Tag: Keratoconus advice

Vision Safety & Staying Active With Keratoconus

For those who are looking to get active this summer , but struggle with Keratoconus on a daily basis, there are several things you can do to protect your vision from getting worse and a few to stay active.

Keratoconus is a progressive eye condition that changes the shape of your cornea from spherical to cone shaped. This change causes many distortions in your vision. Below are a few tips to help you protect your vision and stay active during the summer months.

Vision Tips & Safety:

Always Wear Sunglasses or Eye Protection When Outside:

This is very important to remember not just in the summer months but all year around. The sun has very harmful rays which not only damage the eyes but can make your eye conditions worse if not protected. Research is showing that UV can increase free radicals which can lead to the cornea collagen breaking down further. It is important to wear sunglass eye wear that covers the sides as well as the front, this will ensure the most protection to your eyes.

Limit the Amount of Time Spent in Direct Sunlight:

If you work outside this may not be a feasible option, however if you don’t have to be in direct sunlight taking breaks throughout the day is a wise option. Some sunlight 20-30 minutes a day provides you the required amount of daily vitamin D, some sunlight is essential to staying healthy but remembering “everything in moderation” is always best.

Pay Attention to your eyes:

This seems like a common sense thing, but we often over look our vision until something goes considerable wrong. If you are noticing that you are squinting more or your contacts are becoming more uncomfortable, make an appointment to see your eye care provider sooner rather than later. If you find your desire to participate in activities is declining due to uncertainty with your vision, make an appointment to see your eye doctor.

It is important to educate ourselves and listen to our bodies when it comes to our health. Often we see the signs but we simply wave it off as being tired, dehydrated, or simply getting old when in fact it can be something much more serious. Don’t overlook signs or symptoms that might suggest your Keratoconus is progressing.

Below are a few signs you should never write off when it comes to your vision care:

• Increased blurred vision
• Frequent squinting
• Sudden eye pain
• Increasing discomfort while wearing contacts
• Increased and Frequent eye rubbing
• Sensitivity to Light
• Decreased night vision

If you see any changes in your vision, you should report it to your eye care professional right away to determine whether you need to be seen.

Watch Dr. Brian’s Summer Eye Health Tips Featured on the News to get yourself ready for an eye safe summer:

Has Keratoconus Affected Your Career?

Has Keratoconus forced you to give up your career? While Keratoconus is a progressive condition there are several treatments that are now available to help preserve and improve your vision.

In the past, Keratoconus was a diagnosis that often meant a painful corneal transplant and a long recovery period. Now there are treatments that provide patients diagnosed with Keratoconus options that can slow, reverse, and even stop the progression of the condition giving you back your vision and your career.

Below are some signs & symptoms:

• Blurred vision
• Double vision
• Frequent prescription changes
• Frequent rubbing of the eyes
• Foreign body sensations
• Deceased ability to wear contacts comfortably
• Halos around lights
• Light sensitivity
• Decreased night vision

There are several treatments that can provide you relief right away depending on the severity of your condition.

Today’s Keratoconus Treatments Include:

Intacs:

Intacs® are tiny crescent shaped lens inserts that are placed in the layer of the cornea. Intacs® provide help reshape the cornea and decrease vision distortion. Once in place, Intacs® do not require maintenance. If for any reason you don’t want them in the future, they can be removed.

Typically the procedure takes about 7 minutes and has a recovery time of about 24-48 hours. Patients report the recovery is fairly easy with little to no pain. Most activities can be resumed right away. Intacs® can be combined with other procedures to improve the outcome for Keratoconus treatment, including the Holcomb C3-R ®, and CK.

