What Are Pediatric Eye Exams?

Pediatric eye exams are special check-ups to examine your child’s eyes and vision. The eye experts at Levin Eye Care Center are an award-winning team specializing in pediatric care and are qualified to care for your child’s eyes.

Why Are These Eye Exams So Important For Children?

While you might be on top of your game when it comes to regular check-ups, there’s one crucial aspect of your child’s health that sometimes gets overlooked – their eyes. We will explain why Pediatric Eye Exams are super important for your kiddos. 

Early Detection of Vision Problems

Imagine your child is struggling to see the chalkboard at school, but they never tell you. That could make it challenging for them to learn. Pediatric Eye Exams can spot common vision issues like nearsightedness (can’t see far), farsightedness (can’t see close), or astigmatism (blurry vision). By catching these problems early, you can help your child see clearly and succeed in school.

Beating Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) with Pediatric Eye Exams

Ever heard of a “lazy eye“? It’s a condition known as Amblyopia, when one eye doesn’t develop correctly because it’s not being used enough. However, Pediatric Eye Exams can spot this too! And when it’s caught early, treatments like our Vision Therapy Program can help the weak eye get stronger. Without treatment, it could cause permanent vision problems. 

Detecting Sneaky Eye Diseases

Eye diseases aren’t just for grown-ups. They can affect kids, too! Conditions like glaucoma or cataracts can be found during these eye exams. If they’re detected early, doctors can treat them better and reduce the risk of vision loss. That’s a big win!

Keeping Eyes Healthy

Pediatric Eye Exams don’t just check vision. They look at the eyes’ overall health, and eye infections or allergies can be found and treated. That means less discomfort and fewer eye-related problems for your child.

A Brighter Learning Experience

Good vision is super important for learning! Imagine your child can’t see the words in their books or the teacher’s writing on the board. That can be frustrating and hold them back in school. With regular eye exams, you can make sure your child has the best shot at doing well in school.

No More Headaches and Fatigue

Kids with hidden vision problems might get headaches, feel tired, or have trouble focusing. These can make it harder for them to enjoy school and activities. Pediatric Eye Exams can identify these issues early and offer solutions like glasses or eye exercises to make those problems disappear.

Learning Good Eye Habits

Another cool thing about these exams is that they teach kids about taking care of their eyes. They can learn to manage screen time, use proper lighting, and practice good eye hygiene. It’s all about helping them develop healthy eye habits for life.

Pediatric Eye Exams are vital for your child’s health and well-being. By catching vision problems early, you’re setting your child up for success in school and beyond. Plus, you’re ensuring they have a lifetime of healthy eyes.

Remember, your child’s vision matters, so schedule that eye exam today! Call or Text 219-659-3050 to schedule your appointment.

Keeping Our Kids’ Eyes Healthy and Bright: Here’s What You Need to Know

Our world is becoming more digital every day, so we must protect our kids’ eyesight. So, whether you’re a parent or grandparent, here are some child’s eye health tips that can help to keep their future bright. 

Eye Checkups: We take our kids to the doctor to check their growth and health; their eyes also need regular checkups. The award winning Dr. Steven A Levin can spot problems early on, such as ‘lazy eye’ or ‘crossed eyes,’ which are easier to fix when caught early.

Good Food: What we eat impacts our eyes. Vitamins A, C, E, and minerals like zinc are great for eye health. Omega-3 fatty acids, usually found in fish, are super important too. Encourage a balanced diet full of fruits, veggies, and nutrient-rich foods.

Screen Breaks: In today’s world, it’s hard to escape screens. But did you know that too much screen time can strain our eyes? Follow the 20-20-20 rule: after every 20 minutes of screen time, look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Get Outside: Playing outside is fun and good for the eyes. Being in sunlight and looking at distant objects can help prevent nearsightedness.

Wear the Right Gear: Safety first, right? Wear the proper protective glasses whether your child plays a sport or works on a school project. Look for ones with polycarbonate lenses because they are tough and can withstand high impacts.

