Millions of people are visually impaired or legally blind.  Low Vision services can help maximize independence at work, at home and in the community.

As an eye doctor, Dr. John Henahan of Spectrum Eyecare in Peachtree City is usually in the position of teaching others about their health and vision.

“Sometimes a patient becomes your teacher regarding aspects of the system of services for eye care and as an example of how people can thrive despite devastating visual disability.  Audrey Demmitt, RN is one of those people. “ She is someone I am glad to know, honored to care for and in awe of,” says Dr. Henahan.  “I have worked with thousands of visually impaired patients, and Audrey is truly unique, especially in her outlook and her commitment to maximizing independence for herself and others.”

Ms. Demmitt is the longtime school nurse at JC Booth Middle School in Peachtree City.  In 1985 she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare genetic disease that gradually destroys the receptors in the retina.  This causes a gradual erosion of the peripheral vision until, just a small central spot of vision remains.  Imagine looking into a room through a small keyhole, instead of opening the door and walking into that room.  That will give you a good feel for how patients with advanced retinitis pigmentosa see.

Rather than allow her visual disability to sideline her from life, Ms. Demmitt worked tirelessly as her own advocate.  She communicated with several state agencies that work with the visually impaired to keep them employed, only to be told that she would not be eligible, because she earned too much in her job!

The irony of this was not lost on Audrey.  With the assistance of Dr. Henahan, she reached out to a non-profit agency called Vision Rehabilitation Services (VRS).   Through VRS she was introduced to a program that provided her with adaptations that allowed her to keep her job and techniques to safely move through space.  Recently she got Sophie, a beautiful golden retriever dog guide.

The process of obtaining services taught Audrey how underserved the visually impaired are, especially in Fayette and Coweta counties.  As a result of her experiences, VRS has hired Audrey to expand awareness of the services available to our community.  Here are Audrey’s top tips for maximizing independence for those with vision impairment or legal blindness:

1)   There are two main agencies in the Atlanta area: the Center for Visually Impaired (CVI) and Vision Rehabilitation Services (VRS).  CVI is a center-based agency where clients are seen in the midtown Atlanta offices.  If you are working or unable to get transportation, CVI cannot work with you.  VRS is an agency that travels to the client and sees them in their home or place of work to teach assistive technology, how to move safely through an environment and daily living tasks (such as cooking, etc)

2)  Open yourself to new technology.  “Technology is my window to the world” says Audrey.  “I recently got an iPhone 4S with Siri, a voice activated assistant that helps me access email, text messaging and the internet with my voice”.  Apple is a technology leader in accessibility and recipient of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award from the National Federation of the Blind for innovative work in accessibility. Learn more at apple.com/accessibility/.

3)  Be persistent and advocate for yourself or your family member.  Seek support from the blind and visually impaired community.  To facilitate that, Audrey is leading a VRS initiative to establish a local support and advocacy group right here in Fayette County. That program will assist visually impaired in getting services as well as allowing members to collaborate with each other and share learning experiences.

4)  Always optimize lighting and contrast. Use such things as Ott lighting, colored cutting boards for contrast, labeling dials, knobs and buttons on appliances with tactile markers to help with low vision around the house. VRS has a host of additional strategies that they can teach you in your home to reduce frustration and maximize independence.

VRS also works with retirees to maximize their independence with in-home training. Ask them about Project Independence for seniors.

Where should you start if you (or a family member) are visually impaired?  According to Dr. Henahan the best place to start is with an eye examination, especially if you have not had one in the past year or more.  Establishing the current level of visual function is a precursor to obtaining services from VRS.  Also, you want to check and see if new treatments are available that might restore visual function for the specific type of vision loss.  Based upon that, VRS can provide a low vision evaluation that will guide the development of a plan to help each individual reach their goals for independence.

Attend an event on visual impairment.  The Foundation Fighting Blindness in partnership with the Lions Club of Georgia is hosting an event on February 4^th at 11AM at St. Joseph’s Hospital.  This event will feature the acclaimed documentary Going Blind- Coming Out of the Dark About Vision Loss.  The film will be followed by a Q&A session.  For more information call (770) 509-8363.

