Contact Lenses – The Most Effective Keratoconus Treatment

Contact lenses are the most common, safest, and effective keratoconus treatment available. As Steph Curry, an NBA All-Star point guard for the Golden State Warriors, recently found out. During an interview, he commented on how his keratoconus lenses brought everything into focus.

Numerous types of contact lenses are used to treat keratoconus. RGP contact lenses, while still commonly used, are being replaced by scleral contacts as the most common and effective keratoconus treatment.

Can Keratoconus be Treated with Surgery?

Keratoconus can be treated with surgery; however, like conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, we can’t cure keratoconus with surgery.

Corneal Cross Linking

The most common surgical option for keratoconus is Corneal Cross-Linking. You may see this abbreviated as CCL or CXL. Cross-linking helps stabilize the cornea by increasing the connections between collagen fibers. In most cases, cross-linking will stop the progressive steepening of the cornea. Following cross-linking, patients often further improve their visual acuity with scleral contact lenses.

Penetrating Keratoplasty – Corneal Transplant

Corneal transplants have decreased in popularity since the FDA approved corneal cross-linking. Corneal scarring and corneal hydrops are the most common reasons for corneal transplants.

How do I Learn More About My Keratoconus Treatment Options?

We offer complementary keratoconus treatment consults with Dr. Driscoll to help patients decide which treatment option is best for them. You can schedule your free consultation online with Dr. Driscoll at either our Colleyville or Keller/Southlake Location. We can also schedule your appointment by us calling at 817.416.0333.

About Dr. Driscoll

Dr. Driscoll is a therapeutic optometrist and keratoconus specialist at Total Eye Care in Colleyville, Texas. A 1988 Graduate of the Illinois College, Dr. Driscoll has been treating patients with keratoconus for over 30 years. Following Dr. Driscoll’s Graduation from the Illinois College of Optometry, he joined the residency program at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Dr. Driscoll likes to write. He wrote An Eye Doctor Answers: Explanations To Hundreds Of The Most Common Questions Patients Wish They Had Asked, available on Amazon.com, and The Patient’s Guide to Keratoconus.

The post Can Keratoconus be Treated? appeared first on The Eye Doc Blog.

Most Common Dry Eye Symptoms

Contact lens intolerance is one of the most common causes of suffering from dry eyes. Patients with dry eyes either don’t wear contact lenses at all or experience very limited wearing time, often eagerly removing them as soon as possible.

End of Day Discomfort

As the day goes on your eyes start to dry out and become irritated. This is also why contact lens wearers experience discomfort at the end of the day. When you sleep your eye repairs the damage caused by dry eyes and the cycle repeats the next day. This end of day discomfort usually causes watery eyes.

Watery Eyes

It sounds counter-intuitive but watery eyes, especially in the afternoon or evening, are a sign of dry eyes. As the day goes on the lack of tears cause corneal irritation. When the cornea is irritated it sees this as something in the eye that needs to be flushed out. Your eye starts to produce watery tears to flush out the perceived foreign object. These are known as reflex tears, tears that are a response to an immediate stimulus. Reflex tears lack the wetting properties of normal tears and actually contribute to the damage caused by dry eyes.

Misconceptions of Dry Eye Syndrome

Most patients think the mainstay of dry eye therapy is artificial tears. While artificial tears are helpful and beneficial to dry eye sufferers they represent only a small part of the available treatment options. Artificial tears require regular and frequent application to be effective. We now have better therapies to treat all stages of dry eye syndrome.

How do I Know if Dry Eye Treatment is Right for Me?

• If you find yourself using artificial tears three or more times a day
• You are not able to use artificial tears often enough to provide all-day relief
• You have Sjogren’s Syndrome or suspect you may have it
• Cannot wear contact lenses all-day
• You stopped wearing contact lenses because they were uncomfortable
• Experience tearing and/or discomfort near the end of the afternoon

What Dry Eye Treatment Options are Available?

