“People Would Rather Lose a Limb Than an Eye” is the title of an article I recently read .  A survey of 11,000 people from around the world found that “if forced to choose, people would rather lose their sense of smell, sense of taste, hearing, one of their limbs, or 10 years off their life than their eyesight”.   This does not surprise me in the least as sight is such a precious gift.  But the survey also reveals that just 21% of those had a regular eye exam over the past five years and a majority of those had not visited an eye doctor because they had clear vision.  It is obvious from this survey that there is a disconnect between eye sight and eye health.   I would like to tell you about two patients I recently saw who sadly fall right in line with the findings of this survey.
A few weeks ago, 2 new patients in particular came to me just for a “routine eye exam”.  The first patient was a white male in his early 60′s who was coming in with his wife “just to make her happy”.  He could not remember when his last eye exam was.  The other was a woman in her late 40′s who had LASIK 7 years ago and hasn’t had an eye exam since her follow-up visits with the LASIK center.  Both of them claimed to have good vision (which they did) and had no complaints with their eyes.  The examinations were going well until I looked inside the back of their eyes, and specifically their optic nerves, which looked very suspicious for glaucoma.  Glaucoma is a slowly progressive atrophy of the optic nerve.  There are no symptoms until the nerve is just about completely damaged, at which point there is a loss of peripheral vision.  But by then it is way too late.  I currently am doing more tests on these two patients before I officially diagnose them with glaucoma, but the diagnosis seems just about certain.  The treatment will be eye drops for the rest of their lives to lower the pressure inside the eyes, but I am especially concerned for the young woman who has potentially 30-40 more years to live. My job now is to prevent any further death to her optic nerve so that her sight outlives her.  The unfortunate part of these two examples is that glaucoma (and many other eye diseases) could have been detected earlier if only the patients had come in for their “routine eye exams”.  If it has been a while since your last exam, give me a call to schedule an appointment.  And if you have kids who have never had a real eye exam (the school nurse doesn’t count), I recommend an appointment for them.  “Don’t wait until after it’s too late” (I made up that rhyme).

And now for some totally useless information

Did you know that anatidaephobia is the fear that somewhere in the world a duck is watching you?

Or that four is the only number that has the same amount of letters as its actual value?

Sunglasses on Sale- 25%off…

…frame and lenses through April, 2013.  We have a bunch of new sunglasses in stock and they would look better on you than sitting on our shelves.  There are both womens and mens frames in many different styles with or without a prescription.  Spread the word- let your family and friends know.  Make yourself look good while protecting your eyes and the skin around your eyes from harmful UV light that can cause such conditions as macular degeneration and various skin cancers.  Sorry, this discount can not be combined with vision benefits.

And Lastly…

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you for entrusting me with your eye care.  If you had a good experience, let me know how I can make it better.  If you had a great experience, please put it down in words so that I can put it on the website and tell the world.  And if there is something I can do better, you can email me personally at drmike@normandyopticalcompany.com.

Having said that, this month I would like to share an article I came across in the Australian newspaper The Age that is related to neither of the above! Rather, it is just a tidbit of information about the human body that you can use to impress your children and friends.

I bet you never thought about why our fingers and toes get all wrinkled after soaking in a tub or being in a pool for a long time.  Well, it turns out that it is an evolutionary advantage because it helps us better grip things under water.  Scientists in England demonstrated that people who soaked their hands in warm water for 30 minutes were able to get a better grip and pick up wet marbles and place them in a container faster than those who had un-creased fingers.  The researchers conclude that this probably allowed our prehistoric ancestors who walked on all fours to move around better on wet surfaces (which is why it occurs on both the hands and the feet) and may have been useful in gathering food from wet plants or streams.  The study also found that “pruney” fingers had no impact on handling dry objects, which raises the question why we do not have permanent creases in our hands and feet.

Random, Useless Fact…

Did you know that you can not hum if your nose is pinched closed?  I can see all of you trying it now.

New at Normandy Optical…

… Is the TrueFit digital dispensing system.  The sonar digital camera and computer software gives us the technology to obtain amazingly accurate measurements such as the distance between your eyes and the placement of  your bifocal for your new glasses.  The TrueFit system allows you to compare several frames at once, is great for people with high prescriptions who can’t see what a frame looks like without wearing glasses, and can show you what your new glasses will look like from both the front and side views.  It also allows us to match up the exact type of progressive (no-line bifocal) lens to fit your frame.

