Astigmatism is a common eye condition

A person with astigmatism the cornea  is shaped more like a football which causes the light to focus on two points instead of one. This causes blurred or distorted vision at all distances both near and far.  Severe astigmatism can cause blurred vision, squinting, eye fatigue and even headaches because the eye is constantly straining to try and see clearly.

Astigmatism is common and can be easily treated.  As a eye doctor in San Jose we see many patients with some form of astigmatism.

Astigmatism can be easily corrected

If the astigmatism is mild it probably doesn’t need to be treated.  A more advanced astigmatism can be corrected through eye glasses or contact lenses.  Both soft and rigid lenses work well for correcting astigmatism.  Soft lenses called torics are made of gel like plastic and have a special correction built into them.  If your astigmatism is more severe you may need rigid lenses ( RGP ) or eye glasses.

Corrective eye surgery is also an option that can work very well for correcting astigmatism.  Through a comprehensive eye exam your optometrist will be able to recommend the best option for you.

Dr. Tarryn Ngo is an Eye Doctor in San Jose, CA and business owner of North Valley Optometry.

Eye Exams for Children

It’s important for parents to talk to their child before their first appointment for an eye exam.   Children need to feel comfortable with seeing an optometrist first.   Explain to the child how important it is to have an annual eye exam and how the eye doctor is only going to check to see if the eyes are healthy.
Having an annual eye exam for children is very important because their visual system is not fully developed.  Many eye doctors believe the stresses of game boys, cell phones,  iphones and DS2′s can increase the risk of myopia or nearsightedness.

Tips for Parents

1.  Research Your Eye Doctors.   View your vision benefit directory or do a google search and look for phrases like “family practice” or “pediatric optometry.  You may also want to call and visit the office before making an appointment:  Is there a children’s play area?  What type of frame selection do they have for children?  Is the staff friendly?

2.  Talk with your child before you go.  Emphasize that visiting the eye doctor will be fun.    Tell your child about some of the eye tests, like the reading chart, the optometrist will use a flash light to look at their eye and ask you to identify colors and shapes.   Children are generally a lot more at ease when they know what to expect.

3.  Share important information.   The optometrist will ask some questions during the eye exam that could reveal signs of vision problems like squinting or headaches.  Encourage your child to speak up during the exam.

4.  Make it fun.  Children takes cues from their parents.  If you make it fun your children will have a lot more fun in the process.

5.  Let your child choose.   One of the keys to encouraging kids to wear their glasses on a regular basis is to let them choose which frame they like.   If you think their is a better choice for your child, explain why and the optician can offer some better choices.

Dr. Tarryn Uyen Ngo is a San Jose Optometrist and business owner of North Valley Optometry.

As an Eye Doctor in San Jose I often get this question during our eye exams, “what is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist” and “when should I go to an optometrist and when should I go to an ophthalmologist?”

Both optometrists and ophthalmologists are doctors, an optometrist receives a doctor of optometry (OD) and an ophthalmologist receives a doctor of medicine (MD).

Optometrist are your first line of defense

In general, an optometrist is your first line of defense in regards to the health of your eyes. Most people associate optometrists with prescription eye glasses and contacts. It is true one of the primary responsibilities of an optometrist is to diagnose vision problems and prescribe the appropriate prescription for near sightedness, far sightedness or astigmatism.

What many people do not realize is how important an eye exam is to assess not only the health of your eyes but can also detect some overall health issues including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. This is the reason an annual comprehensive eye exam is so important. An optometrist has a therapeutic license which enables them to prescribe certain medications like antibiotics for an eye infection or treatment.

Optometrists work with Ophthalmologists

Many optometrists work with ophthalmologists to “co-manage” an person’s vision care. Once an eye disease or trauma is detected and treatment falls outside the scope of an optometrist (like surgery), the optometrist will refer the patient to the appropriate ophthalmologist that specializes in that area.  Ophthalmologist are specialists for eye medical and surgical problems.

The most common areas that ophthalmologists specialize in are:

1. Retinal – focus is on the retina or back of the eye.
2. Cataract – when the lense becomes cloudy due to age, trauma or disease and needs to be surgically removed.
3. Corneal – focus is on the front of they eye. Lasik surgeons are corneal specialists.
4. Glaucoma – the pressure within the eye is high and damages the optical nerve generally due to a group of diseases that results in vision loss.