The Holcomb C3-R ®:

The Holcomb C3-R ® is a revolutionary treatment with over 12 years of proven results to stop the progression of Keratoconus. Just ask Olympic Gold Medalist and Bobsledder Steven Holcomb. He was diagnosed legally blind and almost gave up his career as a driver for the US Men’s Olympic Bobsled team. He decided to have the C3-R ® procedure done. The Holcomb C3-R ® not only preserved his vision, but when combined with the ICL (insertable contact lens) allowed him to continue to compete and he won Olympic Gold in 2010 and Olympic Bronze in 2014.

The Holcomb C3-R ® uses a natural vitamin call Riboflavin which is activated with a UV light during an easy 30 minutes office based treatment. Once the solution is activated it strengthens the cornea fibers over the next 16 weeks helping to stabilize Keratoconus and stop progression. This treatment is non-invasive and recovery is less than 24 hours. In 99.3% of patients, the treatment only needs to be performed once.

Watch the story of Steven Holcomb here:

Is Your Vision Becoming Worse at Night?

Discover your treatment options
Decreased night vision is a common symptom, without treatment is can be a great hindrance. While you should always have your eyes checked when there is change in your vision, sometimes patients may over look vision changes and chalk it up to the aging process. It is important to not overlook vision changes, especially if your vision is worsening at night.

While you are more susceptible to eye problems as you get older, age is may not be the reason for your vision changes. In fact, those who go untreated can have more severe loss of vision and treatment options may be limited because of a delay in treatment. Early detection of eye conditions can help prevent vision loss.

Below are other signs to report to your eye care professional:

• Frequent prescription changes
• Blurred vision
• Double vision
• Increased sensitivity to Light
• Frequent headaches
• Eye Pain
• Straining/Squinting

There are in fact several conditions that can cause decreased night vision. However the most common cause is a progressive condition called Keratoconus. Keratoconus is a misshapen cornea which causes a distortion in the view of the patient. Over time the cornea bulges into a cone shape instead of a sphere due to the thinning and weakening of the cornea over time.

A Few signs and Symptoms of Keratoconus:
• Frequent prescription changes
• Frequent eye rubbing
• Eye pain
• Blurred/Double Vision
• Straining/Squinting
• Decreased night vision

Keratoconus can be a shocking diagnosis but with early detection and proper treatment you can have your vision preserved. There are several treatment options which have show very positive results in the treatment of Keratoconus including the Holcomb C3-R ®, INTACS, and CK to name a few.
Watch revolutionary Keratoconus night blindness treatment by Dr. Brian featured on The Doctors:

How Can Keratoconus Affect Your Pitch This Baseball Season?

Baseball season is back in full swing and for those who suffer from Keratoconus this season maybe a struggle for some who have already been diagnosed and some who might not even know they are suffering.

In the past, the diagnosis of Keratoconus had been a difficult one for eye doctors to diagnose. However, in recent years with modern equipment and increased training, more doctors are able to diagnose the condition sooner. The sooner a patient is diagnosed the better the prognosis for Keratoconus treatment and improving vision.

Below you will find some signs & symptoms of Keratoconus:

• Frequent changes in prescriptions
• Frequent eye rubbing
• Frequent squinting
• Blurred/Double Vision
• Poor night vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Halos/glares around lights

Blurred vision can be a problem if you are playing baseball. Your pitch depends on your ability to aim at the plate. Blurred vision can distort your view of the plate and cause you to struggle seeing when aiming for your target. Keratoconus can hinder your depth perception causing you to throw the ball to short or too far over the base when pitching.

In addition, if you are up to bat, blurred vision can cause you to misjudge when to swing your bat.
Your sight is a great treasure and reporting any changes, no matter how minor, to your eye care professional will help you in finding available treatment options.

Watch Tommy Pham of the Cardinals baseball team discuss his experience with Keratoconus treatments:

Keratoconus Symptoms & How They Affect Your Daily Life

Keratoconus is a progressive eye condition that changes the shape of your cornea. This change causes many difficulties in the patient’s everyday life. The patient’s quality of vision deteriorates as the condition gets worse over the years. Many patients suffer from poor night vision, blurred, or double vision, and may have other symptoms which can cause them to become unable to drive at night, play sports, or causing problems completing tasks at school and/or work.

