Dr. Bladh, O.D. Optometry Inc.

Every good pair of eyes eventually gets old, and with age comes a condition called presbyopia. Presbyopia, which usually begins to set in some time around 40, occurs when the lens of the eye begins to stiffen, making near vision (such as reading books, menus, and computer screens) blurry. You may have this age-related farsightedness if you notice yourself holding the newspaper further and further away in order to make out the words, and you may begin to experience headaches or eyestrain as well. The good news is, presbyopia is very common. It happens to most of us eventually and these days there are a number of good options to correct it. First of all, let’s take a look at what causes the condition. What Causes Presbyopia? As the eye ages, the natural lens begins to lose its elasticity as the focusing muscles (the ciliary muscles) surrounding the lens have difficulty changing the shape of the lens. The lens is responsible for focusing light that comes into the eye

We are so happy to announce that we have become the vision provider of choice for the Lincoln Vision Connect network of Lincoln Financial Group ! With 81,000 members actively participating in this current vision plan we have increased our training and staffing capability in order to accommodate this growing population. In an effort to minimize our carbon footprint we have worked out a way with Lincoln Financial to only require the name and DOB of you, the patient, so you are not required to print off anything and we can look up your eligibility electronically. Lincoln provides a full-featured vision plan that you are able to take advantage of coming to Dr. Bladh's office . Having an annual eye exam is part of your sustainable overall health. Did you know that almost 80% of what your brain processes comes directly from your eyes? The comedy sketch from Brian Regan always comes to mind when I think about the importance of seeing clearly and making sure your visual health is

Light sensitivity, also known as photophobia, is a condition in which bright light - either natural sunlight or artificial light -  can cause significant discomfort, pain and intolerance. People that experience light sensitivity will find themselves needing to close their eyes or squint when exposed to light and often experience headaches and nausea as well.  In mild cases, the discomfort accompanies exposure to bright lights or harsh sunlight, but in severe cases even a small amount of light can cause pain and discomfort. Photophobia is more common in individuals with light eyes. This is because the greater amounts of pigment in darker eyes help to protect the eye from the harsh rays of light. The darker pigment of the iris and choroid absorbs the light, rather than reflecting the light and causing internal reflection or glare experienced by those with lighter eyes. People with albinism, which is a total lack of eye pigment, also experience significant light sensitivity fo

A black eye , also known as a periorbital hematoma, is usually not an injury of the actual eye (which is why it is called “periorbital”- around the eye). It typically occurs when there is an injury to the face or the eye socket which causes bleeding beneath the skin and bruising. The term, “black eye” comes from the dark coloring of the bruising that occurs underneath the skin around the eye. When a blunt force hits the eye socket, this can cause capillaries in the area to burst, causing hemorrha ging, also known as a hematoma. This blood can accumulate in the eye socket and as it begins to be reabsorbed into the surrounding tissues, the colors of the bruising begin to change. That’s why you will often notice the coloring of the black eye to go from a dark purplish-red color to brownish and then yellow. Sometimes along with the external bruising, you might also notice a small amount of bleeding on the white surface of the eye, which is called a subconjunctival hemorrhage. Thi

We understand the patient-doctor relationship, wherein us as doctors are more concerned about the health of the eyes and the majority of our patients are more concerned about looking good in what they wear. So we have been able to offer the best of both worlds and combine these different ways of thinking with what we do. This is one of the main reasons we are putting such a big emphasis on making sure each of our patients knows about June 27th, NATIONAL SUNGLASSES DAY (I really wish we could have you read it with a booming echo instead of thinking we're just yelling via this blog post in all caps)! On a more serious note, we are offering 25% off for anyone who comes into the office and purchases sunglasses on 6/27. All of our frames have UV protection and are ensured to protect you from the sun while still making you look good! With brands like Ray-Ban , Tom Ford, Tiffany & Co and Oakley to name a few, you're sure to find something that you love. We

In honor of  Sjogren’s (SHOW-grins) Awareness month , Dr. Bladh's office is helping to spread the word to increase awareness about this hard-to-diagnose disease. Sjogren’s  is a systemic autoimmune disorder that can affect the whole body. One of the primary symptoms is excessive dryness particularly in the eyes and mouth. Other serious symptoms include chronic fatigue and pain, specifically in the joints, as well as major organ dysfunction. The syndrome also increases chances of neuropathies and lymphomas. The severity of the disease varies greatly, ranging from mild discomfort to debilitating symptoms that can seriously impair normal functioning in everyday life. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent serious complications and improve quality of life. There is currently no cure for Sjogren’s, yet there are treatments for many of the individual symptoms. On average patients are prescribed upwards of 8 medications to treat the wide range of symptoms.

