LAST DAY TO ORDER FOR HALLOWEEN IS OCT 26, 2011! CALL US ASAP.

Wild Eyes speciality color contacts are available in 11 different special effect contact lens colors that are the perfect way to dress up your eyes for Halloween with colors such as the white out, red hot and vampire designs.

These novelty Wildeyes color contact lenses are made of a soft plastic that is comfortable, fun to wear, and sure to attract the attention of those around you. But importantly they are safe and have the backing of CibaVision the makers of Focus Dailies and Ciba Night and Day contat lenses. Have fun even if it isn’t Halloween.

These crazy colored contact lenses come in most prescriptions and are also available without a prescription. In either case, a valid contact lens fitting is required to insure the health and correct vision of the eyes. Because these contact lenses are custom, in some cases it takes up to 2 weeks to receive them. So please give us a call asap if you are interested.

Ciba Vision’s Wild Eye contacts come in a variety of designs: Alien, Black Out, Cat Eye, Hypnotica, Ice Fire, Jaguar, Knock Out, Red Hot, White Out, Wild Fire, Zebra, and Zoomin. The most popular color designs seem to be red contacts, white contacts, and black contacts.

Many wonder if they can use an eyeglass prescription to purchase or buy these special cosmetic contacts. Unfortunately, the eyeglass prescription and the contact lens specification is not the same. Also you need to be evaluated and fitted for contacts and given instructions on the care and handling of these specialty colored lenses so that you do not damage your eyes.

Dr. Fouad Melamed, optometrist in Los Angeles, loves fitting these throughout the year for actors and actresses and for the general public every October. Contact us with questions!

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Most contact lenses are worn to improve vision. A thorough examination by a contact lens optometrist will ensure that the lens prescription will be correct. In addition to vision correction, Dr. Melamed will also examine the eyes to match the patient to the right contact lens product. There are many different types of contact products available. If you have tried contacts before and have had less than optimal results, talk with Dr. Melamed. You may have just tried the wrong lens.

Some of the more complex problems that Dr. Melamed works with include high astigmatism fits, multifocal contact lenses for patients over 40, and contacts for patients with irregular corneas after Lasik surgery. Another cornea problem that Dr. Melamed fits contacts for is keratoconus.

Astigmatism contacts in the past have had mixed results for patients. The technology has vastly improved and now wide arrays of contacts are available to correct astigmatism. Did you know the blurry vision that astigmatism causes is one of the most frequent cause of appointments to see the eye care professional? Astigmatism comes in varying degrees from very mild to severe. Dr. Melamed will examine your eyes and discuss with you the best contact lens for the clearest vision possible.

The summertime seems to be hard on our eyes with all the blooming trees, flowers and grasses. Depending upon the allergen, irritation can start in early spring and continue on through the first really cold weather in fall. Your optometrist can provide the medication to make allergy season bearable.

Dry eyes are also a cause for red eyes. You may have tried several treatments at home without much success for dry eyes. Some patients think this is really not a problem that is serious enough to go see the optometrist for. However, the truth is, your optometrist can prescribe the correct lubricating drops that will finally provide relief.

Pink eye is a highly contagious disease that may need antibiotic treatment to be resolved. Pink eye is commonly seen in children and spreads rapidly as it is hard to keep kids from sharing the bacteria. However, adults can also have pink eye, especially if they have been exposed to a child who has the disease. Viral infections can also cause eyes to be red. Your optometrist can make a proper diagnosis and start the proper treatment

Another cause of red eyes is blepharitits. This is an infection of the skin around the eye lashes. Lashes may be crusty or you may notice little white specks at the base of the lashes. Some patients complain of greasy lashes. Your optometrist can help you get rid of this problem which can be especially troublesome if you wear contact lenses.

Eye redness can also be caused by sunburn to the face and eyes. This can be very painful. Foreign substances in the eye at the beach can also cause a whole myriad of problems. From misplaced sunscreen, especially from the spray bottles to abrasions from sand, there are lots of reasons for eyes to be red. If you have any question about the cause of the redness of the eyes or how to handle an issue, call your optometrist. It is much easier to prevent an issue from getting out of hand, than trying to resolve the problem after the fact.

Contact lens over use can cause eyes to be red. Changing contact lens solutions can also cause red eyes. Usually these are easy to treat but there can also be more serious conditions that occur with contact lens over use. If your symptoms persist for more than a day or two, see your eye care professional.

Rarely does glaucoma come on quickly, but when it does it is a true emergency. Symptoms include eye redness, pain and visual disturbances. If you have any of these symptoms call your optometrist immediately.

Seeing your optometrist for red eyes can save you time and money. Trying over the counter treatments can be expensive, especially if the treatment does not work. Let your eye care professional treat the cause of the problem and resolve the issue. Prompt treatment is key to keeping your eyes healthy.

