An Eye Exam Can Save Your Vision from Glaucoma

Its estimated that about four million people in the United States have glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve and silently destroy eyesight. Nearly half of those with glaucoma are not even aware that they have it. So waht about you? The number of cases that loose vision is unfortunate considering there are some high technology offices like Facchiano & Associates who maintain eye care offices with technology that can detect early signs of glaucoma long before that damage threatens vision. You owe it to yourself to find out your relative risk of lossing vision to glaucoma by getting a comprehensive dilated eye exam that includes having drops put in your eye and if the eye doctor orders extra diagnostics tests, an OCT optic nerve scan and threashold visual fields. With its painless and gradual loss of vision, glaucoma may have no early warning signs, but it can be detected during a comprehensive dilated eye exam.

Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Eye Institute (NEI), one of the National Institutes of Health, said, "NEI-funded research has shown that treatment during the early stages of glaucoma can control the disease and prevent future vision loss and blindness. This is why NEI encourages people at higher risk for glaucoma to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam every one to two years."

Anyone can develop glaucoma, but those at higher risk for developing the disease include:
African Americans over age 40
Everyone over age 60, especially Mexican Americans
People with a family history of the disease

During a comprehensive dilated eye exam, an eye care professional can see inside the eye to detect signs of glaucoma, such as subtle changes to the optic nerve, before any symptoms appear. This allows the eye care professional to determine if you have glaucoma or are at risk for it, to monitor your condition, to treat glaucoma as early as possible, and to look for other vision problems. Once symptoms appear, it may be too late to prevent vision loss and the progression to blindness.

If glaucoma is detected early, treatments such as eye drops or surgery can slow or stop vision loss. High pressure inside the eye, which may be associated with glaucoma, does not by itself mean that you have glaucoma. Only a comprehensive dilated eye exam and evaluation of the optic nerve by an eye care professional can tell you that.

If you know someone at risk for glaucoma, let them know you care - schedule an eye exam with your eye care professional today.

Tto your eye health,

Dr Vince Facchiano

Are digital high definition lenses right for me?

[caption id="attachment_1294" align="alignleft" width="333" caption="Amazingly sharp images with HD lens technology"][/caption]Did you know that there are higher-order aberrations that can affect your vision, even if your prescription eyeglasses fully correct your special ophthalmic prescription needs? Well eye Drs have known for years that there are aberrations due to the optical characteristics of your eyes and often more from the optical limitations of conventional eyeglass lenses. The frustrating issue for an optometrist was that there was no ideal lens treatment or process that could either solve or reduce such aberrations. Drs knew many patients just did not see as well as they could but there was nothing Drs could due because of the limitations in eyeglass lens fabrication technology.

Times have changed now and recent advances in eyeglass lens manufacturing have made possible new high-definition digital eyeglass lenses that correct these aberrations, potentially giving a patient sharper vision than what was ever possible with conventional eyeglasses. These lenses are designed to provide sharper vision in all lighting conditions, provide wider progressive lens corridors, keep the prescription optically true over a much wider zone in the lens and reduce glare for nighttime driving and other night vision tasks.

Many brands of high-definition eyeglass lenses currently are available today, including high-definition versions of high-index lenses and progressive lenses.

Digital lens surfacing is six times more accurate than conventional lens processing because the new digital surfacing equipment uses less tooling and has direct contact with the lens enabling a high degree of accuracy. The analogy can be just like a digital camera. The higher pixal count yields a higher degree of resolution. When this happens as you have seen in your digital camera images, you get this amazing crisp image. So this is the same experience with the HD digital ophthalmic lenses today. The result is a very highly defined vision along with and unmatched depth and clarity never before possible. In the case of progressive addition lenses fabricated using the digital technology get ready for a refreshing change because of a 20% wider progressive field of view. From personal experience I know it makes for exceptional intermediate and near working ranges exceeding the conventional options. I am getting the benefit right now with my new digital lenses I am wearing. It really makes reading and computer use so much more comfortable and enjoyable; my eyes just get less tired with near visual tasks.

