As an orthopedic specialist and avid golfer all-too familiar with elbow and shoulder pain, I have to admit I added rotator cuff tendonitis to my own chart a number of years ago.

But the truth is, whether you’re in all-pro shape to begin with, or somewhat off your game from a fitness standpoint, most golfers know that their first round of spring doesn’t often look or feel as fantastic as we imagined it would. The game is rusty, and sometimes our shoulders and other joints feel rusty, too. While this pain may not be as intense as a true rotator cuff injury, it can be an extra aggravation for an already sub-par game come spring.

Is there anything that can be done during the cold, wet days of winter to keep in shape and prevent some of the painful events of that first outing – both in the joints and on the scorecard? Happily, the answer is yes. But it’s important to understand why this kind of pain occurs in the first place.

Pain from golf is more common than we might think. In fact, I would estimate that between 10 to 20 percent of the patients I see have problems related to golf, the game that can be played close to nine months of the year in Richmond. Some have new issues from the game itself, while others, especially older patients, aggravate existing problems when they play – namely, shoulder arthritis.

Different pain tends to be associated with different age groups. Younger patients might have what we call soft-tissue injuries, that is, those affecting the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Rotator cuff injuries are the most common with this set. The rotator cuff is responsible for all of the movements of your shoulder, and there are lots of moving parts. Injury or stress on any single part can make the others work harder, causing even more pain. You may experience rotator cuff tendinitis, bursitis, or impingement—medical terms which all basically refer to rotator cuff pain, which limits function.

Older patients who are much more active than they used to be a few decades ago, tend to have problems with arthritis. This kind of arthritis is due to wear and tear and can be progressively painful.

To head off injuries that might pop up with the spring crocuses, it’s important to maintain year-round conditioning.

Flexibility is also key to preventing both arthritic and soft tissue pain. The two best ways to increase or maintain flexibility are swimming and stretching.

This is not your father’s stretching, though. Instead of the static stretching routine we are all used to, dynamic stretching is recommended. Trunk rotation and lateral bending, while constantly in motion, is believed to be much more effective. You should focus on your shoulders, of course, but also on your legs and lower back. A full stretch should take less than ten minutes, but really pays off in comfort later.

There are a number of websites with good information about exercises for golfers. Personal trainers are not necessary. You know your body better than anyone and you know what you need to do to maintain your strength and flexibility.

Although I’m an orthopedic surgeon, I am happy to report that good conditioning and a little care can prevent a lot of the aches and pains when we pick up those clubs in the spring. Keep in shape by adding a few simple exercises to your winter regimen, and your game just might improve – along with your attitude.

 by Carrie Wortham
Daughter of Edwin Wortham V,  MD, Pediatric Ophthalmologist

It has been almost eight months since I was last in Haiti. I only spent a week in the country, yet images of the people, their homes, and their land crowd my mind each and every day. I ask myself, do I miss the forlorn looks on shoeless children or the half-starved dogs rummaging through trash in the streets? Haiti is usually not one of those places where you leave with a desire to go back. Nevertheless, I cannot resist the tugging at my sleeve, and so I have decided to return during my next spring break. I will not revisit Maison Fortune, where my dad and I conducted eye exams but will instead explore a soon-to-be orphanage outside of the capital, Port-au-Prince. This time around, I will be bringing ten VMI cadets to help begin construction of the new orphanage, known as Foundation Manmo. I cannot begin to share the extent of my excitement with my friends as we coordinate our travel plans and fundraise for our plane tickets.

When I first visited the school at Maison Fortune in Hinche, Haiti, I was struck by the nakedness of the walls and desks. A few pieces of broken chalk were scattered below a single blackboard in one room. I crudely translated some French posters hanging in another. Besides what few items occupied the school, I couldn’t come close to comparing my kindergarten homeroom with what I witnessed in Haiti. I had walked into a barren building, which could have been mistaken for a deserted office. I was in for a pleasant surprise, however, that would change my impression of the orphanage entirely.

