A common theme relates to complaints of poor night vision (even with glasses on).  Other patients report that they have been told that they do not need glasses, but they feel they have poor vision at night and/or when it is raining.  While there can be a number of causes of this feeling, there are typically 5 causes of this complaint.

1) Cataract formation

Cataracts are a normal part of the aging process that result in a gradual clouding of one of the lenses in the eye.  This clouding reduces the amount of light that can enter the eye.  The clouding also dramatically increases glare. This is especially problematic when driving at night or in rainy conditions. When the cataract is starting to impact quality of life, then cataract surgery is indicated.  In most cases, this is a 15 minute out-patient surgery with no stitches.

2) Dry Eyes

Most people mistakenly believe that the main focusing lens of the eye is the cornea, but that is not the case.  The cornea exists to create a lens made out of your tear film.  If you have dry eye, then you will have a poor quality tear film.  That will cause reduced quality of vision, especially at night. There are many treatments for dry eye. See our dry eye page for more information

3) Scratched or pitted eyeglass lenses

As your glasses age, they begin to develop fine scratches and pits in the lenses that will effect the optical quality of the lens.  This, in turn, will blur the vision, and cause glare issues, especially from oncoming headlights.  Replacing the lenses can solve this problem, especially if the new lenses incorporate an anti-reflective coating.

4) Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)

This relatively rare disease destroys the part of the eye that senses vision at night, resulting in serious night blindness. Unfortunately there is no treatment other than low vision aids for patients with RP.

5) Higher order aberrations (HOA)

This final category is one that most people have not heard of.  Generally speaking, the typical components of a prescription, such as nearsightedness and astigmatism only account for about 90% of your total correction. The other factors, such as chromatic and spherical aberration (among others) primarily effect the vision at night.  Eye doctors lump together all those other components in a category that we call “Higher order aberration” or “HOA’s.

In some patients, HOA represent their only vision problem.  These patients often complain about blurred vision, only to be told by their eye doctor that they do not need glasses.

New technology from the German optics company Zeiss has allowed us at Spectrum Eyecare to measure these HOA’s.  Moreover, they have new lenses that allow for incorporation of HOA’s to allow for the best possible night vision.  At Spectrum Eyecare, we are one of only three practices in Georgia that have implanted this technology in our practice.  We measure each patient to see if they need this special lens technology incorporated into their prescription.

Whatever the cause of your night vision problem, at Spectrum Eyecare, Dr. Henahan will take the time to fully evaluate your eyes to discover what is causing your difficulty.  He will also take the time fully explain the issue and your options for solving the problem.

Dr. John Henahan is a Peachtree City resident and founder of Spectrum Eyecare.  Visit his website at speceye.com for more information

“A young man came into my office with a painful red eye after leaving his warehouse job.  He had been using a staple gun to attach labels to crates.  I expected a simple scratch on the cornea, but instead was shocked to see a portion of the staple had lodged itself deeply in his eyeball.”

Upon further questioning the young man revealed that he believes the staple hit something buried in the wood of the crate, and the staple ricocheted back into his eye.

“Upon examination, I was able to see that one of the tines of the staple had broken off and shot back into the eye, piercing it like a mini spear.  Because of the high velocity it easily ripped through his cornea and iris (the colored part of the eye)”, continued Dr. Henahan.

“I was fearful that if I attempted to extract the staple that it would further damage the sensitive inside of the eye.  I referred him to a specialist in Atlanta who performed emergency surgery to remove the staple.”

Often in these cases, the sensitive film in the back of the eye (called the retina) or other eye tissues are irreparably harmed often resulting in blindness, and even loss of the eye.

Luckily for this young man, the specialist, Dr. Evan Loft of Eye Consultants of Atlanta, was able to carefully extract the object with no apparent permanent damage.  “The patient may require a second surgery if the lens inside the eye becomes cloudy with a traumatic cataract, but even then he should have a full visual recovery”, reported Dr. Loft.

Dr. Loft that he sees up to 10 patients per year with a penetrating eye injury.  “He is just one specialist of the many in Atlanta”, reminds Dr. Henahan.  That means in Atlanta alone, there are hundreds of such injuries per year, often with much worse outcomes.

When using any type of power tool or even a tool that strikes with force (such as a hammer), always wear safety glasses.

Dr. John Henahan has practiced for 20 years and has been living and practicing in Peachtree City since 1999.  If you would like to contact Dr. Henahan or make an appointment you can call 770-487-0667 or contact us here.

Spring has finally sprung, and the pollen is diminishing to the point that you actually want to go outside, so it is time to consider how you will protect your eyes this summer.  We asked Dr. John Henahan of Spectrum Eyecare in Peachtree City to review the top things to look for when purchasing sunglasses.