Most patients will experience the most successful treatment by using multiple dry eye treatment options. Some of the most helpful and common treatment options are;

• Artificial tears
• Scleral contact lenses treat dry eye Syndrome
• Punctal occlusion
• Rx Medication such as Xiidra and Restasis
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids
• Adjusting the contact lens brand and/or fit

Does Insurance Cover Dry Eye Treatment?

Dry eye diagnosis and treatment is covered by major medical insurance.
All medical insurance companies cover the diagnosis and treatment of dry eye syndrome. There are many new dry eye treatments available to us.

How Do I Get Started?

The best way is to call either the Total Eye Care – Colleyville office at 817.416.0333 or call the Total Eye Care – Keller office at 817.431.4900. You can also schedule an appointment with our doctors online.

The post Stop Suffering from Dry Eyes appeared first on The Eye Doc Blog.

Scleral contact lenses are the keratoconus’ specialists most effective keratoconus treatment.

What is a Scleral Contact Lens?

Scleral contact lenses rest on the sclera, the white part of the eye, and vault over the cornea. Scleral contacts distribute their weight on the less sensitive sclera which makes them much more comfortable than other lenses. The vision with a scleral contact lens is also more stable than the visual acuity experienced with a gas permeable lens. In the video below Dr. Richard Driscoll, the keratoconus specialist at Total Eye Care discusses keratoconus treatment with scleral contact lenses.

Medically Necessary Contact Lenses

Many vision plans consider the treatment of keratoconus with contact lenses as medically necessary and often provide coverage. Some vision plans also call this type of coverage visually necessary contact lenses. Numerous conditions are considered covered under this provision such as:

• Dry Eye Syndrome
• Keratoconus
• Pellucid Marginal Degeneration
• High Astigmatism
• High Refractive Error (usually about 10.00D of correction)
• Irregular Astigmatism
• Post Refractive Surgery
• Post Corneal Transplant

Personalized Keratoconus Treatment Consultation

Total Eye Care offers free consultations to help patients decide which keratoconus treatment may be best for them. You can schedule a free keratoconus consultation with Dr. Driscoll by calling us at 817.416.0333. You can also schedule it online at any time.

Keratoconus Treatment Resources

We have curated some resources on keratoconus we feel every patient with keratoconus will find helpful.

Overview of Keratoconus – KeratoconusDoctors.com

What is Keratoconus, How is it Diagnosed and Treated – TotalEyeCare.com

Keratoconus Treatment Options – KeratoconusDoctors.com

Scleral Contact lenses Insertion and Removal Video – The Eye Doc Blog

The post Scleral Contact Lenses for Keratoconus Treatment appeared first on The Eye Doc Blog.

Glaucoma has no symptoms and therefore it is often referred to as the sneak thief of sight. Patients with glaucoma experience no symptoms until the very late stages of the condition. Late stage glaucoma is characterized by profound vision loss.

Glaucoma Prevention

I am often asked by patients “I have a positive family history. How can I prevent myself from getting glaucoma?” The answer is early detection. We do this by being properly screened during your eye exam.

During your eye exam take advantage of the Comprehensive Digital Retinal Exam technology which allows us to take high-resolution panoramic and ultrasound images of the eye. These technologies combine hundreds of high-resolution images giving us a 3-dimensional view of the optic nerve. Some retinal nerve cells are more sensitive to glaucomatous changes than normal retinal cells. These retinal cells are called ganglion cells and when it comes to glaucoma they are kind of like the canaries in the coal mine. Ganglion cells are usually the first to signal early glaucomatous changes.

Yearly Eye Exams Reduce Blindness

By having yearly eye exams and comparing these digital images over the coming years, we look for subtle changes. Eye doctors usually diagnose glaucoma by noticing these subtle changes in the optic nerve over time.

Learning More

1. There are two theories on glaucomatous vision loss, the vascular theory and mechanical theory.
2. Some relatively new research also makes a compelling case that glaucomatous changes originate in the brain.
3. Take the Glaucoma Eye-Q Test

Early Detection

If you would like to start the new year off right we would be happy to asses your glaucoma risk factors at your next eye exam. Please call our Colleyville office at 817.416.0333 or the Keller office at 817.431.4900. You can also schedule your appointment online at any time.

