Millions of children are heading back to their classrooms without the visual skills required to succeed in school.  One of the reasons for this is that most people assume if you can see the letters on the eye chart your vision is fine, yet being able to see the letters on the eye chart is just one of 17 visual skills necessary for academic success.

“The myth that ‘20/20′ means you have perfect vision started in the 1800’s when the eye chart was created,” states Dr. Brad Habermehl, President of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development.   “This August marks the 15th year we have been observing August as National Children’s Vision and Learning Month.  The purpose of this observance is to educate parents and educators that vision plays a critical role in our children’s education.”

Optometric vision therapy treats vision problems that make reading and learning difficult.  While vision therapy does not treat dyslexia, vision problems can often be misdiagnosed as learning disabilities such as dyslexia or even ADHD.  According to the American Optometric Association, studies indicate that 60 percent of children identified as “problem learners” actually suffer from undetected vision problems, and in some cases have been inaccurately diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

According to Dr. Habermehl, “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that if a child is seeing double, ghosty or unstable texts it will be hard to read. Yet, if you assume vision is fine, the only possible conclusion one can reach is the child has a learning disability such as ADHD or dyslexia.” According to the American Optometric Association, studies indicate that 60 percent of children identified as “problem learners” actually suffer from undetected vision problems.

If you are getting your children ready for school, schedule a comprehensive vision and eye health exam. At Bright Eyes, we specialize in children’s vision. Call 813-792-0637 for an appointment.

-Dr. Nate
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.
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I just got back from a trip to Orlando for the annual Florida Parent Educators Association (FPEA) Convention and it was great! If you are not aware,  FPEA supports the vibrant homeschooling community in the state of Florida. Many of our patients homeschool so I had heard about this convention for the last couple of years. Last year my colleague, Jenna Williams-McDermed, O.D. (Dr. Jenna), exhibited at the convention and lectured about how vision affects learning. I was excited about her experience and decided this year to join her.

Edna, our vision therapist, and I attended the conference and it was great. It was held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, which essentially contains a conference center. There were several huge lectures and many smaller ones on all kinds of subjects related to learning and homeschooling.

I was able to answer a lot of questions about vision and learning and what vision therapy is like, which I always enjoy. It was especially nice to see many patients as well as other professionals I know.  I bought a few activity books for Nora and a neat book called “Kids Love Florida.”

Overall, the FPEA conference was a great experience. We plan on making it an annual visit for Bright Eyes! Maybe we will see you there!

Join Bright Eyes on Saturday, May 8 for Baby Day!

Featuring:

• No-cost InfantSEE®eye assessment for your baby!
• Baby Tweetup!
• Free Baby Sunglasses
• Awesome Giveaways
• A chance to win a gift basket from Mi Bebe!
• Refreshments

What is Baby Day?

At Bright Eyes Family Vision Care, we love patients of all ages, but the cutest and most cuddly ones are babies. Most parents don’t know that the American Optometric Association recommends the first eye and vision evaluation should be at six months of age. So we have created Baby Day! On this day we will provide no-cost eye exams for babies and educate the public on infant and children’s eye care. See the press release here.

InfantSee Morning (10 a.m to noon)

In the morning, we will be scheduling only InfantSEE® patients. Created by the American Optometric Association, InfantSEE®is a public health initiative to screen babies for potential vision problems. InfantSEE® assessments are offered free of charge to infants between six and twelve months of age.  It’s a comprehensive eye exam that evaluates a baby’s vision, eye tracking skills, & overall eye health. Long-time readers may remember my daughter’s InfantSEE® evaluation. Now that Javier is 6 months old, he’ll be joining us on Baby Day for his very first eye exam!

Call soon to schedule, as appointments are limited for Baby Day! (And if you can’t make it May 8, you can schedule an InfantSEE® exam during regular office hours, too!)

Baby Tweetup (1 p.m. to 3 p.m. RSVP on FB  here)

Our office is fairly social media savvy and we enjoyed hosting the first Westchase Tweetup last year. If you don’t know, a Tweetup is a real-life gathering of users of social media networks like Twitter and Facebook. Typically these events are lots of fun and are excellent networking opportunities. Well, the Baby Tweetup is no different, except that we are specifically inviting little tykes under 24 months and their families. So if your Facebook page is covered with pics and videos of your little bambino, be sure and stop by. And don’t forget to check in on foursquare. 

