We truly believe in routine eye examinations so that you can see as clearly as possible. Once you have to get glasses or contacts, it is even more important to watch the health of your eyes. You also need routine checks to ensure your prescription has not changed.
To ensure good eye health and vision, we are very proud to offer the following services:
Comprehensive Eye Exams
At some point or another in our lives, we will need to rely on an optometrist to help us improve our site. Whether we need surgery or eyesight wear that improves our sight, there are optometry specialists that we can trust. Williston Optometry has the right resources that you need to get your eyesight back to normal. Here are some services that we offer and how they can help improve your sight if your vision is beginning to wain.
Eye Exams
Our professional staff of optometry specialists can perform eye exams for you to determine if there is anything wrong with your eyesight. These exams can help your optometrist diagnose the cause of your vision troubles and take appropriate action to fix it. Here are a few examples of eye exams that will be performed to rule out potential problems with your vision.
- Visibility tests
- Eye tracking tests
- Eye health evaluation
Your optometrist will be able to determine what is wrong with your eyes after these series of tests and provide various solutions to help you improve your sight. Let's take a look at two of the most common solutions that we offer our patients.
Contact Lenses
One of the most common fixes for poor vision is contact lenses. We use eye measurements to find the best pair of contact lenses for your eyes. Whether you have astigmatism or traditionally shaped eyes, we can custom fit a pair just for you.
Let the Eyecare Professionals Help You
Has your eyesight slowly gone downhill recently? Do you feel as if your vision could be better than what it is? There are always treatment options available to help improve your eyesight. Though we only mentioned two here, there are other treatments available too to help you get your eyesight back to normal. Williston Optometry in Williston, VT has the resources available to improve your eyesight and correct vision problems that may be preventing you from seeing correctly. Our team of eye care professionals is available to assist you when you need it the most. Give us a call at (802) 862-1947 today to schedule your professional eye care appointment.
Contact Lenses
Nowadays, most people prefer to wear contacts instead of glasses. If you are interested in contact lenses, please let your eye doctor know prior to your appointment. During your exam, we will discuss the various contact lenses available and determine the best option based on your individual needs and lifestyle.
Hard To Fit Contact Lenses
Do you find wearing contact lenses impossible? Are your regular contacts painful or constantly uncomfortable? You are not alone. Due to a variety of factors such as individual eye shape, specific conditions, impairments, or the aftermath of surgery, some patients are considered to have more difficulty wearing contacts than others.
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is a deterioration of the central portion of the retina, the inside layer of the eye that records the images we see and sends them through the optic nerve from the eye to the brain for processing. The macula, or the center of the retina, is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye and controls our ability to see and process information.
Cataracts
Cataracts cause a clouding of the lens in the eye, making your vision appear to be foggy. Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over 40 and are the leading cause of blindness in the world.
Your eyes are meant to naturally adjust to normal light changes, adjust focus, and allow us to see both near and far. Your lens is primarily made up of water and proteins. The proper arrangement of these proteins is what contributes to normal vision. Some of these proteins clump together forming a clouding of the lens.
Glaucoma
As you age, your eyes become susceptible to problems like glaucoma. Your risk for glaucoma increases if you have a family history, or certain health conditions. At Williston Optometry, serving Williston, VT, and the nearby region, we inform our patients about the benefits of routine vision examinations and glaucoma screenings to address the problem in its early stages.
About Glaucoma
Glaucoma occurs when there is damage to the optic nerve, the portion of your eye that transfers information to your brain. Although glaucoma often develops after the age of 60, it's possible to occur at any age. And unfortunately, it ranks as one of the top causes of blindness for individuals over the age of 60.
You may not have signs of glaucoma in its early stages because it's not always noticeable until it advances. However, you could experience patchy spots in your peripheral or central vision. As it progresses, it's possible for it to cause tunnel vision. Although it can occur in both eyes, it usually happens in one eye.
Cause of Glaucoma
Damage to the optic nerve results in glaucoma. Sometimes, it occurs due to the aging process and nerve deterioration, but abnormal pressure in your eye can also attribute to glaucoma. The increased pressure could stem from fluid build-up or improper drainage. When glaucoma runs in families, it may originate from a gene that controls eye pressure and optic nerve damage.
