Many well-intentioned professionals are unaware that some visual disorders share several common symptoms with ADHD and ADD, and that can lead to a misdiagnosis, perhaps even unnecessary medication.  Journalist Laura Novak writes, ”Doctors and teachers often attribute the behavior to attention disorders or seek other medical explanations. Mrs. Gragg said her pediatrician had never heard of convergence insufficiency.” Read the full article here: Not Autistic or Hyperactive. Just Seeing Double at Times

Complete EyeCare Center’s Optometrist, Dr. Olson, has the education and commitment to evaluate the visual system beyond the simple abilityto read an eye chart.  A child like Raea may be able to read the chart’s 20/20 line and still have a vision problem. Perhaps her struggles could have been avoided if a trained InfantSee optometrist had seen Raea before age 1 and had performed a visual assessment at age 3, as recommended by the American Optometric Association.  It is possible her convergence insufficiency could have been detected and treated before she began to experience symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, irritability, low self-esteem, inability to concentrate, aversion to reading, and difficulties in school.

Before you turn to medication, before you send your child to school, please ensure that your child doesn’t have a vision problem. We want to make it easy for parents to give their children a good start in life and follow the AOA guidelines for vision evaluation.  Dr. Olson participates in the InfantSee program providing free assessments for 6-12 month olds.  He has also developed his own free assessment program for children age 3, available exclusively at Complete EyeCare Center, called “See at 3!™”  If there is a child in your life age 6-12 months or age 3 we encourage you to give them every chance to succeed–including the assurance from Dr. Olson that they are seeing well, with both eyes working together properly.

• 80% of all visual impairment can be prevented, treated or cured
• Top causes of visual impairment: refractive errors, cataracts and glaucoma
• Top causes of blindness: cataracts, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration
• About 285 million people are visually impaired worldwide: 39 million are blind and 246 million have low vision

When was your last eye exam?  Your child’s?

Learn more Vision 2020 Global Facts the World Health Organization has identified.

If you have trouble perceiving 3D images tell your eye doctor.

Allaboutvision.com thinks the company is likely being cautious because of a lack of research on the effects of long-term 3D viewing on young children’s vision development.  This may be a wise precautionary choice for parents, however the American Optometric Association (AOA) recently released a statement saying it is safe if the child’s visual system is developing normally.  The AOA went on to suggest 3D viewing of movies, TV and the Nintendo 3DS may actually help diagnose subtle vision disorders, like convergence insufficiency, that should be corrected. 

Some people have difficulty aligning their eyes to focus properly, or converging.  It is a vision disorder that often goes undetected.  Interestingly, this insufficiency can be especially noticeable during a 3D viewing experience.  If you or your child has difficulty perceiving the 3D effect, experiences discomfort, or gets dizzy, you should tell Dr. Olson.  An AOA survey suggests that as much as 25% of the population may have difficulty with 3D content, experiencing what is now being called “3D Vision Syndrome.”  Treatment is available, so don’t hesitate to call and schedule an eye health & vision exam.

Optic nerve damage caused by glaucoma affects the visual field

Anyone can develop sight-threatening glaucoma.  It’s the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the World Health Organization. But an eye doctor can detect it before significant vision loss begins.  Glaucoma occurs when pressure inside the eye slowly rises, and this leads to optic nerve damage and vision loss.  During every eye health exam we measure ocular pressure and use advanced visual fields technology to detect glaucoma as early as possible.  Early glaucoma detection is one of many reasons why routine eye exams are so important, even when you’re seeing clearly.

Anyone can develop glaucoma, but some people are more at risk than others:  African Americans over age 40;  Everyone over age 60, especially Mexican Americans;  People with a family history of glaucoma; People who are severely near-sighted; Anyone with diabetes.  For these people, it is especially important to have an exam at least once a year.

Anyone can develop glaucoma, but there are things we can do to minimize the risk of vision loss. 

• Follow recommendations for a healthy lifestyle to prevent obesity & diabetes, which can increase the risk of glaucoma.  Exercise.  Eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, specifically leafy greens and foods high in antioxidants.  Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol. 
• If you are prescribed eye drops for treatment of glaucoma, follow the prescribed regimen diligently.  Non-compliance is a major reason glaucoma leads to blindness.  
• Early detection during an eye health exam is the best way to control the disease often called “the sneak thief of sight”.  That’s why, based on your individual health and risk factors, Dr. Olson prescribes how often you should be examined.  

