Anisocoria refers to a condition of the eyes in which both the pupils are of different sizes. This results in uncoordinated constriction and dilation of the pupils when moving from a bright region to a dimly-lit one. In some cases, the condition is considered to be normal. However, in others, it can be indicative of an underlying grave disorder that needs optometric intervention. The difference in pupil size can range from 0.5mm to 0.05 inches. If the disorder is present since birth, it generally means that there is no underlying medical condition. If it develops later in life and is greater than 1mm, it could necessitate medical attention.

Causes-

• Damage in iris muscles
• Horner’s syndrome
• Contact of parasympatholytic chemicals with cornea (common in hospital personnel and people who live in proximity to plants containing atropine )
• Third nerve palsy
• Viral infection of ciliary ganglion
• Eye drops/ drugs from asthma inhalers
• Aneurysm
• Bleeding in skull caused by injury
• Encephalitis/ meningitis
• Glaucoma
• Congenital anisocoria

Signs-

• Blurred vision
• Double vision
• Headache
• Drooping eyelid
• Reduced sweating
• Nausea and vomiting
• Photosensitivity
• Neck pain
• Impaired vision

Treatment-

• Treatment for the disease starts by identifying the underlying cause of the disease. In most cases, it is more important to cure this cause, as it might be a serious medical condition.
• Since Anisocoria itself does not cause any harm to the eyes, it can be left untreated if it is not accompanied with any other complication.
• If the disease is caused by exposure to a certain drug/ chemical, eliminating this cause is enough to restore the size of the pupils back to normal.
• Anisocoria caused by mechanical damage to the eye’s tissues might need some time to heal on its own.
• In case inflammation has resulted in the condition, anti-inflammatory drugs might be prescribed.
• Cortisone is commonly prescribed to patients in whom the brain tissue is swollen.

Prevention-
Anisocoria can be prevented by protecting yourself from suspected causes of the disease. Patients who consume drugs with marijuana or cocaine are more prone to the disease, and can be prevent it by discontinuing use of these drugs. The effect of these drugs is that of dilating the pupils, and can last until the drug is completely eliminated from the system.

To know more about Anisocoria and its treatment, visit us at Killeen Eyecare Center. We are located at 416 North Gray Street, Killeen, TX 76541, Downtown Killeen. You can also call us at 254-634-7805.

Even though your preschooler’s vision might seem absolutely perfect, it is important to schedule regular eye exams, starting as early as 6 months. The American Optometrist Association, recommends at least two comprehensive eye exams after this, one at the age of 3, and the next at the age of 6, followed by once every two years for school-aged children. In children who have undergone visual correction with contact lenses or eyeglasses, eye exams should be conducted annually.

The importance of eye exams for children can be understood from the fact that 10% of preschoolers, and 25% of school-going children suffer from vision problems. Most of these disorders have a better chance of complete treatment when diagnosed early, since the eye is likely to be more responsive to treatment during early developmental stages. The key aspect that are examined during an eye exam are near vision, distant vision, perception of depth, eye movements, coordination between both eyes, hand-eye coordination, peripheral vision, color vision, and focusing ability.

You should book an appointment for your child’s eye examination at a time of the day when he is usually active and happy.  You must inform your eye doctor about any unusual symptoms that you notice in your child, which include eye redness, swelling, discharge, excessive tearing, sensitivity to light, inability to maintain eye contact, rubbing the eyes, excessive blinking, etc. It is also important to mention any other peculiarity that you feel might be significant, such as premature birth, injury to the eye, history of eye disease in the family, etc.

Infant’s eyes can be tested with the help of certain techniques which include testing pupil’s responses in bright and dim light; testing ability to fix glance on an object and follow it during movement; and using tools like striped cards to judge vision with the help of preferential looking, eliminating the need for a vision chart. Amblyopia is one of the most common vision disorders in young children, and can be corrected with the help of patches or spectacles. Strabismus, also known as cross-eye is also a fairly common disorder, and has better chances of being treated if detected early.

Vision tests can be helpful in diagnosing and correcting eye disorders in children, which if left unnoticed, can have a significant impact on the child’s performance at school, as well as in various other daily activities.

We at Killeen Eyecare Center offer a complete eye check up for all age groups. You can visit us at 416, North Gray Street, Killeen, TX 76541, Downtown Killeen or call us at 254- 634- 7805.

