School Eye Exams for Birmingham Kids

For the kids in Birmingham heading back to school, having a current eye exam is an important part of back to school readiness that parents should include in their “Back to School Checklist”. Children use their eyes and vision as critical tools in their learning process which is visually demanding given the intensity of reading, writing and computer use in school. Further, good vision and eye health are important for playing sports and computer games on tablets after school! What parents need to know is that it is not uncommon for childrens’ vision to change during their school years and development. Regular eye exams can detect these changes or any eye problems that might hinder their academic performance, ability to enjoy recreation and really their overall well being. The most frequent eye problems we find in school age kids are the common vision problems of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. 

Sometimes, not having clear vision in the classroom can even lead to the undeserved perception of a behavioral problem or attention problem. What we know is that kids are often unable to verbalize that they have a vision problem as they just don’t recognize it. That is why your child should have a complete eye exam at least once every two years or more frequently if specific problems or risk factors exist, or if recommended by your eye doctor. The earlier a vision problem is detected and treated, the more likely treatment will be successful.

If you or someone you know would like to schedule a children’s exam for children at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham please do so by calling 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, Google+ or www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is a leading eye care centers in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205.

Eye Migraine: What is It?

An “eye migraine” which is known medically as an ocular or ophthalmic migraine can be a disturbing end even frightening event. Most of the time, when patients think of think of the word “migraine” they immediately assume that it has something to do with a headache-but this may not necessarily be the case. Not infrequently, patients who are otherwise healthy tell us that about once or twice a month they see these strange pulsing images in both eyes-both with their eyes open and closed! Sometimes they tell us that these pulsing images start out small and increase in size, last for 10-20 minutes and even cause their vision to become blurry. These episodes actually describe what we know to be an ocular Migraine-a migraine without a headache! What patients are experiencing is the aura that many sufferers have before the onset of a classic migraine headache. An ocular or ophthalmic migraine often includes zigzag lines, colored lights or flashes of lights expanding to one side of your vision over perhaps 10 to 30 minutes.

If you experience these symptoms, in order to be sure that this is not a sign of a more serious problem, you should consider scheduling an evaluation and eye exam at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, Google+ or www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision. Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham is located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine affiliated ophthalmologists Marc Michelson, M.D. and Tyler Hall, M.D. 

Eye Injury Facts & Myths

Did you know that according to a survey by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, only 35 percent of people say that they always wear protective eyewear when performing home repairs or maintenance and even less wear protective eyewear while playing sports? This is troubling because studies show that by wearing proper protective eyewear it is possible to prevent 90 percent of the eye injuries that occur!

• Who is more likely to have an eye injury-men or women? Men!
• Are eye injuries more common on the job or at home? Nearly half of all eye injuries occurred in the home! In fact more than 40 percent of eye injuries were caused by projects and activities such as home repairs, yard work, cleaning and cooking. More than a third of injuries in the home occurred in living areas such as the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living or family room.
• More than 40 percent of eye injuries every year are related to sports or recreational activities.
• Eyes can be damaged by sun exposure, not just chemicals, dust or objects.
• Among people who have had eye injuries, more than 78 percent of people were not wearing eyewear at the time of injury!

If you or someone you know is concerned about eye injury and wants to learn more about preventing eye injuries and protective eyewear, please feel free to contact us at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, Google+ or www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205.