On Monday, February 8th, Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care will open its 20th Indiana Vision Center in Zionsville, Indiana. The Zionsville Dr. Tavel will join the other vision eye centers in Indianapolis, Anderson, Bloomington, Columbus, Fishers, Greenwood, Kokomo, Muncie, New Castle, Shelbyville, Elkhart, South Bend, Richmond and Terre Haute. Three of the current optical locations are Vision Values by Dr. Tavel and the remaining 17 are Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care.
As with any of our Dr. Tavel stores, we will offer comprehensive eye examinations by a board certified Indiana eye doctor, premium contact lenses and eyeglasses. If you want to buy eye glasses or see the best eye doctor possible, come to our new location at 61 Boone Village in Zionsville or call 317-733-3344 for an appointment. Of course, you can also schedule on line at
www.drtavel.com. We look forward to serving the Zionsville community.
Thursday afternoon in my Astronomy course, I sat with a friend of mine who happens to be color blind. Now, if you know anything about astronomy you'll probably note that it has a lot to do with the visible light spectrum, the spectrum of colors that appears when white light is broken down by a prism (ROY G. BIV ring a bell?). Anyway, as we were viewing the array of colors produced by various elements, my friend turned to me and said "this would be so much easier if I had normal vision."
Normal vision? What does that even mean? Being able to see colors? Getting a regular eye examination? Not having to buy eyeglasses? There are so many dimensions to "normal vision" that it's hard to decide what exactly that constitutes.
The truth is, "normal vision" does not mean "perfect vision." According to the Vision Council of America, over 75% of the population wears some sort of corrective lenses. This means, the norm is not perfect vision, but corrected vision. However, normal vision can go awry relatively quickly without having regular eye exams. But, if you follow the simple rule "Check yearly. See Clearly." you can count on having true normal vision for a long time.
Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care is doing its part to help with the Haitian Relief Effort. Due to the massive earthquake that hit last week, many of the buildings have been damaged and personal belongings destroyed. As Indiana Eye Doctors, it only makes sense that we would help the best way we know how, with the gift of sight. We are asking that anyone who has an old pair of eyeglasses come into one of our 20 Vision Eye Centers to donate their used eyeglasses. We will be working with the American Red Cross to get these glasses to those in need.
It is estimated that over 4 million pairs of eyeglasses and lenses are thrown out in a given year in the United States. Rather than toss that old frame and lenses, come into Dr. Tavel or a Vision Values by Dr. Tavel optical location to donate these to someone in need. If you have a pair that you don't wear, bring them in. If you only have a frame, bring it in. We will accept any donation of used eyewear. Go to our locations page to find the nearest Indianapolis Optical or Indiana Optical store to you.
Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care now offers the Randy Jackson Eyewear Collection. Most of us know Randy Jackson from American Idol, with his cool demeanor and his "yo dawg" comments. Given that he has always worn some great frames that are stylish with just a bit of a unique edge, he partnered with Zyloware to create his own brand of frames. Randy's comments are that these frames are for men in their mid-20's to early 50's who care about their appearance. (Apparently if you don't care how you look, then these frames are not for you!)
After trying on each of the Randy Jackson frames, I can tell you that not only do they look stylish without being over the top, but they are incredibly comfortable. Some frames that are out there are bulky and meant to stand out. The problem is that some of them end up being very heavy and this tends to cause discomfort at the end of the day. Not the Randy Jackson Eyewear Collection. We offer these frames at all of our Indiana Optical locations where you can buy eye glasses so come check out this new line at Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care.
Dr. Tavel and his associates have decided to join up with local communities and speak at various "Dine With a Doc" events. These are free events that welcome local senior public to hear doctors speak once per month, presenting topics that are educational and informative for the participants.
In January, Dr. Elizabeth Johnson from the New Castle Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care is speaking at Hickory Creek in New Castle. Her topic is going to be cataracts, which is the leading cause of blindness. A cataract is the clouding of the lens. The lens of our eye is made out of water and protein and as we get older, the protein can sometimes clump together, which causes the clouding effect.