Where I stood from the school library, I watched a procession of 200 or so young children line up in rows in the courtyard. The children wore clean blue and pink uniforms with white socks and black shoes. As the country flag was presented and hoisted up the flagpole, the children fidgeted in their spots, seemingly anxious for a day of school. They weren’t held for much longer and were soon filed off to their respective classrooms. The school suddenly came alive with laughter and scurrying children. The rooms no longer echoed with emptiness but rather gleamed with the faces of the eager students. This is when I realized that poverty cannot squander the hopes of those wanting the most from life. The children I saw were happy to be at school even if they didn’t have new book bags or books to fill them. Somehow, they found joy in the moment.

Whether you are looking from a child’s perspective or that of an aged adult, life will eventually present itself in its true form. There is no virtual world or fantasyland, but reality at its best. No matter what you see, what matters most is how you interpret it and what you do with it. Poverty is real and devastating. Haiti may appear to be poor, but when you take a second glance, you will see its true beauty, the love of the people and the love they have for their country.

To make a tax-deductible donation to the VMI cadet trip to Haiti and/or Foundation Manmo, click here and specify EWB-Haiti in the “Other” box.

To learn more about VMI’s involvement in Haiti, please email: worthamcd@mail.vmi.edu

It started when I was just an intern at WTVR CBS6 in Richmond.  I was actually on a Saturday morning kids’ show on Channel 6 in the 1980’s.  I stayed in touch with the wonderful people who taught me a lot about television at a young age, and I was lucky that they allowed me to be an intern during the summers while I was a college student.  In addition to helping Bill Bevins type scripts for his movie reviews, I worked with local doctors who came into the studio each week for live interviews about various health topics.  I saw firsthand how the information truly helped our viewers.  I loved it.  I was hooked.

A few years later, when I had my second “real” job in television working in Roanoke, I was asked to be the station’s health reporter.  I found it interesting and challenging.  My next job brought me back home to Richmond.  When I was asked to be one of the first co-anchors of the 4 o’clock news on NBC12 with Gene Cox, once again health reporting became part of my job description.  It seems like everyone has a health related question; maybe it’s “that little pain in my side,” or “Why do I always seem to be the one who gets a cold?” or “My mother was just diagnosed with diabetes, what does that mean?”

Over the years, I can’t tell you how many viewers called me to ask questions about my health reports. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to help by sharing important information and connecting them to local physicians.  It was so rewarding.  I heard from sons and daughters who were grateful that the information helped them take better care of their parents.  I talked to parents desperately searching for new treatments for their sick children.  There is always some sort of breaking news in the health field, and research is done every day.  Being a resource for families in our community was a responsibility I took very seriously.

I have also had a few jobs outside of the television news business, and once again, I kept finding myself in the world of healthcare.  I worked in community relations at the non-profit Sheltering Arms Physical Rehabilitation Centers in Richmond.  I also worked as a program and public relations director for another non-profit, Prevent Blindness Mid-Atlantic.  There, I was the first director of the W.H.E.E.L.S. program.  W.H.E.E.L.S. stands for “Where Healthy Eyes and Ears Lead to Success.”  In its inaugural year, W.H.E.E.L.S. offered free screenings to more than 3,000 pre-kindergarten students in the Richmond Metro area.  The program is ongoing, and the goal is to find any vision or hearing issues that would negatively impact a child’s ability to learn in the classroom.

It was through my time at Prevent Blindness Mid-Atlantic that I began a relationship with the Richmond Eye & Ear Foundation and Stony Point Surgery Center.  Both are generous supporters of Prevent Blindness and are the sole funders of the W.H.E.E.L.S. program.  Giving back to the community is their priority, and now I am thrilled to be the new Community Outreach Director for the Richmond Eye & Ear Healthcare Alliance.

In my new position, I will once again be sharing important health information with our community.  I will be able to help Richmond Eye & Ear and Stony Point Surgery Center further their goals of having a positive impact on the community and providing leadership in funding community based programs.  As part of my responsibilities, I will be identifying new research opportunities for the Foundation to fund.  I am excited to have the opportunity to touch people in our community in a whole new way.

