After much preparation, Front Range Eye Associates is ready to move. We are relocating to provide our patients a much higher level of service in a much more efficient space. Our current location has served us in spite of inqdequate parking and limited office hours. Our new location will immediately remedy both of these issues as well as a host of other internal struggles. While the decision has been well thought out and well planned, it still brings with it a sense of anxiety. The staff is jittery with excitement. Our vendors and business partners are gleeful with support but I have not reached this level of joy yet. I wait for you. I wait for your reaction. Will this location be as convenient for you? Will additional evening and weekend hours make a difference to you? Will more elbow room in the optical dispensary make you feel like the valued patient we have always considered you to be? I can only hope so. This office was designed with you, the patient, in mind. The office was designed to provide you the best possible patient experience in an environment that is efficient, with state-of-the-art technology, relaxing and focused on your wellness. Please feel free to share your experiences with me as your visit the space. We open at 13605 Xavier Lane on November 9th. All are welcome!
Ready to Make the Move
Why wait until a disease is in its final stages before treating it? Would we wait until a patient had lost significant visual function before treating them? Why wait until a patient is severely symptomatic and in pain before treating their dry eye. I would argue that we should not. The most important part of seeking treatment and receiving treatment for dry eye is patient education. This disease process is chronic and progressive. It did not start over night and cannot be cured overnight. I would argue it cannot be ‘cured’ but can merely be managed, like dandruff. Talk to your doctor about options you have for treating your dry eye.
DriveWear
This is the greatest thing since sliced bread! I love this lens! For those of you who have tried Transitions lenses in the past, you have experienced a wonderful product with really just one significant shortcoming….they don’t get dark in the car. That’s because Transitions technology is based on UV light. UV light is blocked by the windshield of the car (that’s a good thing because who would want a sunburn from sitting in the car). BUT! WAIT NO MORE! There is a wonderful product available called Drivewear. This is a POLARIZED PHOTOCHROMIC lens. It is designed to be enhanced function sunwear. So, don’t be confused. It is not designed to be used as a clear pair for full time that gets dark in the car. It is SUNWEAR. It always has at least a light tint. In the industry, we often refer to tints on a scale of 1 to 3 with 1 being the lightest tint color and 3 being the darkest. This lens always has at least a level 2 tint which comes frmo the polarization. This lens gets darker as you are exposed to light. This lens is different from Transitions because it is activated both by UV light (like Transitions) as well as visible light (UNIQUE!). So, indoors it will be a level 2 tint, acceptable for use when you say, run into the grocery store. When you are in the car, the visible light will change the lens to a 2 1/2 level brownish tint. When you are outside, the visible light in combination with the UV light to create a very dark level 3 tint …. AND ITS POLARIZED to create the most comfortable outdoor viewing environment. Talk to our lens designers about this lens, you won’t be disappointed!
Okay….it is VERY important to understand that this lens is unlike any others that have come before it. It is truly revolutionary. With that comes different insertion and removal techniques. Like any other lens, learning to insert it and remove it for the first time takes practice and gets easier every time you do it…if the lenses are fit appropriately. So, in short, I direct my patients to the Synergeyes weblink for removal. If you do not have the ability to view a .wmv fle, thre just of the video teaches you not to pull the lens out but rather pinch the lens at 5 and 7-oclock and attempt to inject an air bubble underneath the gas permeable portion. The lens should literally fall out. If it does not release, STOP! Do not PULL on the lens. Just dry your hands and fingers and come at it again. If you have to make more than 3 attempts, the lens is likely fit too tight. It is not uncommon for the lens to tighten over the first couple of weeks. Make sure to talk to your eye care practitioner about the ease/ difficulty of insertino/ removal at your next visit as this information is essential to determine a good fit. You should also know that Synergeyes is about to role out two lens, one of which is already FDA approved. First, they are rolling out the ClearKone. This lens fits differently than the Synergeyes KC and will offer a wider spectrum of parameters to fit those patients with off center cones, which frankly is much more common than those with central cones. The second, name yet to be determined, will be a whole new hybrid offering a silicone hydrogel skirt with a high dK central gas permeable. This second lens will supposedly be much more main stream and will fit more like a traditional gas permeable, thus being less intimidating for the average eye care practitioner. Stay tuned for more! The Synergeyes A, Synergeyes KC and Synergyes PS will continue to be available for those who have been fit successfully. For some up to date information on new contact lens alternatives for patients with keratoconus, please visit a well put together site of the National Keratoconus Foundation. Another great site to get a feel for what keratoconic patients see is KCVision.org.
