Tag Archive: Dr Mary Gregory


InfantSEE Program – Protect Your Child’s Changing Vision

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April 18, 2013

Protect Your Child’s Changing Vision

InfantSEE Program

Uptown Eye Care offers no cost comprehensive eye assessments as part of the InfantSEE Program

As a parent, you want the best for your child. From the moment they are born, we make every effort to ensure that they are healthy and happy. In addition to addressing your child’s changing physical and emotional needs, it is also important to help your child develop healthy vision and protect their eyesight against potential problems.

In many cases, your pediatrician may provide some insight on your child’s eye health by a conducting base-level screening to detect obvious abnormalities. However, to gain true peace of mind that your child’s vision is developing properly, you will want to explore a more detailed examination program.

Explore the Benefits of the InfantSEE Program

InfantSEE, is a public health program that is designed to ensure that eye and vision care becomes an integral part of infant wellness. Under the program, Dr Mary Gregory at Uptown Eye Care will provide a comprehensive infant eye assessment for your 6-12 month old child, at no cost.

The program is offered by Uptown Eye Care as a no-cost public service to encourage infant vision wellness and ongoing care.

The program offers many benefits to parents and infants, including:

Enhanced insight: While pediatricians may offer helpful information on your infant’s vision health, the tests they are able to conduct are limited in nature. The InfantSEE program provides enhanced insight into your child’s developing vision and any needs they may have. Because infants are not born knowing how to see they must develop this sense.  This examination ensures that their development is already progressing appropriately.

Early detection: The comprehensive testing involved in the InfantSEE program offers the best possible chance for early detection of serious conditions, including cancer, cataracts and glaucoma. This early detection makes treatment much more manageable and effective.

Education: Your child’s vision needs will change as they grow and develop. The InfantSEE program provides helpful education on how you can help to promote vision development and health as your child ages.

Wellness planning: Many eye problems arise from conditions that can be identified by an eye doctor in the infant’s first year of life. The InfantSEE program helps your optometrist diagnose any conditions that may exist, such as amblyopia or a lazy eye, and begin planning for their treatment to minimize their impact on the child’s vision.

Pain-free exams: The InfantSEE exam is a relatively simple procedure that involves simple instruments and no discomfort to your child. During the exam, you have the option of holding your baby on your lap or many times Dr Gregory will conduct much of her testing while your child is playing. Optometrists but will typically evaluate visual acuity, refraction, motility, alignment, binocularity and overall eye health.

 

Dr. Mary Gregory from Uptown Eye Clinic offers additional insight on the importance of the InfantSEE program and the benefits it provides.

“As your child’s vision is developing, we certainly want to step in and redirect it if it is moving in the wrong direction,” said Dr. Gregory. “If we don’t have that vision working correctly, it can cause a lot of problems for that child, including personal, social and academic issues.”

The InfantSEE (http://www NULL.infantsee NULL.org) program offers you the ability to take an active role in your child’s vision health, an important aspect of any child’s developmental process.

Please call Uptown Eye Care to schedule your baby’s no cost comprehensive eye assessment today at 763-271-2020.

Watch Uptown Eye Care’s Dr. Mary Gregory talk about the importance of infant eye exams on Kare 11 news.

InfantSEE Program featured on Kare 11

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What is a Lazy Eye? | Strabismus and Amblyopia Explained

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February 21, 2013

What is a Lazy Eye?

One of the most common questions I am routinely asked is, “What is a lazy eye”.  This is a commonly used term and people use it interchangeably for two different conditions.  The actual terminology is either amblyopia or strabismus.

Strabismus

Lazy Eye Strabismus AmblyopiaStrabismus, or a crossed eye, is a condition where both eye are not looking in the same direction at the same time.  Most commonly just one eye will be turned in or out, but sometimes the eyes will alternate between the right eye and the left eye turning in or out.  This is typically caused by either poor muscle control or a high amount of hyperopia, also known as farsightedness.

