For Spectacles Users

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Types of Lenses Lens Materials Lens Coatings Lenses and Lifestyles

Types of Lenses Single vision lenses: These are used to correct common vision defects such as myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism. Reading glasses: People with presbyopia, or nearsightedness associated with age, are prescribed these. They correct near vision but objects at a distance may be blurred. Some users of reading glasses may use two pairs of spectacles. One for reading and the other for seeing distant objects. Bifocals: These lenses combine both near and distant requirements. There is an obvious line in the middle that shows where the two lenses blend. They are quite thick and indicate the age of the wearer. Until recently, however users of spectacles had to be satisfied with these as the best solution to presbyopia. Progressive Lenses: Like the bifocals, progressive lenses combine both near vision and distant vision requirements. But unlike bifocals they are divided into three zones: near, distant and intermediate and this division is seamless with the power computed for each zone of the lens and the transitional areas as well. Of late these lenses are available in compact sizes, enabling users to have smaller, smarter spectacles frames. Lens materials For 600 years the traditional lens material has been glass. Today we have a range of materials to choose from:
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Glass Plastic Poly carbonates High Index plastics

Glass: The earliest documented use of spectacles has been in the 13th century in Italy. Since then to the mid-twentieth century glass has been the material from which lenses have been made. The properties that make glass a good material for making lenses are:
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It has excellent optical qualities It is scratch resistant

The disadvantages of using glass for spectacles are:

It is heavy It shatters easily It gives the soda bottle look and is not preferred for aesthetic reasons.

Plastic: Conventional plastic lenses, first introduced in the 1960s, seemed to have many advantages over glass lenses. But their usefulness has been challenged by the arrival of (polyurethane) high index plastic. Advantages of the traditional plastic lenses are:
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They are lighter than glass They do not shatter like glass

The disadvantages, however, are:

They are as thick as glass lenses They are not scratch resistant

Polycarbonate lenses: Polycarbonate material was made by the American aerospace industry for use in helmet visors and these were worn by American astronauts. This material is also used in bulletproof windows and in aeroplane windows. This is about 10 times as impact resistant as normal plastic. Lenses made from this material were the early high index lenses. Advantages of polycarbonate lenses:
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They have a high impact resistance They are thinner and lighter than ordinary plastic They have built-in u-v filters.

The disadvantages are:

Their optical quality does not match the new high index lenses They have more distortion than ordinary plastic or glass

These lenses are advised for kids, sportsmen and those with eye injuries who may need strong shatter proof glass. High index lenses: These can be made from glass or plastic. They are thinner and lighter than conventional glass or plastic lenses. They can be made for medium or strong prescriptions.

The advantages of high index lenses are:

They are thinner and lighter than conventional plastic or glass They can fit into neat and fashionable frames They have a higher scratch resistance than normal plastic and higher impact resistance than glass.

The disadvantages are:

They are expensive They are not as scratch resistant as glass.

Lens coatings Only in the last century has attention been drawn on the fact that spectacles can do more than just correcting vision. Various coatings are used to avoid unwanted reflections, glare and excess sunlight. Here are some of the coatings for spectacles that are very effective and increase vision comfort. Anti-reflective coatings: Also called multiple coatings, these give clear vision by cutting out unwanted reflections. They also improve appearance by letting people see more of your eye rather than reflection bouncing off from your glasses. U-V coatings: U-v coatings protect you from a portion of the u-v radiation that can damage your eyes. It would be advisable to buy sunglasses that also have a u-v coating. Scratch resistant coatings: The main drawback with plastic lenses seems to be their low scratch resistance. The durability of plastic lenses can be increased with scratch resistant coatings, preferably on both sides of the lens. Photochromatic lenses: Apart from the many disadvantages spectacles wearers suffered in the past, one was that they could never wear sun glasses. Ever since the arrival of photochromatic, or light sensitive glasses, the possibility of power glasses also serving as sun glasses opened up. Todays photochromatic lenses can darken in bright light and automatically lighten when the user is indoors. Many cosmetic tints are also available. Tips on choosing the kind of lenses suitable to your lifestyle Computer users: Looking at a computer screen eight hours a day can cause visual stress. It can cause headaches, blurred vision and sore eyes. Choose a glass with an antireflective coating.