1)   UV Protection. “Sunglasses are like sunscreen for your eyes”, says Dr. Henahan.  Protecting your eyes from UV is critical in reducing the likelihood that you will develop cataracts and macular degeneration, which are the leading causes of vision loss in Americans over age 65.  They can also protect against unattractive and sight threatening growths on the white part of the eye called a pterygium (“ter-ridge-e-um”).  It takes decades for UV light to cause this type of damage, so it is essential to protect your eyes starting in childhood. Most sunglasses in the US will be listed with a “UV400” designation that indicates it has UV protection.  More expensive sunglasses do not necessarily mean more UV protection, but rather relate to better optical clarity and higher quality frames.

2)   Polarized lenses.  There are two main types of lenses, polarized lenses and tinted lenses.  While both provide protection from UV light, tinted lenses merely reduce the brightness by darkening the lens.  This is far better than no protection at all, it doesn’t come close to the protection and glare reduction that you gain from polarized lenses.  Polarized lenses are tinted and they block 100% of the light rays from certain types of reflections including those on the water and when the sunglare that accompanies bright days.

3)   Optical Quality.  Although most lenses protect your eyes from UV light, the optical quality of a lens determines how sharp and distortion free your vision will be.  Generally speaking, fashion sunglasses (even expensive brands like Coach and D&G) will have lower optical quality than sports sunglasses, such as Costa del Mar, RayBan, Oakley and Maui Jim.  Costa del Mar is unique in offering the only second-generation polarized lenses.  These unique lenses block light all the way up to 580nm (vs 400nm for most sunglasses).  This allows for improved clarity of vision especially when looking into the water.  The 580nm lenses are prized by fisherman as well as others who spend a lot of time on the water.

4)   Lens Material.  Glass lenses provide the highest quality of vision, followed by plastic.  Although glass lenses are reasonably strong, they should not be purchased if protection from impact is a key consideration.  Polycarbonate is the strongest material and is a great choice for people such as military/law enforcement, construction workers, landscape company employees, etc.

5)   Lens Color.  Lenses most commonly come in gray, but are also seen in shades of brown as well as green.  In fact, the venerable RayBan Aviator worn by WWII pilots used a green lens (called G-15).  Generally brown lenses are best in overcast conditions, gray lenses excel on sunny days and the G-15 lenses balance the performance of brown and gray lenses.

Whatever you choose for sunglasses, keep in mind that none at all is the worst choice.  Polarized gray or brown sunglasses are the best choice for almost everyone, while tinted lenses are a great choice for pilots who cannot use polarized lenses in the cockpit.

Dr. John Henahan is a Peachtree City resident and founder of Spectrum Eyecare.  Visit his website at speceye.com for more information or contact us at 770-487-0667.

#1 Protect the future of your vision.  Vision loss is a leading cause of disability in older Americans.  By simply having an eye examination periodically, you can ensure that any eye health issues can be addressed before the problem becomes irreversible.  Remember, even if you don’t have vision insurance, a medically focused eye exam can usually be billed through your medical insurance. Proper nutrition is also a foundation for a lifetime of good vision.

#2 Wear Sunglasses. Quality polarized sunglasses with UV protection can cut the risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and even reduce the risk of skin cancers around the eyes.  Additionally, up to 30% of auto accidents are associated with glare induced vision impairment.  Polarized sunglasses are far more effective at cutting dangerous glare than tinted lenses alone when driving.  Polarized sunglasses are available with and without prescription lenses.

#3 Stop sleeping in your Contact Lenses. Study after study have shown that sleeping in contact lenses is the number one risk factor for serious complications from contact lenses including a potentially blinding eye infection called a corneal ulcer.  Even if your contact lenses are approved for extended wear, it is much safer to remove them at night.

#4 Throw Away those Contact Lenses (and that Contact Lens Case). After extended wear, keeping contact lenses for too long is the major risk for the aforementioned eye infections.  Most contact lenses are meant to be thrown away every two – four weeks.  As your contact lens ages, it is less able to provide enough oxygen to the surface of the eye.  This oxygen starvation can damage the surface of the eye.  Also, have you looked at your contact lens case lately?  Older cases are breeding grounds for bacteria.  Each time you buy a new bottle of solution, get a new case (some companies even bundle cases with large solution bottles).

#5 Resolve to give up your reading glasses. Are you a reading glasses addict? Do you have pairs spread around the house, car and office?  Always running around looking for a pair when your phone rings, when you need to read a menu, recipe or  to check your Facebook status?  There is a better way.  With a new generation of High-definition bifocal contact lenses and eyeglasses you can have good vision all the time; far away, close up and in between.  Imagine, no more taking on and off readers all day.

Whatever else you may do, Dr. Henahan recommends you resolve to see the best in yourself, others and the world around you.  Now that is a resolution we can all agree on!

Dr. John Henahan is a fellowship trained doctor of optometry practicing and living in Peachtree City with his wife and two sons.  You may call his office at 770 487-0667 or visit him on the web at www.speceye.com.