Open House (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

Stop by anytime during throughout the day to say hello and check out all the other cute babies! The first 25 babies get a tote bag with baby sunglasses and other goodies. Parents can register to win a gift basket from Mi Bebe. We’ll also have some light refreshments (sodas, juice boxes for kids, cookies and more) for you to enjoy!

Sponsors

Bright Eyes,  Mi Bebe, and My Gym are the current sponsors. However, because we want spread the word about infant vision care as far as possible, we are looking for other people or businesses to sponsor Baby Day! You can be a sponsor by donating give-aways or door prizes or by helping us get the word out! If you are interested in joining us or have any questions, please let me know.

I can’t wait to see all the babies at Bright Eyes! So cute!

UPDATES: First, We will be using the hashtag #BABYDAY to track comments on Twitter. Second, this is becoming a national event! We have eye doctors in California, New York, Indiana, and Utah who will be joining us! Ask your eye doctor if they be hosting any special BABY DAY events!

-Dr. Nate
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
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Today we have a guest post from a friend of mine,  Dr. Janet Carter. I’ve known her online since I was in optometry school and have always enjoyed her insight and humor. I am glad she took me up on the offer to write a guest post and hope she considers blog herself. – Dr. Nate

OK, it’s happened. Your child came home from school with a note from the nurse saying she had difficulties with the vision screening. Or perhaps she is complaining of trouble seeing the blackboard or headaches reading. Or maybe a previously undiagnosed condition was discovered during her yearly eye examination. Regardless of the scenario, you have to face the fact that your child will soon be wearing glasses. Her success in doing so will greatly depend on your attitude towards this development.

The importance of your attitude in making sure your child has the proper vision correction begins before you even visit the optometrist. Tell your child what to expect during the visit, but don’t dwell on anything unpleasant. She may have her eyes dilated, but this needn’t be a cause for concern. The dilation drops that most optometrists use today are much gentler and not nearly as long-lasting in their effects as ones you may have experienced as a child. Let her know that her vision may be a little blurry afterwards, but it won’t be too bad. Try and schedule the visit on a day when there isn’t an important homework assignment or sporting event. Read the rest of this entry »

While certainly most young children do not need to use contact lenses, a few do. When I tell people this, they usually think it is impossible to put contacts in their kid’s eyes. Well, this video shows how easy it can be!

(Click here if video doesn’t play)

Click here to read more about babies and contacts.

See Well!

Dr. Bonilla-Warford,
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
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Welcome to 2010, everyone!  I hope you are enjoying the start of a brand-new decade.

Readers of this blog know that it is a Bright Eyes News tradition to create an eye related Top Ten List of New Years Resolutions. For 2008, wrote about resolutions for eye health. For 2009, I wrote about resolutions for children’s vision.

Thinking back to 2009, I’ve talked to a number of patients who had lost – or were about to lose – their jobs.  It was an economically challenging year for many.  So I thought this year I would take this issue head-on and make a list for people who want to save money on eyecare. But, as a doctor, it wouldn’t be appropriate to just say, “Skip your exams, squint instead of updating your glasses, and wear your contacts until your eyes fall out.” First, it isn’t sound advice. Second, many of these actually cost more money in the long run.

So here is a list of New Years Resolutions to Save Money on Eyecare (Without Sacrificing Quality). I hope that you find it helpful.

1) Maintain a regular schedule for eye exams.

Many people feel that they are saving money by skipping their recommended eye exams.  Did you know that eye exams are primarily about eye health, not just clarity of sight?  There are some blinding conditions with no symptoms that can only be detected with a thorough eye exam. If caught early, they can often be treated early with much simpler treatments. This can save hundreds or thousands of dollars of complicated treatment, including ocular surgery. This doesn’t even factor in the lost income and quality of life that can come from the loss of vision.

2) Get the exam that you pay for.

