But there are good reasons your eye doctor must dilate your eyes during some eye exams.

Why Must my Eyes Be Dilated During an Eye Exam?

Generally speaking, one’s pupil contracts or gets smaller when light is shined into it. Unfortunately, this makes it very difficult for the clinician to see into the back of the eye (which includes the retina, the macula, and the optic nerve).

In order to keep the pupil open for what is called a “dilated exam,” special eye drops are used. This allows the doctor to get a good look into the back or posterior sections of the eye.

Eye Diseases that Dilation Helps to Diagnose and Monitor

Many diseases of the eye can be diagnosed, monitored and treated with the assistance of a dilated eye exam. These include:

• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Glaucoma
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
• Cataracts

Temporary Side Effects of Eye Dilation

Patients are sometimes hesitant to have their eyes dilated because the drops may cause unpleasant side effects, including:

1. The eyes may sting for a short time.
2. The eyes become more sensitive to bright light.
3. Vision may be temporarily blurry.
4. It becomes more difficult to focus at near distances.

Some people’s pupils return to normal in a few hours, and for other people, it can take longer (up to a day). Wearing sunglasses and abstaining from tasks that require close up vision may be helpful. Having someone drive you home from your eye exam is another option.

While dilation may be slightly uncomfortable, it is an essential part of a comprehensive eye examination.

If you live in central New Jersey, contact Atlantic Medical Eye Care to set up your next eye exam.

The post Why Does the Eye Doctor Have to Dilate My Eyes? appeared first on Atlantic Medical Eye Care.

There are two types of HSV. Type I is the most common. It causes the cold sore or fever blister. Type II is the sexually transmitted form, and it infects the genitals.

Though both types can spread to the eye, Type I is the more frequent cause of eye infections. It can be transferred to the eye by touching an active lesion and then touching the eye.

Symptoms of Herpes in the Eye

Symptoms of Herpes Keratitis may include:

• pain
• redness
• rash
• blurry vision
• tearing
• discharge
• and light sensitivity

If the infection involves only the cornea’s outer layer (epithelium), it will usually heal without scarring. However, if it goes deeper into the cornea, the infection can lead to corneal scarring, vision loss, and even blindness.

How to Decrease Complications of Herpes in the Eye

Once you have Herpes you are susceptible to recurrences. You can decrease complications of Herpes Keratitis by:

1. Don’t touch your eyes when you have a cold sore or blister.
2. Avoid the use of steroid eye drops, unless paired with an anti-viral medicine.
3. Refrain from wearing contact lenses if you’re prone to Herpes infections.

It’s best to see your Ophthalmologist promptly if the symptoms of Ocular Herpes return. To make an appointment with Atlantic Medical Eye Care in central New Jersey, click here and contact us.

The post Can You Really Get Herpes In Your Eye? appeared first on Atlantic Medical Eye Care.

What is Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery?

In Laser-Assisted cataract surgery, a device is placed over the eye to map its surface. It gathers information to program the laser with the exact location, size, and depth for the incision. The device can also make the incision into the cornea, open up the capsule where the lens sits, and soften the cataract.

Measured in Femtoseconds

You may have heard the term “Femtosecond” or “Femto.” A femtosecond is the SI unit of time equal to 10^-15 or 1 ⁄ 1,000,000,000,000,000 of a second. These refer to the speed of the laser, which is one quadrillionth of a second or one millionth of a billionth of a second. That’s fast!

Laser-Assisted vs. Traditional Cataract Surgery

After the laser has done its job, the cataract is removed, and the new intraocular lens or IOL is inserted into the eye.

In contrast, when performing traditional cataract surgery, the initial incisions are done by hand with a scalpel (blade).

In either case, the incision generally closes on its own without the need for stitches.

Correcting Astigmatism

Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery is approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for the correction of Astigmatism, a common imperfection in the curvature of the eye that causes blurred distance and near vision.

Dr. Robert Scharfman is committed to excellence in patient care and compassion. Atlantic Medical Eye Care has served the community for over 25 years. Contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.

The post Everything to Know About Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery appeared first on Atlantic Medical Eye Care.

