Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, NJ: A discussion on specs and contact lenses

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel is an Edison-based ophthalmologist who diagnoses and treats various eye problems – from poor vision to glaucoma. His clinic, which accommodates patients from Edison, New Brunswick, New Jersey, and Middlesex County, offers eyeglasses and contact lenses that serve as the “first line of defense in restoring clear, crisp vision.”

If you are thinking about what kind of “defense” to get, this blog, which shares the pros and cons of wearing contact lenses and eyeglasses, will help you decide.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison. Image credit: Medicmagic.net

Eyeglasses are considered as the basic form of correcting the eye sight. A pair of specs may be used to treat refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Corrective prescription, as prescribed by credible ophthalmologists, like Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, is a must, not just for eyeglasses but even for contact lenses, another remedial tool that many people use.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison. Image credit: Webmd.com

Contact lens vs. specs

To help people decide on what to get, here are some of the pros and cons of wearing contact lenses and eyeglasses:

Appearance. Wearing contact lens does not alter the looks or appearance of a person the way eyeglasses do.

Price. Contact lenses are more costly than eyeglasses in the long run, since most of the contact lenses available in the market are disposable and have to be changed every so often. Meanwhile, eyeglasses, especially those with durable frames, can last for years.

Clarity. Contact lenses are said to be more consistently clear, compared to eyeglasses that can accommodate dirt and get scratches.

Acquiring worse eye problems. Wearing contact lenses can induce eye infections or damage to the cornea. This can be prevented though by carefully following instructions on how to use and clean the lenses.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison. Image credit: Artisanoptics.com

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel and his Edison-based eye clinic provide more tips on eye care at this blog.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, NJ: Providing treatment for common eye problems

Patel Eye Associates is a full-service ophthalmology practice founded by Dr. Hitesh K. Patel in Edison, NJ. It provides the finest quality eye care for different eye conditions patients may need help with, including common eye problems.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Edison. Image Credit: flickr.com/photos/cnon

Common eye problems

• Conjunctivitis – Commonly known as pink eye, this condition has three categories:

1. Viral conjunctivitis caused by upper respiratory infections or the common cold
2. Allergic conjunctivitis, caused by an allergic reaction
3. Bacterial conjunctivitis, caused by a bacterial infection

• Pterygium – This condition, which is also known as Surfer’s Eye, is characterized by a benign growth of the conjunctiva or the mucous membrane of the white part of the eye. Its usual symptoms are inflammation, redness, and tearing of the eyes.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Edison. Image Credit: medicalook.com

“Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, NJ is a board certified ophthalmologist and is the founder of Patel Eye Associates and Patel Eye Care and Rehabilitation Foundation.”

• Blepharitis – A common symptom of a bacterial infection, blepharitis is the inflammation of the eyelid that affects its outside areas, wherein the eye lashes are attached.

• Chalazion – This is a cyst usually located at the upper eyelid and caused by a blocked gland.
Dr. Patel uses his years of extensive experience in practicing ophthalmology to provide treatment for a variety of vision problems. He and his team at Patel Eye Associates are dedicated to providing excellent evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment for eye problems.

Learn more about Dr. Hitesh K. Patel and his Edison, NJ-based clinic at PatelEyeAssociates.com.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Edison. Image Credit: pateleyeassociates.com

Patel Eye Associates and Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, NJ bag Best Medical Website award

Patel Eye Associates, a premier eye clinic where Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, NJ practices, received the “Best Medical Website” award from the Internet Advertising Competition (IAC), a division of the Web Marketing Association (WMA).

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Edison. Image credit: PatelEyeAssociates.com

The team behind the clinic’s website development is from Page 1 Solutions, an Internet marketing firm specializing in marketing high-end professional services and websites. Page 1 Solutions earned the 2011 Crystal Award for creating a modern design for Patel Eye Associates’ website, which features flash animation and a user-friendly system. The website provides current resources for both the doctors and their patients. It also boasts of a content management system (CMS), which makes quick updates to the website without the need of a website programmer.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Edison. Image credit: PatelEyeAssociates.com

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel provides Edison and New Brunswick-based patients with a full-service ophthalmology practice. His mission is to protect and improve vision by delivering the most clinically advanced eye care possible. And through the newly awarded website, he is also able to share his and his team’s combined knowledge and expertise in eye care with the community. The clinic’s website also features thorough discussions on many eye conditions such as blepharitis, amblyopia, corneal ulcer, conjunctivitis, and retinal detachment.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Edison. Image credit: PatelEyeAssociates.com

Patel Eye Associates performs Limbal relaxing incisions for astigmatism, Endoscopic laser photocoagulation for glaucoma, and LASIK® surgery with Wavelight Allegretto laser, among others. Know more about Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison by visiting PatelEyeAssociates.com.

Straight vision ahead: Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, NJ treats cross eye or Strabismus

Strabismus is an eye problem where the eyes are not aligned correctly, also known to many as “cross eye.” Ophthalmologists, like Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, NJ, say that this problem may lead to loss of vision when not treated immediately.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Edison Photo Credit: Boots.com

The New York Times shared that this condition is brought by the lack of coordination of the different muscles that surround the eyes. It results to one eye looking at a direction or object, while the other is focused on a different one.


Like in “lazy eye” or amblyopia, strabismus may lead to the brain’s confusion as to what image signal to focus on, resulting to the weaker eye/signal being completely neglected by the brain. Experts also note that for some people, amblyopia happens first before developing into strabismus.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Edison Photo credit: Visionandlearning.org

For kids, ophthalmologists, like Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of the Edison-based clinic Patel Eye Associates, say that the cause of this condition may not be determined, especially for cases of congenital strabismus, or when the eye problem is present short after or at birth.