As convenient and liberating as they may be, contact lenses come with a price tag in the form of the precautions that need to be taken while wearing them. The good news is that taking care of your contact lenses and ensuring that you do not suffer from any complication because of them, is no rocket science, and is actually a lot easier than most people imagine. Once you have got the basics of lens care right, and are used to the idea of wearing them, you just need to follow a few more precautions as listed below, to make the most of your contact lens wearing experience-

• Never go to sleep with your lenses on- When you sleep without taking off your contact lenses, they turn rigid and brittle since they do not receive the hydration that they normally do when you blink. Moreover, by doing so, you are putting the lens in direct contact with the cornea, increasing the likelihood of infection.
• Do not bring your lenses in contact with water- Right from splashing your eyes with water to swimming, all water-related activities should be done after taking off your lenses. That is because tap water usually contains the microorganism called acanthamoeba, which can cause serious eye infections.
• Use fresh contact lens solution each time- A common mistake made by lens wearers is to reuse the previous day’s solution. While this may seem as a good way to save on the solution, it is as bad as leaving your lenses soaked in water, since the disinfecting ability of the solution wears out after being used once.
• Remove lenses in case of any irritation- While it may seem as a perfectly logical thing to do, we usually end up being too busy to bother about any discomfort in our eyes. Do not ignore any redness or itching while wearing lenses, and make it a point to remove the lenses immediately. Try reinserting them after rinsing them, and contact your eye doctor if the irritation persists.
• Do not wear lenses that have been stored without regular disinfection for a period of more than 30 days.
• Make it a point to regularly replace your contact lens case, which might be a carrier of germs.
• Do not wear contact lenses for a period longer than that recommended by your Eye Doctor.
• Stay away from strong fumes and vapors like hairspray and deodorant when wearing lenses. If you must use them after wearing your lenses, spray away from your eyes and close eyes until the fumes settle.

For more information or any kind of eye glasses or contact lenses, visit us at Killeen Eyecare Center. We are located at 416, North Gray Street, Killeen, TX 76541, and Downtown Killeen. You can also call us at 254- 634- 7805.

Amblyopia, also known as “Lazy Eye”, is a common vision disorder in which the patient sees normally with one eye, but blurred images with the affected eye. Even though the final view that one sees is normal, the disorder, if left untreated, can significantly affect vision the vision at a later stage. In fact, it it’s the most common cause of visual impairment in one eye, among children and adults.

The disorder affects 1-5% of the population, and can occur either due to improper transmission of visual signals through the optic nerve, or because of the brain turning off an eye affected by another disorder, like strabismus. It commonly affects children, and responds best to treatment when diagnosed by an Optometrist before the age of five. In rare cases, both the eyes might be affected.

Symptoms:
The disease might go undetected for a long time, since the overall vision of the patient remains normal. Telltale signs of the disease include-

• Improper depth perception
• False perception of space
• Reduced response to speed
• Difficulty in seeing 3-D images
• Restricted stereoscopic depth perception
• Uncoordinated movement of both eyes
• Inability to fix gaze at one point
• Drooping eyelids
• Squinting to look at something
• Cataract in one eye
• Turning of the eye inwards or outwards

Causes:

• Abnormality during vision development
• Childhood cataracts
• Vision disorders like near sightedness, far sightedness, and astigmatism
• Family history of the condition
• Imbalanced positioning of both eyes

Treatment:

• Treatment of the condition is started by identifying the underlying cause of the disease.
• Glasses are usually prescribed to correct vision in the affected eye.
• Even though glasses can effectively correct misalignment of eyes, in some cases, surgical intervention might be necessary. In these cases, the eyes are straightened by performing surgery on the eye muscles.
• Certain eye exercises have been found to be efficient in correcting faulty visual habits that result from the disorder.
• Once the underlying cause has been treated, the eye doctor might recommend patching the normal eye, so that the affected eye can be strengthened. However, over-patching should be avoided, as it might lead to “reverse amblyopia”.
• In another less successful approach, topical atropine eye drops are administered to blur vision in the normal eye.
• Various forms of perceptual learning can be employed for the treatment of the disorder after the age of 9.

To know more about Amblyopia and its treatment, visit us at Killeen Eyecare Center 416, North Gray Street, Killeen, TX 76541, and Downtown Killeen or call us at 254-634-7805.

