Family EyeCare Clinic named Willoughby Chamber's Distinguished Business of 2010
Owner Brian Kane, O.D, accepts award on behalf of entire staff.
Family Eyecare Clinic in Willoughby has been named Distinguished Business of 2010 by the Willoughby Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Brian Kane established the clinic in 1999 by merging two eye clinics, including one in Willoughby established by Dr. Ed Friedman in 1969. Accepting this award, Dr. Kane said,
“This award validates the risk I took making that move a decade ago. It's a strong indication that the work we did in the beginning has really paid off. Receiving this was surprising, It's not like we're the big manufacturer that employs 150 people, but we do go out into our community and reach out to our people."
Chamber Executive Director Nikki Matala said,
“Family Eyecare continues to grow. Dr. Kane is not only a wonderful optometrist, but he also leads a staff of caring eye professionals. He doesn't turn away people who can't afford care, and (he) serves children and the elderly. He has a great commitment to providing care to the community."
Kane personally gives back to his community by coaching the Mayfield Greencats youth soccer team and serving as the club treasurer, as well as volunteering the Family Eyecare Clinic to provide care to area residents through the Lions Club's District 13C, which serves the Cleveland and Akron areas. Additionally, his company provides in-home service to elderly and disabled patients, as needed.
"There's nothing better than giving, and that really is special to me," Kane said. "Since community service is a deciding factor for who wins chamber awards, this really shows appreciation to those who volunteer and give back to the community."
Kane also said, “It's pretty clear to me that our success as a Willoughby business and medical practice comes from the dedication of our staff. Without their professional and personal actions each day, we would not have succeeded, and so I'd to thank them all and include them in this award.”  Thank you to the News-Herald for content.

Eye-Check Action Advisory #3
Don't let the economy ruin your eyes!  Putting off your yearly eye exam can cost you – in money and loss of vision.
Cash is short these days, and prices are rising –so we put some things off. But there are three things you should not put off –

• Good food for your family.
• Making sure your car is safe to drive.
• Your medical, dental, and eye exams.

Brian Kane, O.D., of The Family EyeCare Clinic in Willoughby and Painesville, Ohio, says,
“The economy is tough on everyone – but I can see by my appointment schedule that so many parents and older adults are making sure that they come in for that annual checkup. I'm especially proud of the parents who don't have insurance who make sure their kids show up in my office every year. I know it's a sacrifice, but they do it anyway. God bless them!”
Children and older adults especially should come in for their painless, 20 minute exam every year. For both groups, eyesight can change quickly. Children may need glasses to do well in school, and for older adults, some eye diseases show no symptoms except permanent sight loss. Catching problems early saves money and eyesight.
And as for sight-saving glasses: it just makes sense to buy them (on discount, if possible!) to protect your eyes from damage in work and sports, as well as from UV rays this summer. The alternative – lost sight – is far more expensive.
Look at your budget – and make sure you're paying for essentials before non-essentials. Put your food, car, and medical/dental/eye doctor expenses up front. And make those appointments – for car, and for yourself!
Dr. Kane also said,
“Taking care of the important things first sets a good example for the next generation. Save a lot of money you'd spend on eye problems tomorrow by investing a little today on eye health. It just makes good sense for ourselves and our children.”

Keep your eyes in the shade when you're out in the sun!
Overexposure to UV Rays Can Lead to Eye Diseases
With the ozone layer still thinning and summer coming on, protecting your eyes from ultraviolet rays from the sun becomes more important. So whenever you protect your skin from the sun, you should also protect your eyes. Make it a habit: sunscreen AND eyescreens, whether you wear contacts or regular frames. Full Article Here pdf
 

News-Herald Article -
Dr Kane - Undiagnosed eye problems could lead to disruptive behaviors and academic failure.
By Nick Carrabine @News-Hearld  (9/15/2010)
When Brian Kane was a student, he didn’t complain about his vision because he didn’t know any better. Later, it was discovered he had a binocular vision problem, something that school screening visions never tested for. Kane, who is now an optometrist with offices in Painesville and Willoughby, says this is a problem that occurs frequently with young students and if vision problems go undiagnosed, it could lead to disruptive behaviors and academic failure. The American Optometric Association has reported that the majority of children identified as “problem learners” suffer from undiagnosed visual problems. While many schools do vision screenings, there are many problems that can still go unnoticed without a complete eye exam from a professional eye doctor. Kane said the connection between poor eye sight and poor behavior is significant as 80 percent of a student’s learning comes from vision.
“Students aren’t able to keep up with classwork,” he said. “They are spending more time trying to see rather than try to understand what was just written down for them on the chalkboard. “If they can’t see that chalkboard more clearly and process information in a timely fashion, that is when they start falling behind and lose interest. They don’t excel in school as well as they can.” Kane said following school vision screenings, about 40 percent of students are referred to a professional eye doctor. Schools do what is mandated by the state but the vision screenings tend to be pretty laxed, Kane said. “The schools are doing what they are supposed to be doing but it is not an alternative to a comprehensive eye exam,” he said. “We test for a lot more issues.”
School vision screenings generally do not test for the health of eyes such as signs of retina detachments, tears or holes. They also don’t generally check for binocular vision problems, Kane said.

Optometrists hope that more awareness will be brought to the issue of eye health and it’s importance with students’ learning capabilities. Professional eye exams range anywhere from $65 to $150 with the average exam costing about $75, Kane said.
“If a child is not at their best advantage of being able to see clearly and quickly as possible then parents are putting their child at a disadvantage,” he said. “We have the opportunity to catch these things longs before they become a problem. The sooner you get your child checked out, the better off they’ll be. Kane said each child should be checked once before they turn 1 year old, then again at 3 years old and again before they start school at the age of 4 or 5. From there, doctors will determine whether a child should return within 12, 18 or 24 months although Kane prefers each child get an eye exam once a year.
“A lot of kids fall through the cracks around the time they get to junior high school,” he said. “People assume by the time a student is 11 or 12 years old they should be able to tell someone they have blurry vision or aren’t seeing things properly but quite frankly a child that age don’t realize they have a problem.
“As a child, you don’t know any better whether your vision is supposed to be better or not,” he added.

Diet for macular degeneration

HealthDay (5/15, McKeever) reported that, according to a study published in the May issue of the journal Ophthalmology, "eating foods rich in vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, omega-3 fatty acids, and that have less impact on blood sugar levels (so-called low-glycemic index foods) can lower the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD)." For the study, researchers from Tufts University's Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging analyzed "the eating habits of more than 4,000 study participants and determining their AMD risk from diagnostic photographs of their eyes." The investigators "found the lowest risk of developing early and advanced AMD was among people who consumed more protective nutrients and low-glycemic index foods." HealthDay noted that "citrus fruits, vegetable oils, nuts, whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables, and cold-water fish contain higher levels of these eye-healthy nutrients."
 

New study points out dangers of ordering contact lenses online

A new research study shows that individuals who order contact lenses online are less likely to follow proper lens care practices. This may lead to eye health problems. Read the story here: http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=807225