News & Announcements
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Katie receives new member award!
Posted on 01/31/2012
Our very own Katie Faucher received the Athens Oconee Junior Woman's Club New Member of the Year Award in January 2012! Katie received the award for being the most involved new member in the club's civic projects over the past year. Dr. Nadine Forche', also a member of this volunteer organization, was there to congratulate her.
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Holiday Hours
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Our office will be closed on Monday, December 26th and Monday, January 2nd for the holidays. Remember our doctors are always on call for eye emergencies, just call 706-543-2020 and the answering service will page the doctor on call. Happy holidays to our wonderful staff and patients!
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Dr. Brya visits Athens Academy kindergarteners
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On December 1, 2011, Dr. Meg Brya talked to 60 kindergarteners at Athens Academy about how the eye works. The kids were excited to touch actual contact lenses and experience what it is like to have blurry vision with some special glasses. They asked some great questions, too!
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Happy Thanksgiving!
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We wish all of our patients a wonderful Thanksgiving. We are grateful you have choosen us for your eye care needs and hope you enjoy the holiday!
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Barrow Elementary Kindergarteners learn about eyes
Posted on 10/31/2011
We had some special visitors from Barrow Elementary School last week! The kindergarteners and their teachers walked to our office from their school and learned about eyes, contact lenses, optical illusions and even saw the inside of their teacher's eye! Dr. Nadine Forche' also gave them all "Ice Cream Prescriptions" (free ice cream cones at Hodgson's) for being such good listeners and guests!
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Way to go Dr. Meg, Noemi and Michelle!
Posted on 10/27/2011
The Athens Half Marathon was this past weekend and Five Points Eye Care had several runners complete the 13.1 mile course! Congratulations to Dr. Meg, Noemi and Michelle for training and finishing their first half marathon! Click here for more information on the Athens Half Marathon which supports the AthFest organization.
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Doctors volunteer to give eye exams at local school
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Dr. Meg Brya and Dr. Nadine Forche volunteered at the VSP Mobile Eye Clinic on September 26th and 27th where they performed comprehensive eye examinations on children at Howard B. Stroud Elementary School. The children who needed glasses were able to pick them out and get them that day! Many of the children examined desperately needed glasses to be able to even see the board at school. For children who needed additonal care for medical eye problems, the doctors at Five Points Eye Care are seeing them at the practice. Click here for the Athens Banner Herald article on this special clinic.
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Keep your eyes safe while swimming
Posted on 08/24/2011
Dr. Jon Forché was interviewed by the Athens Banner Herald about how to keep your eyes safe while swimming. The article is below.
By: ERIN FRANCE Published Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Summertime protection means more than just slathering on sunscreen and bug spray; experts are urging parents to protect kids' sensitive eyes and throw a set of goggles into the beach bag.
Chlorinated pool water or salt water can irritate eyes -- especially when those eyes are open underwater, said Dr. Jon Forché, an optometrist for Five Points Eye Care Center. He sees about 10 to 15 patients each summer -- mostly children -- who have injured their eyes by opening them underwater without goggles, Forché said. "I think it's because they're kids, and kids are more likely to open their eyes underwater," he said. Children should keep their eyes closed under the water or wear goggles, he said.
"When in doubt, with kids it's always best to be proactive, especially when you're dealing with the eyes," he said. If children experience itchiness or slight discomfort, parents can use over-the-counter artificial tears, to help calm the irritation, Forché said. Children with any light sensitivity, blurry vision or any kind of discharge might need to see an eye doctor, because that usually indicates damage to the cornea, the transparent window that covers the iris and pupil. "Those are all kinds of red flags," he said.
Forché is a member of the Georgia Optometric Association, and the group has stressed preventative measures for good eye health this summer. The group also notes that severe eye irritation for several hours warrants a check-up. Besides using goggles or keeping eyes closed while underwater, people also should check the acidity of their pool water, the Georgia Optometric Association says. Pool water that's very acidic or basic can irritate eyes.
Forché recommends that children wash their hands before and after swimming to avoid bacteria, viruses or other pathogens entering the eye. "You never know what's going to be in a public pool," he said.
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Win an iPad 2 from the Georgia Optometric Association!
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How an Optometrist Changed My Life Contest: the Georgia Optometric Association is asking patients to submit a story about how an optometrist changed their life and improved their vision. The contest runs from August 1-31, 2011. The grand prize for a winning entry is an Apple iPad2! Contest details are found at the Georgia Optometric Association homepage.
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Welcome to Kristin Brock!
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Please welcome our newest staff member, Kristin Brock, to the
Five Points Eye Care team! Kristin is an University of
Georgia graduate who majored in English. She worked in an
eye care practice while attending college in Americus before
coming to Athens and is now an important member of our business
office team. -
New staff member Michelle McCoy
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We welcome Michelle McCoy to our staff! Most of you
won't see Michelle, but you will know her voice since most
days she is in our back office answering the phones,
scheduling appointments and triaging when patients have eye
problems. By having a staff member in a quieter area of
our office handling many of the phone calls that our business
office dealt with we hope to improve the experience for our
patients in our office. We are excited to have Michelle
on our team! -
Welcome Natalia Williams!
