There’s no doubt that online shopping can be hard to beat when it comes to selection and pricing. But logging on with your credit card in hand isn’t always your best option. You may also want to think twice about shopping online for certain products or types of products.

     “Sometimes it’s smarter to make purchases in person rather than online,” Kiplinger, a Washington, D.C.-based publisher of business forecasts and personal finance advice, reports. “It can be easier to judge quality, for example, rather than relying solely on what you see on a screen. It’s also easier to ensure a good fit. And some items, especially large ones, can be expensive to ship. You’ll pay even more if the seller doesn’t cover return shipping for orders you decide not to keep.

     Kiplinger identifies nine things they say you should never buy online. Bicycles are at the top of their list. “The Internet is a great place to research bicycles,” the publishers of the Kiplinger Letter say. “You can read all about bike geometry and the latest carbon fiber frames. But most cyclists should visit a local store to test-ride bicycles before buying.”
Other items on the list include children's shoes, furniture, high-end musical instruments, and even flowers and groceries.

     “Ordering flowers online can be convenient, especially if you’re sending an arrangement to someone in another city. However, it’s worth the time to locate a local florist near the recipient because you’ll likely pay less and get a better bouquet for your money.”
As for groceries, “If you want to ensure that you’re getting the choicest meats, fruits, vegetables and dairy items, you should head to your local grocer and pick out everything yourself", says Kiplinger.  “After all, can you really count on the employee who fills your online order to select the jug of milk all the way in the back with the longest expiration date? Probably not. Plus, ordering groceries online can be more expensive than buying them yourself from a local store.”

     Dr. Kathy Chriqui, a respected eye doctor in Northridge, CA, has something to add to the list of items you should never buy online: prescription eyeglasses.  Eyeglasses must be custom-fitted not only for a comfortable fit but also to fit the particular needs of your prescription.

     According to the American Optometric Association, “There’s also a lingering question about the quality and safety of prescription eyewear ordered online. In a recent study, researchers discovered that nearly half of all glasses (44.8 percent) ordered online either contained an inaccurate prescription or didn’t meet safety standards designed to protect the eyes.”

     Don’t take chances when it comes to your eyes and your precious eyesight. Dr. Chriqui, a leading optometrist in Northridge,and her staff will work with you to make sure you get the glasses that fit you, your prescription your budget.
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     At Optometrics, you won’t have to sacrifice selection – the Northridge eye clinic has a veritable wall of frames to choose from with everything from children’s frames to the classic Ray Ban Clubmaster celebrities adore. 

​After having your annual comprehensive eye exam, your eye doctor may give you a prescription. There are many different abbreviations and terms used that can make learning how to read an eyeglass or contact lens prescription confusing.

This information is typically written in a grid with the abbreviations SPH, CYL, AXIS, and PRISM written across the top row, and with ADD, OD, OS, and OU written down the left column. The numbers listed under the headings of OS and OD are Latin abbreviations: OS (oculus sinister) means the left eye and OD (oculus dextrus) means the right eye. Occasionally, you will see a notation for OU, which means something involving both eyes. ADD is added magnifying power in the bottom of a multi-focal lens to correct presbyopia, the inability to focus on close objects.

You might be surprised, but contact lenses are more like underwear than you'd think! In both cases, its incredibly important to practice good hygiene - and this comparison just might make you think twice the next time you consider ignoring the proper lens care instructions from your optometrist. After all, you wouldn't do any of these things with your underwear, would you?

So just remember:

• Don't Over-Wear!
• Avoid That Sketchy Pair!
• Carry A Spare!

We hope you got a good laugh out of this like we did - and that it helps you remember how important it is to "Cover Your Butt & Take Care Of Your eyes!" 

One of the services Optometrics of Chatsworth is proud to offer is that of Digital Retinal Photography. After all, we are strong advocates of preventative health measures, and these high resolution images often help in the diagnoses of ocular diseases that aren't always immediately apparent during the course of a comprehensive eye exam. However, unless you work in the optometry field, they can often be difficult to decipher... until now. Below, some of the signs of retinal disease are shown all in one photo, with an accompanying description. Take a look and see for yourself why retinal photography is such an important service to include during your next eye exam!