The post Most Glaucoma Patients are Undiagnosed appeared first on The Eye Doc Blog.

November 10 is National Keratoconus Day. Keratoconus is an ocular condition causing debilitating decreased vision in approximately 1 in 400 to 1 in 2000 Americans. Below is a brief overview of keratoconus. For a complete review of keratoconus, including background information, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis can be found here. Spread the word and help someone with keratoconus. 

What is Keratoconus?

Keratoconus develops when the cornea becomes progressively thinner. The cornea is made of collagen fibers. The collagen fibers in a patient with keratoconus do not have links between the fibers. This causes the collagen to be weak. Over time, the weak collagen fibers allow the cornea to become thin and progressively steeper. This change in shape causes the cornea to take on an irregular shape which is poorly corrected with glasses.

How is Keratoconus Diagnosed?

During a regular eye exam, your eye doctor will be able to tell if you have keratoconus. Corneal topography is usually used to confirm a diagnosis of keratoconus.

How is Keratoconus Treated?

Keratoconus doctors agree contact lens are the treatment of choice. Various types of contact lenses are used to treat keratoconus; however, the best success, comfort, and vision is achieved with scleral contact lenses.

Finding a Keratoconus Doctor

If you have keratoconus or know someone that does have it the Keratoconus Doctors have over 25 years of experience in treating patients with keratoconus and irregular corneas.

The post Keratoconus Day is November 10 appeared first on The Eye Doc Blog.

As we prepare to send our children off to school we remember to schedule our immunizations, replace the clothes they’ve outgrown and run through the list school supplies; however, it’s easy to overlook our children’s vision. A back to school eye exam is essential to a child’s success. Afterall, over 80% of what a child learns is through what they see yet over 86% of children have never had an eye exam.

The link between learning and eyesight is compelling. Eye exams that include a thorough assessment of a child’s vision and ocular health are crucial for children of all ages. Set your child up for a successful school year. Start a great tradition with a back to school eye exam. Poor eyesight can adversely affect a child’s educational performance and social development.

Important facts to consider;

• The American Optometric Association states that 60% of children identified as having learning difficulties have undetected visual problems.
• Uncorrected or insufficiently corrected vision leads to an accelerated rate of progression in a child’s nearsightedness.
• Vision problems affect one out of twenty preschool age children. Untreated visual problems can worsen leading to other more serious behavioral and learning problems.

A Back To School Eye Exam Is More Important Than Ever

As adults, we spend hours a day looking at our small digital devices; however, our children spend even more time on their digital devices. Time spent on cell phones and tablets have a significant impact a child’s vision, by creating an environment conducive to increasing nearsightedness and an increased exposure to blue light. New technology in contact lenses has made it possible to prevent the progression of nearsightedness in children. Advances in ophthalmic lens coatings now making it possible to block certain harmful wavelengths of light emitted from digital devices and computer screens.

Back To School Eye Exam Experts

The eye doctors at Total Eye Care are experts in determining which of these technologies are best for you and your family. Call Today or schedule your appointment online.

The post Make Eye Exams Your Back To School Tradition appeared first on The Eye Doc Blog.

Right when we want to free ourselves of glasses and enjoy the warmth of summer, the dry, air-conditioned air makes our dry eyes worse making it more difficult to wear contact lenses. Symptoms of dry eye syndrome peak during the summer months. Thankfully, the doctors at Total Eye Care have achieved great success in treating patients with dry eyes and now have many new dry eye treatment options that were not available only a few years ago, including a new, patented nutritional supplement clinically proven to help patients with dry eyes.

Common Symptoms of Dry Eyes

• Do your eyes bother you at the end of the day?
• Do you look forward to taking your contact lenses out at the end of the day?
• Are you light sensitive?
• Do your contact lenses feel ok when you put them in, but as the day goes on they feel worse and worse?
• Have you tried numerous types of contact lenses only to give up because all of them bother you?
• Are your eyes often red and gritty?

If any of these situations sound like you, meaningful relief is available. There is no need to continue putting up with chronic discomfort. Using artificial tears is not enough. Fortunately, comfortable vision is available to you with many of the new dry eye treatment options available.

