Are Generic Eye Drops the Same as Branded Eye Drops?

The short answer is: They have the same main ingredient in the same amount and concentration. The long answer adds: Nothing else in the bottle needs to be the same. So they might be equally effective as the branded, nearly as effective, or less effective than the branded.

It's much like comparing two different brands of vanilla ice cream. To be vanilla ice cream, it must contain vanilla. But every brand has a different recipe leading to subtle changes in texture and taste. Those subtle differences might affect the most important measurement: how much you like that ice cream. Likely, you have a real favorite, maybe Blue Bell, not just any generic vanilla ice cream.

Branded eye drops must go through a very expensive FDA approval process to get on the market. The reason the generics are less expensive is that they are required only to have the same concentration of the active ingredient. They do not have to prove they are as effective as the brand name. This makes for a difference in price and probable differences in effectiveness. Less effect is important in many patients and critical in some. Because neither you nor I have control over which generic is dispensed to you, control of your problem may vary over time.

Sometimes any vanilla ice cream is OK, but usually your favorite is best. Cost is important; so is proven effectiveness. Choose wisely. If you're experiencing chronic dry eye though, then make an appointment with your ophthalmologist to determine if you have dry eye disease.

What is Laser Cataract Surgery?

For more than 15 years, a few doctors have told their patients they were having laser cataract surgery. This was a simplification to avoid explaining the complex nature of the ultrasonic vacuum device used to remove the cataract. It was not a laser.

The Eye Clinic of Austin uses the LenSx femtosecond laser in cataract surgery. This allows us to make precise and reproducible incisions in the cornea, both to enter the eye and to reduce astigmatism; as well as inside the eye to open the lens capsule and break the lens into pieces for removal.

Surgeons have good hands, but no matter how good those hands are, the laser is more precise. This degree of precision leads to more predictable results from cataract surgery because it reduces some of the variables. The laser lens fragmentation reduces the amount of ultrasonic energy required to remove the cataract with phacoemulsification, which reduces the general irritation to the eye. Both of these improvements lead to better results and an increased chance that you will get the results you and your surgeon want.

If you need cataract surgery, contact the Eye Clinic Austin for your laser cataract surgeon.

What's Causing the Flashes of Light in Eyes?

The three most common explanations for seeing flashes of light include:

1. An ocular migraine.
2. A problem with the retina such as a tear or detachment.
3. A separation of the jelly-like fluid away from the retina called a Vitreous Detachment.

Most ocular migraines involve seeing a shimmering pattern from both eyes. This will last from 10 minutes to 30 minutes and then resolve.

With a retinal tear, sparks of light will be seen and will persist for a long time along with the sudden appearance of “floaters” or little black specks in the vision. Patients sometimes describe this as seeing a gnat or a spider web. It can be a line or a dot. Retinal tears are serious. They should be diagnosed and treated immediately to prevent a retinal detachment.

In the majority of cases, however, a person experiencing flashes of light has a condition that is not dangerous called Posterior Vitreous Detachment. In this, the jelly-like fluid in the back of the eye separates from the retina. This leads to a retinal tear in less than 2 percent of cases. Most flashing will stop, and floaters will diminish slowly.

The only way to know which condition applies to you is to have an exam with an eye specialist immediately.

Why You Should Consider LASIK

Austin is home to active residents who enjoy the outdoors: Biking, boating, camping, tennis, golf and horseback riding are all popular ways to enjoy all Central Texas has to offer. If you find contact lenses and glasses interfering with your outdoors fun, you might want to consider LASIK.

Of all the things that I do surgically, LASIK is the most accurate and the most consistent with the best results. Though some people are concerned about the cost of LASIK, it is less than the lifetime cost of glasses or contact lenses, and financing is available. After healing, your eyesight is normally stable for 10-20 years, depending on your age at the time of surgery.

We are still not able to make the cornea optically perfect, but we can consistently make your vision better than with glasses or contact lens correction. After surgery, more than 90 percent of patients will see 20 /20. The remaining 10 percent will see 20 /24 to 20 /40 and may opt for a touch-up procedure at no additional cost to get to 20/ 20.

