Eye Treatment Honolulu, HI

What’s the Difference Between a Stye and Pink Eye?

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With flu season estimated going extra long this year (through May) the last thing you want to have on your mind is contracting another virus or infection. However, during this time of year, more and more people contract eye infections like styes and pink eye. But what are these two bacterial infections and how can they be treated? Let’s take a closer look.

Pink Eye (conjunctivitis)

There are three types of pink eye: viral, bacterial, and allergic. The most common symptoms of pink eye are redness, swelling, itchiness, fluid build up, and pus around the eyes. One of the most common forms of pinkeye is viral which is very contagious but should clear up on its own. If you get the bacterial pink eye, make sure that you are seen by a primary care physician or eye doctor because if it is left untreated, it can cause eye damage.

Stye

Typically, styes are superficial and look like a pimple across the lash line. And although styes can be contagious, they aren’t nearly as infectious as bacterial conjunctivitis. If you have a stye, one of the best things you can do is to place a warm compress over it for about 10-15 minutes and repeat this multiple times a day until it goes away. If your stye gets worse or becomes painful, schedule an eye appointment.

If you have started to experience red, swollen, and itchy eyes, keep a close eye on them (literally) because they might be the result of a bacterial infection. Luckily, if you have either pink eye or a stye, they are both easily treatable.

To learn more about your vision health, contact our Honolulu office today at 808.955.3937.

Lasik Eye Surgery Honolulu HI

Love At First Sight: Why You Should Give LASIK for Valentine’s This Year

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Yes, you can go to just about any grocery store or supercenter and pick up a box of chocolates and a dozen red roses to surprise your Valentine with on the 14th, or you can go all out and give them something that won’t put you anywhere near the doghouse. Give your significant other the gift of sight— or love at first sight— with LASIK from Dr. Jeffrey Maehara. Here’s why.

  • It Frees Up Time

If your loved one has to wear contacts, you know that putting them in and taking them out— especially if they suffer from things like dry eye disease— can be a real time suck. With LASIK, you aren’t only giving them the gift of better vision, but you are also giving them the gift of more time in the morning and at night.

  • It Helps Them See Clearly

Okay, so maybe you don’t want your significant other to see your face more clearly because they may notice all of your imperfections, but with LASIK, they can see everything in their life more clearly. That book in front of them? You bet. That stop sign a few blocks away? Yep! Oh, and being able to put on things like makeup without glasses? They never thought that would happen!

  • It  Alleviates Frustration

Everyone who wears contacts, glasses, or both has experienced more than a few days feeling frustrated. Losing glasses, having dirty glasses, irritated eyes because of your contact lenses— these are just a few of the things that can make glasses and contact lens wearers feel beyond frustrated.

  • It’s Easy

The last thing you want to give your significant other on Valentine’s day is a surgical procedure that takes a few hours and requires days of recovery— that’s just mean. With LASIK, the procedure itself just takes about 10 minutes per eye and recovery is non-existent. Although they will have to wear some protective glasses for a day or two and apply eye drops, there isn’t much else involved in the form of recovery.

Ready to make yourself the best Valentine’s Day gift giver ever? Call us today at 808.955.3937

Eye Exam Honolulu, HI

3 Resolutions to See Better in 2018

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Refusing to eat sugar and trying to burn 3,000 calories five days a week are a few resolutions that are likely going to last a solid week— at most. Rather than following the crowd and setting a few resolutions that are not only unattainable but ones that won’t last, set your resolutions apart from the crowd this year and set a few resolutions that will help you see better in 2018.

Wear Sunglasses Every Time You’re Outside

Even if it’s cloudy outside, that Hawaii sun can still wreak some serious damage on your vision. Shield your eyes from the sun’s harsh rays all year long and make sure that you don’t leave the house without some UVA and UVB protected sunglasses. Try keeping a pair in your car, bag, and anywhere else so that you always have a pair of sunglasses on hand.

Eat Better

Eating better isn’t just good for your blood sugar and waistline, eating better is also good for your eyesight. Eating foods that are rich in antioxidants like leafy greens are one of the best ways to shield our eyes from macular degeneration. Additionally, eating foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon are good at keeping your eyes lubricated and preventing you from developing a chronic dry eye.

