Dr. Bladh, O.D. Optometry Inc.

It’s that time of the year again. Each February, the optometric community bands together to create awareness about  age-related macular degeneration (AMD) . AMD is a leading cause of vision loss for people 50 years and older; early detection plays a key role in the outcome of the disease. That’s why bringing awareness to the disease and its risk factors is so important. Macular degeneration  is a disease that damages the macula, which is a small area in the center of the retina responsible for sharp, clear central vision. The disease comes in two forms, wet AMD and dry AMD. The most common form, dry AMD, which affects around 80% of AMD patients, is when the macula gradually thins, and small clusters of protein called drusen begin to grow. Drusen result from cells in the macula that cannot rid themselves of metabolic waste called lipofuscin. The lipofuscin accumulates as drusen which causes a gradual vision decline. Dry AMD can turn into wet AMD when abnormal new b...

If you've made it this far, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You are one of the few to have found your solution to the absurd contact lens prices out there. For years you have heard about how great a deal it is to buy a year supply and get a rebate. At first it was a mail in rebate and you were lucky to see the $30 check come in the mail within 3 months. I remember getting a rebate check 6 months later and had completely forgotten that I even sent it in! How many of us, year after year, have every intention of submitting that rebate, but year after year, completely forgot to do it. Ever started the process, get busy with a call, or that toddler won't let you have 5 minutes to fill out the forms and send it in? Dr. Bladh understands completely how you feel! For this reason we have started our own monthly subscription service in order to take the pain out of contact lenses for good! Contact lenses are God's gift to the optical world and we want to share that gift with everyone! I...

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 sensi...

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...