Dr. Patrick Utnehmer

Most people are aware of how harmful UV radiation is to the skin. However, many may not realize that UV radiation can harm the eyes, and other components of solar radiation can also affect vision. There are three types of UV radiation. UV-C is absorbed by the ozone layer and does not present any threat. […]

From the moment of birth, you child is learning to see. He or she progresses from the newborn’s blurry world of light and dark to the school-age child’s sophisticated ability to handle complex vision tasks. Toys, games and playtime activities help by stimulating this process of vision development. Sometimes, though, despite all your efforts, your […]

Chemicals or foreign objects in the eye and cuts or scrapes on the cornea are common eye injuries that occur at work. Other common eye injuries come from splashes with grease and oil, burns from steam, ultraviolet or infrared radiation exposure, and flying wood or metal chips. In addition, health care workers, laboratory and janitorial […]

Contact lenses prescribed by a licensed Doctor of Optometry are worn safely and comfortably by millions of people worldwide and have a long history of providing wearers with a safe and effective form of vision correction. While contact lenses provide many vision benefits, they are not risk-free. Your Doctor of Optometry can help you better […]

As children progress in school, they face increasing demands on their visual abilities. The school years are a very important time in every child’s life. All parents want to see their children do well in school and most parents do all they can to provide them with the best educational opportunities. But too often one […]

Isn’t a cataract a “film growing in the front of my eye?” Actually, a cataract is a cloudy or opaque area in the normally clear lens of the eye. Depending upon its size and location, it can interfere with normal vision. Most cataracts develop in people over age 55, but they occasionally occur in infants, […]

A refraction determines the lens power you need to compensate for any refractive error (nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism), as well as the curvature of the eye to prescribe glasses or contact lenses. Online eye tests attempt to replace one element of an eye examination, the refraction, in order to yield a prescription for glasses or […]

Screenings can take many forms. Often schools provide periodic vision screenings for their students. A pediatrician or other primary care physician may do a vision screening as part of a school physical. When applying for a driver’s license, your vision will likely be screened. Vision screenings are often part of local health fairs put on […]

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which there is a high blood sugar level over a long period and that can cause damage throughout the body, including the eyes. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that occurs in people who have diabetes. It causes progressive damage to the retina, the light-sensitive lining at the back of […]

What a great community we live in here in sunny southern California. The sun supports life on our planet, but its life-giving rays also pose dangers. The sun’s primary danger is in the form of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Artificial sources, like welding machines, tanning beds and lasers, can also produce UV radiation. Most people are […]