Anyone can develop glaucoma, but we want to help you detect it early and prevent vision loss.  Prevent Blindness American estimates that over 4 million Americans have glaucoma, but only half of those know that they have it.   If you haven’t had a comprehensive eye health exam in the last year, call us today at 319.385.9534 to schedule an appointment.

Visit AllAboutVision.com to learn about eye diseases, including forms of macular degeneration, causes of glaucoma, and signs of a cataract.

The World Sight Day Challenge is a campaign coordinated by Optometry Giving Sight to raise funds for projects that provide vision care, local training and infrastructure support for people who are blind or vision impaired due to uncorrected refractive error – simply the need for an eye exam and a pair of glasses.

Our practice will raise funds for the World Sight Day Challenge by matching the first $500 donated to this cause throughout the month of October.

Please join us in helping to give sight to people in need by making a donation of any amount.  It’s easy to do.  Just stop in our office, or donate online by clicking here.  Sponsor Us

Together we can help transform lives. Here’s just one example:

Nlando was helped by Optometry Giving Sight

9 year old Nlando lives in a township in South Africa where the average family income is just $7 per day. Nlando struggled to see clearly until she received an eye exam and pair of glasses thanks to the support of  Optometry Giving Sight. Having new glasses will enable her to learn at school.  Because education can lead to freeedom from poverty, her future is likely to be much brighter.

Find out more about Optometry Giving Sight’s World Sight Day Challenge at www.givingsight.org.  (You can see a video of a young man who had spent years in a school for the blind, and is now studying engineering in a regular school because his vision problem was corrected by a pair of glasses!)

Tozal is one supplement for Macular Degeneration approved by Dr. Olson

June is Vision Research Month.  The American Optometric Association website features an excellent summary of one of the most important vision research findings in recent years.  Because of the AREDS studies Dr. Olson recommends supplements to certain at-risk patients.  The AOA article follows:

In the last 20 years, eye health research has linked diet and nutrition with a decreased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). A major clinical study of older adults concluded that taking an antioxidant vitamin or mineral supplement significantly reduced the risk of advanced AMD progression in some people. Additionally, today there is significant evidence that vitamin D plays a role in preventing AMD.

AREDS Made it Clear

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) was a major clinical trial sponsored by the National Eye Institute. It enrolled 3640 subjects, age 55 to 80, and was released in October 2001. This landmark study provided evidence that nutritional intervention in the form of supplements could delay the progression of AMD. The study concluded that taking an antioxidant vitamin or mineral supplement reduced the risk of advanced AMD progression by about 25 percent and showed a 19 percent reduction in visual acuity loss in some of the subjects.

The Case for Lutein and Zeaxanthin

It was not clear in the original AREDS report which vitamin, mineral or combination of nutrients was responsible for reducing the risk of AMD. When the study was planned, the lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids that constitute the macular pigment were not assessed because they were not commercially available. Since then, several studies have provided growing evidence specific to the beneficial role of lutein and zeaxanthin intake, and their positive effect on eye health and AMD risk reduction. The AREDS Report No. 22 published in 2007 described the relationship between dietary intake of various nutrients and AMD among the AREDS subjects. This report concluded that high dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin is associated with a reduction in the risk of geographic atrophy, advanced AMD, and large or extensive intermediate drusen, the waste byproducts of cellular metabolism (activity).

New Study Builds on Long Term Nutrient Benefits

A follow up to the original AREDS trial, AREDS2, began in June 2008. This multi-centered, five-year study builds on a multitude of existing science supporting lutein and zeaxanthin’s role in maintaining healthy eyes. It is the largest human clinical trial to evaluate lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids supplementation, and includes 4,000 patients at high risk for AMD. The study is focusing on the protective effects lutein (10 mg/day), zeaxanthin (2 mg/day) , and omega-3 fatty acids (1 g/day) have against AMD, as well as the link between nutrition and macular pigment optical density, cataract development and visual function.

Vitamin supplements selected by Dr. Olson for appropriate content and quality are available through Complete EyeCare Center–either in stock or direct-shipped to your home.  Call 319.385.9534 for an evaluation with Dr. Olson, or to inquire about whether you may benefit from these products.