Dr. Henahan is the former director of Low Vision Services at LSU Eye Center in New Orleans, LA.  He and his family live in Peachtree City, and he is the founder of Spectrum Eyecare.  If you would like more information, you may contact Dr. Henahan at 770-487-0667 or VRS at 770-432-7280.

At Spectrum Eyecare in Peachtree City, Dr. John Henahan is committed to great vision and the health of your eyes.  For younger patients, most eye health problems come from improper care of their contact lenses.

In a startling new study, Dr. Danielle Robertson and researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found that the situation was far worse than previously thought.  In fact, only one percent of patients fully complied with the simple strategies that are required to safely wear contact lenses. As reported on NPR’s morning edition the following common mistakes lead to problems including eye irritation, redness and even sight threatening eye infections.

Common Contact Lens Care Mistakes:

#1) Reusing the same contact lens solution multiple times.  Lenses must be cleaned and disinfected each time they are removed.  Typically, this involves a simple process of soaking the lenses in a solution that cleans and disinfects the lens.  The solution must be completely changed every usage, otherwise it becomes contaminated and can cause eye problems.

#2) Keeping the contact lens case too long.  Even properly rinsed and cleaned cases gradually build a biofilm that will contaminate the contact lenses.  This contamination can cause eye irritation, poor comfort when wearing the lenses, eye redness and corneal ulcers.  A good strategy is to replace the case every time you buy a new bottle of solution.

#3) Not washing your hands before handling your lenses.  As we interact with the world, we come in contact with countless chemicals, viruses and bacteria, as well as other even nastier organisms. Nothing is more basic than washing your hands before sticking your fingers in your eye, but most people don’t do it.

#4) Sleeping in your contacts. Sleeping in your lenses increases the risk of all types of complications ten fold.  This is especially true of the most serious complications, such as the dreaded corneal ulcer.

#5) Keeping your lenses too long.  Failure to replace your contact lenses on the recommended schedule (typically every 2 – 4 weeks), results in a dirtier lens that is unable to transmit adequate oxygen to the eye.  Oxygen starvation to the eye is a big cause of eye infections and irritations.  It saves very little money too, especially compared with the cost of  doctor’s visits and prescription eye drops.  The drops alone can easily cost more than $150.

#6 Soaking lenses in… anything other than contact lens multipurpose solution.  In the no one can make this stuff up category, a UK study found that patients would soak their contacts in things like fruit juice, beer and even butter rather than multipurpose solution.  This is a sure way to end up with a major eye infection.

According to Dr. Henahan, the risk of poor contact lens hygiene is often great than the risk of LASIK eye surgery.  If you know that you are not going to care for your contacts properly, consider the daily disposable contacts or LASIK.  Proper use of daily disposables (single use, thrown away everyday), is the safest way to wear contact lenses.

If you have concerns about your eye health or would like an appointment with Dr. Henahan, please contact us here or call 770-487-0667.

At Spectrum Eyecare in Peachtree City, Dr. John Henahan is committed to reducing the number of people losing vision or becoming legally blind from macular degeneration (AMD). Please read this important information and discuss it with your doctor if your regularly take aspirin.

Discussing the new study, HealthDay (1/6, Mozes) reports, “Daily aspirin use among seniors may double their risk of developing” the “wet” form of “age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a significant cause of blindness in seniors,” according to a study published in the January issue of the journal Ophthalmology. In fact, “daily aspirin use was associated with the onset of late-stage” wet AMD, “and to a lesser degree, the onset of early ‘dry’ AMD — even after the researchers took into account age and a history of heart disease, which in itself is a risk factor for AMD.”

Specifically, “late-stage ‘wet’ AMD was 2.22 times more likely among daily aspirin users (95% CI 1.61 to 3.05) in a” study population of 4,691 European seniors, MedPage Today  (1/6, Phend) reports.