So wow! I can really appreciate the HD lenses wider, sharp and true optical zone and the crispness of detail is an awesome experience. You owe it to yourself to investigate this option the next time you fill your new eyeglass presciption.

Please ask your optometrist if these new lenses are right for your eyes.

To your eye health,

Dr Vincent Facchiano

Photoker-what?

Photokeratitis. This is the “sunburn” of the cornea. During the past 4th of July holiday were you out playing yard games with the family? Boating on the lake? Sunbathing on a beach? More importantly, were you wearing eye protection?



Sunglasses are beneficial to help prevent Photokeratitis. Symptoms may include discomfort, blurred vision, and light sensitivity. Many times the sunburn is not usually noticed until several hours after exposure. The temporary vision loss that may result from Photokeratitis is called “snow blindness.” Ultraviolet (UV) rays and excessive sunlight, especially the type of rays which bounce off of snow and ice may lead to this painful sunburn. Being knowledgeable in regards to UV light is important to protect your eyes.

Outdoor risk factors including geographic location, altitude, the time of day, setting, and medications all determine the risk of damage. UV levels are greater when the sun is high in the sky, typically from 10am to 2pm. Also UV levels are greater in wide open spaces, especially when highly reflective surfaces are present such as sand. Always be aware of your medications, birth control pills, sulfa drugs, and tranquilizers are a few of the medications that may increase your body’s sensitivity to UV radiation.

This “sunburn” of the eye is preventable by understanding what Photokeratitis is, how UV rays are harmful, and wearing sun protection. Sunglasses or eye protection that transmits 5-10% of visible light and absorbs almost all UV rays are most beneficial. Look for sun protection that has large lenses and side shields to avoid incidental exposure from light as well. Call your optician in Lenscrafters at (815) 332-3233 to discuss more options.

If you feel that you or a family member may have symptoms of Photokeratitis, please call Dr. Facchiano and Associates at (815) 332-2223 to schedule an appointment.

Please read more information here: http://www.allaboutvision.com/parents/protective.htm#ixzz1RRvNN8SN

Can I sleep in my contacts?

Yes.. and no.


There are two different types of contact lenses available daily wear (you remove them before sleeping) and extended wear (you leave them in overnight). The extended wear lenses allow for more oxygen to reach your cornea, thus making it more acceptable to be slept in. These lenses are typically allowed to be left in without removal for up to seven days.

The latest technology in contact lens material called silicone hydrogel, are approved by the FDA for up to 30 days of wear without removal. If interested, please consult your doctor about these lenses. “Continuous wear” lenses, also known as gas permeable lenses may also be worn for up to a month at a time. “After recent improvements in design and materials, these lenses now can be worn safely for the full 30 days for those who can tolerate them. Your optometrist will advise you about how your eyes are responding to extended wear and how frequently you should remove your lenses.”

So you’ve heard the “You’ll be more prone to eye infections if you leave your contacts in!” Well its true, researchers found that eye infections are greater among people who sleep with their contacts in. FDA has approved the maximum extended wear period to just seven days.

Our doctor’s still do not recommend leaving them in for a full seven-day period. Taking them out before you go to sleep will help decrease the chance of getting an eye infection significantly. Extended wear lenses are a concern for dangerous little organisms that start on your finger, may get on your contact, and then in your eye! These bacteria may lead to infections such as pink eye and in very serious conditions even blindness! If you feel you are having any problems with your contacts from extended wear, please consult with your Optometrist.

Sleeping in your contacts is possible with new silicone hydrogel lenses as they provide more oxygen to the eye than previous soft lenses. Although these materials make overnight wear safer, keep in mind the possibility for infections!