There are many different reasons to purchase a pair of glasses with anti-reflective coating  😎. The most popular reason will probably come as no surprise, but it's actually cosmetic. The functionality of the coating has many benefits from light sensitivity, clarity, health and of course cosmetic. One of the most fascinating facts you might not know is that anti-glare coating has been around for almost 100 years! It was really regarded as a trade secret with the Carl Zeiss Optics Company used in WWI before taking mainstream several generations later. The coatings would be applied to camera lenses in order to pick up clearer pictures of terrain and enemies from a camera point of view, and when you look at any lens today it will have some form of coating on the actual lens to help take crisp and beautiful pictures. What filmmakers found was that applying the coating to glasses actually helped actors engage with audiences more efficiently🎥. Think about your grandpa's old

(Pictured left) Charles Lewis Tiffany , the founder of Tiffany & Co., mandated that you could only receive one of his patented blue boxes with a Tiffany purchase. The New York Sun brought this idea to light back in 1906 in an interview saying " this was the one thing in stock that you could not buy from him ." Women long for this box and those that have received a gift with the coveted Tiffany Blue will never forget the first time they received it. The affects that Tiffany & Co. have had on the fashion world for almost 200 years has reached across the globe and can now be found right in your backyard of Diamond Bar, California. It's hard to believe the jewelry innovator started licensing its designs to the eyewear industry less than 10 years ago . During this short time they have quickly developed into a leader in the optical industry. Several times per month we get asked if we carry Tiffany, brand recognition has been kind to them. With that being said

  With spring just around the corner, that means our office is about to get real busy with allergy patients coming in. We are the leading dry eye and allergy care eye doctors in the area so there is a lot to consider when talking treatment for your seasonal allergies . We first have to talk about symptoms and differentiate between allergies versus dry eyes. Both manifest in very similar ways, but for purposes of this particular post we will be discussing allergy symptoms only. The most common allergy symptoms : Sneezing Nasal Congestion Runny Nose Coughing Watery Eyes Itchiness Sleepiness Most of the time you will experience multiple symptoms at the same time, or one symptom will have a causal effect leading you to experience sneezing fits or the desire to just lay down and let your body recover through sleep. All of these reactions from your body are telling you there is something in your immediate environment that is imbalanced. Luckily for you we have the be

Contact lens exams are a vital part of the Optometry profession. Can you believe that people stick pieces of plastic in their eyes on purpose? The evolution of contact lenses will have to be written about in another post. We're here to explain what a contact lens exam is and why you need one every year. What is a contact lens exam ? The terminology used in the industry is a "Contact Lens Evaluation". This is in fact, separate from your yearly vision exam. During your yearly vision exam, there are certain tests and measurements that our good eye doctors take, but during the contact lens exam our doctors check for fitting, comfort, GPC ( Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis ) which is a fancy way of seeing if the patient has a mild allergic reaction to contact lenses and other measurements. Fun fact, the majority of patients actually have a different contact lens prescription than their glasses prescription. The FDA and State of California put an expiration on the c

If your monthly or 2 week contact lenses are drying up quicker and quicker everyday, we have just the solution for you. That gritty feeling doesn't have to be something that you just tolerate and only get temporary relief by using eye drops every hour. There are daily contact lenses that one patient described exclaiming, "This feels like heaven!" Yes, we think so too. The feeling of a new contact lens after your previous contact has reached its useful life , is one of the best feelings in the world! That instant relief where your eyes say, "Oh, I remember what this feels like, why don't we do this everyday?" If we truly listen to our body, the relief that your eyes feel with a new contact lens is something they would prefer on a daily basis. Yes we are personifying the eyeballs in this scenario. There is a daily contact lens that we prefer at Dr. Bladh's office , the Biotrue ONEday contact lenses from Bausch + Lomb . It is a fantastic lens

Patients often ask me "When should my child have their first  pediatric eye examination ?" The answer surprises many when I tell them that the   American Optometric Association    recommends the first eye examination between 6 and 12 months of age. Any child considered "at risk" should be evaluated before 6 months. At risk is any child who: Was  premature , had  low birth weight  or was given oxygen at birth. Family history of  retinoblastoma , congenital cataracts, or metabolic disease. Infection of mother during pregnancy. Difficulty during labor. Eye turn (strabismus) . Know or suspected  central nervous system dysfunction , developmental delay,  cerebral palsy ,  seizures , etc. High refractive error . If you've never seen a true pediatric eye examination, you are in for a treat. It is the most fun I have during my day. I get to break out all of the toys and use all the knowledge gained throughout the years of practicing. We assess more tha