LASIK addresses near-sightedness, astigmatism and far-sightedness. So if you are looking forward to a summer of outdoor activities on the lake, the tennis court or the links and find your contacts or glasses get in the way, consider LASIK surgery soon.

The Duties of a Doctor

When I attended my 40th reunion of my medical school class two weeks ago, I was reminded again in a most powerful and succinct way what it means to be a doctor.

Dr. Dan Foster, a world-renowned endocrinologist and teacher of medicine, gave a brief lecture about the ethics of medicine. In it he said that medical doctors have four duties. First, be competent. Second, cure disease and prevent it whenever possible. Third, treat symptoms when there is no cure. Fourth, comfort always.

We are committed to continually seeking new and better ways to cure and treat disease. The technological revolution in health care has brought the ability to see structures of the eye so clearly that we can detect disease at earlier stages than ever before. High-tech equipment like Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) wasn’t available 20 years ago and now I cannot imagine practicing without it. The duty of comfort was paraphrased to me once as: “Doc, they don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” And it remains true today.

It was wonderful to be brought to ponder the privileged and special relationship the physician has with his patients. I am so grateful to have the lessons learned as a medical student brought so clearly and forcefully forward into my life again.

When Red & Itchy Eyes May Be a Sign of Conjunctivitis

Red and itchy eyes may or may not be a sign of conjunctivitis – sometimes called “pink eye.” Conjunctivitis is an inflammation or infection of the thin tissue that covers the white portion of the eye (the “conjunctiva”) and lining of the eyelids. There are three types of conjunctivitis: viral, bacterial, and allergic.

Viral conjunctivitis is extremely itchy. It is not treated with medication, because it will run a definite and limited course without drugs. Bacterial conjunctivitis, on the other hand, improves with medication and will respond to antibiotics after three to four days. A warm, wet cloth held up to the affected eye for a few minutes may ease discomfort.

Both of these types of conjunctivitis ordinarily cause discharge and both are contagious.

Allergic conjunctivitis is an immune response to a foreign substance in the eye, such as pollen, mold, or dust. Another possible trigger may be contact lens wear, which causes “giant papillary conjunctivitis.” We treat most of these cases by suppressing the immune response with antihistamines or, in more severe cases, topical steroids. We ease discomfort with the use of artificial tears (which lubricate the eye) or the application of a cool, wet cloth. Allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious.

If your eyes are red and itchy, first see your eye doctor to determine whether or not you are contagious. Your doctor will tell you if you need a prescription and when you may return to work or school. Your doctor also will check to see whether your red eyes are a symptom of a more serious eye condition.

Certain Lens Technology Allows Advantages with Outdoor Activities

This beautiful spring weather has provided many of our patients with extra opportunities to enjoy (and sometimes become frustrated) by their favorite outdoor activities. Current lens technology allows multiple solutions for these challenges. 

We find that golf enthusiasts, especially those with decreasing midrange and near vision, need special progressive lenses. Those lenses maximize their peripheral and distance vision while providing clear vision at the tee. 

There are multiple spectacle and contact lens designs available that meet these requirements. Some golfers prefer polarized sun lenses, while others find these cause distortion in their peripheral field and prefer traditional tinted lenses in shades of amber and brown. Amber and brown lenses highlight subtle changes in topography on the green, helping the golfer to anticipate the path the ball will follow to the tee.
 
Monovision, a method of correcting one eye for distance and the other for near with contact lenses, may work well for a concert violinist, but not at all for a tennis or golf player who needs excellent depth perception. Creative flexible solutions are sometimes necessary. Great tools for maximum flexibility are press-on adds or clip-on sunglasses in multiple color tints. Gray for running in bright sunlight, polarized for fishing and flying, rose or red hued for relaxation are a few examples where clip-on options would be helpful in multi-sport situations. 

When you meet with your eye doctor, make sure to discuss your favorite activities so they may help you meet your personal goals. Within any sport are individual players with individual needs, and years of treating individuals has taught me the necessity of listening closely and exploring multiple options with each patient. Every patient is different and should be treated as such.