Why buy Quality?

Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.
William A. Foster

I have always felt that it makes sense to buy quality. Perhaps I inherited this ethic from my parents, who very carefully purchased the best of things that they could find. Being the oldest of ten children, I grew up beneath the governments established poverty level guidelines. We didn't know we were poor, but I understood early in my life that when we bought things, we were buying the best quality available because we couldn't afford to buy them twice. For example, Maytag's reputation for long lasting dependability (which it no longer deserves) sold my Mom on her washer/dryer combo which lasted for eons of time. Back when the Troy Built name was synonymous with quality (which it no longer deserves either) my Dad bought the garden tiller that he still uses nearly 30 years later.

I'll never forget the day in my youth when my Dad told me, "Son, we are becoming a throw away world. You'll see the day when everything is disposable." Appreciating quality isn't just an ethic or nostalgic rejection of today's marketplace full of cheaply manufactured junk...finding and appreciating quality is my passion.

I think in times like these, buying quality makes more sense than ever. As much as we hope you will buy a new pair of glasses to match every outfit every year, we have always provided eyewear that is made to last as long as you wish it to last. Well made European or Japanese frames can last a lifetime, and there is no time limit to the scratch warranty on our lenses. Some of our patients realize very low cost for their eyewear when you compare its lasting quality over time to the frequently replaced lower quality glasses that are built to planned-obsolescence standards. Durability is its own reason for buying good craftsmanship--the benefits of the advanced technology found in premium quality lenses is the subject for another complete post.

The higher initial cost of quality may sting, but the sting shortly becomes satisfaction when the technology performs its lasting duty. Poor craftsmanship causes lingering disappointment--usually intensified by the realization that the product was dressed up to look like quality, but really was not. It reminds me of the rural wisdom found in this mock add for hay I saw in a diner once: "Hay, $200 a ton, or $5 a ton. Price depends on which end of the horse you buy it from."

--Dr. Gooch

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Hyperopia (Farsightedness) Explained

After examining a two-year old nephew this week, I attempted to explain what it means to be farsighted to his worried mother. I've been in practice for nearly 12 years and I still struggle to explain hyperopia in lay terms. Its not that Hyperopia is complicated, but it is not as intuitively tidy as Myopia, or nearsightedness (where near things are clear and far things are blurry). Patients often exclaim, "Ah, Farsighted... so things far away are clear and things up close are blurry?" Well, sort of. Therein lies the problem with understanding Hyperopia. We collectively miss-apply the logic that so nicely fits nearsightedness, to farsightedness. And people often confuse presbyopia, or bifocal vision with farsightedness. Even a quick google search on the subject reveals very little for the lay person that isn't slightly off colored just enough to leave an element of confusion. This post is for you, Sis, so you'll grasp how your young son sees; and for me, as I work to conjure a solid explanation of Hyperopia.


The Normal Eye




First, to understand Hyperopia, you must understand how the normal eye functions. When viewing things in the distance (20 feet and beyond are optically equal), the normal eye is relaxed and focused. The light rays entering the eye are parallel, and the relaxed eye converges those parallel rays, bringing them into focus on the retina. When the eye shifts its gaze to anything inside 20 feet, the rays of light begin to diverge, or open up, which pushes the focal point to somewhere behind the normal relaxed eye. The eye then has to accommodate, or shift focus, to keep the near object in focus. This happens when an internal muscle called the cilliary body activates and changes the shape of the crystalline lens that sits behind your pupil. This accommodation pulls the long-focused rays back into focus on the retina. And it all happens faster, and more fluidly than you can perceive, without conscious effort on your part. The normal eye uses about 2.50 diopters of accommodative power to see things at the normal reading distance (approx 16 inches).


Hyperopia

Farsightedness is the condition where the natural relaxed eye focuses the normal parallel rays from the distance behind the eye. How the farsighted person sees is based on the complex interaction between the amount of farsightedness, the natural strength of the accommodative mechanism, the person's age, and the visual system's alignment mechanisms which keep the eyes on target (they happen to be tied to the focusing system). A young person with small to moderate amounts of Hyperopia can use their close focusing power to pull the distance into focus on the retina and see clearly. Near objects take an additional 2.50 diopters in focus power, and if they have the ability to do it, they can see close as well. Here are some examples of a small and a large amount of Hyperopia:

A person with +1.00 diopter Hyperopia needs 1.00 diopter of their close-focus power to see in the distance. Add another 2.50 of accommodation for close vision and they end up needing a total of 3.50 in close focusing power to see clearly at the reading distance.

A person with +7.50 diopters of Hyperopia needs 7.50 diopters of help to correct the distance (usually they can't contribute that much by themselves unless they are very young) and they need another 2.50 for near for a total of 10.00 diopters of focusing power.


Since the eye's close focusing power was not designed to remain constantly activated, just like your arms weren't designed to hold a bucket of water outstretched for long periods of time, uncorrected Hyperopes can get extra fatigued with the full time, extra-duty use of their close focusing power. Depending on the factors mentioned above, Hyperopes experience a range of symptoms from mild, imperceptible strain, to extreme fatigue, double vision, and completely blurry distance and near vision.


Correction

Hyperopia can be corrected with glasses, contacts, or surgery, using PLUS dioptric power. Unlike Myopic (nearsighted) corrections which are very exact and simple to derive, Hyperopic corrections depend on the practitioner's ability to measure the amount of Hyperopia and then integrate all the other complex factors involved like age, accommodative strength, eye alignment, and lifestyle needs. Generally, correcting Hyperopia relaxes the farsighted eye for focusing in the distance the way it was designed, so the eye can use the normal amount of close focusing power for reading.