Medscape  (1/6, Keller) explains, “More frequent aspirin use was associated with more severe levels of AMD. One third of the individuals with wet AMD consumed aspirin daily compared with only 16% of control participants.” Medscape adds, “Limitations of the study include its cross-sectional and retrospective nature, with the possibility of recall error about aspirin use and possible confounders,” such as the fact that aspirin is found in many over-the-counter drugs that study participants might not have recognized as containing it. “In addition, there were no data on the doses of aspirin or the use of other antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs” taken by study participants.

According to Dr. Henahan, the most recent data suggests a strong link between wet AMD and frequent Aspirin use.  ”I do NOT recommend that anyone discontinue aspirin use without consulting their physician or cardiologist” says Dr. Henahan.  ”The benefits of aspirin therapy must be balanced with the increased risk of wet AMD.  Consulting with your physician can help you decide what to do.”

If you or a loved one is concerned about the health of your eyes and live in the Peachtree City area, feel free to contact our office if you would like an appointment.  You may also call us at 770-487-0667.

In a follow on to an earlier story we published about Avaira Toric lenses by CooperVision being recalled, the FDA yesterday expanded the recall and increased

it’s seriousness by elevating it to a class I level.  This is the most serious level of recall the FDA uses.

In a story published in MedPage Today(12/9, Petrochko) reports about the FDA’s recall of CooperVision’s AVAIRA Aquaform Sphere Soft Contact Lenses. They “may have unintended silicone oil residue on the lens, which may cause symptoms that range from hazy/blurry vision, to discomfort, to eye injuries that require medical treatment.” The company’s “AVAIRA Tonic Soft Contact Lenses faced a similar recall in October due to the presence of silicone residue.” Patients can check their lens package lot number on a website to see if their contacts are part of the recall.

If your lenses are among the recalled lots, return them to the point of purchase or to your eye care practitioner.

For more information call CooperVision at 855-526-6737.

If you would like further assistance or an appointment, you may contact Spectrum Eyecare at 770-487-0667.

As the optometrist at Spectrum Eyecare in Peachtree City, Dr. Henahan is committed to the safety and visual health of your eyes.  As part of that mission, he reposts information on recalls of eyecare and eyewear related products.  If you wear Avaira contact lenses, please read the following to ensure that your eyes are not threatened by wearing defective Avaira contact lenses.

From Consumer Reports: CooperVision has announced that it has expanded its worldwide recall of Avaira contact lenses to include Avaira Sphere lenses, after reports of wearers experiencing hazy vision and discomfort.

NOVEMBER IS AMERICAN DIABETES MONTH 

At Spectrum Eyecare in Peachtree City, Dr. John Henahan considers educating diabetic patients one of his most important missions.  That is because diabetes is the single leading cause of irreversible vision loss in Americans under 70 years of age.  During this month, please visit stopdiabetes.org to learn more about this disease.  As for preserving your vision, below are Dr. Henahan’s top tips to prevent vision loss if you are diabetic.

 1)    Annual Eye Exams

Seeing well into the future is no big trick — as long as you have regular vision and eye health examinations.  There are many disorders and diseases that can have long lasting affects on your eyes if not diagnosed early.  One disease that can be detected during a thorough eye examination is diabetic eye disease. Yet, less than 50% of diabetics have an annual diabetic eye examination.  That is unfortunate, as early detection and treatment can prevent vision loss in the majority of people suffering from diabetic eye disease.  Studies have repeatedly shown that early detection of diabetic eye disease is essential for the prevention of vision loss.  Once vision loss occurs, it is unlikely that full function can be recovered.

 2)   Retinal Photography

Be sure that your eye examination includes a dilated eye examination and photography of the retina (the part of the eye where most vision loss in diabetes occurs). Retinal photography has been shown to detect diabetic eye disease in more people than an eye examination alone.