Board Certification
The American Optometric Association (www.AOA.org) House of Delegates just passed a motion to accept a model of Board Certification. This was a highly contested topic in our delegation and profession but in my heart of hearts I believe it was the right thing to do. This will be a measure of continued competancy for member of our profession. It will be completely voluntary. For me, this is accountability to myself and the confidence in knowing that I am providing the best possible care to my patients. This also seems a necessary “hoop” to jump through for many insurance companies, include Medicare, as well as for the purpose of recognition that allows us to operate more consistently with other health professions as many of them have already adopted models of Board Certification. So, I guess the one question that still lingers in my mind is whether or not this certification matters to my patients. When you search for a new provider, do you specifically seek someone who is board certified? Do you know which professions even offer board certification and which do not? For example, my great friend is a board certified orthodontist. Turns out, you can be an orthodontist and NOT be board certified, in fact, most are not. Moreover, you can be a dentist, fit people with braces, and still NOT be board certified. So, would you KNOW or CARE to seek out a board certified provider or rather, would you just look at the list of providers that are contracted with your insurance plan and select one from the list? If you saw that one was board certified and one was not, would that influence your decision? I wonder. I will keep you posted as I undergo the process of becoming board certified. As of yet, the complete model has not been adopted but the preliminary requirements are in place. I guess I may never know how you all feel but I am happy to accept comments when I see you in the office.
Giving Back
At Front Range Eye Associates, we are blessed to be able to care for our community members every day. Most of the people in our community are well educated, well fed, and well funded and well…..well they are just plain nice people. However, we are also extremely lucky to be able to care for others, both in our community and across the world, who could not otherwise afford eyecare and eyewear.
Locally, we work with the Broomfield Community Foundation to help serve children in the Adams 12 and Boulder Valley School District that might not otherwise be able to afford our services. Many of these children in our local schools have unmet vision needs due to financial reasons or family conflicts. Hand in hand with the Broomfield Community Foundation, these children are identified and we are able to provide care for them at Front Range Eye Associates. Can you imagine how challenging school can be when you are extremely nearsighted? What about learning to drive with your peers if you have a lot of astigmatism. The smile on these faces makes our work worthwhile.
On an international level, we work with Optometry Giving Sight. Refractive error, or simply put, the simple need for just a pair of glasses, is the number one preventable cause of blindness worldwide. Optometry Giving Sight exists to help provide examinations and eyewear to those that have been identified as needing assistance. We have chosen to partner with this charity local to help those less fortunate. At a visit to our office, you will be given the opportunity to “round up” to the next $5 increment if you wish to support us in this fundraising effort. We thank you in advance for your generosity.
Easing the Financial Burden
Recently, in many publications, there have been articles offering methods to help consumers save money while we are enduring this economic roller coaster. One such suggestion is to “avoid going to the doctor.” In short, I understand. However, I don’t think this has to mean that you cut off all communication with your provider. I understand that when you have three children and one of them gets “pink eye” or conjunctivitis and then two others wake up the next morning with red eyes, you likely do not want to pay three copays for three separate doctor visits . This is just common sense. But, avoiding care all together is not the answer. Letting your children marinate in this infection is not the answer. Relying on over the counter remedies that promise quick recovery is not the answer. Allowing your children to attend school, to avoid the cost of daycare, where they can spread the infection to others, is also not the answer. The answer is, just email or call me. The cost of a phone, or (preferably) an email consultation for an ESTABLISHED patient, is often minor compared to a copay for a full visit. Often, after listening carefully to what the symptoms are, I can offer a treatment for all three children, and both parents as well! This makes financial sense for BOTH of us. It also keeps sick eyes out of my office where it can easily be spread to other healthy individuals. I anticiapte that most optometrists offer this type of service for a small fee . If yours does not, you may want to SEE if you can find one that does 
Watery Eyes?!?!!?
I’ve seen several people this week and talked to even more about the fact that their eyes have started watering spontaneously. All of the sudden, out of nowhere, it seems as if they can’t stop crying. Funny, Mrs. Jones…you were here last year with the exact same problem during the exact same season. This is a sign that I have done a poor job of educating my patients that they have ocular allergies. Many people can be relatively symptom free 90% of the time. However, most have mild symptoms throughout the year that they just DEAL with. To be honest, my philosophy is “The least amount of “stuff” in the body, the better.” However, if your own family is avoiding you for fear of contracting your horendous eye infection that has left you crying like a baby, you should come see. Avoid taking systemic over the counter allergy tablets if the symptoms are primarily in your eyes. When you think about it, doesn’t it seem silly to swallow something that needs to be processed through all your other organs before reaching your eyes? There are some amazing treatments for the eyes alone. Because the drainage system of the eyes flows from the eyes, into the nose and then into the throat, it probably would not suprise you to learn that many allergies actually START in the eyes and then get progressively worse as they move internally. Therefore, we can VERY OFTEN eliminate most allergies by treating them at the source, the eyes! One great remedy is Pataday.
