Ressler Optometry

In just about every aspect of life, what we see determines what we do. Good eye health and optimal vision are critical factors for better performance at school, at work, and at play.

Approximately 60 percent of Americans have refractive errors or defects that could be corrected to give them sharper vision.

The use of drops to dilate the pupils during an exam allows inspection of the back of the eye to detect disease, either ocular (of the eye itself) or systemic (of the body as a whole). Early diagnosis of ocular and systemic diseases can improve outcome, and can often delay or prevent future complications.

The American Optometric Association recommends that adults aged 19 to 40 receive an eye exam at least every two years. If you are at risk for eye problems due to contact lens wear, a family history of eye disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or past vision problems, and your doctor of optometry may recommend more frequent exams. In between examinations, if you notice a change in your vision, contact your doctor.

Detecting and treating problems early can help maintain good vision for the rest of your life.

Why Examine your eyes?

First and foremost, eye doctors examine your eyes to determine the best possible eye glass or contact lens prescription to ensure the clearest and most comfortable vision. Here are some of the vision problems that your eye doctor will check for::

• Astigmatism – is a vision condition that causes blurred vision due either to the irregular shape of the cornea, the clear front cover of the eye, or sometimes the curvature of the lens inside the eye.

• Hyperopia (Farsightedness) – as it is medically termed, is a vision condition in which distant objects are usually seen clearly, but close ones do not come into proper focus. Farsightedness occurs if your eyeball is too short or the cornea has too little curvature, so light entering your eye is not focused correctly.

• Myopia (Nearsightedness) – or myopia, as it is medically termed, is a vision condition in which near objects are seen clearly, but distant objects do not come into proper focus. Nearsightedness occurs if your eyeball is too long or the cornea has too much curvature, so the light entering your eye is not focused correctly.

• Presbyopia – is a vision condition in which the crystalline lens of your eye loses its flexibility, which makes it difficult for you to focus on close objects.

Furthermore, your doctor will check the overall health of your eye, and check for eye diseases such as:

• Glaucoma – is an eye disease in which the internal pressure in your eyes increases enough to damage the nerve fibers in your optic nerve and cause vision loss. The increase in pressure happens when the passages that normally allow fluid in your eyes to drain become clogged or blocked. The reasons that the passages become blocked are not known.Glaucoma is a major public health problem in this country. The disease causes progressive optic nerve damage that, if left untreated, leads to vision loss. An estimated 3 million people in the United States have the disease; of these, as many as 120,000 are blind as a result. Furthermore, glaucoma is the number one cause of vision loss in African Americans. Treatments to slow the progression of the disease are available. However, at least half of the people who have glaucoma are not receiving treatment because they are unaware of their condition.

• Macular Degeneration – is the leading cause of blindness in America. It results from changes to the macula, a portion of the retina that is responsible for clear, sharp vision and is located at the back of the eye.

• Diabetes – People with diabetes are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a major cause of vision loss. Because early diagnosis and timely treatment have been shown to prevent vision loss in more than 90 percent of patients, health care practice guidelines recommend an annual dilated eye exam for all people with diabetes. Studies indicate, however, that many people with diabetes do not get an annual dilated eye exam. An estimated 50 percent of patients are diagnosed too late for treatment to be effective.

Data source: National Health Interview Survey (NH1S), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Please call 914-595-1019 to make an appointment or stop by our office at 20 Stew Leonard Drive in Yonkers. Walk-ins welcome!

Located inside the Yonkers Costco but patients DO NOT have to be Costco members to receive an eye exam.