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!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

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!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.
Connect:

Here at Bright Eyes, we have amazing patients that do very cool things. I am always interested in what people are doing and enjoy the conversations that we have during the eye exams. Sometimes I will spotlight them.

Today I was lucky enough to be the focus of a very cool and generous post by Randy Watson (AKA The Wine Whore). If you don’t already know him, he is a very funny, genuine wine blogger, twitter fanatic,  friend, and a patient.

So check it out! Check out the rest of his blog. And if you are feeling up to it, leave a comment. And don’t forget to get your turn on the Cabernet Couch!

Cheers!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

A recent CNN story, found here, discusses advances in both technology and appeal of glasses, contacts, and patching for infants and kids. It has quotes from my colleague and fellow blogger, Dr. Justin Bazan, as well as Kelly Harmsen, creator of the “Eye Patch Kids” DVD, among others.

Be Well!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

I talk to people every day about refractive surgery such as LASIK. A few people are extremely interested, but almost everyone is at least curious about whether or not they are good candidates.

Generally the results of LASIK are very good. But, like any medical procedure, there are risks. Recently, the FDA has been evaluating whether or not some of the severe but unlikely risks are communicated effectively to the public.

Here are some reasons why you might want to consider LASIK:

• Freedom from Glasses: This is the number one reason people are interested in LASIK. This may be because they don’t like glasses or because they work in environments that make wearing glasses difficult.
• Freedom from Contacts: Some people can’t tolerate contacts or put the health of their eyes at risk by wearing them. LASIK may be a better option.
• Improved Vision: In some cases, vision may be better with LASIK than with glasses.

Here are some reasons why you may not be a good candidate for LASIK and what other options you might consider:

• Eye Disease: It probably goes without saying that if you have eye problems, such as inflammation, infection, injury or diseases of they eyes that LASIK might not be best for you. Glasses are most likely best until the situation is resolved.
• Large Pupils: If you have very large pupils, you may already notice mild halos or glare at night. This is somehwat like what your vision is like after going swimming at night: all lights have little balls of hazy light around them. If you have large pupils, this will be made worse by LASIK. You should stick with glasses and contacts.
• Thin Corneas: LASIK works by using a laser to remove tissue from the front, clear part of your eye. If you do not have enough tissue to work with then it is not safe to have LASIK. However, another type of refractive surgery, PRK, may be an option, as well as glasses and contacts.
• Dry Eye: Because there is cutting involved in LASIK, eyes that are not naturally moist enough may not heal as well. This might affect vision and comfort. Many people who have normal, healthy eyes expereince dryness for a time after LASIK.  If you have very dry eyes your best bet is to wear glasses or specialty contacts.
• Young Age: A person’s vision does not tend to fully stabalize until they are in their 20s. LASIK cannot be done until the prescription is stable. Possible options for children and  teenagers  include glasses, contacts, and Precise Cornea Reshaping.
• Older Age: If you are over 40 years of age, you can still get LASIK, but you should know that your near vision will probably be affected.

If you are considering LASIK, be sure to ask your eye doctor what the risks and benefits are for you. I encourage you to shop around. Not for the best price, but for the best doctor who explains everything to you to your satisfaction.

Feel free to email or come in if you have questions about whether LASIK is right for you.

Be Well!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

How successful are people with multifocal RGP lenses. My doc was not too encouraging even tho I am motivated. I know the articles are favorable,sharper vision more accurate prescription. I really would like to hear what a REAL person has experienced.

I am glad you asked because this is one of the most exciting areas of contact lenses today. These lenses do take some extra effort and equipment to get right, so not every doctor enjoys fitting them. I have found them to be very rewarding for myself and patients.

People over 40 years old commonly have presbyopia (difficulty seeing up close) and wear reading glasses. Many people would like the freedom to be able to see both near and far without glasses, yet remember 20 or 30 years ago when they wore “hard lenses” and hated them.

I am happy to report that these lenses are better than ever. Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) lenses are truly high-tech. While gas permeable contacts will not be as comfortable at first as soft contacts, newer materials and lens coatings make them much more comfortable to wear than they used to be.

Also, there are many new RGP multifocal designs that allow for extremely good vision both distance and near. They may not work in every situation, but they can allow you to be much less dependent on your reading glasses.

Just the other day I designed some multifocal RGP for a woman who wanted to not have to wear glasses to her son’s wedding. The contacts fit great and she was able to be in the photos without her glasses. After she came back for a modification of the design, she said they were even better.

Also, there is a brand-new option. This just came out this month, but I have been lucky enough to work with it since January. It is the SynergEyes multifocal. It is a hybrid design, meaning it has the optics of a RGP lens, but the comfort of a soft lens. I have been having tremendous success with this lens and am very excited about it.

If you are motivated, we can almost always find a contact lens to make you happy. If you are interested in any of the new contact lens designs, call the office for more information. If you come in for an evaluation, we will discuss the options fully before you are committed to any of them.

Thanks for the great question!

Be Well!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.