Doucet Ophthalmology

12/02/2015

As you may have heard, we are moving into the height of flu season, and with that comes and upswing of conjunctivitis or as it is commonly know pink eye. So we would like to share some tips to try and avoid it, or at least ways to help others and yourself from becoming reinfected. And as always should you contract pink eye be sure to see your doctor as soon as possible in order to get proper treatment.

Pinkeye is spread through contact with the eye drainage, which contains the virus or bacteria that caused the pinkeye. Touching an infected eye leaves drainage on your hand. If you touch your other eye or an object when you have drainage on your hand, the virus or bacteria can be spread.

The following tips help prevent the spread of pinkeye.

Wash your hands before and after:
Touching the eyes or face.
Using medicine in the eyes.
Do not share eye makeup.
Do not use eye makeup until the infection is fully cured, because you could reinfect yourself with the eye makeup products. If your eye infection was caused by bacteria or a virus, throw away your old makeup and buy new products.
Do not share contact lens equipment, containers, or solutions.
Do not wear contact lenses until the infection is cured. Thoroughly clean your contacts before wearing them again.
Do not share eye medicine.
Do not share towels, linens, pillows, or handkerchiefs. Use clean linens, towels, and washcloths daily.
Wash your hands and wear gloves if you are looking into someone else's eye for a foreign object or helping someone else apply an eye medicine.
When in the wind, heat, or cold, wear eye protection to prevent eye irritation.

11/25/2015

All of us here at Doucet Ophthalmology would like to wish everyone and safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

11/20/2015

LensX- https://www.myalcon.com/products/surgical/lensx-laser/index.shtml

Learn more about the LenSx® Laser System at myalcon.com.

11/20/2015

Check out the advances we have available to make our cataract removal process smoother and more efficient in order to give you the best vision possible. Click the links below to see more information on each of the technologies.

ORA -
https://www.myalcon.com/products/surgical/ora-system/index.shtml

Discover the difference of the ORA™ System with VerifEye+™ Technology for cataract refractive surgery at myalcon.com.

08/13/2012

OCULAR MIGRAINES

Ocular migraines are painless, temporary visual disturbances that can affect one or both eyes. Though they can be frightening, ocular migraines typically are harmless and self-resolve without medication within 20 to 30 minutes.

Other terms used by eye doctors to describe ocular migraines include ophthalmic migraines, retinal migraines and eye migraines.

If an ocular migraine-like vision disturbance is followed by a throbbing, one-sided headache, this is called a "migraine with aura" (previously called a classic migraine), and the visual disturbance is referred to as an aura rather than an ocular migraine.

A migraine headache without a visual disturbance preceding it is called a "migraine without aura" (previously called a common migraine).

Migraine auras usually are visual in nature, but they can include disturbances of hearing, speech or smell; progressive numbness or tingling in the face or arms or legs; or generalized weakness.


Painless ocular migraines can appear suddenly, creating the sensation of looking through a cracked window. The accompanying visual distortion spreads across the field of vision and usually disappears within 30 minutes.

Ocular Migraine Symptoms

People with ocular migraines can have a variety of visual symptoms.

You might see a small, enlarging blind spot (scotoma) in your central vision with bright, flashing or flickering lights (scintillations), or wavy or zig-zag lines surrounding the blind spot. The blind spot usually enlarges and may move across your field of vision.

This entire migraine phenomenon may end in only a few minutes, but usually lasts up to 30 minutes.

About 60 percent of migraine sufferers also experience a "prodrome" that occurs days or weeks before the migraine attack. Symptoms of a migraine prodrome can be subtle and may include changes in mood, cravings for certain foods, or a general feeling of being tired.

What Causes an Ocular Migraine?

Ocular migraines are believed to have the same causes as migraine headaches.

According the the World Health Organization (WHO), migraines "almost certainly" have a genetic basis, and some studies say 70 percent of people who suffer from the disorder have a family history of migraine headaches.

