>>> HELLO AND WELCOME BACK.

MY NAME IS STEPHANIE MILLS.

I'LL BE YOUR HOLTZ FOR THE NEXT HALF-HOUR, ASKING OUR GUESTS THIS EVENING YOUR EYE-RELATED QUESTIONS.

SO LET ME WELCOME OUR GUESTS TONIGHT.

I'M JOINED BY DR.ZANIA FROM PLEASANT OPTICS IN MT.PLEASANT AND DR.ERIN FROM THE EYESIGHT, ALSO FROM MOUNT PLEASANT.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT ON THIS BLUSTERY EVENING.

HERE IN MOUNT MS.!

-- MT.PLEASANT!

DOCTORS, BEFORE WE START DIVING INTO OUR QUESTIONS, CAN YOU TAKE A MINUTE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR VIEWERS TONIGHT, TALK ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR AREA OF SPECIALTY, DR.ZANEIA, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

SO I'VE BEEN PRACTICING IN THE MT.PLEASANT AREA FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS NOW.

AND I GRADUATE RAISED FROM THE COLLEGE-- ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF OPT TOM TRIIN CHICAGO AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS WE GET TO DO IS WE DO A FULL SCOPE PRACTICE.

SO WE GET TO DO THE FULL GAMUT OF PRIMARY CARE WHEN IT COMES TO THE EYE AND WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT WE GET TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH PATIENTS EVERY DAY AND HELP THEM WITH ALL THEIR EYE-RELATED CONCERNS.

>> ALL RIGHT, DR.MILLER?

>> I'VE BEEN PRACTICING IN MT.PLEASANT FOR 17 YEARS AND PRIOR TO THAT, THREE YEARS AS AN OPT TOM FRIFT IN THE-- O. TOM TRIVET IN THE AIRFORCE.

WE DO A LOT OF PRIMARY CARE DISEASES, GLAUCOMA, MACULAR DEGENERATION, AND PEDIATRICS.

>> SO WE CAN ANSWER A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS TOGETHER THIS EVENING.

>> YES.

>> THANK YOU.

NOW, TO OUR AUDIENCES WATCHING TONIGHT AT HOME, ON YOUR TV OR ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE, IF YOU'RE WATCHING US THROUGH FACEBOOK, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS FOR YOU TO TAKE PART IN TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION.

YOU CAN CALL THE NUMBER THAT'S ON YOUR SCREEN.

844-975-3343.

AND SEND US AN ANONYMOUS QUESTION TO OUR GUESTS.

OR YOU CAN POST YOUR QUESTION ON TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

SO THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR YOU TO HELP GET SOME ANSWERS TO WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

THIS PROGRAM, THIS SHOW, IS REALLY FUELED BY YOUR CALLS, BY YOUR QUESTIONS.

SO DON'T HESITATE TO PICK UP THE PHONE.

SO DOCTORS, LET'S START OFF WITH A BASIC QUESTION.

MAYBE WHAT-- LET'S TALK ABOUT EYE HEALTH.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO MAINTAIN EYE HEALTH?

>> SO I WOULD SAY THE BEST WAY TO MAINTAIN EYE HEALTH IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE GETTING REGULAR CHECKUPS.

MOST PEOPLE SHOULD BE GETTING THEIR EYES CHECKED ON AN ANNUAL BASE.

OF CORKS, EATING PROPERLY, NOT SMOKING, PREVENTING U.V.

EXPOSURE, THOSE ARE SOME BASIC THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO PROMOTE OCULAR HEALTH.

>> OKAY.

GOT IT.

OUR FIRST QUESTION IS A CALLER FROM MT.PLEASANT.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHY DO DAILY CONTACTS DRY UP SO FAST.

THIS MIGHT BE A PROBLEM THAT'S LIKE REALLY PREVALENT RIGHT NOW, RIGHT, WITH THE WEATHER?

>> UH-HUH.

>> BUT WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE?

>> SO AS FAR AS CONTACTS GO, THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS INVOLVED THERE.

SO YES, WHEN THE WEATHER GETS DRY, WE CALL KICK ON THE HEATER,IN THE HOUSE AND THE VENTS IN OUR CARS.

AND THAT CAN COLD FRONT.

SO AS FAR AS-- CONTRIBUTE.

SO FAR AS DAILY WEAR, THERE'S THE 30-DAY CONTACTS THAT YOU TAKE OUT, PUT IN SOLUTION, EVERY NIGHT BEFORE BED.

THAT'S A GREATER MODALITY.

BUT THE MARKET IS TRENDING TOWARD THE DAILY DISPOSABLES.

