After hearing about what a success Avatar 3D was and how cool it looked on-screen with its special 3D effects, I am debating whether or not to see the Disney’s new Toy Story movie in 3D. I’ve seen 3D movies before and while it does enhance the storyline in the movie, and make me feel more involved in the movie experience, I have wondered what kind of effects 3D (stereoscopic) displays might have on my eyes and vision especially as more and more 3D movies arrive in theaters and soon 3D TVs come out on the market. To answer this question of mine about 3D and its effects, I started reading up on 3D films and imaging online.
Here is what I found: WIS10, a news station in Columbia, SC, interviewed Avatar viewers and found that the weight of the glasses was viewers’ biggest issue while viewing the film, yet others mentioned headaches from their experience. Was 3D imaging or the heavy glasses to blame for some of these viewers headaches? Eye care doctors are not universally sure what is the cause for 3D viewers’ headaches but many agree that 3D imaging can cause eyestrain to which headaches are a sure symptom.
An experiment on eye vision comfort in binocular and 3D displays done by Frank L. Kooi and Alexander Toet of TNO Human Factors explains, “In stereo vision systems eyestrain is caused by unintentional mismatches between the left and right eye images (stereo imperfections).” Head-mounted displays, such as 3D films cause the brain to fuse the two moving images together which creates eyestrain due to optical misalignments.
But is this the truth for everyone? According to a May 2010 Consumer Report titled, “Some eyes aren’t 3D-ready”, those who suffer of strabismus (eyes that do not align when focusing) or amblyopia (a lazy eye—where one eye loses focus), or who have trouble keeping their eyes aligned, will probably face some difficulty putting the two images together and fully enjoying a 3D experience. In fact, such a struggle can lead to eyestrain such as dry, irritated or painful eyes, which may also lead to headaches which gives a clue about the headache/glasses correlation as mentioned by the Avatar viewers. Overwhelmingly, the articles on the increasingly popular 3D movie experience and its effects on vision were negative-leaving my decision on seeing the new Toy Story in 3D cloudy at best.
So what should I do? 3D imaging started out as a way to pull viewers back into theaters and away from TV sets in the 1950’s, and still today brings crowds in and now creates an “in-the-action” feeling for viewers of all ages. Many have described Avatar as the “most visually fantastic film ever seen.” One reviewer said he could see textures on the enhanced screen with his 3D glasses-will I be able to see textures with Woody and Buzz Lightyear this weekend? That I am not sure but I do know if I get a headache afterwards, I could definitely have something else to blame it on than the heavy glasses.
As the world places an even higher emphasis on lifestyles of health and sustainability, many people have adjusted their behavior to be more environmentally friendly, and Dr. Tavel is right there with them.
Minimizing our impact on the environment in many areas of our business has included implementing green initiatives from the manufacturing standpoint, to the sales environment, and even the medical aspect. Reducing energy use, using less paper, and recycling have become priorities in each of our 20 Indiana eye care locations.
The Dr. Tavel staff reduces energy use by ensuring all lights and electronics are turned off at the end of each business day, as well as regulating the temperature to make sure we don’t over use our heating and air conditioning when no one is occupying our offices.
To help protect our forests, Dr. Tavel has begun a transition to secure, online patient records. Instead of using countless sheets of paper, much of the documentation for each eye examination is recorded on the computer in our secure programs.
In the lab where our frames and lenses are assembled, Dr. Tavel has installed settling tanks that filter the water used in the manufacturing process. These tanks filter out granulated waste before ridding of the water to ensure that this sort of waste does not make its way into our sewer system, and thus into our environment.
Our favorite aspect of our “green” initiative is our recycling program. Dr. Tavel collects old glasses and lenses from patients and donates them to various non-profit organizations, such as the American Red Cross and Haiti Relief efforts. Our patients know that they’re welcome to swing by any time they’re in the neighborhood and drop off their old eyewear at their convenience.
We’re trying to see the world through green colored glasses! Are you?
In the most recent issue of Vision Monday (May 17th, 2010, VOL.24 NO. 6), the optical industry’s leading newsmagazine, appeared a list of the “Top 50 U.S. Optical Retailers” for 2010. The article took “an exclusive look” at how sales fared for the largest optical players in the country.
As we browsed through the list this morning, there, in slot number 29 was Dr. Tavel Optical Group! We have moved up from the 31st ranking since last year, and we owe our successes to you, our patients.
Dr. Tavel strives to provide only the best in eye care products and services; ensuring every patient is treated to a comprehensive eye examination and high-quality, but affordable glasses and lenses.