I also know what it is like to walk through the doors of Stony Point Surgery Center from the anxious parent’s perspective.  My sweet little boy had to have a procedure done shortly after his first birthday.  I understand the fear that parents feel when their child has to be operated on, and I can honestly tell you that he was in the best hands.  I am honored to be working with the talented surgeons, physicians and staff members who truly believe medicine is an art.

Bruce Kupper and Robert S. Adelaar, M.D

It may sound unusual for an eye and ear institution to fund research and education in the area of orthopaedics, but for the Richmond Eye and Ear Healthcare Alliance (REEHA), expanding philanthropy is part of its overall mission. Most recently, REEHA has donated nearly $500,000 to the MCV Foundation for various resident laboratory projects including orthopaedic engineering, biochemical research and microsurgical nerve repair.

Generosity has always been a pillar by which the Richmond Eye and Ear Healthcare Alliance stands. For more than fifty years, REEHA has supported medical education and research in central Virginia including beneficiaries such as the University of Virginia Health System and the Eastern Virginia Medical School. In an effort to focus more on the community’s immediate needs, REEHA looked at the changing needs of Virginia’s aging population and decided that orthopaedics would be a good area to consider. Bruce Kupper, REEHA President and CEO, goes on to further explain, “we’ve had a longstanding relationship with MCV and VCU through teaching affiliations and residency programs. We’re both focusing on a broader range of initiatives to impact the entire community and to advance medical care and make it more accessible to the underprivileged as well as the community at large.”

The VCU Department of Orthopaedics is among the best for orthopaedic care and is the major trauma center for Central Virginia. The department plans to continue forming these important partnerships with the community to help provide quality care to its patients, help to train future leaders in the field and to perform cutting-edge research that is crucial for Virginia’s aging population. “This is an incredibly exciting new partnership,” said Robert S. Adelaar, M.D., Chairman, Department of Orthopaedics, VCU Health System. “We’re thankful for private donations, which help our educational and research mission.”

We should all take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs.  Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.  Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.  Do not use cloth handkerchiefs.  Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.  Don’t share cups and utensils.  Wash your hands often with soap and water. Avoid sick people!   Stay strong and healthy.  By keeping your body in good health, you can better defend yourself against all the germs trying to ruin your day.  It also helps your system fight any threat that may have snuck in.

Flu seasons are somewhat unpredictable.  They can begin as early as October and continue through May; however, they usually peak in January and February.  That is why the CDC (Center Disease Control ) recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against this illness.  Getting the vaccine as soon as it becomes available is a good idea since one vaccination will last throughout the flu season.  The flu virus changes each year and a new vaccine is developed to match as best as possible so last year’s shot will not cover you for this year.

So, you get your vaccine, you wash your hands, cover your mouth and even clean the cart at the grocery store…but you’re sick anyway.  Now what?  Stay home.  I know, you can’t miss work.  While this is true for some people, if your job puts you in constant contact with the public, you are doing no one a favor by showing up sick.  If you have a procedure scheduled at Stony Point Surgery Center or any heath care facility, call your doctor and reschedule.  The CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care.  There are anti-viral drugs by prescription and over the counter symptom relievers.  Consult your doctor, pharmacist, and your mother.  Get plenty of rest, plenty of fluids and try some chicken soup…it couldn’t hurt.

Maura Cash RN, BSN

OR Manager

Stony Point Surgery Center

804-775-4534

“Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) can be very stressful, but experience has shown that the vast majority of the 8,000,000 bedwetters between the ages of six and fifteen years in the U.S. can be successfully treated,” says Frank Cerniglia, MDt a p-ediatric urologist at Children’s Urology of Virginia,

Bedwetting is defined as night-time loss of urine beyond six years of age, with no associated daytime loss of urine control. Approximately 40% of four year olds, 5% of ten year olds, 1% of 15 year olds (and1/200 adults) are bedwetters, making it a very common condition. Most children will outgrow it even without treatment by fifteen years of age.

“Much has been done in recent years to identify the causes and develop effective treatments for bedwetting”, Dr. Cerniglia notes. “It is important for parents to understand that it is rarely caused by an anatomical deformity. The treatments require time and care, but they almost never include invasive procedures nor surgery.”