The bottom line is that 1 or 2 millimeters can be the difference between seeing good and seeing great.  TrueFit will allow us to make your glasses with the precision that others can not.

How amazing is this?  I came across an article in the LA Times that ties in with my last blog post about futuristic Google Glasses.  Available at Oakley.com is the latest innovation in ski goggles called the Oakley Airwave.  These goggles have a built in display about the size of a fingernail located near the bottom of the inside part of the lens that incorporates a gyroscope, an accelerometer, GPS, and Bluetooth.  The display allows you to track such things as how high and far you jumped (if you engage in that type of skiing), as well as keep track of your elevation and max speed and/or average speed throughout the day.  You can also monitor your vertical feet by run, by day, or over the course of a season.  In addition, you can upload a map of the ski resort to determine where you are or where you need to go.  Last but not least, it has buddy tracking so you can link up with other Airwave users to locate where they are.  The goggles retail for a price of $599.  I suppose one could say that these are either super-cool or this is another example of “information overload”.  Nonetheless, you can not deny that the future is now!

Normandy Optical is a Care Credit provider.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with Care Credit, it  is a healthcare credit card that picks up where insurance leaves off.  You can use it to pay for a spare pair of glasses that you need or the sunglasses you lost in the ocean last summer.  You can also use it for LASIK, and for dental and veterinary care.  If you elect to use it at Normandy Optical, there is no interest on qualifying purchases  if the balance is paid in full within 6 months.  Ask us for more information if you are interested in this great program.

Well, I DID IT!  I completed the Philly Marathon on November 18 in 4 hours, 59 minutes, and 21 seconds.  I achieved my goals of:  1) finishing the race, 2) not stopping to walk except for hydration breaks, and 3) breaking 5 hours.  This was my first marathon and my longest run prior to this was 11.5 miles during training.  It was physically the most demanding thing I have ever done, especially the last 3 miles.  However….  I am not ruling out running it again next year now that I have a time to beat.  It was a great experience and I will never forget the moment I crossed the finish line.  At the very least, it was a great way to see the sights of Philadelphia.  Thanks to all of you who said I could do it.

Google Glasses

 How would you like to wear your computer?  According to the New York times, Google is currently developing glasses that will work like a wearable version of the Google Goggles app.  I have seen a few different variations on what they will look like, but they will feature a low-resolution camera on the front to gather information to relay to a small screen on the back side of the lenses. The image will be located on the side of the lens so it won’t get in the way of wearer’s vision.  Using either a WiFi or 3G/4G connection, you will be able to read emails, take pictures, locate friends, get traffic updates and directions, and even gather information about where you are or the person you are talking to!  Controlling the glasses will require the user to tilt their head to scroll and click, but sources at Google say that this is actually easier than it sounds.  The price for these “futuristic” glasses will be approximately $1500.

Diet Glasses

Professors at Tokyo University have designed glasses to lower your appetite by way of an optical illusion — making your food appear bigger.  A camera is fixed to the glasses where video is fed to a processing system on the lenses.  The camera can be adjusted to make food appear up to 50% larger, which makes you feel fuller faster.  The professors conducted a study of 12 men and women and found that those who saw the cookies as 50% larger ate almost 10% fewer cookies.

On a personal note…..

Anybody up for running a marathon?  Last year I set a goal for myself to run the Philly Marathon in 2012.  I have not run seriously since high school and do not consider myself a “runner.”  In fact prior to July, the most I ran was about 2 miles a week and hated it every step of the way.  So as my family continues to support/ridicule me, I continue to pursue my goal.  Last week was week 8 of my training schedule which is roughly the halfway point.  My longest run has been 8.5 miles, and I am up to 16 miles a week.  I must admit that my former “long runs” of 2 or 3 miles now seem easy.

If anyone has ever run a marathon and could offer any tips, by all means let’s chat.  I need all of the advice that I can get.  Yes, this is my first marathon and yes, this will be my last.  My goal is to 1) finish and 2) break 4 hours and 45 minutes.   I am already registered so there is no turning back.  Race day is November 18th — I’ll keep you posted.

Thank you and we’ll talk again soon.

