Vision Correction: Part 4

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

(Page 4 of 4)

Eyeglasses — The Old Standby

In some cases, modern technology can provide the best vision correction option. In those cases in which it can't, eyeglasses can often help. Glasses correct refractive errors by adding or subtracting focusing power to the cornea and lens. The power needed to focus images directly on the retina is measured in diopters. This measurement is also your eyeglass prescription.

Like contact lenses, glasses come in all shapes and sizes, offering an array of choices for both function and fashion. Eyeglass frames, for example, are more durable and tout materials such as titanium and new "memory metals." Lenses are thinner, stronger and lighter. Lens options include antireflective coating, light-changing tints, progressive (line-free) bifocal lenses, and polycarbonate — the most impact-resistant lens material available.

Perhaps the greatest troubling aspect for eyeglass wearers is the constant feel of something sitting on the nose, despite such advances as featherweight glasses. Paul Trossevin of Falling Waters, W.Va., knows all too well the uncomfortable feeling of something permanently perched on his nose. Like a scar that never fades, Trossevin's glasses have been with him every day since he was 4 years old. Now 35, he says, "There was a time when I'd have done anything to get rid of my glasses." Or so he thought.

Although he could never wear contact lenses because of the severe flatness of his cornea, Trossevin was a candidate for laser eye surgery. But the one thing he was unable to obtain from any doctor was a guarantee that after surgery he wouldn't see starbursts and halos around lights — a big concern since he drives a good part of the day and plays baseball at night. "The guarantee was everything," he says. "When he couldn't give me that, suddenly my glasses took on new meaning — a guarantee of the good eyesight they have given me for over 30 years."

Looking Ahead

Among some of the more intriguing developments in the vision-correction pipeline is an alternative to LASIK, called LASEK, a new avenue for refractive surgeons that disturbs less corneal tissue than its sound-alike counterpart. There's also talk of investigational devices that could be placed inside the eye to correct refractive errors. Over the next decade, there are sure to be improvements in current techniques and technologies, in addition to new procedures.

Eye Tips

While you can't do anything about age or genetic makeup, you can eat a balanced diet, wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet light, and get regular eye exams to help maintain good vision. Regular eye exams are important because they can detect early signs of disease long before the disease leads to vision loss. Doctors recommend that everyone have an eye exam shortly after birth, and at least every few years until age 40. After that, the eyes should be routinely checked every 2 or 3 years.

Buying Contact Lenses by Phone, Mail or the Internet

If you buy contact lenses — an FDA-regulated product — on the Internet, over the phone, or by mail, the agency wants you to be well-informed. While such purchases are often a convenient and economical way to get your lenses, consumers need to exercise caution when using alternatives to a prescription from an eye-care specialist, or reputable pharmacy. The following information and tips can help:

Health-Related Information

Get regular eye exams. You may have problems with your eyes that you are not aware of, and your contacts may not correct your vision properly. Some untreated infections can lead to blindness.

Have an eye-care specialist check to make sure that your contact lenses fit properly and that the contact lens prescription was filled properly. Failure to do so could cause discomfort or damage to your eyes.

Beware of attempts to substitute a different brand than what you normally wear. There are differences in water content and shape between brands. The choice of which lens is right for you should be made only based on examination by your eye-care specialist, not over the phone or the Internet.

Request the manufacturer's written patient information for your contact lenses. It will give you important information, as well as instructions for use.

Prescription-Related Information

The minimum elements contained on a valid contact lens prescription should include your name, doctor's name, contact lens brand name and material, expiration date (if mandated by your state), and lens measurements, including power, diameter and base curve.

Make certain your contact lens prescription is current when ordering. The expiration date is currently set by each state. Some states require one- or two-year expiration dates, while other states leave it to eye care-specialists to decide. Never order lenses using a prescription that has expired.

Be sure the lenses the company sends matches your prescription exactly. Check that you have the brand and lens name you ordered, and that the numbers indicating power, sphere, cylinder and axis (if any), diameter, and base curve are the same as on your prescription. This information is required to appear on the contact lens package or container.

If you think you have received an incorrect lens, check with your doctor. Don't accept substitutes for any contact lens unless your doctor approves.

Some Internet sites ask for information about your doctor so that they can check the prescription. If they do check and receive a verbal OK, then they have complied with the Federal prescription device regulation. If the company does not check, they have not obtained a valid prescription. Some state laws require that a written prescription be presented.

Order your contacts from a supplier you are familiar with and know is reliable.

You won't break any laws if you buy lenses on the Internet, by phone, or through the mail without a prescription, but you should know that the company is selling you a prescription device as if it were an over-the-counter device. This violates federal regulation. Be wary when companies tell you they will check with your doctor to confirm the prescription. They don't always check.

About the Author

www.fda.gov
FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.