Some people are more at risk than others, such as Asians, Hispanics, and African Americans, and those who have high intraocular pressure. Additionally, your risk increases if you have hypertension, sickle-cell anemia, high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes. Even the thickness of your corneas can increase your odds of developing glaucoma. If you take corticosteroids, especially in the form of eye drops, your odds rise as well.
How Our Optometrist in Williston Treats Glaucoma
The only way to slow or prevent the progression of glaucoma is to see an optometrist routinely for early detection and intervention. Our optometrist prescribes eye drops to either encourage drainage or reduce the production of fluid. Our eye doctor may use another prescription eye drop to decrease the amount of pressure in your eyes. If eye drops don't reduce the pressure in your eye, our optometrist may prescribe an oral medication, or refer you an ophthalmologist for eye surgery.
Don’t Suffer From Glaucoma Anymore. Contact Optometry Center Today For Treatment
Schedule an appointment with Williston Optometry, serving Williston, VT, and the nearby vicinity, by calling (802) 862-1947 today.
Computer Vision
We all know the movie and TV trope of the character who works late into the night, eventually taking off his glasses to close his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose. This is meant to be a sign of fatigue due to hard work in the movie, but in real life, too many people still have to close their eyes and give their tired eyes a break because of computer vision syndrome. This is a collection of symptoms that stems from staring into screens for too long without taking a break. You can overcome computer vision syndrome with the help of our optometrist at Williston Optometry in Williston, VT.
The What and Why of Computer Vision Syndrome
Computer vision syndrome is most often associated with computer use, hence the name, but it can occur with extended use of any screen. It's a sign that you've been staring into a light source for too long with too few breaks and your eyes are now under strain. Most people have dealt with this at one point or another in a mild form, but for many people, the symptoms become chronic and sometimes severe.
When you stare into a screen, you do two things. First, you often forget to blink, or you reduce how much you blink, leading your eyes drying out. That creates irritation and the sensation that your eyes have debris caught in them, blurriness, and watering. Second, you expose yourself to too much blue light, which may mess with your sleep cycles by making you a little too awake. It might not seem like it when you're nodding off in front of a computer screen, but over time, you can find your sleep being disrupted.
An optometrist can issue a prescription for glasses to you that you can wear when looking at a computer, phone, or tablet screen. This prescription is not the same as a typical nearsighted/farsighted prescription and is meant only for close-up work. These glasses help your eyes focus better on close-up work. Used in combination with a rest protocol in which you look away from your computer and blink at specific intervals, you can reduce the tired, gritty feelings as well as reduce blurriness.
Don't Wait to Treat Computer Vision
Williston Optometry in Williston, VT, has appointments available. If you have been experiencing vision problems that sound like they might be due to staring into screens, call us at (802) 862-1947. Don't wait to see if it gets better on its own. Let an optometrist check your eyes and customize a plan for you.
Diabetic Eye Care
Diabetes can affect more than just your blood sugar. It can also do some damage to your eyes if you are not careful.
Diabetic eye disease can cause vision loss if you are not careful. It can cause you to have trouble with everyday tasks even if you have regular glasses or contacts. It can even cause blindness.
Dry Eye Treatment
Williston Optometry is proud to offer dry eye treatment for our patients. Ocular Surface Disease, also known as dry eye, can occur from certain medications, naturally by aging, or as a symptom arising from systemic diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome, Rheumatoid arthritis, or Lupus. If you have a minor case of dry eye, you may be experiencing irritation, excessive tearing, fluctuating vision, and/or a burning sensation in your eyes. Excessive dry eyes, or dry eye symptoms that go untreated, have the potential to damage eye tissue, scar your corneas, and impair your vision.
Eye Allergies
Even if your vision is great, your eyes can still cause you a world of trouble. Eye allergies are one of the most troublesome non-vision eye problems. The staff at Williston Optometry, serving Williston, VT, can help you with your allergies at our welcoming friendly office.
What Are the Symptoms of Eye Allergy?
Symptoms of eye allergies will often include red, itchy eyes. In addition to this, many people may also experience watering of the eyes. In severe cases, those suffering from eye allergies also experience pain in the eyes and headaches.
