American Optometric Association | Crozet Eye Care https://www.crozeteyecare.com Crozet Eye Care, Optometrists is a technologically advanced practice that provides primary eye care and optical services near Crozet, Virginia. Thu, 17 Aug 2017 14:17:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 The Eclipse May Be Beautiful to Watch, But It’s Not Safe for Your Eyes https://www.crozeteyecare.com/the-eclipse-may-be-beautiful-to-watch-but-its-not-safe-for-your-eyes/ Thu, 17 Aug 2017 14:15:11 +0000 http://www.crozeteyecare.com/?p=1273 There has been a lot of publicity and excitement over the Aug. 21 solar eclipse. Millions of people are planning to view the first total solar eclipse visible from the U.S. in nearly 40 years. However, there are risks – the biggest being permanent vision loss, or “solar retinopathy” – that I feel compelled to bring to your attention. On a sunny day, if you take a glimpse of the sun, you have a second or two before the brightness and/or pain cause you to look away. The worrisome part about a solar eclipse is that it’s partially blocked by the moon, which causes it to be less bright. This tricks your eyes into thinking you can look at it ... Read More

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There has been a lot of publicity and excitement over the Aug. 21 solar eclipse. Millions of people are planning to view the first total solar eclipse visible from the U.S. in nearly 40 years. However, there are risks – the biggest being permanent vision loss, or “solar retinopathy” – that I feel compelled to bring to your attention.

On a sunny day, if you take a glimpse of the sun, you have a second or two before the brightness and/or pain cause you to look away. The worrisome part about a solar eclipse is that it’s partially blocked by the moon, which causes it to be less bright. This tricks your eyes into thinking you can look at it for a longer period of time. The reality is that the UV rays are still as strong and are burning your retina as your stare.

Solar retinopathy is similar to a sunburn. You don’t feel the effects of the UV rays until several hours later, which could include blind spots or hazy, blurred vision. The worst part is the damage is not treatable.

The good news is that there is a way to view the eclipse safely; that is, by wearing ISO-compliant glasses. This website has a list of brands, vendors and retail stores that manufacture and sell ISO-compliant glasses. An important note: the glasses should list the ISO certification and manufacturer’s information. Many companies are making and selling non-compliant glasses. Regular sunglasses also will not offer the protection you need, nor will “quick glances.” NASA provides additional safe viewing tips.

Please educate yourselves and protect your eyes, especially when it comes to your children. DO NOT let them remove the glasses under any circumstances while watching the eclipse. According to NASA, “the only time the Sun can be viewed safely with the naked eye is during a total eclipse, when the Moon completely covers the disk of the Sun. It is never safe to look at a partial or annular eclipse, or the partial phases of a total solar eclipse, without the proper equipment and techniques.” For our local patients, it’s important to know that Virginia will not experience a total eclipse. This means, there will not be a moment where it is safe to view the eclipse without eye protection. For those of you reading this from outside the Commonwealth, search this website for your location to find out if a total eclipse is expected; however, keep in mind that even when the Sun is 99% obscured, the small crescent showing has enough radiation to cause retinal burning.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us at the office. Enjoy the magnificent view on Monday, but please be safe!

The post The Eclipse May Be Beautiful to Watch, But It’s Not Safe for Your Eyes first appeared on Crozet Eye Care.]]> Children’s Eye Safety and Health Month https://www.crozeteyecare.com/august-is-childrens-eye-safety-and-health-month/ Tue, 31 Jul 2012 17:36:27 +0000 http://crozeteyecare.seecreativegroup.com/august-is-childrens-eye-safety-and-health-month/ It’s hard to believe, but it’s August already and that means school is right around the corner! Enrollment forms and orientation schedules are being completed, immunizations are being done and well visits are being accomplished–but what about your child’s eyes? August is Children’s Eye Safety and Health Month – the perfect time for me to talk about the importance of taking care of your children’s eyes (and your own, of course!). According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), healthy eyes and good vision play critical roles in how infants and children learn to see. It is estimated that 80% of learning occurs through vision. The AOA recommends eye care check-ups starting at age 6 months followed by every two years ... Read More

The post Children’s Eye Safety and Health Month first appeared on Crozet Eye Care.]]> Crozet Eye Care Children's Eye Exams

It’s hard to believe, but it’s August already and that means school is right around the corner! Enrollment forms and orientation schedules are being completed, immunizations are being done and well visits are being accomplished–but what about your child’s eyes?

August is Children’s Eye Safety and Health Month – the perfect time for me to talk about the importance of taking care of your children’s eyes (and your own, of course!). According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), healthy eyes and good vision play critical roles in how infants and children learn to see. It is estimated that 80% of learning occurs through vision. The AOA recommends eye care check-ups starting at age 6 months followed by every two years – even if no eye or vision problems are apparent – and more frequently if experiencing signs that may indicate a vision problem (see signs below).

 

As a family practice, Crozet Eye Care is one of the few practices that serve children under age 5 in the Greater Charlottesville area. Our team is trained to work with children of all ages to ensure that check-ups and visits are as comfortable and pleasant as possible for our little patients (our fun prizes help!).

