Cornea- the clear front surface of the eye. It is responsible for much of the refracting ability of the eye.
Sclera- the "white" part of the eye.
Conjunctiva- the clear, vascular membrane which covers the sclera.
Iris- the "colored" part of the eye.
Crystalline Lens- the structure inside the eye responsible for focusing.
Vitreous- the gel-like substance that fills the inside of the eye.
Retina- the lining of the inside of the eye.
Photoreceptors- the rods (for vision in dim light) and the cones (for detailed and colored vision in lighted conditions).
Macula- the small portion of the retina used for central vision (when you look directly at an object you are using your macula).
Fovea- the central portion of the macula.
Optic nerve- the connection from the eye to the brain.
Blind spot- the portion of retina where the optic nerve intersects and, therefore, there are no photoreceptors. With both eyes open there is an overlap in peripheral vision. With one eye closed there is a small area in front of you and towards your ear where you do not see.

Visual Conditions

Myopia- (Near-sightedness) a person cannot see as well in the distance, and can see better up close. Usually this is due to a combination of a steep cornea and a long eyeball. Hyperopia- (Far-sightedness) a person cannot see as well up close, and can see better in the distance. Usually this is due to a combination of a flat cornea and a short eyeball. Astigmatism- the cornea is irregular shaped (more like a football than a basketball) which causes the light to be focused on different points on the retina. This causes distorted vision.
Presbyopia- loss of focusing ability with age. This happens to everyone beginning at approximately age forty and is independent of myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Strabismus- (Eye turn) a person has one or both eyes which are not aligned straight. Esotropia means the eye(s) are turned in. Exotropia means the eye(s) are turned out. Amblyopia- for various reasons the vision is not capable of correction to the normal 20/20. Accommodative dysfunction- below normal ability to focus (reduced accommodation) or inability to change focus from near to far quickly (accommodative infacility).

Eye Examination Terms

Refraction- the determination of the spectacle prescription. In children this can be done in such a way that no verbal response is necessary to obtain an accurate prescription. Dilation- special eye drops are used to temporarily (3-6 hours on average) keep the pupils wide open in order to thoroughly evaluate the internal structures of the eye. This will cause difficulty focusing on near tasks and sensitivity to light temporarily, but it is the only way to effectively see the whole retina.
Cycloplegic refraction- eye drops used in children when a focusing problem exists, or when they are far-sighted. These eye drops are stronger than the standard dilating drops and impair focusing ability up to two days. This is also done pre-operatively for laser vision correction procedures.
Tonometry- measurement of the eye pressure. One of four tests during the eye examination which test for glaucoma.
Corneal topography- a picture is taken of the surface of the eye and mapped like a topographical map. Important in contact lens fittings, corneal disease and laser vision correction.
Visual fields- testing of peripheral vision (side vision) which can detect many eye diseases as well as many systemic conditions.

Diseases & Conditions

Glaucoma- a blinding eye disease which often has no symptoms in the early stages. Therefore, it is normally detected during a routine eye examination. In this disease, the pressure in a person's eye is too high for their eye structure. (For some people even low eye pressure is damaging, while for others high pressure causes no problems. So it is not diagnosed on pressure alone.) The nerve fibers begin to die and as a result vision is lost. When it is detected early, treatment can often control the disease. Treatment includes eye drops and various types of surgical procedures, including the use of lasers.
Cataracts- a change in the density, color, and/or separation of the layers of the crystalline lens inside the eye. This occurs as a result of age and is not considered a disease. When the lens is affecting daily activities, such as driving and reading, the cataract is removed and a clear implant is put in it's place. Good UV protection while outside can help to slow the progression of cataract formation.
Conjunctivitis- an allergic, bacterial, or viral infection of the conjunctiva. Very common cause of red eyes in children. Symptoms of redness and discharge often disappear in 7-10 days. Sometimes bacterial and allergic conjunctivitis are treated with prescription eye drops.
Corneal ulcer- a wound on the front surface of the eye which is most common in contact lens wearers who do not clean their lenses or wear their lenses longer than prescribed. It is a painful condition which needs immediate treatment. It usually causes scarring.
Blepharitis- a skin condition which is like "dandruff" of the eyelashes. It causes redness around the eyelid margin, eye irritation, and sometimes eyelashes are stuck together. Treatment is sometimes with medications and/or warm compresses followed by cleaning the eyelids and eyelashes with baby shampoo with the eyes closed.
Meibomian gland dysfunction- the glands of the eyelids can sometimes become clogged. Sometimes the normal oily secretions become thick, waxy and stagnate. This causes eye irritation, and can lead to stye formation. Treatment is the same as for blepharitis.
Giant papillary conjunctivitis- often from contact lens wear. These are bumps underneath the eyelids. The bumps form as an allergic type of response to the protein deposits that adhere to contact lenses. Cleaning the lenses periodically with an enzyme cleaner, switching to disposable contact lenses, and sometimes reducing or eliminating contact lens wear are necessary to alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms. Also, medicated eye drops may be prescribed to diminish the size of the bumps.

Bifocal contact lens options

Dr. Kossol is excited to announce success in fitting new classes and categories of bifocal and multifocal contact lenses. Previously unavailable designs of lenses provide patients with distance, intermediate and near vision and has proven to be much more successful than bifocal contact lens of the past if fit properly. In the past, bifocal contact lenses were successful in about 50 percent of patients who tried them. They were also prohibitively expensive and in many cases would end up on the medicine cabinet shelf after weeks or months of wearing attempts. We now fit over 90% of patients successfully. The new class of bifocal contacts are comfortable, easy to use and adapt to and are relatively inexpensive. Some of them are even disposable. The patient has it easy with these disposable lenses- adaptation is fast. The doctor must spend time analyzing the prescription to maximize vision with these lenses. These trial lenses are free, so the patient is not committed to purchasing the lenses unless they are satisfied with the vision and comfort! These new bifocal contact lens designs can give you your young eyes back! Call our office today to set up your bifocal contact lens fitting