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.
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.
Dr. Tavel is pleased to announce sponsorship of Kappa Alpha Theta's Little 500 bike team at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Dr. Tavel will be providing all members of the sorority's team with Rudy Project Sunglasses to enhance their vision throughout the season of cycling events.
Rudy Project is a performance eyewear company that specializes in sports eyewear, and is especially well known among cycling enthusiasts. Each Rudy Project frame is made in Italy using the latest lens technologies and the lightest weight frames. All Rudy products are adjustable, comfortable and customizable, as well as tested and approved by athletes. Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care is an official Rudy Project vendor, which means you can get this great brand at any of our stores, including all Indianapolis Optical locations, our Anderson Vision Center, Columbus, Bloomington, Kokomo, Terre Haute, Shelbyville, Muncie, Richmond, Elkhart, South Bend, New Castle or on-line at www.drtavel.com.
The Little 500, an annual event produced by the IU Student Foundation, includes numerous bike teams from IU's fraternities, sororities, student groups, residence halls, and various other independent student teams. There are two races-- the women's race on Friday of Little 500 week and the men's race on Saturday. Both occur at the end of April. Kappa Alpha Theta founded the women's race and has won it four times along with numerous other top 5 finishes!
Our company is proud to sponsor such an involved and strong women's bike team.
We wish the team the best of luck this season and look forward to a strong series of cycling events with Kappa Alpha Theta! For more information on Rudy Project Eyewear, contact your nearest Dr. Tavel location.
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.
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.
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 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.
Last Saturday, Team Tavel spent an amazing day down on Mass Ave in downtown Indianapolis doing a combination of promoting Rudy Project performance athletic eye wear and supporting the athletes riding in the 2009 Mass Ave Criterium. The weather was perfect and the attendance for the event was at record levels. For those that are unaware of the event, it was a bike race on the streets of downtown Indianapolis, going from Mass Ave to Vermont St to East St and north on East to Mass Ave. These men and women were MOVING! The Dr. Tavel/Rudy Project tent was at the start/finish line and when the racers went by in a big pack you could feel a big gust of wind following them as they rode by. 
The great part of our Rudy Project brand of sunglasses is that you can get them at any Dr. Tavel location (Indianapolis, Anderson, Bloomington, etc...) AND you can get them with a prescription in the lens. Dr. Tavel can easily put your Rx in the lenses so you can get ultimate comfort and vision while wearing technically cool eye wear. That is why we are the best eye doctor in Indianapolis, offering the best eye glasses and lenses, even in the form of sunglasses!
I just got back from eating lunch at TGI Friday's where, as I sat waiting for my salad, I was watching a silenced version of the daily news. One story in particular caught my attention though. Apparently, a fisherman who was fishing off the coast of Alabama sighted a 12 foot great white shark! Yikes.
It was funny to me because I was thinking "there is no way he could've seen Jaws without polarized lenses." I say that because water produces a very intense reflection that makes it very difficult to see below the surface if there is virtually any sunlight.
A polarized lens however, works wonders for this type of activity because it was designed to remove glare and reflections resulting in bright, vivid colors and crisp, clear images. The polarized filter works like Venetian blinds, redirecting the scattered light so it doesn't blind you.
I'm telling you, eye care is such a cool industry. The options in the optical field are sort of like the iphone advertisement where they say "Yep. There's an AP for that." ... Our version? "Yep, there's a lens for that." There is a lens for every single activity, every single life style, you name it, we've got it.
And the best part? All these options are available to you in all of Dr. Tavel's Indianapolis optical and surrounding optical locations. With the most technologically advanced eyeglasses Indianapolis has to offer you can honestly find anything you can dream up.
This morning in Indianapolis it absolutely poured rain! I was on my way in to work and hit all sorts of obstacles because of the crazy thunderstorm that is going on right now. I drove through a 2 foot deep puddle, was rerouted due to a lightning induced fire, and hydroplaned several times. How anything could be on fire in all this rain, I have no idea. But it was.
As I drove up Kessler Blvd. I noticed myself squinting and slowing down to almost 15 miles per hour to make sure I was staying on the road. It occured to me that if I hadn't been wearing my glasses I probably would've been in the ditch.