Bone spicule pigments (BSP): are a hallmark of retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

Chorioretinal Atrophy: is a condition of the eye where both the choroid and retina are damaged. This causes them to wither away and stop working.

​Causes:
Infection is the most common cause of Chorioretinal Atrophy

• Toxoplasmosis
• Toxocara
• Cytomegalovirus
• Cold Sore Virus
• Chicken Pox Virus

Myopia (short-sight) sometimes leads to Chorioretinal Atrophy
Inflammation may also damage the Choroid and Retina

Horseshoe tears: Also referred as flap or U-shaped tears are full thickness breaks in the neurosensory retina that occur secondary to vitreous traction.

Bear Tracks: Multiple areas of grouped congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (CHRPE)

Drusen: (singular, “druse”) are tiny yellow or white accumulations of extracellular material that build up between Bruch’s membraneand the retinal pigment epithelium of the eye. The presence of a few small (“hard”) drusen is normal with advancing age, and most people over 40 have some hard drusen. However, the presence of larger and more numerous drusen in the macula is a common early sign of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Choroidal nevi: are benign melanocytic lesions of the posterior uvea. In the United States, their prevalence ranges from 4.6 percent to 7.9 percent in Caucasians. By comparison, choroidal melanoma is rare, manifesting in approximately six in 1 million Caucasian individuals.

Choroidal melanoma: is the most common primary intra-ocular malignant tumor and second most common site of ten malignant melanoma sites in the body.

Exudates: They are the lipid residues of serous leakage from damaged capillaries. The commonest cause is diabetes. Other causes are retinal vein occlusion, angiomas (Von Hippel-Lindau Disease), other vascular dysplasias, and radiation-induced retinal vasculopathy.

Cotton Wool Spots: These yellow-white spots are called cotton wool spots. They are caused by retinal nerve fiber layer microinfarcts. Exploded retinal ganglion cell axons extrude their axoplasm like toothpaste. Expect to find cotton wool spots arrayed around the optic disc and along the temporal vascular arcades. Cotton wool spots have a myriad of causes. Any process that occludes small retinal arterioles will do this: hypertension, diabetes, HIV, severe anemia or thrombocytopenia, hypercoagulable states, connective tissue disorders, viruses, lues, Behçet’s and many others.

Circinate Ring: Exudates very frequently arrange themselves in a circular pattern in diabetes, and often there is a cluster of leaking microaneurysms in the middle of such a ring of exudates.

 Vitreous hemorrhage: There are many factors known to cause vitreous hemorrhage.
Diabetic retinopathy The most common cause found in adults is diabetic retinopathy. Abnormal blood vessels can form in the back of the eye of a person with diabetes. These new blood vessels are weaker and prone to breaking and causing hemorrhage.Diabetic retinopathy accounts for 31.5-54% of all cases of vitreous hemorrhage in adults in the United States.

Trauma Some injuries can cause blood vessels in the back of the eye to bleed. Trauma is the leading cause of vitreous hemorrhage in young people, and accounts for 12–18.8% of cases in adults.

Retinal tear or detachment A tear in the retina can allow fluids from the eye to leak in behind the retina, which causes retinal detachment. When this occurs, blood from the retinal blood vessels can bleed into the vitreous. Retinal tear accounts for 11.4–44% of vitreous hemorrhage cases.

Posterior vitreous detachment As one gets older, pockets of fluid can develop in the vitreous. When these pockets develop near the back of the eye, the vitreous can pull away from the retina and possibly tear it.Posterior vitreous detachment accounts for 3.7–11.7% of vitreous hemorrhage cases.

Other causes Less common causes of vitreous hemorrhage make up 6.4–18% of cases, and include:

• Proliferative sickle cell retinopathy
• Macroaneurysm
• Age-related macular degeneration
• Terson syndrome
• Retinal neovascularization as a result of branch or central retinal vein occlusion
• Other – about 7 cases in 100,000 have no known cause attributed to them.

