Archive for the ‘Private Practice Doctors’ Category
Posted on November 3rd, 2009 by Liz B.
Joel Kestenbaum O.D. is a VSP provider in Long Island, NY.
Today we welcome VSP provider Joel Kestenbaum, O.D. from Long Island N.Y. His guest blog gives an overview of those annoying floating spots we sometimes see …
Often patients either complain of or casually mention that they see little floating spots in front of their eyes. They are described as worms, dust, feathers, spiders, mites, flies on a wall, or just plain floaters. What makes these floaters and why do we see them?
Did you ever put your hand in front of a beam of light and see its projection on a screen? Lets think of the inside of the eye just like the inside of a movie theater. If you stand up and get in the way of the projection, you are seen as a shadow on the screen. In the same way, if something gets in the way of the beam of light coming into the eye, the image is projected onto the retina, the eyes’ movie screen, and seen as a floater with a particular shape.
Where do floaters come from? This is a complicated question and there are two basic answers:
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File under: Private Practice Doctors, eye health | Tagged: floaters, private practice eye doctors, retina, seeing spots, vision, vitreous humor
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Posted on September 21st, 2009 by Liz B.
Joel Kestenbaum O.D. is a VSP provider in Long Island, NY.
Today we welcome VSP provider Joel Kestenbaum, O.D. from Long Island N.Y. His guest blog gives an overview of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) and tips to resolve CVS symptoms.
Everyday patients complain of blurred vision and burning or itchy eyes. More often than not, these people are spending overwhelming amounts of time at the computer at work and at home. They are developing Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).
Practicing healthy computer vision hygiene is just as important as brushing your teeth and taking a shower … and its results can dramatically improve your comfort and productivity at work.
Here are a few simple steps to keep your vision healthy starting with the “20/20/20 Rule.” What’s with all the 20’s? It goes a little something like this.
- 20 minutes using the computer- in which you focus intently upon the screen.
- 20 second break – take a 20 second break after you have focused on the screen for 20 minutes
- 20 feet away – focus your eyes upon something roughly 20 feet away for this 20-second break.
What happens if you use the computer for long periods of time without a break?
Photo courtesy of Indiana University.
- Headaches
- Neck and upper back aches
- Blurry vision during and after computer use
- Eye strain, possibly causing changes in vision
- Burning, itching and watery eyes
- Overall loss of short-term focus until eyes adjust.
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File under: Private Practice Doctors, eye health | Tagged: 20 20 20 Rule, back aches, blurry vision, burning eyes, computer vision syndrom, CVS, eye strain, headaches, itchy eyes, Joel Kestenbaum, neck aches, private practice eye doctors, watery eyes
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Posted on July 29th, 2009 by Jessica G.
Dr. David Kisling is a VSP doctor practicing in Fort Collins, CO.
Dr. David Kisling, a VSP network doctor, returns for his second guest blog. Today’s post addresses one of the most challenging portions of an eye exam—dilation of your eyes.
Does an hour appointment with your optometrist turn into a full day of discomfort due to the pupil dilation? Have you wondered why you have to endure this glaring assault on your eyes? If you have ever tried looking through a peephole in your front door to see if it is a friend or foe knocking on the door, you have some idea of the difficulty of looking inside an eye. You have to get very close to the tiny peephole, squeeze one eye shut, and even then you have a very limited view. Think how much easier it the would be if there were holes for both eyes the size of a silver dollar! When examining the retina, the tissue lining the back of your eye, having the equivalent of a silver dollar size opening allows a much more thorough check of your eye health.
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File under: Private Practice Doctors, eye health | Tagged: dilated eyes, dilation, eye exams, eyecare, private practice eye doctors, vsp blog, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on July 23rd, 2009 by Jessica G.
We welcome Dr. David Kisling, a VSP network doctor and guest blogger, as he demystifies parts of an eye exam. Today’s post addresses the unsettling eye-puff test; stay tuned next week as he discusses dilation.
Non-Contact Tonometer a.k.a the Eye-Puff Test.
Why do some people procrastinate on scheduling regular eye exams? That dreaded puff of air that makes you cringe in anticipation could be the reason. That little puff, (and it has become smaller and more gentle as technology has evolved) is measuring the fluid pressure inside the eye. There is fluid constantly being produced in your eye and a drainage system that ferries it back into the bloodstream. When the drainage system malfunctions, the pressure inside the eye starts to rise. We know from large-scale studies that keeping the eye pressure low enough helps prevent loss of sight. High pressure acts to dampen the circulation to the optic nerve and cause a slow, painless loss of vision. Over 50% of the nerve may be dead before you become aware of the loss of vision, so annual eye pressure checks are good, preventative medicine.
