Most of my readers have had their vision tested using a Snellen Chart in an eye doctor’s office along with a host of other diagnostic tests to determine if the eyes are functioning properly.  The Snellen Chart is the one with the big “E”.  These charts are often used by pediatricians and school nurses as screenings to assess a child’s vision.  WHAT I LEARNED TODAY WAS MINDBOGGLING.  I always knew that pediatricians and school nurses missed vision problems in 30% of the children they screened…….But I was dead wrong.  New statistics recently published show that this number was close to 72%.  That’s amazing!  Perhaps that is one reason that children in the United States are falling behind other countries in science and math scores and more.  What is even more amazing is that the protocols these professionals are using to refer these kids to the eye doctor is more outdated that a dial-up telephone.

The 3D symposium opened my eyes to the future — 3D movies, 3D TV, 3D cell phones, 3D cameras, 3D computers, 3D learning, 3D surgery and so much more.  Doctors will be doing (and have already started to do so today) virtual surgery.  And they need good depth perception to do this.  This is not the distant future.  This is today.  Students who now learn about a DNA double helix from books or on the smart board will soon be able to sit in the middle of the double helix and view specific genes in 3D.  Learning will be different in tomorrow’s classroom.  STUDENTS WHO ONLY USE ONE EYE AT A TIME WILL BE LIMITTED IN THEIR LEARNING CAPABILITIES.  Both eyes are needed to send equal signals to the brain so the brain can perceive depth.

Nintendo is releasing a new 3D video toy for children within the next few months.  Only those children with efficient binocular vision will excel in these games…. And this will only be the beginning.  Parents need to know that when their children “fail” or do poorly at these tasks, there may be a vision or perceptual problem.  And they must know this and do something about it before the child is 7 years of age.  And even this may be too late.  The earlier vision problems are determined in children, the easier they are to correct for a lifetime of learning.

Do you want your child to have the opportunity to be a doctor, an astronaut, a pilot or some other profession that will require excellent depth perception (3D)?   Do you want your child to have the opportunity to enjoy 3D movies, TV and more like people with “normal” depth perception can?  Early detection of visual issues is imperative to a child’s development and future.   The simple enjoyment of these entertainment venues that we take for granted are compromised by poor depth deception.

Researchers are developing new 3D tools for eye doctors and educators to screen your children for earlier detection of underlying vision problems.  As an optometrist, it is my job to find vision solutions that will offer my patients an opportunity for a good user experience when it comes to the 3D technology of the future.

“The Clock is Ticking in 3D”.  Have your child’s eyes professionally examined.

For more information go to www.3dathome.org or www.aoa.org.

Dr. Joel Kestenbaum

www.optixeyecare.com

On day one, while I was relaxing at the swimming pool, I struck up a conversation with a Los Angeles couple whose five year old daughter was swimming with them.  I noticed that the parents were wearing prescription sunglasses but the child was not wearing sunglasses at all.  Our conversation led the parents to the realization that they needed to be more aware of their child’s visual well being.  They were unaware that 80% of learning was through the eyes.  They were unaware that 80% of a person’s lifetime visual exposure to ultraviolet light comes before the age of 18. They were unaware of the long term effects UV light has on eye health.  They were going home and would make an appointment for their child with an eye doctor, her first and most important appointment.

Day 2 was actually an eye opener for me.  Having left my prescription glasses in my hotel room, I left to do a day’s worth of shopping with my wife carrying only my polarized sunglasses.   Sunglasses are a necessity when you are in the desert.  But when you are going in and out of store after store after store you soon realize that having your transitions eyeglasses with you is just as important.  Transitions lenses change from light to dark depending on the amount of UV exposure.  Indoors they are clear and would have allowed me to see more efficiently while shopping.  Yes, even eye doctors forget to take their glasses with them on occasion.  And by the way, I really do not like shopping.

Traveling through the mountains and desert in New Mexico on Day 3, I truly appreciated my polarized sunglasses.   My preference is Maui Jim sunglasses because of the way this lens minimizes reflections coming from the lens itself.  Mine are prescription but they are available as non-prescription as well.  We arrived in Taos after a detour to Bandelier National Monument and Los Alamos, the home of the atom bomb.  The color and contours of the mountains can only be appreciated by those who have good visual quality.  Unfortunately, there are many travelers who don’t realize they are not seeing well because they have not had their eyes examined.  If you know one or more of these people, enlighten them about the importance of an eye examination.

This is what I do when I am not in the office.  I travel and I think eyes. I love my time off yet I am constantly reminded of why I became an optometrist.  That is, to directly or indirectly help people see their best so they can see the world too.  Enjoy your time off when you get some.   In the meantime, have your eyes and those of a loved one examined.