It appears migraines are triggered by activation of a mechanism deep in the brain, which releases inflammatory substances around the nerves and blood vessels of the head and brain. But why this happens and what brings about the spontaneous resolution of an ocular migraine remain unknown.

Imaging studies also have revealed that changes in blood flow to the brain occur during ocular migraines and visual auras, but the underlying cause for these changes is not known.

Migraines most commonly affect adults in their 30s and 40s, but they frequently start at puberty and also can affect children. Women are up to three times more likely than men to have migraines. Though statistics specifically for ocular migraines are unavailable, approximately 15 to 18 percent of women and 6 percent of men in the United States suffer from migraine headaches, according to WHO.

Common migraine "triggers" that can cause a susceptible person to have a migraine attack (including ophthalmic or ocular migraines) include certain foods, such as aged cheeses, caffeinated drinks, red wine, smoked meats, and chocolate. Food additives, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), and artificial sweeteners also can trigger migraines in some individuals.

Other potential migraine triggers include cigarette smoke, perfumes and other strong odors, glaring or flickering lights, lack of sleep and emotional stress.

Ocular Migraine Treatment and Prevention

Because they generally are harmless and typically resolve on their own within a half hour, ocular migraines usually require no treatment.

If you are driving or performing other tasks that require good vision when an ocular migraine occurs, stop what you are doing and relax until your vision returns to normal. (If you are driving, pull off to the side of the road as soon as you can safely do so, and wait for the vision disturbances to completely pass.)

If you experience visual disturbances that are part of a migraine with aura, or you want to prevent future ophthalmic migraines or migraine headache attacks, it's a good idea to see your general physician for an exam and advice.


Also, you should consider having a comprehensive eye exam with an optometrist or ophthalmologist whenever you experience unusual vision symptoms to rule out sight-threatening conditions such as a detached retina, which requires immediate attention.

Your doctor can advise you of the latest medicines for treating migraines, including medicines designed to prevent future attacks. People who experience migraines that last longer than 24 hours or who have more than two migraines per month generally are good candidates for preventive medical treatment.

It's also a good idea to keep a journal of your diet and activities just prior to your episodes of ocular migraine or migraine with aura to see if you can identify possible migraine triggers that you can avoid in the future.

If your ocular migraines or migraine headaches appear to be stress-related, you might be able to reduce the frequency of your migraine attacks without medicine by simply eating healthful meals on a regular basis, avoiding common migraine triggers, getting plenty of sleep and trying stress-busters such as yoga and massage.

08/10/2012

Floaters

Floaters are little "cobwebs" or specks that float about in your field of vision. They are small, dark, shadowy shapes that can look like spots, thread-like strands, or squiggly lines. They move as your eyes move and seem to dart away when you try to look at them directly. They do not follow your eye movements precisely, and usually drift when your eyes stop moving.

In most cases, floaters are part of the natural aging process and simply an annoyance. They can be distracting at first, but eventually tend to "settle" at the bottom of the eye, becoming less bothersome. They usually settle below the line of sight and do not go away completely. Most people have floaters and learn to ignore them; they are usually not noticed until they become numerous or more prominent. Floaters can become apparent when looking at something bright, such as white paper or a blue sky.



Floaters occur when the vitreous, a gel-like substance that fills about 80 percent of the eye and helps it maintain a round shape, slowly shrinks. As the vitreous shrinks, it becomes somewhat stringy, and the strands can cast tiny shadows on the retina. These are floaters.

Floaters are more likely to develop as we age and are more common in people who are very nearsighted, have diabetes, or who have had a cataract operation. There are other, more serious causes of floaters, including infection, inflammation (uveitis), hemorrhaging, retinal tears, and injury to the eye.