Motorcycle riders and people who take up sports: Squinting in bright light can be avoided by use of photochromatic lenses. Driving at night is especially demanding since you have to prepare yourself for ghost images, reflections and glaring headlights from the opposite lane. The obvious choice should be plastic lenses that are shatter proof,with an anti reflective coating. Polycarbonate lenses are ideal. For Children: You cant stop a child from being playful, even though he is prescribed glasses. Children will have their quota of games, fights, rough and tumble activity each day. It is best to give children spectacles with polycarbonate lenses with scratchproof coatings on each side. Choose durable frames.

Five rules for spectacles users

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Do not leave your glasses in such a position where the lenses come into contact with a rough surface. The glasses must rest on the frame and not on the lens. Do not leave your spectacles on hot surfaces like kitchen counters or car dashboards. Use a stiff case or spectacles box rather than a pouch. This must be remembered by those who carry their spectacles in their handbags. When there is some pressure on the bag the soft case might not protect the glasses from breakage. Clean the lenses with a soft cloth regularly. Keep spectacles dust free and free of scratches as much as possible.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CONTACT LENSES with spectacles Advantages Wider field of view Better with asymmetrical prescriptions Better for very high prescriptions Cosmetically superior More practical for sports Avoid weather problems Vocational uses

Compared

Disadvantages* Time required for fitting and adaptation Handling skills required by patients Hygienic procedures and lens disinfection Wearing time may be limited Lenses can be lost or broken Problems with foreign bodies Deteriorate with use and age

Therapeutic uses

Maintenance costs *Some of these are avoided with daily disposables

but with increased expense. COMPARED WITH SPECTACLES, WHAT ARE THE OPTICAL ADVANTAGES OF WEARING CONTACT LENSES? Contact lenses give a much wider field of view and, because they rest on the eye instead of in front of it, vision appears much more natural. This is especially true for very short-sighted patients who will frequently gain the greatest benefit from contact lenses. With some special eye conditions, a contact lens may be the only way of providing good vision.

Cataract What is Cataract? Cataract is a opacity in the lens of the eye.The normal lens is transparent and allows light to reach the retina. When it becomes opaque (cataract) light does not reach the retina and the patient is unable to see clearly. Why does Cataract form? Cataract is the most common cause of blindness in our country. The causes of formation of cataract are not fully known.
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It is an aging problem Ultraviolet light exposure Deficiency of protein and vitamins

Apart from cataract in old age (senile cataract) cataract can also occur in children (congenital cataract) or adolescents (Developmental cataract). Injuries can produce cataracts in all age groups. Patients with Diabetes mellitus develop cataract earlier than a normal person. What are the symptoms?
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Blurring of image in bright light Double images Image distortion Unequal vision in eyes

What are the treatment option for Cataract There is no drug which has been proven to cure cataract, as yet. The only treatment available is surgery i.e removal of cataract. When does cataract require removal ? Apart from the mature cataracts, even immature cataracts need to be removed if it hampers with the patients visual requirements. There is no necessity to wait for the cataract to ripen as in earlier times. Currently cataract is removed through a small incision by an ultrasonic aspiration technique called Phacoemulsification. Almost all the patients are implanted with intraocular lenses. What is Phacoemulsification or small incision cataract surgery ? Small incision cataract surgery is increasingly gaining in popularity as compared to a large incision of 13 mm used previously to remove cataract. The incision size is 2.5mm. There is no suture required because of the tunnel incision, which is self-sealing The intra ocular lenses (IOL) implanted may be the Foldable or Non-foldable type. The Foldable lens is definitely a better option, because it retains the incision size to 2.5-mm. whereas a Non foldable lens requires extension of the incision to 5.5 mm and hence may require a suture. The advantage of small incision cataract surgery using phacoemulsification is the visual recovery and rehabilitation is fast which enables the patient to resume normal activities within a few days and even attend to routine office work. This type of surgery is more expensive than traditional surgery. The advantages here are that it does not require anaesthesia and the recovery is faster. Some Post operative Concerns Will I need Glasses after surgery ? Very often not. You may need to wear glasses only to fine-tune your vision. These are normal glasses and not those thick spectacles as in the past. Phaco and small incision cataract surgery is probably a great leap forward in the field of ophthalmic surgery.