It is important for patients to have an annual eye examination to monitor this closely. At initial onset, it is possible to mitigate the effecs of cataracts by getting glasses and lenses with a higher prescription. Ultimately, cataract surgery can be a great solution for restoring vision. It is actually one of the most frequent surgeries performed, with over 3 million done annually.
For those patients in New Castle, Indiana, feel free to join Dr. Johnson at 10 am on the 27th of January at Hickory Creek to learn more about cataracts and the role your Indiana eye doctor can play in detection and prevention of this disease.
I just came across a staggering study that was done by the
National Eye Institute that found that Americans have gone from 25% myopic (nearsighted) in the 1970's to 41% this year. While the report didn't focus on what has caused this increase, there have been several experts who have commented that one cause is likely the increase of "near-work", such as working on the computer, texting and the increased usage of smart-phones, which requires great focus on a very small screen. When you spend a lot of time focusing your eyes on near objects, you aren't stimulating your far vision enough, causing problems in vision development.
As a parent of a 5 year old boy, I am acutely concerned about the vision development aspect. It is important to make sure my son doesn't spend too much time playing on the computer or watching TV and that he is spending time outside where his far vision is going to get the most stimulation. Not only is this healthy for his body to be playing outdoors instead of sitting on a couch, but it is also healthy for his vision.
This outcome of this study illustrates the increased need to have an annual eye examination. As we are spending more and more time at computers, using smart-phones with small text, etc, our vision is likely to get worse, which means we need to see our Indianapolis eye doctors on a regular basis to monitor our eye health and our vision needs.
As I started wearing contact lenses in the past few years, I found out that I am one of the many people who has dry eyes, which ultimately leads to discomfort if I am not wearing the right contact lens. The good news is that I have found ways to combat this discomfort so I can continue to wear premium contact lenses.
Daily Disposables - These lenses are changed every day, which means that you get to put in a new pair each morning that is free from built-up deposits on the lens. People who suffer from allergies are also going to be more comfortable in these as any allergens that stick to the lens go away with a new pair.
FDA-indicated for dryness - CooperVision has a lens, Proclear, that is FDA approved for improving comfort due to dry eye.
Low Water Lenses - I used to think that I wanted a lens with a high water content to alleviate the dry eye issue. However, I found that lenses with high water content need to be in a moist environment so if your eyes are dry to begin with, these will essentially dehydrate.
As with any of this, I recommend you see your eye care doctor or Indiana optometrist for an eye examination and an accurate assessment of your eye health and vision needs. The best eye doctors (who can be found at Dr. Tavel, by the way) will provide you with an appropriate solution to your dry eyes.
I read on
Inside Indiana Business this morning that Vera Bradley was named by Gift Beat magazine as the
Vendor of the Year. The handbag designer was at #3 last year and moved up to #1 this year.
This is a great award for an Indiana company that Dr. Tavel has done business with for years. While they are mostly recognized for their handbags,
Vera Bradley also has a great line of eyeglasses. Dr. Tavel carries the Vera Bradley frame line in all of its vision eye centers across Indiana, which includes Indianapolis, South Bend, Elkhart, Kokomo, Anderson, New Castle, Muncie, Richmond, Bloomington, Shelbyville, Columbus, Terre Haute, Fishers and Greenwood.
The Vera Bradley eyeglasses are much like their handbags in that they have intricate designs that are very unique and fun, not to mention comfortable. It is no wonder they were named Vendor of the Year, with all that they have to offer.
Recently, one of my good friends came down with Pink Eye. When most people think of Pink Eye, they think of young children at school, spreading this contagious disease to one another as they don't wash their hands often enough. The reality is that adults can contract this as well and some of the most likely adult candidates are contact lens wearers.