This may seem very obvious, but you should be sure that you are getting a complete and thorough eye exam. After all, if you are paying for something, you should get it.  Sometimes people are reluctant to have their pupils dilated during an exam, but if they don’t, the doctor cannot look for signs of disease in the back of the eye. Find out if there is a charge to come back and finish the exam at a later date. If you bring your child to eye doctor because you have concerns that vision may be affecting school performance, ask beforehand what type of tests are included.  Not all vision plans will cover this specialized testing, so you should find out how much it costs.

3) Utilize InfantSEE.

As with all health issues, prevention is more cost effective than treatment. This is particularly true for infants. An eye early eye exam can detect potential problems such as extreme nearsightedness and farsightedness as well as strabismus and amblyopia. To assist in this, the American Optometric Association created the public health initiative called InfantSEE. Optometrists who participate in the program will provide one visual and eye health exam to infants between six and twelve months old at no charge.

4) Understand your Vision Plan, Medical Insurance, Flex and HSAs.

Some medical plans have coverage for eye exams. Some plans specifically cover medical problems such as eye infections and glaucoma. Other plans are specifically for vision and will have coverage for a vision exam, glasses, or contacts, but not medical visits. If you or your employer pays for these benefits, use them wisely. Find out what the annual benefits are. Ask the doctor’s staff to help you maximize your benefits. For example, you are getting both glasses and contact lenses and your plan only covers one of these, you may save more money applying the benefits to the glasses.  Also know that you cannot ask that the vision plan be billed on a different date than you actually received the service.  However, you CAN use your Flex and HSA accounts for eyecare and optical purchases.

5) Select your eyewear carefully.

When you are picking out eyewear, try on the styles and brands that you like. But keep in mind the purpose of each pair of glasses you buy. You might love the Tiffany & Co. frames with crystals, but if you work or play hard, it might make more sense to get some less expensive frames that are built to be durable. Costa Del Mar sunglasses are durable, but if you are prone to losing them(or dropping them in the gulf!) spend a extra few dollars on a glasses strap. And when shopping  around, be sure you compare apples to apples. A discount store or online retailer may be cheaper,  but consider material quality and customer service when making your choice.  Will your optical service remake lenses in the case of an error?  What happens if the coating flakes off within a few months?

6) Get the right lens materials and coatings.

Find out what the doctor or optician recommends for lens options, but don’t just assume that more expensive is better. Some lens options are worth a little extra: Crizal Alize or VisoXC will improve the clarity of your lenses, reduce glare, and resist scratches.  Some fabulously high-tech lens materials are essential for someone with a very high prescription but may be a waste of money if you have a low prescription. We always recommend UV protection for all general purpose glasses, but if you only use glasses for reading indoors, then it may not be needed. I encourage you to get glasses that meet your needs, but that doesn’t mean that every pair has to have all the bells and whistles. If the optical staff do not explain your options to your satisfaction – ask. They may be able to help you save money when they understand how the glasses are to be used.

7) Try multipurpose lenses.

Do you own just one pair of shoes? Not likely, because most people have different shoes for different purposes. Your eyes also have different needs and no one single pair of glasses will meet all those needs.  But you don’t need to own a baker’s dozen pairs of glasses either. If you have a different prescription for reading and distance (like most people over 45), save money with just one pair of bifocals or progressives. In Florida, it is best to have a dedicated pair of prescription sunglasses.  But eyewear with clip-on sunglasses or Transitions (that darken in the sun) are a cost-effective and protect your eyes from UV and bright sun.

Make use of your warranties.

If you are spending hard-earned money on glasses, you expect them to work well for you. Always inquire about what warranty is included in your purchase. At Bright Eyes, all of our eyewear frames come with a 2 year, unconditional breakage warranty. If you get premium scratch coating, it also includes 2 year scratch warranty. See if your optical offers similar coverage and if they do, make use of it.

9) Learn about your contacts.

Talking to your optometrist about your contact lens options.  Monthly lenses may be a cost-saving option for full-time wearers;  daily lenses are a good deal for occasional contact wearers, especially when you factor in the solution costs.  RGP (hard) contacts frequently outperform their soft counterparts and can be up to half as expensive.

10) Consider alternative financing options.

Many offices, including ours, accept Care Credit, a health care credit card with options for 6-months interest-free financing.  This is helpful for more expensive treatments not covered by insurances, such as Corneal Reshaping (orthokeratology), an method of providing glasses- free vision, or vision therapy, which allows people to overcome visual challenges to live life up to their potential.  Even eyeglasses and eye exams qualify for Care Credit purchases. Ask about Care Credit or similar programs at your doctor’s office.

