Win a FREE IPod during our Patient Appreciation Event at our Sawgrass Mills Mall / Sunrise Location – Nov 13, 14, 15th !

Join Us THIS WEEKEND – Fri, Sat and Sun – Nov 13th, 14th and 15th for our Patient Appreication Event and the Lenscrafters Customer Appreciation Event.

We will be giving raffle tickets to EVERYONE who comes in for an eye examination during the event.  One lucky person who gets an eye exam with the lucky raffle ticket  will win a FREE IPod!!!

If it has been more than 12 months since you have seen an Eye Doctor….then NOW is the time to get your eyes examined!!  Many eye diseases – like glaucoma, retinal detachments, retinal tears, eye tumors etc –  do not cause symptoms so, it is very important to get your eyes examined yearly.  Come in to see an Optometrist  here at Visionary Eyecare this weekend – and you may win a FREE IPod! To schedule an eye exam online  – CLICK HERE !!  Or call us at 954-851-9949 to schedule your eye exam at our Sunrise / Sawgrass Mills Mall location for this special event.

LensCrafters will be giving away FREE Designer Eyeglasses and FREE Designer Sunglasses all weekend.  They will also be offering 60% OFF of their lenses with the purchase of a frame.   And right now – they are also running a GREAT clearance event – with 50% OFF select complete pairs of frames and lenses – see store for details.

EVERYONE who comes into the Sawgrass Mills  LensCrafters during the event will also be given a FREE GIFT – just for stopping by!  There will also be FREE food, FREE refreshments and also FREE vision screenings during the Patient and Customer Appreication event – THIS WEEKEND – Nov 13, 14, 15  2009.

We are located INSIDE the Sawgrass Mills Mall – in between JCPenny and BrandSmart.

YouTube Video Patient Testimonial: Susan Scott

Susan Scott is a local artist and patient of Dr Dawn Bearden at Visionary Eyecare (The Indepenedent Doctor of Optometry Next to Lenscrafters) in Pembroke Pines.  She had previously always had a problem finding an eye doctor who could address all of her creative and artistic visual needs.

One day she was having problems doing an art project and her friend, Evelyn (who is an artist and a patient of Dr Bearden) recommended that Susan go to see Dr Dawn Bearden.

This is Susan’s story…

While Susan and Evelyn were doing an art project together  –  Susan had THREE pairs of glasses in front of her and still seemed to be having difficulty seeing what she was doing.  None of the glasses seemed to meet her artistic visual needs.  She felt that she just could not find an Eye Doctor that could give her a prescription that would allow her to see clearly enough to create her art.

After Susan was recommended to Optometrist,  Dr Dawn Bearden, from her friend, Evelyn, she realized that Dr Bearden is ALSO an artist.  Evelyn originally met Dr Bearden Evelyn because Evelyn was teaching Dr Bearden how to make stained glass art at her store – Glass By Design.  Dr Bearden is also passionate about photography.  Dr Bearden started taking pictures around age 12 when she was in middle school, she had minored in Photography in College and also had recently attended the Ft Lauderdale Art Institute for Photography.   For as long as she can remember – Dr Bearden has ALWAYS had a camera in her hand.  Susan felt a connection with Dr Bearden because she felt that they were both artistic and creative individuals.   She felt at ease because she knew that THIS particular Doctor would understand her specific visual needs.

After the eye exam, Susan was very happy with the thoroughness of the eye examination.  She FINALLY received a glasses prescription that met ALL of her artistic visual needs and she was impressed that the Doctor answered all of her questions in a very clear manner in which Susan could completely understand.

Susan recently moved to Washington, DC – BUT, she still plans yearly trips to South Florida so she can come to Visionary Eyecare and see Dr Dawn Bearden for her annual eye exam.

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Video Testimonial: Starlene Carter Talks About How A Routine Eye Exam Pupillary Dilation Saved Her Vision

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Starlene Carter came into Visionary Eyecare (Next to Lenscrafters) in Pembroke Pines in January 2001.  She was in the area and decided to stop in to schedule an eye examination for herself the following week.   She was not intending to get an eye exam that day – her plans were to spend that day shopping!

Our Office Manager, Carol Marsh, was there that day and convinced Starlene to go ahead and get her eye exam that same day since the office was not busy and the Doctor (Dr Dawn Bearden) would be able to see her right away.  Starlene agreed but, was insistent that she would NOT have her pupils dilated that day.  Her shopping was waiting and she did not want to “mess up her day” with that “dilation thing”.  Carol told her that the Doctor would talk to her during the exam about the importance of dilation.  Still Starlene would just not be convinced….

