Page 12 September 24, 2020 Berthoud Weekly Surveyor
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Health h • Fitness • Mind • Spirit piri p irit • Medicine dicine • Well-Being W
2020 – Looking back and looking forward H aving practiced as an optometrist for over 40 years I have literally seen many changes in our approach to vision and eye care for people of all ages. I’d like to share a few tidbits of what I have learned. Frames: Then — Frame designs in the 1980s found people wearing huge glasses. It is ironic that as the glasses got bigger ... the skirt lengths got shorter. Guest Now — Over the past 10 years frames weigh half Columnist as much and are twice as durable. They are made of lightweight titanium and some are adorned with exotic woods and Swarovski Crystals. Lenses: Then — Lenses were primarily made out of tempered glass. And although they rarely got scratched you had to have a nose made out of steel to support the weight. Now — Lenses are much lighter weight and are much more impact resistant than the heavy glasses lenses. They are made out of materials that rarely reDr. Rex semble the “coke bottle” lenses of the past. UV protecEland tion from harmful light is a standard issue in most all lenses. Multifocals: Then — Most people in their 40s suffer from something called “short arm syndrome” (i.e., your eyes are getting older). Years ago your age was highlighted by lined bifocals. Now — 90% of the “short arm” population wears lenses without lines called progressive lenses, which comfortably provide vision at all ranges without lines. Computers: Then — We simply looked down at sheets of paper strewn all over our desks and punched the buttons on an adding machine that had over 100 keys and a hand crank. Now — Computers are almost as commonplace in homes as tv’s. Looking at a monitor creates more strain than a piece of paper and requires a blue filter to reduce eyestrain. Special “computer glasses” are designed to provide clear and comfortable vision without getting a pain in the neck. We spend about 7-10 hours per day staring at electronic devices. With all this time spent looking at electronic media, it is critical for us to follow the 20/20/20 rule, which is “every 20 minutes take a 20-second break and look at least 20 feet away.” This allows the eye muscles to stretch and become more refreshed. Contact lenses: Then — You had to have “eyes of steel” to wear most of the hard contact lenses. Now — Comfortable soft contact lenses can now correct all vision problems including astigmatism and “short arm syndrome.” Yep ... they can correct your far and near vision. Eye diseases: Then — We knew some things about some eye diseases, but the technology
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did not allow us to diagnose or treat certain vision anomalies. Now — Diagnosing and treating most eye conditions have advanced significantly. Lasers are miraculous tools to solve many vision problems. In 10 seconds we can correct vision anomalies with Lasik. Other lasers are used to treat glaucoma and retinal issues. Cataract surgery takes just 5-7 minutes and has a nearly perfect success rate. Many forms of macular degeneration can be treated with antioxidant vitamins and lutein. Stem cell research offers the possibility of restoring vision that has been permanently lost. Telescopic implants are being developed to help those with severe vision loss to see again. And more is yet to come. Nutrition: Then — Other than telling our patients to “eat your carrots” we really didn’t know how much nutrition and lifestyle played into ocular health. Now — We know so much more about the benefits of good nutrition and lifestyle in supporting our overall visual health. Smoking can increase the likelihood of blindness from macular degeneration by 300%. Leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach are especially beneficial for overall eye health. Omega-3 fatty acids provide help against dry macular degeneration as well as dry eyes. And more is yet to come. A love for people and a passion for great vision: So why do I love what I am doing more than ever? Think about it ... I get to help people with a gift that is second only to life itself ... and that is to see this big beautiful world that the good Lord has given us. With all the technology we have available, we constantly remind each other as a staff the most important part of our practice ... and that is people. Although eye issues bring people into our office, I am blessed to have a staff that is more concerned about the person who brings those eyeballs in to be examined. We prefer taking some extra time to get to know each person and their vision needs. Listening leads to better solutions. It is a privilege to come into my office every day. We love people. And we love to take care of their vision needs. Dr. Corey Pratt and I welcome you into Berthoud Vision for Life! We accept many insurances and are conveniently located just south of Adams Bank on Berthoud Parkway. See you soon.