SO YOU WOULD PUT A NEW SET IN EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THOSE IS YOU PUT IN A FRESH LENS IN EVERY SINGLE DAY AND IT'S VERY BREATHABLE.

SO IF THEIR CONTACT IS TRY-- DRYING OUT, THERE ARE USUALLY A DOZEN OTHER OPTIONS.

>> GOT IT.

SO IF ONE OF THEM-- THAT PARTICULAR PAIR DOESN'T FIT, MAYBE TRY ANOTHER TYPE OF CONTACT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

DIFFERENT CONTACT FIT EYES VERY DIFFERENTLY.

>> SURE.

ALL RIGHT.

COOL.

HOW DO YOU TREAT A STY?

>> SO A STY IS A CLOGGED OIL GLAD OF YOUR EYELID.

AND MOST OF THE TIME A STY WILL RESPOND TO SOME SIMPLE AT-HOME REMEDIES SUCH AS WARM COMPRESSING, PUTTING A WARM COMPRESS ON THE LID OF THE STY, AND AFTER DOING A WARM COMPRESS FOR MAYBE 10, 15 MINUTES, JUST GLENTLY-- GENTLY MASSAGE THE LID TO HELP BREAK UP THAT CLOGGED OIL GLAND.

SO CASELY-- OCCASIONALLY SOME PATIENTS MAY NEED MORE TREATMENT, WHETHER THAT IT IS OR THE ENABLES-- ORAL ANTIBIOTICS OR SOMETIMES THEM SURGERY REMOVED OR STEROID INJECTION.

SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE SEVERITY, BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT'S GOING TO CLEAR UP IF YOU DO SOME HEAT AND MASSAGE.

THAT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START.

>> GOT IT.

WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.

I HAVE DEALT WITH CHRONIC NECK PAIN MORE MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE.

MY WIFE CLAIMS THIS IS CAUSING THE DRYNESS IN MY EYES.

IS THERE ANY TRUTH TO THAT?

>> WELL, SOMEONE HAS CHRONIC NECK PAIN, THE FIRST THING THAT I WOULD QUESTION IS IS YOUR-- THERE ANY POSSIBILITY THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HAVE ANY NERVE DAMAGE.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF NERVES THAT SURROUND OR FACE AND OUR EYES AND THE ONES THAT ARE ON OUR EYE ARE VERY SENSITIVE.

AND THOSE ARE THE SAME NERVES SIGNALING US TO BLINK.

SO WE SPREAD A NEW LAYER OF TEARS OVER THE CORNEA, WHICH KEEPS THEM NICE AND MOIST.

SO IF THOSE NERVES ARE WORKING LIKE THEY SHOULD, WE'RE NOT BLINKING AS MUCH, WHICH WOULD CAUSE THEM TO BE DRY.

>> ONE OTHER THING, IF SOMETHING LIKE ARTHRITIS OR SOME KIND OF OTHER INFLAMMATORY DISEASE IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE CHRONIC NECK PAIN, INFLAMMATORY DISEASE LIKE ARTHRITIS AND OTHER JOINT PAIN DISEASES ARE WELL KNOWN TO CONTRIBUTE TO DRY EYES AS WELL, BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE INFLAMMATORY CYCLE.

>> OKAY.

GOT IT.

WHAT IS AN OCULAR FLUTTER, AND IT IS SOMETHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT?

>> SO I'M GUESSING THAT THE PERSON IS REFERRING TO AN OCULAR PLYING GRAIN, IF-- MIGRAINE.

THEY EXPERIENCE VISUAL AURA.

THEY MAY SEE COLORED LIGHTS, KALEIDOSCOPE APPEARANCE IN THEIR VISION.

SOMETIMES EVEN LIKE A MIRAGE TYPE OF AN APPEARANCE IN THEIR VISION.

AND OCULAR MIGRAINES ARE URVELLY A BENIGN-- USUALLY A BENIGN FINDING.

IF YOU'RE NOT SURE, IF YOU'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED THOSE KIND OF SYMPTOMS, IT NEEDS TO BE RULED OUT AS A RETINAL PROBLEM, LIKE A OR DETACHMENT.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES THOSE SYMPTOMS WHICH ARE VERY SERIOUS MAY MIC-- MIMIC THAT OF AN OCULAR MIGRATE.

IT'S BET TO GET IT-- BEST TO GET IT CHECKED OUT.

>> LIKE YOUR EYES TWISMING, IS THAT SOMETHING-- GIVING IS THAT SOMETHING?

>> EYELID TWITCHING IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THING.

THE TWO-- TWO CAUSES FOR THAT USUALLY IS STRESS AND CAFFEINE USE.