When Starlene met Dr Bearden for the first time – Dr Bearden began to explain and stress the importance of pupillary dilation.  Dr Bearden  explained that this was Starlene’s  first eye exam in our Visionary Eyecare office, there could be a multitude of eye diseases or problems that Starlene may be unaware of (because most eye problems do NOT cause any symptoms like blurry vision, headache, eye pain etc) and that Dr Bearden may NOT be able to detect these issues if Starlene did not allow the Doctor to dilate her pupils.  Dr Bearden also explained that Florida laws requires your Optometrist to dilate your pupils on the initial eye exam when you have an eye exam with a new Optometrist.  Reluctantly…..VERY reluctantly….Starlene finally agreed.

This simple decision absolutely saved Starlene’s vision.

During the eye exam, all seemed very normal.  Starlene had no family history of eye disease, she was able to see 20/20 in each eye with her new glasses prescription, she had NO eye pain, NO headaches, NO discomfort, her eye pressures were normal, her blood pressure was normal, good color vision etc.  But, when Dr Dawn Bearden dilated Starlene’s pupils – she saw 2 very LARGE retinal tears (retinal detachments) in Starlene’s right eye that posed a HUGE threat to Starlene’s vision in her right eye.  These tears could have eventually caused blindness in her eye had they not been detected during the dilation and then properly treated.

Immediately,  Dr Bearden called Dr Jay Levy – who is a local ophthalmologist who specializes in surgery of the retina.  Dr Bearden sent Starlene to see Dr Levy – who did surgery on Starlene’s right eye to repair the retinal tears in her right eye.

Starlene is now a loyal patient of Dr Dawn Bearden’s. She is still able to see 20/20 in each eye and has had no further problems from the retinal tears that were surgically repaired by Dr Levy.  Each and every year during her routine eye exam with Dr Bearden, you can find Starlene out in the waiting room telling her story to ALL of the other patients in the office.  She does a GREAT job in educating people and everyone that she comes in contact with about the importance of yearly eye examinations and the VITAL importance of pupillary dilation.

It saved Starlene’s vision…..and it can do the same for you and for the people in your life who come in for their annual eye exam!

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Eye Charts for Children

Allen Picture Eye Chart

Around 10 million school children in America have vision conditions that can negatively affect learning. This can be prevented by taking kids to get their first formal eye exam with an Eye Dr in an Eye Clinic BEFORE they enter school.  A child’s first eye test with an Eye Doctor should be done between ages 3 and 4.  At Visionary Eyecare in Pembroke Pines, Sunrise (Next to Lenscrafters) and Davie (Next to Pearle Vision) – our Optometrists, Dr Bearden, Dr Tenn and Dr McCulloh,  begin to see children at age 4.

Allen Picture Cards

A child does NOT need to be able to verbalize or know their alphabet for the examiner to perform a comprehensive eye examination.

There are numerous eye charts for children!!

Lea Flip Chart

Allen and Lea charts have pictures or shapes on them that youngsters can identify.   The Broken wheel chart allows the child to tell the examiner which wheel on the car is “broken” .  The Tumbling E chart (also known as the illiterate chart) allows a child to just POINT in the direction that the “legs of the E” are pointing in.

Allen Picture Eye Chart

Often our children can not express to us when they are having problems with their vision.  They may not even realize that they are experiencing vision problems.   Sometimes children will try to compensate for vision issues by closing one eye, rubbing their eyes excessively, squinting, skipping over words or loose their place  when they are reading.

Kids may start having difficulty in school due to an “unknown” reason.  A recent study indicated that up to 60 percent of youngsters that have been identified as “problem learners” or “learning disorder” actually suffer from an undetected visual condition.

Tumbling E Eye Chart

A vision problem is not suspected in many children because they were able to pass the school vision screening or the pediatrician vision screening.  These children may still have visual issues but, they were not detected on the screening.  Only a comprehensive eye exam, done by an Eye Doctor (Optometrist or Ophthalmologist) will be able to detect subtle vision problems.

Broken Wheel Eye Test

Vision issues need to be detected and corrected before age 7 to prevent lifelong problems such as lazy eye (amblyopia), eye turn (strabismus), learning disabilities and behavior problems.