This medication is dosed in ONE SINGLE DROP per day. It is ideal for contact lens wearers because it can be inserted before your day begins! Its important to remember that many allergy medications, including some of the most popular available over the counter, are TWO phase medications. One phase, or one component of the medication, is designed to provide acute itch relief. This comes in the form of an anti-histamine. The other phase or component is often a mast-cell stabilizer. This components takes about a week of continuous use to build up in your system. The mast-cell stabilizer actually prevents an allergic reaction from occuring. Therefore, continued use of this medication throughout your allergy season will dramatically reduce your symptoms.
This year has been particularly rough on many of my allergy patients. Often, we need to supplement the ocular treatment with a systemic one and we are happy to help you in that regard. If you are having symptoms causing you to cry like a baby, please talk you to your optometrist soon! The problem is easier to treat the earlier we diagnose it! Not sure if your problem is bad enough to warrant treatment? Consider an on line evaluation that allows you to input your symptoms and rates the severity of your problem. One site with such a evaluation is HERE.
Some refer to them as HARD lenses. Some call them gas perms. They used to be called PMMA. This is a family of lenses that are a harder plastic than the more commonly worn soft disposable lenses. They are hard. They are gas permeable, meaning that oxygen passes THROUGH the lens. They are no longer made of PMMA (poly methyl methacrylate). They are made of VERY sophisticated breathable plastic.
Fitting gas permeable contact lenses is an art. As the rise of retail opticals has led to in-out eye exam in 10 minutes flat, the art of fitting gas permeable contact lenses has been diminished. However, there are still several classes of patients with complicated prescriptions that can only achieve crisp, clear vision in a gas permeable lens. These patients often don’t even have a clue what they are missing. Most of these patients have astigmatism, a high prescription or eye disease. If you feel you struggle with the QUALITY of vision in your contacts, even though you are technically seeing 20/20, please talk to your optometrist about gas permeable contact lenses.
One might ask why we do not fit these lenses as reguarly anymore. In a word, comfort. Rigid Gas Permeable (RGPs) DO provide good quality, consistent vision, but there is an adaptation period. In a society that demands a quick fix, we have had difficulty encouraging our patients to endure this adaptation process, which usually takes about two weeks. So, it is often those who have exhausted all other options, that will turn to RGPs. Nevertheless, there is a growing number of optometrists fitting patients with RGPs, especially young patients, for NIGHTTIME wear, to eliminate the need for vision correction during the day. This is referred to orthokeratology or CRT lenses. Ask you doctor about this wonderful treatment the next time you are in!
Transitions Lenses
Transitions is the brand name for the lenses that automatically change from light to dark when you go outside. These lenses are wonderful…if you take the time to become an educated consumer. I prescribe these lenses for all children because practically speaking, they are NOT going to have two pairs of prescription eyewear, one clear and one for sun. Can you imagine a slew of second graders all whining to their teachers that they cannot go out side because they left their prescription sunglasses next to the Wii at home? Not gonna happen. Kids are perfect candidates for transitions because the lenses change as quickly as they do. When they go outside to play, the lenses are activated by the UV and change to a sunglass gray or brown. When they come inside, the lenses lighten to clear after just a few minutes. Strangely, these lenses do seem to work better in the cold.
However, I hear from adults all the time that they are not satisfied with their Transition lenses and I feel responsible in part as a member of the eyecare industry that has been inept at educating patients prior to an eyewear purchase. As I mentioned above, these lenses are activated by UV exposure. Therefore, if you move from your kitchen, into your garage, into your car and drive away….they will not get dark. TRANSITIONS LENSES ARE NOT DESIGNED TO WORK AS DRIVING SUNGLASSES (which is when many of us want sunglasses). The windshield from the car blocks UV. So, unless you open the window and stick your head out (I have seen people doing this on Sheridan Blvd ) they won’t get dark. Nevertheless, if you are just someone who likes an adjustable tint when you go for a walk to get the mail or when you are gardening, these lenses can be great! But, in short, don’t purchase Transitions lenses as an alternative to two pair but rather as an ‘enhanced’ clear pair. You will still want and need your polarized sunglasses when driving East on a Colorado morning. Talk to my optician Judy any time you have questions about this lens. She is happy to help and I am happy to volunteer her services 
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