Ophthalmologists are MD’s and have been fully trained in four years of medical school and an additional three to four years of residency.  Many ophthalmologists are involved in research to help understand causes and develop cures for eye diseases and vision problems.

You should see an optometrist or ophthalmologist if you have the any of the following:

1. vision that is distorted
2. high blood pressure
3. flashes of light or new floaters (black “strings” or specks in
4. the vision)
5. a family history of serious eye disease
6. seeing haloes at night(colored circles around lights)
7. thyroid disease-related eye problems
8. (Graves’ disease)
9. severe eye injury or eye pain
10. bulging of one or both eyes
11. eyes that are misaligned
12. seeing double vision
13. total loss of peripheral (side) vision
14. diabetes mellitus
15. AIDS
16. eyelid abnormalities

Dr. Tarryn Uyen Ngo is business owner and optometrist of San Jose Vision Care – North Valley Optometry, serving San Jose,  Milpitas, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.

Visit our Articles section to view more articles on eye and vision care.

Just like any other body part which is intensely used, our eyes get strained more often than we think. Our day-to-day activities rely heavily on our sense of sight which is why utmost care is needed. Tasks such as driving, reading and working with computers bring about eyestrain to individuals regardless of age.

In our community of San Jose, Milpitas, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara we are seeing more and more patients being diagnosed with computer eye strain during our eye exams

It is noted that eyestrain is now commonly caused by the extended use of computers since the workforce utilize PCs in accordance with their jobs. This type of eyestrain is coined as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) to specifically denote computer-related eye strain. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 88% of workers who are engaging in over three hours of computer usage suffer from CVS.

Although, CVS is not considered serious, it is certain that a person inflicted by such condition feels unpleasant. This malady is disruptive in nature and may cause physical fatigue, decreased concentration and even eye twitching which is highly annoying. Some cases would only require an individual to temporarily rest his eyes. However, for tough cases, it may be necessary to change one’s activities or environment to totally relieve the symptoms.

Lifestyle and Home Remedies for Computer Eye Strain Relief

• First, it is necessary to consult your eye doctor regarding the condition of your peepers.
  There’s no reason not to pay a visit for a comprehensive eye exam with an certified eye doctor where ever you may be, there’s one in your neighborhood.
  Your history & daily routine will be assessed so that the doctor will know about any existing health conditions you have, as well as, other medications and supplements taken. An eye examination would be performed to check your vision. It is possible that a pair of prescription glasses is needed for computer work.
• In any working environment, ample lighting is needed for proper eye care. It is desirable to keep your lighting in medium intensity and well positioned to what you’re working on. Avoid very bright lighting as this may
  strain your eyes due to glare.
  Attach a glare-reduction filter on your PC monitor and make sure to set your monitor to
  the
  appropriate contrast and brightness settings. These adjustments will make reading from your screen a comfortable experience.
• Look away from the computer screen every 20 minutes and let your eyes refocus on something else in the room. There are free software programs that you can install that will notify you every 20 minutes to take action and give your eyes a break.
  
• Ensure that your workstation is set-up appropriately to achieve an eye-friendly condition. Position both your monitor and the keyboard directly in front of you. An arm’s length is the
  recommended distance between you and your monitor. Also consider adjusting the font size of the screen when small types show up. Avoid placing the keyboard at an angle or on the side of the monitor as this may cause tiring and repeated focusing of the eyes.
• Have a document holder available beside your monitor in case you need some reading or reference material nearby. Make sure that the level of the holder is same as that of the monitor. Again, this is to avoid repeated focusing of the eyes.
• Keep your monitor dust-free. The dust affects the contrast of the screen and this result in glare and reflection problems.

Taking care of our eyes is each persons own responsibility. It’s so easy to get consumed by our work and stare at a computer screen for hours at a time. What’s important is that you initiate a move to take care of them at all times.

Sunnyvale Optometrist, Dr. Tarryn Ngo is business owner of North Valley Optometry serving San Jose, Milpitas, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara.

What Is Computer Vision Syndrome?

Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is a temporary condition which includes:  eye strain,  fatigue, neck and shoulder pain, headaches and blurred vision.   Adults and children experience symptoms of CVS from focusing on the computer monitor for long periods of time without interruption.

Why Computers Are Hard On Our Eyes

Both children and adults are spending more and more time a day on the computer.    Recent studies show the average person spends 1-3 hours per day in front of a computer.    In general computer generated images are harder to maintain focus on then printed material which causes more stress on the eyes.  Young children are more vulnerable to this because their visual system is not fully developed.

