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FAQ’s About AMD

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February 9, 2012

FAQ’s About AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration)

An estimated 10 million Americans show evidence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), a progressive eye condition that can destroy “straight-ahead” vision, according to Uptown Eye Care’s Dr. Elaine Happ, Therapeutic Optometrist.

AMD Awareness

AMD Awareness

“February is AMD Awareness Month and we encourage all people, especially those at higher risk for this disease, to familiarize themselves with the potential symptoms and need for regular eye examinations” Dr. Elaine Happ said. “To help people better understand this disease, we’ve prepared a list of Frequently Asked Questions about AMD. ”

 

Q: What is AMD?
A: AMD stands for Age-related Macular Degeneration, a disease that breaks down the macula – the light-sensitive portion of the retina that allows you to see fine detail. It blurs the straight-ahead vision required for activities such as reading or driving

 

Q: What causes AMD?
A: The causes of AMD are still unknown. One form of AMD (Dry) may be caused by aging and thinning of the macular tissues, pigment deposits in the macula, or a combination of the two. The other form of AMD (Wet), results when new blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak blood and fluid. This leakage causes retinal cells to die and creates blind spots in central vision.

 

Q: Who is at risk for AMD?
A: Risk factors for AMD include:  Smoking, High Blood Pressure, Obesity, and Family History of AMD. Also, Caucasians and females are more prone to AMD.

 

Q: What are the symptoms of AMD?
A: Early symptoms of AMD included blurred vision or dark spots in the center of vision. The symptoms can appear painlessly and gradually, making early detection and treatment essential.

 

Q: How can AMD be detected?
A: Early-stage AMD can be detected through a comprehensive eye exam that includes a visual acuity test and dilated eye exam. If AMD is detected, further tests may be required.

 

Q: Can AMD be cured?
A: There is no cure or AMD at this time. There are, however, certain treatments that can slow or minimize vision loss, and, in some cases, even improve vision.

 

Q: How is AMD treated?
A: There are several treatment options that your eye doctor may consider, including:
* Vitamins. Research suggests that certain vitamin supplements taken in combination may reduce vision loss in some stages of AMD
* Laser Surgery (Wet AMD)
* Injections (Wet AMD)

 

“While there is no cure for AMD, early detection and treatment can slow or minimize vision loss, and, in some cases even improve vision.” Dr. Elaine Happ said. “There are also devices that can help people suffering from AMD-related vision loss achieve improvement in their functional vision for performing daily routines.”

 

For more on AMD and its symptoms, risk factors and preventative tips see Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

Dr. Elaine Happ owns and practices at Uptown Eye Care located at 560 Cedar Street in Monticello, MN and is a member of Vision Source, the nation’s number one network of private practice optometrists. Founded in 1991, The Vision Source network includes more than 2,300 offices in all 50 states and in Canada.

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Visual Fatigue

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February 7, 2012

Do you leave your desk at the end of your day with pain in your neck or lower back? Do you deal with headaches and eyestrain on a regular basis?

If the answer to these questions is yes, you may suffer from Visual Fatigue Syndrome, according to the eye doctors at Uptown Eye Care.

“Since extensive computer use is a part of many jobs, eye strain has become a major job-related complaint.” says optometrist Elaine Happ. “Studies show that up to 90% of computer workers suffer from eye strain and other bothersome visual symptoms as well as back and neck pain from excessive head movement.”

There are some things you can do to reduce vision fatigue, like position your computer monitor so windows are to the side, instead of in front or behind it. Glare on walls and finished surfaces, as well as reflections on your computer screen also can cause computer eye strain. Consider installing an anti-glare screen on your monitor and if you wear glasses purchase lenses with an anti-reflective coating. Both of these features will reduce the amount of light reflecting off the front and back surfaces of your lenses.

LCD screens usually have an anti-reflective surface and are easier on the eyes than the older CRT screens. Adjusting the brightness, text size and contrast, and the color temperature in the display settings of your computer will also reduce strain and fatigue.

When working at a computer, people blink less frequently — about five times less than normal. Yet, blinking is essential when at a computer because it moistens your eyes and prevents dryness and irritation. The Uptown Eye Care eye doctors recommend this exercise: every 20 minutes blink your eyes very slowly, as if you were falling asleep, about 10-15 times to re-moisten your eyes.

You may also benefit from a pair of Anti-Fatigue lenses. These lenses, made by Essilor, are designed with a “power boost” area in the lower portion of the lens for greater comfort when doing near-vision work. “We have had a lot of success helping our patients obtain more comfortable vision at work using these new lenses” according to optometrist Elaine Happ.

Contact Uptown Eye Care today to setup an appointment to see if you are suffering from Visual Fatigue Syndrome.