Our brains do not tolerate double vision very well so if the two eyes are seeing two different images at the same time it creates confusion and the brain will learn to ignore the images being transmitted by one of the eyes.  Unfortunately this may cause a permanent reduction of  vision in that eye.  It will also cause a reduction of depth perception or 3D vision.  Because we are not born knowing how to see  we must learn this skill. This process begins at birth and continues thru approximately 5 or 6 years old.  I’m sure you can understand how important it is that we learn to see the correct way!   Many times we can determine that a problem exists before a child reaches one year of age.

If a problem is detected, treatment options may include either glasses or vision therapy.  Occasionally surgical intervention is required, although this is a last resort and more often needed for a very young child.  If the eye turning becomes constant and is not treated, it can lead to permanent reduction of vision in one eye, a condition called amblyopia.  This leads us to the second condition that is often called lazy eye.

Amblyopia

Amblyopia is a condition where the brain learns to ignore the image and information from one eye.  This may occur because of strabismus and the brain actively ignores the double image, or it may occur because of another stress on the visual system.  Most commonly this condition develops because there is unequal vision between the two eyes. This could be caused by the existence of a high amount of farsightedness in one eye or  there could be something blocking the vision, like a cataract.

Essentially, if the work and demand of using two eyes to see is too high, then the brain will find an easier route.  Often this route is to favor the “easier” eye and ignore the problematic eye.  This will take place in the early years as vision is developing.  Unfortunately, when the brain is ignoring the images transmitted by one  eye, you will not always see that eye turn.  In fact, many times parents will not notice any problem at all!  The child uses one eye to see planes in the sky and small things in the carpet and it is assumed they are using both eyes.  The child doesn’t know a problem exists because they have no reference for what “normal” vision looks like.

Amblyopia is a condition that is preventable with early eye examinations. It is possible to determine if existing conditions  make the development of amblyopia a possibility as early as one year of age.  Certainly,  having an eye examination by the time a child is three years old will pick up on any problems. This is still early enough to treat the condition using glasses to balance out vision between the two eyes, making it easier for the brain to process images from both eyes.  Prevention is key with amblyopia!

Get Your Eyes Checked Today

If you have questions or concerns about “Lazy Eye” please contact our office at 763-271-2020 or via our Contact Form. If you’d like to schedule an appointment, we have an Online Appointment Request Form available as well.

Dr. Mary Gregory
Uptown Eye Care
560 Cedar Street
Monticello, MN 55362

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Best Learning Toys to Develop Critical Skills for Learning Development

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December 12, 2012

Dr. Gregory’s Favorite Learning Toys

The gift-giving time of year is upon us once again. If you haven’t found the perfect gift yet I do have a few ideas for you. I am often asked about learning toys, games and activities that are good for children and their development. As I sit watching the snow today I thought it the perfect time to list a few great learning toys and games that help children develop critical skills for learning and are fun at the same time. I have listed them by category below. There are many more out there but these are a few of my favorites.

Best Learning ToysEye hand coordination, visualization and imagination:

  • Building blocks
  • Legos
  • Lincoln Logs

Fine motor skills:

  • Play Doh
  • Bead crafts
  • Light Bright
  • Operation
  • Chalkboard/whiteboard easel
  • Sand Art
  • Stencils

Depth Perception:

  • Fishin’ Around
  • Ants in the Pants
  • Jenga
  • Pick up sticks
  • Don’t Break the Ice
  • A ball of any kind
  • Ring Toss
  • Elefun
  • Dart games – suction or Velcro

Visual thinking:

*These are my favorite. These learning toys are fun for the whole family and great for building reading and math skills.

  • Parquetry blocks
  • Make N Break
  • Perplexus
  • Qwirkle
  • Battleship
  • Perfection
  • Bingo
  • Memory games
  • Simon
  • Bop It
  • Connect Four
  • Blokus
  • Tanagrams
  • Clue

These are just a few suggestions of great gift ideas, learning toys and family games to have around the house. They would make great travel time activities for the car as well. It’s great to get away from the hand held games for a while and think in real space. (Of course I love my hand held devices too and many of these games are now available as apps you can download.)

