Posts Tagged ‘Emory Eye Center’

April is Sports Eye Safety Month!

April 19th, 2011 By Emory Eye Center

Proctective eyewear, sports eye safetyIf you play a sport like racquetball, you understand the importance of good eye protection. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that they can injure their eyes while playing a variety of other, supposedly less dangerous sports.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has designated April 2011 as Sports Eye Safety Month to help increase public awareness of wearing protective eyewear when participating in team sports. Protecting your eyes from injury will go a long way toward maintaining healthy vision throughout your life.

According to the AAO:

  • An estimated 40,000 sports eye injuries occur every year. The majority of victims are children, many of whom suffer permanent visual impairment.
  • Baseball and basketball account for the largest number of injuries among young athletes.
  • Little League pitchers can achieve pitching speeds up to 70 mph. That’s fast enough to seriously damage an eye.
  • In basketball, serious eye injuries caused by flying fingers and elbows can be prevented by wearing appropriate protective eyewear.
  • Many other popular sports, such as tennis, soccer, football, golf, water sports, and hockey, put unprotected players at risk for serious eye injury.

Many children’s sports leagues, schools, and teams don’t require children to wear eye protection during games. If you’re a parent, be sure to set a good example by wearing eye protection whenever you play a sport, and make sure your kids wear their eye protection when they play.

Studies have shown that more than 90% of eye injuries can be prevented, simply by wearing the right protective eyewear. Specific eyewear is available for just about any activity—the experts at the Emory Eye Center can recommend the appropriate eyewear for your sport and make sure you have the right fit. If you’ve suffered an eye injury, be sure to have an ophthalmologist examine the eye as soon as possible, even if the injury seems minor.

Have you experienced an eye injury while playing a sport, or have you prevented a serious injury by wearing the appropriate eye protection? We’d like to hear about your experience. Please take a moment to give us feedback in the comments section below.

 

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Oculoplastics Now Available at the Emory Eye Center Perimeter Location

February 4th, 2011 By Dr. Joseph Walrath

Joseph Walrath, MDAs an oculoplastic surgeon, I specialize in the evaluation and treatment of the eye, from cosmetic conditions to functional abnormalities. This means that I help both patients who want to look better and patients who want to see AND FEEL better.

Many aesthetic surgeons perform eyelid surgery, mid face, full face, and forehead lifting, but for most, this is just a portion of their practice. As an oculoplastic surgeon, I devote 100% of my clinical practice to the eyes – my area of expertise is centered on the eyelids and visual function. This means that the Emory Eye Center’s oculoplastics patients get a level of specialization that’s not available just anywhere.

I’m excited to be bringing oculoplastics to Emory Eye Center’s Perimeter location this February, in addition to our services at Emory Eye Center’s main location on Clifton Road. I generally see two kinds of patients—those who want cosmetic enhancements, both surgical and nonsurgical, around the eyes, and those who have functional issues (problems that either lead to decreased vision, discomfort, or tearing) that need to be fixed. Many of my patients have vision-impairing drooping eyelids or excessively lax lids. Some have had cosmetic procedures performed elsewhere and need surgical refinement or treatment for vision-threatening complications. I also treat the full spectrum of medical and surgical eye socket disease, including:

  • Thyroid eye disease, with its attendant visual and cosmetic problems
  • Other eye socket infections and inflammations
  • Tumors in the eyelid that require diagnosis, resection, and reconstruction
  • Tumors in the eye socket
  • Tearing and tear duct abnormalities
  • Abnormal eyelid movements such as blepharospasm
  • Eye socket trauma

Whether you want to improve the appearance of your eyes and upper face or you have a medical or surgical condition involving the upper face, eyelids, eye sockets, or tear drains that impacts your vision or health, oculoplastics at the Emory Eye Center’s Perimeter location is now a convenient option.

Have you had or are you considering an oculoplastics evaluation or treatment? Do you have an experience you’d like to share? We welcome your questions and feedback in the comments section below.

About Joseph Walrath, MD:
Joseph Walrath, MD, specializes in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery and is Board Certified in Ophthalmology. He devotes his clinical practice solely to ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Walrath has practiced at Emory since 2008.

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More Options for Improved Vision after Cataract Surgery with IOLs

January 21st, 2011 By Maria Aaron, MD

Maria Aaron, MDAn intraocular lens, or IOL, is the artificial lens often used to replace the eye’s natural lens when it has been damaged by a cataract. With the advancement of IOLs, Emory Eye Center patients undergoing cataract surgery have many more options and the potential to see without glasses after surgery.

There are two basic types of IOLs: the monofocal lens and the multifocal lens. Monofocal lenses may provide spectacle-free vision at a single focal length, either distance, intermediate, or near, while multifocal lenses have multiple focal lengths and therefore may enable you to see near and distance without the dependence on spectacles. Patients with a significant degree of astigmatism may benefit from toric lenses, which are monofocal IOLs that help correct astigmatism.

Before you have eye surgery, your surgeon will take measurements to help determine the best lens for you. IOL insertion usually takes less than 30 minutes and can be performed while you are under local anesthesia. Recovery time generally takes two to three weeks.

If you’re having cataract surgery, you should remember that the goal of cataract surgery is not to get rid of glasses—it’s to get rid of the cataract. However, for the right patient, it can be an opportunity to reduce dependency on glasses.

The Emory Eye Center is one of the top 15 NIH-funded eye research institutions in the U.S. and is consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report. Our researchers are continually pioneering new developments in vision care. Schedule an appointment with the Emory Eye Center, and we’ll help you see your world in a whole new light.

Do you have IOLs? Would you like to share your experience with people who are considering getting them? We welcome your questions and feedback in the comments section below.

Maria Aaron, MD, specializes in cataract surgery, eye trauma, and laser surgery and is board certified in ophthalmology. Dr. Aaron started practicing at Emory in 1999 and is associate professor of ophthalmology.

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