Sometimes a section of the vitreous pulls the fine fibers away from the retina all at once, rather than gradually, causing many new floaters to appear suddenly. This is called a vitreous detachment, which in most cases is not sight-threatening and requires no treatment. However, a sudden increase in floaters, possibly accompanied by light flashes or peripheral (side) vision loss, could indicate a retinal detachment. A retinal detachment occurs when any part of the retina, the eye's light-sensitive tissue, is lifted or pulled from its normal position at the back wall of the eye. A retinal detachment is a serious condition and should always be considered an emergency. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent visual impairment within two or three days or even blindness in the eye. Those who experience a sudden increase in floaters, flashes of light in peripheral vision, or a loss of peripheral vision should have an eye care professional examine their eyes as soon as possible.

For people who have floaters that are simply annoying, no treatment is recommended. On rare occasions, floaters can be so dense and numerous that they significantly affect vision. In these cases, a vitrectomy, a surgical procedure that removes floaters from the vitreous, may be needed. A vitrectomy removes the vitreous gel, along with its floating debris, from the eye. The vitreous is replaced with a salt solution. Because the vitreous is mostly water, you will not notice any change between the salt solution and the original vitreous. This operation carries significant risks to sight because of possible complications, which include retinal detachment, retinal tears, and cataract. Most eye surgeons are reluctant to recommend this surgery unless the floaters seriously interfere with vision.

08/10/2012

Floaters

Floaters are little "cobwebs" or specks that float about in your field of vision. They are small, dark, shadowy shapes that can look like spots, thread-like strands, or squiggly lines. They move as your eyes move and seem to dart away when you try to look at them directly. They do not follow your eye movements precisely, and usually drift when your eyes stop moving.

In most cases, floaters are part of the natural aging process and simply an annoyance. They can be distracting at first, but eventually tend to "settle" at the bottom of the eye, becoming less bothersome. They usually settle below the line of sight and do not go away completely. Most people have floaters and learn to ignore them; they are usually not noticed until they become numerous or more prominent. Floaters can become apparent when looking at something bright, such as white paper or a blue sky.



Floaters occur when the vitreous, a gel-like substance that fills about 80 percent of the eye and helps it maintain a round shape, slowly shrinks. As the vitreous shrinks, it becomes somewhat stringy, and the strands can cast tiny shadows on the retina. These are floaters.

Floaters are more likely to develop as we age and are more common in people who are very nearsighted, have diabetes, or who have had a cataract operation. There are other, more serious causes of floaters, including infection, inflammation (uveitis), hemorrhaging, retinal tears, and injury to the eye.

Sometimes a section of the vitreous pulls the fine fibers away from the retina all at once, rather than gradually, causing many new floaters to appear suddenly. This is called a vitreous detachment, which in most cases is not sight-threatening and requires no treatment. However, a sudden increase in floaters, possibly accompanied by light flashes or peripheral (side) vision loss, could indicate a retinal detachment. A retinal detachment occurs when any part of the retina, the eye's light-sensitive tissue, is lifted or pulled from its normal position at the back wall of the eye. A retinal detachment is a serious condition and should always be considered an emergency. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent visual impairment within two or three days or even blindness in the eye. Those who experience a sudden increase in floaters, flashes of light in peripheral vision, or a loss of peripheral vision should have an eye care professional examine their eyes as soon as possible.

For people who have floaters that are simply annoying, no treatment is recommended. On rare occasions, floaters can be so dense and numerous that they significantly affect vision. In these cases, a vitrectomy, a surgical procedure that removes floaters from the vitreous, may be needed. A vitrectomy removes the vitreous gel, along with its floating debris, from the eye. The vitreous is replaced with a salt solution. Because the vitreous is mostly water, you will not notice any change between the salt solution and the original vitreous. This operation carries significant risks to sight because of possible complications, which include retinal detachment, retinal tears, and cataract. Most eye surgeons are reluctant to recommend this surgery unless the floaters seriously interfere with vision.

08/09/2012

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08/09/2012

Doucet Ophthalmology is seeking a full time receptionist/secretary.
Experience is ophthalmology/medical billing is definitely a plus!!
Fax Resumes to (936)521-8208
Or call (936)760-8570

06/20/2012

Dr. Doucet is now an "in Network Provider" for Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO and PPO!!
Call and schedule your appointment today!
936-760-8570!!