Can Excessive Computer Use Cause Myopia (Nearsightedness)?

Many optometrists, ophthalmologists,  and eye doctors agree that children sitting in front of computers for hours are at higher risk for childhood myopia.    Studies show that nearly 50% of adult computer users with a college education are nearsighted.  Using computers for an extended period of time at a young age when the eyes are still developing may be a reason for this.    Many pediatric optometrists , ophthalmologists,  and eye doctors believe these stresses from computers, handheld video games, and cell phones are creating a myopia epidemic.

How to Prevent Computer Vision Syndrome

Here are some tips to help your children from suffering from CVS:

1.  Every year a child should have a comprehensive eye exam by a optometrist, ophthalmologist or eye doctor.

2.  Ergonomics are very important.  Make sure the workstation ergonomics are configured appropriately for the child’s body size.

3.  The child should view the computer monitor between 20 to 24 inches from his or her face, and the feet should touch the floor.

4.  The position of the screen the child is looking at should be slightly down at an angle

5. Parents should monitor any potential problems the child maybe experiencing including:  frequently rubbing the eyes or blinking, complaints of blurriness or eye fatigue  and redness in the eyes.

6. Put daily limits on computer usage.

7.  Minimize glare using an anti-glare filter and keep the monitor clean.

8. Take hourly breaks for 10 minutes so the eyes can rest.

Recommended Amount of Time for Kids on the Computer

These are suggested time limits to allow your children to spend in front of a computer per day:

If you feel your child is experiencing any of these symptoms please be sure to mention this while making an appointment for an eye exam.

Dr. Tarryn Uyen Ngo is an eye doctor serving San Jose, Milpitas, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara.

Visit our San Jose Vision Care Articles section for more articles on eye and vision care.

Yearly eye and vision examinations by an optometrist or ophthalmologist is an important part to preventive health care.  As we discussed before in our earlier articles an eye exam may not only detect eye and vision problems but may also detect some overall health issues including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

A comprehensive eye exam by an optometrist in general will include the following tests.

1. Patient History - A patient’s history of any previous eye and health conditions of you and your family members are important to understand before the eye examination.   The optometrist will ask about your current state of health.   Questions the optometrist will ask include: if you have any eye or vision problem, when the issues may have started, if you are currently taking any medications, and if there are any occupational or environmental factors that maybe affecting your vision.  Understanding a patient’s history will allow the optometrist to tailor their eye examination specific to the patients needs.

2. Preliminary Tests – evaluate general function and eye health including peripheral vision, depth perception, eye muscle movement and color vision.

3. Visual Acuity – This test assess how clearly each eye is seeing. You will sit down in front of a chart, cover 1 eye and read a loud the letters line by line. The letters on each line get smaller and smaller. The goal of the test is to see the smallest line of letters clearly with each eye.

4. Keratometry – measures the curvature and overall shape of the eye. This is very important for contact lens fitting.

5. Refraction – the optometrist uses instruments called a phoropter and retinscope to determine the appropriate lens power needed for your glasses to correct far sightedness, nearsightedness or astigmatism.

6. Eye Muscle Movement – the optometrist will evaluate how the eyes focus, move and work together.

7. Eye Health Testing – includes:

Slit-Lamp Examination- evaluation of the structure of the eye and surrounding eye tissue.

Glaucoma Test – commonly called the “puff” test. The Glaucoma Test measures the pressure inside your eye.

Dilation – is the evaluation of the internal structure of the eye. The optometrist puts dilating drops in your eyes. This makes the pupils larger creating a better view of the eyes internal structure.

In summary these are the most common tests performed in a comprehensive eye exam. It is highly recommended to have your eyes examined on a yearly basis.

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us at info@northvalleyoptometry.com

Dr. Tarryn Uyen Ngo is an optometrist serving Milpitas. San Jose, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara (CA).

Visit our San Jose Vision Care Articles section for more articles on eye and vision care.

‘

A consumer guide to eye topics such as LASIK eye surgery, Dry Eyes, Pink Eye, Contact Lenses and more.

‘

Eyeglasses.com

Optometrist

An eye exam to monitor the health of your eyes is what a physical is for your overall health. In fact an eye exam can also provide an early detection for some overall health issues including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. Detection of any eye issues in it’s early stages is the number one key for the proper treatment and recovery.