However, we often neglect protecting our eyes from the bright rays of the sun. We should be wearing protective eyewear from the sun year around and summertime is a great reminder of that fact.  Those strong summer rays tend to make people more aware of the need for sunglasses. Now is the time to see your eye care professional and get a new pair of sun glasses.

Why is eye protection from the sun so important? Aside from seeing things better with polarizing lenses, why should you go to the trouble of making that appointment? First of all, it sunglasses help prevent facial wrinkles. There are also several conditions that have been strongly linked to eyes that are exposed to the sun without any protection.

Cataracts affect over 22 million Americans. Reducing the eyes exposure to the sun can help prevent cataract formation. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye that progress slowly. Left untreated blindness may be the end result. There are several treatments for cataracts, but the best cure is prevention.

The cornea of the eye can actually be sun burned. Just like a burn that occurs on the skin, this is very painful and can leave permanent damage. At the very least, this will make for a pretty miserable day or two. A pair of good fitting sunglasses with adequate tinting is the best prevention especially when paired with a wide brimmed hat.

The eye and the skin around the eye can also be damaged by the sun’s rays to the point that skin cancer develops. The most serious of these cancers is melanoma. This cancer can be deadly and is the one most associated with UV exposure. This serious condition needs to be treated immediately. Here is a link to help identify the warning sings of melanoma of the eye. 

Pterygium is another growth that affects the eyes. This condition is usually non-cancerous but can be severe enough to require treatment. The cause is not absolutely known, but there does seem to be a correlation between sun and wind exposure to the eye. Again, sunglasses will help prevent this condition with both sun protection and also as a wind block for the eyes.

There is also speculation the macular degeneration may be caused by excessive sun exposure. There are still studies that need to be done before the sun’s rays can be totally implicated, but until those studies are completed, erring on the side of caution seems prudent. Wear good eye protection is so important for so many reasons.

All sun glasses are not created equal. Sunglasses need to be big enough to protect the eyes from the UV light. Wide arms on the ear pieces will protect against list that spills around the sides of the glasses. Lenses need to have protective coating to protect against UVA/UVB rays. Also get sunglass lenses with UV 400 protection. This will protect against most UV rays.  Lastly, remember that sunglasses can not protect your eyes parked on the top of your head, or sitting on the car dash board. Did you know the early Ray-Ban Wayfarer was almost impossible to park on the top of the head? Sunglasses are a very effective way to protect the eyes from the sun’s rays. Get ‘em, wear’em, feel the protection from ‘em.

For more information on UV Protection for your eyes, get a consultation with a Los Angeles Eye Doctor.

Caring for your eyeglass or sunglass lenses is something that any good Los Angeles Eye Doctor tries to teach as part of their overall patient education plan. Afterall, glasses can be expensive, if they are constantly being replaced do to poor care.  And you definitely don’t want to be replacing your new Prada eyewear or Ray Ban frames every couple months. That could break any bank. So, I wanted to share some tips on caring for your eyeglass or sunglass lenses. I will discuss frame care in another edition of my blog.

One of the simplest and easiest ways to take better care of your lenses is by making use of the eyeglass case you are given, when you get new eyeglasses or sunglasses. This is especially true with sunglasses, which tend to get left lying around, or crambed into the glovebox of a car.  The case is lined with material that doesn’t scratch lenses, and therefore helps to prevent your eyewear from coming into contact with items that can scratch the lenses. I amazed me, however, how few people remember to use them.

Another simple plan for lense care is to not touch the lenses.  Once you smudge your lense, you have to get them clean again to see well, and this is wear we all can be guilty of grabbing whatever is available to clean the smudge. Folks, the napkins at McDonald’s, or any other such place, were not made for cleaning your eyeglass or sunglass lenses.  Keep a scratch resistant cloth with you to clean them.  In addition, the acids and chemicals on our hands can also lead to premature deterioration of the protective substances we  place on our lenses. Substances like gasoline, kerosene, and other petroleum products are murder on lenses.

Another simple plan is to buy the best pair of lenses you can at the time. There is such a thing as quality among the types of components used to design eyeglass or sunglass lenses.  For kids, you also want lenses that are more scratch resistance and durable. Polycarbonate and hi-index eyeglass lenses are good options for helping to protect the investment you make in the lenses of your eyewear.  I typically recommend Crizal Avance or Sapphire with Scotchgaurd technology Anti-Glare (or Non-Glare) Lenses, which provide the maximum scratch proof, smudge proof, and now dust/oil resistant surface. At Melamed Eye Care, all Crizal Avance of Sapphire Lenses have a 1 year warranty on scratches or peeling.