There are many potential causes, including genetics, over-production of urine at night and a physically small bladder. Constipation can also result in bedwetting, since stool in the rectum may artificially reduce the bladder size. The primary cause is felt to be “impaired arousal”, when the signals from a full bladder to the wake-up centers in the brain are not strong enough to awaken the child.

Other contributing factors may include such simple things as drinking or eating after dinner – everything taken into the body results in urine production. Drinks with red dye, caffeine or salt (such as sodas or sports drinks) may also result in night-time bedwetting.

“An evaluation of a child with nocturnal enuresis starts with a complete history,” says Dr. Cerniglia. “We will ask many questions. What age was potty training completed? What are the child’s bowel habits? Is there daytime loss, urgency or frequency? Does the child void before bedtime? Has he or she ever been dry for six months or longer?

“If our evaluation indicates that there is no daytime urine loss and the physical exam and urinalysis are normal, we can be pretty sure that this is true nocturnal enuresis, and we will set up a treatment plan. The exam and initial evaluation can be intense, given the shame and guilt usually felt by the child. Empathy and caring for both the child and the parents are critical.”

If the physician suspects another condition, other tests may be ordered. These evaluations are rare since diagnosis of bedwetting is generally clear. Further tests may include voiding studies, cystoscopy (examining the inside of the bladder with a slender lighted scope), MRI or electrocardiogram, among others.

A treatment plan for nocturnal enuresis will usually begin with structured behavior modification techniques, with a parent or sibling acting as a coach. One of the most successful treatments includes the use of a moisture-sensitive alarm which goes off at the first drop of urine. While this will usually not awaken the child but the coach will respond, and wake the child. Within 1-4 weeks, the brain will re-wire itself so that there is a new connection between a full bladder and waking up.

If behavior modification is not successful, there are medications which are very effective. Desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) is a drug which stimulates the production of ADH (anti-diuretic hormone), reducing urine formation. Imipramine, a medication that was widely used in the past, should not be a first-line treatment.

With any treatment, good bladder and bowel habits with fluid restriction after dinner are extremely helpful. Occasionally, children who have been dry for greater than 6 months will resume bedwetting after successful treatment. This is often due to outside stress or schedule changes; sometimes the cause is not known, but the problem resolves when treatment is resumed.

“Secondary nocturnal enuresis may result from a situation that is particularly emotional for the child. This could include a death in the family, parental strain, loss of a beloved pet, or even loss of a favorite blanket or toy,” Dr. Cerniglia reports. “It’s important to be sensitive to these changes, and to treat the child with empathy and caring in order to get through the emotional distress.”

Dr. Cerniglia, a lifetime resident of New Orleans, relocated to Richmond after Hurricane Katrina, and joined Children’s Urology of Virginia in 2005. He has been a pediatric urologist for 23 years, and specializes in the treatment of enuresis, urinary tract infection, and urologic problems in children with spina bifida. While in New Orleans, he was director of pediatric Urology at Tulane University School of Medicine.

Dr. Cerniglia feels that “pediatric urology is a very gratifying specialty. Working with children – and their parents – requires a special sensibility and it’s a great feeling to be able to help these kids adapt and do well.”