Keratoconus treatments improve the problem from its source by reshaping the cornea and strengthening it. These treatments can improve your overall quality of vision and reduce the likelihood the condition will progress further.

Some Symptoms are:

• Blurred vision
• Double vision
• Poor night vision
• Frequent eye rubbing
• Frequent prescription changes
• Glares over lights/halos

Many patients with Keratoconus have difficulty dealing with the symptoms. Treatments like the Holcomb C3-R®, INTACS, and CK can improve the condition greatly and give you a better quality of vision. In some cases the Holcomb C3-R® and INTACS can be done in combination and can slow, stop, and even sometimes reverse the visual presentation of Keratoconus by flattening the cones.

Holcomb C3-R® Crosslinking System: A non-invasive treatment that uses a solution which is created with a vitamin called Riboflavin. This procedure requires the use of UV lights at activate the solution over once it is applied. It takes about 30 minutes and strengthens the corneal fibers

INTACS: INTACS are tiny inserts that are placed in the cornea to help reshape it to a more normal shape and reduce distortion.

If you are looking for treatment options for Keratoconus you can read more about Holcomb C3-R® and INTACS to see for yourself how they can help with your symptoms and treat your disease.

Watch the video below to see ‘First Hand’ how these treatments can change your life:

A New Frontier for Keratoconus Treatment

The Holcomb C3-R ® is a procedure that uses a solution made of natural vitamins placed directly on the cornea to improve and strengthen the fibers of the cornea. This treatment helps to stabilize the cornea and slow/halt the progressive nature of this vision deteriorating condition. Full results of the treatment takes between 4 -16 weeks.

In combination with other treatments the Holcomb C3-R ® has the ability to dramatically improve a patient’s vision and improve their lives. In the past, many had to turn to corneal transplants as a treatment for Keratoconus. That procedure was risky, invasive, painful and had a long recovery time.

Now with improvements in technology, treatment options have become non-invasive or at the most minimally invasive. These advanced Keratoconus procedures have shorter than ever recovery time, usually a period of hours or days. Some combinations of treatments can be done the same day with no increases in recovery time.

The Procedure:

During the Holcomb C3-R ® procedure your eyes are numbed with eye drops and a proprietary solution developed by Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler in 2003 is applied to the cornea. Then the patient sits under a carefully calibrated UV light for 30 minutes, this activates the solution. The propriety eye drop solution is made with a natural vitamin called Riboflavin along with other ingredients which encourage the collagen within the cornea to build new crosslinks. These crosslinks is what strengthens the cornea. In some cases, this procedure has the added benefit of providing slight flatting of the cornea shape.

The procedure take about 30 minutes and is performed.

INTACS:

Intacs is often used in combination with the Holcomb C3-R ® to treat all stages of Keratoconus. While the Holcomb C3-R ® slightly changes the shape of the cornea, Intacs are used to help mold the cornea shape more. It uses tiny crescent shape lens inserts to help improve the cornea of the patient. When used in combination with the Holcomb C3-R ® it can improve the patient’s vision.

The Intacs procedure takes around 10 minutes and most patients report that the procedure was easier than a trip to the dentist. Vision of the patient improves almost instantly. Giving them the ability to have a better quality of vision with contacts or glasses.

Symptoms of Keratoconus:

It generally takes a while to be diagnosed with Keratoconus but if you have a family history of this condition or any of the below symptoms you should notify your eye care professional for further testing.

 Frequent changes in prescription
 Frequent eye rubbing
 Double vision
 Eye pain
 Halos or glares around the lights
 Light sensitivity

Dr. Brian discusses the testing used to diagnosed Keratoconus

Finding the Right Keratoconus Treatment

Keratoconus is a progressive condition that causes the patient to lose their vision slowly over time. Keratoconus causes the sphere shaped cornea to turn cone shaped. This causes the images that a patient sees to become distorted and glasses or contacts often will not help improve vision over time.