Note blood spots and white swollen areas (click to enlarge)

3)   Control Blood Sugar

The two main risk factors for diabetic eye disease are how long you have been diabetic and how well you control your blood sugar.  Since you cannot control how long you have been diabetic, it is imperative that you control your blood sugar. The most important measure of control is a blood test called an “A-1-C” test. This test measures how well you have controlled your blood sugar for the past 90 days or so.  “I often tell my patients that this test is the best way to know if you are winning or losing your battle with diabetes”, says Dr. Henahan. It is critical to have this test done by your doctor as directed (typically every three months).  Also you need to know your doctor’s goal for your score (typically in the 6.0-7.0 range).  If you don’t know your score, you need to find out.

Dr. Henahan and Spectrum Eyecare are emphasizing the importance of annual dilated eye examinations during American Diabetes Month in November.  As a diabetic, or a person at risk, seeing your optometrist is as important as visiting your physician regularly and following instructions about proper diet, exercise, and medication.

Remember, if you are diabetic your medical insurance will cover an eye examination, so you do not need vision insurance to have an exam (you may still have a deductible or co-pay, check with your insurance company).

Schedule an annual eye examination today if it has been more than a year or if your blood sugar control has been deteriorating. Dr. Henahan is a resident of Peachtree City and founder of Spectrum Eyecare.  You may reach his office at 770-487-0667 or on the web at SpecEye.com.

At Spectrum Eyecare in Peachtree City, Dr. John Henahan works with thousands of patients to ensure their eye health, visual comfort and eye safety.  As new trends emerge in eyecare, Dr. Henahan evaluates each one carefully in order to help his patients make the most of their vision.

“One thing that we have taken for granted for decades is the safety and accuracy of eyewear that is produced by optical laboratories in the United States.  But a new breed of eyeglasses sold online that is manufactured and shipped directly from China is raising concerns about this basic assumption.”, reports Dr. Henahan.  “A study published in a major Journal this month found that online eyeglasses get a failing grade, with nearly 45% failing for either accuracy, lens safety or both.” By comparison, fewer than 2% of eyeglasses purchased at brick and mortar optical shops fail on these standards.

This study included leading professors from Optometric Universities and a member of the federal standard setting committee for eyeglasses safety. They uncovered a disturbing lack of accuracy in the filling of the eyeglasses prescription.  This can lead to blurred vision, headaches and eyestrain, says Dr. Henahan.  The researchers purchased hundreds of pairs of eyewear from 8 of the largest online vendors. Nearly 30% of prescriptions were not filled accurately.

In addition to accuracy problems, more than 1 out of 5 pairs failed impact testing.  This safety test determines if the lens would withstand an impact that might be experienced when wearing glasses during a car accident, playing sports or in a random event. This is especially scary because the lens could shatter into the eye and cause major damage or even blindness.

Another unknown revolves around the safety of the materials and paints used in the frame itself.  With the recent discovery of toxic materials in children’s toys and jewelry, there are big questions about what we might be exposing ourselves to with a device that touches our skin all day.

Dr. Henahan urges patients to purchase their eyewear from one of the many retailers with a brick and mortar presence in their area.  Any optical retailer, whether it is a private practice (like Spectrum Eyecare), a retail chain or even in “big box” store will provide assistance with choosing eyewear. They will help ensure that the glasses fit your face, are adjusted for comfort, and they will verify that all lenses pass inspection for accuracy and safety.  Finally, if you have a problem they will work with you to adjust the glasses or prescription to give you comfort and clear vision.

“What I tell my patients is that eyeglasses are not like contact lenses, which are mass produced.  Each pair is custom made to match their individual prescription, eyesize and frame selection.  It is critical that they be correctly fit, measured and verified. Online retailers simply cannot provide that, and now the safety of the eyewear they produce is in serious doubt.”

Dr. John Henahan has been a practicing optometrist since 1991.  He is a former Instructor at LSU School of Medicine and a board certified optometrist practicing in Peachtree City.  You can find him on the web at SpecEye.com

Dr. John Henahan and the team at Spectrum Eyecare in Peachtree City are thrilled to be able to offer expanded hours as the Spectrum Eyecare grows!

