EyeCareAmerica.com

EyeCare America is a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Their mission is to reduce avoidable blindness and severe visual impairment by raising awareness about eye disease and care, providing free eye health educational materials and facilitating access to medical eye care. Contact them at 1-800-222-3937

Eyeglasses

As your vision and comfort levels change with age, so do the needs you have in a pair of glasses.

It is advisable to have regular eye checks by an optometrist or eye specialist. Regular eye tests will help detect any problems early and allow the best treatment and support.

Eyeglasses come in several different types:

Corrective—these are used to correct conditions of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism

Safety—these are designed to protect from flying debris, but may be of benefit to seniors who have a need for special eyeglass protection

Sunglasses--Sunglasses may be made with either prescription or non-prescription lenses that are darkened to provide protection against bright visible and possibly ultraviolet light.

Contact Lenses

A contact lens (also known simply as a contact) is a corrective, cosmetic, or therapeutic lens usually placed on the cornea of the eye.

Contact lenses usually serve the same corrective purpose as conventional glasses, but are lightweight and virtually invisible—many commercial lenses are tinted a faint blue to make them more visible when immersed in cleaning and storage solutions. Some cosmetic lenses are deliberately colored to alter the appearance of the eye.

As research continues, contact lenses are coming in different variations.  Some of these include Bifocal Contacts, which serve the same function as bifocal glasses

Bifocals

Bifocals are eyeglasses whose corrective lenses each contain regions with two distinct optical powers. Bifocals are most commonly prescribed to people with presbyopia who also require a correction for myopia, hypermetropia, and/or astigmatism.

Bifocals' division of the field of vision has been known to cause headaches and even dizziness in some users. Acclimation to the small field of view offered by the reading segment of bifocals can take some time, as the user learns to move either the head or the reading material rather than the eyes. Computer monitors are generally placed directly in front of users and can lead to muscle fatigue due to the unusual angle and constant movement of the head. This trouble is mitigated by the use of trifocal lenses or by the use of "single vision" lenses designed for visual comfort at one's distance from his/her computer monitor.

Hearing Aids

A hearing aid is a small electronic device that you wear in or behind your ear. It makes some sounds louder so that a person with hearing loss can listen, communicate, and participate more fully in daily activities. A hearing aid can help people hear more in both quiet and noisy situations. However, only about one out of five people who would benefit from a hearing aid actually uses one.

A hearing aid has three basic parts: a microphone, amplifier, and speaker. The hearing aid receives sound through a microphone, which converts the sound waves to electrical signals and sends them to an amplifier. The amplifier increases the power of the signals and then sends them to the ear through a speaker.

There are three basic styles of hearing aids. The styles differ by size, their placement on or inside the ear, and the degree to which they amplify sound

· Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids consist of a hard plastic case worn behind the ear and connected to a plastic ear mold that fits inside the outer ear. The electronic parts are held in the case behind the ear. Sound travels from the hearing aid through the ear mold and into the ear. BTE aids are used by people of all ages for mild to profound hearing loss.

· In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids fit completely inside the outer ear and are used for mild to severe hearing loss. The case holding the electronic components is made of hard plastic. Some ITE aids may have certain added features installed, such as a telecoil. A telecoil is a small magnetic coil that allows users to receive sound through the circuitry of the hearing aid, rather than through its microphone. This makes it easier to hear conversations over the telephone. A telecoil also helps people hear in public facilities that have installed special sound systems, called induction loop systems. Induction loop systems can be found in many churches, schools, airports, and auditoriums. ITE aids usually are not worn by young children because the casings need to be replaced often as the ear grows.

· Canal aids fit into the ear canal and are available in two styles. The in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid is made to fit the size and shape of a person’s ear canal. A completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid is nearly hidden in the ear canal. Both types are used for mild to moderately severe hearing loss.

Before you buy a hearing aid, ask your audiologist these important questions:

· What features would be most useful to me?

· What is the total cost of the hearing aid? Do the benefits of newer technologies outweigh the higher costs?

· Is there a trial period to test the hearing aids? (Most manufacturers allow a 30- to 60-day trial period during which aids can be returned for a refund.) What fees are nonrefundable if the aids are returned after the trial period?

· How long is the warranty? Can it be extended? Does the warranty cover future maintenance and repairs?