Get An Eye Exam

Can you remember the last time that you got a professional eye exam from Dr. Jeffrey Maehara? Depending on your age, genetics, and overall health of your eyes, it’s recommended that you get an eye exam around every 1-3 years on average. If you are past that timeframe, contact our office and schedule your next eye exam with Dr. Jeffrey Maehara today!

Want to see better and clearer in 2018? Try adding these three resolutions to your list. To learn more about how you can take better care of your eyes, schedule an appointment at one of our offices today!

Elta MD Honolulu, HI

The Importance of Wearing Sunscreen in the Winter

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You know to never hit the beach without dousing your entire body in a thick layer of sunscreen— ya know, until you resemble more of a ghost than an actual human. But now that the temperatures have dropped, and you’re spending less and less time outside, you may not remember to protect your skin as much. Even though you may not be laying on the beach in a swimsuit, your skin is still exposed to harsh UV rays even when you walk to your mailbox or even drive in our car.

Here at Jeffrey Maehara office, we recommend that patients use the EltaMD Skincare system to protect their skin all year long.

According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 3.5 million new cases of noninvasive melanoma are diagnosed each year in the U.S. And more than 75,000 new cases of invasive melanoma are diagnosed. So, how can you protect yourself from being one of those numbers? Although there is no guarantee that you won’t ever get skin cancer, there are two main ways to shield your skin: avoiding the sun altogether and wearing a broad spectrum sunscreen every day.

Try to protect your skin from sun damage this winter by spending more time inside and less time exposing yourself to the sun.

When it comes to sunscreen, one of the best parts about the EltaMD sunscreen brand is that they have a variety of body sunscreens and tinted moisturizers to keep your skin protected and shielded all winter long. Plus, if you use a tinted moisturizer, it can also cover up light blemishes and sunspots which saves you a step every morning.

Depending on your lifestyle, Jeffrey Maehara and his staff may recommend one type of EltaMD sunscreen over another. Schedule an appointment at one of our locations to learn more about what type of sunscreen you should be wearing.

LASIK Eye Surgery Honolulu, HI

How to Enjoy Your Turkey Bowl Game after Having Lasik

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Thanksgiving is just around the corner which means that if you are going to get your game face on and ready before the big day, you need to make sure that you can stare your uncle Scott and big brother in the eyes before kicking their trash at your family’s annual turkey bowl. Luckily, with the help of Dr. Jeffrey Maehara and Lasik, you can enhance your vision so that you can score your teams winning touchdown.

As a common eye surgery, Lasik involves pulling back the corneal flap and then reshaping some of the eye tissues underneath. For you to fully recover from Lasik before the holiday, Dr. Jeffrey Maehara may recommend the following.

Schedule Enough Time

On average, Lasik takes a full week or two for patients to recover fully— which means that you will need to get it done around the beginning or middle of this month.

Wear Protective Eyewear

Even though your siblings may mock you for wearing protective eyewear during your famous family turkey bowl game, make sure that you make your eyes your number one priority. Taking an elbow to the eye or getting your cornea accidentally scratched after a rough play is not anything worth risking. Go to your local sports retailer and pick up a pair of sports goggles or glasses.

Keep Them Lubricated

For months after your Lasik surgery, Dr. Jeffrey Maehara will encourage you to keep your eyes moist and lubricated. Just because it’s the holiday and you’re busy, make an effort to use eyedrops— this will prevent them from drying out and becoming uncomfortable.

You shouldn’t have to miss out on your Thanksgiving football game just because you recently got Lasik. However, it’s important that you continue to take care of your vision— even during the holidays.

Schedule your Lasik consultation at our office today!

Cataract Surgery Honolulu, HI

Good Candidate for Phacoemulsification?

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Cataract Surgery Honolulu, HIYou may enjoy having a cloudy fall day to take in the changing leaves and weather around you, but the last thing you likely want is a clouding of your vision. As a disease that affects over 24 millions Americans, cataracts is an eye disease that causes a clouding of the lens which makes it difficult for light to properly enter the eye. Luckily, cataracts can be treated with a variety of different methods including a surgical procedure called phacoemulsification.