For an appointment, 804-272-2411

Edwin Wortham, V, M.D., Pediatric Ophthalmology

As energy levels soar during the summer months, our children engage life with vigor. As parents, we are ready for them to fly. Whenever possible, I like to advise some level of caution where the eyes are concerned, yet strike a balance, as children need to be children. So,  here are some simple reminders. An eye injury can occur at any time, in any place. Adequate prevention is important and could eliminate most eye injuries. Nearly half of eye injuries occur in sports and recreational activities – more often in children and teens than in any other age group.  Sports with high velocity ball action are potentially the most dangerous: racquetball, squash, tennis, soccer, golf, baseball, basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, water polo, and hockey. Protective glasses or face shields are recommended for these sports. The best protective eyewear is a sports frame (not daily wear glasses) with polycarbonate lenses. If a child has a need for better vision with glasses, this prescription can be placed in the sports glasses. Although many athletes wear contact lenses, they do not provide protection against eye injury. If a child has poor vision in one eye, they should wear glasses for protection at all times. As children run through the yard playing, those low hanging branches, their favorite pirate sword or a simple stick can quickly become dangerous. Paint ball, pellet guns, and BB guns can cause very serious injuries. Numerous household items fit this profile, as well. Oh, the list goes on, and I think parents get the idea. We want our children to enjoy their childhood, but we can’t protect them from everything. So it is important to know what to do when something does happen. With regard to injuries, if a chemical is involved immediate irrigation with water is critical. Flush the eyes and face with any available source of water for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Follow up immediately with a trip to the emergency room or ophthalmologist. If a sharp object has penetrated the eye (like a fishing hook), do not pull it take the child to the emergency room as soon as possible. Other blunt or sharp injuries should be examined by an ophthalmologist, since the serious nature of the injury may not be readily apparent. With quick and appropriate care, eye injuries can be treated.

For those children too young for usual outdoor sports, signs of an eye injury can include severe pain, inability to open an eye, persistent tearing and redness, and lack of interest in eating. Pediatric ophthalmologists are trained to detect such injuries and should be the first stop should a concern arise.

Here in central Virginia, any column on eye safety would be incomplete without talk of sunglasses. Given that there is some evidence that long-term exposure to the sun can lead to corneal burns, eyelid tumors, and even cataracts, gently encouraging our children to wear sunglasses I recommend glasses with 99 to 100 percent blockage of UV-A and UV-B ultraviolet light  for all members of the family. They cost little, can be found most anywhere, and should be clearly labeled.

Ed Wortham V, MD, is a pediatric ophthalmologist and also a father. He has been helping children in Richmond see better, and their parents feel better about eye care.

Our record in this field is outstanding — an infection rate measured in the 10,000ths of a percentage point – and we want to outline the discipline and the dedication it takes to keep the Stony Point Surgery Center post-op infection rate so low.

– Every procedure is scheduled. That means our surgeons won’t get called off to the ER (we don’t have one) and it means that when it comes to our specialized procedures, everything is carefully orchestrated and all the details are planned and readied in advance.

– Because we are out-patient only, there is no need for overnight patient accommodations. If you don’t have overnight patients or staff, it means everything can be sterilized every night. That’s a huge factor in infection control — there are fewer potential infection sources.

– Our sterilization starts in the OR when the surgeon is done with the instruments. Our scrub nurses begin cleaning the moment the instrument is no longer needed, and post-op, everything is taken to sterilization rooms that are literally 20 feet from the OR. There are no elevator rides, paperwork, backlogs or miles of hallways to walk. Cleaned without hesitation is our phrase.

– We use ultrasonic cleaning systems, the finest in the industry, that sterilize surfaces at more than 21,000 times a second. Our staff is trained and certified by the manufacturers of this ground-breaking sterilization equipment and they follow strict protocols.

– One every surgeon has his own instrument box, and each container is solely theirs. Every sterile instrument is clear-wrapped — twice — so they can see immediately that they have everything they need. There’s a printed list on each tray, but truthfully, our sterilization teams are so experienced, and our surgery center operates on such a personal level, that our nurses and sterilizing techs can recognize a surgeon’s case before reading the ID tag. The surgeons that use our independent surgery center, who work free of traditional constraints found in large hospitals chains, appreciate the level of support and dedication that stands behind their work.

It’s these sort of details and checklists, to make sure nothing is introduced at the last minute, that can make all the difference in the world in fighting infection. It takes a high-level of diligence to do well in this field, because, as experts note, infections can spread by something as simple as improperly washed hands.

One of the top hospitals in the world, Duke, has taken the national lead in this field and Stony Point Surgery Center is a proud member of the Duke Infection Control Network DICON. Those experts have been advancing this field since 1999, and together we’ve helped established processes and best practices that have been adopted nationally. Our monthly on-site consultations with visiting Duke experts is one of our commitments to quality care.

Stony Point Surgery Center had one post-op infection in 14,875 procedures (a 0.00007% post-operative infection rate) We look at those numbers in two ways. Yes, it’s an outstanding record and a testament to our team, but also, that any infection is one infection too many.