Perhaps we will see each other on our next vacation.

Joel Kestenbaum, OD

www.optixeyecare.com

image credit Kamal H

It’s that time of the year again.  The kids are going back to school.  Mom and dad are running out to get the children new clothes, a haircut and a new pencil case.  The cupboard is being filled with the peanut butter, tuna fish and other dietary essentials that are necessary for the brainpower for learning.

But what about vision?  Do parents know that 80 percent of learning comes through the eyes?  I didn’t make up this statistic.  I stole it from numerous studies that I’ve read about the relationship between vision and a child’s education.  And by the way, how would parents know about this statistic?

The sad thing about this statistic is that I live it every day I am in the office.  It seems that I am always examining older teenagers and adults that either have never had an eye examination or didn’t have an eye exam until they were at least in high school.  Many of these hard working adults have previously undetected vision problems, including lazy eye, farsightedness and glaucoma.  Some of their vision problems undoubtedly contributed to lack of a quality education and lower paying jobs.

As for the teenagers, how many years of schooling did they have prior to getting an eye exam?  Was it nine years, ten years or more?  How hard it must have been for many of these kids to see what their teachers were writing on the board.  Did they squint to see the homework assignment or did they copy it from their less visually impaired friends?  Are these kids in special classes because they are having trouble learning?  Did any one of their teachers think to ask the parents to have their child’s eyes examined?

If I sound upset, I am.  I place blame for this lack of parental education about their child’s eyesight on educators and medical professionals.  I suppose I have to include myself in this blame game but I know very well that I am one of those medical professionals that actually attempt to discuss the need for eye exams at an early age with my patients .  I go so far as to mention it to every engaged person, newlywed, pregnant woman and grandparent.

When I see a teenager for the first time I am always getting the history from the parents.  I usually ask why they waited to have their child’s eyes examined until this time.  The parent’s usual answer is that their child never complained that they couldn’t see.  My obnoxious thought is “did the child complain about a toothache before you took them to the dentist”?  Sometimes I actually express these thoughts to the parents if I think I have a good rapport with them.  My next question is “Did the pediatrician ever recommend an eye examination”?  Their answer is that the pediatrician did an eye exam every year.  Do pediatricians test for depth perception which can affect motor skills or color vision that can affect certain life skills or do a screening for glaucoma, or take a look through a dilated pupil to discover a previously undetected melanoma?  I don’t think so.

My point is that an eye exam is only an eye exam when an eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist) does the examination.  The rest is just a screening.  Screenings are valuable but do not take the place of a comprehensive eye examination by an eye doctor.   Early detection leads to early prevention.  Early detection leads to an easier time learning in school.  It does not mean that every child will be a genius if their eyes are examined.   It does mean that at least a child has a better chance of seeing what they need to see in order to have an easier time learning.

It has been a long time since my kids have been in grade school.  I am so glad my wife and I gave them all the tools they needed to get a quality education.   Remember to have your child’s eyes examined so that they too can have the tools they need for a quality education.  We had vision.  Do you?

Dr. Joel Kestenbaum

www.optixeyecare.com

Image Credit: Vince Alongi

Have you ever thought about how to improve your quality of life with the proper eye wear? Think about all the things you do every day and how you can make your visual life easier.

• Everyday Living - Contact Lenses, Eyeglasses, Sunglasses
• Work Environment – Computer eyeglasses (Gunnar Eyewear), Safety Eyewear, Reading glasses
• Tennis- Sports protective eyeglasses, Sunglasses, Contact lenses
• Golf- Golf Glasses, Contact Lenses, Sunglasses
• Reading- Reading Glasses, Bifocals, Progressives
• Biking- Sun glass wraps for protection with interchangeable lenses, Contact Lenses
• Skiing- Ski Goggles with prescription eyeglass insert, Contact Lenses
• Fishing- Polarized Sunglasses
• Misc Sports- Contact Lenses, Sports safety eyewear
• TV- Single Vision TV Glasses, (in addition to progressives for everyday living)
• Computer- Computer Glasses, Progressives
• Driving- Clear non-glare eyeglasses for night driving, Polarized Sunglasses for daytime. (One for each car)

This is just a thought. What do you think? What special needs do you have that need vision correction. How have you helped your vision today?

Dr. Joel Kestenbaum

www.optixeyecare.com

It’s allergy season….as if you didn’t know already.  You and the masses are experiencing the symptoms of the season.  Every day my patients are calling for appointments due to eye discomfort.