Starting Thursday September 8th, 2011 we will be open from 8:00 AM – 5:00PM each Thursday. We are also open Monday and Friday from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Wednesday from 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM.  This expands our days of patient care to all weekdays except Tuesday. On the  2nd and 4th Saturday of each month we are open from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

Click here to request an appointment or call us at 770-487-0667.

 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

After this father’s day weekend, I have been contemplating the unhappy news I had to deliver to my own father last week.

I discovered that his age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) had converted from the “dry” type to the “wet” type.  It was personally very difficult for me to deliver this news to my dad. It has also resulted in a lot of questions from my siblings about the nature of this condition.   I thought I would write the answers to their most frequently asked questions here, so they might be of some help to others as well.

What is ARMD?

ARMD is a deterioration of the central detail vision as a result of degeneration of the retina in the macular area.  The retina can be thought of as the film in the camera of the eye.  No matter what kind of lenses you have in the camera, if the film is damaged, you cannot take a clear picture.

Does ARMD cause blindness?

Since ARMD only affects the central detail vision, you can never go blind from ARMD.  However, you can lose your ability to see details.  For example, you could see the newspaper on the table but would struggle to read it.

How does someone get ARMD?

As the name implies, macular degeneration is age-related.  The prevalence increases steadily in each decade after age 60, with a prevalence of nearly 25% in those over age 90.

When other family members have/had ARMD you are more likely to develop ARMD yourself.  Other risk factors include a history of smoking, lots of sun exposure without the use of UV sunglasses and lightly colored eyes.

What is the difference between dry ARMD and wet ARMD?

Dry ARMD is by far the more common type.  It is characterized by the accumulation of creamy yellow deposits in the retina called drusen.  They eventually interfere with retinal function and can result in blurred central vision.

About 15% of the time, these same drusen can coalesce and then damage the layer of tissue underneath the retina, which causes the body to develop abnormal blood vessels in that area.  These blood vessels tend to bleed and leak (hence the “wet” in wet ARMD).  As this blood spills into the macular area of the retina, the retina swells.  The swelling impairs the function of the retina, causing a sudden deterioration in the central vision in that area.  In most cases, you would know right away that something was wrong when the blood vessels leak and bleed, because the change in vision is pronounced and sudden.

What is the Treatment for ARMD?

At this time there is no treatment for the dry type of ARMD.  Prevention is your best option (see below).

Until recently the treatment for wet ARMD involved the use of lasers to destroy the unwanted blood vessels.  The problem is that lasers create a lot of heat to do that, which invariably destroyed the retina above the vessels.  This left scar tissue and blind spots.  Now we have a new way of treating wet ARMD with medications that cause the blood vessels to regress and disappear.  As the blood vessels regress, the swelling in the retina would go down, often leading to modest improvements in vision.  More importantly, the treatment tends to prevent worsening of vision.

Can I prevent ARMD?

Since there is no treatment available for the more common dry ARMD, prevention is your best option.

A lifetime of sunglasses usage is a great starting point.  You can also take a multivitamin.

Additionally a supplement called Lutein has been shown to cut ARMD risk by 25-30%.  I recommend 20mg per day of natural form Lutein.

A large study of nurses completed in 2010 showed that those with the highest fish intake had the lowest reported severity of ARMD.  As such, I recommend 3000mg of high quality fish oil supplements per day.  (Take two capsules with breakfast and one with dinner).  Keep in mind that fish oil is very difficult to manufacture and lower quality fish oils are more likely to be rancid (if the pills stink, that is a sign they are rancid).

Finally if you smoke, quit.

How can I make the most of my remaining vision?

If you have have lost vision due to ARMD, you might benefit from low vision aids.  These specialized devices allow you to make the most of the vision you have left and can often help ARMD patients read better.  If the ARMD has only affected one eye, then low vision aids are not typically used.  They are usually only used when your vision is impaired in both eyes.

If you have questions about your vision, ARMD, or would like to find out if you are a candidate for low vision aids, feel free to contact Dr. Henahan at Spectrum Eyecare.  The website is www.speceye.com and the phone number is 770-487-0667.