In fact, according to the AOA American Eye-Q survey, only one-third of Americans said UV protection is the most important factor they consider when purchasing sunglasses.

Whether it’s cloudy or sunny, summer or winter, the AOA urges Americans to take measures to protect their eyes from the sun’s UV rays in order to decrease the risk of eye diseases and disorders.  “Over-exposure to UV rays is quite serious and can lead to cataracts, macular degeneration, or, in some cases, skin cancer around the eyelids,” said Sarah Hinkley, O.D., the AOA’s UV protection expert. “Other disorders that can occur are abnormal growths on the eye’s surface and even sunburn of the eyes. These conditions can cause blurred vision, irritation, redness, tearing, temporary vision loss and, in some instances, blindness.”

Even more troubling is the lack of awareness surrounding the potential effects of overexposure to UV radiation. According to the American Eye-Q survey, 35 percent of adults are unaware of the eye health risks associated with spending too much time in the sun without the proper protection.

The following top five tips from the AOA may help prevent eye and vision damage from over-exposure to UV radiation:

• Wear protective eyewear any time the eyes are exposed to UV rays.
• Look for quality sunglasses or contact lenses that offer good protection. Sunglasses should block 99 to100 percent of UV-A and UV-B radiation and screen out 75 to 90 percent of visible light.
• Check to make sure sunglass lenses are perfectly matched in color and free of distortions or imperfections.
• Purchase gray-colored lenses for the brightest conditions because they reduce light intensity without altering the color of objects to provide the most natural color vision. Choose brown or amber-colored lenses for variable light conditions, overcast days or times when you will be in and out of the shade such as hiking, golf or mountain biking.
• Don’t forget protection for young children and teenagers, who typically spend more time in the sun than adults and are at a greater risk for damage.

Children need UV Eye protection too

“The lenses of children’s eyes are more transparent than those of adults allowing shorter-wavelength light to reach the retina,” said Dr. Henahan. “Because the effects of solar radiation are cumulative, it’s important to develop good protection habits early, such as purchasing proper sunglasses for young children and teenagers.”

According to the AOA, parents should purchase sunglasses for all children, including infants.

The American Eye-Q survey found 66 percent of Americans purchase sunglasses for their children, but more than one in four parents do not check to make sure the lenses have proper UV protection. Additionally, less than one third (29 percent) of parents make sure their child wears sunglasses while outdoors.

Apart from an annual eye exam, the most important thing you can do to protect your eyes is to where quality polarized sunglasses, according to Dr. Henahan.  ”While I was director of Low Vision at LSU the majority of patients with vision impairment suffered from macular degeneration, which is caused in part by excess UV exposure.”  For maximum protection, Dr. Henahan recommends polarized lenses which have the added benefit of being much more effective at cutting glare.  ”When you are driving, on the water or participating in sports, the additional glare reduction afforded by polarized sunglasses is huge”, continues Dr. Henahan.  When purchasing sunglasses, you pay more for higher quality lenses, such as those made by Costa del Mar, Columbia and others.

If you would like more information or to see Dr. Henahan, click here or call the office at 770-487-0667.  He sees patients in Peachtree City every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and two Saturdays per month.

Every year, more women than men are diagnosed with eye diseases such as dry eye, glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, according to Dr. John L Henahan, of Spectrum Eyecare in Peachtree City, GA.

Of the many health differences between men and women, many may not be aware of the fact that women are more affected by eye disease and other eye conditions than men.

The 2008 “Vision Problems in the U.S.” study from Prevent Blindness America and the National Eye Institute consistently shows that more females are diagnosed with major eye diseases. Of the more than 3.6 million Americans age 40 and older suffering from visual impairment, including blindness, 2.3 million are women.

Women are also more susceptible to dry eye syndrome, a condition where not enough natural tears are produced.

Approximately 6 million women and 3 million men have moderate to severe symptoms of dry eye syndrome, according to the National Women’s Health Resource Center. It is more frequent in post-menopausal and pregnant women, due to hormonal fluctuations.

Women who are pregnant or receiving fertility treatments may experience changes in their vision. Because of an increase in hormones, some may notice refractive changes, dry eyes, puffy eyelids that obscure side vision and sensitivity to light due to migraine headaches.

Some vision changes in pregnant women, such as blurred vision and seeing spots, may be signs of a more serious problem and should be discussed with a doctor immediately as this may be a sign of pregnancy related diabetes or high blood pressure.

If you or someone you love  is diabetic and pregnant or  planning to become pregnant should get a full eye exam.