1. Size and weight — Eyes are about 1 inch in diameter and weigh about a quarter of an ounce.
2. Colors — The human eye can differentiate about 10 million different colors.
3. Complex — Eyes are the second most complex organ after the brain.
4. Blinking — The human eye blinks over 4 million times per year.
5. Components — Eyes are comprised of over 2 million working parts.
6. Cell structure — Each eye contains 107 million cells.
7. Responsive — The eye is the fastest muscle in the body.
8. Strong — The muscles in the eye are 100 times stronger than they need to be to perform their function.
9. Topsy-Turvy — We actually see things upside down, and the brain turns the image right side up.
10. Durable — The only cells in the human body that survive for your entire lifetime are in the eyes.
11. Unique — The cornea is the only tissue in the human body that does not contain blood vessels.
12. Resilient — 80% of vision problems worldwide are avoidable or curable.

To keep your eyes in tip-top shape, be sure to schedule regular appointments with your Eye MD.

The post 12 Fun Facts About the Eyes appeared first on Atlantic Medical Eye Care.

1. Cataracts

A cataract is a clouding of the natural lens in the eye. It is the result of proteins in the lens breaking down with time causing blurred vision. Generally, cataract surgery is the preferred treatment option.

If you have questions about treating cataract, download our free guide featuring 34 questions you should ask BEFORE having cataract surgery.

2. Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy occurs when excess glucose damages the blood vessels in the retina. Over time people with both Type I and Type II Diabetes can develop vision loss, especially if the disease is uncontrolled.

3. Detached Retina

The incidence of Detached Retina can also occur with age since the vitreous material in the eye changes in texture and shrinks in time. This is associated with flashes and floaters which may lead to permanent vision loss.

4. Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (or AMD) occurs when the central portion of the retina (the macula) wears down. While AMD can destroy straight ahead and color vision, Glaucoma can reduce peripheral vision and lead to complete blindness.

5. Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the result of fluid not draining properly from the eye, increasing eye pressure and damaging the optic nerve. Glaucoma often reduces peripheral vision and sometimes even lead to total blindness.

Other Eye Conditions Associated with Aging

There are other eye conditions associated with aging. Therefore, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that those over 65 have a complete eye exam at least every year or so. Catching eye problems early is key to more favorable outcomes.

If an eye problem has been diagnosed or there is a medical problem or medication that could affect the eyes, patients should follow the guidance of their Ophthalmologist or Eye MD and have more frequent visits.

Contact Atlantic Medical Eye Care today to schedule an appointment to ensure your eyes remain in top condition.

The post 5 Eye Problems that Can Occur as You Get Older appeared first on Atlantic Medical Eye Care.

Unfortunately, every Ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) has heard scary stories about the use of non-prescription or over-the-counter contact lenses.

Reason #1: Costume Lenses Can Scratch the Cornea

If contacts are not professionally fitted to the eye, they can scratch the cornea. One patient’s lens was too tight. It adhered to her eye causing a permanent eye scar, vision loss, and a drooping eyelid.

Remember — there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” contact lens. They should always be professionally fitted by an experienced eye care physician.

Reason #2: Costume Lenses Often Cause Serious Infections

Infections are also common with costume-type lenses. These lenses may not be sterilized when packaged. They even may contain harmful chemicals, such as chlorine.

A patient described her need for surgical intervention following a very serious infection that left her with permanent blurry vision and persistent dry eyes. Another patient regrets his use of color changing lenses that caused complete vision loss in one eye, even after having about a dozen surgeries to try to fix the problem.

Over-the-Counter Lenses Are Now Illegal in the United States

In response to cases like these, non-prescription or over-the-counter lenses are now illegal in the United States — whether purchased in costume stores, beauty supply shops or online.

So, avoid using these color-changing costume contact lenses at all costs. They are just too risky in terms of the permanent damage they can cause to your eyes.

The post 2 Reasons to Avoid Color-Changing “Costume” Contact Lenses appeared first on Atlantic Medical Eye Care.

Why We Use the UWF Retinal Imaging Camera

The UWF Camera allows the ophthalmologist to see into the back of the eye, including the periphery — an area that is usually difficult to see using traditional examination techniques and equipment.

It is extremely important for the eye doctor to see the outer most edges or boundaries in the back of the eye because these areas are often where many ocular diseases first appear. Early diagnosis is crucial in preventing loss of vision.

The UWF Retinal Imaging Camera Test

The UWF camera is painless and doesn’t require the patient to have pupil dilating drops.

The test takes less than a half of a second, and the images are immediately available on screen so the ophthalmologist and patient can view the results together and discuss what is occurring in the eye and why treatment is necessary.

This camera is an invaluable tool in the discovery, diagnosis, documentation, and treatment of diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), uveitis, and many other conditions.

In Central NJ? Request an Appointment

If you’re located in central New Jersey, give your eyes top-notch care at Atlantic Medical Eye Care. Request an appointment today at our Old Bridge, NJ office.