I hope you enjoy your friends and family this Holiday Season!

- Mary Gregory, OD

 Dr. Mary Gregory joined Uptown Eye Care in 2002 with an emphasis in pediatric eye care. Dr. Gregory also runs Omni Vision & Learning Center (http://www NULL.omnivisioncenter NULL.com/) of Monticello, MN.

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How Vision Affects Learning – Child’s Visual Learning in the Classroom

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November 29, 2012

Back to School – Vision and Learning in the Classroom

It’s the time of year already for conferences.  I feel like we were just shopping for new school supplies and scheduling hair cuts for class pictures.  How Vision Affects Learning in the ClassroomYet fall is almost past us and my husband and I just finished conferences for my two children last week.  Sitting in the classroom is always a little strange for me.  It makes me realize that my children have these lives of their own and this is their daily “home away from home”.  It also reminds me how vision affects learning and how much our children’s vision plays a part in their classroom experience.  How do you know if your child’s vision is working to enhance his/her learning?  Maybe it’s hindering your child’s learning.  Let me briefly explain how vision affects learning and provide a few quick ways to flag it as a possible concern.

How Vision Affects Learning

Our vision begins developing before birth and continues until around six years old.  During those years we are learning how to use our eyes and how to use them together.  The information gathered from both eyes is used to process what we see and determine what to do with that new information.  The two eyes need to work as a team to locate the desired object, keep our focus on it, and then process the information our brain gathers from it. Because 80% of our learning is through our visual system,  it is a very important part of school.  In fact, it’s thought that one in four children and adults suffer with these type of problems. The symptoms often look like ADD/ADHD, dyslexia or simply a slow learner.

Signs of Vision Problems – Checklist

A lack of eye teaming may be called a number of things, including amblyopia, convergence insufficiency, accommodative infacility.  An examination by a developmental optometrist will identify the cause of the problem.  The following symptoms checklist will help you identify if this could be a concern for your child -> Signs of Vision Problems – Checklist.  If you see more than four areas that describe your son or daughter then you need to schedule a routine eye examination with a behavioral optometrist.  To learn more about how vision affects learning you are welcome to attend one of my workshops, which are open to the public and free of charge.  They are held once or twice a month and you can find the upcoming schedule at www.omnivisioncenter.com (http://www NULL.omnivisioncenter NULL.com/).

- Dr Mary Gregory

 

Dr Gregory is hosting an upcoming workshop entitled, The Vision and Learning Link. The workshop is December 11, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM hosted at Omni Vision and Learning Center (http://www NULL.omnivisioncenter NULL.com/) in Monticello, MN. The event is free but space is limited. For more information see the flyer here.

August was National Children’s Vision and Learning Month.
Read more on how vision affects learning here.

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Minnesota Optometric Association

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July 25, 2012

Minnesota Optometric Association: The mission of the profession of optometry is to fulfill the vision and eyecare needs of the public through clinical care, research, and education, all of which enhance the quality of life.

Minnesota Optometric Association (MOA) (http://minnesota NULL.aoa NULL.org/)Established in 1900, the Minnesota Optometric Association (MOA) was founded as a place where optometrists could come together to further their professional knowledge and, advance and improve the primary eyecare that patients receive throughout Minnesota.

Uptown Eye Care is proud to be a longstanding member of the Minnesota Optometric Association. Over the years Uptown Eye Care has received several awards. Noteworthy awards include:

 

  • Dr. Jonathan Schorn, O.D. is the Minnesota Optometric Association president-elect and will take office in 2013.
  • Dr. Mary Gregory, O.D. was awarded Young Optometrist of the Year, 2007.
  • Dr. Mary Gregory, O.D. is on the board of trustees and is on the Children’s Vision Committee.
  • Dr. Gregory, O.D. has taken several trips to Washington DC to meet with lobbyists on behalf of the Minnesota Optometric Association.
  • Our optical manager, Larae Fischer, is a trustee of the Paraoptometric Section. She assists in scheduling continuing education classes to keep MN paraoptometrics up-to-date in all areas of the optometric field.