It is extremely important to ensure that your child gets regular eye examinations, so as to ensure that any eye disorder that he might be suffering from gets identified and treated in its early stages. Considering that nearly 10 percent of preschoolers have vision problems, there is a need to start getting your child’s eyes tested at an early age. By identifying a vision problem in your child before it is too late, you can help in improving the efficacy of the treatment plan, because such a child is likely to be more responsive to treatment.

Getting an eye-checkup for your child is not just limited to the identification of vision disorders like short-sightedness, but can also be useful in identifying underlying health disorders like diabetes, or other eye disorders that children are prone to suffer from. Some of the most common eye disorders that affect children are eye infections like blepharitis, conjunctivitis, and sties; astigmatism (distorted cornea), far-sightedness/ near-sightedness, strabismus (crossed eye), amblyopia (lazy eye) and astigmatism.

If you notice any abnormality in your child’s eyes, you must immediately visit an eye doctor to get it checked. Important warning signs of eye disease in children include-

• Vigorous eye rubbing
• Excessive blinking
• Persistent redness
• Inability to hold gaze while looking at an object
• Inability to maintain eye contact while speaking
• Closing one eye for better focus
• Seeing far-off or nearby objects as blurred
• Difficulty in reading
• Unexplained headaches
• Squinting

Even though some of the aforementioned disorders might need expert medical care, many of them can be taken care of with the simple remedy of eyeglasses. Eyeglasses are a very useful visual aid for children of all age groups with eye disorders, and can help to correct poor vision, and to help in the development of the eyes during this critical stage.

The most common application of eyeglasses for children is in corrective refractive vision disorders, which include myopia (near-sightedness) and hyperopia (far-sightedness). By wearing glasses, the vision of children can be restored, and this can help them in adjusting better to their environment. In addition to this, glasses are also useful in eye disorders where one eye is weaker than the other. They help to reduce strain on the weaker eye, hence helping the child in improving focus and correcting misalignment or crossed eye. In case of poor vision in one eye, wearing glasses also helps to protect the weaker eye.

Visit us at Killeen Eyecare Center for all kind of eye glasses for children. We are located at 416, North Gray Street, Killeen, TX 76541, and Downtown Killeen. You can also call us at 254-634-7805.

Cytomegalovirus retinitis is a condition of the eye in which the retina is inflamed, mainly due to infection by the Cytomegalovirus (CMV). This is a herpes virus, which is present in almost everyone, but is usually made dormant by a healthy immune system. It is thus present in patients who have a compromised immune system, for whatever reason. The disease is commonly seen in late-stage AIDS, and can result in complete blindness in severe cases.

The risk factors for the disease include:

• Diseases that affect the immune system
• Weak immune response due to organ transplant/ bone marrow transplant
• Chemotherapy
• Low CD4 cell count in AIDS patients
• The systemic use of corticosteroids in patients with AIDS is believed to increase CMV risk in patients.

Symptoms:

• Blurred vision
• Pain in the eye
• Redness in the eye
• Blind spots
• Floaters
• Swelling
• Photophobia (Insensitivity to light)
• Progressive loss of vision- If left untreated, the disease can cause complete blindness in 4-6 months. Blindness might also occur in patients taking regular medication, if the immune system becomes even weaker, or the virus becomes resistant to the drugs.
• Retinal detachment
• “Owl’s eye effect”- This refers to the large cells with nuclear and cytoplasmic inclusions produced by the virus.

Some patients exhibit none of these symptoms. The disease usually starts in one eye, and gradually progresses to the other.

Diagnosis:

• A standard ophthalmologic exam is conducted to diagnose the disease- This includes pupil dilation, use of an ophthalmoscope, vision testing, and a slit lamp exam.
• Various advanced tests like an MRI scan of the brain and orbits, a CT scan of the orbits, and a Fluorescein angiogram of the retina are used for further evaluation of the disease.
• Blood/ urine tests can also be used to detect a systemic CMV infection.
• In rare cases, a tissue biopsy might be performed.

Treatment:

• Due to its sensitive nature, a uveitis and ocular immunology specialist and a vitreo-retinal surgeon are responsible for treating the infection.
• Antivirals such as Ganciclovir or Foscarnet are administered to the patient.
• These medications can either be administered orally, intravenously, by an intravitreal injection (injected into the eye), or an intravitreal implant.
• Fomivirsen is an FDA-approved antisense drug (the first of its kind), administered via an intraocular injection for the treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis.