Why are contact lens wearers more vulnerable to pink eye and what was likely the primary cause of my friend getting pink eye? Poor hygiene in the handling of contact lenses and contact lens cases can contribute mightily to infections of this sort. My friend has a very bad habit of not changing or cleaning her premium contact lenses for months at a time.
So, when she went to get an eye examination with one of our Indianapolis eye doctors, she was told to throw away her contacts, replace her contact lens case and wear her eyeglasses for a few days to help alleviate the symptoms. The problem was that when she put her glasses on, they had a 3 year old prescription in them that was off substantially and her vision was impaired. Since she wears contact lenses all the time, she saw very little need to have an updated pair of glasses. Needless to say, she came back in to one of our Indianapolis locations and ordered a new pair of glasses.
Two morals to this story: (1) contact lens wearers need to follow the guidelines of their wear schedule so as to have the best eye health and (2) even those patients who wear contacts 24/7 have a need to have a back-up pair of glasses.
For years now, our country has been one that loves 2-week contact lenses. While other countries overseas are embracing daily disposable contact lenses, it is still a lens modality that has struggled to catch on here with any real success. For the life of me, I can't figure out why. The only guess I have is that we aren't as educated about this type of contact lens. With this, I urge you to take a look at Daily Disposables (
CooperVisions's ProClear 1 day &
ClearSight 1 day as well as
Ciba Vision's Focus Dailies) as on option for premium contact lenses.
The reasons are two-fold: better eye health and better comfort. The reasons it is better for eye health are simple:
- Since you have to change your lens on a daily basis, this promotes good ocular health. Daily Disposables have the highest compliance rate of any modality at 94%.
- Daily Replacement means less deposit build up, reducing problems associated with this, such as GPC
- Daily disposables have the lowest infection rate since you are putting in a new, fresh lens every day
The reasons for better comfort are obvious as well. Putting in a new lens every day means you are getting a fresh lens with no deposit build-up, allowing for a more comfortable wearing experience.
If you haven't tried daily disposable contact lenses, please take some time when you see your Indianapolis Optometrist or Indiana Eye Doctor to discuss this modality and the benefits it can provide.
What a game. Colts/Pats. Night game, national television and all the hype and hoopla. When it comes to big games, you are always hoping for a great one but never know if it is going to happen or not. Well, this one was great. We were down for a big part of the game and it seemed like there was no way we were going to win. A little bit of luck and a questionable decision led to the
Indianapolis Colts pulling out a win at the last second thanks to a touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne.
The game was great, the atmosphere was fantastic and the show of support from local Indianapolis and Indiana residents was phenomenal. I ran into several friends at the game and some old college friends from South Bend and Elkhart that I haven't seen in years. The interesting part about the night was that more than one of my buddies brought up their health savings plans or flex spending accounts and were asking about getting in to use that before the end of the year. We are at the biggest football game of the year and these guys want to talk about their health insurance plans!
It shows you how important it is to use health benefits before they expire. The great part about these plans is that you can use them for many health related reasons, specifically eye care. These plans can be used for eye examinations, contact lens fit examinations, purchasing frames and lenses and purchasing premium contact lenses. One of my friends from Columbus, Indiana was planning on using more of his health savings for the baby they had this year. When they didn't use as much as expected, he now has some funds that HE HAS TO USE. The great part is that now he can come to Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care and get the prescription sunglasses that he has wanted for some time.
This is a great opportunity for anyone with a plan like this. Go see your Indianapolis eye care doctor or come in to any of our Indiana Vision Centers before the end of the year and we will be sure to take care of you.
My 5 year old son had his final soccer game of the season last Saturday in Indianapolis. It was a great game and actually went to a shoot out at the end to decide the game. Okay, these are 5 and 6 year olds so there was no goalie and they basically had to kick the ball straight into the goal from 30 yards away, but nonetheless it was pretty exciting. Our team lost, but as with any youth soccer game the focus was more about getting their medals and what the snack of the week was.