For older women, a recent study published in the March 2010 issue of Ophthalmology showed that women who are post menopausal and receiving Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) treatments may be at an increased risk for cataracts.  The study by Birgitta E. Lindblad, M.D., Sundsvall Hospital, Sweden, as part of the Swedish Mammography Cohort (SMC), states that of the more than 30,000 post- menopausal Swedish women studied who were using or had used HRT had significantly higher rates of cataract removal compared with women who had never used HRT. The “Hormone Replacement Therapy in Relation to Risk of Cataract Extraction: A Prospective Study of Women” data showed the risk for cataract removal was increased by 14 percent in women who had never used HRT and by 18 percent in current HRT users. And, longer duration of HRT use correlated with increased risk.

“Although more research needs to be completed regarding linking cataract increases with HRT, the message is clear that all women need to take the time to take care of their eyes today in order to maintain healthy vision in the future,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness America. “No matter what age you are, it’s never too early to start visiting your eye doctor and scheduling regular dilated eye exams.”

For more information, visit speceye.com or call 770-487-0667.

Among the leading causes of vision loss and blindness are diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, according to Dr. John Henahan, optometrist at Spectrum Eyecare in Peachtree City.  ”As the incidence of these diseases is climbing, so too are ocular complications, including cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and other retinal problems.”, according to Dr. Henahan.

In fact, ABC World News (4/26, story 7, 1:20, Sawyer) reported that “almost half of American adults, 45% of us, now have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes,” according to researchers from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Los Angeles Times (4/27, Maugh) reports that “one in eight Americans has at least two of the conditions and one in 33 has all three, sharply increasing their risk.” These “data come from the ongoing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.” While “researchers should be able to use the new data to plan interventions, ‘the main thing here is for people to be aware that they have these conditions and know that lifestyle modifications and medications can control them and reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease,’ said epidemiologist Cheryl D. Fryar of the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, one of the study’s authors.”

WebMD (4/26, Woznicki) reported that “the study shows that about 8% of adults have undiagnosed high blood pressure, 8% have undiagnosed high cholesterol, and 3% of have undiagnosed diabetes.”

HealthDay (4/26, Edelson) reported that “blacks had a particularly high incidence of hypertension, 42.5 percent, compared to 29.1 percent of non-Hispanic whites and 26.1 percent of Mexican-Americans.” The report indicated that “high blood cholesterol was more common among non-Hispanic whites (26.9 percent) than among blacks (21.5 percent) and Mexican-Americans (21.8 percent), while diabetes was more common among blacks (14.6 percent) and Mexican-Americans (15.3 percent) than among non-Hispanic whites (8.3 percent).”

According to Dr. Henahan, “If you or someone you care about has one of these conditions, it is critical to get annual eye exams with your pupils dilated, even if you have perfect vision.  It’s less about eyeglasses for these patients than it is about the medical health of the eyes.”

At Spectrum Eyecare, all diabetics receive retinal photos to ensure that no diabetic retinopathy is present.  That helps preserve vision by finding problems early so treatment can prevent vision loss.

Many patients do not understand that in most cases they can have an eye exam covered by their medical insurance if they have one of these medical conditions.  ”You do not need vision insurance to have an eye exam if you are diabetic, hypertensive or have high cholesterol”, reports Dr. Henahan. Although you may have a copay or deductible to meet, the exam can be filed through your medical insurance.

If it has been more than one year since your last eye exam, or if you are newly diagnosed with one or more of these conditions, contact us to schedule your medical eye exam.  At Spectrum Eyecare, we schedule just two full eye exams per hour so we can be thorough in evaluating the total health of your eyes.

After all, you only have one set of eyes.

The UK’s Daily Mail (1/15, Hagan) reports that, according to a study published in the Annals of Epidemiology, “statins (medications like Lipitor) could cut the chances of developing cataracts by nearly 40 percent.”

In a “study of 180,000 people,” Israeli researchers found that “men aged between 45 and 54 who took the cholesterol-lowering pills virtually every day reduced their risk of cataracts later in life by 38 percent, compared with those who took them rarely.” Meanwhile, “in women of the same age, the risk was reduced by about 18 percent.”

Dr. Henahan’s take:

While cataract surgery is one of the most successful surgeries ever created, anything that can delay their onset and provide many other health benefits is a great option for patients.  If you have issues with elevated cholesterol, this is just one more reason to be consistent with your medications.  This study does not make it clear whether people with normal cholesterol would benefit from statin drugs like Lipitor for lowering cataract risk, but, for those with elevated cholesterol, the data is clear cut.

At Spectrum Eyecare in Peachtree City, Dr. Henahan takes the time to carefully evaluate the health of your eyes, and discusses how general health issues like high blood pressure, cholesterol or diabetes can impact your eyes.  We even check blood pressure and blood sugar during your eye exam, because we know that these problems can affect your eye.

The best way to deal with eye disease is to try and prevent them by improving your health and having regular eye exams, especially if you are over the age of 50.

For more information, or to make an appointment, click here or call us at 770-487-0667.