SO IF YOUR EYE IS TWITCHING A LOT, IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE OF INCREASED CAFFEINE INTAKE OR TOO MUCH STRESS.

>> VERY COMMON QUESTION.

WE PROBABLY GET-- YOU GET THAT MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK.

>> I IMAGINE YOU'VE PROBABLY GOTTEN THAT QUESTION A LOT LATELY.

>> YES.

I THINK WE PROBABLY GET THAT QUESTION EVERY WEEK.

>> REALLY?

>> YEAH.

>> WE HAVE PEOPLE COME IN JUST FOR THAT SPECIFIC CAUSE.

IT'S ALARMING TO US.

>> WOW.

>> OCCASIONALLY THERE COULD BE SOME NEUROLOGIC ISSUE THAT'S CAUSING IT, BUT IT'S VERY RARE THAT IT WOULD BE A NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEM.

>> GOT IT.

OKAY.

ANOTHER SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTION.

IS THIS A BETTER SUNGLASS LENS COLOR FOR DRIVING IN THE BRIGHT WINTER SUN?

>> SO AS FAR AS DRIVING IN THE SUN, I WOULD SAY THAT'S PERSONAL PREFERENCE.

BEFORE I'D RECOMMEND THAT IT'S POLARIZED.

SO THEY'RE PROBABLY OUR BEST OPTION.

WHEN IT COMES TO DIFFERENT COLOSSIANS, DRIVING-- COLORS, DRIVING, SOME PEOPLE LIKE DARK LENSES.

ALL MY SUNGLASSES ARE BLUE LENSES.

I LIKE THE IMAGE THAT THAT CREATES.

WE STARTED GETTING INTO MORE ACTIVITY-BASED SPORTS, FISHING, THERE ARE DIFFERENT LENSES THAT PEOPLE USE FOR DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT SEEM TO SUIT THEM BETTER.

>> SO IT'S NOT REALLY LIKE A RECOMMENDATION, IT'S MORE LIKE A PREFERENCE.

>> YES.

>> AS LONG AS IT HAS U.V.

PROTECTION, THE COLOR OF THE LENS IS-- I AGREE.

IS MORE OF A PERSONAL PREFERENCE FOR THE ACTIVITY-- OR ACTIVITY-SPECIFIC.

>> GOT IT.

IS THERE A CURE FOR MACULAR DEGENERATION?

>> IS THERE-- THERE ARE FREMONTS FOR-- TREATMENTS FOR IT.

>> I'M SORRY, IS THERE A CURE.

>> IS THERE A CURE FOR IT?

>> YES.

>> NOT THAT WE ARE SEEING.

>> OKAY.

>> NO.

>> THERE ARE TREATMENTS FOR MACULAR DEGENERATION.

SO PATIENTS, WE WOULD USUALLY PRESCRIBE THEM A SPECIFIC EYE-- FOR PATIENTS WHO HAVE WET OR THE LEAKING KIND OF MACULAR DEGENERATION, THOSE PATIENTS NEED TO USUALLY HAVE INJECTIONS WITH A RETINAL SPECIALIST TO HELP SLOW DOWN THE LEAKAGE AND SLOW DOWN THE PROGRESSION OF IT.

>> OKAY.

GOT IT.

CALLER FROM CADILLAC THIS EVENING.

I HAVE CLEAR AIR BUBBLES IN MY EYE.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

>> SO THE FIRST THING THEY SHOULD DO IS PROBABLY GO TO THE OPTOMETRIST.

ANY TIME YOU HAVE A NEW FLOATER WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, THAT COULD BE A SIGN OF A RETINAL DETACHMENT.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE A NEW FLOATER, YOU HAVE A VERY TREEIOUS DETACHMENT AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY 1% OR LESS OF THOSE VIT TREOUS TEASH MECHS THAT TURN OUT TO BE-- ATTACHMENTS THAT TURN OUT TO BE RETINAL DETACHMENTS.

>> QUESTION ABOUT GLASSES.

WILL MY EYES GET WORSE FROM WEARING MY GLASSES TOO MUCH?

IS THERE SUCH A THING?

>> THIS IS A VERY COMMON THING THAT PEOPLE ASK A LOT.

IT'S KIND OF A WIVES' TALE THAT PATIENTS THINK THE GLASSES ARE GOING TO MAKE THEIR EYES WORSE OR THEY BECOME MORE DEPENDENT ON THEIR GLASSES AND THE GLASSES HAVE MADE THEIR EYES WORSE.

BUT THAT'S REALLY NOT THE CASE.