All this, however, would be nothing without the loyalty of our patients, so thank you!
While we have had the capability for quite some time, not all of Dr. Tavel's patients are aware that they can schedule their eye examination on-line at
www.drtavel.com. From our home page, there is a button that will take you to our exam scheduler.
Why is this important to know? This is quite simply the easiest way to schedule an exam with one of our Indiana eye doctors at a Dr. Tavel Vision Eye Center. Of course, you can pick up the phone to schedule your exam, but this method allows you to schedule an eye examination at YOUR convenience, any time of the day. If you are like me, you tend to get busy during the day and picking up the phone to call your Indianapolis Optometrist can get pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. I typically remember these things on my drive home from the office when I have a chance to slow down a bit. Since Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care and Vision Values by Dr. Tavel have evening and weekend hours, I could still call to schedule an appointment, but I can also go to
www.drtavel.com and schedule it in only a few minutes. Not only can I do this when it fits my schedule, but it also saves me time when I actually go see the best eye doctors in Indiana because I know they have all the information needed and it is completely accurate so I can get in, see the eye doctor, order my eyeglasses and/or contact lenses and be on my way.
As it turns out, I have some hail and wind damage on my roof due to a storm that came through Indianapolis in 2009. I didn't realize this until I was notified by one of my neighbors that they had to file a claim for the damage on their roof and recommended that I have someone inspect mine as well. I called up a contractor who specializes in this area and they came out, walked around the roof, took some pictures and then we met to discuss the situation.
When we were talking and he was showing me pictures, I noticed that he had photochromic lenses in his eye glasses. This makes perfect sense for his occupation as he goes outside a lot to look at roofs and then needs to come back inside to do paperwork and have meetings with customers like me. The photochromic lens is a great option as they change from light to dark when he walks outside, providing him with a tinted lens and then back to light when he walks inside, providing him with a clear lens. Ultimately, this lens option allows Dr. Tavel patients to wear the same eye glass lenses both inside and outside, instead of having to take their clear eye glasses off and put on their pair of prescription sunglasses when they go outside. While this may not be a big deal for most people to change from clear glasses to sunglasses, it would be for a contractor with his occupation where he is constantly going in and out of the sun. For him, the photochromic lens offers the best vision value.
I asked him how he likes the photochromic lenses he was wearing (he was wearing the Transitions brand) and he said he loves them and they are the best eye glasses he has ever had. Given the vast improvements made over the years with photochromic lenses, eye care doctors are recommending them more and more as a vision solution.
One of our best eye doctors in Indianapolis sent me the following YouTube clip last night. It is a hilarious clip of a comedian talking about going in to get his eyes examined.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8GMFkc3iSA
After watching this, the reason I laughed so hard is because it is so true (as with most comedy, I suppose). He mentions that it has been six years since his last eye examination and the reason he didn't go is that he was "too busy to see clearly". How many of us have been guilty of putting off going to see our eye care doctor because we didn't have time? While this clip is funny, the truth is that lost productivity due to poor eyesight alone costs this country millions of dollars every year because people put off going to their eye doctors to get a comprehensive eye examination and a renewed prescription for their contact lenses or eyeglasses. On top of this, according to the National Eye Institute, the number of Americans with major eye diseases is increasing, and vision loss is becoming a major public health problem.
Blindness or low vision affects 3.3 million Americans over the age of 40, or 1 in 28. This figure is projected to reach 5.5 million by the year 2020. The study identifies age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, cataract and diabetic retinopathy as the most common eye diseases in Americans age 40 and over.
Worse yet, another study shows that most Americans don’t know the risks and warning signs of diseases that could cause blindness. In the "Survey of Public Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Related to Eye Health and Disease," sponsored by the National Eye Institute and the Lions Clubs International Foundation, 71 percent of respondents said that eye sight loss would have the greatest impact on their day-to-day lives, but only eight percent knew that there are few early warning signs of glaucoma.
The answer is pretty simple, get in to see your Indianapolis or Indiana eye doctor and follow the mantra of "check yearly, see clearly."