Because Hyperopic eyes can contribute accommodation to the vision-equation, finding the amount of correction that makes his/her eyes comfortable can be a challenge, and that equation changes over time as the aging eye loses its natural accommodative ability. The older you get, the easier it becomes to find the right amount of correction because your accommodation interferes less. Sometimes younger eyes won't relax and accept plus powered lenses. Large amounts of Hyperopia are easier to correct because the visual benefit is so dramatic. Small to moderate amounts are tougher because the benefit is the delayed gratification of reduced fatigue--which benefit often comes at the end of the day, the end of the week, the end of the school year, etc. For the younger Hyperope, we don't always correct the full amount, but instead, the amount that makes the eyes most comfortable--especially for close work.


Children and Hyperopia

Hyperopia is the most missed eye condition at school and pediatrician screenings because small to moderate amounts don't usually blur the child's vision. Children's symptoms increase with age and amount of Hyperopia, but they often don't know that the discomfort they feel is abnormal and they get numb to it. Often, it plays out as near-task avoidance. If reading is uncomfortable or tiresome after extended periods, the child usually develops avoidance patterns, which can turn into habits, attitudes, labels, and a self perception that can often be difficult to correct as the child gets older. As a parent, you can watch for these avoidance patterns, afternoon headaches, or strange visual behavior like squinting, sideways looking, or looking closer than normal at books, TV, etc.


Some eye doctors use a blanket approach to correcting a child's hyperopia--relying strictly on numbers. It is very important to find a practitioner who is committed to using the more sophisticated approach of finding the correction that makes the farsighted child comfortable for near tasks (whether that amount is none, or something different from their full correction). If correction is needed, sometimes single vision lenses suffice, or sometimes it is more convenient to put it in the form of bifocals. These are all complexities that take time to sort through and you will do well to expect your doctor to explain and recommend what is best for your child.

Having your child examined before the age of two is the best way to make certain that problems aren't missed which can lead to poor school performance and delayed visual development. You did a wonderful service for your son by bringing him in early, Sis. Check this post about a little girl we took care of with farsightedness similar to your son: THE EYES HAVE IT.

Myopia (So, I am near sighted)

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the easiest of the eye's focus problems to understand. As a myope, your near world is in focus and your distance vision is blurry. This happens when the light rays that enter your eye focus in front of the retina instead of on the retina.

Incidence:

• In the United States and Europe 25-40%
• In some developed Asian countries 70-90%
• In some indigenous populations from undeveloped countries 1-8%

Causes:

The arguments regarding the cause of myopia are very heated and sway between Nature/Nurture. Twin Studies show a genetic predisposition to myopia, and literacy studies show extended near-focus to be the major contributing factor. No one really knows how genetics and environmental factors interplay, but surely, both sides of the equation contribute, and it probably varies on an individual basis.

The Internet is full of information about the causes of Myopia. In my opinion, this Wikipedia article about myopia is about the fairest comprehensive treatment for the lay person that I could find: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myopia

Some promoters of the Nurture school-of-thought go so far as to blame eye doctors and the optical industry for Myopia as part of a grand conspiracy. The Myopia Mafia causes an increase of myopia by prescribing glasses to correct the vision of children with myopia, is the crux of one argument. Another claims the problem is nutritional in nature and has a vitamin to fix it. These extreme and entertaining examples usually have their own product to sell (so BUYER BEWARE) and while espousing some truths, they fundamentally over-simplify the problem.

Correction:

With today's technology, Myopia is a mere annoyance for most of us. In developed countries, it is easy to correct with glasses, contact lenses, or surgery using MINUS dioptric power--all of which use impressive new technologies. Stay tuned for upcoming articles on advances in lens and surgery technologies.

Prevention:

Because of the evidence that near stress induces myopia, there may be some things you can do. Children who spend more time outdoors and less time in front of TV, computers, or books tend to have less incidence of myopia. The problem is, we learn most of what we need to survive in today's world by reading and using the computer, so avoiding these activities to prevent myopia might cause other life-problems. And if not putting glasses on a nearsighted kid could prevent further myopic progression, would it make sense to keep your child in a constant state of blur? Like everything else, there is wisdom in balance.

Several alternative "cures" are out there, like "The See Clearly Method" and "Rebuildyourvision.com." You will often find them long on testimonials and short on credibility. We get patients who try these things occasionally thinking they will surprise us. So far, I haven't seen anyone with verifiable improvements to their refractive state via these programs.

I personally like to prescribe bifocals or progressives to myopic children who show signs of excessive accomodative convergence (misaligned eyes with close focus) or other signs of near stress. Some studies have shown a 40% reduction in myopic progression with bifocal use, and I seem to see that played out clinically in these cases of over-convergence.

New Arrival- Ed Hardy Readers!

Come check out our newest frame collection. Ed Hardy readers have just arrived! These are original designs from the tattoo artist Don Ed Hardy who is known as "The godfather of tatoo. These unique "Vintage Tattoo Wear" designs are like nothing else! Stop down and try on a pair and be the first in town to have them! Happy Holidays from Southwest Vision!

Welcome to the blog

Welcome to the office blog. This project is designed to be an adjunct to our web site where we can keep you up to date with all the HOT news in the eye world. From trends and technologies in the Optical realm to, current topics in medicine, the Doctors and staff will keep you interested in the latest happenings. IF YOU CLICK ON A POST TOPIC AND ONLY GET THIS WELCOME POST, COME BACK SOON. THESE TOPICS ARE BEING UPDATED WEEKLY.