Asteroid hyalosis: is a degenerative condition of the eye involving small white opacities in the vitreous humor.Clinically, these opacities are quite refractile, giving the appearance of stars (or asteroids) shining in the night sky—except that ocular asteroids are often quite mobile. Ocular asteroids must be distinguished from the more common typical vitreous floaters, which are usually fibrillar or cellular condensates. The cause of asteroid hyalosis is unknown, but it has been associated with diabetes mellitus,hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, The asteroid bodies are made up of hydroxylapatite, which in turn consists ofcalcium and phosphates or phospholipids. While asteroid hyalosis does not usually severely affect vision, the floating opacities can be quite annoying, and may interfere significantly with visualization and testing of the retina. While treatment of asteroid hyalosis is usually unnecessary, vitrectomy may occasionally be indicated, for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Floaters: are deposits of various size, shape, consistency, refractive index, and motility within the eye’s vitreous humour, which is normally transparent. At a young age, the vitreous is transparent, but as one ages, imperfections gradually develop. The common type of floater, which is present in most person’s eyes, is due to degenerative changes of the vitreous humour. Theperception of floaters is known as myodesopsia,or less commonly as myodaeopsia, myiodeopsia, myiodesopsia. They are also called Muscae volitantes (Latin: “flying flies”), or mouches volantes (from the French). Floaters are visible because of the shadows they cast on the retina or refraction of the light that passes through them, and can appear alone or together with several others in one’s visual field. They may appear as spots, threads, or fragments of cobwebs, which float slowly before the observer’s eyes. As these objects exist within the eye itself, they are not optical illusions but are entoptic phenomena.

Haemangioma: The vascular tumors of the retina and choroid comprise a diverse group of congenital and acquired lesions. The major vascular tumors of the retina include retinal capillary hemangioma, cavernous hemangioma of the retina, retinal vasoproliferative tumor, and racemose hemangiomatosis of the retina or Wyburn–Mason syndrome. Choroidal vascular tumors include circumscribed choroidal hemangioma and diffuse choroidal hemangioma. While classified as benign, visual symptoms secondary to exudative retinal detachment and a variety of other mechanisms are common and are a major source of long-term visual disability. While many therapeutic modalities exist, treatment of symptomatic cases can be challenging. Of particular importance, many of the vascular tumors of the retina and choroid have significant associations with systemic disease. As ocular symptoms are often the most common presenting disease manifestation, the ophthalmologist plays an important role in accurate and early diagnosis. The ability to initiate prompt screening and treatment in appropriate cases is critical. In the following article, the key clinical and diagnostic features of the major retinal and choroidal vascular tumors, their systemic associations, and the literature pertaining to the most currently available treatment strategies are reviewed.

Retinal Hole: Retinal holes and tears are small breaks in the retina. The retina is light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Usually holes and tears do not mean you will have serious vision problems right away. However, retinal holes and tears may cause problems if they allow fluid to seep behind the retina. If a lot of fluid gets behind the retina, the retina can separate from the wall of the eye. The detached part of the retina will not work properly. Detachment of the retina is a serious condition that can lead to total blindness.

Congenital Hypertrophy of RPE (CHRPE): Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominant condition giving rise to multiple adenomatous polyps in the colon which invariably become malignant by the fourth decade. Congenital hypertrophy of retinal pigment epithelium (CHRPE) is one of its extra intestinal manifestations early in childhood seen, present in 90% of FAP population and is easy to detect.

Snail Track: Snail-track retinal degeneration (also known as Schneckenspuren, Milky Way-like, and galaxy-like degeneration) is a vitreoretinal degeneration similar to lattice retinal degeneration. It has the appearance of a white shiny lesion which may be oblong and parallel to the ora serrata or have other shapes and has erosions and holes just like lattice degeneration. The whitish shiny appearance is similar to the slime trail left by a mollusk on the ground and hence its name. It is believed to be akin to lattice degeneration and has the same complications and clinical protocols.