It was a great fall day in Indiana and I got some sun, which is rare for early November. It got me thinking about how most people are unaware that extended exposure to the same harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays that affect their skin can also harm their eyes. While outside on Saturday, all of the children's eyes were exposed to the sun's rays. Some of the parents on the sidelines had sunglasses on, while others were wearing hats, which are both helpful in blocking UV rays from reaching the eyes. When I am outside, I typically wear contact lenses that block UV rays and I also wear polarized sunglasses, which are great for absorbing and blocking UV rays, while also reducing glare from the sun.
The next time you and your children are playing outside, stay focused on the health of your eyes by wearing sunglasses, brimmed hats or premium contact lenses with UV blocking. If you don't have these items available, make sure you go to your Indianapolis Optometrist, Eye Doctor or a local vision eye center.
When I used to think of Transitions lenses, I would think of a kid I went to elementary school with. Whenever he would come back in from recess, it would take FOREVER for his glasses to go from dark to light again. On top of that, his lenses would never fully go back to a clear state. He always seemed a bit frustrated with his lenses and it made a lasting impression upon me, that I haven't been able to truly shake until now.
The Transition lenses of today are much more efficient. They adjust very well to lighting conditions, going from clear indoors to sunglass-dark outdoors. These lenses are great in that they change much quicker than they used to and the lenses will get very clear inside. The nice part about Transition lenses is that they also help reduce eye strain and fatigue as you don't have to squint so much once you walk outside into the sun.
I recommend that anyone who intends to buy eye glasses, and doesn't want to buy an additional pair of prescription sunglasses, give Transitions lenses a test drive. You will be surprised at how convenient these lenses are and how comfortable they are for your lifestyle (assuming you go outside!). The next time you see your Indianapolis eye doctor, ask him or her their opinion on Transition lenses and you will likely find that the best eye doctors recommend them.
This week was the start of the 2009-2010 NBA season. I am a hoops junkie so this makes me pretty excited. Watching the Pacers in their season opener, I definitely see some potential for them. Don't get me wrong, I am not expecting them to go deep in the playoffs, but I think they are heading in the right direction in terms of the guys they picked up in the off-season and the draft. All of the new acquisitions are tough, with a desire to play hard and intense on defense.
I have been in love with the game of basketball all my life, playing throughout high school and college. I still play in a morning game at the local YMCA, which is more about finding a fun way to stay in shape than anything else. What has been interesting for me is realizing how important my vision is when it comes to playing basketball. Up until I was 30, I had no need for vision correction and I took my sight for granted while playing sports. Then it hit me that I couldn't see the other end of the court all that well and I might have an actual reason for missing so many shots! Needless to say, contact lenses have made my life so much better when it comes to playing basketball because I finally have perfect vision again and I can focus on playing ball instead of how well I can see.
In recent years, I have discovered the benefits of daily disposable contact lenses. They are great because I can wake up, open a new lens and hit the gym. Since I wear a new pair every day, there is no deposit build up on the lens and my comfort level is at an all time high. Currently I am wearing CooperVision's Proclear 1-day daily disposable, which is a great contact lens.
This past weekend I was working around the house, trying to knock some items off the old 'honey-do' list. One of the items on the list was to fix some shelving that had broken. This requires the use of my table saw and if I have learned nothing else from my father, it is safety first when working with power tools and wood. I used to be a bit lazy when it came to this, but it only takes one time of getting some dust or wood debris in your eye to learn that safety glasses are a must.
Most people are likely unaware that Dr. Tavel carries a wide variety of safety eyeglasses, including one of the most popular brands in
Titmus. Dr. Tavel has safety glasses for those who need prescription safety eyewear for personal or professional use.
I was reading the latest issue of Eyecare Business magazine and they had some great statistics regarding children's vision.
