FEAR, LOGIC AND MEDICAL MIRACLES

Fear and logic don't often work together well!  Fear has a tremendous ability to take control of our thoughts and block our attempts to see things clearly and logically.  Health care is advancing almost at the speed of light, with new techniques and knowledge that can save sight or life in unique ways we never dreamed possible; but in ways that may appear scary or threatening!

I think logic is simply balancing fear of a greater loss against the immediate fear of an obvious threat.  Am I more afraid of going blind or having a needle in my eye?  More afraid of cancer or having a colonoscopy?  More afraid of going to the doctor for preventive check ups or becoming ill with advanced disease? 

As health care and technology advance we will all be faced with these choices more often.  Think of family, friends and the beauty of life and try to relax with the knowledge that these medical procedures are simple, safe and effective and only a little scary; not following through with your treatment is a lot scary.

As always thanks to all of our patients for making Wayland Optometric so unique and enjoyable.  Especially our patients who travel from Rochester, Naples, Bath or Geneseo; we appreciate the extra effort in visiting us here at Wayland Optometric.

Stick a needle in the eye? DNA injection to slow vision loss Chelsea Crump is only a little bit worried about having a needle poked into her eye next month. Thanks to her brother, and a lifetime of having a rare genetic disease, she's pretty sure of what to expect.

http://todayhealth.today.com/_news/2012/09/19/13942501-dna-injection-to-slow-vision-loss?lite

PS  many ocular conditions may now be treated with injections directly into the eye; macular degeneration  being one of the more common conditions.  Success rates are amazingly high for conditions that are extremely sight threatening.

Wayland Optometric's Eye On You Blog Page: Never Say Never When It Comes To Technology!

Wayland Optometric's Eye On You Blog Page: Never Say Never When It Comes To Technology!: I first heard the story of the Wright brothers when I was just a small boy; before space travel, color television, VCRs/DVDs, cell phones an...

Never Say Never When It Comes To Technology!

I first heard the story of the Wright brothers when I was just a small boy; before space travel, color television, VCRs/DVDs, cell phones and well you get the picture.  It has always stood out in my mind; never say anything is impossible and always try to be prepared for what the next step in technology will bring us.  If you read my previous blog on Artificial Intelligence you know what I mean.  Now comes this little news clip I received today on an artificial eye.  After 30 years in vision care I still did not believe we would ever be able to untangle the complexity of linking millions of nerve fibers accurately enough to connect a mechanical eye to the brain and produce a meaningful picture.  Now it appears this technology is almost here. One hundred years of flying and look where it's taken us, what will the next hundred bring us for vision and health?  Just make sure to never say never!

WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE RESEARCHERS

MAKE BLIND MOUSE RETINAS SEE.

Two researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have deciphered a mouse's retina's neural code and coupled this information to a novel prosthetic device to restore sight to blind mice. Furthermore, the researchers say they've also cracked the code for a monkey brain, which is essentially identical to that of a human. They hope to quickly design and test a device that blind humans can use. While current prosthetics provide blind users with spots and edges of light to help them navigate, this novel device provides the code to restore normal vision. The code is so accurate that it can allow facial features to be discerned and allow animals to track moving images. The researchers' work was reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. According to lead researcher Dr. Sheila Nirenberg, “Not only is it necessary to stimulate large numbers of cells, but they also have to be stimulated with the right code–the code the retina normally uses to communicate with the brain.” She says that the findings of the recent research show that the critical ingredients for building a highly effective retinal prosthetic–the retina's code and a high resolution stimulating method–are now, to a large extent, in place and that her retinal prosthetic will need to undergo human clinical trials, especially to test safety of the gene therapy component, which delivers the light–sensitive protein.

Vision Care in the Southern Tier: Technology, Fashion, Changes Over The Years!

Patients often ask me why Wayland Optometric is so different; modern equipment, great customer service, and unique one of a kind eye wear.  Then they say something like "I never imagined there was a place this nice in Wayland".

I have worked in the Southern Tier for over 20 years, as staff Optometrist at Chemung County Nursing Facility and the Elmira Psych Center, staff optometrist at Guthrie Medical in Corning and Bath, as well as offices serving Hornell, Naples, Dansville and Avoca.  There has been a lot of change in health care over the past 20 years and this is "my opinion" as to why our office is so unique.

I love technology; I am a techno geek.  Not by education but just because of my intrigue with all things mechanical and electrical. Therefore I have always embraced new technology in my office.  At Wayland Optometric we rank in the top 5% nationally for new technology use.  Our digital eye exams and computerized testing is second to none and make the eye exam experience at Wayland Optometric the most comfortable and accurate available. 