To know more about the various eye diseases and for seeking quality eye care, visit us at Killeen Eyecare Center 416, North Gray Street, Killeen, TX 76541, and Downtown Killeen. You can also call us at 254- 634- 7805.

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Chorioretinitis is a condition of the eyes in which the choroid and the retina get inflamed. The choroid is the pigmented layer of the eye that contains the blood vessels, while the retina is the light-sensitive tissue that lines the eye. Any abnormality in vision must be reported to the doctor immediately, since chorioretinitis is often an indication of an underlying, more sever condition. In extreme cases, undiagnosed chorioretinitis might lead to blindness. The disease is also referred to as choroid-retinitis.

Symptoms:

• Floating black spots
• Blurred vision
• Pain in the eye
• Excessive watering
• Swelling
• Redness 
• Progressive loss of vision

Most of these symptoms are found in other eye diseases as well, so it is very difficult to conclude that you are suffering from chorioretinitis solely on the basis of these symptoms. You shall need to undergo a detailed eye examination for your doctor to be able to diagnose the disease. This exam will start with the doctor putting some eye drops in your eyes to numb them and dilate the pupils, after which he shall use a slit-lamp microscope to study the internal structure of your eye and ascertain the underlying cause of your symptoms.

Causes:

• The disease can be caused by toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus infections, or infection due to various pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungus or protozoa, which cause inflammation in the eye. 
• The inflammation can also be caused by noninfectious diseases like sarcoidosis, in which abnormal deposits in the eye leads to inflammation.
• Another cause of the disease could be autoimmune diseases like HIV and AIDS , Syphilis , Sarcoidosis , Onchocerciasis, and Tuberculosis; or immunosuppressant drugs.
• Congenital toxoplasmosis via transplacental transmission- This is usually accompanied by hydrocephalus and cerebral calcifications.
• Interestingly, the symptoms of the disease can take as long as 10-15 years to appear, which means that the inflammation that you are experiencing now could be a result of an infection that you encountered as a child.

Treatment-

• The patient is administered with antibiotics, which can be combined with corticosteroids. 
• If the underlying cause of the disease is another disease like AIDS or Syphilis, treatment for that disease must also be initiated.
• Steroid eye drops are the most commonly administered medicine for the disease.
• Your doctor might also prescribe dilating drops to reduce discomfort.

To know more about Chorioretinitis and its treatment, visit us at Killeen Eyecare Center located at 416, North Gray Street, Killeen, TX 76541, Downtown Killeen or call us at 254-634-7805.

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Vision therapy basically refers to a variety of procedures and techniques that are employed by optometrists to improve vision, and treat various eye disorders. It aims at reducing visual discomfort, increasing clarity, and helping in the alleviation of vision-related problems in learning disorders. A typical vision therapy program can last over a period of a few weeks, to several months, depending on the intensity of the disorder being cured.

It consists of exercises, which are carried out under the supervision of a trained professional, and at home reinforcement exercises, which the patient is required to perform regularly, on his own. Apart from teaching the patient various exercises that improve eye function, the experts in this field also employ certain additional visual aids, including learning glasses, balance boards, filters, prisms, patches, and electronic targets.

The therapy includes exercises like near point of convergence exercises, computerized training programs, use of concave lenses, use of convex lenses, anti-suppression exercises, and “Cawthorne Cooksey Exercises”.
Vision therapy can be of three types-

• Orthoptic vision therapy- The main focus of the exercises included in such a program is to improve binocular vision. Professionals who specialize in this technique are known as orthoptists. It has been found to be beneficial in the treatment of symptomatic convergence insufficiency.
• Behavioral/perceptual vision therapy- The aim of the exercises included in such a program is to improve visual perception and processing. Even though its efficiency stands scientifically unproven, some experts claim that it is effective in improving visual perception. This method is gaining popularity among athletes as a way of improving their field of vision beyond normal.
• Myopia related vision therapy- This category of vision therapy aims at preventing or curing myopia, or near-sightedness, which is one of the most common vision disorders among children.

One of the most common applications of vision therapy is in increasing the educational performance of children with learning disabilities, by improving their ocular coordination and visual processing. Vision therapy is usually recommended by school teachers when they notice that the child is exhibiting trouble in reading or writing.

If your child has been referred for vision therapy, be sure to get a proper diagnosis of the eye disorder that your child is suffering from. For more details, contact us at Killeen Eyecare Center. We are located at 416, North Gray Street, Killeen, TX 76541, and Downtown Killeen or call us at 254-634-7805.