THE GLASSES WON'T MAKE YOUR EYES OR YOUR VISION WORSE.

WHAT SOMETIMES PATIENTS NOTICE IS THAT THEY APPRECIATE THE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR VISION BETWEEN WITH AND WITHOUT THEIR GLASSES.

AND YOU KNOW, THEIR SENSITIVITY TO THE BLUR CHANGES AND THEY JUST NOTICE THAT THINGS ARE A LOT CLEARER.

>> AND YOUR PRESCRIPTION CAN CHANGE OVER YOUR LIFETIME.

>> THIS IS MY FAVORITE ANALOGIES.

WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO CHANGE MY GLASSES.

MY EYES ARE GOING TO GET WORSE IF WE UP THE PRESCRIPTION.

SAY I THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THIS.

RIGHT NOW YOUR CURRENT GLASSES, THINK OF THEM AS A 2010 TRUCK, RIGHT?

YOU'RE GOING TO-- THAT'S RELATED TO YOUR VISION.

SO WHEN YOU GET YOUR NEW CLASSES, YOU'RE DRIVING A BRAND-NEW 2020 AND IT'S GOING TO SEEM GREAT.

BUT WHEN I GO BACK TO YOUR OLD GLATIONZ, YOU'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO YOUR 20-- IT'S NOT GOING TO SEEM AS GOOD.

IT'S THE PERCEPTION.

>> WHY IS IT THEN-- WHAT-- WHEN YOU GET A NEW SET OF GLASSES AND YOU TRY THEM ON, RIGHT, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS A FEELING AT LEAST I'VE EXPERIENCED IT, WHERE NOT DIZZY BUT IT JUST-- EVERYTHING SEEMS A LITTLE BIT OFF AT FIRST, RIGHT?

>> SO WE HAVE A-- >> I FEEL A LITTLE DISORIENTED.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

>> IT DOES.

SO WE CHANGE GLASSES ESPECIALLY CHANGE THE PRESCRIPTION, MORE THAN JUST PULLING A LENS IN FRONT-- PUTTING A LENS IN FRONT OF THEIR ICE, WE HAVE A FOCUSING SYSTEM THAT ALSO HAS TO BE ACCOMMODATED.

SO THAT SYSTEM ESSENTIALLY HAS TO ADAPT TO ANY LENS THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF OUR FACE.

SO FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE A LARGER CHANGE, IT DOES FAKE TIME-- TAKE TIME.

I TELL MY PATIENTS IT'S A LOT EASIER TO STRAIN YOUR EYES THAN IT IS TO RELAX THEM.

SO FOR THOSE PATIENTS THAT ARE PERHAPS GETTING IN THEIR 40s, 50s, AND 60s, AND WE'RE CHANGING THE PRESCRIPTION, SOMETIMES IT CAN BE TOUGHER AS TO APPRECIATE THOSE CHANGES.

BUT USUALLY OVER TIME, IT WILL IMPROVE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE'VE GOT ABOUT 15 MINUTES LEFT.

SO WE ARE STILL TAKING YOUR CALLS.

YOU CAN CALL THE NUMBER.

SEND US AN ANONYMOUS QUESTION.

OR IF YOU'RE WATCHING US WHY ON THE-- US ON FACEBOOK, YOU CAN POST YOUR QUESTION THERE.

WE HAVE ONE MORE SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTION.

CAN MASK WEARING-- AND WE'RE ALL WEARING OUR MASKS LATELY-- CAN MASK WEARING INCREASE EYE INFECTIONS?

HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THAT?

>> I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING OF THE SORT.

I HAVE NOT COME ACROSS-- >> I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT.

>> NO, OKAY.

HOW HAS-- HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC CHANGED THE WAY THAT YOU GUYS ARE SEEING PATIENTS RIGHT NOW?

>> SO IT ACTUALLY CHANGED IT QUITE A BUILD, ESPECIALLY IN THE-- QUITE A BIT, ESPECIALLY IN THE BEGINNING.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO SANITATION, TO FREQUENCY OF PATIENTS, AND DIFFERENT PROTOCOLS FROM ENTERING THE OFFICE, SO IT CHANGED QUITE A BIT.

BUT I THINK THAT THE ASSOCIATION AS A WHOLE PRODUCED SOME VERY GOOD GUIDELINES TO-- FOR THE PRACTICE AROUND MICHIGAN.

>> GOT IT.

HAVE YOU SEEN-- I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN REPORTS OF FAMILIES MAYBE NOT FOLLOWING UP WITH THEIR REGULAR EYE CARE, YOU KNOW, SO YOU'RE SEEING FEWER PATIENTS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO THOSE FAMILIES THAT MIGHT BE HESITANT TO DO THOSE YEARLY CHECKUPS?

