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1. http://www.agingeye.net/cataract/Snellehart.gif

2. Your Trip to the Eye Doctor…Sheree Rodeffer and Brad Conner http://www.emich.edu/coe/clinics/images/entrance.jpg

3. Why should I see an eye doctor? • Have you had any recent change in your vision? Or are things just not as clear anymore?? • How frequent should I visit the eye doctor? • Infants - between birth and 3 months and between 6 months and a year • Children- examined at ages 3 and 5 • Adults- once between 20 and 39 • Every 2-4 yrs between 40 and 64 • Every 1 or 2 years beginning at age 65

4. Who should I see? • Ophthalmologists: • M.D. • Complete eye examinations and eye care • Treat eye injuries • Perform surgical procedures • Optometrist: • Trained to diagnose common eye conditions • Prescribe corrective lenses • Opticians • Technician who fills eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions • Grind and fit lenses

5. Common tests you may occur(or be subjected to…) • Visual Acuity • Acuity: sharpness of vision- how clearly you see an object • Uses Snellen Chart- gauged in decreasing letter size • Chart usually 20 ft away http://www.agingeye.net/cataract/Snellehart.gif

6. Common tests you may occur(or be subjected to…) • Refraction • Refraction: how light waves are bent as they pass through your cornea and lens • Helps determine what prescription is necessary • Phoroptor- used to fine tune assessment http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/coreimages/contemporary/NEI/exam8_preview.jpg

7. Common tests you may occur(or be subjected to…) • Visual Field Test: • Area in front of you without moving your eyes • Completed by looking into a machine and responding to flashing lights http://www.stlukeseye.com/images/eyeq/VisualFields.jpg

8. Common tests you may occur(or be subjected to…) • Glaucoma Test: • Measures internal pressure of one’s eye • Completed measuring the amount of force needed to momentarily flatten the cornea

9. If your exam comes out ok you can leave, But if not…

10. You may have… • Nearsightedness: • Where distant objects appear blurry • Farsightedness: • Where nearby objects appear blurry • Eye strain/ achy eyes/ headache • Astigmatism • Portions of visual field are distorted • Vertical, Horizontal, or Diagonal lines appear blurry

11. But…there’s hope… • Many visual problems are corrected with • Eyeglasses • Contact lenses • Refractive surgery …and these procedures are relatively common and easy

12. a BIGGER problem… • Glaucoma • “silent thief” • Characterized by abnormally high pressure inside the eyeball • Symptoms include: • Loss of peripheral vision, blurred vision (usually 1 eye) • Risk factors: • Age - Race -Family History • Medical Conditions -Nearsightedness • Physical Injuries

13. http://www.sfn.org/skins/main/images/brainbriefings/glaucoma.graphic.jpghttp://www.sfn.org/skins/main/images/brainbriefings/glaucoma.graphic.jpg

14. So what do I do?? Treatment Options: • Eye Drops • Oral Medications • Surgery

15. Cataracts • Lens becomes cloudy • Light is scattered • Symptoms include: • Cloudy, blurred, dim vision • Halos around lights, Double vision in one eye • Need for bright light for reading and other activities • Risks: • Diabetes -Family History -Smoking/Alcohol • Previous eye inflam. / surgery -Excessive sunlight

16. There’s help… Treatment = Surgery Removes clouded lens and replaces with lens implant

17. Want to avoid all this?? • Prevention: • Have vision checked regularly • Use sunglasses with UV blocker • Optimize vision with right glasses • Recognize warning signs • Protection: • Wear safety goggles or glasses • Be careful when applying makeup • Remove dangerous toys • Be careful around car batteries

18. What’s NOT going to get you in trouble… • Myths about vision: • Reading in dim light • Sitting too close to television screen • Reading by flashlights • Sitting in front row of a movie theater …none of these will cause permanent damage to your vision!!!!!