Will My Baby’s Eyes Change Color?

I often get asked by a proud new mother about her newborn’s most beautiful, bright blue eyes. Even after three months, his eye color has not changed and Mom wants to know if she can count on his eyes remaining such a beautiful shade of blue?

Well, Baby eye color is most certainly to change over time. Everyone’s eye color is determined by a substance called melanin. Melanin is a dark pigment located in the iris, the structure that controls how much light is allowed into the eye. The color of the iris is determined by the amount of melanin in the iris.
Light eyes have very little pigment, whereas darker eyes have a lot. In newborns, the pigmentation process of the iris is not yet complete. Babies with darker skin are usually born with dark eyes that stay relatively dark. Iris color in lighter-skinned babies is usually a blue or bluish-gray color at birth, then change as they grow. Melanin production changes during the first year of life, usually resulting in a darker, deeper eye color.

Permanent eye color is not set until a baby is at least nine months old, so wait until your child’s first birthday to determine what color they will be. An infant’s eye color is influenced by the eye color of their parents. Eye color is often studied in the field of genetics because of its inheritance patterns, but is still not fully understood.

So, sorry Mom, those “Baby Blues” may not be so blue as little Jimmy gets older and wants to borrow the car keys.

Thanks for reading,

Dr. David Rosenblum, OD

Eyesite Optometry

Newport Coast and Cerritos, Ca.

www.Eyesiteweb.com

Do Contact Lens Solutions Really Make a Difference?

“Does it matter which contact lens solution I use?” is the most common question I get regarding lens care. 

I would have to say, I frequently hear from my patients that they use “Target Brand” or “Costco Solution” for use with their contact lenses in the disinfection, conditioning, and storage processes.  Just as many say, however, that they use “the green bottle” (Opti-free) or “ReNu.”  There are several other brands filling the contact lens section of your local market or drug store. 

So, how do you choose which solution is the best?  Now I’d like to think you took our advice at your last office visit and went with the solution we sampled to you.  I always discuss solutions, although maybe quite briefly some times, with patients typically at the end of their eye exam.  I have to admit that I wasn’t as particular in the past as I am now as to what solutions work the best.  My past concerns have been solely in disinfection effectiveness and providing good lens conditioning.  I also have to admit that I never felt there was a dramatic difference between the main leading brands.  All the company reps have discussed their products at length with me and,  proven through their studies, just how effectively their particular solution works.  I have been satisfied with their clinical studies, the FDA’s Clinical Trial results, and medical journal studies as well.  You see, that’s how boring I can be.  My wife looks over at me and I’m reading a journal article The clinical effectiveness of Complete Contact Lens Solution on Staph, “That’s a snorer” she always tells me.

Anyway, where was I going with this blog.  Oh yeah, does it matter which solution we use?  The answer is yes.  It can make a significant difference in your daily comfort from using a specific solution.  Now, I’m not sponsored by any solution company, nor have any incentive, whatsoever, to favor one product from the next.  (I think I have to say that-or should say it-so you know I’m not selling out for a buck)

I have been a big advocate of Opti-free, Re-Nu, new Bio-True, and Complete over the last several years.  I have found them all effective in proper lens care, with very rarely a problem or reaction to any of them.  But, I have had consistent praise from my patients over the last year from the solution Clear Care.  Clear Care is a hydrogen peroxide-based system used for disinfecting and conditioning contact lenses over a six-hour period.  Hydrogen peroxide systems have been around for decades (anyone remember AOSEPT?)

For months the Clear Care rep has been raving about the comfort his solution provides and I always felt “Yeah, yeah, all the reps say that about their solutions. Everyone’s is the best.”  But, then something started happening.  The patients that were using Clear Care reported greater comfort, less dryness, and the ability to wear their lenses for longer periods of time, especially those patients that complained of past problem dryness with their lenses.  These patients felt there was a significant improvement from other solutions that they had been using for years.

Well, I’ve been in practice about twenty years now and I have come to learn that the best clinical trial study available for my overall knowledge is the feedback from my own patients.  I have never had such a positive response from patients regarding contact lens solutions as I have from when patients switched to Clear Care.

I still recommend the big three solutions for patients having no comfort issues or complaints; they are slightly easier to use.  However, Clear Care has become a problem solver for those contact lens wearers looking for longer wearing times, less scratchiness and dryness, and lenses keeping that “new” feeling for the recommended life of the lens.

……Wait…..I have just had some very positive feedback from users of the brand new Alcon solution called Pure Moist.  I will let you all know how things pan out with this brand new, highly praised solution.