>> PREVENTLY EYE CARE IS-- PREVENTIVE EYE CARE IS SO GORE FOR KIDS.

KIDS ARE USING THEIR EYES EVEN MORE THAN EVER BEFORE.

AND ON DIGITAL DEVICES, THEY'RE-- THEY HAVE POTENTIALLY STRAINING THEIR EYES SO MUCH MORE WITH THE AMOUNT OF COMPUTER WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEIR EYES ARE HEALTHY.

THEY'RE SEEING CLEARLY, THEIR EYES ARE WORKING TOGETHER PROPERLY.

AND THE GENERAL WORKFORCE AS WELL, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ON THEIR DEVICES WORKING FROM HOME, WORKING ON COMPUTERS.

AND ALSO PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASES LIKE GLAUCOMA, MACULAR DEGENERATION, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME IN AND STILL GET THOSE PREVENTIVE CHECKUPS, BECAUSE A LOT CAN BE LOST AS FAR AS THE HEALTH OF THEIR EYES AND VISION THAT CANNOT BE RESTORED.

IF WE DON'T CATCH THINGS SOON ENOUGH.

>> AND SPEAKING OF DR.MILLER'S POINT, THE SAME THING IN YOUR PRACTICE, WE HAD A GAP IN THE SPRING WHERE PEOPLE WERE REALLY HESITANT TO COME IN AND GO ANYWHERE.

AND WHAT I DID, ESPECIALLY IN MY PRACTICE, THERE WERE MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE HAVING CONDITIONS THAT NEEDED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION THAT THEY PUT ON THE BACK BURNER THAT NEEDED REFERRALS OUT IMMEDIATELY TO RETINAL SPECIALISTS AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, SPECIALISTS.

SO THAT IS A REAL THING.

>> SURE.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO THERE'S A-- THERE'S NO REASON TO BE-- YOU KNOW, CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING THAT APPOINTMENT.

LIKE THERE'S SAFETY IN PLACE AND EVERYTHING CAN STILL HAPPEN.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> BACK TO YOUR POINT, DR.MILLER, YOU HAD MENTIONED ALL THE SCREEN TIME THAT YOU KNOW, KIDS NOW HAVE RIGHT WITH ONLINE LEARNING.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON BLUE LIGHT GLASSES?

>> YEAH.

SO WE DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE PATIENTS WHO ARE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON A COMPUTER OR VEN TIME TO-- SCREEN TIME TO HAVE A BLUE LIGHT FILTER ON THEIR GLASSES TO HELP REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF BLUE LIGHT THAT THAT ARE EXPOSED TO, REDUCE EYE STRAIN, AND REDUCE GLARE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE DEVICES, FLUORESCENT LIGHTING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> WHAT IS IT ABOUT BLUE LIGHT THAT CREATES SUCH CONCERN?

>> IT'S THE RISK-- INCREASED RISK FOR MACULAR DEGENERATION SPECIFICALLY.

>> GOTCHA.

>> WE HAD A VERY POSITIVE RESPONSE.

I REMEMBER WHEN THE-- BLUE LIGHT FILTERS FIRST CAME OUT.

WITH A PURPLE COLORED GLASSES.

>> KIND OF PURPLE.

>> SO NOW THAT THEY HAVE BECOME SO MUCH MORE AESTHETIC, PEOPLE HAVE TAKING A LIKING TO THEM.

BUT EVEN WHEN-- OUR LENS MANUFACTURERS STARTING INTRODUCING THEM IN A MORE AESTHETIC WAY, I WAS SLIGHTLY SKEPTICAL BUT NOW THAT I'VE BEEN FITTING IT A LOT, I'VE HAD A VERY POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM A LOT OF MY PATIENTS.

EVEN SOME OF THOSE PATIENTS THAT HAVE YOU KNOW, CHRONIC HEADACHES, THAT HAVE HELPED OUT, WHICH I'M VERY SURPRISED, PLEASANTLY SURPRISED WITH.

>> SURE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS-- THIS IS ABOUT GLAUCOMA.

WE HAVE A QUESTION TONIGHT, 67-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IS ON TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF GLAUCOMA MEDICATION.

WHAT ARE HER CHANCES OF GOING BLIND IF SHE STOPS TAKING HER MEDICATION?

>> THERE'S A PRETTY HIGH RISK OF LOSING YOUR VISION PERMANENTLY.

IT'S-- TREATMENT IS THOUGHT CONTINUED.