This situation is certainly a scary one, but its a good note to remind you how important it is to have an eye examination. There are so many obstacles (both natural and man-made) that make it difficult for our eyes to function properly that can be eased with customized lenses.
Dr. Tavel and his associate Indianapolis optometrists are consistently prescribing premium contact lenses and the highest quality eyeglasses Indianapolis has to offer. Be sure to schedule an appointment for you and your family at any of our convenient Indiana locations.
www.drtavel.com/schedule/
Is your child headed off to college? Dr. Tavel has Indiana vision centers in nearly every Indiana college town. Our Bloomington eye doctor (as well as our Columbus eye doctors) is happy to help the Hoosiers all year round! If your kid is a Ball State Cardinal up in Muncie, we have a brand new location there too! Our Anderson vision center, Fishers location, as well as 11 other Indianapolis Optical locations are all ready to help your student prepare for the upcoming year.
Got Contacts?
You can now have your college kid re-order her contacts online at www.drtavel.com/contacts/order.php.
We want to make the transition as easy as possible for everyone! As we like to say, let our family serve your family. Trust your vision to Dr. Tavel.
Go Hoosiers! :)
The introduction reads:
"July 15, 2009 (WLS) -- Most people think of their eye examination as time to update their lens prescription or catch the beginnings of eye disease like glaucoma, but few people know an eye exam can catch early signs of diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and brain tumors."
Absolutely right! Few people realize that an eye exam can quickly identify so many life threatening diseases without being invasive at all. There are no needles involved, we won't strip you down and put you on a scale, and we certainly won't sit you in the exam room and make you wait 20 minutes for the doctor to arrive.
As the most prominent Indianapolis Optometrist and most well known Indiana Vision Center, Dr. Tavel is proud to say that our staff is highly educated and thoroughly trained to be positioned as the medical expert when it comes to eye care.
Let our family serve your family. Trust your vision to Dr. Tavel.
For the full article: abclocal.go.com/wls/story
In considering the elements of eye care, terms can get a little confusing. Fear not! Dr. Tavel is here to help.
The Ophthalmologist: This individual is a medical doctor who specializes vision care. What differentiants this individual from regular vision providers is that he or she may perform eye surgery.
The Optometrist: This is the professional who specializes in eye examinations. During this exam the doctor will test for diseases, visual acuity, and prescribe premium contact lenses or glasses. (Dr. Tavel and his associates are Indiana eye dcotors aka "optometrists")
The Optician: These are the men and women that fill the doctor's prescription, fit glasses and lenses, and train the patient to use contact lenses. (In all of our Indianapolis Optical locations (You can find Dr. Tavel opticians smiling and ready to help in all of our state-wide and Indianapolis optical locations.)
Between earplugs and suntan lotion, there is a lot of focus on protecting various body parts, such as the ears and the skin. What amazes me is that there isn't as much of a focus on protecting the eyes. Yes, there are plenty of sunglasses at the Speedway, but most people don't understand the need for UV protection as it relates to the eyes. UV radiation can damage the skin of the eyelids, the outer part of the eye and can also contribute to the development of certain types of cataracts. This can be very dangerous to your eye care so make sure when you purchase sunglasses that you purchase those with UV protection details on the label. The best eye glasses to wear in the sun are polarized sunglasses with UV protection. Not only are you protecting your eyes from dangerous UV rays, but you are reducing glare for better visual quality. Enjoy the race and keep in mind that you need to protect ALL parts of your body while out in the sun.
My 5 year old son Christian is about to start kindergarten in the next month so I decided to have one of our eye care doctors give him an eye examination. Going by the American Optometric Associations guidelines, it was definitely time (they recommend a children's eye exam at 6 months, again at age 3 and then again at age 5 or 6 before kindergarten). The last time he had an exam, he was a bit apprehensive. Not this time; he loved it. It doesn't hurt that he was examined by one of the best eye doctors in Indianapolis who has a great knack for working with kids. The best part about the exam for Christian was when the doctor had him put on the 3 D glasses to test for depth perception. According to my son, that was "so awesome".