Patented Dry Eye Relief

Better Options Than Artificial Tears

Total Eye Care’s Dry Eye Treatment Paradigm incorporates a clinically proven, patented nutritional supplement with medications and tear preservation procedures to help relieve a patient’s dry eye symptoms.

Dry eye syndrome treatment does not have a quick fix for symptomatic relief; rather it requires a systematic, proven approach to enhance our patient’s comfort and vision. Successful treatment often involves multiple methods to provide optimal comfort for both contact lens wearers and non-contact lens wearers alike.

Effective treatment may involve a change in contact lens type or modality, preservation of your own tears, nutritional supplements, prescription medications or even changes in contact lens solution. In some cases, a non-contact lens wearer may actually find wearing the right kind of contact lenses, in association with other treatments, markedly improves their comfort. Effective dry eye treatment requires a systematic approach from an expert familiar with all aspects of the condition.

Total Eye Care’s Dry Eye Experts are Here to Help

As you can see we have many treatment options available to us. The doctors at Total Eye Care have helped countless patients recover from the problems associated with dry eyes. If you would like to experience the better comfort available with the new dry eye treatments contact the dry eye experts at Total Eye Care, relief is only a phone call away.

To get started call us at 817.416.0333

or schedule online. We are here to help you.

The post Dry Eyes of Summer – Effective Treatment is Available appeared first on The Eye Doc Blog.

Free Primer Available – The Patient’s Guide to Keratoconus

We also have a primer on keratoconus, “The Patient’s Guide to Keratoconus“. It answers most of the common questions patients ask and the most important things for them to know. We will continue to update it as technology and standards of care continue to evolve. Some of the items covered are

• How is keratoconus treated
• What are the risks/benefits of surgery vs contact lenses
• What treatment options are available
• When is surgery recommended

What is Keratoconus?

Keratoconus involves a progressive thinning of the cornea. It is estimated that 1 in 2000 people have keratoconus; however, some estimates are as high as 1 in 500.  In most cases, successful keratoconus treatment is accomplished with specially designed contact lenses. At Total Eye Care, we specialize in providing care to these patients.

The post Keratoconus Treatment Options – The Keratoconus Doctors Website is Live appeared first on The Eye Doc Blog.

We are in the midst of an explosion in the number of nearsighted (myopic) children. A 2002 study on the rate of nearsightedness in the United States showed a 41% increase in the number of nearsighted Americans compared to the original 1972 study. On average, a child in the U. S. will see an increase in myopia of .62 diopters per year. Fortunately, current research shows preventing nearsightedness in children is possible with great success.

A great deal of research is currently underway to determine what makes us more nearsighted and what might be the most effective method of  preventing nearsightedness in children. Much of the latest research in preventing nearsightedness in children is being done in China. Over 70% of Chinese children under 15 are now myopic. Needless to say, the Chinese government is putting a lot of resources behind the treatment and cause of the Myopic Epidemic.

What Makes Us Nearsighted?

Your genes do play a significant role in the type and degree of prescription you have. However, it’s not all genetic, environmental factors also appear to provide a strong influence in modifying your genetic propensity to progressive myopia. Even though our genetics may predispose us to being nearsighted there are things we can do to modify this trait. The majority of a person’s nearsighted prescription occurs during childhood. Therefore, finding ways of preventing nearsightedness in children is currently the most effective method of slowing the myopic epidemic.

Preventing Nearsightedness in Children is Possible With FDA Approved Lenses

We should only rely on methods based on sound scientific studies to guide us in finding and using effective treatments in preventing nearsightedness in children.

Orthokeratology

Orthokeratology involves the use of a contact lens that acts as a corneal mold (the cornea is the clear window covering the colored part of the eye) which changes the shape of the eye. The orthokeratology lens causes an optical effect known as peripheral defocus which reduces the stimulus to progressive nearsightedness. Orthokeratology has been FDA approved since 2002. Studies show orthokeratology reduces the rate of myopic progression up to 90%. This shape change has been clinically proven to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children.