We love travel and fashion and we don't love sales reps.......  What's this got to do with anything?  We travel to Vision Care Shows in Cleveland, New York City, Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe every year and pick the trendiest new looks to supply our office.  We pick only the best quality manufacturers that do not have sales reps in upstate New York and we set up an agreement to service our account via internet and email.  This allows us to provide unique designer frames not normally found in upstate New York, and then sell one of each frame so our patients always have a rare and unique style at an affordable price.

When you come to Wayland Optometric you should expect perfection because I expect it.  Every contact lens, pair of glasses, eye exam, adjustment, phone call, insurance billing should be perfect.  We don't always achieve perfection, but we always strive for it, and in the event we fall a little short we will do everything in our power to make things right. 

Technology is changing so rapidly that I believe the average doctor just can't keep up, and the larger the office, the more difficult it is to keep up.  I am proud to say that Wayland Optometric is unique.  Debbie and I are Wayland Optometric, and we promise you the best eye care, customer service, quality and experience in vision care.  From Hornell to Honeoye, Avoca to Nunda; serving Dansville, Wayland, Cohocton, Naples, Arkport, Alfred and Conesus with the finest eye care available.  Thank you all for making our office such a success!

Wayland Optometric's Eye On You Blog Page: Healthy Lifestyle Habits May Cut Risk For Developi...

Wayland Optometric's Eye On You Blog Page: Healthy Lifestyle Habits May Cut Risk For Developi...: Healthy Lifestyle Habits May Cut Risk For Developing AMD......        A recent medical study suggested that women who exercise, eat r...

Healthy Lifestyle Habits May Cut Risk For Developing Age Related Macular Degeneration

Healthy Lifestyle Habits May Cut Risk For Developing AMD......

 

     A recent medical study suggested that women who exercise, eat right and don't smoke could cut their risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by two-thirds.  The study included 1,313 women ages 55 to 74.  Researchers found that compared to sedentary smokers who ate fatty processed foods, participants with healthy lifestyle habits were found to have an adjusted odds ratio of .29 (this means 1/3 the risk) for developing AMD over a 6 year span.  

     No big surprises here; we all know that smoking is bad for you and eating healthy and exercising is good for you but it's not always easy to get started.  Walking and bicycle riding are 2 great ways to increase our activity levels without much risk of injury, and the new federal guidelines on food groups are really good at helping you plan healthy eating habits.  The old food pyramid guidelines are difficult sometimes to visualize proper portions.  Try checking out the new food plate information.  I think it helps you see exactly how much of each food group you need to eat at each meal or at least each day.  Here are some links to food plate and nutrition information.

 

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/

http://www.good.is/post/building-food-plates-where-the-food-pyramid-once-stood/

 

     Happy eating and enjoy your good health!  Remember Wayland Optometric is the number one office for vision care in the southern tier; from Dansville to Bath and Naples to Hornell. 

Augmented Reality Technology - Check Out This You Tube

     Augmented Reality (AR) is a view of the real world and computer-generated data on one's person; think streaming information projected across your eyeglass lens or contact lens while you are still able to view and navigate in the real world.  Terminator vision available to everyone, not just cyborgs.

     Michael Abrash, a developer at Valve Software, a video game company, revealed via blog that he is investigating "wearable computing" for the company.     http://blogs.valvesoftware.com/abrash/valve-how-i-got-here-what-its-like-and-what-im-doing-2/

     At the University of Washington in Seattle, professor Babak Parviz and Semiprius, Inc., a high concentration photovoltaic solar module company have said they are working on AR contact lenses.

     Innovega, Inc., a personal media eyewear technology company, has created contact lens enabled eyewear using iOptik Technology.  A contact lens allows the retina to receive each image in focus simultaneously by allowing light from the heads-up display to enter the pupil's center and the surrounding environment's light to enter the pupil's rim.  The Defense Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the U.S. Military's version of  007's "Q", has ordered a fully functioning prototype.  CEO Steve Willey believes the technology may be available to the U.S. public as early as 2014 pending FDA approval.

    Finally, Big Brother, Google, Inc. (got to watch out, blogger.com is a Google product), revealed a spectacle-like device that would project various smart applications through a small ophthalmic lens while still enabling the wearer to still see their environment.  It's called "Project Glass" and you have to see this video!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6W4CCU9M4

     Pretty cool stuff, but makes you wonder just a little, where it will all lead and how it will all end.  Michael Abrash actually suggests that AR may be projected directly to our brains via a direct neurological connection some day.  Can you say Matrix?  

