This Issue:

Award-winning Service

DFW Community Newspapers announced in August that Dr. Kurtin has again been chosen "Best Optometrist in Collin County". The annual survey includes over 50,000 readers of the Plano Star Courier, Allen American, McKinney Messenger, and Frisco Life newspapers.

Our office has served this community for over 14 years, and we are proud to receive this honor. We are very grateful to all those who took the time to vote for us!

A New Millennium

Once in a thousand years, mankind celebrates a new millennium, and we are privileged to be part of this great event. Our office will be closed from December 24 through January 2, 2000. Please mark your calendars. Patients with insurance or flex plan spending accounts may want to make eye exam appointments earlier. Please call 972-964-3937, or use our online appointment scheduler.

We also want you to know that our practice is completely prepared to move into the 21st century. Our computer systems have been updated to facilitate the use of Internet communications. Acuity testing equipment can now rule out depth perception problems more easily. Some of you have already experienced the newest way we check for glaucoma eye pressure problems. This year, we began corneal "mapping" which allows us to more accurately fit special contact lenses, like bifocal types. These are just a few of the advancements our office has made to prepare for the next millennium. With the days of 2000 upon us, we want to thank you for allowing us to be a part of your life. When you choose us for your eye health care, you pay us a compliment. When you refer your family, friends, and coworkers to us, we are even more humbled.

When Should You Toss the Old Cosmetics?

When they present a danger to your eyes, and that may be more frequently than you think. Cosmetics, just like food, "go bad." Their composition changes; you may notice flecks, discoloration, or even a bad odor, and that means it's time for the trash.

If contaminated makeup gets into your eyes or even a cut near the eyes, it can cause anything from annoying infection to permanent blindness. Because the government doesn't require expiration dates on makeup, you need to check your cosmetics yourself.

Throw away your old eye makeup after you've had it for a year, even if it still appears fine. Microbes and germs can easily hide in old cosmetics. Of course, discard any makeup that displays a change in consistency or color.

Safeguarding your eye makeup is a good idea. Store it in a clean place away from extreme light and heat, and remember not to share it with anyone else - cosmetics can transmit germs from one person to another, posing risks to all the eyes involved.

Choices for Presbyopes

Presbyopia often affects people in their early or mid-40s who haven't needed glasses before. The condition occurs when the lens of the eye becomes less flexible, making it difficult to shift focus between near and far distances.

Presbyopia is easily corrected by glasses or contact lenses, and there are a number of options available. If you're a presbyope, make sure you're choosing the option that's right for you.

Most people who need glasses only for close work use full-field reading glasses, which enable the wearer to see things near them more clearly. These patients simply remove their glasses for distance viewing. Half glasses, another traditional option, allow you to look over the glasses to see things at a distance. 

Bifocals are a common choice for people who require both near and far correction; the top part of the lens corrects distance sight, and the lower part makes close objects clearer. No-line (progressive) lenses, which act the same way but eliminate the distinct line between the tow sections, are another option for bifocal wearers. 

Contact lens wearers have options, too. There are multi-focal lenses, which act much like bifocals or no-line eyeglasses. Monovision fits one eye with a lens that allows you to see far away, and one which allows you to see near. You can also use a combination of contact lenses and eyeglasses.

Presbyopia doesn't have to be a problem for you with so many solutions available. Let's work together to make sure you've got the corrective formula that's right for you.

Don't Stress Your Eyes Out!

Are You Reading in the Dark?

"Turn on a light or you'll wreck your eyes." How many times did your mother tell you that? Well, in this case Mom was both right and wrong.

You see, reading or watching television in dim light doesn't cause direct damage to your eyes; however, failure to use good lighting when you're trying to see a computer screen or do needlepoint does strain your eyes and results in fatigue. So, while you won't "wreck" your eyesight, reading without adequate lighting isn't doing your eyes any good, either. 

Our recommendation: Listen to your Mom and turn on a light!

Conquer Visually-related Learning Problems

Before accepting a diagnosis of ADD for your son or daughter, take the time to rule out a visually-related learning problem. Our comprehensive eye exam can assure that your child is equipped with all eight basic eye tools necessary for reading and school work. These are:

1. Visual acuity - the ability to see objects clearly.
2. Visual fixation - the skill needed to accurately aim the eyes at either stationary or moving objects.
3. Accommodation - adjusting the focus of the eyes as the distance from the object changes.
4. Binocular fusion - the brain's ability to gather information received from each eye separately and form a single, unified image.
5. Stereopsis - the ability to perceive depth or judge the relative distance between two objects.
6. Convergence - the ability to turn the eyes toward each other to look at a close object.
7. Field of vision - awareness of objects on the periphery as well as in the center of the visual area.
8. Form perception - the ability to organize and recognize visual images as specific shapes.

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