An Ohio State University study showed that orthokeratology slowed the rate at which the eye grows longer. Keeping the eye from growing longer is a key factor in preventing the progression of nearsightedness. Other studies, conducted all over the world including the United States, China and Europe, have shown rates of reduction between 50% and 90%. Orthokeratology provides a clinically proven, effective means of preventing nearsightedness in children.

Pharmacology

Orthokeratology and atropine therapy show similar rates of myopia prevention. Atropine is a medication discovered in the 19th Century. It is still used today for both systemic and ocular conditions. In the eye it is used to dilate the pupil and to freeze the eye’s ability to focus. Atropine is a proven, time tested method of reducing the progression of nearsightedness in children.

For over 40 years atropine has been the mainstay of myopia prevention. Due significant side effects, such as light sensitivity and near vision blur, the treatment drop-out rate with Atropine is high. Studies show however, low dose Atropine is almost as effective as full strength Atropine. Low dose Atropine is easily tolerated by patients. At Total Eye Care we will often combine Atropine therapy with specially designed myopia control orthokeratology lenses. We believe this combination is currently the most effective method of preventing nearsightedness in children.

Behavior

Changing how we go about our daily activities can affect the progression of nearsightedness in children. Studies have shown children that spend more time outdoors are less nearsighted. Breaking up the day to day routine by spending time outdoors, away from near centric activities is helpful in preventing nearsightedness in children.

Busting Myopia Myths

Under-Correction

Not prescribing the full prescription or under-correcting nearsighted prescriptions is easily the most common myopia myth. A Chinese study prescribed glasses to approximately 300 school age children. Half of the children were given the full prescription and the other half were under-corrected. After only 18 months the study was terminated early because the under-corrected group’s myopia accelerated at a much faster rate than the fully corrected group. Under-correcting a nearsighted person’s prescription, not wearing prescribed glasses, and wearing an outdated prescription all lead to thicker, stronger prescription. Wearing current, accurate prescription glasses is the first step in preventing nearsightedness in children.

Does The Bates Method Work

The short answer is a resounding no. The Bates Method is ineffective in preventing nearsightedness in children. The Bates Method has a lot of unfounded support in social media. Dr. Bates was an early 19th century ophthalmologist.

What is the Bates Method

Bates hypothesized that various techniques, such as resting the eyes and pressing your palms (palming) to your eyes would reverse myopia. The Bates Method has been tested extensively, using scientific methods, and has been shown to have no affect on the reduction or reversal of myopia in adults or children. More information on the Bates Method can be found in Dr. Driscoll’s Book “An Eye Doctor Answers: Explanations To Hundreds Of The Most Common Questions Patients Wish They Had Asked” along with extensive information about effective, scientifically proven methods of preventing nearsightedness in children.

How Do I Learn More About Dr. Driscoll and the Myopia Prevention Program at Total Eye Care

By incorporating proven myopia reduction orthokeratology lens designs and atropine therapy we greatly reduce the rate of myopic progression in children. By reducing a child’s myopia, we also reduce their lifetime risk for numerous ocular conditions such as glaucoma and retinal detachment. Putting a once self-conscious, glasses wearing child, or teen, into contact lenses is a life changing event. Making the transition from glasses to orthokeratology or traditional contact lenses is one of those “moments” in a child’s life they will always remember and for which they will always be grateful. As parents we know the importance of instilling a sense of self worth and self esteem in our children. Transitioning a child from thick glasses to contact lenses helps to achieve just that.

To learn more about orthokeratology for adults and children and preventing nearsightedness in children schedule a free orthokeratology consult with Dr. Driscoll at the Total Eye Care Colleyville office or call 817.416.0333.

The post Preventing Nearsightedness in Children appeared first on The Eye Doc Blog.

OrthoKeratology is an FDA approved procedure that improves a person’s vision without surgery, glasses, or daily contact lenses. Many patients refer to it as “braces for your eyes”. Summer provides a great opportunity to start an orthokeratology program for your child. Imagine enjoying sports like swimming, gymnastics, and dance without the use of contact lenses or glasses. The nearsighted prevention benefits provide a tremendous added bonus to a summer orthokeratology program.