Mild Blurring of Vision In about 25% of the patient who undergo cataract surgery, thickening of the posterior capsule of the original lens occurs causing mild blurring of vision. This can occur anytime between three months to five years after surgery. the treatment for this is very simple. Simple painless laser procedures can make a small opening in the thickened capsule behind the implanted lens.

A World without Glasses Refractive Laser Corneal Surgery For millions of people around the world having refractive errors in vision, there has, until lately, been no alternative to wearing spectacles or contact lenses. Even though contact lenses have made a major difference in terms of appearance and convenience there are still a few problems associated with contact lenses. Over the last few years surgery is starting to make a major difference to the lives of these patients by promising them a world without glasses or contact lenses. What is a refractive error? Normally, the rays of light entering the eye are brought to a precise focus on the retina, the light sensitive layer lining the back of the eye. When such a focus is not achieved, a refractive error results and the vision is not clear. When the light rays are focused in front of the retina, the resulting condition is termed Myopia (short-sightedness). In Hyperopia (long-sightedness), the light rays come to a focus behind the retina. Astigmatism (cylindrical error) occurs when incoming light rays are unable to reach a common focus within the eye. How are refractive errors corrected? Non surgical options for the correction of refractive errors include spectacles and contact lenses. Spectacles contain lenses that suitably refract the incoming rays of light and enable them to focus on the retina. Contact lenses perform the same function but are placed on the cornea-the clear front portion of the eye. Hence, they provide better cosmesis and improved quality of vision in the higher refractory errors. Surgical procedures attempt to eliminate the external aids like glasses and contact lenses. In Radial Keratotomy, where four to eight corneal incisions are made involving 95-99% of the corneal thickness, to flatten the central corneal. The weakened peripheral cornea is pushed outwards by the pressure within the eye. This results in a flattening of the central cornea which corrects a myopic refractive error. Similar incisions when made in a hexagonal fashion in the mid-peripheral cornea result in a forward protrusion of the

central cornea. This procedure is termed Hexagonal Keratotomy and is used to treat hyperopia. To correct astigmatism, straight or curved incisions are made in the mid peripheral cornea and the procedure is termed Astigmatic Keratotomy. All incisional procedures weaken the structural integrity of the cornea. This theoretically results in an increased tendency of the cornea to rupture following trauma. The use of the Excimer Laser in corneal refractive surgery has greatly increased the safety of the procedure as the refractive correction is achieved by the removal of as little as 10%-20% of the total corneal thickness. Excimer Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) is now a procedure used all over the world and has helped thousands of patients say goodbye to glasses. A recent advance in the treatment of high refractive errors is a procedure termed Laser In-situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) which is often an adjunct to PRK. These procedures are done as out-patient procedures and patients using topical anaesthetic drops and the patients can go home right after the procedure. Thus, surgical procedures like PRK and LASIK are leading us towards a world without glasses LASIK SURGERY LASIK Eye Surgery is a common form of eye surgery done mainly to correct certain eye problems and allow the patient to avoid wearing contacts and glasses. It is very convenient and can be done quite quickly in an outpatient clinic. It does not require a hospital stay. Many people welcome this quick procedure as a quick and convenient way to resolve their problems. Unresolved problems within 6 months following this medical procedure are fairly low, only about 3%-6%. They include: Dry eyes Overcorrection or undercorrection Visual fluctuation Halos or starbursts around light sources at night Light sensitivity Ghosts (double vision) Wrinkles in flap (striae) Decentered ablation Debris or growth under flap Thin or buttonhole flap Astigmatism

Although these problems can occur in a small number of cases many people have no problems with LASIK Eye Surgery and find this to be a quick and easy way to correct minor eye problems. However there are some criteria for not having this treatment done. If you are below 18 it may not be a good idea to have this treatment as your eyesight can still be unstable at this age. Be sure your eyesight is not changing before you have this procedure done. If you are pregnant or nursing do not have this treatment as your eyes change in shape when you are in these conditions. Ideally you should not be taking any prescription drugs. Try to be sure you are in good overall health before you have LASIK Eye Surgery done. It is always good to be aware of the risks and what expectations you may have before undergoing this treatment. Always to consult with your eye specialist before having it done, as they will be able to alert you to any risks you may be taking. Many times there are no problems and you will find this a very beneficial treatment. Always remember that however popular a treatment is it may not necessarily be the right one for you. Always weigh the pros and cons before deciding on any procedure. Keep in mind these few points before you decide to have LASIK Eye Surgery done so that you will get the most out of your treatment. Remember your eyes are one of the most important organs in your body and you will need to be extra careful before you have any surgery done on them.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Lasik

Lasik Eye Surgery Procedure is although irreversible and safe but still there could some long term post-surgery complications and risks. Still all the long term complications are still to be documented. There are only 3 to 6% chances of occurring unsolved post-operative complications in the patients who had undergone Lasik.

