Dr. Melissa Clare Oltz O.D.?

Dr. Melissa Clare Oltz O.D.

Optometrist

100 Uptown Rd Ithaca NY, 14850 Show map

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About

Dr. Melissa Oltz is an optometrist practicing in Ithaca, NY. Dr. Oltz specializing in providing eye care services to patients. As an optometrist, Dr. Oltz performs eye exams, tests vision, corrects vision by prescribing eye glasses or contacts, detects certain eye disorders and manages and treats vision problems. Optometrists often work closely with ophthalmologists who may need to further treat patients with surgical procedures.

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Dr. Melissa Clare Oltz O.D.

Dr. Melissa Clare Oltz O.D.'s Expert Contributions

My Answers

Eye floater?
Bring the floater up when you have your appointment tomorrow. Very rarely do floaters stay long term directly in front of your central vision. You might have what is called a posterior vitreous detachment, which is common and the floater you are seeing is a clump of the membrane that surrounds the vitreous gel. These typically get much better and move over towards your natural blind spot with time. At the 6-month mark, if you are still impaired by the floater, you can discuss what is called a vitrectomy with your surgeon/retinal specialist. READ MORE
Why are my eyes constantly red and swollen?
You should make an appointment with your local eye care provider and also your Regular doctor and allergist. There are several things that need to be examined based on your description and labs/allergy testing should be done as well. READ MORE
Can I wear contacts with dry eyes?
Scleral lenses or daily disposable soft contacts are good options for people with dry eye, but better yet, go see your eye doctor to see if you can get better control of your dry eye and then any contacts will be fine. READ MORE
Can you wear glasses with protective eyewear for covid-19?
Yes. READ MORE
Myopia and Floaters?
You should get a dilated eye exam. Myopic eyes are more prone to rips and tears. To slow myopic progression, spend 2 hours outside in the natural light daily. READ MORE
How do I get new contacts during the coronavirus?
EyeCare is part of the essential work force, so you can use your current prescription to order contacts (in person/telephone/online) or make an appointment to be seen to get a new prescription. In areas that are shut down, most doctors/suppliers will extend prescriptions. READ MORE
Severe vision issue?
It can be a type of migraine with a visual aura. You should get checked out by your primary care doctor and your eye doctor to rule out other issues. READ MORE
What is normal eye pressure for glaucoma?
Glaucoma is essentially systematic death of the optic nerve. Controlling/lowering eye pressure is one way to slow/stop the progression of the disease. For most people, eye pressure of 21mmHg and below is acceptable. With glaucoma, some people can still have progressive disease at much lower pressures, including single digits. READ MORE
Does an eye pressure test hurt?
No. There are many ways to check eye pressure and none of them hurt. READ MORE
How often should contacts be replaced?
There are daily, 2 week, monthly, and quarterly replacement soft contact lenses. You should call your doctor to find out what you are in to determine the replacement frequency. READ MORE
Is there a surgery to remove eye floaters?
The surgery is called a vitrectomy, but it is reserved for very bad cases since it can cause permanent damage to the macula, which could blur (to various degrees) your vision forever. The other option not used much anymore is trying to blast apart the floaters with a laser. These are moving targets and if the surgeon misses, you have a permanent blind spot where the laser zapped the retina. READ MORE
Do eye exercises help improve vision?
Yes and no. It all depends on what the problem is. Check with your doctor to see if your particular problem is something that vision therapy or eye exercises help with. READ MORE
Can eye drops damage eyes?
Typically, no. Over the counter drops are safe when used as directed, but you can have allergic reactions to them. Prescription drops should only be taken by the intended user and as directed by the doctor, otherwise damage can occur. READ MORE
Halo and starburst in vision?
You need to see an eye doctor for a dilated eye exam. It could be something simple or something serious. There are inflammatory corneal problems, retinal problems, vitreous issues, etc. If the soap caused the halos and starburst, it would have cleared up within a day or two. READ MORE
How to treat a swollen eyelid?
You should see an eye doctor. There are several different causes for a swollen lid, including infection, allergy, bug bites, etc. READ MORE
Can blue light glasses cause headaches?
They shouldn’t cause headaches. Is there a defect/distortion in one of lenses? READ MORE
Should I wear glasses all the time for myopia?
Myopia is considered a refractive issue. As long as you can see what you need to see when you aren’t wearing them, it won’t hurt you to go without them. Make sure, if it is marked on your license, that you wear them to drive. READ MORE
How long does it take to go blind from glaucoma?
Unless you have extreme circumstances/genetics, it is rare to go completely blind from Glaucoma if you follow your treatment/follow up appointments. There are many medications, laser treatments, and surgeries to manage and significantly slow glaucoma. Many people with glaucoma never experience any appreciable vision loss. READ MORE
Pain after removing contact?
Corneal Edema from poor oxygen transmission in a contact, contact lens over wear (including wearing too long, wearing overnight, napping in lenses, wearing a lens past it’s designed life span), pulling off a lens from a very dry eye, the beginning of a corneal ulcer.... all can lead to cloudy vision when removing a lens. See your eye doctor to determine what is going on and how to prevent/fix the problem. READ MORE
Can blurred vision be fixed with contacts?
If you are only experiencing blurred vision only sometimes, there is likely another cause for the blurriness. You should get your eyes checked. READ MORE