The Minnesota Optometric Association is part of the American Optometric Association (AOA). The American Optometric Association represents approximately 36,000 doctors of optometry, optometry students and paraoptometric assistants and technicians. Optometrists serve patients in nearly 6,500 communities across the country, and in 3,500 of those communities are the only eye doctors. Doctors of optometry provide two-thirds of all primary eye care in the United States.

Founded in 1898, the AOA is a federation of state, student and armed forces optometric associations. Through these affiliations, the AOA serves members consisting of optometrists, students of optometry, paraoptometric assistants and technicians.

Together, the AOA and its affiliates work to provide the public with quality vision and eye care. Through offices in St. Louis, Missouri, and metropolitan Washington, D.C., the AOA:

  • Sets professional standards, helping its members conduct patient care efficiently and effectively
  • Lobbies government and other organizations on behalf of the optometric profession
  • Provides research and education leadership

Uptown Eye Care values the importance of these organizations and is proud to operate as MOA and AOA members.

To learn more about these organizations visit:

Minnesota Optometric Association:  http://minnesota.aoa.org (http://minnesota NULL.aoa NULL.org/)

American Optometric Association:  http://www.aoa.org (http://www NULL.aoa NULL.org/)

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The Minnesota Optometric Association Announces Pre-K Eye Exam Day

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July 25, 2012

August is Children’s Vision and Learning Month in Minnesota:

The Minnesota Optometric Association Announces Pre-K Eye Exam Day

August 1, 2012

Pre-K Eye Exam Day(July 25, 2012– Minneapolis, MN)— Governor Dayton has declared August as Children’s Vision Month. The Minnesota Optometric Association (http://minnesota NULL.aoa NULL.org/) (MOA) has named August 1, 2012, as Pre-K Eye Exam Day, a statewide effort that is part of its Good Sight for Kindergarten campaign.  Participating MOA members around the state will offer one-time, no-cost eye exams to 5 -year olds entering kindergarten either on August 1 or another date and time.

“Good vision is essential to learning, and every child needs to have a comprehensive eye exam before entering school, said Dr. Ackermann, chair of the MOA Good Sight For Kindergarten campaign and a Board member.  “At least 25 percent of all school-age children have vision problems that impair their performance in school.  This can be as many as 60 percent of children because vision problems can be confused with other disorders, and students may unnecessarily receive special education.”

Why are eye exams important for children entering school?

A vision screening is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam, because vision screenings generally test for distance acuity, or what a child can see at a distance of 20 feet.   It does not test for eye function disorders and may miss astigmatism or blurred vision. A child who receives a 20/20 vision test result does not necessarily mean he or she can see to read.

Uptown Eye Care is a proud partner

Uptown Eye Care is proud to be participating in Pre-K Eye Exam Day. On August 1st Dr. Mary Gregory will be offering no cost eye exams to 4 and 5 year olds that will be entering kindergarten this fall. This is a great opportunity to make sure your children are ready for learning with good sight.

Spaces are limited, so please call our office at 763-271-2020 to schedule your child’s Pre-K Eye Exam Day appointment.

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Children’s Vision and Learning Month

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July 23, 2012

August is National Children’s Vision and Learning Month.

August was declared National Children’s Vision and Learning Month in 1995. The goal of  this national observance is to help educate parents and educators about the critical link between vision and learning.

Learning is all about Vision; 80% of what a child learns in school is presented visually. Unfortunately, studies show that only 31% of children ages 6 – 16 have an annual eye examination, and 70% of children under 6 have never had an eye exam. As a result 1 in 4 children will go back to school this year with an undiagnosed vision problem that could interfere with their ability to learn. Give your child the advantage that comes from good vision.