An eye allergy can often be caused by the same irritants which cause sneezing, coughing, itchy throat and other upper respiratory allergy symptoms.
What Can I Do about Eye Allergies?
Stay away from known irritants. Once you have identified some of the irritants which contribute to your allergies, stay away from these items. Some common eye allergy irritants are pollen, animal dander, and mold. Keep in mind allergies can also sometimes be caused by cosmetics and even eye drops developed to treat itchy eyes.
If you wear contacts, try taking a break from wearing them and switching to glasses for a few days. Taking a break like this will give your eyes a chance to replenish your natural tears.
In some cases you can get relief from your allergies by using over the counter eye drops. These products will provide moisture to your irritated eyes, but should be used with caution as a negative reaction could worsen the problem.
There are some prescription medications that can also help with allergies. You can speak with an optometrist to find out if this is an option for you.
Using an antihistamine is often very helpful in dealing with allergies which can affect your eyes. If you suffer with seasonal or environmental allergies, this is a great first line of defense.
Avoid rubbing and scratching your eyes. The tissue of the eye is very sensitive and permeable. It is very easy to cause permanent damage to your eyes in this way.
Having regular annual eye checkups is also an important part of your overall eye health. Visiting your optometrists annually will help to lower the risks of eye and vision problems and will help you deal with issues such as allergies.
If you would like to learn more about your vision and eye health, please contact our friendly staff at Williston Optometry, serving Williston, VT.
Eye Disease Management
Williston Optometry in Williston wants to help you manage your eye disease. There are approximately 3.3 million people in the United States over the age of 40 who are legally blind. Some causes of blindness cannot be helped, while others, if treated quickly and appropriately, can be prevented. That is why it is so important to ensure your eye disease is being managed by a professional. Understanding the various types of eye disease as well as what can be done to protect your vision, is a vital part of eye health and well-being.
Types of Eye Disease
The most common eye disorders include:
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration or AMD - There are 2 types of this disease: wet and dry. Wet AMD is the least common, and involves a growth of atypical blood vessels. These blood vessels can result in bleeding, fluid leakage, and scarring of the macula. Wet AMD can lead to sight loss. Dry AMD is an age-related thinning of the macula that deteriorates vision. An early sign of this disease is yellow or white spots on the retina called drusen. A small amount of these drusen is harmless, but if they multiply too much, they can lead to sight loss.
- Cataracts can develop as a result of age or you can be born with them. They are more prevalent in individuals 40+ years old. Removal of cataracts is a relatively safe surgery that protects the eye from damage.
- Glaucoma is a serious disease that can result in vision loss and blindness. Open angle Glaucoma is a slow progressing illness and most people will not notice any symptoms until the disease is in advanced stages. Closed angle Glaucoma happens immediately and causes a great deal of pain.
- Diabetic Retinopathy is attributed to diabetes. It can lead to blindness if left untreated.
- There are many other eye diseases. Williston Optometry is the place to go for your eye disease management.
Eye Disease Management
There are many chronic medical conditions that can impair or endanger your vision. That is why everyone should have regular eye check-ups. The eyes also tell a lot about what is going on in other parts of the body. Our optometrist, Thomas H. Clark O.D., can detect problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and other illnesses just by looking at your eyes.
Eye Disease Management should be done meticulously and routinely. Never take your vision for granted. Report any concerns you may have to your optometrist immediately. Take care of your eyes by eating right, maintaining a healthy weight, keeping your blood sugar under control, wearing protective eyewear when necessary, and keeping your eyes and anything you put in your eyes sterile.
Williston Optometry in Williston treats a wide variety of eye diseases. Dr. Clark is trained and experienced in managing all kinds of eye disease. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment: (802) 862-1947.
Eyeglasses
Even in today's world of state-of-the-art LASIK surgery and advanced contact lenses, eyeglasses are still a popular choice for vision correction. If you're struggling with your eyesight due a refractive error, and you're looking for a solution that's both effective and stylish, look no further than Williston Optometry. Our Williston, VT, clinic can provide you with a dizzying variety of options to help you achieve your ideal vision correction in a way that suits your personal style.