What Is Phacoemulsification?

During a phacoemulsification surgery, an ultrasonic handpiece will be used to sculpt and emulsify the cataract while a pump simultaneously aspirates particles through the tip of the device. During this procedure, the cataract is typically broken into several pieces and then gently removed. After the cataract has been withdrawn, an intraocular lens implant will be placed into the lens capsule which will help to restore vision.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Phacoemulsification?

Depending on the severity of your cataracts and with the proper diagnosis and examination, Dr. Jeffrey Maehara will determine whether or not you’re a good candidate for this procedure.

Is Phacoemulsification Surgery Painful?

To ensure that you stay comfortable during your phacoemulsification surgery, we will apply a topical anesthetic to your eye which will help to alleviate any discomfort. Depending on your specific scenario, we may also administer some drugs intravenously. If you are worried about feeling anxious during this procedure, Dr. Maehara may be able to give you something to relax your nerves and help you feel better.

What Are the Benefits of Phacoemulsification?

The use of a smaller incision, make phacoemulsification extremely popular because it reduces the likelihood of further eye complications. Additionally, phacoemulsification is popular because it can be done without hospitalization or a lengthy recovery.

If you would like to learn more about phacoemulsification or other cataract removal procedures, contact Jeffrey Maehara today!

Elta MD Honolulu, HI

Looking for a New Skin Care Line? Look No Further than EltaMD

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Elta MD Honolulu, HIEven though summer is coming to an end, that doesn’t mean your skin care should as well. In fact, you are equally as likely to get burnt in the dead of winter as you are on a hot summer day. To ensure that you maintain your skin care routine, we encourage all of our patients to try a unique skin care system like EltaMD that we offer here at our offices. So, what makes the EltaMD so unique? Read on to learn more.

They Contain Zinc Oxide

Unfortunately, not all active sunscreens contain zinc oxide. However, EltaMD sunscreens do. Zinc Oxide is an all-natural ingredient that acts as an additional physical barrier between your skin and the sun. By creating a sort of reflective barrier, zinc oxide helps the sun’s rays bounce off your skin and protect it against sun damage and burns.

They Are All-Natural

It can be frightening to pick up a skin care product or sunscreen only to read a bunch of weird ingredients that might as well be in a different language. One of the best things about EltaMD sunscreens is that they are all-natural and paraben free which means that you know that you are only putting the best ingredients on your skin.

They Are FDA Approved

Another great thing about Elta MD is that all of our sunscreens and skin care products are approved by the Food and Drug Administration— so you can rest assured that you not only have our word, but you have the federal government’s word for how well our products work.

Your eyes and your skin are two parts of your body that are often neglected. However, by wearing a sunscreen on your face and body year round, you can help protect your skin against harmful diseases like skin cancer. To learn more about EltaMD or to buy some of these products, contact Jeffrey Maehara’s office today to speak with our staff.

JUVÉDERM® XC Honolulu, HI

How to Prepare for Juvederm Injections

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JUVÉDERM® XC Honolulu, HIIt used to be that as soon as you started to show signs of aging, you had just to embrace it and move forward. However, although it’s still good to embrace your age, you can now do so while looking younger. As a popular way of softening the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around your mouth and nose, and adding volume to your cheeks and lips in the process, injections like Juvederm can last the upwards of a year. Made of hyaluronic acid, Juvederm injections are safe and effective. But before you come into see Dr. Jeffrey Maehara for injections, make sure you use the following tips to prepare. Read on to learn more.

Drink Pineapple Juice

This may sound like a bit of voodoo, but the natural enzymes in pineapple juice can help prevent you from swelling and bruising after your Juvederm injections. Try drinking one full cup of pineapple juice for three full days before your appointment— just make sure it’s not from concentrate.

Avoid Ibuprofen or Aspirin

Both ibuprofen and aspirin may be good at getting rid of pain and headaches, but they are also blood thinners— which are dangerous to take before getting injections. We encourage all of our patients to avoid these over-the-counter blood thinning medications for about five days before the procedure.