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Uptown Staff to Attend Minnesota Optometric Association Annual Meeting

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January 24, 2012

The Minnesota Optometric Association (http://minnesota NULL.aoa NULL.org/)‘s 2012 annual meeting will be held Feb 3-4 at the Renaissance Depot in Minneapolis. It has been a tradition at Uptown Eye Care to send the entire staff so everyone can benefit from the excellent education offered at this event.

Educational presenters include a variety of well-known local and national speakers, with topics ranging from diseases, patient service, emergencies, children, employee management and grand rounds.

We will attend courses that focus on the ocular development of children, learn the latest advancements in treating a variety of eye diseases, and get tips on building the Unbeatable Team. We will also see the latest trends in frame fashions and demonstrations of new lens technology.

We at Uptown Eye Care look forward to continued improvement of our service and expertise, implementing what we will learn at this year’s Minnesota Optometric Association Annual Meeting.

Our office will be closed Feb 3-4th so that everyone on our team can attend. We will reopen Monday, Feb 6. Please CONTACT US with any questions.

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How Vision Problems Can Interfere With Learning

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January 11, 2012

According to the American Public Health Association, 25% of students in grades K-6 have visual problems that are serious enough to hinder learning.

How can you tell if your child’s ability to learn is being affected by a vision problem? If you check off several items on the following checklist, consider taking your child for a thorough vision examination.

  • Turns or tilts head to see
  • Head is frequently tilted to one side or one shoulder is noticeably higher
  • Squinting or closing of one eye or excessive blinking
  • Poor visual/motor skills (often called hand-eye coordination) or frequently bumps into things or drops things
  • Becomes easily confused when in motion
  • Frequently loses things
  • Has been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD or dyslexia

While reading or doing close work your child:

  • Holds the reading material or object too close
  • Closes one eye or covers eye with hand or twists or tilts head
  • Frequently loses place and/or skips or repeats lines
  • Fatigues easily and/or becomes drowsy
  • Uses finger to read
  • Rubs eyes during or after periods of reading
  • Reports that words move or run together
  • Exhibits avoidance behaviors

Child reports:

  • Headaches or eyestrain
  • Nausea or dizziness
  • Motion sickness or car sickness
  • Double Vision

If your child reports seeing double, please take your child for a binocular vision evaluation immediately.

Early detection of problems greatly increases the chances of successful rehabilitation. Testing of binocular teaming skills should be a part of every child’s comprehensive eye examination.

Contact Us today to setup an comprehensive eye examination for your child.

 

How Vision Problems Can Interfere With Learning by Dr. Mary Gregory

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iZon Lenses

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January 9, 2012

Did you know your eyes are like fingerprints? No two are alike.

With the Z-View Aberrometer the doctors at Uptown Eye Care are able to capture your unique ocular fingerprint, or iPrint™, delivering a diagnosis with data never before available. For the first time your prescription is a precise match to your unique optical requirements.

Here’s what makes everybody’s eyes different: your eyes have tiny microscopic irregularities, or aberrations, that distort light as it passes through the cornea and lens and onto the retina. This can have a significant impact on the quality of your vision, affecting things like depth perception, crispness, contrast, color perception and even nighttime vision. Until now the technology to measure and correct these aberrations has not been available.

With the information and data from your eye exam and your very own iPrint, your customized iZon High Resolution Lenses are produced. And because these lenses take into consideration both traditional measurements and the unique aberrations of your eyes, your vision, for the first time, will be truly optimized.

Patients who are wearing new iZon Lenses report that their vision is clearer, sharper and more vivid than ever before. iZon Lenses have also been clinically proven to improve nighttime driving vision even under glare conditions and provide better definition. In nighttime driving tests using an FDA-validated simulator, iZon wearers traveling at 55 MPH under glare conditions were able to recognize and react to a pedestrian in the road on average 20 feet sooner than conventional lens wearers. That’s a significant safety margin.

Please contact our office today. We would like to evaluate you to see if you are a candidate for iZon High Resolution Lenses.

iZon High Resolution Lenses

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Glaucoma Awareness Month

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January 5, 2012

Glaucoma Awareness Month (http://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/UptownEyeCareMN#!/UptownEyeCareMN?sk=app_190322544333196)

Glaucoma: Glaucoma gradually destroys the optic nerve tissue in the back of the eye. The greatest danger of glaucoma stems from the fact that the disease is painless and without obvious symptoms until significant damage has occurred. The most common cause is from pressure being too high inside the eye, but vascular disease and other diseases can also cause glaucoma. We always monitor for glaucoma during routine eye examinations. Tests include checking the pressure of the eye, screening for peripheral vision defects and analyzing the appearance of the optic nerve. If you are diagnosed with glaucoma, we typically prescribe medications that lower the eye pressure. Most forms of glaucoma are successfully treated with eye drops. Laser treatments and eye surgery are secondary treatments that offer alternative ways to treat more advanced glaucoma.

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month.  Please Contact Us today to schedule an eye examination.