Eddie Edwards

Marketing Director Stony Point Surgery Center

VGR: Can you give our readers an estimate or percentage of the number of patients you see that come to you with a golf specific injury?

Dr. Boardman: Overall, realistically in my practice ten to twenty percent of patients I see are related to golf. Some are golf specific in that they arose out of the golfing activity itself. Others are from the increasingly active older group that might already have some type of shoulder injury such as arthritis that gets worse by playing more golf. It’s a fairly large contingent given the number of folks that are staying active later into their retirement that are continuing to play longer.

VGR: What are some of the most common shoulder injuries that you see and what can golfers do to avoid those injuries?

Dr. Boardman: The two most common things that I see across the age spectrum would be some sort of rotator cuff injury to the shoulder-other terms you hear are rotator cuff tendonitis or bursitis or impingement. All of those reflect some sort of injury to one of the four rotator cuff muscles that help to power the shoulder. The other injury or condition I see, typically in the over 50 and over 60 year old age group would be folks with shoulder arthritis which is precluding them from playing golf. The arthritis is difficult to prevent, the joint wears out as a function of wear and tear or prior injury or genetics. One of the things folks can do to alleviate that pain and help in flexibility is to swim as a patient directed activity. The rotator cuff group can help themselves in several ways. The first is good mechanics and form which may require working with a pro. Secondly they can get themselves into a regular stretching and strengthening routine.

VGR: Should you stretch right before playing?

Dr. Boardman: The answer to stretching is yes but the approach to stretching before playing is probably different now. It used to be more of a static stretch where you would stay in the same position. Now it’s more of a focus on dynamic stretching-trunk rotation or lateral bending-more active stretching putting yourself through similar positions and motions of the golf swing in a constantly moving fashion. That being said, it can’t just be focused on the shoulder. It does help to have leg stretching involved and lower back stretching as well. The duration depends on each person. It’s certainly something that can be done in the span of five or ten minutes.

VGR: Some of the PGA Tour Pros claim to do a full workout before their round. Is that a good thing?

Dr. Boardman: I think certainly folks like Vijay and Tiger and even Greg Norman, the players that have enhance the focus on the physical fitness part of the golf, they are working under the guidance of professional trainers that can tailor a workout program for their level of fitness that won’t impair them to play. They are in such good shape compared to the rest of us. It’s one of those things that the amateur or weekend player has to assess for themselves. Obviously if it takes three days to recover from the soreness of a workout then that is not optimal for them. If there’s a light routine done with or without a trainer and it helps them to maintain conditioning and still go out and play then that is o.k.

VGR: If you feel pain during a round should you keep playing?

Dr. Boardman: I think it’s unlikely that they’re going to make themselves worse by playing. If it’s a gradual pain that develops during the round and it’s tolerable then it should be ok to keep playing. They can then see how rest or anti-inflammatories work and if it doesn’t improve, then pursue it further with a physician. If somebody has an acute pop or the injury comes from a specific movement or event and the arm is in pain then they may consider stopping at that point.

VGR: If diagnosed with a rotator cuff and need surgery how long will recovery take?

Dr. Boardman: For those that have a full tear of a hole in the rotator cuff that needs to be repaired, they are probably looking in the range of about six months. They can start doing some putting or greenside chipping in about three months then gradually increase their activity in that three to six month window so that by the sixth month they are realistically playing a round of golf.

VGR: Is physical conditioning a guarantee against shoulder injury?

Dr. Boardman: Anybody can certainly get rotator cuff tendonitis. Unfortunately anybody can get arthritis, it’s not related to your level of fitness. Those things can happen to the best conditioned person or the worst. That being said, people that are generally in better shape that maintain their conditioning and flexibility and progress gradually into the season, will probably do better. Conditioning helps but it’s no guarantee that one won’t develop a shoulder injury.