AND THE RATE OF PROTBRETION IS WHAT'S UNKNOWN-- PROGRESSION IS WHAT'S UNKNOWN WITHOUT SEEING THE PATIENT.

BUT A LOT OF PATIENTS GLAUCOMA IS A LOT MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN OTHERS.

BUT IF THE PERSON HAS GLAUCOMA AND THEY'RE PRESCRIBED THESE MEDICATIONS, THERE'S CERTAINLY A HIGH RISK OF LOSE VISION PERSONAL NEN.

>> NEXT-- PERMANENTLY.

>> CALLER HAD AS A BLACK SPOT IN THEIR VISION.

STARTED TWO MONTHS AGO.

DOCTOR SAID THE FLUID IN THE EYE DRIED UP.

DOES THIS SOUND PERMANENT?

>> THAT THE FLUID INSIDE THEIR EYE DRIED UP FROM A BLACK SPOT.

>> YEAH.

>> WELL, AS LONG AS THEY ARE-- IF THEY HAD A FULL COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAM WITH DILATION AND APPROPRIATE TESTING AND SCANS, IF THEY PROVED DEFINE-- BENIGN, I WOULD SAY MAKE SURE TO MONITOR ANY CHANGE.

IF THEY KNOW IT'S AN INCREASE IN BLACK SPOTS, THEN THEY SHOULD GO BACK IMMEDIATELY.

>> GOT IT.

WE HAVE ANOTHER SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTION.

MY RIGHT EYE IS VERY WATERY AND BLURRY IN THE MORNING.

WHAT COULD CAUSE THIS?

>> A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN CAUSE THAT.

PROBABLY DRYNESS WOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT I WOULD THINK OF.

I'VE SEEN A BIG INCREASE IN PATIENTS USING CPAP MACHINES AT NIGHTTIME AND IF IT'S NOT FITTING WELL OR DEPENDING HOW THEY SLEEP, THEY MAY GET SOME AIRFLOW FROM THE CPAP MACHINE THAT HAS BEEN A VERY COMMON THING.

I'VE SEEN QUITE OFTEN.

AND JUST IN GENERAL, PATIENTS MIGHT SLEEP WITH THE FAN ON.

THEY MAY LAY FUNNY ON THEIR PILLOW ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.

AN EYE MAY BE PEEKED OPEN AND THAT MIGHT CAUSE THE EYE TO DRY OUT AND GET RED AND IRRITATED.

BUT CHECK UP WITH YOUR DOCTOR.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO ONE OF THE MORE COMMON QUESTIONS WE GET TO, MY EYES ARE WATERING.

WE TELL THEM YOUR EYES ARE DRY.

THEY LOOK AT US LIKE YOU'RE CRAZY.

MY EYES CAPITAL BE WATERING FROM DRYING ALL THE TIME.

WE HAVE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF TEARS.

EVERY TIME WE BLINK THE OIL GLANDS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, WHAT THAT OIL DOES IS HELPS KEEP THE WATERY TEARS UNDERNEATH IT AGAINST OUR EYES.

SO WHEN WE GET THAT DRY WEATHER, THAT COLD WEATHER, THAT TOP INTEGRITY OF THAT TOP LAYER VARTS TO EVAPORATE-- STARTS TO EVAPORATE.

AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS ALL THE WATERY TEARS UNDERNEATH RUN DOWN OUR CHEEK.

SO THAT'S WITH WERE-- WHY WE RECOMMEND DIFFERENT FORMS OF LUBRICATED EYE DROPS TO HELP SUPPLEMENT THAT TOP LAYER.

>> CALLER, FOR CATARACTS SURGERY, DO YOU RECOMMEND GETTING A NEW LENS OR HAVING THE CATARACT REMOVED?

>> IN PRETTY MUCH ALL CATARACT SURGERIES, THE CATARACT LENS IS REMOVED.

YOUR CLOUDY LENS THAT'S INSIDE OF YOUR EYE GETS REMOVED, AND THAT LENS IS REPLACED WITH AN IMPLANT IN ITS PLACE.

SO-- THEY EXCHANGE YOUR LENS FOR A CLEAR LENS.

>> GOT IT.

CALLER FROM CLEAR, WHY IS IT HARD TO GET THE RIGHT PRISM FOR GLASSES?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IS SOME INDIVIDUALS, THEY EEK THEIR PRISM.

SO WHEN WE HAVE OUR EYES, THEY HAVE A CERTAIN ALIGNMENT AND SOME INDIVIDUALS THEIR EYES MIGHT BE ALIGNED, ONE MIGHT BE IN TOO MUCH OR ONE MIGHT BE OUT TOO MUCH.