One last point today about caring for your eyeglass and sunglass lenses. Stay away from scratch repair kits. They do not work well at removing large, vision changing scratches from your lenses. Instead, they will typically cause issues with vision changes on the lenses. So remember the next time you purchase a pair of eyeglasses, invest in premium non-glare lenses, which will give you sharper vision and a long life on your lenses.

We’ll talk again soon,

Dr. Fouad Melamed

“For more than 25 years Rudy Project has been committed to technology and technological innovations that offer unique solutions for athletes and weekend warriors. The unquestionable excellence of the Rudy Project line of products is a result of the desire and intuition to continuously create new ideas and to implement them in the form of development activities and quality management, on-going research in the field of materials, a rigorous program of experimentation and testing, and in interactive relationships with the recipients of the finished product. The results are astonishing. The combination of design and professionalism, the merger of aesthetics and materials: the winning mix… Our magic. Our athletes. Our men and women.The stars of the Rudy Project World.

The company does more now, however, than just produce some of the best sunglasses and sports related eyewear in the world. There is a whole new line of products available for athletes. If you would like to have more information on how Melamed Eye Care can help to introduce you to the Rudy Project line, then check out our website for Eyewear.

If you have a standard policy for vision from Aetna insurance, or your company uses Aetna as a TPA (third party administrator) then your typical plan should have vision coverage is for routine eye exams, glasses, and contacts. This type  of vision plan takes care of most people’s need for vision care by a Los Angeles Eye Doctor.

If you have an Aetna health care insurance, or PPO insurance, then your plan can cover medical eye visits, red and dry eyes, glaucoma, and other such medically related issues for your eyes. Minor eye injuries, like a corneal abrasion, can also be covered under this type of plan. The big difference here is that the Aetna Vision Plan takes care of the routine things.

If you would like to have more information about Aetna Insurance, and how you can use that with Melamed Eye Care, I invite you to check out our Aetna Insurance Page on Melamed Eye Care.com. Talk to you again soon.

Dr. Melamed

Los Angeles Area Eye Doctor

Dry eye is a condition in which there are insufficient tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. Tears are necessary for maintaining the health of the front surface of the eye and for providing clear vision. People with dry eyes either do not produce enough tears. Most people who suffer from dry eyes also  have a poor quality of tears. Dry eye is a common and often chronic problem, particularly in women and older adults, but it is a treatable disease.

With each blink of the eyelids, tears are spread across the front surface of the eye, known as the cornea. Tears provide lubrication, reduce the risk of eye infection, wash away foreign matter in the eye, and keep the surface of the eyes smooth and healthy.

Restasis Prescription eye drops help to increase production of tears, thereby helping to rid people of dry eyes. Restasis can be prescribed by your Los Angeleis optometrist.,  Additional therapy can come from omega-3 fatty acid nutritional supplements. The treatment works well with prescription Restatsis. For more information on Restasis, and how Dr. Fouad Melamed can help you treat dry eye syndrome, check out his article on the subject at Melamed Eye Care. You can beat dry eye syndrome with Restasis.

Davis Vision is one of the nation’s fasterest groing provider of eyecare coverage. It offers thousands of companies a range of vision programs, from plans that meet overall eye health and wellness needs to plans that cover advanced vision correction procedures, including surgery.

This relationship with Davis Vision will allow Dr. Melamed to provide employees of many companies, with their spouses and children, to provide affordable eye exams, frames, and lenses. Give our friendly staff a call so we can answer any questions you might have regarding your insurance or eye/vision.

We also have a nice selection of fashionable, designer, and affordable frames that fall in the coverage for people with Davis Vision.

Melamed Eyecare is a VSP Vision Provider for the Los Angele, California area.  VSP has been dedicated to celebrating the magic of clear, healthy vision for many years now. The personalized eyecare that is provided by Dr. Melamed, along with VSP, will help you see well, stay healthy and maximize your individual potential.

VSP has a long history of experience in the eyecare field, having been in business for more than 50 years now. There current programs provide the best care, and best doctors, anywhere in the Los Angeles, California area. Not every Los Angeles eye doctor is an authorized provider for VSP, and Melamed Eye Care is proud to be part of the alliance.
VSP Global^SM offers world-class products and services to eyecare professionals, employers, and more than 55 million members through a group of leading companies providing comprehensive eyecare coverage, access to cutting-edge frame styles and brands, design of custom interiors and merchandising systems, innovative e-commerce and practice management solutions, and technologically advanced lab services. With the strength and experience of these companies behind it, VSP Global stands apart and delivers benefits, services, products, and solutions that are unparalleled in the world-wide optical industry.

We would love to take care of your eyecare needs, here at Melamed Eyecare, so call us soon to make an appointment. We want to be your Los Angeles eye doctor.