Eyeglass Lens Choices and Add-Ons
People who need eyeglasses typically have a refractive error such as myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, or astigmatism. In each of these conditions, abnormalities in the eye prevent incoming light from being refracted properly, causing some aspect of vision to seem blurry instead of clear. Eyeglasses work by altering the way light is refracted before it reaches your eyes. Our visual acuity testing and individualized prescriptions allow us to fabricate eyeglasses lenses that compensate perfectly for your specific refractive error.
The two main types of lenses are single-vision lenses and multifocal lenses. Single-vision lenses are fully dedicated to correcting vision at one distance level, such as near, intermediate, or distance vision. Multifocals such as bifocals, trifocals, and progressive lenses can correct vision at multiple distance levels, which is necessary if you suffer from the age-related focusing issue known as presbyopia.
Williston Optometry offers eyeglasses lenses in several types of plastic, as glass is too heavy and shatter-prone to see much modern-day use. You may prefer budget-friendly CR-39, shatter-resistant polycarbonate, or super-slim, super-light Trivex or high-index lenses. We can also provide some helpful add-ons such as:
- Tinting to boost contrast or achieve other specific effects
- Coatings to deter fogging or scratches
- Additional UV protection
- Anti-glare options, including polarization
The Ideal Frames for Your Face and Fashion
One of the reasons that eyeglasses remain popular is their ability to enhance your look. When you browse our optical boutique at Williston Optometry, you'll see distinguished names such as David Green, Lindberg, Stepper, Costa, Guess, Kliik, Nike, and other leading designer brands. You'll notice that we offer many kinds of frame shapes, styles and colors to help you complement the natural shape and color of your eyes as well as your personality. We can fit kids as well as adult with both designer eyeglasses and designer sunglasses, so why go anywhere else for your family's corrective vision needs?
We're Your Source for Eyeglasses in Williston, VT
Give your eyes a treat by scheduling a visit to our Williston VT clinic. Call (802) 862-1947 for your eye exams, vision testing, and eyeglass purchases!
Progressive Lenses
Dr. Clark offers specialized care for patients needing progressive lenses (aka blended bifocals). Approximately 10 percent of people who need a reading prescription are unable to use progressive bifocal lenses.
Approximately another 40 percent are never quite happy with their progressive bifocals but have to tolerate them because their visual needs require this style of bifocal. The main cause for patients rejecting and having discomfort with progressive bifocals is because the placement of the bifocal reading area is not placed correctly in that individual’s frame.
For success: the bifocals of both lenses have to be placed so that the patient’s visual axes pass through the center of the reading areas of these bifocals.
It’s that simple!
The problem:
The optical industry (optometrists and opticians) have used external measurements to determine where to place the bifocal reading areas within an eyeglass frame. These measurements have been used for 100 years because the industry has mistakenly assumed that the physical measurement — or corneal pupillary measurement — and the visual axis measurement were the same. This assumption is incorrect.
This error of judgment was not a problem with older style of bifocal lenses, flat tops etc. The new style progressive bifocals need to have very accurate measurements and placement to succeed and be comfortable.
In almost all individuals, there is a difference between the physical measurement or pupillary reflex measurement and the visual axis measurement. The difference ranges from 1mm to 5mm of displacement error. As the displacement error of the progressive lenses increases, the chance for intolerance with these progressive lenses increases.
The solution:
Measure the actual visual axis of every individual that needs progressive bifocal lenses.
It’s that simple!
Dr. Clark has developed and patented a measuring device that easily and accurately measures the visual axes in each individual’s eye. Using this new technique, our office is having great success creating happier progressive lens wearers using this visual axis measurement information.
Related Articles
Read an article from the Williston Observer about Dr. Clark’s patent.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses are designed to protect your eyes from sunlight. While all tinted lenses help to protect your eyes from sunlight, some will protect your eyes better than others. Sunglasses with lenses that block ultraviolet sunlight are the best option. Although sunglasses can be expensive, there are many affordable brands that provide great protection from harmful sunlight as well. If you are interested in finding the best brand of sunglasses for your lifestyle, we can help you find them.