Brookhaven is a hamlet located in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. It is part of the Town of Brookhaven, the largest town in land area in New York State. Brookhaven is bounded by the Great South Bay and the lower reach of Carmans River, as well as the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge. In 1655, the first English settlers consisting of 6 pioneers who arrived and bought land from the inhabitants which were the Algonquian-speaking Native Americans of the Setauket and Unkechaug tribes. Five of them were from Massachusetts including John Scudder, John Swezie, Jonathan Porter, Roger Chester and Thomas Charles, and one, Thomas Mabbs or Mapes belonged to Southold and was one of the original settlers in the area. During 19th century, Brookhaven was known as Fireplace but this name has not been used since 1871 when it officially became Brookhaven.
The South Country School District is serving the entire hamlet of Brookhaven and South Haven with a high school and one of its elementary schools located in the hamlet of Brookhaven while another special school (the former South Haven district elementary school) is located in South Haven. It also serves the residents of Bellport, East Patchogue, Brookhaven, and small portions of Medford and Yaphank. Nearby colleges and universities such as Dowling College, St. Joseph's College, Suffolk Community College, and SUNY Stony Brook offer a variety of outstanding undergraduate and graduate coursework.The Brookhaven Free Library serves the South Country Central School District. The library has a collection to over 30,000 items including videos, music CD's, large print books, DVD's, and many more that focuses on children's services and provides access to timely information technology and current materials for adults in a variety of formats. Several churches can also be found in the area including the old Methodist Church that is located on the south side of Beaverdam Road, just east of the Old South Haven Church.
North Shore Eye Care serves the residents of Brookhaven with a variety of concerns including flashes and floaters. Many patients call our Smithtown New York office in Long Island with a complaint of new floaters in their vision. The vitreous body is the fluid that fills the back of the eye. The vitreous occupies the space between the retina and the lens of the eye. As we age, the vitreous degenerates and becomes more watery. This is a natural process of aging. Many patients have floaters that look like small dark objects that move as we move our eyes. Floaters are usually seen during the day because they are easier to see when there is more light. When you see a floater, you are actually seeing a shadow of a particle in your eye. Floaters are not usually visually dangerous.
When a patient sees a sudden increase in floaters or flashes of light that occur in their peripheral vision, this can be the sign of a posterior vitreous detachment. A posterior vitreous detachment occurs when the vitreous gel separates from the retina suddenly. The flashes of light represent the areas of gel that are still attached to the retina and when the gel pulls against the retina, the traction creates a flash of light. It is important to call your eye doctor when these symptoms occur because new floaters and flashes can be associated with a tear in the retina. The retina is similar to the film in a camera. It is a delicate tissue that lines the back of the eye. If a tear in the retina is discovered by our board certified eye doctors and eye surgeons, it is treated with laser to close it. A retinal tear left untreated can become a retinal detachment over time by fluid getting under the retina and lifting it up. A retinal detachment is a more serious eye problem that needs emergency eye surgery. Posterior vitreous detachments are serious, but usually benign in nature. It is important to be examined on an emergency basis to ensure that a retinal tear has not occurred.
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