- ATTENTION Allergy Sufferers
- Seeing The Computer
- Baby's 1st Eye Exam
- Revolutionary New Scanning Technology
- Managing Your Healthcare Dollars
- Questions For The Doctors
- Eyeglass deal a real spectacle
I looked out in the yard recently and noticed new little green leaves on the tree which means one thing. Allergy sufferers beware. For those of you who suffer from ocular allergies such as itching, red eyes, swelling and tearing don’t despair. There are several very effective prescription treatment options available. Because ocular allergies is a medical problem this is covered by your major medical insurance. The topical prescription drops typically are much more effective then the over the counter allergy drops. Prescription drops last 10 to 12 hours whereas over the counter drops last only about 2 hours and they are much more effective on long-term swelling and redness. In addition they do not have some of the more irritating preservatives, which may be toxic to the ocular surface. Using ocular treatments also tends to avoid the adverse effects of oral antihistamine agents which cause systemic symptoms of drowsiness, drying and difficulty urinating. Dr. Sommers and Dr. Ramirez can help with itchy, burning, watery allergy eyes.
Everyday I have patients tell me their new 19" flat computer screen makes it easier to see the computer. Yes the quality of the monitor is improved but without the proper prescription the image in front of you has just gotten bigger and blurred. For most people their computer monitor sits at approximately eye level. If you are a bifocal wearer this means that when you look straight ahead you are in fact looking through your distance prescription. This can in fact be the cause of tired, blurred and irritated eyes after computer use. In order to see better one must tip the chin up, raising the intermediate or near prescription high enough to get the benefit of the prescription.
As you can imagine this action creates other ergonomic problems in the neck, back and shoulders. Computer work is primarily a visual task. By correcting the vision properly many of these computer problems can be eliminated or minimized. Because the computer is a more visually demanding task than reading printed documents, correcting even small amounts of farsightedness or astigmatism is helpful. An analogy I like to use is one would not wear shorts and a T-shirt in a snow storm. You prepare for the weather just like you need to prepare at work. Call today and schedule an eye exam and a computer vision analysis to relieve computer strain and symptoms.
This may come as a surprise to many of you, but your child’s first real eye exam by a doctor (the pediatrician doesn’t count) should be within the first year of life. Yes, I’ll admit it, optometry has been remiss about getting the word out.
The dentists have done a much better job than optometry in educating their patients about the proper time for checkups. Which is why I am taking this opportunity to set things straight.
Considering the importance of vision in the learning process, it behooves parents to ensure their child’s vision by having regular eye exams beginning at age one. At this stage, we can catch excessive or unequal amounts of farsightedness, nearsightedness and astigmatism to help prevent amblyopia and crossed eyes.
Vision development and eye health problems can be more easily corrected if treatment is begun early.
Don’t forget to schedule the little ones when making your next eye appointment.
Revolutionary New Scanning Technology
Now Offered By Dr. Sommers and Dr. Ramirez
Dr. Sommers and Dr. Ramirez now offer the new Stratus OCT , a highly advanced scanning system that can help in the diagnosis of a wide range of vision problems. Status OCT produces highly detailed images of the retina, the innermost layer of the interior of the eye, and it is the first and only instrument that can "see" below the surface of the retina to examine the retinal layers.
Stratus OCT is an exciting, important advance in eye care technology. The new system enables us to clearly see internal structures inside the eye, so problems can be identified and treated before they progress. Dr. Sommers describes Stratus OCT as a powerful tool that helps us do more than ever before to protect a patient’s vision.
The breakthrough images of Stratus OCT provide detailed, x-ray-like images of the structures affected by glaucoma and other abnormalities of the retina, including detached retina, macular holes, macular degeneration and more. The OCT allows the clinic to have more information in order to make better diagnoses and treat the patient to prevent vision loss. Dr. Sommers and Ramirez will use the OCT in treating patients with glaucoma, evaluation of diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration. Most major medical carriers and Medicare pay for this sophisticated testing.
Managing Your Healthcare Dollars
Medicare is a benefit you work all your life to earn, and one which we feel you should take full advantage of. Your Medicare insurance will pay for a medically related eye examination as needed. Additionally, your comprehensive eye examination and glasses are covered in the event you have had cataract surgery (one of each following your surgery).
Therefore, we would like to advise you that if you are considering an eye examination, you might want to do so before December 31, 2005, as your Medicare deductible will be due again January 1, 2006. We are reserving end-of-year appointments for your Medicare patients for this very reason.
We hope this advice will help you receive the best possible eye care by getting the maximum use out of your insurance. Call 281 332 0698 today and we will schedule an appointment for you before the year is over.