Protect from Sun: Kids’ eyes are sensitive to UV radiation. So, remember to make your child wear sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection when they’re out in the sun. Yes, even when it’s cloudy.

Wash Hands Often: We all know kids love to explore. But touching their eyes with dirty hands can lead to eye infections. So, let’s make sure they know the importance of washing their hands and not sharing towels or handkerchiefs.

By following these tips, we can help our kids keep their eyes healthy and vision clear. So, let’s help them see the world in all its brilliance. Watch the video below to learn the importance of children’s eye exams.

View Video

Has your child or loved one had an eye exam this year? If not, give us a call or text 219-659-3050 to schedule your appointment to experience award winning eye care today!

Let us know if you found these Child’s Eye Health Tips beneficial and would like to see more blog posts like this!

Before vision therapy

Gretchen’s family had multiple discussions with the school regarding special education and being held back. They placed Gretchen in the school RTI (response to intervention) program regarding reading struggles. Gretchen was experiencing struggles in kindergarten with handwriting and had a hard time with reading sight words. Also, she lacked confidence and was down on herself for not doing as well as her twin sister.

Her family spent many hours helping Gretchen after school, and she continued to have challenges. Before starting kindergarten, Gretchen was evaluated by another pediatric eye specialist in Northwest Indiana. Still, surprisingly they did not diagnose Gretchen with any problems because there is a family history of visually learning-related challenges.

Gretchen’s grandmother is a retired teacher who previously had a student who was having struggles in kindergarten with the same issues but had success with the Levin Eye Care Center vision therapy program. She took an interest in her student’s eye care issues because the family has a history of double vision. She was glad she kept the Levin Eye Care Center paperwork and suggested we have Gretchen evaluated there.

This year (second grade), the school has asked if they could test Gretchen for reading impairment and other health impairment-vision due to falling behind her classmates. Gretchen did the first round of Vision Therapy and saw much improvement in her reading, sight words, spelling, and writing skills, but she needed additional vision therapy to catch up to her classmates.

After Vision Therapy

Gretchen now exhibits the following:

• Excels academically and is excited about school
• Mastering her sight words
• Receives A’s and B’s on the report card 
• Reading more fluently, mastering spelling tests, and writing better
• Boost in confidence, wants to go to school and enjoys doing her homework

Since completing the Levin Eye Care Center vision therapy program, Gretchen has had a fantastic work ethic and strong reading and listening comprehension. She enjoys working on her reading fluency and written expression. Gretchen appears to be happier overall with being successful in school and feels proud of herself for learning to read, doing well in math, mastering spelling tests, and reading books herself.

If your child or grandchild is having trouble in school and their future is a priority, make a positive change before it’s too late.

Protect your child’s future and schedule an appointment with our award-winning team at Levin Eye Care Center! 

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a growing problem among children today, with diagnosis rates increasing yearly. It’s vital to manage myopia in children to ensure they can maintain good vision throughout their lives. But why is myopia management for children so important, especially in school? Let’s take a closer look.

The Importance of Good Vision for Learning

Good vision is essential for children’s success in school and can better take in the information presented in the classroom, whether written on the board, in a textbook, or computer screen. This is especially important in the early school years when children are still developing their reading and writing skills. Good vision helps children focus, concentrate, and retain information easier, setting them up for success in the classroom and beyond.

The Link Between Myopia and Learning

Myopia can have a significant impact on children’s ability to learn. Children with myopia have trouble seeing things clearly in the distance, making it difficult to see the board or a teacher’s gestures from their seats in the classroom. This can make it difficult for them to fully participate in class and comprehend, leading to lower grades and difficulty keeping up with their peers.

Children with myopia are also more likely to experience eyestrain and headaches, which can further impact their ability to focus and concentrate in the classroom. Over time, myopia can progress if left untreated, leading to more severe vision problems, such as retinal detachment or cataracts!

