Eyes are the window to your health – Women at High Risk for Visual Impairment

April is Women’s Eye Safety and Health Month and Dr. Craig Sultan encourages all women to make the time to schedule an appointment with an optometrist. Eye health is rarely a topic of coffee chat, but did you know that two-thirds of blindness and visual impairment occurs in women? It is these same women who most often manage family health concerns, yet they put their own health at the bottom of the priority list. Hormonal changes, age and smoking can endanger sight. www.the-eyeworks.com for more info.
It has long been said that “the eyes are the window of the soul,” and with good reason. A professional eye care practitioner can actually see into a patient’s health through the tissue and blood vessels in the back of the eye. Doctors can view heartbeat, nutrient levels and even warning signs of disease.
“Without a comprehensive vision exam, women may have serious undetected vision and health problems. In fact, some potentially blinding eye diseases and conditions can be successfully treated if detected early,” according to Dr. Sultan “Possible vision conditions such as glaucoma and diabetes, hypertension, elevated cholesterol and anemia, just to name a few, can be diagnosed with a complete eye exam.”
It was just this morning that a very healthy 58 year old woman that had Lasik over ten years ago and was having no problems and had not been back to see an eye doctor in at least five years showed the signs of early macular degeneration. Although her vision has not been compromised, it is easier and far better to intervene earlier.
Any questions please contact Dr. Craig Sultan at doc@the-eyeworks.com

Sunglasses Part II

What you need to know about sun wear and protection.

Sunglasses come in many colors. So many flavors – what is best for me?

Visual comfort can be as different as personalities. One person loves rose colored lenses (not me). I prefer gray lenses. Let me share my view of the best lens colors for different life styles.

Gray lenses reduce brightness without distorting colors as do most tinted lenses.

Brown and amber lenses reduce brightness and glare from the blue end of the spectrum
are consequently referred to as Blue Blockers. My experience is that it creates
greater contrast resulting in better depth perception.

Yellow Lenses – reduces the haze from foggy and overcast days sharpening up your
view, however this color may cause some color distortion. Shooters will often
wear this color

Green tinted lenses reduce brightness like gray lenses and reduces some of the blue
waves of light, creating good contrast with minor color distortion. This color is
not in vogue at this time, yet it is still a very comfortable lens. Ray-Ban made
its G-15 a gray-green combo very popular.

Rose colored lenses are good for water sports and create good contrast against blue or
green backgrounds.

Blue tinted lenses – think Elvis, may (or may not) look good, but are probably the worst
Color for your eyes. Here’s why – The blue waves of light are the most harmful
waves of the visible spectrum; only the UV rays are more dangerous. Too much
blue light can result in macular degeneration – this is why Blue Blockers have
become so popular.

A few things to remember: polarized lenses are the best protection and most comfortable vision unless you are a pilot ( the LED lit panels are not visible with polarized lenses) and so are many cell phone screens and I Pods and their cousins.
Polarized lenses are available in all of the colors above. Try a tinted sun lens next to a good polarized lens and you’ll choose the polarized lens nearly every time.

Dr. Craig Sultan
The Eye Works Optometry
1006 First Street – Downtown Napa
www.the-eyeworks.com
707 254 2020

The Eye Works – where its good to be seen!

Sunglasses – Spring Newsletter

Sunglass Season Is Upon Us

When Choosing sunwear does UV Protection Matter?

Yes.

The UV rays of the sun can damage the skin of your eyelids (think looking older); and the cornea – the clear windshield of the eye (think sunburn pain); the lens of the eye (think cataracts); and the retina, specifically the macula the part of the eye responsible for detailed vision (think macular degeneration).

You should be looking for 99-100% UVA and UVB protection. Check the label (if there is one) which should read UV 400 or 100% UV protection.

We have a UV meter at The Eye Works that enables us to measure the amount of UV protection your lenses offer.

What else do I need to know?

Some lens materials are inherently excellent UV protectors such as polycarbonate, trivex and high index plastic lenses; others are not – CR-39 plastic needs to have the UV coating added. When in doubt as to whether you are getting or received excellent UV protection ask the optician, doctor or sales person if they could verify the level of UV protection.

What about polarized sun lenses?

I believe polarized lenses offer the most comfortable vision especially around water and snow or wherever there is a lot of reflected light – even off of the road. CR-39 (regular plastic) does not offer adequate UV protection unless the UV coating is added. (There is a separate charge for this coating.)

Do not let anyone charge you for adding UV coatings in polycarbonate, Trivex or high index plastic lenses as the UV protection is inherent in the lens.

Dr. Craig Sultan O.D

In part II I will cover the benefits of certain lens colors.

NO MORE DRY EYES WITH MOISTURIZING CONTACT LENS!

Soft contacts have been a major innovation in optometry since they were first introduced in the 1970s. Although they have become the saving grace for folks who do not want to wear glasses, they still come with a few challenges among them the most annoying is the irritation from drying out.

To overcome the dryness issues, The Eye Works Optometry has been working with Ciba Vision, Acuvue and Bausch & Lomb who have developed moisturizing contact lenses. These new moisturizing lenses release moisture throughout the day. This reduces the dehydration of your eyes. When you blink, the moisturizing agent ‘melts’ into your eye’s tear film slowly and throughout the day.
In addition, Dr. Sultan recommends the following three rules to eliminate contact lens induced dryness.

• “Every time you remove your contacts dry – you are ripping the epithelial or outer layer of cells off your eye, much like a Band – Aid does when you pull it off your skin. This affects the eye’s ability to produce quality tears and can cause contact lens related dry eyes. So I have all my contact lens patients take them off wet. Here’s how: Put a drop of your multi-purpose solution, (saline solution for soft contacts is fine too) in your eyes and then remove the lens your usual way. Next, put the contact in the palm of your hand and make a puddle using the same multi purpose solution and rub the lens in the direction of your fingers for 5 seconds on each side.

• Next, put your contacts in their case and add fresh multi – purpose solution. Once a week I want you to take your contact lens case and drop it into a pot of water that you boiled, take it off the stove and let it sit in the hot water for at least 20 minutes. It will kill anything that can grow in your case which, next to your hands is the dirtiest thing your contacts will come in contact with.

• ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS before touching your lenses or eyes and dry your hands and dust or rub them to get any lint or debris off your hands before handling your contacts!
A little time and a little effort can substantially increase your comfort and vision with contact lenses. Any questions can be forwarded to Doc@the-eyeworks.com.

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