SO PRISM ACTS LIKE A CRUTCH.

SO IT HELPS THAT EYE VIEW THAT IMAGE IN THE APPROPRIATE SPOT.

BUT SOME INDIVIDUALS HAVE A TENDENCY TO CONSUME THAT PRISM WHERE YOU HAVE TO-- KEEP HAVING TO ADD MORE FOR THEM TO HAVE ONE IMAGE.

SO WE MIGHT SEE THEM AND WE MIGHT HAVE ONE OR TWO UNITS OF PRISM.

WE SEE THEM BACK IN SIX MONTHS, THEY SAY, NOW I'M HAVING DOUBLE VISION AGAIN.

SO THEN WE HAVE TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE PRISM.

SO THAT CAN BE A SLIPPERY SLOPE.

IF YOU ADD TOO MUCH TOO FAST.

>> ONE OTHER THING I'LL COMMENT IS SOME PEOPLE AS THEY TRY TO COMPENSATE BECAUSE OF AN EYE ALIGNMENT, WHICH IS COMMON.

YOUR EYE IS COME STAM TRYING TO-- CONSTANTLY TRYING TO COMPENSATE.

SOMETIMES YOU NEED MORE PRISM, SOMETIMES A LITTLE LESS.

IT MAY NOTICE BE A STATIC THING THAT PRISM IS A CONSTANT THING FOR PEOPLE.

>> GOT IT.

GOING BACK TO THE PANDEMIC, QUESTION THAT JUST CAME IN, HAVE YOU SEEN AN INCREASE IN EYE PROBLEMS SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED GOING BACK TO MORE PEOPLE LOOKING AT SCREENS?

HAVE YOU GOTTEN A LOT MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT?

>> DEFINITELY AMONGST YOUTH, HEADACHES, EYE STRAIN.

THAT'S THE BIGGEST OVERALL.

A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF HEADACHES, EYE STRAIN, THEY'RE ON THE COMPUTER ALL DAY.

THEN WHEN THEY LOOK UP, EVERYTHING IS BLURRY.

SO THOSE ARE PROBABLY SOME OF THE MORE COMMON COMAINLTS.

>> GOT IT.

WHAT CAUSES EYE DROOPING AND EXCESS WATERING?

>> AGAIN, A LOT OF THINGS CAN CAUSE THAT.

SOMETIMES IT'S A NEUROLOGIC PROBLEM.

SOMETIMES IT'S AGE RELATED.

DRYNESS, AGAIN, IF THIS IS A NEW PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S ANY OTHER VISION CHANGES, THAT I WOULD DEFINITELY-- THAT MIGHT BE AN URGENT THING TO GET IN ABOUT.

IT'S SLOWLY PROGRESSED OVER TIME, AGAIN, I WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH THE DOCTOR TO SEE WHAT KIND OF TREATMENT WOULD BE RECOMMENDED.

>> GOT IT.

ALL RIGHT.

AND WE HAVE ANOTHER SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTION.

WILL FAKE EYELASHES HURT MY EYES OR CAUSE EYELID MUSCLE FATIGUE?

WHAT IS EYELID MUSCLE FATIGUE?

>> SO EYELID MUSCLE FATIGUE-- >> IS THAT SIMILAR TO THE GIVING?

>> IT CAN BE.

IT CAN BE.

SO-- TWITCHING?

>> IT CAN BE.

IT CAN BE.

AS FAR AS THE FAKE EYELASHES, I WOULD RECOMMEND A PROFESSIONAL DONG IT, WHOEVER THAT MAY BE.

BUT THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE USE THE FAKE EYELASHES AND THEY HAVE INFECTIONS FROM THEM.

SO JUST BE CAREFUL WITH THEM.

>> GOT IT.

CALLER FROM LANSING, I HAVE AN ARTIFICIAL EYE.

ONE EYE LEAVES ME WITH A FILM COVERING THE EYE.

WHAT CAN I DO?

>> WHEN THE EYE LEAVES ME-- SO I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE REFERRING TO THE ARTIFICIAL EYE THAT IS CREATING THIS FILM COVERING THE EYE OR THE OTHER EYE.

BUT IT'S A HARD ONE TO ANSWER.

>> NAME I'M-- I'M NOT FOLLOWING.

>> FILM SOMETIMES HAS A BACTERIA, SO MAYBE THEY HAVE A LOW-GRADE INFECTION.

THEIR NORMAL OR PROSTHETIC EYE.

AND SOMETIMES THE PROSTHETIC EYE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OUT, REMOVED, QLEEBED, AND AGAIN-- CLEANED, AND AGAIN, IF THERE'S A LOW-GRADE INFECTION.