Myopia Management for Children

The good news is that myopia can be managed, and several options are available to help children succeed in the classroom. Some of these options include:

• Prescription glasses or contact lenses are the most common form of correction for myopia and can help children see things clearly in the distance.
• The 20-20-20 rule: When using a digital device for extended periods, every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• Limit Screen time: Train children to use screens 24 inches or farther away rather than under 12 inches, which is too close to the eyes.
• Lifestyle changes: Encouraging children to spend more time outdoors and engaging in physical activity can help reduce the risk of myopia progression.

The Importance of Regular Eye Exams

Regular eye exams are essential for myopia management in children. Eye exams help identify myopia early on and track its progression, allowing doctors to make any necessary adjustments to the child’s prescription. Regular eye exams also help detect other vision problems affecting a child’s ability to learn, such as astigmatism or amblyopia (lazy eye).

In conclusion, myopia management is essential for children’s success in the classroom. Good vision is critical for learning, and children with myopia are at a disadvantage if their condition is not correctly managed. 

If you have concerns about your child’s vision, schedule a comprehensive eye exam with Levin Eye Care Center. With the proper treatment and lifestyle changes, children with myopia can maintain good vision and continue to succeed in the classroom and beyond!

Melanin, the same compound that determines skin and hair color, is also responsible for why we have different eye colors.

Melanin helps to protect the eye by absorbing light (including some UV light) that hits the iris, which is the part of the eye that controls the amount of light that reaches the retina.

How Rare Are Different Eye Colors?

Anyone living in an English-speaking country might have the impression that eye colors like blue, hazel, and brown are about equally distributed across the population, but if you look at the whole planet, the ratios are very different. Brown eyes in varying shades are by far the most common, while blue eyes likely all trace back to a single common ancestor with a specific mutation. These are the percentages of different eye colors in the population:

• Brown: 70-79%
• Blue: 8-10%
• Hazel: 5%
• Gray: 3%
• Green 2%
• Red or violet: less than 1%
• Heterochromia (partly or completely different-colored eyes): 1%

Types of Melanin and Pigment

Melanin in the iris comes in two different types: eumelanin (which produces a deep chocolate brown color) and pheomelanin (which produces colors ranging between amber, green, and hazel). But what about blue eyes? Blue eyes are basically the absence of melanin. There isn’t any actual blue pigment present, but like the sky and the ocean, blue irises get their color from the way the light scatters around the iris, called Tyndall scattering.

Eyes can be green if there is some melanin present but not enough to completely obscure all of the Tyndall scattering, so there’s a bit of blue appearance mixing with yellowish pigment. Eyes are hazel when they have just enough melanin to obscure any Tyndall scattering. Very rare red and “violet” eyes (typical in albinism, as pictured above) come from a total lack of melanin in all layers of the iris, so the color is a combination of Tyndall scattering and the blood vessels being more visible.

The Genetics of Eye Color Is Complex

In recent years, scientists have found that eye color isn’t only controlled by a single gene but by as many as 16 genes working in tandem. Tiny changes to any of those genes can lead to a different color. This means that you can’t always predict a child’s eye color based on how their parents’ eyes look. Blue-eyed parents won’t necessarily produce blue-eyed children every single time.

Why Do Babies Often Start With Blue Eyes?

Sometimes babies (most commonly caucasian babies) are born with blue or gray eyes that change to a different color over time. Just like the way some kids have platinum blonde hair that darkens nearly to brown in adulthood, it can take time for the cells in their eyes to produce melanin. Exposure to light can trigger melanin production, and that can’t happen until they’ve been exposed to light for a while.

Other Causes of Eye Color Change

You probably had a friend in school who claimed their eyes would change colors every day. More likely it was a trick of the light based on how their eyes reflected the different outfits they wore. Eye color can also appear different with changes in pupil size or the type of light the person is in. Aging can cause a very gradual change in eye color with more melanin production, and an eye injury can also cause permanent eye color change. David Bowie was a famous example of this.
View Video

Interested in Artificially Changing Your Eye Color With Contacts?