• Tozal Eye Health Formula (To order Tozal online click the link and use rep# 24894 to complete your purchase.)
• Omega Max
• Viteyes Advanced Formula
• Viteyes AREDS Companion
• Viteyes Smokers Formula
• EyePromise Restore (To order EyePromise Restore online click the link and use referral doctor #10246 to complete your purchase.)

Has your child had a comprehensive eye exam?

Does your child…

…have a short attention span?

…find it hard to concentrate on reading?

…get headaches or blurred vision when using the computer?

…avoid homework?

…tire easily when reading?

…suffer eyestrain?

…get car sick?

…get labeled as an “underachiever”?

The answers to these questions may indicate the need not only for vision correction in the form of eyeglasses or contacts, but the need for improved  visual skills such as eye teaming, convergence, fixation, accommodation, or tracking.  So much of learning is done visually, so a vision impairment can directly affect a child’s behavior and academic success.

Dr. Olson evaluates vision, eye health, and visual skills during a comprehensive eye exam.  If he finds visual skill deficiency, vision therapy may help the patient with vision-related problems affecting learning.

Our office offers an in-home vision therapy program from HTS.  After receiving instruction on how to use the program, parents have their child use their home computer to do therapy “games” approximately 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week.  After 2-3 months they return for the doctor to review the results.  This is often a sufficient amount of time to retrain the eye muscles to work properly.

We have heard success stories from many of our vision therapy patients.  For more information, learn why 20/20 vision isn’t enough at the HTS website or call Complete EyeCare Center at 319.395.9534 for an appointment with Dr. Olson.

Complete EyeCare Center utilizes quality diagnostic instrumentation like the award winning Optovue RTVue

The RTVue visualizes the retina and underlying nerve fiber layers

When it was featured on Good Morning America in May 2007, the Optovue RTVue spectral OCT  was one of only 100 worldwide.  As soon as May 2008, Dr. Olson was introducing that same instrument to his patients in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, at Complete EyeCare Center.

The GMA reporter was “able to get access to one”, and you have that same benefit without traveling to a metropolitan center or university.  Spectral OCT with the Optovue RTVue is a new generation of Optical Coherence Tomography for detection, classification, and management of ocular diseases and pathology.

Why should that interest you?  Because this exciting tool has the ability to help Dr. Olson detect and treat progressive eye diseases at a much earlier stage.  Slowing or stopping  disease progression early means less likelihood of vision loss or blindness, and better health for you.

Several eye diseases, like glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy have no symptoms in their early stages.  But a skilled eye doctor using the RTVue can detect and manage them.  Painless and quick, the ultra-high speed and high resolution features of the RTVue enable Dr. Olson to visualize retinal, anterior segment, and corneal tissue with ultra-high clarity.

Watch this interesting Good Morning America segment by clicking here.

An optomap® Retinal Exam provides:

• A scan to show a healthy eye or detect disease.
• A view of the retina, giving Dr. Olson a more detailed view than he can get by other means.
• The opportunity for you to view and discuss the optomap® image of your eye with Dr. Olson at the time of your exam.
• A permanent record for your file, which allows the doctor to view your images each year to look for changes.

The optomap® Retinal Exam is fast, easy, and comfortable for all ages.  To have the exam, you simply look into the device one eye at a time and you will see a comfortable flash of light to let you know the image of your retina has been taken.  Your optomap® is immediately captured so Dr. Olson can evaluate and review it with you on a computer screen during your exam.  Click here to see a video demonstration of the optomap experience.

Please schedule your annual optomap® Retinal Exam today by calling our office at  319.385.9534 .

Antioxidants tend to draw the attention of eye doctors because of research linking them to a reduction of macular cell damage.   The reduction of free radicals is known to have multiple health benefits, including benefits to some age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients and those who have the potential for it.  For adults who have difficulty taking pills, the enlyten antioxidant dissolving strip is an alternative to consider.

Being health minded, Dr. Olson has also noted the benefits of enlyten’s electrolyte plus product.  This no-calorie, no-carb, no-sugar alternative for electrolyte replacement has great benefits over typical sport drinks.  If you’re an exercise or sports enthusiast, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

You can learn more about enlyten products by clicking this link.  If you’re ready to purchase Enlyten, click here to buy enlyten strips now.