White-Without-Pressure (WSP): WSP is a retinal phenomenon produced by vitreous traction on the surface of the retina . Because it is a superficial phenomenon, it will be more apparent on the green separation. It appears as a whitish degeneration (film) on the retina and typically there is a dark zone along the posterior border (often appears red on binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy which may give the appearance of a pseudo retinal tear). It may have a rather scalloped posterior margin.

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV): is the creation of new blood vessels in the choroid layer of the eye. Choroidal neovascularization is a common cause of neovascular degenerative maculopathy (i.e. ‘wet’ macular degeneration)commonly exacerbated by extreme myopia, malignant myopic degeneration, or age-related developments.
CNV can occur rapidly in individuals with defects in Bruch’s membrane, the innermost layer of the choroid. It is also associated with excessive amounts of Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). As well as in wet macular degeneration, CNV can also occur frequently with the rare genetic disease pseudoxanthoma elasticum and rarely with the more common optic disc drusen. CNV has also been associated with extreme myopia or malignant myopic degeneration, where in choroidal neovascularization occurs primarily in the presence of cracks within the retinal (specifically) macular tissue known as lacquer cracks.

Retinoschisis: Retinoschisis is an eye disease characterized by the abnormal splitting of the retina’s neurosensory layers, usually in the outer plexiform layer. Most common forms are asymptomatic, some rarer forms result in a loss of vision in the corresponding visual field.
Classification

• Hereditary
  • X linked juvenile retinoschisis
  • Familial foveal retinoschisis

• Tractional

• Exudative
  • Secondary to Optic disc pit

• Degenerative
  • Typical
  • Reticular

​This article originally appeared on opthnotes.com

Want to own the hottest celebrity sunglasses? We have made a list of the top 10 celebrity-approved sunglasses trends that you can steal this summer.

1. Embellished Sunglasses – Olivia Palermo
Embellished sunglasses are a great way to make a statement. They can also very feminine with the addition of pretty diamante and floral detail.

​2. White Frame Sunglasses – Emma Roberts
White frames have proven to be a very popular trend for summer, and we love how Emma Roberts styles them.

​​3. Cat Eye Sunglasses – Miranda Kerr
Cat eye sunglasses tend to be the most feminine and flattering shape and they add a touch of glamour and sophistication to any look, as proven by Miranda Kerr.

​4. Browline Sunglasses -Kylie Jenner
Geometric browline sunglasses are very cool. Kylie Jenner is quickly making a name for herself in the fashion world thanks to her bold style choices and hairdos, but if you want to copy anything off her this summer, it should be her taste in sunglasses.

​​5. Mirrored Sunglasses – Olivia Palermo
​Olivia Palermo has long been celebrated for her superb outfit choices, but it’s the way that she accessorises her outfits and pulls her looks together in an effortlessly chic way that makes her a style icon. Mirrored sunglasses are one of the major trends for summer and Olivia Palermo shows us just how to rock these statement lenses. If you want to steal her style, Topshop has a great alternative.

​​6. Round Sunglasses – Rita Ora
Round sunglasses have a very retro feel, and with the 70’s inspiration in full swing this year, they’re the perfect addition to your accessory list. We love how Rita Ora pulls them off!

​​7. Bright and Bold Sunglasses – Paris Hilton
Add a pop of colour and a little fun to your wardrobe by completing your look with a bright coloured or bold printed pair of sunglasses. Not sure how to do it? Take inspiration from Paris Hilton and try out a bright pink pair of sunnies.

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​8. Aviator Sunglasses – Julie Chen
Classic and cool, the aviator sunglasses are a style that is still very much in fashion, as proven by the lovely Julie Chen.

​9. Square Sunglasses -Kris Jenner
Square sunglasses are super functional as they cover most of the face from the harmful sun rays and they tend to work best on oval and round shaped faces. If you are willing to fork out a small fortune, then you can own a pair from Bottega Veneta that is almost exactly the same as Kris Jenner’s sunnies.

