have any family history of eye disease or vision problems, you should schedule eye exams more frequently.

Why Eye Exams are Important                              

Eye exams can detect vision problems that you may be completely unaware of (like glaucoma or cataracts), and allow for the earliest treatment possible. Some vision conditions can lead to blindness if left untreated, so early detection gives you the opportunity to consider a wider range of treatment options.

You may also learn that you are a good candidate for a vision correction surgery, like LASIK, which could reduce or even eliminate your need for glasses or contact lenses.

Be honest: when was the last time you had an eye exam? Don’t put it off another year. Schedule your eye exam or a free LASIK Consultation at Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center. You can schedule it online at lipstocklaser.com or by calling 804-288-1543.

Differences Between Optometrists and Ophthalmologists

Many people think all eye doctors the same. They use the terms Optometrist and Ophthalmologist interchangeably. The truth is that these are two very different types of eye care professionals.

Optometrists

Optometrists have earned a Doctor of Optometry Degree (OD). Optometrists have completed a four-year Bachelor’s Degree, plus four years of post-graduate professional training in optometry school. Their main focus is to provide primary eye care, including vision checks, eye disease diagnosis and overall eye health review. They prescribe corrective lenses to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, and they can prescribe some medications. Optometrists often work closely with ophthalmologists to provide pre- and post-op care for eye surgery patients.

Ophthalmologists

Ophthalmologists are Medical Doctors (MDs) or Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) who have achieved a Bachelor’s Degree, four years of medical school encompassing care for the whole body, internships, at least three years of hospital-based residency and additional years of training in eye disease treatment and eye surgery. Ophthalmologists diagnose and treat eye diseases, perform eye surgery, perform eye exams and write prescriptions for medications or corrective lenses.

Certain eye conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration, are managed and corrected by ophthalmologists. Eye surgeries such as LASIK or Cataract Surgery and Intraocular Lens (IOL) implants should only be done by an eye surgeon who is highly experienced and using the latest technologies.

Frequent eye exams, even if you aren’t experiencing any vision problems, can provide early detection – and treatment – of developing issues.

Visit the website of ophthalmologist Dr. Lipstock at Lipstock LASIK and Cataract Center to schedule a Vision Consultation. Visit lipstocklaser.com or call 804-288-1543 today.

Your Pressing Questions

Did you know that Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center is on Facebook?

Many of our patients and people considering LASIK, Cataract Surgery, or any of our other services find us on Facebook to ask us some of their most important questions about our services.

Check us out on Facebook and let us know if there is anything you would like to know about us!

Less Vision Problems for Older Americans

In a recent report from the Chicago Tribune, fewer older Americans are complaining of vision problems.

As you age, your eyes also age. There are certain inevitable issues you will have with your eyes, one being presbyopia. The other is cataracts. Both happen to everyone, eventually.

So what’s behind the decline on vision problems in older American’s? Researchers think it could be due to cataract surgery, healthy eating, better lifestyles, and even less people smoking.

Whatever the issue, it’s good news for many older Americans.

Read the Chicago Tribune article here.

Fears and Misconceptions of LASIK – Is the Price Worth it in the Long Run?

We have personally seen many different types of people come through our Free LASIK Consultation. Some people question technology, some concern themselves with safety, and many are concerned that the cost of the procedure may not outweigh the benefits. Since our website deals largely with the issues of technology and safety, let’s address the issue of cost versus benefits.

First, let’s look at the benefits of a laser vision correction procedure, like LASIK or PRK:

It is possible for a patient to achieve 20/20 eyesight, or even better, with laser vision correction. You could live your life waking up and seeing immediately instead of searching for your glasses. You can experience the spontaneity of life, such as jumping in a swimming pool, playing in the rain, or going out on a windy day, without the fear of how any of these actions may affect your contacts and your ability to see. You can take a nap, free from the worry of taking your contacts out of your eyes first. You don’t have to rush to the store every time you are out of contact lens solution or order more glasses when yours accidentally break. You will be able to see life, naturally.

Is all that worth the cost of LASIK?

Our patients think so.

I wore contacts for many years and was never able to wear them comfortably in my eyes. I had a lot of problems with them. LASIK is the best thing I could have done.
- Cherie Camp

Having the Intralase procedure was one of the best decisions I have ever made. So many physicians wouldn’t even consider touching my eyes with the amount of astigmatism and nearsightedness that I had, but Dr. Lipstock didn’t hesitate and it was worth every penny!

- John Blair

However, some people have heard that people who have had LASIK eventually return to wearing glasses. How can this be if they have already had their vision corrected?

Let’s clear up one fact – LASIK or laser vision correction will NOT give you excellent vision for your whole lifetime.

Wait – what?

It’s true. Your eyes are living organs and there are certain, inevitable conditions that occur due to aging. One of these conditions is known as Presbyopia. Presbyopia is when the natural lenses in your eyes begin to harden. When you are young, your lenses are flexible so they can adjust to seeing near and far. As you age, these lenses harden. When they lose their flexibility, bifocals or reading glasses are used to help your eyes adjust.

Another inevitable is cataracts. Everyone will develop cataracts as they age. The affect that a cataract has on your vision depends largely upon the degree to which they form. Some people will never notice the affect while others may go blind.

The age at which you develop cataracts and/or presbyopia is not predetermined. For some, the symptoms of presbyopia can begin appearing as early as 40. For others, they may not have any side effects until 50 or older. For cataracts, most don’t appear until your early 60s or even into your 70s.

So back to the question – is the cost of LASIK worth it in the long run?

Let’s say you are nearsighted and you purchase disposable contact lenses every month. Then you have to purchase cleaning solution each month. If you lose a contact, tear it, it falls out, etc., then you have to replace your monthly supply faster than anticipated. You also have to get a pair of glasses for the times you don’t have contacts or if you have an eye infection or you’ve worn your contacts for too long. These glasses can easily be lost or broken, so it’s not just a one-time expense. 

This is a cost you have to pay, every month, consistently for 20 or more years. You are stuck with plastic on your eyes and the constraints they present just so you don’t have to compromise the ability to see.

Or you can have laser vision correction and have your procedure paid off in two years or less. You'll gain the extra money in your budget and excellent eyesight to view life as it is. You’ll also gain the spontaneity that life has to offer because you can see clearly, naturally - for the next 10, 15, or 20+ years.