I hope that this has been helpful in ensuring that you get best eyecare possible! Happy New Year!

Dr. Bonilla-Warford
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Westchase, Tampa, FL
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“If you imagine it, you can achieve it.  If you dream it, you can become it.”- William Arthur Ward

How many times have we seen the impossible become possible through a simple thought or dream?  Can you imagine all the possibilities and opportunities that would open up in your life just by taking one small step towards your dream or goal?

In Dr. Lynn F. Hellerstein’s book, See It.  Say It.  Do It!, she reinforces this concept of visualization.  By teaching a child to visualize first,  then to verbally affirm that goal as if he has already achieved  it, and finally to take the necessary actions to accomplishing that goal, you are giving that child invaluable tools that will last him his whole lifetime.  You will have instilled a self-confidence that would ensure him to become successful in any area of his life.

It sounds so simple, and yet we don’t even realize what an impact it could actually have in our daily lives.  Some of us already use visualization and don’t even know it, but we don’t use visualization to its full potential.  But if we start now , we can teach ourselves, children, and others how such a simple, yet powerful concept can truly alter people’s lives forever.

Dr.  Hellerstein shows us how easily we can learn and teach visualization techniques by giving us step-by-step instructions and fun activities that can be utilized in any age group.  If you want to make a difference in someone’s life, or even in your own, then you need to read this book and discover for yourself just how powerful your visualization can be for you!

Edna Moore, Vision Therapist

Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Westchase, Tampa, FL
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I received an email today from the American Optometric Association:

President Barack Obama signed into law a measure that provides nearly $600,000 in new federal resources to help expand the scope and impact of InfantSEE® – the signature public health program of the American Optometric  Association (AOA) and administered by Optometry’s CharityTM – The AOA Foundation.

The first direct appropriation, sponsored by Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) totaled $500,000 and is aimed at supporting expansion and outreach of the program.

“Many parents of newborns do not know that the most dramatic development of a child’s visual system occurs within the first year of life,” said Sen. Byrd. “And it is through early detection and treatment of potential problems that parents can help ensure poor vision and eye health does not severely affect their child’s ability to learn and place them at a disadvantage in education and in life.”

The second direct appropriation totaling $90,000 was sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and will support program expansion through outreach in Iowa.

“InfantSEE® is doing much more than identifying and treating risk factors that may cause eye and vision problems later in the life,” said Sen. Harkin. “They are taking prevention to a new level to ensure healthier, thriving children and lower health care costs down the road.”

InfantSEE® assessments are complementary to the routine well-care exams a baby receives from a pediatrician or family physician. Optometrists have the training to identify areas of risk that are critical to vision development and the skills to identify conditions that might not be detected in a routine pediatric wellness exam. In some cases, conditions may need to be monitored, immediately treated or referred to a pediatric eye specialist.

At Bright Eyes, we believe in and support the InfantSEE® program. You can see this post where I discuss Nora’s first eye exam. I will probably do the same when Javier comes in for his exam when he is six months old. If you have a newborn or are expecting, remember that the InfantSEE® exam provides a no-cost vision assessment if your baby is between 6 and 12 months old.

Be well!

Dr. Bonilla-Warford
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Westchase, Tampa, FL
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My colleagues and I think and talk about myopia (nearsightedness) every day. We talk about the drawbacks (and rewards) of being myopic. We talk about the causes and treatment options for myopia, both short and long term.

But I have never seen a day like today, with myopia in all the papers and on every major TV news program. Given how quickly news travels today, the total number of people thinking and re-thinking about their eyes and vision is probably higher today than it has ever been!

Yesterday morning, I received an email about a newly released study, “Increased Prevalence of Myopia in the United States Between 1971-1972 and 1999-2004.” While I take it as common knowledge that nearsightedness is increasing in much of the world, including the United States, even I was stunned to see this headline about the study: “Myopia Prevalence Rose 66% over 30-Year Period” There is no way around it, a 66% increase is a lot!

