I am an Independent Doctor of Optometry

I recently read an article written by a fellow optometrist suggesting that Costco optometrists are somehow employed and/or controlled by the corporate powers that be. The idea was that my prescribing habits – which contact lenses I fit, for example – are potentially skewed by my association with Costco.

Let me just cut to the chase and say this suggestion is false!

As Costco states on their website, on the sign standing by the warehouse entrance, and on the sign just outside my office (see above), I am an “Independent Doctor of Optometry.” This means that I actually lease office space inside Costco and am free to practice optometry how I see fit. Although I would LOVE Costco employee benefits, I do not receive any, because I am not employed by Costco.

I love it when the contact lenses I recommend happen also to be stocked by the Costco Optical for convenience to my patients, but just as often as not, my patients order their lenses through the Costco Optical and receive them within about a week. They still receive the amazing Costco prices, and I got to prescribe whatever lens was best for that patient, so everyone is happy 🙂

I love working side by side with Costco Optical as a business partner because of the great prices, products, and service they provide my patients; but my decisions are my own.

 

What you should know about cataracts

Model of eye with cloudy lens

Click here to read more about specific treatment options for individuals with cataracts.

If you are fifty years or older, you should probably sit down before reading the following sentence.

(waiting…)

Technically speaking, most people above age 50 have some mild cataract formation(!). I say “technically speaking,” because it’s largely an academic statement. At age 50, most people’s vision is largely unaffected by cataracts even if they’re present.

Which begs the question – what ARE cataracts? Inside each eye is a small lens. At birth, the lens is so crystal clear that it’s hardly visible in a newborn. Over time, the natural development of the lens causes mild yellowing and/or clouding of the lens. This loss of clarity in the lens is what we call a cataract.

Again, we’re talking about natural development – I do not consider cataracts a disease any more than I consider wrinkles a disease. If you live long enough, chances are that you will benefit from cataract surgery at some point. If your parents required the surgery at an especially early age (I would say anyone younger than 65 is pretty young for cataract surgery), you may too.

In their early stages, cataracts will not inhibit your ability to read print at either distance or near. Well, I should qualify that – they WILL likely make you much more sensitive to light levels, meaning that you will be happier reading with good overhead light, and you will likely be much less happy driving at night. The reason for this new light sensitivity is that the cloudy lens blocks more light from reaching the back of your eye.

In later stages, cataracts absolutely inhibit your ability to read smaller print both far away and up close. Once the day comes that your optometrist can no longer correct your vision to 20/40 or better with glasses or contacts, you should probably consider surgery. Sometimes we’ll talk surgery even before the 20/40 level is reached, if you feel your life activities are being inhibited by vision. Because cataract progression is somewhat unpredictable, it becomes especially important to maintain an annual exam schedule beyond age 40 and certainly beyond age 50.

As surgeries go, cataract surgery is very straightforward and safe. The procedure only lasts about 6 minutes per eye, and recovery to good vision and comfort is generally about a week – although we don’t prescribe new glasses until a month after surgery, to make sure everything is stable. Many people end up needing glasses only for reading after surgery, although sometimes they are needed for distance as well. Even the best surgeons can’t make everyone’s vision perfect every time – everyone heals differently!

As far as cataract prevention, unfortunately there isn’t a whole lot of concrete scientific knowledge regarding nutrition, etc. to prevent cataracts from forming. Certainly nothing to reverse cataracts once they’re present (other than surgery). What I can recommend is extensive use of sunglasses outside, and especially once cataracts are present, go for the polarized lenses to help cut down on glare.

Anyhow, that’s about it for common cataract knowledge. Feel free to comment with any other questions you may have!

New Blog Format

Let this serve as a brief heads-up that several new posts will be showing up this afternoon.  I promise I’m not trying to spam anyone; rather, I am changing the format of my Eye Care Tips pages, and as a result I will be moving some of the previously written pages into the Posts section of the blog.

There will definitely be some new material for your reading pleasure, whereas other posts will just be shuffled around the site.  The end goal is to make the blog more useful as a resource for people to find information about common eye conditions as well as their potential treatment options.  Please feel free to forward my site to anyone you feel may benefit from its content!

My LASIK Experience

Dr. Oster, LASIK surgeon extraordinaire

I was horrified just now to realize that my last blog post was before Thanksgiving!  As it so happens, it was also before I went “under the laser,” as it were, for my LASIK procedure.   

As an eye doctor, I have co-managed a few dozen patients for LASIK and PRK (defined and compared in my page on laser vision correction).  I have also visited several laser vision surgery centers and observed surgeries, and I really thought I knew what the LASIK experience entailed for my patients. 

Turns out, I was wrong.  Which is not to say that I think I was an awful doctor to my patients before, or that doctors who haven’t had LASIK shouldn’t be trusted with LASIK patients.  However, I do feel that going through LASIK myself made me a 100% better resource for patients who are wondering what to expect with the procedure.

I suppose since the post is entitled “My LASIK Experience,” I should at least comment on  my personal LASIK journey.  I am not one of those people who spent years pining for LASIK before they could actually have it done.  By nature, I’m somewhat conservative; and the idea of having elective surgery that could in any way impair my vision if gone amiss was unappealing to me for a long time.  Finally, after seeing so many perfect patients and so many amazing advances in the surgical technology, my stance on the issue softened somewhat. 

The final straw for me was my absolute inability to wear contact lenses consistently and comfortably here in the dry, thin air of Colorado.  If I ever got greedy and wore my contacts two days in a row (gasp!), or even just for an entire day (the nerve!), I paid for it with red and irritated eyes the next day.  I convinced myself I didn’t mind wearing glasses all the time, and I tried to embrace my new reality by building up a collection of four or five cool frames that I mixed and matched with the day’s outfit.  Eventually, my nose got tired of supporting glasses 24/7, and I was pushed even closer to my LASIK.

My surgery was performed at TLC Laser Eye Center in Denver, and I have nothing but good things to say about them.  My consult was great and actually a lot of fun with the cool instruments, the people there were and are great, and the surgery went off without a hitch.  They tell you exactly what to expect, and they are right on.  There are certainly some mildly uncomfortable or inconvenient aspects of laser eye surgery and its recovery, but the trade-off of a few mildly uncomfortable days for years and years of great vision is a no-brainer for me. 

 

Of course, hindsight is 20/20 – or in my case, 20/15 😉