The biggest misconception among most parents is that the vision screening done at school is sufficient to determine if their child has vision problems. Vision screenings are great at detecting major vision deficiencies. However, a child can pass this test at school and still have vision problems that will impact their learning ability. In addition to this, vision screenings only test for visual acuity. The optometrists at Dr. Tavel perform a comprehensive children's eye exam that will evaluate eye health, which is equally important. So be sure to have an Indiana Eye Doctor examine your child's eyes at a qualified Vision Eye Center.
You would think, that since I deal with glasses and lenses and Indianapolis eye care every day that it would be rather difficult to forget such an accessory. Guess not!
I ran into a gas station to buy eye glasses to tide me over until the end of the trip and its just not the same! I miss my polarized lenses! They're a necessity, really.
Let me remind you of the benefits of a polarized lens:
Polarized lenses contain a specific filter that redirects scattered light into straight lines that enter directly into the retina. The result? Brighter more vivid colors, crisp and clear images, and significant reduction of annoying glare.
Wouldn't want to miss any details in a place like this, would you?
After spending the morning at the Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care in Muncie, Indiana, I was heading back to Indianapolis when I decided to stop into our Anderson vision center at the Mounds Mall. While talking to our manager, a patient walked in and asked if she had an appointment at 2:30. She had scheduled an appointment over the phone with another doctor in the area and realized it wasn't with us when she showed up for her eye examination.
For some Indiana Eye Doctors, this might be a problem. Not so for Dr. Tavel. The beauty of our practice is that we staff eye care doctors regularly and we accept walk-ins. What this means is that when you are in need of eye care, we are ready and willing with the best eye doctors and the best eye glasses Indiana has to offer. In this instance, we were able to get her in for an eye examination and since we accept most major vision insurance plans she was able to use her insurance to purchase glasses and lenses.
It started pouring rain in the middle of our lovely picnic so my 2 friends and I piled underneath our giant rainbow umbrella as the weather forced our citronella candle to retire for the evening. (I took this photo prior to the monsoon... it was only sprinkling at this point.)
Anyway, as we watched the orchestra play songs of composers from countries around the world, I noticed my eyes becoming very strained and tired. The stage was well lit, but everything around it was so dark that I found it rather difficult to sit and focus on the stage.
This is not uncommon! People come in to have an eye examination and complain about experiencing this same problem when driving at night or performing other tasks in the late evening. Lucky for you, I work in Indianapolis eye care, so I have the solution to this problem. :)
The reason my eyes were becoming strained was a result of the "halo" of glare created by the stage. This is exactly what happens with street lamps on the highway, headlights from other cars, or even the computer screen at work.
The solution is to have an Anti-Reflective coating on your eyeglass lenses. This coating ensures relief from tired eyes, relief from dangerous night time reflections, and relief from any glare causing situation that compromises comfort. The Anti-Reflective (AR) coating will ensure the clearest vision possible.
Any vision doctor will likely prescribe an AR coating as a standard to prevent discomfort from every day glare. Next time you go to purchase glasses and lenses ask about the AR coating options!
Or feel free to contact Dr. Tavel with any questions about our available AR options. www.drtavel.com/contact_us/
Last week, Dr. Tavel moved into our new location in Muncie, Indiana. For years, Dr. Tavel has been located in the Muncie Mall, however we made the decision to move down the street to 1511 W. McGalliard Rd at the Northwest Plaza. (Read the article from the Muncie Star Press)
Why the move after being in the same location for so long? We feel that this new location allows us to serve our patients better. We have moved from the center of a mall to an exterior location in Greenwood, Indiana and in Anderson, Indiana in the last few years with great success. What we found is that we have better visibility to our patients, they have an easier time accessing our location and ultimately it makes it that much easier for our patients to come in and get their eye examinations, their glasses and lenses or their premium contact lenses.
This Friday at noon we are having our official Grand Opening at the Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care in Muncie. Come join us for free vision screenings, a drawing for sunglasses, free adjustments and free screw driver kits!
3.jpg)
Powered by Compendium Blogware