LITTLE ROCK — Regular eye exams help doctors catch eye problems early before a person loses a lot of vision or goes completely blind, said optometrist William Yoos, owner of Dr. Yoos Eye Care and Optical in Bella Vista.

"You can't stay independent in any society if you don't have good vision," he said. Medicare recommends a yearly eye exam, he added.

For example, eye doctors want to find glaucoma - an eye condition in which the pressure in the eye is either too high or, in rare cases, too low - and start treatment as soon as possible before patients lose any vision, Yoos explained. It's a very treatable condition, he said.

Patients take medicine once a day to control the pressure and keep their vision healthy.

Another problem found in many seniors is macular degeneration, he said.

"Age-related macular degeneration is a disease associated with aging that gradually destroys sharp, central vision," according to the National Eye Institute's Web site, www.nei.nih.gov/health/ maculardegen. "Central vision is needed for seeing objects clearly and for common daily tasks, such as reading and driving."

If people live long enough, they will develop cataracts, Yoos said. Surgery to cor-rect the condition has come a long way. It is now sameday surgery, the optometrist said.

Some people may be candidates for multifocal lens implants so they can see both near and far. Yoos monitors a patient's vision and decides when it's time for their lenses to be removed and replaced with implants.

Often, other diseases - such as diabetes - can affect a person's vision. The eyesight of a person with uncontrolled diabetes can fluctuate.

If Yoos suspects diabetes after listening to and examining a patient, he refers the patient to a physician.

Once Yoos knows what's wrong with a person's vision, he has a host of new technological breakthroughs to treat vision problems.

No-line multifocal eyeglass lenses make it easier for people to work up close and see far away.

An improvement on the no-line lens is the free-form or digital progressive multifocal lens. It has a wider field for reading or close work with much less distortion, he said.

Yoos' own choice for dealing with near and far vision is orthokeratology.

He wears contact lenses at night that reshape his corneas. During the day, he doesn't have to wear either contact lenses or glasses.

People often forget about sunglasses, which are very important because by wearing them, people may delay the development of cataracts, Yoos said. Hereminded people they can get no-line multifocal lenses in their sunglasses so they can read maps while on trips.

Before deciding whether people need glasses, no-line bifocals, contact lenses or other vision solutions, Yoos needs to know the person's occupation and what hobbies they enjoy, such as golfing, boating, cards or quilting.

He and his staff have to visit with the patient so they can determine what vision solutions will work best for each individual.

To provide the best care, Yoos has a staff of 10 employees. "They are a wonderful staff," he said. "We have great teamwork."

For more information or for an appointment, call 876-2020.

News, Pages 22, 20 on 09/09/2009

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