The post Eye Testing with the Ultra Widefield (UWF) Retinal Imaging Camera appeared first on Atlantic Medical Eye Care.

Symptoms of Lazy Eye

Symptoms of Amblyopia include:

• misalignment of the eyes, or strabismus
• eyes that don’t work together
• poor depth perception and peripheral vision
• tilting the head to see correctly
• squinting or shutting one eye
• abnormal vision screening results

Treatment of Lazy Eye

Traditionally, the treatment for amblyopia has been to correct the underlying problem and then to cover the “good” eye with a patch to encourage use of the lazy eye.

However, the downside of using a patch over the good eye is that it may be only partially successful, and it typically doesn’t work after about age eight.

New Hope: A Possible Cure

Recent research by Professor Mark Bear from the Picower Institute at MIT (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), my own undergraduate alma mater, may change this trajectory. The study showed that when an eye is deprived of normal vision the connections from that eye to the brain can become dormant.

However, animal experiments indicated that the lazy eye can be “rebooted” after a brief treatment of the retinas with a local anesthetic, and that this protocol has the potential to restore vision even in adults.

Researchers are hopeful that progress toward curing amblyopia will continue based upon these preliminary findings.

The post Lazy Eye (aka Amblyopia): Symptoms, Treatment and Hope appeared first on Atlantic Medical Eye Care.

Retinal Detachment

A Retinal Detachment occurs when the retina pulls away from its supportive tissue. Patients often experience blurred vision, and they may see flashes of light and floaters. Addressing the condition quickly can save vision in the eye.

Central Retinal Artery Occlusion

Similarly, a CRAO or Central Retinal Artery Occlusion must be treated promptly because this blockage of a blood vessel in the eye can cause stroke if a blood clot breaks free and goes to the brain. It is characterized by a sudden painless loss of vision.

Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma

Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma occurs when the drainage apparatus or angle of the eye closes causing a sudden severe increase in eye pressure. Vision loss due to Glaucoma cannot be reversed, so it is incumbent to see an Eye Doctor immediately for symptoms, which include:

• eye pain
• severe headache
• nausea
• sudden loss of sight

Eye Rupture

When a sharp object penetrates the eye, the eye loses pressure, and the contents may actually leak out of the eye. This is known as a ruptured globe, and it requires surgical repair.

Eye Infections

This discussion would not be complete without the mention of infections such as Orbital Cellutis (an infection around the eye) and Endophthalmitis (an infection within the eye).

Both of these infections may cause pain, redness, tenderness, and swelling.

Other Eye Emergencies

There are many additional eye emergencies, but in general patients should seek immediate attention for eye problems, such as:

• cuts
• scratches
• objects in the eye
• burns
• chemical exposure
• injuries to the eye or eyelid
• infections
• pain
• sudden vision loss

The post What is Considered an Eye Emergency? 5 Serious Eye Problems appeared first on Atlantic Medical Eye Care.

What is Glaucoma?

In the United States, about 2% of the population has glaucoma. Glaucoma is a disease marked by elevated pressure in the eye. Though it is often painless, left untreated it can cause irreversible vision loss.

Glaucoma cannot be cured. However, by lowering the pressure in the eye, the progression of the disease can be halted. Common therapies include:

• eye drops
• laser surgery (via the SLT)
• incisional surgery (traditional surgery using a knife)

Click here to learn more about surgical treatment options for glaucoma.

Why We Use the SLT Laser to Treat Glaucoma

Because of its convenience and cost effectiveness, SLT is rapidly becoming the first line of treatment — even before eye drops.

During SLT, a focused beam of light is used to treat the eye’s trabecular meshwork (the eye’s drainage system). This helps increase the flow of fluid from the eye.

The SLT procedure is painless and quick. Usually it is done in a matter of minutes. Afterwards one might experience a slight headache and have blurry vision. These symptoms usually resolve within a day, and most people can return to work the next day.

Advantages of SLT

SLT has the advantages of working continuously without requiring the patient to remember to instill drops in their eyes. The surgery can last up to 10 years, which adds up to significant cost savings on medications.

Not only is the SLT quick and painless, but it is also covered by insurance and can be repeated as necessary.

Dr. Scharfman has done thousands of laser procedures in his office using the most advanced SLT. Contact us today to request an appointment.

The post The SLT Laser: A First Line of Treatment for Glaucoma appeared first on Atlantic Medical Eye Care.