Avoid Herbal Supplements

In addition to avoiding ibuprofen and aspirin, we encourage all of our patients to avoid taking herbal supplements like Vitamin E, fish oil, Ginkgo Biloba, Garlic, Ginseng, and St. John’s Wort for about one week prior to your procedure. Although these supplements have many health benefits, they can also be natural blood thinners.

Preparing for Juvederm injections is easy and straightforward. By using the three tips listed above, you can have a more enjoyable injection experience. To learn more about Juvederm or to schedule a consultation appointment, contact Dr. Jeffrey Maehara today!

ete services Honolulu, HI

Can Your Eyes Get Sunburned?

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ete services Honolulu, HILooking like a tomato next to a group of your tanned friends likely isn’t something you want to turn into your next Facebook profile pic. However, as a real part of life— especially in the summer— if you don’t wear sunscreen, you are more likely to resemble that red fruit more than anything else. And although it’s important to keep your skin covered and protected during the summer, did you know that your eyes need the same treatment as well? To help you better understand sunburned eyes, this article will discuss the symptoms, care instructions, and preventative measures to take. Read on to learn more.

What Are the Symptoms?

When you have sunburned shoulders, you know that they can be hot to the touch, sensitive, itch, and sting. However, when you have sunburned eyes, you may not know what symptoms to be aware of. Symptoms include:

  • Eye Pain
  • Headaches
  • Watery Eyes
  • Light Sensitivity
  • Red or Bloodshot Eyes
  • Burning Eyes
  • Blurred Vision
  • Halos

How to Treat Sunburned Eyes?

Just like with sunburned skin, your sunburned eyes will naturally heal themselves within a few days. To help them feel better in the meantime, try using some anti-inflammatory eyedrops during the day and then place a cold, damp washcloth over your eyes at night. If your symptoms get worse or persist, contact Dr. Jeffrey Maehara and schedule an appointment.

How to Prevent Sunburned Eyes?

The most obvious and most effective way to prevent sunburned eyes is to wear sunglasses that have both UVA and UVB protection. Additionally, we encourage our patients to wear a hat when they are spending a lot of time out in the sun— the additional layer, will only benefit you in the long-term.

Before you head to the beach or pool this summer, make sure to grab the proper protective eyewear and a hat so that you don’t get sunburned eyes. To learn more about how you can take better care of your eyes, contact Dr. Jeffrey Maehara today!

DSAEK Honolulu, HI

Understanding DSAEK Corneal Transplant Surgery

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DSAEK Honolulu, HIIn a world of LOL’s and OMG’s, it can be hard to identify every acronym you come into contact with. If, however, you are going to know one acronym in the eye industry, consider DSAEK. DSAEK corneal transplant surgery stands for Descemet-Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty. So, what is this unique form of surgery and why is it popular amongst our patients here at Dr. Jeffrey Maehara’s office? Read on to learn more.

First Things First

To fully understand a DSAEK corneal transplant, it’s important to know what a corneal transplant surgery is and why it is used. If you are a patient who has either advanced glaucoma or cataracts, then a corneal transplant surgery may be able to help save your vision. By getting rid of part of your cornea and implanting new corneal tissues from a donor, this type of surgery is a real vision saver.

What Is DSAEK Corneal Transplant Surgery?

The unique benefit of DSAEK corneal transplant surgery is that it gives patients almost immediately clearer postoperative vision with a lower recovery time; meaning that you can get back to living life and see things more clearly immediately afterward.

What Is Surgery Like?

During this surgery, Dr. Jeffrey Maehara will make a mark on the surface of your cornea with a small instrument called a trephine— the mark is there to help the surgeon measure the right size for the transplant and outline the part of the cornea that needs to be peeled back. Once this mark has been made, the damaged section of the cornea will be removed, and the donor cornea will be then placed into the eye. With just a single stitch, your cornea will be closed, and your surgery will be done.

What Is Recovery Like?

After waiting in our office for an hour or two to be monitored by our staff, you will be sent home to rest and recover. Recovery from this type of surgery just takes a few days, but you should be able to return to your normal activities in no longer than a couple of days.

DSAEK corneal transplant surgery is a unique surgery designed to help restore patients vision. If you would like to learn more about this and other types of surgical procedures that we offer at our office, contact Dr. Jeffrey Maehara today!