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While eyeglasses have made it possible for millions of people to see the world clearly, the invention of contact lenses has proved to be very useful in instances where people cannot or do not want to wear eyeglasses. For people with poor vision, contact lenses are an effective and almost invisible tool that   enables them to see clearly without letting anyone know that they are using any aid. The thin plastic lenses are fitted over the cornea of the eye to correct a number of vision problems like myopia, presbyopia, astigmatism etc.

There are a variety of contact lenses available these days. The most popular ones include:

• Soft lenses: These are the choice of most contact lens wearers. These lenses offer comfort and come in many versions, depending on how you want to wear them.
• Daily-wear lenses:  These are the least expensive, are removed nightly and are replaced on an individualized schedule. They should not be used as an extended-wear lens.
• Extended-wear lenses: These can be worn overnight but must be removed at least once in a week for thorough cleaning and disinfection. They are recommended less because there is a greater risk of corneal infection with any overnight wear of contact lenses.
• Disposable-wear lenses: These are more expensive, but convenient. They are removed nightly and replaced on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Disposable lenses are sometimes recommended for people with allergies and for those who tend to form deposits on their lenses.
• Cosmetic contact lenses: These are colored contact lenses that change the appearance of your eye color, and in the case of circle lenses also make your iris appear bigger. Decorative lenses are available by prescription and should only be worn after an eye exam and fitting by qualified eye care professional.
• Toric soft contact lenses: These can correct astigmatism, but sometimes not as well as RGP lenses do. They usually cost more than other contact lenses.

No matter which type of lens you choose, expert fitting and daily maintenance is very crucial task. We at Killeen Eyecare Center provide you with highest quality eye exam, training and follow up as required in the complete eye care plan. We will suggest you the right contact lenses as per your eye vision and social needs.

To know more about contact lenses or our services, visit us at Killeen Eyecare Center 416, North Gray Street, Killeen, TX 76541, and Downtown Killeen. You can also call us at 254- 634- 7805.

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Corneal neovascularization is a condition of the eyes, involving excessive growth of blood vessels in the cornea. This occurs as a compensatory mechanism of the body to deal with the lack of sufficient oxygen supply to the eyes. The new blood vessels originate from the limbal vascular plexus, and grow into the cornea. It most commonly occurs in contact lens wearers, which is why those who wear contact lenses, are strongly suggested to get their eyes checked annually, for early diagnosis of the disease. If it goes undetected, corneal neovascularization can result in severe vision impairment. The condition can either be superficial, as in contact lens wearers, or deep, when caused by an inflammatory condition.

Causes:

• Wearing contact lenses improperly or for a period longer than prescribed by the optometrist.
• Underlying intraocular medical condition, like glaucoma, pthisis bulbi, blepharitis, conjunctivitis, keratitis, trachoma and phlyctenulosis, uveitis, etc.
• Exposure of the eye to a caustic chemical, resulting in severe burns
• Immunological disorders
• Graft rejection
• Trauma to the eyes
• Infection in the eyes

Symptoms:

• Redness
• Irritation
• Eye pain
• Tearing
• Photophobia
• Intolerance of contact lenses after a few hours of wear
• Blurred vision even while wearing contact lenses
• Actively engorged vessels (around 12 mm long) in the ‘white of the eye’

Treatment:

• The treatment of the disease begins with identifying its cause, and working on the elimination of that cause.
• Topical corticosteroids can be administered to manage gross vascularization.
• Surgical treatment of the condition involves corneal laser photocoagulation and diathermy of the engorged vessels.
•  In case of severe chemical injuries, procedures like limbal grafting are performed. 
• The instillation of topical triamcinolone and doxycycline as a way to manage neovascularization is currently under trial, and has been proved effective in rats.
• The base curve of contact lenses should be altered in soft contact lens wearers to facilitate movement of the lenses.
• The patients might also be suggested to switch to silicone hydrogel lens materials, which are more permeable to oxygen due to their high Dk/t. These lenses are FDA approved either for 30 days extended wear or continuous wear up to 6 nights and 7 days.
• Patients should be educated on the importance of adequate corneal lubrication via proper blinking and use of lubricants, and should be advised to get annual follow-ups after the treatment is complete.

To know more about Corneal Neovascularization and its treatment, visit us at Killeen Eyecare Center located at 416, North Gray Street, Killeen, TX 76541, Downtown Killeen or call us at 254-634-7805.

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