Dr. Boardman closing: About seven years ago I had rotator cuff tendonitis after a grateful patient gave me a new driver and I felt obligated over Labor Day weekend to go out and hit about a gazillion golf balls and my shoulder was miserable for about nine months. Then last year I had tennis elbow for about seven months, so I’m very sympathetic to the plight of shoulder and elbow pain in the amateur golfer. The good news is most of us get better. Realistically one of the important things is most golf related injuries both to the shoulder and the elbow can be treated non operatively. The vast majority are not looking at surgery. They are looking at the judicious use of anti-inflammatories, relative rest, physical therapy, perhaps a cortisone injection. It’s the minority that have surgery.

Dr. Boardman is an associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia. He is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon that is dedicated to providing exceptional orthopaedic care. Dr. Boardman specializes in elbow and shoulder reconstruction (including total joint replacement, trauma and post-trauma reconstruction, arthritis, arthroscopy, tendon injuries, sports injuries, and arthroscopic knee surgery. He enjoys playing golf whenever he can and shoots in the mid eighties.

Dr. Boardman sees patients at three offices:

VCU Sports Medicine Center (804) 828-0713

MCV Hosptial (804) 828-7051

Stony Point Surgery Center

(804) 775-4500

http://www.stonypointsc.com/Doctors/bio/BoardmanNDouglas.php

What do kids want in their eyewear? It’s a great question, and if you ask a dozen eyecare professionals (ECPs), you’ll likely get 12 different answers. But who really knows the most about what kids want in their eyewear? Kids, of course! It’s important to include kids in the process of getting glasses. The process should be a joint effort that comes from the kid’s opinion and the knowledge of the Optician for the most accurate fit. So, I asked 15 kids what they want in “glasses”. Their answers were illuminating.

The Older Sibling Image
Wanting to look like an older sibling or an admired friend is a big motivator for kids and they’ll work hard at finding just the right frame to do it with. “I wanted glasses just like my big brother. He has wire ones that are white with black tips. My parents let me pick out my glasses so I could look just like him,” explained a 6-year-old first grader who has been wearing glasses since he was 4. When he was told he needed glasses, the saving grace for his parents was that as long as he had to wear them, he wanted to look like his big brother. That was fine with them so he chose a Fisher Price model made by Clearvision.

Let Them Choose
The 6 year old first grader’s comment goes beyond looking like his big brother. It also illustrates how important it is to kids to pick their own eyewear. Kids don’t want to be told what to choose. They have their own fashion ideas and they have an image they want to project. If somebody else picks out their eyewear, they are probably not going to wear it.

For example, a 12 year old 7th grader does not like to wear his glasses. His parents would not let him participate in the selection of his eyewear; consequently, he almost never wears them. Being myopic, his teachers expect him to wear his glasses to see the board. The problem is that his glasses are “lost” more often than on his face. “I wanted brown metal frames, and my parents made me get the gold metal ones.” The outcome of this is he now wants contacts.

It’s Gotta Fit
If you think fit is not important to kids, think again. A 7 year old 2nd grader has only been wearing glasses for about a year but he knew what was important to him when choosing his eyeglass frames. “What was most important to me was that the glasses stayed on my nose. I tried some frames on and the nosepiece was too big. The frames slide down my nose and were very uncomfortable. I didn’t like that.” He finally settled on a well-chosen bridge with a metal frame from the Ralph Lauren Collection made by Luxottica. The bridge size was 17mm, which was perfect for staying up on his face.

Branding is Important, But …
As you might expect, one of the most important aspects of choosing frames for Teens is how great the eyewear looks. Branding helps Teens pick their eyewear because the brand represents an image that kids can identify with and feel comfortable about. A 15 year old 10th grader had an interesting perspective on this. “I’m not interested in name brands like Kenneth Cole or Nautica because of their name alone, I like them because they look good on me. I want my glasses to be the right shape for my face. I like my glasses because I don’t look stupid.” The 15 year old has dark hair and dark eyes so when he selected his frame, he opted for a black Nautica frame made by Marchon.

His comment is really interesting because it illustrates just how sophisticated kids can be when purchasing something. For him, it’s not enough that there’s a brand name on an eyewear product he’s considering, it has to fit the image he has for himself. Another good point he made was that kids fear their glasses will make them look studious or stupid. That’s a super “no-no” and you’ve got to avoid this as best you can when recommending frames.