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Prevent Toy Related Eye Injuries

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I borrowed the contents of this article from All About Vision.

Eye Safety during the Holidays

5 Toys to Avoid

  • “Fishing” Games. The end of a toy fishing pole or objects secured to the end of the fishing line can easily end up in a playmate’s eye.
  • Guns that shoot ANYTHING. You might think toy guns that shoot lightweight cushy foam balls or rubber bands pose little or no risk, but even these projectiles move at speeds fast enough to cause an eye abrasion.
  • Toy wand, swords or sabers of any kind. There’s really no need to explain why these are a bad idea, right?
  • Water balloon launchers and water guns. Water balloons can cause serious blunt trauma to the eye and permanent vision loss. Even toy guns that shoot a stream of water can cause serious eye damage.
  • Oversized foam hands and fists. Fashioned to simulate cartoon characters like the Incredible Hulk, these toys are an eye injury waiting to happen – for anyone nearby!

It’s usually best to shop for children’t toys in a store rather than online, so you can see the toy’s features up close to help you decide if it’s safe enough for a young child.

And don’t rely on age recommendations printed on the packaging. Manufacturers don’t always use common sense when they decide what’s suitable for young children.

Astigmatism

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Most astigmatism is caused by the shape of the cornea. The cornea is the outer most surface of the eye. It is the clear structure that first bends light (refracts). Instead of being spherical with a single curvature, it has two curvatures that result in the light focusing in two different locations within the eye. Ideally, the light focuses at one point on the retina. (emmetropia). If the eye is myopic (nearsighted) the light focuses in front of the retina. If the eye is hyperopic, far-sighted, the light focuses behind the retina. If the eye is astigmatic, the light focuses in two different places, one focus can be on the retina and one in front of or behind the retina.

Astigmatism is not a disease, it is a refractive condition. A common example optometrists use to describe astigmatism is the difference between a basketball and a football. A basketball is round, and has only one curve for the entire ball. You can think of that curve as a lens power. A football on the other hand has two curves. This is like an eye that has two powers or an astigmatism.

Like other refractive errors, astigmatism can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or refractive surgery.

 

 

Jury Duty

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jury duty

I am doing my civic duty and serving on a jury. Of course I can tell you nothing about the case, except that I will probably be out of the office for 6 days. The court is not in session on Mondays, so I will be in the office seeing patients on November 18th and 25th. Dr. Staton has graciously adjusted her life and schedule to cover for me. She will be doing eye exams and available for emergencies through November 27th, the day the case should be settled. The office is open regular hours for exams, glasses and contact lenses.

I thank you for your patience, this has really tried mine.

 

Sincerely,

Juror 218

Diabetic Awareness Month

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If you have diabetes, it requires attention every day of the year, not just the month of November. But I am going to take advantage of Diabetes Awareness Month to remind you that your eyes are important and can be significantly impacted by diabetes.
First and most important, keep your blood sugar levels under tight control. In the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, people on standard diabetes treatment developed retinopathy four times as often as people who kept their blood sugar levels close to normal. In people who already have retinopathy, the condition progressed in the tight-control group only half as often.

Diabetic Retinopathy

These impressive results show that you have a lot of control over what happens to your eyes. Also, high blood sugar levels may make your vision temporarily blurry.

Second, keep blood pressure under control. High blood pressure can make eye problems worse.

Third, quit smoking.

Fourth, see your optometrist at least once a year for a dilated eye exam. Having your regular doctor look at your eyes is not enough.

Fifth, see your optometrist if:

your vision becomes blurry
you have trouble reading signs or books
you see double
one or both of your eyes hurt
your eyes get red and stay that way
you feel pressure in your eye
you see spots or floaters
straight lines do not look straight
you can’t see things to the side as you used to

Don’t procrastinate. If you have diabetes and haven’t had a dilated eye exam in the last 12 months, schedule an eye exam now.

November Frame of the Month

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Featuring NIKE sport glasses

The 7071 is a light weight frame with adjustable rubber temples. It comes in nike7071Platinum and blue, Platinum and red, anthracite, black, grey and volt (yellow), and metallic grey. We recommend the opti-fog coating to prevent your lenses from steaming up during events and exercise. For more information about the Nike sport collection click here.

Eyes and Make-up

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The best advise I can give regarding make-up and eyecare is remove all of it thoroughly every single night. This seems so obvious but is ignored. Any make-up left on the eyelids and lashes will plug important glands that effect the tear quality. Old make-up will stay in the eye all night, irritating the delicate eye surfaces. Red, tired and burning eyes are the result. I can’t stress it enough – Take off your make-up every night. eye make-up

Other important make-up tips are to be careful where eyeliner is applied. Apply it to the outside of the lashes. There are glands near the lashes that are susceptible to plugging from the oils, and waxes in the eyeliner. This results in poor tear quality and make-up in the tears. It can also introduce bacteria right into the eye.

