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  • Richard Chace, M.D.
  • Lucian Szmyd, Jr., M.D.
  • Warren S. Goldblatt, M.D.
  • N. Timothy Peters, M.D., F.A.C.S.
  • Marsha C. Kavanagh, M.D.
  • Susan Haskell, O.D., F.A.A.O.
  • Michelle L. McLaughlin, O.D.
  • Christopher J. Turner, O.D.
  • Lauren K. McLoughlin, O.D.
  • Janet Rand, O.D.
  • Alan K. Thompson, O.D.
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Routine Eye Exams

To maintain good vision and to keep your eyes healthy, it is important to have routine eye exams. For those with stable vision and without any eye disease, having routine eye exams every two years is important. At this exam your eyes will be dilated so the doctor can see your retina, your vision will be checked and you will be screened for eye diseases or disorders. If further testing is required, a more comprehensive exam and possible testing will be scheduled.

If you experience any changes in your vision between regularly scheduled visits with your eye specialist, you should schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Early detection and treatment of problems can be the key to preventing loss of vision.

Preparing for Your Eye Exam

When a person calls to make an eye appointment, he or she should be prepared to describe any current vision problems. In addition, patients should ask if the eye examination will temporarily affect their vision and if they will need someone to drive them home. They may also want to ask about the cost of the exam, if their insurance plan will cover any of the cost, and how payment is handled.

Before going to the appointment, patients should gather the following information to help answer questions the eye care professional may ask:

• Symptoms of current eye problems (flashes of light, difficulty seeing at night, temporary double vision, loss of vision, etc.)
• Eye injuries or eye surgeries (approximate dates, where treated).
• Family history of eye problems,( glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts, etc.).
• Any questions about their vision, glasses, contacts, laser surgery, etc.
• Their general health condition (allergies, chronic health problems, operations, etc.).

Patients should also take the following items with them to their eye appointment:

• Glasses, contact lenses or both.
•  A list of all prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs currently being taken.
•  Medical or health insurance card.

Signs that You May Need an Eye Exam:

Children:

• Holding a book too close to their eyes.
• Difficulty reading the blackboard in school.
• Complaints of blurry eyesight.
• Squinting a lot.
• Closing or covering one eye in order to see.

If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms, call 1.888.222.3937 to schedule your appointment today.

Adults:

• Arms are suddenly"too short," i.e., need to hold the newspaper or other reading material far away in order to read.
• Unusual difficulty adjusting to dark rooms.
• Difficulty focusing on close or distant objects.
• Unusual sensitivity to light or glare.
• Change in the color of the iris.
• Red-rimmed, encrusted, or swollen lids.
• Recurrent pain in or around the eyes.
•  Double vision.
• Dark spot at the center of their vision.
•  Lines and straight edges appear wavy or distorted.
• Excess tearing or"watery eyes."
• Dry eyes with itching or burning.
•  Seeing spots or ghost-like images.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above schedule an eye exam at Eyesight by calling 1.888.222.3937.

The following symptoms are indications of serious medical problems that may require immediate attention:

•  Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes.
• Sudden hazy or blurred vision.
• Flashes of light or black spots in the field of vision.
• Halos or rainbows around lights.
• Curtain-like blotting out of vision.
• Loss of peripheral (side) vision.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms call our office at 1.888.222.3937.

Your Routine Eye Exam:

Visual acuity tests measure the smallest object each eye can see at a certain distance. Normally, each eye will be done individually by covering one eye at a time. It may be necessary to tape a patch over a child's eye to keep him from peeking. The use of the Snellen chart is the most common way to test visual acuity. This chart contains letters and numbers that gradually decrease in size. When taking the test, the distance between the patient and the chart is 20 feet.

20/20 vision is normal. If a person has 20/40 vision, they see at twenty feet what a normal eye sees at forty feet. If a person has 20/200 vision or worse, they are considered legally blind. They only see at twenty feet what a normal eye sees at two hundred feet. If they have 20/15 vision, they see better than normal. They see at twenty feet what the normal eye would have to bring in to fifteen feet to see.

For children that do not know letters and numbers, they can be tested with the Tumbling E chart. To take this test, the child points his/her finger in the same direction as the E is pointing. Children who are younger than four may have trouble with this test so there are several different test used to obtain a child's accurate visual acuity.

Comprehensive Eye Exams:

Comprehensive eye exams for adults include the following:

• Review of family and personal health history.
• Examination of the interior and exterior of the eye for signs of eye disease or general health problems such as diabetes or hardening of the arteries.
• Eye pressure and field of vision tests to diagnose glaucoma.
• Tests of ability to see sharply and clearly at both close and far distances.
• Tests to determine the presence of nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, depth perception problems, and in people over age 40, presbyopia.
• Check of eye coordination and eye muscle function to make sure the eyes are working together as a team.
•  Test of ability to change focus easily from near to far, and vice versa.

Additional tests for young children includes:

• Check for indications of crossed eyes
• Check to ensure the child is using both eyes
•  Tests to check eye-hand-foot coordination
• Tests to determine how well the child's vision skills are developing
• Tests to determine normal color vision

Your visit to Eyesight will include a discussion of the exam's findings and any treatment prescribed. Call 1.888.222.3937 to schedule your appointment today!

Optometry

What is an optometrist?

Optometrists, also known as doctors of optometry, or ODs, are highly trained eye practitioners that are the main providers of routine vision care. They examine people's eyes to diagnose vision problems, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness. Optometrists may prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses, and screen for serious eye diseases Services:

Comprehensive Eye Health Examinations: An eye health exam includes a personalized thorough refraction to determine how well you are able to see and whether glasses or contact lenses will improve your vision. We also screen for eye diseases including infection, dry eye, glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and retinal tears or holes.

If any risk factors for eye disease are found during your eye examination, our optometrist may schedule or perform further testing. Our offices are equipped with the most advanced diagnostic equipment. If surgery or a referral is required, our optometrists will help you coordinate care with one our Eyesight ophthalmologists.

Contact Lenses: At Eyesight, our optometrists are professionals in contact lens fittings. They have expertise in the most advanced materials and designs available to ensure that the lens provides the best vision, health, and comfort possible. We offer a full array of contacts including Soft, Rigid Gas Permeable, Toric, Bifocal, Multifocal, Colored, Extended Wear, Hybrid, Keratoconic and post-Corneal Transplant lenses. For pricing details, please call our Contact Lens Department at 436-1773 ext. 233.

Refractive Surgery Consultation: If you have an interest in refractive surgery such as LASIK, your optometrist will discuss your candidacy, answer questions, and arrange a pre-operative consultation at our state of art facility, Clear Advantage Vision Correction Center.

Low Vision Services: Vision rehabilitation involves maximizing your visual abilities despite whatever vision loss you may have incurred. While not limited to diseases such as severe Glaucoma or Macular Degeneration, treating significant visual loss is most successful when treatment is started early. Whether it is as simple as fitting you with stronger reading glasses, offering specialized magnifiers or lighting, or employment of Closed-Circuit TV systems, our low vision specialists will personalize your solution.

Community Services

Nursing Home Visits: Our optometrists regularly provide primary eye care to several assisted care facility residents who have difficulty traveling for their eye needs. Please contact our offices is you are interested in this service.

School screenings: Eyesight optometrists travel to local schools in communities throughout the Seacoast, providing free screenings to identify those students who would benefit from glasses or additional eye care.

Corporate / Business Screenings: If your business would like to offer free vision screening to your employees, we would be happy to coordinate dates and times. Please contact Holly Venetos at 603-501-5000 or via email at Hollyv@globalv.com to arrange for this service.