We encourage those with flexible spending accounts / cafeteria plans to do the same. Call Nasa Vision Center today to make an appointment.
q. If I have a red eye should I go to see Doctors Sommers and Ramirez?
a. Yes. Doctors Sommers and Ramirez are your primary care eye doctors. You call their office if there is anything wrong with your eyes that needs medical attention.
q. What about a pink eye?
a. They deal with pink eye all the time. The office sees many kids with pink eye as well as adults with infections. Doctors Sommers and Ramirez prescribe antibiotic drops and oral medications for eye infections if needed.
q. How about if I get something in my eye?
a. The doctors remove foreign bodies from eyes a lot. Industrial companies send employees to the office to have metal removed from their eyes and often the rust needs to be drilled out of the cornea too. The office is open 6 days a week and often see folks on Saturdays who have been doing household projects and had injuries to their eyes that need immediate attention. Service is quick (as opposed to the long waits at the emergency room) and often less expensive.
q. Do they treat and know about cataracts?
a. Every examination that they perform, even for glasses or contact lenses, evaluates the patient for cataracts too. If cataracts are diagnosed, the doctors will monitor and evaluate those cataracts until they need to be surgically removed. Doctors Sommers and Ramirez will then work with a surgeon to have the cataracts removed. They will then do all the follow up visits after the surgery. They deal with cataracts all day long.
q. What about glaucoma?
a. Again, every examination they perform evaluates every patient for glaucoma. You may know that the concepts of glaucoma have changed recently and Doctors Sommers and Ramirez are at the forefront of evaluating, diagnosing and treating glaucoma. They prescribe drops for many of their patients who are under their careful care for the treatment of their glaucoma. Yes, they definitely treat glaucoma and have many glaucoma patients that they monitor and treat regularly. They have some of the latest equipment for maintaining good control and preserving sight.
q. Do they check diabetics retinas?
a. Most definitely. Every examination performed in the clinic includes an evaluation of the retina. This is especially important for diabetics. Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness in this country. All diabetics need to have the inside of their eyes evaluated at least once a year and Doctors Sommers and Ramirez are very experienced at doing these exams. Many general medical practitioners in the community refer patients to the office to have the retinas of their diabetic patients evaluated. The clinic also has a new state of the art retinal camera that takes photos of the inside of the eye so that any diabetic changes can be recorded and monitored.
q. How about high blood pressure?
a. Every routine examination includes looking at the retina for changes possibly related to hypertension. The eye is the only part of the body that you can see blood vessels in real life. It gives lots of clues as to the health of the blood vessels in the whole body. MD’s often request that their patients with high blood pressure get examinations and Doctors Sommers and Ramirez regularly do these evaluations.
q. Should I be examined if I have floaters or flashes in my vision?
a. This is important. Sommers and Ramirez need you to come to the office the very day that you notice flashes in your vision. They are often described to be like lightening flashes and can signal a retinal detachment. This is urgent and needs to be evaluated immediately. Floaters of black spots in the vision can be part of the same type of problem and also need to be seen fairly quickly. If you see a lot of floaters like a net or a lace curtain then it too needs to be evaluated soon.
q. Can they help me for my dry eyes?
a. Dry eyes are a common problem that often gets worse as we get older and it is worse in women. Sommers and Ramirez are very knowledgeable in all the new treatments for dry eye problems and have many patients that they are treating for this ailment.
q. Do they know anything about the side effects of drugs that I am taking?
a. Sommers and Ramirez regularly evaluate patients because their internists need baseline data for the drugs that they are taking. Many drugs may have side effects seen in the eye. A good example of this is Plaquenil that can be used for arthritis treatment. Sommers and Ramirez have the knowledge and equipment to make these determinations.
q. Does the clinic take medicare, UTMB and other insurance?
a. The office accepts medicare, Superior Vision and many other insurances. Often a person’s medical health insurance will cover the examination if it is for a medical problem and not for a routine examination for glasses. A call to the office will determine if your insurance is accepted.
q. You haven’t spoken about regular examinations for glasses or contact lenses.
a. We wanted you to realize that we do all the medical examinations that we have spoken about because we feel that people don’t realize that about our practice. A large part of our practice is actually routine exams of people just wanting to see better, get new glasses or contact lenses. However, even when we do a routine exam, the health evaluation is extensive and the commitment to good health is at the forefront of Doctors Sommers and Ramirez minds.
q. What about frames, lenses and glasses?
a. We have an amazing optical with fantastic glasses. That will be the subject of another article.