For the last few decades, anyone who has wanted a change in their eye color could turn to color contacts. If you’re interested in changing your eye color with contacts, we can help! Just keep in mind that a colored layer curving over the round surface of your eye won’t look quite the same as natural eye color in a flat layer beneath the surface of the eye.

We love seeing our patients’ beautiful eyes! Schedule your appointment today!

Diabetes is a disease that can negatively affect health in many ways, including healthy eyesight.

Diabetes brings with it an increased risk of developing several different eye diseases. These are grouped under the umbrella term “diabetic eye disease,” and they include cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic macular edema (DME), and diabetic retinopathy. With all of these combined, diabetes is a leading cause of blindness all across the world and that’s why it’s so important to schedule your routine diabetic eye exams.

The Mechanics of Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (or gestational diabetes, which works the same way while it lasts) impairs the body’s ability to use insulin to regulate blood sugar effectively. If it isn’t carefully controlled, this can lead to periods of high blood sugar. Sugar feeds harmful bacteria, so high blood sugar is hard on blood vessels and raises the risk of infection. Let’s take a closer look at what that means for these sight-threatening conditions.

Cataracts

People with diabetes are two to five times more likely to develop cataracts than people without. The reason diabetes increases the risk of developing cataracts because poorly controlled blood sugar can cause swelling in the eye’s lens, and can cause opaque proteins to accumulate in the lens, making it cloudy. Fortunately, cataract removal surgery is a very common, safe procedure.

Glaucoma

Our eyes are constantly replacing the fluids inside them to keep functioning properly. Glaucoma is when the pressure on the optic nerve increases, and damage occurs (up to and including permanent blindness). Diabetics are more likely to develop glaucoma than their non-diabetic peers. Glaucoma doesn’t always have symptoms in the early stages, which is one reason it’s so important to keep up with regular eye exams.

View Video

Diabetic Retinopathy And DME

Retinopathy is when the blood vessels in the back of the eye leak blood into the fluid that fills the eye, appearing as dark blotches in the field of vision. Our eyes attempt to compensate for the damaged blood vessels by growing new ones. This isn’t very effective because the new vessels are fragile and more likely to leak than the original ones.

High blood sugar puts a serious strain on blood vessels, which is why diabetes is such a serious risk factor for retinopathy. If it advances far enough, diabetic retinopathy can become DME, which involves blurred central vision and can lead to retinal detachment and blindness.

Protect Your Sight with Regular Diabetic Eye Exams

Your two best resources for protecting your sight from the effects of diabetes are you and your eye doctor. If you can keep your blood sugar close to normal levels, you will reduce your risk of these eye diseases. Meanwhile, when you come in for regular eye exams, we can check for any early signs of problems, reducing the risk of blindness by as much as 95 percent.

Do you have diabetes or a loved one who does?

Give us a call or text to schedule your appointment today! 219-659-3050

Madeline complained about constant headaches and motion sickness on car rides before coming to the Levin Eye Care Center home vision therapy program. She had lost all interest in reading because of the challenges with headaches. Also, she was having problems maintaining consistent grades throughout the school year and struggled with time management, especially completing assignments.

Since enrolling in Vision Therapy, Madeline now enjoys reading for leisure and has more patience at school.

Madeline Now Exhibits:

• Increased patience when doing homework
• Improved ocular motor skills when reading
• Improved accommodation (focusing ability) when reading
• Enhanced convergence (when eyes move inward to focus)
• More confident and a better attitude at school

Since completing the Vision Therapy program at Levin Eye Care Center, Madeline is more confident in school, reading aloud, and displays a positive attitude. Now, Madeline has fewer headaches, can control her focus longer, and enjoys school more due to increased comprehension skills.

Comfortable vision is critical to a child’s development and an at home Vision Therapy program combined with office visits gives the best results.

If these symptoms sound familiar, either for you or a child in your life, we can help! Call or text us at 219-659-3050 to schedule an appointment today!

When we think of athletes, we probably think of speed and strength first, but there is an unfair advantage some athletes are using called sports vision training.