Many children may not realize that they have a problem because they think how they see is how everyone else sees.  An eye exam with an optometrist is the ideal way for parents to know if their child has a vision problem.  Parents should also watch for the following signs may be indications of eye and vision problems:

For Pre-Schoolers, in which it is estimated that 10% are affected by vision problems:

  • Sitting close to TV or holding a book too close
  • Squinting
  • Tilting head to one side
  • Frequently rubbing eyes
  • Short attention span for age
  • Turning of an eye in or out
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Difficulty with eye-hand-body coordination 
  • Avoiding coloring activities, puzzles and other detailed activities

 

For School-Age Children:

  • Frequent eye rubbing or blinking
  • Short attention span
  • Avoiding reading and other close activities
  • Frequent headaches
  • Covering one eye
  • Tilting the head to one side
  • Holding reading materials close to the face
  • An eye turning in or out
  • Seeing double
  • Losing his or her place when reading
  • Difficulty remembering what he or she reada

As always, feel free to contact us with questions you may have about your child’s vision. We can be reached via e-mail at info@crozeteyecare.com and appointments can be made by calling our office at(434) 823-4441.

 

The post Children’s Eye Safety and Health Month first appeared on Crozet Eye Care.]]> When should my child have an eye exam? https://www.crozeteyecare.com/when-should-my-child-have-an-eye-exam/ Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:25:00 +0000 http://crozeteyecare.seecreativegroup.com/when-should-my-child-have-an-eye-exam/ According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), healthy eyes and good vision play a critical role in how infants and children learn to see. It is estimated that 80% of learning occurs through vision. The AOA recommends eye care check-ups starting at age 6 months followed by every two years – even if no eye or vision problems are apparent – and more frequently if experiencing signs that may indicate a vision problem (see signs below). As a family practice, we are one of the few practices that serves children under age 5 in the Greater Charlottesville area. The team at Crozet Eye Care is trained to work with children of all ages to ensure that check-ups and visits are ... Read More

The post When should my child have an eye exam? first appeared on Crozet Eye Care.]]>

According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), healthy eyes and good vision play a critical role in how infants and children learn to see. It is estimated that 80% of learning occurs through vision. The AOA recommends eye care check-ups starting at age 6 months followed by every two years – even if no eye or vision problems are apparent – and more frequently if experiencing signs that may indicate a vision problem (see signs below).

As a family practice, we are one of the few practices that serves children under age 5 in the Greater Charlottesville area.

The team at Crozet Eye Care is trained to work with children of all ages to ensure that check-ups and visits are as comfortable and pleasant as possible for our little patients (our fun prizes help!).

The following signs may be indications of eye and vision problems:


For Pre-Schoolers, in which it is estimated that 10% are affected by vision problems:

  • Sitting close to the TV or holding a book too close 
  • Squinting
  • Tilting their head
  • Frequently rubbing their eyes
  • Short attention span for the child’s age
  • Turning of an eye in or out
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Difficulty with eye-hand-body coordination when playing ball or bike riding, Avoiding coloring activities, puzzles and other detailed activities

For School-Age Children: Frequent eye rubbing or blinking

  • Short attention span
  • Avoiding reading and other close activities
  • Frequent headaches
  • Covering one eye
  • Tilting the head to one side
  • Holding reading materials close to the face
  • An eye turning in or out
  • Seeing double
  • Losing his or her place when reading
  • Difficulty remembering what he or she read

Contact me with any questions, drfranklin@crozeteyecare.com

The post When should my child have an eye exam? first appeared on Crozet Eye Care.]]> “Emily sees fine, why does she need an exam?” https://www.crozeteyecare.com/emily-sees-fine-why-does-she-need-an-exam/ Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:35:00 +0000 http://crozeteyecare.seecreativegroup.com/emily-sees-fine-why-does-she-need-an-exam/ Often I get this question from parents whose children have passed a screening at the pediatrician’s office. I understand why parents feel this way. Most people think that “seeing” means being able to read the distance eye chart. However, that is only a small part of how children (and adults) use their eyes in today’s world. Think of how much we all need to see up close to read, work on the computer, and use handheld devices/games. Although the pediatrician screening is important, there is no substitute for a comprehensive eye exam to access all aspects of the visual system and the health of the eyes.  I examine children whose parents and teachers think they have attention problems. After an ... Read More

The post “Emily sees fine, why does she need an exam?” first appeared on Crozet Eye Care.]]> Often I get this question from parents whose children have passed a screening at the pediatrician’s office. I understand why parents feel this way. Most people think that “seeing” means being able to read the distance eye chart. However, that is only a small part of how children (and adults) use their eyes in today’s world. Think of how much we all need to see up close to read, work on the computer, and use handheld devices/games. Although the pediatrician screening is important, there is no substitute for a comprehensive eye exam to access all aspects of the visual system and the health of the eyes. 
I examine children whose parents and teachers think they have attention problems. After an exam, I find that the child sees well, but cannot focus on something close for an extended amount of time. For example, although the child can see the words in a book, he cannot keep them clear for more than a few minutes. In this case vision training or reading glasses can drastically change the child’s ability to learn.

Since 90% of what children learn comes from vision, I believe all children deserve to see their best to maximize achievement. I feel so strongly about this that I participate in the InfantSEE program. Through this national program, we provide no cost eye exams for infants 6-12 months old regardless of parents’ income. 

The American Optometric Association recommends eye exams at 6 months, 3 years, just before kindergarten, and then every 1-2 years depending on need.I encourage all parents to call today and schedule appointments for their children.For more information about children’s vision visit http://aoa.org/x9451.xml

The post “Emily sees fine, why does she need an exam?” first appeared on Crozet Eye Care.]]>