Uptown Eye Care has partnered with the Minnesota Optometric Association (http://minnesota NULL.aoa NULL.org/) in recognizing August as Children’s Vision and Learning Month. To kick off the month MOA Children’s Vision Committee, with the help of a federal (HEHP) grant is supporting Pre-K Eye Exam day on Wednesday, August 1st. Uptown Eye Care’s Dr. Mary Gregory will be offering no cost eye exams to 4 and 5 year olds that will be entering kindergarten this fall. This is a great opportunity to make sure your children are ready for learning with good sight!

Spaces are limited, so please call our office at 763-271-2020 to schedule your child’s Pre-K Eye Exam today.

For more information see our post, Pre-K Eye Exam Day.

Children's Vision and Learning MonthInteresting Stats on How Vision Problems Can Interfere with Learning:

  • “25% of students in grades K-6 have visual problems that are serious enough to impede learning.”  – American Public Health Association
  • “When vision problems go undetected, children almost invariably have trouble reading and doing their schoolwork. They often display fatigue, fidgeting, and frustrations in the classroom—traits that can lead to a misdiagnosis of dyslexia or other learning disabilities.”  – American Optometric Association
  • “It is estimated that 80% of children with a learning disability have an undiagnosed vision problem.”  – Vision Council of America
  • “Early diagnosis and treatment of children’s vision problems is a necessary component to school readiness and academic learning; and that vision screening is not a substitute for a complete eye and vision evaluation by an eye doctor.  Comprehensive eye and vision examinations … are important for all children first entering school and regularly throughout their school-aged years to ensure healthy eyes and adequate visual skills essential for successful academic achievement.”  – National PTA Policy Statement 2005, Elements of Comprehensive Health Programs
  • “Early testing for vision problems is key to preventing learning disabilities or, in some cases, significant visual impairment in children.”  -  Ned Calonge, MD, MPH, Task Force Chairman, Chief Medical Officer and State Epidemiologist at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
  • “A three year study of 540 children found that those children who had visual perceptual and eye movement difficulties did poorly on standardized tests.”  – Dr. Lynn Hellerstein, FAAO, FCOVD, Developmental Optometrist and Past President of COVD.
Children’s Vision and Learning Month, August 2012.
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Pre-K Eye Exam Day

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July 11, 2012

The doctors and staff here at Uptown Eye Care are very excited to be a part of the Minnesota Optometric Association. The mission of the profession of optometry is to fulfill the vision and eyecare needs of the public through clinical care, research, and education, all of which enhance the quality of life. The Minnesota Optometric Association supports those in the optometric profession by working to advance and improve the primary eyecare that patients receive throughout Minnesota.

The MOA sponsored a bill that was signed into law this year. It is now a law in the state of MN that schools must notify parents that vision screenings are not a substitute for eye exams.

A vision screening is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam because vision screenings generally test for distance acuity, or what a child can see at a distance of 20 feet. It does not test for eye function disorders and may miss astigmatism or blurred vision. A child who receives a 20/20 vision test result can not necessarily see clearly to read.

Pre-K Eye Exam DayThe MOA Children’s Vision Committee, with the help of a federal (HEHP) grant, are supporting an effort to educate families about children’s eye health. To kick off  Children’s Vision and Learning month, which is August, and as part of the MOA’s Good Sight For Kindergarten, August 1st is Pre-K Eye Exam Day.

The goal of Pre-K Eye Exam Day is to let families know that good vision is essential to learning, and every child needs to have a comprehensive eye exam before entering school. At least 25% of all school-age children have vision problems that impair their performance in school. This could be as high as 60% because vision problems can be confused with other disorders, and students may unnecessarily receive special education or even be diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.

We are proud to be participating in this event. On August 1st Dr. Mary Gregory will be offering no cost eye exams to 4 and 5 year olds that will be entering kindergarten this fall. This is a great opportunity to make sure your children are ready for learning with good sight.

Spaces are limited, so please call our office at 763-271-2020 to schedule your child’s Pre-K eye exam today.

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The Vision and Learning Link Workshop

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June 29, 2012

The Vision and Learning Link Workshop – July 24

Vision WorkshopsStudents spend more than 75 percent of school time doing intense, visual work less than a foot from their eyes, but not all students’ vision can handle that intense workload. Thus, vision is an often overlooked component of learning and reading problems. Here is a fun workshop that will give you practical tools to help children who are having trouble with learning.