Strong visual skills are just as important to an athlete’s success as strong muscles. Athletes have to process visual information quickly so that they can respond to it. The cool thing is that, like muscles, some visual skills can be improved with practice. Sports vision training improves the acceleration and efficiency of your eye tracking capabilities. We have a set of activities and equipment specifically designed for athletes to improve processing speed, visual acuity, vergence (binocular vision), tracking, and reaction time at levels that beat the competition.

What Visual Skills do Athletes Use?

Here are some of the most essential visual skills that help athletes perform at the top of their game:

• Color vision. It’s a lot easier to recognize the difference between teammate and opponent when you can see the different jersey colors!
• Depth perception. Athletes need to be able to judge the distances of objects and other players.
• Dynamic visual acuity. Beyond just having clear vision, athletes need to be able to see fast-moving objects clearly too.
• Eye tracking. Athletes also need to be able to track fast-moving objects with their eyes instead of jeopardizing their balance by turning their heads or torsos.
• Eye-hand-body coordination. Being able to adjust the position of your body, hands, and feet based on what you see is essential for succeeding in sports.
• Peripheral vision. Athletes need to be able to react to what’s happening at the edges of their vision, not just the things happening straight ahead.
• Visual concentration. An athlete needs to be able to focus on what matters even when there are a lot of distractions trying to draw their eyes.
• Visual reaction time. The faster an athlete can process and respond to visual information, the faster they can get into position.
• Visualization. Athletes need to be able to picture different scenarios to prepare themselves for potential obstacles and opportunities — all while focusing on the events of the moment.
• Visual memory. An athlete must keep a great deal of visual information in their heads while playing, including the positions of other players based on where they saw them last.

You Can Train Your Visual Skills on the Go

You won’t need a gym to train several of these visual skills. A simple exercise for depth perception, for example, is to hold a pen at arm’s length and repeatedly put the cap on it. You could also hold a small pebble at arm’s length and try dropping it into a drinking straw.

A great way to train peripheral awareness is by turning our heads to the side while we use a computer or watch TV. We can improve the flexibility of our eyes by switching rapidly between focusing on something close and something far away. To practice dynamic visual acuity, try cutting out different sized letters from a magazine and taping them to a turntable. Then see how well you can identify the letters when it spins at different speeds.

Take a peek how Four Time NBA Champion, Two Time MVP and Finals MVP Steph Curry uses Sports Vision Training to achieve excellence on the court.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball, Athletes!

If NBA Champions Michael Jordan, Steph Curry, and Kawhi Leonard have used sports vision training to rise to elite levels, then why shouldn’t you follow their lead?  Keeping our eyes sharp (and healthy) is something we might overlook but when thinking about staying in shape for sports. From professional athletes sinking a three pointer at the final second to commercial pilots flying the friendly skies. Sports Therapy Training is a game changer and makes all the difference in the world.

If you’ve played sports, then you know an inch and a millisecond can be the difference between a win and loss. Gain the advantage on and off the field with the Levin Eye Care Center sport vision training program!

Call/Text 219-659-3050 to learn how to gain an unfair advantage over your competition.

Levin Eye Care Center has proudly served Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland for nearly 50 years and our doctors and team provides the finest quality care to every patient who walks through the door.

Whether we’re administering our award-winning Vision Therapy Program to identify hidden learning-related vision problems or treating and rehabilitating everything from lazy eye to misaligned eyes to visual motor complications from traumatic brain injury.The goal is the same: to provide the quality comprehensive eye exams and superior patient care that leads to visual enjoyment and a higher quality of life.

“We could not have won the honor of Best Vision Care again without our doctors and staff who are committed to excellence and take pride in the care we offer to each patient,” says Dr. Steven Levin, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Indiana Optometric Association in 2021. “And we look forward to continuing to serve the eye care needs of the Region for many years to come.”

Thank you for your continued support and for making Levin Eye Care Center the best eye care center in Northwest Indiana!

Story originally posted in the Northwest Indiana Times Best of the Region 2022 Healthcare