Dr. Mike

At Normandy Optical, I am fortunate to meet many patients who have fascinating stories to tell, either through the work they do or with their personal lives.  From time to time I would like to share their stories with you.   One such patient I have known since she was in 8th grade is Rosalie Burke.  She graduated from NYU with a degree in drama and now works for Disney.  You can read more about her accomplishments at www.RosalieBurke.com.   I recently sat down with her to learn a little bit more about what she does.  If only all of us could have a job like this.  I hope you enjoy.

Dr. Mike

Me: So what are you doing now?
Rosalie: I left May 24 for 11 weeks of rehearsals in Toronto.  After that, I leave in August for 6 months aboard the Disney Fantasy Cruise Ship which will sail for 7 night cruises through the Caribbean.  I will be the female swing, which is a full-time understudy for about 40 different roles in the various shows we do.

Me: I’m not well versed in theater.  Could you explain your role as an understudy?
Rosalie: We do 3 shows a day on the cruise ship.  I have to know 4-5 different characters in each show and be able to be any of those at any time.

Me: That is amazing!   Does it ever get too crazy?
Rosalie: Once in the “Golden Mickey Showcase”, I had to play 3 roles in the same show.  I played Snow White in the opening number, then got changed quickly to play a monkey dancing in the chorus, then had to change costumes again to play a Mulan warrior , and I finished the show as Snow White.  All of that in about 45 minutes!

Me: It seems to me that being an understudy is difficult- having to know so many different characters.  Do you enjoy that?
Rosalie: Yes.  In the past I have been the lead for Cinderella, Snow White, and Mr. Potato Head (don’t laugh).  I enjoy the role of swing because I have to be more versatile and there is never a dull moment (and it looks good on my resume).

Me: How long have you worked for Disney?
Rosalie: I first auditioned in 2009 after graduating from college.  In 2010, I was selected to portray Cinderella and Snow White aboard the Disney Wonder which sailed out of Florida for 3-4 day cruises in the Bahamas.  A few months ago, I just finished a 6 month commitment aboard the Disney Wonder which cruised out of Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera .  I was the lead female swing then, too.

Me: What is it like living on a cruise ship for 6 months at a time?
Rosalie: Very different.  I am lucky in that swings and vocalists get their own room, even though it is roughly the size of a walk-in closet.  All of the other characters and dancers have to share a room that same size.  The ship is huge- it has room for 2700 guests and 1000 crew members, so learning your way around is difficult.  I try and get off the ship as much as I can.

Me: What is a typical day for you?
Rosalie: I perform in 2-3 shows a day which are about an hour long.  It works out to about 30-40 hours per week.  When I’m not performing, I am required to do 5 hours of character greeting per week.  We also rehearse a lot, especially the first few weeks of the cruise, and we have safety training every week (remember, we are on a boat).  I am also the dance captain so when I’m not on stage I observe and critique certain parts of the show for our weekly meeting.
I am lucky in that I have deck privileges, which means that I am allowed on all of the public areas of the ship.  So I can hang out with friends at the pool or in the coffee shop if I want.

Me: What is the hardest part of your job?
Rosalie: Making friends and keeping friends.  Every 6 months I am on a different ship with a whole new set of cast mates.

Me: How about the best part?
Rosalie: It is very humbling and gratifying to NOT take credit for my work . People love me and my performances not because I’m Rosalie, but because I’m, for example, Cinderella.  It’s not about me right now.

Me: Thank you, Rosalie.  It sounds like you are having an amazing start to your career.  Good luck.

Many patients ask me about macular degeneration: What exactly is it?  Is there a genetic component?  Is there any thing I can do to prevent it?  In this blog, I would like to discuss how a good diet is not only good for your overall health, but is beneficial to eye health and the prevention of macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease that affects the back of the eye.  It can cause blurry or distorted vision, or a total loss of central vision while leaving the peripheral vision intact.  Obviously, this could be devastating to a person- not being able to look directly at someone or something.  In fact, more people fear losing their vision than dying. Among the important vitamins for the prevention of AMD include vitamin A (which I discussed last month), and vitamins C and E.

quasimime downloads

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient, meaning that is must be obtained through the diet and can not be made by the body.  Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which helps block some of the damage caused by free radicals.  These can harm cells, tissues, and organs.  Free radicals also play a role in certain age-related conditions.  Excellent sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Unfortunately, orange juice is not a great source of vitamin C because of its high sugar content, which competes with vitamin C for absorption within the body. Vitamin C is water soluble so the body gets rid of what it does not need.  High doses of vitamin C appear safe other than a possible upset stomach.

lain buchanan's photostream

Vitamin E is also an antioxidant which is found in high concentrations around the macula.  Studies have shown that high levels of antioxidants including vitamin E can slow the progression of macular degeneration.  Foods rich in vitamin E include nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, fortified cereals, and eggs.  Eating foods high in vitamin E is not risky or harmful.  However, in supplement form, high doses can increase the risk of bleeding, especially in those taking blood thinners such as coumadin or aspirin.  Vitamin E has also been associated with increased risk of heart failure in those who already have severe heart disease.

