Tag: women

Contact Lens Health Week: 3 Tips to Stop Risky Contact Lens Behavior.

45 million people in the US wear contacts sadly, 41 million contact lens wearers admit to risky behavior!

45 million people in the US wear contacts sadly, 41 million contact lens wearers admit to risky behavior! Are you apart of that number?

3 Tips to Stop Risky Contact Lens Behavior

Switch to Daily Lenses! Daily contact lens wear is hands down the healthiest way to wear a contact. Patients can dramatically reduce the chance of over wear, infections and dry eyes when wearing daily lenses. Daily lenses are designed for single use and are great for patients with outdoor allergies, dry eyes, or sensitivity to contact lens solution. New daily lens technology allows patients with astigmatism and bifocal wearers to benefit from a healthier way to wear contacts. Dr. Janelle and her practice have partnered with The Lens Butler and SimplifEyes to make the switch more affordable!

Water and Contacts Do Not Mix! Water should never be on your lenses nor in your case. Water can cause contacts lenses to change shape, swell and stick to the eye resulting in a warped contact lens. A warped lens can scratch the cornea and lead to an infection.  Most water is not germ-free, especially lakes and rivers. When swimming or doing water activities be sure to wear swim goggles. If water gets onto your contact dispose of it immediately.

Communication is Essential! Talk to your doctor about your contact lens goals and be very honest if you practice risky behavior. It is important for your optometrist to know about your work life and recreational activities. The more your doctor knows about your life the better the contact lens fitting experience. Your optometrist wants to ensure you are fit with the best contact for your lifestyle and goals.

You only have one pair of eyes, so take care of them! Reduce risky contact lens behavior. Remember healthy habits equal healthy eyes!

Dr. Janelle OD

Your Eye Care Expert

http://www.brillianteyesmarietta.com

Oh! Hello, Glaucoma.

Four practical tips to protect your sight from Glaucoma. Glaucoma has no significant warning signs until it is too late.

January: Glaucoma Awareness Month

Glaucoma has no warning signs.

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. In the United States, 2.7 million Americans over the age of 40 suffer from glaucoma.

Here Is What You Need to Know

What causes glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an eye disease that is most commonly caused by fluid build-up in front of the eye, causing high eye pressure. However, you can have normal eye pressure with damaged optic nerves resulting from low oxygen flow to the optic nerve. Both instances can result in damage to optic nerve cells, resulting in glaucoma.

In the US, Primary Open Angle Glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma. Undiagnosed glaucoma can lead to irreversible blindness; thus early detection and treatment is key to saving your sight.

Practical Tips to Protect Your Sight

Know your risk

Everyone is at risk for Glaucoma. However, older individuals are at a greater risk. Glaucoma is not often symptomatic in the early stages and is heavily associated with genetics; however, in most cases, it does not present until later in life. The most common risk factors for glaucoma are:

  • Age 65 and older
  • Family History (glaucoma in a parent, grandparent or sibling)
  • Race (African descent, Central or South American descent)
  • High eye pressure
  • Large Optic Nerve
  • History of sleep apnea (Low-Tension Glaucoma)

Have annual dilated eye exams

Dilated eye examinations require drops to make your pupils bigger, allowing your doctor to view and examine your entire retina. Establishing a relationship with your eye doctor is important, because a healthy doctor-patient relationship will allow you to be comfortable discussing your eye health concerns. It often helps to visit the same doctor annually to establish a good ocular health history.

Don’t Smoke

There is no direct correlation between smoking and glaucoma damage. However, elderly individuals who smoke have a higher risk of elevated eye pressure. Overall, smoking is bad for your sight, and increases dry eyes, macular degeneration and cataracts.

Have annual optic nerve and retina wellness screenings

There is technology now available to scan and screen your optic nerve for early signs of optic nerve damage. An iWellness screening is a non-invasive in-office scan that can sometimes detect glaucoma changes 3-5 years earlier than your eye doctor.

iwellness scan

Know your family history

Genetics plays a huge role in the development of glaucoma. Talk to your family and create a family health log. You can create the log on google sheets and store it on the internet with password protected access. It is important to interview your family and update the log annually.

Glaucoma has no warning signs, so stay on top of your eye health. Don’t wait until you start to lose your sight. Visit your eye doctor annually to screen for blinding eye diseases. Healthy eyes are very important for a healthy life.

 

Dr. Janelle

Clinical Director at Brilliant Eyes Vision Center

DrJanelleOD-FINAL

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone Has a STORY!

Giving Tuesday is an opportunity for the community to join with my sister and I to #empower #expose and #encourage our young women to continue to break through “glass ceilings” and achieve higher heights!

#Givingtuesday

#empower #expose #encourage

 This Thanksgiving season my sister and I are #beyondblessed to have our dreams come to fruition! Our dreams were not handed to us. We worked very hard and kept the undying faith that we could, in fact, achieve dreams of becoming DOCTORS. We want to use our story to help other young women achieve their STEM and Health professional dreams. Our 501c3 non-profit, S.C.O.R.E. INC. allows us to have a platform to provide the tools and skills young women will need to help achieve their goals.
 

 OUR STORY! Why We Give Back.

 It all started with a pact. Two sisters, Dr. Janelle Davison, OD, and Dr. Joya Lyons, DDS, took an unofficial oath at an early age to pursue medicine when they grew up. “The Plan”, which they referred to said pact, was rooted in speaking positively, writing their goals down on a piece paper, and sticking it on their bedroom wall to make it plain; and their willingness to succeed at all cost.
 