OrthoKeratology Prevents the Progression of Nearsightedness

It’s great being able to enjoy life and sports in general without contact lenses or glasses; however, a significant benefit of orthokeratology is that it has been clinically proven to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children. Numerous studies have shown the rate of myopia reduction is between 50% to 90%. A landmark study on the rate of myopia in the US was completed in 1972. This study found that 25% of the US population was myopic (nearsighted). A follow up study completed 41 years later found the rate of myopia in the United States had increased to 41% of the population. Complete analysis of these two studies can be found here in this earlier TheEyeDocBlog.com entry. High myopia increases a person’s risk for many conditions such as glaucoma and retinal detachment. By decreasing a child’s amount of nearsightedness we are decreasing their risk for these, and many other, conditions.

FDA Approved Technology

Overnight orthokeratology was approved by the FDA in 2002. This was game changer for orthokeratologists. Prior to overnight orthokeratology’s FDA approval, patients would wear their retainers every other day, which was not ideal. Now patients wear their lenses at night, removing them upon waking and enjoy good vision all day, every day. We are often asked if the vision correction lasts more than one day and yes it does. If a patient forgets to wear their lenses one night their vision is still good the next day. Skipping a day of wearing your vision retainers may not result in a second day of 20/20 vision, more likely 20/25 or 20/30; however, very good, functional vision is still maintained. It takes days and most often weeks for the vision to return to the pre-treatment level.

What Do Patients Say?

The first thing we hear from patients after they have undergone OrthoK is that they can’t believe it works. “My daughter put her lenses in when she went to bed, she took them out when she woke up and says she can see fine” is a common theme. Another common topic is “why haven’t I heard about this before” and there are many reasons for this.

Why Haven’t You Heard About OrthoKeratology or Gentle Vision Shaping Before?

Quite simply, there are well under 1000 active orthokeratologists in the United States. With orthokeratology experience matters and there is a significant learning curve in becoming an orthokeratologist. New optometrists and ophthalmologists receive very limited orthokeratology training in school. Dr. Richard Driscoll has been an active orthokeratologist since 1999, helping countless patients achieve good vision without the use of daily contact lenses, surgery, or glasses.

How Does Orthokeratology Work?

Adult patients, kids, and parents alike express amazement at how we can alter or mold the shape of their corneas with a contact lens, resulting in clear vision during the day without the need for glasses. It’s not magic, the science is very well established and FDA approved.  We remold the cornea into a shape similar to what is done with LASIK. The difference is that Ortho-K achieves this without the use of a laser and it does not remove any tissue; therefore, it is reversible, and easily modifiable.

Who is a Good Candidate for Orthokeratology?

Here is a quick list of those patients that benefit from orthokeratology. A more complete list of what makes a good orthokeratology candidate can be found on the OrthoKDoctor.com Website.

• The moderately nearsighted
• Children
• Adults
• Children that have experienced a sharp increase in nearsightedness
• Patients afraid to have elective surgery on their eyes
• Athletes
• Patients denied refractive surgery due to occupation
• People with a fear of surgery

What are the Benefits of OrthoKeratology?

• Safely improves your vision, usually to 20/20
• FDA approved for children and adults in 2002
• Greatly slows the progression of nearsightedness in children (up to 90%)
• Safer than refractive surgery
• It’s reversible
• Works while you sleep
• Great solution for patients with dry eyes
• Good for patients that can’t wear traditional daily contact lenses
• Allows you to see clearly all day – some patients experience more than 1 day of clear vision after 1 night of wear
• Proven technology

How do I Find More Information?

Check out the video below and see what patients are saying about Orthokeratology at Total Eye Care. If you want to know more about Orthokeratology and the Gentle Vision Shaping System at Total Eye Care call our Colleyville office for a free consultation 817.416.0333, Schedule a free OrthoK Consult online or visit www.OrthoKDoctor.com

The post Orthokeratology – Reduces Nearsightedness Without Glasses, Surgery or Contact Lenses appeared first on The Eye Doc Blog.