In Summary

Macular degeneration can be a devastating eye disease.  Risk factors include family history and smoking.   In addition, it affects primarily white, elderly people.   As I have discussed above, a good diet can have a protective effect on the macula.  In the future, I will discuss a few more nutrients that are important for optimal retinal health.  Also, for those of you who are not aware, I have a retinal camera in my office which takes high quality digital  photographs of the back of your eye (including the macula).   This is great for baseline photos or for monitoring a new or existing retinal condition.

Thank you for everything and we’ll talk again soon.

Dr. Mike

“Eat your carrots – they’re good for your eyes”  is something our parents told us to do and most of us tell our children today.  Are carrots really good for our eyes?  Is there something better?

Carrots and other foods such as beef, liver, and chicken, along with red-orange-yellow fruits and vegetables such as sweet potatoes and cantaloupe are rich in beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A.  In the eye, vitamin A is converted into rhodopsin for the rods, which function in low light, and photopsin for the cones, which are needed for daylight vision (hence your mother’s advice).   Because vitamin A also has antioxidant properties, diets high in beta-carotene can also reduce the risk and progression of macular degeneration.

However, supplementation alone with beta-carotene can cause side effects such as a reversible orange coloring of the skin.  There is also evidence that supplemental beta-carotene can increase the risk of lung cancer in those who smoke.  Note that dietary beta-carotene does not have this effect.  High levels of vitamin A can compete with other nutrients, such as vitamin D, and an important pigment found in the eye called lutein.

So, is it important to eat carrots for good vision and eye health?  The answer is “yes,” but remember that many foods are rich in beta-carotene.  In addition, there are several other vitamins and nutrients which I will discuss at a later date that are equally important for optimal eye health.  In my opinion, it may be more of a benefit to advise one to “eat your spinach” or “wear your sunglasses.”

I am curious to know how many of you still believe that carrots are “the best food” for your eyes and how many of you pass that information along to your children?  Furthermore, if you have any good recipes that include carrots or special ways to prepare them, please pass it along (carrot cake does not count).

In totally unrelated news, Chupa Chups are at Normandy Optical!  We still have Dum Dums lollipops at our front desk, but for a limited time, stop in and try the legendary “bonbon on a stick” created by Enric Bernat in 1958.   We have flavors such as mango yoghurt, strawberries and cream, and choco-vanilla.  Unfortunately, they are not as nutritious as carrots, but my 6-year-old daughter thinks you will love them!

Thanks again for everything.

Dr. Mike

Greetings once again, patients, customers, and friends to the latest issue of Normandy News.  It has been a while since my last e-newsletter as I have been working on creating a “new and improved” website.  I have also been thinking of ways to improve Normandy News to make it more informative, fun, and interactive.

In the future, Normandy News will appear as a blog entry on the new website.  You will receive an email with a link notifying you of a new entry.  My plan is to blog roughly once a month about eye and general health information that I hope you will find useful.  I would also like to blog and discuss non-medical topics such as travel, food, music and who knows what else?  I invite your opinions and hope that you will join in the discussion.

So I hope that you:
1) Check out the new website –  www.normandyopticalcompany.com
2) Read my blog and find it interesting.
3) Pass it along to others.
4) Contribute your thoughts to it.

Thank you so much for entrusting me with your eye care.  Until next time…

Dr. Mike Wojton

As the leaves start to fall and the temperatures start to moderate, I hope that everyone had an enjoyable summer, had a chance to slow down and spend some quality time with family and friends, and survived the sweltering heat of July (remember that)?