Be gentle with eyelash curlers, don’t tug on the eye lashes or you may damage the follicle.

Don’t share make-up.

Replace your make-up regularly (every 3 months).

If you wear contact lenses, put your lenses on then apply your make-up. In the evening, remove your contact lenses before taking off your make-up.

If you have any questions contact us at Westside Optometry, (707)762-8643. Here is a download for safe contact lens use.

Myopia

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Not seeing clearly in the distance is usually caused by myopia or nearsightedness. Nearly 30% of Americans are myopic. Children with one myopic parent have a 2X greater risk of developing myopia whereas those with two myopic parents have an 8X greater risk. Physical length of the eye seems to be the biggest factor. In addition to heredity, visual stress is thought to be a contributing factor to myopia.Visual stress is caused by too much close work. Even though the tendency to develop myopia may be inherited, its actual development may be affected by how a person uses his eyes. Individuals who spend considerable time reading, working at a computer or doing other intense close visual tasks increase their visual stress and possibly the incidence of myopia.

A common symptom of nearsightedness is difficulty seeing things far away like a movie or street signs. Generally, myopia first occurs in school-age children. Because the eye continues to grow during childhood, myopia progresses until about age 20.

Correction Options for Myopia

Not quite myopia:

  • Some people experience blurred distance vision only at night. This “night myopia” may be due to the low level of light making it difficult for the eyes to focus properly or the increased pupil size during dark conditions, allowing more peripheral,unfocused light rays to enter the eye.
  • People who do an excessive amount of near vision work may experience a false or “pseudo” myopia. The blurred distance vision is caused by over use of the eyes’ focusing mechanism. After long periods of near work, the eyes are unable to relax and refocus to see clearly in the distance. The symptoms are usually temporary and clear distance vision may return after resting the eyes.
  • Symptoms of nearsightedness may also be a sign of variations in blood sugar levels in persons with diabetes or an early indication of a developing cataract.

If you are experiencing blurry vision at any distance give Westside Optometry a call.

Special Effect Contact Lenses

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cosmetic contact lenses Cosmetic contact lenses can add the perfect effect to many Halloween costumes. But it isn’t worth losing your eyesight over. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has released a consumer update video on the dangers of wearing special effects contact lenses when not properly prescribed by an authorized eye care professional, not properly worn and cared for and purchased from an illegal source.
Improper use of contact lenses can result in serious eye infections, eye abrasions, vision problems and even blindness. To minimize the risk, visit us for a contact lens exam, fitting and prescription before purchasing any contact lenses – even if they are non-prescription lenses.
If you are already a successful contact lens wearer, ask about colored and cosmetic contact lenses in your prescription.

To watch a video from the FDA click this link. Cosmetic Contact Lens Safety

For Safe Use of Cosmetic Contact Lenses:

1. Even if you don’t need a vision correction, have a contact lens exam and fitting.

2. Buy contact lenses only from licensed distributors that require a prescription. Never buy contact lenses from an unlicensed source that doesn’t require a prescription.

3. Always follow wearing instructions and use only prescribed contact lens solutions for disinfection.

4. Never share your contact lenses. While it may seem like a fun idea to swap special effects lenses with your friends, sharing contacts can spread bacteria and result in serious eye health problems, including loss of vision.

5. Most “crazy” contact lenses are designed for daily wear only and are not FDA approved for overnight wear. Do not sleep in cosmetic contacts.

6. If you experience any eye redness, swelling, or discomfort, immediately remove the contact lenses and call me as soon as possible. This could be the sign of a potentially sight-threatening eye infection.

Eye Safety Month

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October is eye safety month, what precautions are you taking to prevent eye injury and trauma?

Protective EyewearAt Westside Optometry we have a complete selection  of sports eyewear for the young and the experienced athlete. Protective eyewear is as important to your game as proper shoes and padding. Sports goggles can be made in all prescriptions, with or without a tint.

 

Protective eyewear isn’t just for the workplace or industrial setting, Most eye injuries happen at home. Non-prescription protective eyewear is available at hardware stores. If you safety framesusually wear glasses, prescription safety glasses are recommended. All our safety eyewear is available with side shields and meet the ANSI.

 

Click here to learn more about eye emergencies.

Mirror Coatings

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Mirror coatings are available in every color of the spectrum. While there is an aesthetic appeal, mirror coatings also have tangible benefits, especially for outdoor activities on water or snow. Glare reduction is the main benefit. The mirror coating adds a level of comfort and glare protection in situations where a polarized lens may not be enough.

mirror coated lenses

Indoors, at clubs, casinos, and the poker table, mirrored lenses can benefit players looking to hide their eyes. Mirror coatings can be applied to clear lenses so the wearer has maximum light transmission.

The color of the mirror does not affect the visual perception of the wearer. Solid mirror and flash mirror are both popular in sunwear. Flash mirrors are less intense aesthetically – they have a less intense mirror look and allow a little more light to pass through.