In the past many patients have had to wait for their vision to be nearly lost and then a cornea transplant was recommended to replace the damaged one. Until 1999, this was the main treatment for Keratoconus, which was invasive and had a long recovery time. Today Keratoconus treatments are available to slow, stop, and in some cases reverse the damage from Keratoconus.

Today’s Modern Keratoconus Treatments:

Over the past two decade many ophthalmologists have worked hard to find new ways to treat Keratoconus. Several treatments have excellent results in treating this condition. A few are listed below.

The Holcomb C3-R ®:

The Holcomb C3-R ® or Corneal Collagen Crosslinking with Riboflavin is a non-invasive treatment designed to strengthen the corneal fibers to help restore the shop of their cornea. Dr. Brian S. Boxer Wachler developed this treatment in 2003 and has revolutionized Keratoconus management.

The Holcomb C3-R ® is performed in the comfort of Dr. Brian’s office and is comfortable to undergo with recovery in as little as a few hours. Additionally the Holcomb C3-R ® can be performed in combination with other advanced treatments to further enhance and improve vision, procedures such as Intacs.

Intacs:

Intacs are tiny crescent shaped lens inserts that are placed in the layers of the cornea lens to reshape the cornea. It provides the patient with almost instant improved quality of vision and when performed with the Holcomb C3-R ® can benefit patients with moderate to severe Keratoconus.

Intacs can be done within 10 minutes and performed the same day as the Holcomb C3-R ® to reduce the need for repeat procedures dates and extended recovery times.

CK- Conductive Keratoplasty:

CK also known as Conductive Keatoplasty can be combined with both Intacs and the Holcomb C3-R ® to help reshape the cornea. Often used to reduce high levels of astigmatism, it can be effective in the treatment of Keratoconus for further enhancement of vision.

CK uses a radiofrequency probe, which gently helps reshape the cornea. This procedure can also be performed in combination with other treatments in the office. CK has little recovery time and little to no pain.

Advancements in Keratoconus treatments give patient’s peace of mind and relief to know there is another option instead of the dreaded and painful cornea transplant.

Watch Kristen discuss her happiness with Holcomb C3-R ®, Intacs, and CK – 3 years after treatment

Tips for Family Vision Care This Year

Vision care should be a priority to your family especially if you have a family history of eye problems or conditions like elevated blood pressure, or Diabetes. Several conditions affect the eyes and can lead to severe vision loss or eye care issues.

Be sure to find an eye care professional that you are comfortable speaking with, and that communicates well with you and your family. This will help your family understand your eye care conditions and find the right treatments for your family.

Below are a couple tips to help you:

Discovering Vision Problems in Your Children:

There are several signs of vision problems in children. Knowing what they are and how to spot them is important. If they are having difficulty seeing it will affect every part of their life including social, and academic as well.

Below are some common signs it is time to see the eye doctor:

 Eye Strain – (in children straining to see the television or board at school)
 Blurred Vision
 Double Vision
 Poor night vision
 Frequent Eye rubbing
 Eye Pain

Family History of Eye Conditions:

If you have a family a family history of eye conditions such as Cataracts, Glaucoma, Keratoconus, or even Diabetes type 1 or 2 you should go to the eye doctor on a regular basis. Annual eye exams are an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Early detection of eye conditions opens up more options when it comes to treatments.

For more information on symptoms of common eye conditions, or treatment option ask your eye care professionals or visit www.BoxerWachler.com

Dr. Brian’s shares his tip on why eye rubbing can be dangerous to your eye health:

Optimal Eye Health with Flaxseed Oil

Did you know that your eyes need vitamins just as much as the rest of your body? Yes, it is important for your eye health to get the right vitamin balance for your eyes as well as your whole body. Optimal Flax can help you achieve this and helps with Dry Eye. Below are a few additional benefits to flaxseed oil.