A question I get asked almost daily, in fact twice the day I wrote this, is “What is a stigmatism“? followed a few seconds later by “Is it going to make me blind”?  Many patients also comment that  “My previous eye doctor told me I can’t wear contact lenses because of my stigmatism“.  Besides being mispronounced, ASTIGMATISM, in my experience, is widely misunderstood, so much so that I am devoting a newsletter to help clarify the condition.
Astigmatism is not an eye disease nor will you go blind from having one.  Simply, it is a very common visual disorder, similar to nearsightedness and farsightedness.  It also causes similar symptoms, such as blurry vison, squinting, headaches, and/or eye strain.  Astigmatism is caused by  the irregular shape of either the cornea (the most common cause) or the lens, which is located inside your eye.  Many people  think that the cornea (the front of your eye) is perfectly round like a ball or sphere. However, when you have an astigmatism this is not true.   To demonstrate this, picture a tennis ball cut in half which represents the cornea. Then squeeze the sides of the ball slightly closer together to make it not round and shaped more like a football cut in half. This creates a surface that is astigmatic, or not spherical.

As I mentioned earlier, astigmatism is very common.  In my estimation, about 80% of people have some degree of an astigmatism.  Small amounts of astigmatism usually do not require treatment and do not affect vision. Even moderate amounts can be easily corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or laser refractive procedures.   However, larger amounts require more precise measurements by the doctor.  The more astigmatism you have, the less room for error when determining your glasses or contact lens prescription.  Contact lenses are available for those with a lot of astigmatism, but you may need a custom design.

Other Stuff

We have a nice selection of Gucci eyeglasses and a few sunglasses that need to move out so that new frames can come in.  The eyeglass frames are already priced affordably at $269.00.  But through the end of November we are lowering the price to $209.00.  So now is your chance to own a designer, high quality, fully warranted, Italian frame at a very reasonable price.  Come by our office and take a look at the selection.  If you would like to see Gucci’s entire collection, we can easily log onto their website.  Then, you can choose frames to be sent to our office for you to review.  Friends and family are also eligible for this discount.

Have a wonderful autumn and thank you once again for your patronage.  We’ll talk again in a few months.

Dr. Mike Wojton

As we put another cold and snowy winter behind us, we can now look forward to spring and nicer weather.  For me and millions of others, however, instead of fresh spring breezes blowing through the open windows, it is three to four weeks of sneezing and red, itchy, watery eyes due to seasonal allergies.

Seasonal allergies are usually due to outdoor allergans such as grass, tree, and weed pollens.  Perennial (year-round) allergies can cause similar signs and symptoms and are usually caused by indoor allergans such as pet dander, dust mites, and mold.

Allergic conjunctivitis occurs when the body’s immune system becomes sensitized and overreacts.  The body then attempts to fight off the threat.  When the allergan (mold, pollen etc) comes in contact with the conjunctiva of the eye, histamine is released which causes the eyes to become red, itchy, watery, and sometimes swollen.  Because the eye is directly exposed to the allergan, unlike the inside of the nose or the throat, the eye is an easy target.  Thus, allergic conjunctivitis can occur without any nasal symptoms.

Many  people self-treat their allergies successfully.  Keep in mind that oral medications are great for nasal symptoms but poor for treating the eye because not enough of the drug reaches the eye.  Eye drops are the best treatment for allergic conjunctivitis.  Older over-the-counter drops such as Opcon-A are not the best choice because they work for a short time and can, in fact,  cause redness if used too frequently.  Newer over-the-counter drops such as Alaway and Zaditor are a better choice.  As for myself, I recommend and use once-a-day Pataday which is available by prescription.

Those who wear contact lenses present additional challenges.  During this time when allergies are at their peak, contacts need to be cleaned more diligently, disposed more often, or possibly not worn at all on certain days.  Some of my patients switch to a 1-day disposable contact lens for a short period so that they can be assured of using a clean, fresh lens every day until their allergies subside.

If you suffer from eye allergies and would like to discuss treatment strategies, please call our office and schedule an appointment.

Other Stuff

With sping upon us and summer right around the corner, many people are looking for new sunwear.  We recently received a nice selection of Banana Republic sunglasses for both men and women.  They are trendy, made of good quality, and affordable.  In addition, we also carry Wiley X protectivewear/sunwear.  Some of these frames have a removable insert which motorcylists like because it keeps the wind out of their eyes.  If you are looking for a new pair of sunglasses, please come by and take a look at our selection.

Finally, as always, stop in, email me, or call if you have any questions or concerns.   Thank you to all of you for your patronage and entrusting me with your eyes.

Dr. Mike Wojton