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Testimonial: Patient – Judy McNab – Looses Glasses, Gets Eye Exam in Pembroke Pines and Dr Dawn Bearden Finds A Tumor in Her Left Eye

Judy McNab shares her full story

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Judy McNab never really felt the need for yearly eye examinations until she started to need glasses in her 40’s and 50’s.  Like most people, she thought she did not need to see an eye doctor if she did not need to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses.

One day she came into Visionary Eyecare in Pembroke Pines for an eye exam because she lost her glasses.  She was not having any problems with her eyes, no eye pain or pressure, no headaches, no vision problems….nothing.  She just wanted to quickly get an eye examination so she could get a new prescription to buy a new pair of glasses at Lenscrafters.

During the eye exam at Visionary Eyecare  (the Independent Doctors of Optometry next to Lenscrafters in Pembroke Pines),  Judy was able to see 20/20 in the examination room, her eyes looked perfectly healthy during the dilated retinal examination and also on the digital photographs taken of the inside of Judy’s eyes.   During the examination, Eye Doctor –  Dr Dawn Bearden recommended that Judy get a visual field (peripheral vision) test as a baseline – because Judy was over the age of 40 (much like a baseline mammogram is done at age 40) .  This test is an advanced test that is not part of the routine eye examination and would take extra time and cost Judy extra money (unfortunately – unlike a baseline mammogram-  most medical insurances and vision plans and will NOT pay for this preventative testing as a baseline).  At first, Judy did not want to take the time to do the additional test but Dr Bearden explained that visual field testing could uncover early and subtle eye health issues that sometimes a routine eye exam could not.  Judy was convinced and did the additional visual field test… and the results came back positive – TWICE.

Dr Bearden immediately referred Judy to an ophthalmologist for a secondary evaluation. At first,  Judy did not really want to see the ophthalmologist…..she kept telling Doctor Bearden that her vision was fine and she was not having any problems or symptoms….but, Dr Bearden INSISTED that she go for the secondary evaluation.   Judy did see the ophthalmologist, who then referred her to Bascom Palmer in Miami to see an eye doctor that specializes in eye tumors and eye cancer.

Judy was diagnosed with a tumor in her left eye and had laser treatment to help destroy the tumor in her left eye.  This was in 2005.  Now in 2009 Judy still has good vision in her left eye (she is able to see 20/25 in that eye).  Luckily, the tumor did not spread to anywhere else in her body and the surgeon was able to treat the tumor without having to remove Judy’s eye.

Judy shares her experience in the above and below videos.  She reminds us all that YEARLY eye exams are very important to help detect eye health issues that you may be unaware of… since many eye health issues DO NOT CAUSE SYMPTOMS and can only be detected by a COMPREHENSIVE eye exam.

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Judy McNab – short video testimonial

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These videos and many more educational videos and testimonials can be found on the Visionary Eyecare YouTube Channel…..CLICK HERE to check it out!

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Patient Testimonial – Erik Nunez

Erik Nunez is a South Florida resident and was a patient of Dr Dawn Bearden a few years ago in the Pembroke Pines office. When he was due for his last eye exam he just happened to be out of the country and visiting his family in Argentina. Erik had his eye examination from an eye doctor in Argentina and was never able to see out of his glasses very well.

He returned to Dr Bearden to “get fixed” and here is his video testimonial (also available on our Visionary Eyecare YouTube Channel).

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Video – 2008 Eye Q Survey Shows That Most Americans Are Unaware That An Eye Exam Can Detect Signs Of Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, MS, Brain Tumors and More…

The above video is a report of the Annual AOA (American Optometric Association) American Eye Q  Survey for 2008.

It states that 81% of Americans wear contact lenses, eyeglasses or both.

Unfortunatley 26% of them have not visited their Optometrist or other eye doctor in 2 or more years.

Many eye care professionals – including each Eye Doctor at Visionary Eyecare in Pembroke Pines, Davie and Sunrise –  strongly recommend that you have a yearly eye exam because most eye and vision problems cause NO obvious signs or symptoms.  Often there can be a serious eye health problem such as a retinal hole, retinal tear, glaucoma, eye cancer, tumors in or behind the eyes  and many more that often Do NOT cause any noticeable vision blur, headaches, eye pain, eye pressure etc. Frequently these conditions easily go by unnoticed and you are unaware that there is any problem or issue without having a comprehensive eye exam done by your eye doctor.