So I posted the link on Twitter and Facebook, but I didn’t really have the time to dedicate to the study until today. And then the really big news hit. There are stories on myopia on  NPR, Discover,  the LA Times, and video segments on Good Morning America and local affiliates such as these and these.

So since this is such a hot topic today, I’ll share what I tell patients almost every day at the office.  But first let me say this:  while vision science has advanced tremendously, and we have a better understanding than ever, there still is a lot that we do not know about the details of nearsightedness and its development. And, although this may shock you to read, there are some less-than-ethical people who will claim to have all the answers and will say with a straight face that they have THE ONLY WAY to either prevent or eliminate nearsightedness or glasses. The truth is that we don’t know exactly how this works and we can never make promises because what may work for 1000 people may not work for you.

But we can say some things about myopia more generally. There is a genetic component for sure, but just because you and your spouse are nearsighted is not a guarantee that your children will be . In fact, there may be more commonly a genetic susceptibility than an actual myopia “gene.” And clearly there are other factors involved because while the population is changing (due to aging and immigration) our US genes haven’t changed that much in 30 years, but our eyes have!

So, as many of the links above point out, our lifestyle can have an impact on vision. Our eyes are inherently best-suited for looking off into the distance. This is easy and natural. Yet today we spend an increasing amount of time and effort focusing within arms-length and in some cases just a few inches. And while we have always had (and will continue to have, I hope) kids and adults with their noses buried in bound books, the truth is that intensely playing tiny video games or texting does require more visual effort. And I can attest from seeing patients at Bright Eyes that children are engaged in these activities at younger and younger ages.

So – if a patient has increasing nearsightedness, or seems predisposed to be nearsighted what are the options? Here  are the refractive options from least to most aggressive.

• Do nothing. Some people prefer to not take any action because they do not have need to see better at a distance and they prefer the vision up close. This is totally reasonable, as long as it is an educated choice and not just by default or neglect. However, this is not itself a treatment for myopia and in fact may promote myopia in the long run.
• Traditional glasses or contacts. This will help a patient see clearly in the distance which is necessary for things like driving or going to school which are important. But it will not address any underlying problems leading to increasing myopia.
• Bifocal Glasses. This method was more popular in prior decades to slow down myopia progression. The scientific studies have not shown it to be as helpful generally, but may be for a  subset of people with specific visual problems.
• Multifocal soft contact. There is small but growing evidence that multifical contacts, like Proclear EP, can provide clear distance vision and limit the progression of nearsightedness.
• Orthokeratology (Corneal Reshaping). There is several scientific studies that have shown that this can provide safe, clear daytime vision, and slow or stop progression of myopia. You can read more about this here. And I have written more about this here.
• Atropine drops. This method of myopia control involved the use of prescription eye drops to keep the eyes dilated. This has been used for years and is more popular in Asia, but has not caught on in the US, due to side effects.

But regardless of which method is employed above, it is wise to take frequent, brief breaks from near work. Looking up and away every 15 minutes or so is a good idea, because there is some evidence that it is not the total time during near work, but the length of the individual periods of work that make a bigger difference. Getting outside more is a good idea, but it is not clear if it is the distance vision, sunlight, or some other benefit. Of course, this is true not just for your eyes, but for your body and mind, too!

As vision professionals, we clearly have much work to do in understanding more about why and how myopia occurs. But it is exciting to know that there are treatment options that can reduce the likelihood of progression.

If you have concerns about your vision or if your children have not been thoroughly evaluated, call us at 813-792-0637 to schedule an appointment. After reviewing the examination findings, we can discuss concerns and treatment options that may be right for you.

Be well!

Dr. Bonilla-Warford
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Westchase, Tampa, FL
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(Edited to fix a few typos and add some info left out).

As our Twitter followers know, Ficklets are here at Bright Eyes! Ficklets are very cute charms that can be worn on glasses. They come in all kinds of designs, ranging from flowers and starts to footballs and soccer balls. And they are very inexpensive – only $6! Perfect for a stocking stuff or simple Hanukkah gift! And when you come by Bright Eyes, take a look at our Ficklet Christmas Tree!

You can find out more by visiting Ficklets.com and following Ficklets on Twitter.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Dr. Bonilla-Warford
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Westchase, Tampa, FL
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