If you are interested in extended wear type contacts, please consult with your Optometrist at Dr. Facchiano and Associates. Call (815) 332-2223

Read more here: http://www.allaboutvision.com/contacts/extended.htm#ixzz1QbZ0NkfY

Shining a New Light on Sun

I see patients every day asking, “What are you doing about sun protection?" Yet less than half have an answer and some even think sun protection does not apply to them or is not a necessary priority. Ironically I can see sun damage in the eyes of many of those same patients already. So I see the effects of unprotected exposure to UV rays over longer period of times and I know it can and often does damage the eyes. The longer this happens the greater the risk of developing cataracts (which form at any age) , irreversible macular (central vision) degeneration and glaucoma (a silent optic neuropathy). So why wait for these conditions to seriously impair your vision to a point in which the Dr. then tells you it may be impossible to reverse?

The need is all around you each day. Its glare and this affects our daily lives. The sun’s glare presents risks to those who do not protect their eyes. Eye fatigue can be caused by this annoying glare. Ever drive into the sun and get annoyed with the sun’s glare? Who has not, right? How do you feel after enduring those situations where constant squinting was produced over a long period of time? What about the disabling and blinding glare? Intense light blocks vision. Each year, blinding glare results in accidents and fatalities in such critical situations as driving, cycling and walking in high traffic areas.

So take a close look around you. Is the morning sun too bright? Is there an accident risk for you? Has your environment changed and there is glare off the surrounding structures because the community you live in has high rise structures built with more reflective materials? Does your correction allow you to see and perform your best in this digital age? Smart phones, laptops, and other devices allow folks to work outside and on the go; how well can you see those when you are outdoors?

So many have this day to day relationship with the sun that causes stress and fatigue and in some cases present a danger to others and a risk to their eye health. It is a slow, stealthy deterioration to your eyesight. So then the prescription to your eye health is not exactly a hard pill to swallow either. For safety, comfort and protection on the job, in the car, on the water, on the beach, riding on a motorcycle, in a boat, on the golf course or in your back yard, sun protection is crucial. Important to all of us both who need ophthalmic prescription glasses as well as those who do not. Let us not leave out that fun feeling that comes from looking cool either.

Please talk to your eye care professional and learn what the best solutions are for you.


To your eye health!



Dr Facchiano

What's a Lazy Eye?

Lazy eye, or amblyopia, is the loss or lack of development of central vision in one eye that is unrelated to any eye health problem and is not correctable with lenses. It can result from a failure to use both eyes together. Lazy eye is often associated with crossed-eyes or a large difference in the degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness between the two eyes. It usually develops before the age of 6, and it does not affect side vision.

Symptoms may include noticeably favoring one eye or a tendency to bump into objects on one side. Symptoms are not always obvious.
Treatment for lazy eye may include a combination of prescription lenses, prisms, vision therapy and eye patching. Vision therapy teaches the two eyes how to work together, which helps prevent lazy eye from reoccurring.

Early diagnosis increases the chance for a complete recovery. This is one reason why the American Optometric Association recommends that children have a comprehensive optometric examination by the age of 6 months and again at age 3. Lazy eye will not go away on its own. If not diagnosed until the pre-teen, teen or adult years, treatment takes longer and is often less effective. Also see our links in AOA and All About Vison for more information

Customized Displays on Contact Lenses Possible

The LA Times recently ran an news story about researchers at the University of Washington who have found a way to use nanotechnology to put customized displays on contact lenses. Right now, the technology is very basic (a contact lens can display a red dot and a blue dot) but there are practical uses, like health readouts. The article mentioned the researchers are looking for ways to monitor glucose levels, which is important for diabetics. The eye contains a lot of health information so a contact medical device that would display vital information is very helpful, in theory. Eventually, entire computer screens could possibly be displayed.

It all sounds like something out of a science fiction novel, but human trials a long ways off. The eyes are a delicate and sensitive part of the body so any new technology related to contact lens wear needs to be rigorously tested first.

Common Vision Myths

I've been on the hunt for other vision care blogs around the net because I want to see who is also covering the eye. There are a lot of great ones out there! Just today, I stumbled across a really well written post that dispels some of the common myths people have about vision. Here is a tiny little bit from the original article-

2.  If I lose a contact lens in my eye, can it roll back in to my head behind my eye? Anatomically impossible.  No worries on this one.