The main symptoms of allergy eyes are red, itchy and watery eyes.  Fortunately, there are many remedies including prescription and over the counter.  For sudden swelling, ice is a good choice.  Antihistamines, like Benedryl, are often used for allergic reactions but one has to be careful of the side effect of drowsiness.  Zyrtec, once only available by prescription, is now available over-the-counter.

Todays over-the-counter topical remedies include Zaditor (twice a day), Naphcon A (up to 4 times per day), Opcon A, Visine A, and a host of others.  One must be careful though not to abuse these meds as they can cause a reaction if over used.

Prescription medications include once a day drops like Pataday, and twice a day drops like Patanol , Optivar, and Elestat.  Other topical eye drops include mild steroids and antihistamines.

Whatever your doctor recommends, it is a good idea to continue with these drops until allergy season is over.  The end of June is usually the time to stop unless you are still symptomatic.

So try to keep your hands to yourself and away from your eyes.   Enjoy the season.

Joel Kestenbaum, OD

Over two million Americans have glaucoma making it one of the most common causes of legal blindness in the United States. Glaucoma can rob people of their vision even though they don’t have any visual symptoms or pain.  In fact, half of those with glaucoma don’t even know it.  The disease is not easily diagnosed.  For example, the standard test, which measures eye pressure, fails to uncover glaucoma in one third of patients with the disease.  This is why glaucoma is called the “sneak thief of sight.”

A Better Glaucoma Detection Technology
Don’t worry, Optix has the revolutionary Zeiss GDx Nerve Fiber Analyzer.  This revolutionary new technology helps Drs Kestenbaum, Zalaznick and Lustig detect glaucoma earlier, so the disease can be treated before vision is lost.  The GDx is a tool that uses a scanning laser to determine the thickness of the nerve fiber layer of the retina. The nerve fiber layer is important because it is the tissue that the optic nerve is made of.  Damage to the nerve fiber layer could be a sign of glaucoma.  In theory, a thinning of the nerve fiber layer is bad.
The test is a quick and comfortable part of a complete eye exam.  Plus, you don’t have to have your pupils dilated. You simply look into the Zeiss GDx system while it safely scans the back of your eye.  Total exam time usually takes less than a minute, and the system creates easy-to-read images that the doctor can quickly analyze.  This computerized instrument can measure changes in retinal thickness that the eye doctors cannot with a routine exam.  This thinning would show up before loss is seen with a visual field or peripheral vision test in most cases.  Generally, until there is a field defect, patients are unaware of a problem.  The GDx offers important information that is not obvious on clinical examination.  It is most useful in following patients over time to see if they are losing tissue at a rate faster than they should.  The GDx is likely the earliest glaucoma detection device available.

Enhanced Patient Services
Including the ZEISS GDx screening and exam in our practice is another example of our commitment to provide the most advanced and comprehensive eyecare services. If you have any questions about your vision or the health of your eyes, please contact our office. We are more than happy to help with any of your eye care needs.

What makes me at risk?
•    A Family History of Glaucoma?
•    High or Borderline Eye Pressure?
•    Aging (Generally Over 35 But Could Be Younger)
•    Diabetes
•    Sleep Apnea (Breathing Disorders)
•    African-American or Latino Ancestry?
•    Hypertension
•    History of Steroid Use
•    History of Migraines
•    Thinning Corneas
•    Suspicious Looking Optic Nerves
•    High Myopia (Nearsightedness)

If it has been 18 months since you or a family member have had an eye examination, call Optix to schedule an appointment.  Saving your sight is worth an hour of your time.
Dr. Joel Kestenbaum

I learned years ago that a good pair of shoes helps me to feel sound all day.  When my feet hurt, it is hard for me to concentrate on my daily activities.  As a twenty five year old, I used to wear Thom McCann shoes.  They were cheap and looked ok.  One day I couldn’t stand the discomfort and decided to invest in a comfortable pair of shoes from an upscale shoe store.  The comfort was incredible.  From that day on, I have always invested in my feet.

In my opinion, the same concept that applies to shoes, applies to vision and eyewear.  As an optometrist married to an optician, I am intricately involved with my patient’s visual well being.  Over the years I have listened to my patients complaining about their eyes and vision and have seen many people wearing poor quality eyeglasses.  Headaches, eyestrain, tired and red eyes and marks on the nose are just a few of the complaints.

In my office, my staff and I work hard to educate our patients in the importance of maintaining not only clear, but comfortable vision.  We have come to the conclusion that people need to put their priorities in order.  Most people don’t understand that not all lenses are the same and frames are not just pieces of plastic or metal.  More importantly, the opticians that fabricate eyeglasses and the equipment they use can make an extreme difference in the visual outcome.

Think about these facts.