You are invited to attend a special workshop for parents, educators and professionals.

You will learn:

  • How to identify children whose vision restricts learning
  • How the way children “see” the world affect their behavior
  • How to build school performance by enhancing vision
  • How to perform assessments and tests of vision skills
  • How and why vision development therapy works

Workshop Details

Date: July 24
Time: 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Location: Omni Vision & Learning Center, 9766 Fallon Ave., Ste. 105, Monticello, MN 55362
Presenter: Dr. Mary Gregory

This event is free but space is limited, please RSVP.
Contact Kim Kampa: 763.314.0664

A Reading Problem Checklist:

Takes “hours to do a few minutes of homework
Skips words or lines while reading. Often overlooks or mis-reads short words
Rubs eyes, red eyes or gets headaches in the afternoon
Poor concentration when reading
Cannot comprehend material that has just been read. Must re-read to obtain meaning.
Falls asleep or gets tired when reading
Slow-hesitant reading even when re-reading material
Attention span shortens when doing intense close up work
Must use finger or marker to hold place

 
The Vision and Learning Link Workshop – July 24, 2012 at Omni Vision & Learning Center.

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Eye Care Services

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June 12, 2012

Uptown Eye Care serves patients of all ages, with our eye care services designed to meet the needs of our patients from infancy through maturity. We provide total eye health care, from evaluating the developing vision in a young child to diagnosing and caring for the needs of the aging visual system.

Dr. Mary Gregory

Dr. Mary Gregory

Dr. Mary Gregory specializes in the needs of our young patients. During a child’s first twelve years 80% of all learning comes through vision, yet vision problems affect 1 in 20 preschoolers and 1 in 4 school age children. Dr. Gregory is an InfantSee provider.  InfantSEE (http://www NULL.infantsee NULL.org/)® is a public health program designed to ensure that eye and vision care becomes an integral part of infant wellness care to improve a child’s quality of life. Under this program, member optometrists will provide a comprehensive infant eye assessment within the first year of life as a no cost public health service. Dr. Gregory will test for visual acuity, excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, evaluate eye alignment, and examine eye teaming ability.  The health of your baby’s eyes will be assessed as well. Although problems are not common, it is important to identify children who have specific risk factors at this stage. Vision development and eye health problems can be more easily corrected if treatment is begun early.  For more information go to:  www.uptowneyecare.com/services/infantsee

Dr. Gregory recommends that children have a complete eye exam between 9-12 months, at 3 or 4 years old and when entering kindergarten and first grade to ensure they do not struggle or fall behind in their ability to learn and read. For more information on vision and learning go to:  www.uptowneyecare.com/services/your-childs-vision

Dr. Elaine Happ

Dr. Elaine Happ

Dr. Elaine Happ specializes in treating the condition known as Dry Eye Disease. Uptown Eye Care is an Accredited Dry Eye Center, dedicated to providing the highest quality of dry eye care using advanced ophthalmic diagnostic techniques and treatments. Dr. Happ has developed a diagnosis and treatment protocol that provides relief from the discomfort and damage that results from dry eye disease. For more information on Dry Eye Disease go to:  www.uptowneyecare.com/dry-eye-disease-ded

Dr. Happ has years of experience in diagnosing and managing patients with glaucoma, macular degeneration and other age-related diseases. She cares for patients’ low vision needs and provides pre and post-operative care for those having refractive or cataract surgery, as well.

Our office also provides emergency eye care services for eye infections and eye injuries and removal of foreign objects. If you have an emergency please call our office at 763-271-2020. State of the art microscopes allow us to examine the front surface of the eye and facial areas around the eye for infection or injury. After assessing the extent of the injury or infection a treatment plan will be formulated and explained to you.

Feel free to Contact Us with any questions about our eye care services, your eye health, or to schedule an appointment for you or your family.

Eye Care Services

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