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Uptown’s Dr. Mary Gregory to speak at local Minnesota schools

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January 1, 2012
Uptown Eye Care’s Dr. Mary Gregory will be speaking on vision related issues at local Minnesota schools in the coming months. Below are her scheduled dates thus far.

 

  • January 16:  Vision & Learning workshop presented to Community Christian School (http://www NULL.ccspease NULL.com) in Pease, MN
  • January 18, 20, 27:  Education on Eyes presentation to the 3rd grade class at Pinewood Elementary School (http://www NULL.pwes NULL.monticello NULL.schoolfusion NULL.us/) in Monticello, MN

 

If you would like to schedule Dr. Mary Gregory to speak at your school please CONTACT US.
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Dry Eye Disease (DED)

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December 12, 2011

TearLab – Dry Eye (http://vimeo NULL.com/33514550) from Uptown Eye Care (http://vimeo NULL.com/user8323343).

Healthy eyes have a constant layer of tears, or “tear film” that keeps them nourished and protected. An unbalanced tear film will be manifest in ocular discomfort and damage to the surface of your eyes. This condition is known as Dry Eye Disease. The best way to measure the extent of this imbalance is to have your eye doctor measure your tear film osmolarity, according to Dr. Elaine Happ.

“Using the results of tear osmolarity testing, we implement a treatment program using Omega 3 supplements and tear replacement drops “ says Dr. Happ. “Depending on the severity of the condition, we may also recommend punctal plugs, anti-inflammatory drops or prescription strength artificial tears.”

Some factors that contribute to Dry Eye Disease are ones we cannot control, like aging and gender (women are more likely to suffer from DED). Some medications and radiation therapies can contribute to the condition. Other factors known to affect the health of our tear film are intense visual concentration, such as TV watching and computer use, a diet low in vitamin A and omega 3 fatty acids, exposure to dry and windy environments, smoking, and having refractive surgery, such as LASIK.

Dr. Elaine Happ specializes in diagnosing and treating Dry Eye Disease and Uptown Eye Care is registered as an Accredited Dry Eye Center.

TearLab LogoAccredited TearLab Dry Eye Center

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Uptown Eye Care featured in Women in Optometry Magazine

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December 2, 2011

Dr. Elaine Happ had responded to a Review of Optometry survey about having a business plan and budget for your practice. Her response was well received by the magazine’s editorial staff, who said it was rare to find an office that actually had such a detailed strategy for the upcoming year. The editor then asked if she could do a story on Uptown Eye Care and their 2012 strategy.

Women In Optometry - Uptown Eye Care

Women In Optometry - November 2011 - Uptown Eye Care Feature

In the interview Dr. Happ told Review of Optometry that Uptown Eye Care had conducted their first planning and budgeting meeting the past year, setting tangible goals and deadlines for 2011. These included: creating pediatric patient gift bags, setting a donation limit, expanding the staff section of website, rewriting the procedure manual, setting plans for staff education, and breaking down the office financials. Their second annual planning meeting was to be conducted soon, which would push the successes of 2011 forward with new marketing tactics and digital strategy implementation for 2012. These techniques included goals of: revising the clinic’s website, producing informational videos showcasing available technology, entering into social media networking, and optimizing the website to generate more organic search results and targeted leads. To help achieve these goals Uptown Eye Care hired media and marketing company OxRun, www.oxrun.com (http://www NULL.oxrun NULL.com/), to facilitate these new initiatives and keep the office on target to achieve its strategic goals.

Beyond expansion strategy, the article introduces readers to Dr. Gregory and Dr. Happ, office manager Melonie Carlson, and the aesthetically pleasing park-like atmosphere of the practice.

You may find a digital copy of the Women in Optometry Magazine – November 2011 issue HERE. Uptown Eye Care is featured on page 8 of the magazine, entitled, “After Years of Organic Growth, Doctors Chart More Defined Course”.

Women in Optometry is a supplement to the Review of Optometry Magazine (http://www NULL.revoptom NULL.com/), a production of Jobson Medical Information LLC.

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Dr. Mary Gregory volunteers at Children’s Healthy Eyes Event

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November 19, 2011

This past Saturday, November 12, Dr. Mary Gregory joined several other volunteer eye doctors at the Children’s Healthy Eyes event, hosted by the Minnesota Optometric Association (MOA) and the Science Museum of Minnesota.

Attendees learned about human eye development, common eye disorders, and healthy vision for infants and children. There were also fun interactive exhibits created by the Science Museum with the MOA, optical puzzles and videos, and more!

Uptown Eye Care has a permanent display in infant vision development at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

Dr. Mary Gregory Children's Healthy Eyes Event

Dr. Mary Gregory at the MOA Children's Healthy Eyes Event

Dr. Mary Gregory - Minnesota Optometric Association (MOA)

Dr. Mary Gregory and the volunteer eye doctors of the Minnesota Optometric Association (MOA)

Dr. Mary Gregory Children's Healthy Eyes Event

Dr. Mary Gregory at the Children's Healthy Eyes Event

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