     Seriously though, some very exciting technology and it may be just around the corner.......


Thanks to everyone for checking out Wayland Optometric, and helping to make us the number one eye doctors office in Wayland, Dansville and Naples!  We look forward to seeing all of you again soon.

Benjamin Franklin - America's Renaissance Man

Benjamin Franklin was an inventor, diplomat, scientist, raconteur, librarian and a "founding father" of the American nation.  His accomplishments include founding the first public library in the country, the first fire company and fire insurance company, inventing the "Franklin Stove" which was widely used until the advent of central heat, inventing the lightning rod and of course "Bifocal Glasses".

While in France as a diplomat, he wrote the following letter to George Whatley, an English philanthropist:

    "To George Whatley:
    Your eyes must continue very good,since you can write so small a hand without spectacles.  I cannot 
    distinguish a Letter even of a Large Print; but am happy in the invention of Double Spectacles, which serving
    for distant objects as well as near ones, make my Eyes as useful to me as ever they were:  If all of the other
    Defects and Infirmities were as easily and cheaply remedied, it would be worth while for friends to live a
    good deal longer...."
    Passy, 21 August, 1784

Here we are nearly 230 years later and most of  fail to hold bifocals in the same regard as Benjamin Franklin.  He literally took 2 lenses and glued them together to make his initial bifocal and today we have Digital Freeform Technology.  Most of us spend more than half our life over 40 years of age, but we never really acknowledge how much our bifocal glasses do for us.  Digital Freeform Technology combined with a Progressive (lineless) Multifocal design comes as close to natural vision as possible.  In a world so visually complex we are fortunate  that technology is providing us great vision and eyesight.

Consuming Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Fish Oil

Consuming Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Help Reduce A Woman's Risk Of AMD.

         Many dietary trends come along, and most of them quickly fade away or are forgotten.  Good nutrition is the cornerstone of good health, so the question becomes what constitutes good nutrition. 

         Omega-3 Fatty Acids, most commonly in the form of fish oil are the latest panacea in the health care world.  The two studies below indicate how strongly the research points to improved health outcomes for increasing Omega-3 Fatty Acid intake.  I am confident this is not a passing fad, but one of the most important ingredients to aging gracefully.  Similar studies exist for many disease processes showing the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids: Alzheimer's, many cancer, heart health, etc.

          Avoid cheap generic and store brand supplements as they are not pure fish oil but rather processed fish oil supplements that are poorly absorbed and also cause you to burp up fishy taste.

          Do use a fish oil supplement that keeps the fish oil in it's natural Triglyceride form for maximum absorption and no fish burps.  The brand we supply at Wayland Optometric is from Physician Recommended Nutriceuticals; www.prnomegahealth.com

            Yes both Debbie and I take PRN Omega-3 fish oil supplements daily, and we have decreased our fatty and fried food intake and increased our vegetable and fruit intake.

HealthDay reported, "Women who consume fish regularly -- and the abundance of omega-3 fatty acids found in that meal choice -- have a lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD)," according to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology. In a study encompassing some 38,000 women who were followed for about 10 years, researchers found that women "who consumed the greatest amount of one or both omega-3 fatty acids (DHA, EPA) were found to have a 38 percent lower risk of developing AMD compared with those women who consumed the least."

        "What's more, women who ate one or more servings of fatty fish per week -- mainly canned tuna and dark-meat fish -- were 42% less likely to be diagnosed with AMD compared with women who ate fish less than once a month," WebMD reported. 

          Stop in to Wayland Optometric and say Hi, and see why we are the most up to date, progressive eye care and Optometrist office in the area; serving Hornell, Bath, Dansville, Livonia and Naples and of course Wayland.

WELCOME

Welcome to the new Wayland Optometric Blog Page.  This is Dr. Michael Schroedl and I am very excited about this additional way to communicate with all of my patients in a relaxed, friendly informative blog posting.  I am going to try and post interesting health notes, especially eye health information, along with personal information about myself, my family and my staff, and any exciting news that pertains to Wayland Optometric, our patients and the community.

We strive to make Wayland Optometric a unique experience in both visiting the doctor and shopping for eye wear or contact lenses. 

Check out our Reviews:             

http://demandforced3.com/b/etile_reviews_popup.jsp?d3cp_exid=waylandoptometric&d3cp_source=My%20Website

and see why over 50% of our patients come from Bath, Hornell, Dansville, Naples and Livonia.  Many come from as far away as Rochester because of the unique blend of technology, professionalism, and fun, friendly, exciting experience at Wayland Optometric!

Come back frequently and feel free to contact us with questions and comments about our office and our posts.