What type ailments can a comprehensive eye exam detect?

The primary that are detected in an eye exam include:

1. Glaucoma

Glaucoma generally refers to a group of disorders that damage the optic nerve which provides information from the eye to the brain.  Glaucoma has been nicknamed the “sneak thief of sight” because of it’s gradual occurrence to loss of sight over time and many times not diagnosed until it is in it’s advanced stages.  Symptoms of Glaucoma include:  cloudiness, red eye, sensitivity to light, pupil does not react to light and swelling of the eye.  Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States.

Screening for Glaucoma is usually performed during a comprehensive eye exam by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Early detection is key for treatment and recovery.

2. AMD (Age related Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is a medical condition that usually occurs in older adults that makes it difficult to see fine details. Symptoms include: bluriness, trouble discerning colors, slow recovery of visual function after exposure to bright light and distorted vision. If you are over age 60 and you’ve had some changes to your vision your eye doctor can perform an examination to test for macular degeneration. The eye doctor will dilate your pupils and with a special magnifying lens look for yellow deposits called drusen on your retina or optic nerve.

3. Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy is a diabetes related eye disease and can lead to blindness if not treated properly and it’s early stages.  Symptoms of this disease include: blurry vision,  seeing flashes or floaters, occasional double vision and problems with night vision. Diabetic Retinopathy has become the leading cause of new cases of blindness for age groups between 24-70. Through an eye exam the eye doctor will be able to look directly at the blood vessels inside the eye and detect signs and symptoms of retinopathy.

4. Cataracts

A cataract is a clouding that forms in the lens of the eye. Symptoms include: cloudiness, loss of color intensity, night vision, seeing halos and double vision. Generally adults advancing in age develop cataracts and it may run within families. An eye doctor will be able to diagnose cataracts using a Slit Lamp during a standard eye examination. Depending on the severity of the cataracts surgery maybe required to remove it.

In our next article we will walk through what to expect and the instruments used in a comprehensive eye exam.

Dr. Tarryn Uyen Ngo is a Sunnyvale Optometrist and business owner of North Valley Optometry serving San Jose, Milpitas, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara (CA).

Visit our San Jose Vision Care Articles section for more articles on eye and vision care.

As a new mother with a 2 1/2 year old son I can appreciate the questions and concerns a parent has about their babies overall health and development.

I was always asking the question (and still constantly ask) myself:

Is my child gaining enough weight and growing at an appropriate rate?

Can my child hear well? What about his vision?

In regards to your baby’s vision, your pediatrician can perform basic parts of an eye exam, but it is recommended to have an eye exam by an ophthalmologist or optometrist for your baby between the ages of 6 to 12 months.

Eye Exam

Through the eye exam, the eye doctor will assess the health of the eyes as well as test eye movements and alignment. The visual skills your baby should have include: the ability to focus the eyes, respond quickly to visual stimuli and have both eyes work together. In examining my sons eyes, I tested to see how well he tracks small object and see whether he prefers using one eye over the other. You also want to see how your baby reacts to light shined in their eyes.

Many conditions that lead to eye problems can be identified by an eye doctor in the first year of your baby’s life. It is estimated that 10% of the children in the US are at risk from undiagnosed eye and vision problems. The earlier these conditions are identified the easier it is to prevent and correct.

Which Eye Conditions Occur in Babies

Infections – Eyes that are infected are puffy and red and have a sticky discharge around the eye.

Blocked tear ducts – blocked tear ducts causes tears to be backed up and overflow.

Strabismus – Strabismus is a condition where the eyes are misaligned. At birth it is natural for eye alignment to be unsteady, but by 4 months of age the alignment of the eyes should be straight.

Visual Inattention – Visual inattention can be a sign of eye disease. If a healthy baby appears to not be able to pay attention to visual stimuli by the age of 3 months a complete eye exam is in order.

Retinopathy of Prematurity – It is common that the blood vessels that supply the retina are not developed in babies that were born prematurely. If the blood vessels develop abnormally, this could lead to damaging the inside of the eye. If your baby was born prematurely it is highly recommended to have an ophthalmic exam during the first few weeks of life.

Dr. Tarryn Uyen Ngo is a San Jose Optometrist (CA), North Valley Optometry providing optomtery services, eye exams, eye and vision care serving San Jose, Milpitas, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara (CA).

Visit our San Jose Vision Care Articles section for more articles on eye and vision care.