​10. Oversized Sunglasses – Nicole Richie
Fancy a pair of oversized sunglasses? If you have an oblong face, then you’re in luck because this face shape tends to work best with oversized sunglasses. For inspiration on how to wear this style, take cues from the fabulous Nicole Richie.

Original article appeared on thetrendspotter.net

Correct vision is vital in the classroom. However, children often don’t know they have an eye problem, and may be struggling in school due to uncorrected vision issues. That’s the premise of Think About Your Eyes’ new virtual reality experience – participants experience vision impairments in a classroom setting, putting them in the shoes of children who struggle in school due to eye problems.
The experience simulates the following vision impairments:

• Nearsightedness
• Farsightedness
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Glaucoma
• Macular degeneration

“We know that many parents don’t prioritize eye exams for their children,” said Jon Torrey, director of professional relations at Think About Your Eyes. “By using technology like virtual reality, we’re able to show parents firsthand what their children might be experiencing in the classroom, and the challenges they may be facing if vision issues aren’t detected and corrected.”
With the new school year approaching, the virtual reality experience is a way for parents to understand the challenges their children may have in the classroom because of poor vision. After all, 80 percent of learning comes through the eyes.
Think About Your Eyes’ data shows that 60 percent of parents don’t think that a comprehensive eye exam is integral to a child’s healthy checkup schedule. And 24 percent of parents wait for their children to have symptoms before taking them to an eye doctor, which can be problematic because they don’t know what “normal” vision is.

​- From thinkaboutyoureyes.com

The QuantifEye MPS II from ZeaVision, considered the most accurate and reliable tool for 
assessing low macular pigment, is being used by Optometrics of Chatsworth’s eye doctors to take preventative care to a whole new level.

Low macular pigment is the key risk factor in Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) as well as in other challenges to visual performance. The QuantifEye allows us to assess your risk factor and advise you about lifestyle changes you can make to increase macular pigment – all from the comfort of our family-oriented eye clinic. From Chatsworth and Los Angeles, CA, to Northridge and the surrounding San Fernando Valley, patients that once would have been forced to live with the challenges of AMD are now seeing a clearer path forward.

Macular pigment protects our visual cells from ultraviolet and blue light. By doing that, this protective layer guards against vision loss. By tracking the safest amount of blue light that any individual eye can absorb, the QuantifEye MPS II indicates each patient’s Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD). This translates into a "score" that allows Dr. Kathy Chriqui and the dedicated staff at Optometrics of Chatsworth to gauge your risk of developing AMD.

If your MPOD score is low, Dr. Chriqui may recommend that blue filters be put on your eyeglasses and that you take certain nutritional supplements. She may also suggest changes to your diet that can contribute to increased pigmentation.

Studies have shown an increase in macular pigment is associated with a range of benefits, including improved shape discrimination and color and light sensitivity as well as an enhanced ability for night driving. The research is so well documented that 13 major league baseball teams have increased the visual-processing speed of their players by having them take the nutritional supplements designed to increase macular pigment.

While the technology is advanced, the cost of the testing with the QuantifEye is extremely affordable. It will take only a few minutes of your time and less than $20 from your wallet.  You don’t even need to make an appointment. Stop by our beautiful new facilities in Northridge at 19600 Plummer Rd., #300 during regular business hours and ask for an MPOD test.  To establish a baseline and ensure the development of an eye-healthy lifestyle, Dr. Chriqui recommends that all patients 21 and older should be tested.

Optometrics of Chatsworth is a full-service eye clinic serving Chatsworth and the Los Angeles, CA, region. Our recent move to Northridge has provided us with the room we needed to accommodate the latest technology and to offer you a remarkable selection of eyewear and contact lenses.

Our eye doctors in Northridge – and before that in Chatsworth – have always insisted on taking advantage of the most recent advances in technology and optometric equipment so that we can provide the best care to our patients. The technology available to us now allows us to conduct ever more accurate vision tests and determine the ideal prescription for your eyeglasses or contacts.