>> WHICH IS THE NEXT QUESTION.

CALLER FROM ATLANTA, THEY HAVE IMPLANTS IN MY EYES.

SEE DOUBLE.

WHAT DO I DO?

>> YOU WANT TO GO-- YES, I KNOW I ANSWER A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

BUT A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS-- THAT COULD BE A MYRIAD OF THINGS.

IT COULD BE A LOT OF THINGS IF YOU'RE HAVING DOUBLE VISION, IS IT UP AND DOWN, SIDE BY SIDE, DOUBLE VISION.

SO IF YOU HAVE ONE EYE .ING TOWARDS THE WALL-- POINTING TOWARDS THE WALL, SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT NOT SEVERE, BUT THERE COULD BE SOME IMMEDIATE CAUTION FOR CONCERN.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

CALLER FROM STANTON TONIGHT.

I HAVE FUCHS DYSTROPHY.

AND HAVE BEEN TOLD I WILL NEED A CORNEA TRANSPLANT EVENTUALLY.

ARE THERE ANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS WITH THIS DISEASE?

>> WELL, FUCHS DYSTROPHY IN THE EARLY STAGE WE USUALLY TRY TO TREAT IT WITH TOPICAL EYE DROPS OR OINTMENTS TO TRY TO KEEP THE FLUID OUT OF THE CORNEA.

SO IT DOESN'T GET CLOUDY.

AND THAT'S USUALLY-- THAT'S USUALLY PRETTY EFFECTIVE FOR MOST PEOPLE.

SOMETIMES THERE ARE OTHER TOPICAL TREATMENTS THAT CAN BE TRIED AS WELL, BUT IF IT'S A VERY SEVERE CASE, THEY MAY NEED EITHER A FULL CORNEAL TRANSPLANT OR AT LEAST AN ENDOTHEMIAL CELL TRANSPLANT, WHICH IS THE MORE COMMON THING AND SLIGHTLY LESS INVASIVE.

>> GOT IT.

OKAY.

HOW COMMON ARE INGROWN EYELASHES?

>> HOW COMMON?

>> YEAH.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD PUT A PERCENT, BUT RELATIVELY OFTEN.

YEAH.

>> OKAY.

HERE'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AND I'M GOING TO ADD ON THAT.

BUT AT WHAT AGE SHOULD KIDS START SEEING THE EYE DOCTOR?

>> SIX TO 12 MONTHS.

>> OKAY.

AND HOW OFTEN, SAME THING?

ONCE A YEAR?

>> USUALLY, YES, ANNUALLY.

IF THEY DO A SIX- TO 12-MONTH EXAM AND EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD, THERE'S NO CONCERNS, LOOKS LIKE HEALTHY, NORMAL DEVELOPMENT, THEN AROUND AGE 3, I WOULD SUGGEST ANOTHER CHECKUP.

AND THEN EVERY YEAR WHEN THEY'RE IN SCHOOL.

>> EVERY YEAR WHEN THEY'RE IN SCHOOL.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

I THINK WE'VE ANSWERED THIS QUESTION ALREADY, BUT ONE MORE TIME, CALLER, IS GLU COMB-- GLAUCOMA MEDICINE SUPPOSE TO BE TAKEN FOR YOUR WHOLE LIFE?

>> IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, YES.

IF GOAL IS ONCE TREATMENT IS INITIATED TO RETUESDAY THE-- REDUCE THE PRESSURE INSIDE THE EYE, IT'S MONITORED TO MAKE SURE THAT MEDICATION IS CONTINUING TO BE EFFECTIVE.

BECAUSE THERE'S SOME CASES WHERE THEY MIGHT BE TAKING THE SAME MEDICATION FOR 10 YEARS AND WHAT HAPPENS OVER TIME IS THE PRESSURE SLOWLY INCREASES.

SO A DIFFERENT CLASS OF MEDICATION MAY BE USED TO HELP THAT PATIENT LOWER THE PRESSURE IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE.

>> GOT IT.

NEXT QUESTION, I HAVE ASTIGMATISM.

CAN I STILL WEAR CONTACTS?

>> YES.

THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS.

BOTH IN SOFT CONTACT LENSES, DISPOSABLE CONTACT LEDGESES, HARD CONTACT LENSES, AND EVEN THE LATEST THING IS SCHIEWRL CONTACT LENSES-- SCLERA CONTACT LENSES.

>> AND WE ARE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME ACTUALLY.

SO THAT FLEW BY.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BONING HERE TONIGHT.

>> THANK YOU-- FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE HOPE YOU CAN WATCH NEXT WEEK.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.