Benefits of Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil is used in many various health applications. It has been shown to:

Reduce inflammation from several types of Arthritis
Treat Dry Eye
Help regulate high blood pressure
Treat for heart disease
Help control Diabetes
Assist digestive health as a laxative for constipation

Even more important that the above benefits, research has revealed that free radicals can damage corneas and increase the progressive nature of Keratoconus. Anti-oxidants vitamins should be an essential part of your Keratoconus treatment. In addition, Keratoconus contacts lenses can be more comfortable when dry eye is treated. Flaxseed oil vitamin capsules have been effective for alleviated dry eyes in Keratoconus patients.

Several vitamin supplements that can support good vision care, as well as overall health, for yourself and your family. Vitamins can provide longevity and improved health.

As with any medications or supplements, there are a few interactions to watch out for including medications that help slow clotting of the blood. It is important to check with your physician or eye care professional before starting any new treatments to ensure there are no interactions.

Optimal Flax is a supplement that naturally increases the lubrication of the body, including the eyes and skin. This is an effective product for helping reduce Dry Eyes.

Flaxseed oil contains Omega-3 fatty acids which help with several health problems and offer many daily health benefits. If you are looking for a daily vitamin that will assist you with Dry Eye symptoms, Optimal Flax may be the ideal vitamin product.

For those of you who want more information on the Optimal Health products such as Optimal Flaxseed and Optimal Eye (antioxidants) visit www.ioptimalhealth.com

Will I Need a Corneal Transplant Now That I’m Diagnosed With Keratoconus?

For those who are familiar with Keratoconus, Corneal Transplants maybe a familiar treatment option. But with today’s advanced technology, there are several treatments yielding amazing results when it comes to the treatment of Keratoconus. For generations past, the only treatment of Keratoconus was a corneal transplant. But the success of alternative treatments has made corneal transplants an option in less than 5% of patients with Keratoconus in fact they are almost obsolete.

Other treatments such as the Holcomb C3-R®, INTACS®, Hybrid Lenses, and even PRK have yielded excellent results. These treatments have aided in slowing, reversing, and in some cases stopping the progression of Keratoconus. For many, visual freedom and overall improved quality of vision is within reach.

Some of you may be wondering what Keratoconus is and what are the signs. For those of you who are new to this condition or even have family members who are newly diagnosed with Keratoconus, it is a progressive eye condition which causes the cornea to extend into a cone-shape causing distortions in the patients vision over time.

The lens slowly bulges outward causing blurred or double vision, decreased night vision, difficulty reading, and several other symptoms. The condition can be hereditary, caused by frequent rubbing, or injury to the eye. Over time the patient can have a severe decrease in vision, causing problems with daily activities, driving, or night vision.

Treatments:

Holcomb C3-R® Corneal Crosslinking System

Also known as Corneal Collagen Crosslinking with Riboflavin, Holcomb C3-R® is a treatment that strengthens the corneal fibers over time, fixing the damage or bulge to the cornea. This can improve the vision slightly over 4-16 weeks, but most importantly it will stop the disease from progressing. The treatment is non-invasive and uses a natural vitamin called Riboflavin along with a UV light to activate it. The treatment takes 30 minutes and continues to work to improve your sight for weeks after it’s complete.

INTACS®:

INTACS® are tiny segments that are placed in your cornea to provide support and add shape to your cornea. INTACS® can be added in combination with the Holcomb C3-R® and take less than an hour for both eyes to be done. There is less recovery time and less pain involved with the procedure than a corneal transplant. The procedure for INTACS® is minimally invasive and requires very little recovery. INTACS® also can be removed relatively easily if technology changes or you need them removed for some reason in the future.

13yr old Brianna had her Keratoconus treated with these advanced treatments, watch her story here: http://youtu.be/KZFC8NOp_hI