We are committed to finding solutions to the vision problems our patients face. We will harness the technology at our disposal in an effort to overcome the challenges that threaten your eye health and to correct imperfections in your vision.

Advancements in the precision and the capabilities of the equipment we use have also enhanced our ability to provide preventative care. In particular, the high-resolution digital retinal images produced by the Canon CR-DGi Retinal Camera installed in our Northridge offices, allow Dr. Kathy Chriqui and our staff of dedicated professionals to diagnose and monitor ocular eye disease accurately and efficiently.

For the benefit of our established patients, the location of our new offices in Northridge is only about 3 miles from our original eye clinic in Chatsworth, California. While we only traveled a short distance, the move was a major step forward for our practice and for the patients we serve.

If you have astigmatism, dry eyes or have had post-refractive surgery (such as LASIK), you may have been told that contact lenses are not for you. While it’s true that the most common types of contact lenses are not a good fit for patients with these conditions, there are other options worth exploring.

Optometrics of Chatsworth specializes in overcoming the challenges that have often prevented patients from wearing contact lenses. When you visit our offices in Northridge, CA, for an eye exam you can discuss your history with a doctor who is willing to work with you to find a solution.

Optometrics of Chatsworth has eye doctors willing to go the extra distance and spend the extra time finding a solution that works for you and your unique lifestyle. We also carry a wide range of contact lenses so that we can handle those difficult contact lens prescriptions. So, even if you have been diagnosed with presbyopia, giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC) or keratoconus, contact lenses may indeed be possible.

To make sure the lenses we supply will not just work but will enable you to see with the best vision possible, you’ll receive a complimentary trial pair during your fitting.

If you live in Chatsworth, Northridge, Porter Ranch – or anywhere in and around Los Angeles for that matter – and have been told that you can’t wear contact lenses, please contact us for a second opinion. Our specially trained professionals will evaluate your eligibility for contact lens wear and explain your options.

To be at the top of your game – whether you’re playing tennis, golf, soccer or football – your vision needs to be its best. That argument in itself would be a compelling reason to consider wearing sports lenses. According to an organization called Prevent Blindness America, however, emergency room physicians see roughly 40,000 sports-related eye injuries every year. Experts agree that if more athletes wore protective sports lenses that number would go down dramatically.

On the playing field, the ball might not be the only thing being thrown around. Elbows, hands and even feet can fly. Whether it’s a ball hurtling toward you from across the field or an inadvertent jab from an elbow in close quarters, the world of sports is full of hazards that can cause injury to the eyes.

Polycarbonate lenses – the kind generally used in sports and safety glasses – can offer 10 times more protection than regular lenses. Research has shown that impact-resistant glasses made with these lenses are capable of withstanding a blow from objects traveling up to 90 miles per hour.

In addition to being impact resistant, you’ll also want to make sure the lenses in your sports glasses are made with the right prescription. Faulty vision can also be a significant safety hazard as well as a detriment to your game. 

There are additional considerations that need to be taken into account when shopping for sports lenses and the staff at Optometrics of Chatsworth understands them all. Our full-service eye clinic serving Chatsworth and Los Angeles, CA, has the expertise and the selection needed to ensure that the glasses you wear when it’s game time will give you the confidence and vision needed to be your best.

When you visit our offices in Northridge, an eye doctor will conduct a comprehensive eye exam. Once the correct prescription for your lenses has been determined, our professional staff will help you select frames based on your personal comfort, style and level of activity. Recent technological developments have contributed to the options you’ll have when you visit Optometrics of Chatsworth to select your glasses. We use the Shamir Attitude III Sports lens,  which offers the kind of versatility that allows full customization and ensures optimal athletic performance no matter what sport you play.

You’ll also have the option to select Hi-Definition lenses, anti-reflective coatings, Transitions, polarization and other features. Same-day eyewear from our Northbridge location may even be possible thanks to our on-site lab.