If you want to read the rest, head over to Keene's Eye & Vision Care Blog. Make sure to read the story about carrots and eye sight - it is my favorite of the bunch.

The World Vision Expo West 2010

I just caught on the 4greatvision Twitter feed that The World Vision Expo is happening right now in Las Vegas. Essentially, it's the who's who in the world of optical fashion and science. Companies from all over the world will be exhibiting the latest designs, procedures and science during the event. There are tons of things to see and do, celebrities will be there to promote lines of eye ware as well. Probably the best way to explain it is by showing a video the Expo put together -



You can find out about the Expo at their website or check the Expo's YouTube channel which will be updating during the show.

A Cautionary Tale: Double Check the Labels

Watch the video below-



Yes, that happens more than it should. When people are given eye drops for an infection, disease or after surgery they may not have perfect vision yet. That is when mix ups occur. The bottles of strong glues look very similar to eye drop prescriptions.  If it needed to be stated, super glue and the eye do not mix. If it happens, seek medical help immediately. If the eye gets glued shut, emergency medical attention is necessary. The woman in the news report is right, it can happen to anyone.

If you are unsure or have questions about what bottle is what there are some steps you can take if you are unable to see the label yourself.

• Call the pharmacy, they'll be able to tell you what the bottle looks like and the colors


• Ask someone to re-read the lable


• Keep medicines and household items of similar shape and size in different rooms or locations


• Always remember to put away materials like super glue in safe places where it will not get confused with other products

It cannot be stressed enough that if you are on prescription medicine, always double check the label.

Vitamin C

I'm on a health kick lately. All the talk about lutien and its ability to help the health of the eye made me look for other possible vitamins and minerals. There are quite a few that have been studied and believed to be very healthy for the eye. It should be no surprise that Vitamin C helps contribute to healthy eyes. That way, you can tell your optometrist during your next eye exam, you've been taking care of your eyes.



Basically, all cells in the body depend on Vitamin C. The eyes have a high concentration of cells in all the tissues that are constantly active. What Vitamin C does exactly is promote healthy ocular blood vessels, help promote healthy capillaries, cartilage and iron absorption across the board and is believed to reduce the risk of cataracts in women by 64 percent if they take sufficient levels for 10 years. Fruits like oranges, grapefruits, strawberries and others are some of the best sources for Vitamin C.

The recommended intake of Vitamin C is 90 mg/day for men and 75 mg/day for women. However, research suggests that for Vitamin C to play a part in eye health, the intake needs to be at about 500 mg/day. The trick is that Vitamin C is water soluble so too much too quickly will be flushed away. One word of caution, megadoses of Vitamin C can have adverse effects. It usually is only a concern when there are supplement pills are taken. Normal, healthy diets will provide all the necessary Vitamin C.

It's becoming the norm for optometrists to talk about nutrition during eye exams. Your eye doctor might give some recommendations if they see fit to help care for the eyes and there is a growing body of research that shows vitamins and minerals play an important role in keeping eyes healthy.

Half of Eye Injuries Happen at Home

Injuries to the eye are no laughing matter, they can  be annoying at best and all the way to very painful. It's always good to protect the eyes with safety glasses or other approved safety device. Many people think that construction workers or other type of profession that works a lot with tools are primarily at risk for eye injury. Not the case. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the American Society of Ocular Trauma (ASOT) over 1.5 million eye injuries happen every year in the home. That is half of all eye injuries.

Of the most dangerous places, the lawn and garden rank number one. The reason is from lawnmowers tossing debris into the air. Those rocks, clippings or twigs can lodge themselves in the eye and cause serious damage. Household products like cleaning supplies, makeup, dinner utensils, scissors and hair brushes are another big source of eye injury. Kids now are about 20 percent of the total eye injury total, so it is more important than ever to teach children about not running in the house with potentially dangerous objects and play away from someone mowing the lawn.