- 23 million children have vision problems
- 95% of vision issues can be corrected if detected and treated early
- 7 - 12% of children have eye problems that may lead to permanent loss of vision if not detected and treated in time
- 2.4 million (or 10.5% of) children between the ages of zero and four are affected
- 86% don't have eyes examined before first grade
- Only 14% have their eyes examined before age 18
-- Source: PediaVision
Of all the statistics, the last one was the most surprising. As a family eye care practice, Dr. Tavel sees thousands of children every year for eye examinations, glasses and lenses and contact lenses. One of our primary goals is to educate families that they need to see an eye care doctor on an annual basis, even if you do not need to buy eye glasses. Looks like we need to continue spreading the word based on that last statistic...
This past weekend I went on an annual camping trip with a group of friends down to Jasper, Indiana. We have gone for seven years now and the trip has become pretty standard in that we drive down on Friday night, eat at The Chicken Place in Ireland, IN, then camp out for the night. We wake up on Saturday, hang around the campsite for a while, then go play a round of golf at Sultan's Run (which is a PHENOMENAL course if you haven't played it yet. See the 18th Green below). After golf, we head over to the Schnitzelbank restaurant for the finest in German fare before retiring again to the campsite to sit around the fire.
The nice part of this trip is that I didn't have to worry about my contacts since I wore some daily disposable contact lenses. Daily-wear contact lenses are great because I didn't have to worry about solution, I didn't have to worry about taking my contact lenses out at night and putting them in a case, which is kind of tough to do when you are in the dark tent. I pop in a fresh pair of lenses in the morning, wear them all day and take them out at night when I am ready to go to sleep and throw them away. When I wake up the next day, I put in a fresh pair of daily-wear contact lenses and I am good to go. This is really nice when camping, by the way because there is nothing better than fresh contacts when you have been sitting by a camp fire all night!
Today being the first day of October, it hit me that fall is upon us and before we know it, winter will be as well. Now that we are in the fourth quarter of the year, it is a great time for people to start thinking about using their flexible spending accounts (FSA) before the end of the year. Most FSA's can be used to pay for vision expenses and many plans have an FSA debit card that make it very convenient to use your FSA funds for vision services and materials. The great part of this is that Dr. Tavel accepts all FSA debit cards and will be happy to provide you with the necessary invoices to help facilitate the claims process.
The advantage to using your FSA at Dr. Tavel is that you can use your pre-tax dollars on necessary vision services and materials, whether it be eyeglasses and lenses, premium contact lenses or an eye examination and a contact lens fit. The only potential disadvantage to an FSA plan is that you are typically going to face a 'use it or lose it' scenario whereby you have to use the funds in your account by the end of the plan period (in most cases the end of the calendar year). With Dr. Tavel, this is not a problem. We have 19 offices throughout the state of Indiana that are open on weekends and several late days throughout the week so you can be sure to find a convenient time for an appointment.
Last Friday, Team Tavel spent the morning at Duke Realty's annual employee Health and Wellness Fair. I received a call from their office and they wanted Dr. Tavel to attend as the primary eye care provider for their employees. We gladly accepted and took some equipment to be able to do a vision screening for any employees that came by our tables.
This was a great opportunity as we were able to screen vision for almost 100 of Duke's employees. The overwhelming outcome of these screenings is that most of the employees need to come to Dr. Tavel for an annual eye examination. While there were a few employees who regularly take advantage of their health care insurance and see their Indianapolis eye doctor, most people don't. There were several people who admitted they hadn't been to their Indianapolis optometrist in 5 plus years!
This never makes much sense to me. First, most employers like Duke offer vision insurance whereby employees can get an annual eye examination for free or for a nominal co-pay. Second, eye exams are so much more than just telling you what your error of refraction is. We had some people say they haven't had problems seeing so they haven't had a need to see an Indiana eye doctor. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about seeing Dr. Tavel. Our eye examinations are done by the best eye doctors and they examine for multiple common eye diseases as well as several age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy.
Overall, it was a great opportunity to partner with a great company and educate, inform and screen vision.
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