 

Thanks for reading,

Dr. David Rosenblum

Eyesite Optometry

Newport Coast and Cerritos, Ca.

www.Eyesiteweb.com

Help Rachel’s Hug-A-Bears Win Classy Award and National Exposure

Hello Eyesite Family,

Many of you have heard about Rachel Rosenblum’s non-profit organization Rachel’s Hug-A-Bears. Rachel, Dr. David’s 15 year-old daughter, has spent the last ten years donating thousands of teddy bears to hospitalized children. She has received numerous awards and made several television appearances.

Rachel has just been nominated for the prestigious 2011 Classy Awards and is now a Top 25 finalist in the “Charity of the Year” category from over 2,000 organizations. Voting is done through internet and social media and she needs your help now! A victory would provide her organization national exposure and thus enable her to help thousands more children. For more information about her organization see her website www.rachelshugabears.org

Please click on the link below to submit your vote for Rachel. She is an extraordinary young lady that truly makes a difference and, with your help, she can be recognized for her hard work. This means so much to Rachel and we thank you tremendously for taking the time to do this. I have already submitted my vote and it is completely safe and will not spam you.

www.stayclassy.org/classy-awards

 STEPS… Click on link below “Submit Your Vote” Click “Vote” at the top of the page Under Charity Categories select “Charity of the Year” Vote for “Rachel’s Hug-A-Bears”

Note… *You do not have to vote for every category to cast your ballet for Rachel under the “Charity of the Year” category and you can cast your vote by connecting using facebook or by submitting your information (Name, Email, Create a Password, Zip Code). Thank you so much again for your support. Please be sure to spread the word to everyone you know! Good luck Rachel!!

Thanks for reading,

Dr. David Rosenblum

Eyesite Optometry

Cerritos, Newport Coast

Eyesite Newport Coast Examines Visiting Ukraine Orphans

Monday, July 18, 2011.

Dr. David Rosenblum, an Orange County optometrist and owner of recently opened Eyesite Newport Coast, examined six Ukrainian children today and will examine four more on Friday. The children, aged nine to 13, are on tour in Orange County and came from an orphanage in Odessa, Ukraine. They are here to sing in various venues, including Disneyland, through the efforts of a non-profit group, Nightlight Christian Adoptions. During their two week tour, the children are housed with “host families” which take them in as their own children. Dr. David and his wife, Tiffany, with kids Rachel, 15, Ally, 13, and Josh, 9 are hosting Tollik, a 9 year-old most charming little boy. “He fits right in,” says Tiffany, “Our kids just love him. The language barrier may seem like a big problem, but kids are kids, and communication seems to take place regardless.” It also helps to have a couple of Ipads with a Translating App. “We just type in English and the Ipad speaks in Russian,” states Ally Rosenblum, “But, most of the time, he can talk with us with hand motions and facial expressions.” Dr. Rosenblum was astonished at how healthy their eyes were. Only one child so far required glasses. She will get them tomorrow and, according to Dr. Rosenblum, they will “open up a whole new world to her.” Dr. Rosenblum has made a career of giving eye exams and glasses to underprivileged kids. At his other office, Eyesite Cerritos, he examines and provides glasses to a school age child in need every week for the last several years.

Alien Invasion and Computer Glasses

I’m not sure as to the correlation but, somehow, my dreams this morning went from alien invasion to prescribing computer glasses. I was tossing and turning early this AM and dreaming wildly. I recall sitting in a bar ( a place I rarely, rarely, sit) and, much to the dismay of the bartender, ordered a water. While sitting there and noticing floating particles (similar to those found in lemonade) in my water, I looked out the large window and saw space suit clad men running from alien-like men who were shooting laser guns at them. I wasn’t terrified, however, so we can’t classify this as a nightmare, but, when I was younger, nobody told me that, at forty-five years old, I would still be having dreams about invading aliens. I just didn’t see that coming.

Anyway, the dream continued as I left my bar seat and joined the panicking population of humans in their flee from invading laser-bearing aliens. I remember being cornered behind a tree with an incoming attacker, my doom a certainty, when I changed dreams.

I flashed to my office examination room, there was my father, Dr. Sy, and he was telling me how to properly prescribe computer glasses. (This is just as hard to believe as aliens invading earth-just kidding Dad) Anyway, lets talk about computer glasses for a moment.

Computer glasses are prescribed so as to perfectly focus your eyes at the exact distance of your computer screen.  This is most important when dealing with patients over the age of 40.  Many patients wear no-line bifocals (progressives) or simple bifocals, or single vision reading glasses.  Many issues arise when wearing these “non-computer” prescriptions.  Basically, the lenses are typically focussed for a normal reading distance of 16″-18″.  The computer screen is typically 22″-24″ and thus not in perfect focus.  The result is the patient must move closer to the monitor for better clarity, or raise their chin in an exaggerated fashion to utilize the bifocals.  All in  all, the patient is forced to sit in an awkward manner, causing strain, fatigue, and ”too close to the screenitis.”