Instruments used to measure eye pressure are referred to as tonometers. The first tonometer was invented in 1861, but the introduction of the indentation tonometer in 1905 was the true beginning of measuring eye pressures. Patients who have had the experience of this type of tonometer pressing on their eye with small weights actually look forward to that puff of air. A new type of tonometer was introduced in 1951 that was much more accurate due to the lighter touch and lower tendency to alter the eye fluid’s normal distribution. This tonometer replaced the indentation tonometer and is still used today.
In the late 1950’s, Bernard Grolman, O.D., a member of the Research and Development Group at the American Optical Read more »
File under: Private Practice Doctors, eye health | Tagged: Dr. Kisling, eye exam, glaucoma, private practice eye doctors, puff-test
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Posted on July 22nd, 2009 by Tamiko M.
Tamiko M. is a member of VSP's Provider Services team.
Some memories are stored through sound. Saturday mornings as a child – Earth, Wind & Fire over the hum of my mother’s vacuum, Don Cornelius wishing me “love, peace and soul”. Other memories are tied to taste. Pittsburgh, PA – perfect pillows of pierogi or the surprising balance of tang and salt in a Primanti Bros. sandwich.
Though all of my senses impact the way I experience the world, vision seals the deal. Most of my favorite moments were experienced overwhelmingly through vision.
- The first view of my children
- Michelangelo’s David
- The big smile from the cute stranger who would become my husband.
- Exploring Mauna Kea – an elusive blooming silver sword, snow boarders, the sun setting behind the clouds, Saturn’s rings from a telescope!
A life this rich requires vision. For my best chance at new sights I have an annual comprehensive eye exam with my private practice VSP eye doctor. I also work to maintain my overall health to keep my risk for diabetes, a leading cause of blindness, low. I hope you will too.
I would love to hear about (and see) your favorite visual experiences. Do you have photos to share? E-mail us! You may see your photos here.
File under: Fun, Private Practice Doctors, diabetes, eye health | Tagged: diabetes, eye exams, eye health, eyes, mauna kea, perogi, primanti bros, private practice eye doctors, senses, vision, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on June 26th, 2009 by Jace D.
VSP Global launched today at the American Optometric Association annual meeting. Steve Baker, Chief Technology Officer of Eyefinity/OfficeMate provides a guest blog post on the positive impacts.
Steve B. is Chief Technology Officer for Eyefinity/OfficeMate.
I love cycling. It’s a great sport that also affords an opportunity to get away from television and media in general. It seems that ever day I’m pelted with new brands. Products. Companies; Services. You name it. I can hardly keep up with it but every now and then something exciting and unique comes along that grabs my attention. Well, I’d like to share with you something that I hope grabs you like it did me … The VSP Global brand.
We recently announced a new brand that ties together all of our diverse companies. Pulling together industry leading companies like Marchon and Eyefinity/OfficeMate enables our companies to be much much more than just the sum of our individual parts. We can offer integrated products in benefit programs, the latest in frame fashion, advanced optical lab services, and technically superior business management solutions. The best part? Working together we can create fantastic and unique programs that you will benefit from. Here’s two quick examples:
EyeHealthCheck+: Want to increase patient satisfaction and grow your revenue? VSP doctors can jump into this program that gives them access to Optos‘ retinal imaging technology at great pricing. New optomap installations also come with a free ExamWRITER equipment integration software license for OfficeMate users.
Healthcare Technology Program: VSP doctors who are looking to update their old software but are unsure of the price can take advantage of this risk-free offer from VSP Global through Eyefinity/OfficeMate which gives current OfficeMate users ExamWRITER electronic medical records at no initial software license fee, and gives first time users the whole package: OfficeMate Suite or OfficeMate Enterprise with ExamWRITER at no initial software license fee. This offer will prepare VSP doctors to take advantage of federal stimulus money which will become available to eyecare professionals who use electronic medical records. How great is that?
We’re hard at work developing new programs that leverage all of the companies under the VSP Global brand. Check out the latest video Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this VideoPress video.
Drop me a line on your feedback. I’d love to hear from you, especially if you love cycling!
~Steve
File under: Million Dollar Service, Private Practice Doctors, Uncategorized | Tagged: CCHIT, Eyefinity/OfficeMate, Global, Healthcare Technology, Optos, private practice eye doctors, VSP Global
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