The New York Times further explained that there are other conditions that may cause strabismus, which include:

- Graves’ disease restriction
- Brain and nerve disorders
- Diabetes
- Hemangioma (during pregnancy)


In treating this condition, eye specialists, like the team from Patel Eye Associates, prescribe eye glasses to patients with slightly misaligned eyes. Some children are required to wear special lenses called prisms.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Edison Photo Credit: Togetpregnant.info

Eye patch, which is the basic solution from amblyopia, is also considered as one of the basic treatments for strabismus. Also, eye exercises are said to be helpful in correcting the eye misalignment.


For severe cases, eye muscle surgery is called for, with the objective of stabilizing the muscles’ coordination.


For more about strabismus and Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, log on to PatelEyeAssociates.com.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison: Causes of and treatments for blunt injuries to the eye

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel is an Edison, New Jersey-based ophthalmologist who treats various eye problems, and specializes in cataract diagnosis and treatment. He continuously seeks new ways to treat his patients by actively participating in conferences and courses at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.

From http://www.flickr.com/photos/cnon/5698746966/

Blunt trauma or injury can cause serious injuries to the eye, according to the book Advanced Assessment and Treatment of Trauma by Michael D. Panté and Andrew N. Pollak, M.D.

One of the most common injuries under this type is the orbital ecchymosis or black eye. It is the collection of fluid and blood in the tissues around the eye (orbit) that leads to discoloration and swelling.

From empowher.com

Ophthalmologists like Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison check this type of injuries by performing a full eye exam – checking of vision, eye movement, and eye pressure – on the patient. The first aid remedy to ecchymosis, as written in the book All About Your Eyes, is cold compress, which should be applied to closed eyelids for 20 minutes every hour for the first 24 hours after the injury.

Moreover, hyphema is another injury caused by blunt trauma. This condition involves bleeding in the anterior chamber of the eye that may cause retinal detachment, vision impairment, and complete loss of sight.

Whether they were hit by a ball or punched in the eye, people who acquired blunt injury must immediately consult with an ophthalmologist like Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison. This is to determine the area in the eye that is most affected by the incident and to get proper treatment and not worsen the situation.

From Blogger Pictures

More about Dr. Patel can be accessed at PatelEyeAssociates.com.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, NJ: Detecting and managing color blindness

Color blindness is a condition which makes a person unable to see a color or a mix of colors. Ophthalmologists like Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, New Jersey believe that color blindness is usually inherited, though it is also sometimes acquired by people who have eye problems (e.g., cataracts, glaucoma) or are suffering from Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy, among others. Other possible causes of color blindness include aging and side effects from medication.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Edison Photo Credit: Logodesignworks.com

Though it is a common misconception that being colorblind means not being able to see colors at all, achromatopsia – the inability to perceive color – still occurs but on very rare occasions. In color blindness, the colors red, blue, and green (or a mixture of these) are the ones often missing from a person’s vision. To know if someone is colorblind, ophthalmologists like Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison conduct color blindness tests which come in two types: screening tests and quantitative tests. The most common screening test is the Ishihara Test which makes use of plates that contain circles or dots of different colors and size. These dots form numbers that should be visible to people with normal vision.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Edison Photo Credit: Milenyumtasarim.com

Although color blindness cannot be cured especially if it’s inherited, there are several ways to make one’s vision clearer. Glasses that block glare can be worn by colorblind people so they can identify colors more easily. Developing color identification systems is also helpful. For example, the order and brightness of traffic lights can be used to identify which light is on.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Edison Photo credit: Visionandlearning.org

To know more about Dr. Hitesh K. Patel and his Edison, NJ-based clinic, visit PatelEyeAssociates.com.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, New Jersey: The distinction between an ophthalmologist, optometrist, and orthoptist

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel, Edison, New Jersey-based ophthalmologist and co-founder of the Patel Eye Associates, understands that the field of optical medicine has a myriad of sub-specialties, making it difficult for people to understand which branch offers what treatment.

Often, people mistakably compare an ophthalmologist with an optometrist or an orthoptist. With these three different experts under one field of medicine, contrasting them can be hard for some patients. Below are some definitions—provided by some of the world’s most trusted medical institutions—that might help people differentiate the functions, services, and procedures performed of the three eye care specialists.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Photo credit: Visionandlearning.org

Opthalmologists and Optometrists

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, ophthalmologists like Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, NJ, are “medical doctors who specialize in all aspects of eye care including diagnosis, management, and surgery of ocular diseases and disorders.” The World Council of Optometry on the other hand, has defined an optometrist as “the primary healthcare practitioner of the eye and visual system who provides comprehensive eye and vision care, which includes refraction and dispensing, detection of disease in the eye, and the rehabilitation of conditions of the visual system.”

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Photo credit: Star-dust

Orthoptists

The World Health Organization defines the functional work of an orthoptist as “the study and treatment of defects in binocular vision…which involves a technique of eye exercises designed to correct the visual axes of eyes not properly coordinated for binocular vision.


The three eye doctors have some similarities, however. Both optometrists and ophthalmologists treat patients with medications, optical aids, and eye exercises; orthoptists do the same things minus the medication. All perform screenings for common visual problems affecting children and the adult population (including cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy), and are required to contribute in the ongoing education courses to maintain licensure and keep abreast on the latest standards of eye care.

From Dr. Hitesh K. Patel

For more information about Dr. Hitesh K. Patel, his Edison, New Jersey-based eye clinic, and the services offered, visit www.pateleyeassociates.com.