1. What is one of the first things that someone sees when he or she meets you?  The answer is your eyeglasses.
2. If you wear eyeglasses every day, should they be comfortable to wear?  I think so.  There are many eyeglass materials that are light weight and are guaranteed to hold up to perspiration without pitting.  If you can, choose quality over price…. Remember, you wear these eyeglasses every day.
3. Should eyeglasses provide clear vision?  The answer is definitely yes.  So why if non-glare or non-reflective lenses are available in every prescription, do 50% of patients choose older technology lenses that have less than perfect optical quality?  I have a hard time understanding this.
4. Since eyeglasses are both a visual aid and a cosmetic statement, why do people wear the same pair of eyeglasses every day?  I don’t wear the same shirt, shoes or pants every day.  So why should I wear the same eyeglasses every day?  Should a person have a wardrobe of these?  I think so.  Fashion eyewear, work glasses, sports glasses, computer glasses, sunglasses are all available.  Why wear the same eyewear every day?

At Optix, we invest in our staff as an investment to our patients.  We’ve invested thousands of dollars in sophisticated equipment to ensure that eyeglasses are fabricated to exact specifications.  We use only the finest quality lenses and recommend only high quality non-glare technology.  The frames we recommend are not only fashionable but also comfortable.  And they don’t have to be expensive.

In today’s battered economy, the best investment you can make is in something that makes you see well, look good and feel like a million bucks.  At Optix, it is our goal to give our patients the best eyewear they’ve ever had and support their purchase with excellent service.   Please come see us.

________________________________________
Dr. Joel Kestenbaum and the Optix staff.

Beginning March 15, 2009, if you schedule a Free Lasik Consultation with Dr. Kestenbaum or Dr. Zalaznick, you will receive a $500 gift card to be applied towards Bladeless Custom Lasik at TLC Laser Center. This is a limited time offer for patients who complete the laser procedure prior to June 9, 2009. Our patients have had tremendous success with lasik including Dr. Kestenbaum’s son who loves the results.

Remember, for good candidates, lasik is an excellent alternative to eyeglasses or contact lenses. Think about your lifestlye and ask Dr. Kestenbaum or Dr. Zalaznick if lasik is right for you.

Call OPTIX today to take advantage of the $500 gift card offer.

Okay…..It’s almost spring time.  It’s the time you’ve been waiting for.  It’s golf season.  The pro’s are on TV every weekend, Tiger is on the prowl, and now and you’re starting to get the itch. 

Who am I kidding?  I am starting to get the itch.  I love golf.  I take the game very seriously….. seriously enough to make sure I am seeing the ball as well as I can.  Within the past year, I started wearing contact lenses for golf.  Even though I see well enough in the office, I have found that I needed an extra edge for my passion.  And it really worked.  My putting improved because I can read the greens better.  My short game improved due to better depth perception.  And guess what?  My handicap improved too.

Is this all due to contact lenses?  Probably not.  But lenses did help improve my overall vision.  This was one less thing for me to think about so I was able to concentrate on my game.

So what contact lenses are best for your golf game?  It all depends on your individual needs.  For me, a single use or one day disposable was perfect.  I wear the lenses for about 5 to 8 hours and then I am done.  I remove the lens, throw it away, and take a fresh lens the next time I play.  I keep a few lenses in my golf bag, my car, my travel kit, my bowling bag, and my tennis bag.  Did I mention that contact lenses are great for other passions?

Call (516) 336-8787 if you would like a consultation.

Hit em straight.

Joel Kestenbaum, OD
Optix Family Eyecare Center

Sunglasses are the primary source of that eye protection.  Lenses must screen out UVA and UVB rays.  Lenses may be tinted or polarized but they all need UV protection.  It is also important to note that a child’s eyes need to be protected as well.  Statistics show that 80% of a person’s lifetime exposure to harmful ultraviolet light comes in their first 18 years. Parents must be educated so that they can offer eye protection to their children.

At Optix, we offer a wide selection of sunglasses, providing both protection and fashion.  What sets Optix apart from other eyecare providers is not the fact that we have styles from Gucci, Calvin Klein, Tiffany, Bvlgari and others.  What sets us apart is our staff.  Our licensed opticians have over 90 years of combined experience.  Add that to the almost 60 years experience of Dr. Joel Kestenbaum and Dr. Michelle Zalaznick, and you have experts that can act as both educators and patient advocates.  No eye care office on Long Island can boast this expertise.

So next time you’re relaxing on a snowy day, remember that sunny days will follow.  At Optix, we’ll look after your family, one sunny day at a time.

Enjoy your day.
Dr. Joel Kestenbaum