Progressives (no-line bifocals ) do focus at the correct distance through proper head alignment, however, the head must be held at a very specific orientation for long periods of time.  This can result in head and shoulder pain, as well as eye strain and fatigue.

Computer glasses also have special “anti-glare” coatings and tints which soothe the eyes while “locked in” on that screen for hours at a time.  The proper computer prescription is fantastic to those who sit in front of the screen all day long.  They can move their head all around and always see clearly, their eyes don’t need to use muscles to focus, glare is reduced and the screen is soothing to view.  The most frequent comment made by those who switched to computer glasses is that they can now use their computer for hours on end and feel great at the end of the day.  Before, they experienced fatigue, headaches, and mostly, eyestrain.  They needed multiple breaks, their eyes “burned” and they couldn’t wait to get off the computer.

So, reflecting back on this blog, we’ve discussed two things that can ruin your whole day: an alien invasion and eyestrain in front of the computer.  At least one can be prevented for sure.

Thanks for Reading

Dr. David Rosenblum

Eyesite Optometry

Cerritos and Newport Coast   WWW.Eyesiteweb.com

Bye Bye Air Puff

Do you know how many times patients complain to me about that darn air puff in the eye performed as part of their preliminary testing in my office? If you’ve had an eye exam in the last 15 years, chances are great that you know what I’m referring to. You place your chin on that little white resting stage, look into this strange machine, then, while trying to keep your eye open as instructed, PUFFFF, you get a small blast of air in the eye. You think “WOW. That was weird. It didn’t hurt, but, it wasn’t exactly fun.” Then, the technician gives the word that you get to do it again in the other eye. (For the record, the second eye is always a little tougher to get a reading on as the patient’s anticipation of the puff makes them a little more anxious) In other words, they now know that the puff is coming and start to slightly freak out while trying to keep their eyes open.

I have to be a doctor for a moment and explain why we do the puff. The machine is a highly sophisticated instrument called a Non-Contact Tonometer. “Tonometry” is the act of measuring eye pressure, or, IOP (Intra ocular pressure). IOP is, basically, necessary pressure inside the eye which keeps the eyeball inflated properly. Fluid is constantly being created inside the eye and subsequently draining as well which maintains a constant pressure. If the pressure builds abnormally, damage can occur to the nerves inside the eye and result in loss of vision. This is called glaucoma. Measuring this pressure during an eye exam is an effective way to diagnose glaucoma. Now I’m not going to get into a discussion about IOP or the various types of glaucoma or any other medical details for the sake of this blog.

Eyesite Newport Coast has a brand new piece of technology called the Diaton. The Diaton is a small, handheld device, used to measure the IOP as discussed above. The technician takes the patient’s measurement by touching the tip of the Diaton to the patient’s upper eyelid. The process is repeated three times and the device displays the average of all three readings. A digital reading is displayed immediately on the instrument and the measurement is recorded. It’s that simple.  Did you follow that-no puff in the eye.  I knew you’d want to hear that again.  Cerritos patients, well, sorry for now, you still get that lovely little spot of wind in the eye.  We will be looking into getting the Diaton at our Cerritos location soon.

The Diaton has been working great and patients have certainly not missed their old favorite “air puff.”  I am impressed with its accuracy, ease of use, and, let’s be honest, patient’s are thrilled to skip getting that puff in the eye.

Awesome Results With New Contacts

A couple of weeks ago I unveiled the secret of how one may become a billionaire. Quite simply, “reverse the process of eye aging, and eliminate the need for reading glasses.” You know what I’m referring to: people over forty pushing reading material to arm’s length just to see clearly (often done with a menu or medicine label).

Even after laser eye surgery, the problem arises and reading glasses, or “cheaters,” are needed for near viewing. One of the remedies of this “presbyopia,” the condition at hand, is a revolutionary new type of contact lens known as the “multifocal.” Now, we’ve had multifocals for many years, however, over the last couple of years some new brands have been released and the results have been quite exciting.

I have been working daily with many of these new brands as the demand has become greater and other reasons as well; one of them being that the condition of Presbyopia affects people exactly my age. Yes, I’m finally there.

I’ve worked with my father for almost twenty years now and have always been the “young guy,” or, “that young doctor.” So, all of a sudden, the problem has become quite personal.  Also, most of my friends have reached the same milestone, (or, stone in their shoe) as well.

The great news is that these new contact lenses enable most people to see clearly at both distance as well as near.  In other words, contact lenses are now providing wonderful freedom to see at at all distances for those of us over forty.  Life is good.