Eye Drops Are Real Medicine

At the start of your eye exam, remember to tell your doctor all the medications you are taking whether prescribed or over-the-counter. Some eye drops are related to other drugs and may cause an allergic reaction. Mild side effects may include redness of the eye, eye irritation or temporary blurred vision. Rarely, more severe side effects can occur.

Prescription eye drops are extremely potent and should only be used under the direction of your doctor. Do not, under any circumstances, use medication prescribed for someone other than yourself.

When visiting your doctor, make sure you know the names and dosages of each medication you are taking. This will assist the doctor in finding the best treatment for you.

Be sure to discuss any concerns regarding your medication with your doctor.

Sources: (www.eyecareinstitute.com or www.eyecareamerica.com)

The Eye Care Institute to have a Gallopalooza Horse

It's been almost 5 years since the first round of Gallopalooza horses graced the streets of Louisville. In the second round, coming this March, we will have our own horse here at the Story Avenue office.

Our tentative design, by artist Linda Erzinger, calls for a horse with solar panels that will power a lamp in the horse's stomach. The lamp will shoot light out through holes drilled in the horse. The concept uses prisms and refraction to shine the light beams.

You can read more at: http://www.louisvilleky.gov/
Brightside/News/G2Arrival.htm

It is estimated that during the previous Gallopalooza round, about 250,000 people went on art tours, scavenger hunts, road races and other events to see the horses. We look forward to welcoming these visitors to our office during the display period, from March to October 2009. There will also be a children's coloring book, as well as a coffee table book and several civic events.

This time, it is hoped that about 200 new horses will adorn the streets of Louisville. Profits from the Gallopalooza horses benefit Operation Brightside.

Do You have a Pair of Back-up Glasses?

You are walking down the beach on vacation and decide you can’t resist the surf so you run and jump into the waves. When you come back up things are blurry. Oh no! You have lost your glasses in the water. You search in vain for them, but no glasses. Well it’s a good thing you brought your back-up pair of glasses…right? What a terrible time to find out that you should have bought a back-up pair.

A back-up pair of glasses serves an invaluable purpose. Accidents happen and children love to grab things that are shiny. Dogs often find them a delicacy and render them beyond repair. And the most vain contact lens wearer needs a pair of back-up glasses. What will you wear when the Doctor tells you that you have to come out of your contacts for awhile because you have an infection? Your eyes would also like a day off every now and then from that plastic blanket you cover them with 16 hours a day.

In addition to the obvious above there are many other uses for back-up pairs of glasses. Just a simple pair of reading glasses for the multifocal wearer may be just the thing when you are making your model airplanes or scrapbooking. A pair of computer glasses for work may be more comfortable than your everyday pair. Do you play sports? You don’t really want to wear your street glasses to play softball in do you? And if you wear contacts make sure to tell the Doctor to write you a spectacle prescription in addition to your contact lens Rx.

When you purchase your glasses or contact lenses at The Eye Care Institute you will receive a 20% discount on your Back-Up pair of glasses or sunglasses. Just see Nicole, Denise or Aaron in the Optical Shop at Story Ave. or Nancy at our Audubon location and they will take care of all your eyewear needs.

The Eye Care Institute is now "E Prescribing"

Congress and Medicare are strongly advocating new " E Prescribing" technology. During November, The Eye Care Institute has adopted E Prescribing as our new standard for prescription medication orders.

E Prescribing is an Internet based computer software system that links almost every doctor, hospital, nursing home and pharmacy into one central database. The idea is that by typing pharmaceutical prescriptions, there is less room for error due to sloppy handwriting. Further, the computer software is designed to gather the prescriptions written by all doctors, and send out a notice when there are two current prescriptions for the same patient which might cause an unhealthy interaction.

Patients don't need computer knowledge, or even computer access, to have E Prescribing work for them. The doctors, hospitals and pharmacies are sending the information regarding the prescription on the computer, rather than on the traditional paper prescription pads. Patients just need to tell their doctor the name and location of the preferred pharmacy, and the doctor will do the rest. At The Eye Care Institute, we will ask your preferred pharmacy when you register. Then, if the doctor writes a prescription for you, the doctor will confirm the name and location of your pharmacy. At check out, we will enter your prescription into the computer system. It will automatically go to the pharmacy of your choice. You will not need to take a paper prescription to the pharmacy. According to the schedule of your pharmacy, your medication will be ready for pickup per the orders we enter in into the computer.

For medication refills, please continue to contact your pharmacy. They will electronically notify us of your request, and we will respond accordingly.

Please remember this will not affect the medical care you receive. Only doctors make the recommendations to you about which medications are best for your health. Computers are not making these decisions. The computer is merely replacing the paper prescription pad.

As of this writing, we have filled over 200 prescriptions electronically, and without difficulty. We are confident you will be pleased with this new system.

E Prescribing only affects prescription medications (including eye drops, oral medications, ointments and sprays). It does not affect eyeglass prescriptions, contact lens prescriptions, or for other specialties of medicine, prescriptions for controlled substances.

If the other doctors who also provide your care have not yet started E Prescribing, you may find they soon will be doing so.