After Lasik Surgery Risks and Complications Here is the list of some frequently occurring post-operative risks and complications.

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Under or over corrections Dry eyes Increased light sensitivity Double vision Induced astigmatism Fluctuations in visual accuracy Presence of debris or wrinkles below the corneal flap Epithelium erosion Detachment of the posterior vitreous Hole in the macula Advantages and Disadvantages of Lasik Eye Surgery

Advantages of Lasik Surgery

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Lasik Eye Surgery is completed within 30 minutes and it is highly effective. The technical advancement of the Lasik surgery reduces the significant clinical risks after the refractive surgery.

Surveys show that 98-92% of the patients are satisfied after the surgery. Disadvantages of Lasik Surgery

Lasik surgery is irreversible and performed on the most sensitive part of the eye.

Lasik Surgery is not permanent and later the patient may have to use glasses.

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Insurance policies do not cover the Lasik Surgery. To get best result of Lasik, patient may require undergoing an enhancement or additional surgery. &RQWDFW/HQVHVY/$6,.(\H6XUJHU\7KH$GYDQWDJHVDQG'LVDGYDQWDJHV April on January 15, 2008 1 Comment Are you getting fed up with spending a small fortune on buying, maintaining and replacing contact lenses along with annual eye examinations? If so then you might feel like a change. Either you could go for a 30-day contact lens which you can wear continuously or you could have a look at the more permanent LASIK eye surgery. Not sure which one is the best choice for you? Well, keep reading Advantages of 30-day Continuous Wear Contact Lenses Quick - The results on your vision is both immediately noticeable and guaranteed. The instant you place one of these contact lenses onto your eye you will see perfectly. If its uncomfortable it means youve been given the wrong prescription so its a problem which is easy to fix. Low Cost These lenses will end up costing you less than a daily cup of coffee from your favourite caf. When you reach the end of the 30 days you simply throw them away and pop in a new pair. This eliminates the need for all those cleaning solutions and other lens maintenance products. Although its recommended you keep a bottle of cleaners to hand, itll last for some time. New Technology The silicone hydrogel which is used to make these lenses are much more efficient at allowing oxygen into the eye. This keeps your eyes healthier and irritation-free. If a recent eye examination shows you need to change your prescription this is a very easy process.

Disadvantages of 30-day Continuous Wear Contact Lenses

Despite new technology being used, some people still find it awkward to sleep with contact lenses on. If so then the 30-day lenses may not be the best choice for you. Also you have an increased chance of developing infections if you leave contact lenses in place whilst asleep. Because your eyes can change over the years its strongly advisable to keep going for annual eye examinations to make sure your prescription is still valid. Advantages of LASIK Eye Surgery The success rates of LASIK eye surgery have improved considerably over the years due to better technology, training and experience. For those who choose surgery you will more than likely end up with 20/20 vision, or even better with results that are longlasting. The results you get from LASIK are pretty much immediate and a lot of patients can drive home after the operation. Disadvantages of LASIK Eeye Surgery Cost is one of the biggest prohibitive factors in choosing surgery. The cost is around $2,000 per eye so you may simply not be able to afford it. However many surgeons offer financing options. LASIK eye corrective surgery is also not guaranteed and like other types of surgery mistakes can happen. There have been patients who havent seen any improvement and side effects can include glare, dry eyes and the appearance of spots. Some people cannot have the surgery because their eyes are not healthy enough or overall health is not that good. Although surgery is long lasting, you may still need to wear prescription glasses in years to come with presbyopia becomes an issue. You will also need to continue your eye examination as normal. If you live in Dallas then you would talk to your Dallas eye surgery expert for more advice and assistance.