Did you know the sun can damage more than the skin? The sun’s rays are so powerful that they can damage the eyes and can cause long lasting disease. The sun puts off three different types of rays: UVC, UVB, and UVA. Ultraviolet ray’s in the form of UVC are most dangerous but luckily we are protected by the ozone layer surrounding Earth. UVA and UVB rays are what every patient should be concerned about. 

As we all know living in Colorado we are a lot closer to the sun’s damaging rays, they are more damaging to our health than say the beach in Florida. These rays can not only cause skin cancer to any portion of the human body, but they can cause long lasting eye disease. UVA rays can pass through the front portion of the eye known as the cornea and effect the intricate organs inside the eye. Types of damage that can be caused by these harmful rays include but not limited to: cataracts, macular or retinal degeneration, or even a growth of tissue that can block vision known as a pterygium. 

Children are at even more of a risk to have long lasting affects from the sun. It is just as important from them to wear sun protection than it is for adults. Dr. Margolis recommends the use of sun glasses for every patient, young or wise, while spending any amount of time in the sun.

Technology in this time has evolved to something more than it was 30 years ago. Patients have a lot more options when it comes to eye wear. We at MargolisVision suggest you stop in for a visit with our optician to ask any questions you may have regarding your current eye wear or what options you may have to upgrade to more protective wear for the 2010 year.

One of the question we hear most often is:  “Why does Dr. Margolis need to dilate my eyes for an eye examination?�  Your eye examination starts with a thorough investigation of the:

1.     External surfaces of the eye - Lids, lashes, conjunctiva, sclera and the cornea                 

2.     Anterior (back chamber) using a high powered microscope and a very bright light Dr. Margolis moves in for a closer look at the iris and crystalline lens.

When you stand outside on a bright sunny day your lens becomes smaller, just like the shutter on a camera.  It becomes smaller and allows less light to enter.  Also, your pupil becomes smaller when Dr. Margolis shines the bright light in your eyes and this makes it very difficult for him to peer inside.  That’s where the dilating drops come in.

There are two principles for dilation drops: 

1.    They either stimulate the iris muscle that opens the pupil (the dilator)

2.    Or prevent action of the iris muscle that closes the pupil (the sphincter)

After the dilation drops take effect Dr. Margolis can get a much better view of your retina, optic nerve and vessels in the back of the eye.  Dr. Margolis has been able to diagnose hypertension and diabetes with some patients just with a dilated eye examination.  A lot of ocular diseases such as Macular or Retinal Degeneration are only diagnosed by a full dilated exam. So even though we all highly dislike being dilated at our some of our exams, it is very important to assist in maintaining your eye care at MargolisVision.

P.S. Don’t forget to bring your sunglasses, as your eyes will be sensitive to sunlight after having your eyes dilated.  Don’t worry if you forget your sunglasses, we have some fashionable disposable sunglasses for you upon check-out. 

Thank you for entrusting MargolisVision with your eye care needs

We at MargolisVision want to remind all of our patients of the importance of seeing Dr. Margolis every year. I’m sure that we have all heard the phrase “check yearly, see clearly�. Most patients believe that the only time it’s necessary to see their family eye physician is when they are having difficulty reading the newspaper, or even seeing the stop sign 5 feet ahead while driving. The truth is that there are several different medical issues that can arise that patients don’t even realize. For instance, the reason glaucoma is known as “the sneak thief of sight�, is that glaucoma damages the optic nerve (which connects the eye to the brain) permanently and peripheral vision is lost over a period of time. There are no real symptoms associated with glaucoma. For the most part the only way glaucoma is diagnosed is through a dilated eye exam. Don’t forget! Anyone who has a family history of glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, or any other eye related issues are at greater risk of developing these problems. Issues such as these need to be closely monitored by Alan J. Margolis, M.D. to ensure vision is not compromised.