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We are happy to have Natalia Williams back at Five Points Eye
Care Center! Natalia started in our office in 2006 but
moved to Florida in 2008 when she got married. Natalia
is cross-trained as a business office member and a
certified ophthalmic assistant. -
The Dangers of Illegal Contact Lenses
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Think buying contact lenses from a flea market or gas station is safe? Click here to see a news report from Channel 2 Action News on what can happen to your eyes. It is a felony in Georgia to sell contact lenses without a prescription since poorly fitting or unsterilized lenses can cause infections, pain and in some cases, permanent loss of vision. Be safe and don't buy contact lenses unless you have a prescription by your doctor.
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Love Lacoste? We have their new frames!
Posted on 04/08/2011
You'll love our new frame line! We've added Lacoste,
well known for their polo shirts and green crocodile
logo. On the frames, a punch-out of the famous logo is
on the temples, pretty cool!
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Kids and 3D videos and games - recommendations
Posted on 02/21/2011
The American Optometric Association (AOA) released a
statement in early January that 3D in movies, TV and even 3D
on Nintendo's 3DS isn't necessarily bad for adults or
children. In fact, optometrists say 3D viewing may actually
help uncover subtle disorders that, left uncorrected, often
result in learning difficulties.
In this context, it is not enough to have 20/20 visual
acuity. Eye muscles must be coordinated well enough to
experience single, clear and comfortable vision by
maintaining alignment of both eyes. The brain must also match
appropriate accommodative or focusing power with where the
eyes are aimed.
Often, subtle problems with these vision skills can lead to
rapid fatigue of the eyes and loss of 3D viewing, and also
loss of place when reading or copying, reduced reading
comprehension, poor grades and increased frustration at
school.
Difficulties with appreciating 3D in movies, TV and
Nintendo's 3DS, or discomfort when engaging in these
activities may be an important sign of undetected vision
disorders.
Parents should be aware that current vision screening
technologies employed in schools and pediatricians' offices
cannot substitute for comprehensive eye exams that detect and
treat these problems.
Nintendo issued a warning that children under 6 should not
use the 3DS in 3D mode.
While studies on the effects of prolonged 3D viewing on young
children remain to be done, leaning toward the side of
caution is advisable in guiding children to use these devices
in moderation.
Because vision develops from birth, it is crucial to uncover
the type of vision disorders that may interfere with Nintendo
3D viewing at an early age.
Children younger than 6 can use the 3DS in 3D mode if their
visual system is developing normally.
The AOA and the American Public Health Association both
encourage a regular comprehensive eye examination schedule so
that all children have eye exams performed at approximately
age 6 to 12 months, 2 to 3 years, and by 5 years.
Although recommended, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) reports that less than 15 percent of all
preschool children receive a comprehensive eye exam.
If children experience the "3 Ds of 3D viewing" -
discomfort, dizziness, or lack of depth - it is crucial to
have a comprehensive eye examination by a doctor of
optometry.
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We now have Vera Bradley frames!
Posted on 02/18/2011
We are pleased to announce that we now carry the Vera Bradley
frame line in our optical! Vera Bradley may be known
for her distinctive handbags but her superior quality can
also be found in her eyewear. These glasses are fun! -
New Frame Displays
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We finally have our new frame displays and they are fully
stocked! We have added several new frame lines for our
adult patients including Converse, Lucky, Jones New York and
John Varvatos. Jones New York has a special line of
petite eyewear, too! For our smaller patients we have
added Nickelodeon eyewear and they can find SpongeBob, iCarly
and Dora character frames. Come check out our new
eyewear, we have something for everyone!
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We are open today, Weds, January 12th
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Thank you for your patience as we dealt with the unusual snow
in Athens! We are open today, Weds, January 12th for
patient care but please be careful traveling to the
office. Although we were able to contact many patients to
reschedule appointments, please contact our office at
706-543-2020 if you still need an appointment rescheduled. -
We will be closed Tuesday, Jan 11th
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With ice on the roadways, the driving conditions are worse today than yesterday so we have decided to close again today for patient care. Please travel carefully and we apologize again for any inconvenience this may cause our patients. As a reminder, for emergencies please call 706-543-2020 and our answering service will connect you with the doctor on call.
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Closed January 10th SNOW!
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For the safety of our patients and staff we have decided to close our office today, Monday, January 10th due to the snow and difficult driving conditions. We will be monitoring the weather situation and hoping it will not turn to ice so we can open tomorrow. We will update our website to keep you informed. For emergencies, please call our office number 706-543-2020 and our answering service will connect you with our doctor on call.
