Never overlook the importance of safety eyewear when playing sports. Every year, hundreds of men, women, and children are injured while playing sports. To help prevent sports-related eye injuries, athletes should use protective athletic eyewear whether or not prescription eyewear is needed. One choice is a sports frame with prescription or non-prescription polycarbonate lenses. Baseball or softball players who are hit in or near the eye, or suffer a blow to the head, should seek immediate care at a hospital emergency room or from an eye care professional.
Dr. Kathy Hendrickson specializes in pediatric optometry, contact lenses, and management of ocular diseases. She has managed all aspects of comprehensive eye disease, including glaucoma and retinal diseases, and participates in management of pre- and post-operative surgical patients.
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is a disease which affects a small area of the retina known as the macula. The macula is a specialized spot on the retina that allows us to see the fine detail of whatever is directly in front of us. Macular degeneration occurs when the macula begins to deteriorate.
Laser Eye Surgery
LASIK, a form of refractive surgery, is an popular option for vision correction, often eliminating the need to wear glasses or contact lenses. Simply put, LASIK reshapes the cornea with a laser.
Cataracts
A cataract is an opacity of the lens of the eye. The body's natural lens is similar to an onion, with many layers. These layers contain protein and as the proteins clump together, they cover the lens and make it difficult to see clearly. Cataracts are generally seen in the older population, but they can occur at any age, even birth. By age 60, over half of the population has some symptoms of cataracts due to the natural aging process.
Cataract Surgery
Cataracts are painless but if left untreated can lead to blindness. Cataract surgery is done on an outpatient basis with little or no downtime afterwards. The surgery is performed by a medical doctor known as an ophthalmologist, who specializes in surgery of the eye. The aftercare or postoperative care can be administered by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist.
Eye Exam
Although many do not realize it, the best way to protect your vision is with a yearly eye checkup. Even a basic eye exam can instantly detect many health-threatening conditions, such as tumors, vascular irregularities, and diabetes-related injury to the retina. At
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition associated with diabetes. High levels of blood sugar may damage tiny blood vessels in your eye. New vessels may form to replace the damaged vessels. The new vessels can burst, resulting in blurred vision or even blindness.
Annual eye exams are vital to maintaining your vision and overall health. In our continuing efforts to bring the most advanced technology available to our patients, Family Vision Center is proud to announce the inclusion of the iWellnessExam as an important part of our complete eye examination. Similar to an MRI or CT scan for the eye, the iWellnessExam uses spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to produce cross sectional images of the retinal layers – which is sensitive area of the back of your eye – in a matter of seconds.