Having been born to two college-educated parents, education was paramount in their household, so going off to college was a no-brainer for these two. Yet, finding the resources and mentorships that spoke directly to little black boys and girls, was a huge feat.  Hailing from a middle class, predominantly white community, outside of Detroit Michigan, both sisters felt the impact of a systemic racism and discrimination.  However, “The Plan” outranked any smidgen of resistance, whether overt or subtle.
 
College proved to be a whole new experience for the sisters who are five years apart. They both attended HBCUs (Historically Black College and Universities) and learned in depth about The Black Experience in America, their history and how to wholly embrace their blackness.
The creation of S.C.O.R.C.E, INC, which stands for Successful, Confident, Optimistic, Regal and Engaging, comes from a place of Christian ministry and an inherent calling on their lives for fellowship and mentorship. It caters to young girls of low to middle income, from all backgrounds, who are rising high school juniors interested in pursuing professions in the fields of medicine and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). S.C.O.R.E launched in January 2017 as another layer of “The Plan.”
Written by copyright:
Shirley Jean-Baptise
Giving Tuesday is an opportunity for the community to join with my sister and I to #empower #expose and #encourage our young women to continue to break through “glass ceilings” and achieve higher heights!
 
Visit https://www.paypal.me/scoreinc  or https://www.wescore.org/support-us to make your $100 2017 tax-deductible donation. Your $100 donation will help secure the future of one #STEMgirls or #womendoctors!
Help us reach our $2,000k #givingtuesday GOAL!!
Dr. Janelle OD
Your Eye Care Expert
scorefounders

Don’t Suffer! Advanced Dry Eye Treatments

Three new dry eye treatments that actually work! Click to read and find out more out these advanced treatment options.

Everything you need to know about New Dry Eye Treatments.

Dry Eye is one of the most common eye disorders, causing chronic discomfort in up to 100 million people worldwide, and the disease burden is forecast to increase due to increased screen time and average life expectancy. Dry Eye is a multifactorial disease process, meaning there is no single cause. It is linked to environmental factors, gender, medications, age and several systemic conditions. Dry Eye is often characterized by the discomfort of the eyes: burning, excessive tearing, excessive redness, changes in vision and a gritty sensation. Treating Dry Eye disease is a very daunting task for eye care providers. An extensive and thorough patient history and intake are very important in determining the root cause of the Dry Eye. Advancements in diagnostic techniques and treatment options allow eye care providers to diagnose dry eye earlier in the disease process; thereby reducing some of the severe ocular complications such as corneal ulcers, scarring, and potential blindness.

Three New Treatment Therapies Available for Dry Eye Disease:

  1. Xiidra (Lifitegrast ophthalmic solution 5%): This is a drop FDA approved for both the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. A symptom is something you as the patient “feels” versus a sign, which is something the doctor can “see”. This new drop allows for early intervention in the dry eye disease process. According to a study done on the frequency of dry eye, nearly 25% of patients who visit an eye clinic report dry eye symptoms, with little or no clinical signs. In the past, eye doctors did not have a drop in their “doctor’s bag” that would help patients early in the dry eye process who didn’t show both “signs” and “symptoms”. show patients treated with Xiidra in clinical trials reported relief as early as 14 days!
  1. Avenova 40ml: This is an ocular spray FDA approved for red, itchy, crusty and inflamed eyes, often primary signs of mild to moderate dry eye disease. Our body has normal bacteria (like the “staphylococcus” bacteria) all over our eyelids. During the aging process, the balance of good vs bad bacteria may become imbalanced. This imbalance can create “flakey” bacteria-infected crust along the base of the eyelashes. These flakes can clog up special glands (Meibomian) along the lid margin causing a red, itchy and irritated eyelid. This, coupled with decreased tear production during aging, can cause dry eye disease. Avenova is pure hypochlorous acid (HOCL), a non-toxic solution formulated into a spray. Avenova is a great dry eye and lid hygiene therapy. When introduced into the eye, it “mimics” the body’s immune response. Avenova does not sting and it is safe to use for both adults and children.
  1. Advanced Wound Healing Therapy: Dry Eye Disease can cause havoc to the integrity of the most superficial layer (epithelium) of the cornea. If not treated, it can cause corneal ulcers and significant scarring on the cornea. Treating Dry Eye aggressively can help to reduce significant vision loss. Advanced Dry Eye therapy using an Amniotic Membrane Placement can help speed up the healing of the cornea, reducing the chance of blindness. AMP contributes to healing by acting as a “physical barrier” to protect the eye as it heals, reducing pain caused by eyelid friction during blinking. The membrane comes from the placenta (collected from consenting mothers). The membrane is placed on the eye and held in position by a soft contact lens and within 24-72 hours, the eye has begun to heal. The procedure is a minimally invasive, low risk, in office procedure with an excellent track record of success.

Dry Eye is a disease resulting in redness, burning, excessive tearing, gritty sensation and overall discomfort. Dry eye is worsened by frequent computer use (4+ hours/day), allergies, medications, age, and gender. In recent surveys, 64% of non-contact lens wearers and 80% of contact lens wearers reported occasional ocular discomfort. Don’t suffer any longer with dry and irritated eyes! Visit your eye doctor and ask about early treatment and advance treatment therapies in Dry Eye Disease.

Dr. Janelle is an advocate for early Dry Eye intervention and advanced treatment plans. Her successful Dry Eye treatment plans have improved the lives of hundred’s of patients.

Dr. Janelle Your Eye Care Expert

Clinical Director at Brilliant Eyes Vision Center

DrJanelleOD-FINAL

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