It's a common misconception that safety glasses have to be "nerdy" or "dorky." There are plenty of options available now that look fashionable and offer the same type of protection needed to keep eyes healthy. So those glasses you wore in 7th grade chemistry-



Can now look more like this-



A whopping 90 percent of the nearly 3 million yearly injuries could have been prevented. By being a little more careful and wearing the proper safety glasses, the statistics for eye injury will plummet. If you have any questions about safety glasses, get in touch with an eye care expert.

Learn more about eye safety at All About Vision.

Eye Care 101: 20/20 Vision

Eye Care is one of the most important parts in the practice of Optometry. Good eye care practices are both the responsibility of patients and doctors. This series of posts will cover the basics that highlight important topics in Optometry to show how eye care is important.

One thing most people know about optometry is that 20/20 vision is good to have. It means that at a distance of 20 feet, objects are seen clearly and crisply. If an Optometrist were to say you had 20/100 vision, that would mean that you would have to stand 20 feet away from an object while someone with normal vision could stand 100 feet to see the object just as clearly.



I tend to find pictures help explain this. In the above image, the man has 20/100 vision. He has to stand 20 feet away from the vase on the table while the woman can stand 100 feet away and see the same clarity as the man. The 20/(number) figure that is given by Optometrists part of what is known as "visual acuity."

The reason why everyone doesn't have 20/20 vision is due to a variety of reasons including nearsightedness (blurry distance vision), farsightedness (blurry close-up vision), astigmatism (non-spherical eye) or eye disease. Optometrists will be able to determine the causes during a comprehensive eye exam. The way to check distance vision is generally done by reading lines off those famous eye charts. Because of there are many factors for differences in visual acuity, that could mean that even people with 20/20 vision will note their vision could use adjustment.

The most common way to correct distance vision by prescribing glasses or contacts. There are also visual therapy programs and medications that can help improve vision, when the situation calls for them. Since the eyes are rapidly changing all the time, annual eye exams are important to make sure that visual corrections are current and aiding the health of the eye.

20/20 vision is a good barometer for healthy vision as it tests distance and clarity; however, it is only one part in the story. Saying someone has "perfect" sight when they have 20/20 vision is entirely misleading. What is missing are the other indicators of optimal vision like peripheral (side) vision, coordination of the eyes, depth perception, ability to focus and color testing. In summary, 20/20 vision is important but it isn't the end all, be all measurement for healthy vision.

Learn about eye glasses at All About Vision.

143 Million American Workers Plugged into an Electronic Device at Least 6 Hours Daily

The time people spend in front of a desktop computer or laptop is on a minuscule decline. The only reason for that because there are more devices that have the same basic functionality like smartphones, tablet touchscreen devices and handheld gaming consoles are eating up more of our time. The video below shows some interesting statistics about how many hours our eyes are in front of an electronic media device. The video could have used some tighter pacing, but the 2 minutes are jam packed with eye opening statistics. Knowledge of these kinds of things is really important for healthy eye care. If you are experiencing eye fatigue related to staring at some kind of electronic display, call an optometrist immediately and schedule an appointment. Your eyes will thank you.

People are Turned Off by 3D TV Glasses

The biggest push in home consumer electronics right now is 3D. We've all been to the movies where you purchase a ticket and also get a pair of special glasses that allow wearers to see images "pop" out of the screen. The technology is moving into living rooms and so are those glasses.

According to a Nielsen TV study, USA Today is reporting that people do not like wearing special glasses that are only used for the one task of seeing 3D images from their TVs, even if they are impressed with what gets displayed. A lot of times, people will have to put these glasses on over their corrective vision glasses. It seems as if people aren't too keen on wearing glasses if they don't have to for healthy vision.



Another source of contention is the fact that different TV makers use slightly different 3D technology so the brand of glasses have to match the brand of television. That would be like having to wear a different pair of Ford corrective vision glasses to drive a Ford car and a pair of Chevy glasses to drive a Chevy car.  There is work being done to eliminate the need for  the glasses, but that technology might be a little further away than some people hope it to be.

In future posts, we'll cover how the eye see 3D images but this is an interesting finding that people do not want to wear glasses if they don't have to.