Latest Office News
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If your eyes are constantly itchy or dry, you may have dry eye syndrome, which affects almost 10 million Americans. Dry eye syndrome is caused by lack of, or poor quality of, tears. Tears lubricate the outer layer of the eye called the cornea. If the tears are not composed of a proper balance of mucous, water, and oil, the eye becomes irritated.
Symptoms
Dry eye syndrome leads to a number of symptoms, including itching, irritation, burning, excessive tearing, redness, blurred vision that improves with blinking, and discomfort after long periods of watching television, driving, using a computer, or reading.
Risk Factors
There are many environmental factors that can contribute to dry eye syndrome. These include dry, hot, or windy climates, high alititudes, air-conditioned rooms, and cigarette smoke. Contact lens wearers, people with drier skin, and the elderly are more likely to develop dry eye syndrome. You may also be more at risk if you take certain medications, have a thyroid condition, a vitamin-A deficiency, Parkinson's or Sjorgen's disease, or if you are a woman going through menopause.
Potential Treatments
- Artificial Tears: oil based and preservative-free
- Gel or ointment before bed
- Bruder Mask
- Lid Scrubs
- HydroEye: a supplement that helps treat dry eye syndrome
- Xiidra or Restasis: prescription eye drops to help reduce inflammation
- Punctal Plugs
- Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Therapy
- Serum tears
While dry eye syndrome is common, those who are affected do not have to suffer silently. If you think you may have dry eye syndrome, call us today (515-964-1671) or go online to schedule an exam totalk to your optometrist today about the best treatment for your dry eyes!
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Optomap is the cutting-edge technology provided here at Ankeny Family Vision Center that allows your doctor to effectively monitor your eye health through ultra-widefield retinal imaging. The view of the retina caught through Optomap’s photos is unmatched, capturing 200◦ or 82% of the retina, versus a traditional retina image which only shows 45◦ or 15% of the retina. Getting an Optomap picture is painless, harmless, and takes mere seconds!
Our doctors use these advanced digital images of your eyes to establish basic eye health and to watch for potential serious eye concerns. While Optomap is often used as preventative eye care, it is also very useful to detect early signs of many eye diseases and other issues that can cause damage to your eyes and vision that routine exams are more likely to miss.
Diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma (increased eye pressure), high-blood pressure, retinal detachments, retinal holes, and ocular melanoma are just a few of the medical conditions that Optomap can help detect so you and your doctor can create a care plan that is right for you and your health!
While Optomap is not covered by insurance unless deemed medically necessary by your doctor, it is well worth your eye health and peace of mind to choose to get an Optomap picture taken. Ask about receiving one at your next appointment! To schedule, give us a call at 515-964-1671 or click here to schedule online.
Click here if you want to read more about the Optomap technology.