Unfortunately, most Americans are unaware that eye examinations can detect more than just vision and eye health problems.  Through comprehensive eye exams and optometrist can detect signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, brain tumors, cancer, heart and cardiovascular problems, high cholesterol, Mutliple Sclerosis (MS) and more…

For more information – visit www.AOA.org

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A Child’s FIRST Eye Exam …… Featured Patient: Jacob

Jacob in the Eye Exam Room

Jacob is 5 years old. He came in today for his VERY FIRST eye examination.

Last year he saw his Pediatrician for a vision screening but, he was not too cooperative when it was time to read the eye chart so they really did not have any idea about the clarity of his right eye. This year he went to Kindergarten and had a vision screening. That day mom got a note back that he failed and needed to see an eye doctor.

Jake Having Fun at Visionary Eyecare

He came into Visionary Eyecare ( the Independent Doctors of Optometry Next to Pearle Vision in Davie) for his first eye exam. During his vision test we noticed that Jake could see fairly well with his left eye but, he was only able to see 20/80 (eight lines WORSE than 20/20) with his right eye. During the eye exam, Dr Bearden found that Jake has a high prescription in his right eye and was using only his left eye to see with. His right eye is a lazy eye (amblyopia) and is not able to be corrected to 20/20 – even WITH a glasses prescription.

But the good news is that a child’s visual system is not completely developed until around age 7. So he can still adapt to changes in the clarity of his vision – he is more likely to have great success with his new glasses and possible vision therapy to strengthen that vision in his right eye!

Jake Give Us the Thumbs UP!!!

So, Jake’s eyes are still growing and developing and with the proper glasses and visual therapy – hopefully, he will be able to get the vision in his right eye to be a lot better than 20/80….maybe even as good as 20/20.

The key learning for parents is to have your child’s eyes examined with a comprehensive eye examination as early as possible – by an Eye Doctor.

Jacob Gets Measured for His New Glasses

Jake Plays Star Wars

Jake Models His Frame Choice

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Jake Returns to Pick up his new glasses….just in time for Thanksgiving!!

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Child Eye Exam Prior to Entering School – New Eye Exam Law in Illinois

Kudos to Illinois for leading the way in children’s vision care!!!

Illinois recently passed a law that intends for ALL children to receive a comprehensive eye examination from an Eye Doctor before entering school – so no child from Illinois will fall between the cracks of the “vision screen” system.   Here in South Florida at Visionary Eyecare, we see WAY too many children that have significant visual problems that were simply NOT picked up on these school or pediatrician vision screenings.   When a child has a vision problem and it is not detected and treated early enough – this can lead to a LIFETIME of vision problems.

Please click on the above picture to sign a petition to fully support this legistlation by incorporating a Vision First Exam Form.  This exam form will insure that the children are receiving very thorough and comprehensive eye exams from an Eye Dr  before they attend school.

We want to support Illinois  every step of the way so hopefully they will support Florida on day in passing similar legislation one day for our children!!

CLICK HERE TO SIGN PETITION

For more information please visit:

Vision First Foundation: http://www.visionfirstfoundation.org/

Janet’s Journal BLOG: http://janetsjournalblog.com/

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Lite 101.5 FM Radio Broadcast this Saturday – August 23rd!!

Pearle Vision and Visionary Eyecare (Independent Doctors of Optometry Next to Pearle Vision) will be hosting a  LIVE Radio Remote Broadcast with Lite 101.5 FM from our office in Davie on this Saturday … August 23rd … from 10am until 12 noon.

Click HERE to see our Community Events link on www.litemiami.com …

Be sure to listen to Lite 101.5 FM between 10am and 12 noon and then stop by our office because the radio station will have the Lite 101.5 FM Station Vehicle out in our parking lot and they will have a Prize Wheel and will be giving away Door Prizes!! Pearle Vision will also be kicking off their amazing 25-70% off Non-Prescription SUNGLASS SALE….including some awesome designer frames from Prada, Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, Ray Ban, DKNY, Burberry, Ralph Lauren and more!!

Stop by or call our office (954-434-9045) to BOOK an eye exam in our Davie office (Next to Pearle Vision) anytime on Saturday August 23rd and receive our FREE Promotional Gift to YOU! Any appointments that are BOOKED on that day (in person or on the phone – 954-434-9045) will receive a complimentary FREE Digital Retinal Photograph when you come in for your eye exam!!

The Retina is the nerve tissue that lines the inside your eye and is responsible for your vision and it is important to have a photograph of it to help detect any eye health problems that you may not be aware of.