What an amazing day on the slopes in Winter Park, Colorado. I came out last night for a three day ski trip with some friends. Packing for a trip like this always requires me to bring a ton of things I need specifically for skiing. Ski pants, gloves, hat, knee braces (I am getting to be quite an old man). The one thing that is critical for a trip like this is the various eyewear needs. I wear my eyeglasses when I am at work as my computer glasses are the best thing for my eyes when I am looking at a computer all day. But, when I am skiing or doing something more active I need to wear my contact lenses. For a trip like this, I like to take daily wear contact lenses because it is so much easier to travel with contact lenses that I can switch out daily and I don't need to bring any contact lens solution. For this trip I took the Acuvue Moist one-day lenses, which are great because they provide the moisture and comfort my eye need when skiing all day.
(Day Two, when it was MUCH, MUCH colder)
On top of the contact lenses I wear, I have to have something to block the UV rays that are so intense when they reflect off the snow. The best sun lenses are polarized lenses because they really block the rays and the light, while allowing me to have the best vision possible on the slopes. For this trip I wore a pair of Rudy Project sunglasses that are great due to the high comfort level of the glasses, which are built for sport and activity-wear. Eyesight and the ability to see while skiing are so critical, which is why having the right materials and equipment are important.
When I came into the office this morning, I had an interesting e-mail in my inbox. One of our premium contact lens patients from our Greenwood office had gone to our website and submitted the following:
"I wanted to let you know what an AWESOME job your Greenwood store is doing! I went in there because of a promotion that you were having on a contact exam and some contacts. I had low expectations due to the fact that Dr. Tavel is a chain and I have had exams at these types of chains before. Boy, was I wrong! Dr. S is an asset to that office! He did a great exam and I never felt rushed. Priscilla and Angela in the front office were amazing. My husband needed an exam and so I signed him up immediately. Dear Priscilla helped us get the most for our money and helped us use the promotions to our benefit (we don't have eye insurance, so this was very important!) Angela did the same thing for me! I was astonished at the quality of care and price of glasses that we got at Dr. Tavel. I don't think the prices could have been beat anywhere. And let me tell you, I know the service is unmatched! Please commend the Greenwood store and keep up the good work - we will be back!"
What we recognize at Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care is that any eye doctor can perform an eye exam and that our patients can buy eye glasses and premium contact lenses from a large number of locations. Where we have to differentiate ourselves is in offering the best customer services, from the best eye doctor and from the valued opticians offering guidance and information about which lenses are the best for each individuals eyes. Ultimately, this is what leads to true customer satisfaction, which is critical to our success in Greenwood, Indianapolis and all throughout Indiana.
To celebrate Dr. Tavel's newest Indiana Vision Center, we are offering a Grand Opening Contact Lens Sale at all Indianapolis Optical locations as well as all Vision Eye Centers across Indiana. This sale is spectacular for anyone who currently wears premium contact lenses or for anyone who is interested in wearing contacts for the first time. For $99.98, we are offering the following:
- Comprehensive Eye Examination
- Contact Lens Fitting Exam
- 2 boxes of Acuvue Oasys premium contact lenses
- One month supply of contact lens solution
- Fashion Sunglasses
On top of this, we are offering 20% off all eyeglasses. This is an exceptional deal and when compared to other Indianapolis Eye Care Doctors, it can't be beat. When you see the best eye doctors at
Dr. Tavel and get a great deal on contact lenses, you will see why we have been able to continue our 70 years of successful eye care in Indiana.
I admit, sometimes I am lazy. Rather than take the five minutes to scrape my windshield this morning I decided it wasn't that bad and that I would be fine to drive with some ice build up impacting my vision. On my drive in to the office I could see okay, but I realized as I was stopping at a light that I did not have perfect vision. My depth perception was a bit off and overall, I did not have the clear vision I need to drive at my best.
This situation is actually quite similar to wearing glasses that have scratches all over the lenses or even wearing glasses that do not have an anti-reflective coating on the lens. When patients do not buy eye glasses regularly and try to make their scratched lenses last longer, they are impacting their vision. Sure, they can see, but it isn't the best vision possible. The same can be said for patients that do not have an anti-reflective (AR) coating on their lenses. AR coating, or sometimes referred to as "no-glare" lenses, reduce reflections on the lens due to light and glare. From a performance standpoint, this helps reduce rings from light, which is important when driving at night and also when looking at a computer monitor. From an appearance perspective, AR coatings reduce the reflections on the lens, creating a better look. When the glare is reduced on the outside of the lens, it allows others to look at your eyes without any annoying reflections, giving you a more natural look.
Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care recommends that you always have an annual eye examination from the best eye doctor possible for health reasons. In addition, we recommend that you buy eye glasses whenever your lenses become too scratched up and for most people we recommend anti-reflective lens coating to reduce glare and improve vision.
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.
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.
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.
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