The eye exam does NOT need to be DONE on Saturday….to get the FREE Retinal Photograph as your Promotional Gift, for this promotion – the exam just needs to be BOOKED anytime on Saturday.

Our Davie office is located at 5780 S University Drive in Davie – it is on the North East corner of University and Stirling, in front of the Super Target and across the street from Home Depot.  We are in between Jamba Juice and Pollo Tropical.  CLICK HERE to see a map.

Again, the digital retinal photograph is our FREE PROMOTIONAL GIFT TO YOU (this is a $25 value) for stopping by or calling us (954-434-9045) anytime on Saturday August 23rd to BOOK your eye examination in our Davie Office (Next to Pearle Vision)!!

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THIS SATURDAY!!!

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Online Eye Test: Find Your Blind Spot in Each Eye!

Everyone has a BLIND SPOT in their vision of each eye.

Take this FUN test to check it out for yourself !!

Look at graphic of the cross and the circle at the top of this post.

Sit at your computer with your nose pointing in between the cross and the black circle.

Cover your LEFT eye and stare at the cross with your RIGHT eye.

Now SLOWLY move towards the computer screen while still staring at the cross with your RIGHT eye.

At somewhere around 10-14 inches from the computer screen – the black circle will disappear and the area where the black circle was…will now be all white – this is your BLIND SPOT.

If you move closer to the screen or farther away –  the circle will re-appear.  At just the right distance – the circle will disappear.

Now try the OTHER eye…but this time cover your RIGHT eye and look at the CIRCLE with your LEFT eye…..move closer and you will see that the CROSS now disappears!!

Your eye has an inner lining which is made of a sheet of nerves.  This sheet of nerves is responsible for your vision and what you see and it is called the RETINA.  There is a “hole” in the sheet where the Optic Nerve enters the eye.  This area is called the Optic Nerve Head.

Photoreceptors are cells in the retina that detect light and allow you to perceive “vision”.  On the optic nerve head there are NO photoreceptors.  Thus, there is no light or vision detected at this spot in the retina.  This is your “Blind Spot”.  Every eye has a blind spot….your blind spot in your right eye is slightly on your right and your blind spot in your left eye is slightly on your left.

Your brain automatically “fills in” the blind spot area for you…..

Now try it AGAIN with the above green and yellow graphic….but this time you will notice that when you move to just the right distance , the circle will disappear and your brain will fill in your blind spot WITH YELLOW when you are looking with your right eye (left eye covered)….and your brain will fill in your blind spot WITH GREEN when you are looking with your left eye (right eye covered)!!  Your brain automatically matches the surrounding colors when it “fills in” visual information for you.

Cool huh??

Your brain can even “fill in” missing information for you…..in the above graphic, you’ll notice that when you cover your left eye and look at the cross with your right eye – the brain will “fill in” your blind spot (the area where the circle is).  You will see that your brain fills in the line for you.  Keep looking at the cross – don’t look back at the circle – or you will will see the circle again.

Try it AGAIN with the above graphic while looking at the cross with your right eye (cover your left eye) – your brain will put a red circle where your blindspot is….it is “filling in” the “missing information” !!

Amazing.

Graphics from Serendip….check out their very informative  website at http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/blindspot1.html

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YouTube Video: If You Don’t Have Any Vision Problems…Why Should You See an Eye Doctor?

You don’t have any vision problems….your vision is perfect……so why should you get your eyes examined yearly…or at all??  Do you know anyone who has really good eyesight…and feels that there is no reason to go to the eye doctor because they don’t need eyeglasses??

Well, the above YouTube video is for YOU and THEM!

A common misconception is that the only reason to see an eye doctor is to get some glasses, contacts or to get their prescription updated.  Does this sound familiar??

A comprehensive eye exam is MOSTLY about checking the HEALTH of your eyes.  A lot of eye health problems – diseases and disorders of the eyes (like glaucoma, retinal holes and tears etc) – do NOT cause any kind of symptoms (like blurred vision, headaches, pain, feelings of “pressure” in and around eyes etc…).

Just because you can see clearly, see colors correctly and don’t notice any vision problems does not necessarily mean that your eyes are healthy.

Did you know that a comprehensive eye exam can ALSO provide early detection of some SYSTEMIC problems.  All sorts of systemic problems – like Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Brain Tumors etc….can be detected during a comprehensive eye exam. If your eye doctor suspects that you may have a systemic problem then, he or she can refer you to your primary care doctor for further evaluation and testing to determine if you have the systemic disease.

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