That incident made me realize that I should be discussing eye safety for common tasks that most of us are doing regularly.  Some other common things that safety eyewear is essential include home improvement projects, yardwork, car repair, handling chemicals, welding, using bungee cords, and applying makeup (think eyeliner pencils and mascara brushes ladies).

Additionally, most sports pose a risk for eye injuries from someone or something hitting the eye.  Some common things that can injure the eyes include a finger poke, wind blown dust or dirt, ultraviolet sun radiation, paintballs, fireworks, or equipment (bats, balls, sticks).

It is estimated that 2.4 million eye injuries occur in the United States annually, and nearly one million Americans have lost some degree of eyesight due to an eye injury, according to Prevent Blindness America.

Optometrists agree that nearly 90 percent of these injuries could be prevented with simple steps.  The website allaboutvision.com recommends that we should avoid distractions when doing anything that could potentially harm the eyes.  We should resist the temptation to multi-task when working with tools or other objects near the eyes.  And always wear safety glasses, protective goggles, or other sports eyewear for greater safety when the situation calls for it.

In my practice I have seen all types of eye injuries.  I have seen a patient that scratched their eye with their fingernail while rubbing it.  Several patients have had metal embedded in the eye from working on cars and motorcycles and woodworking.  Another had a retinal detachment from getting hit in the eye with a volleyball.  Yet another had a branch poke to the eye from yardwork that left vegetative debris embedded in the eye.

If you suffer any eye injury, you should call your optometrist immediately for guidance.  Most optometrists, including me, are available after hours for this specific reason.  The emergency room or urgent care center may not be equipped to examine your eyes properly and my not even have an eye care professional on staff to properly treat your injury.

Remember, we are only given one pair of eyes, and we should take good care of them!

Dr. H

DD contact lenses allow me to throw away the lenses nightly along with any harmful bacteria the lens may be harboring.  This greatly reduces the risk of an eye infection which can be serious and even vision threatening.

Debris and proteins can accumulate on a contact lens throughout the day during wear.  These deposits are the culprits in contact lens allergies and contact lens discomfort.  Reusable contact lens wearers that do not completely rub and rinse their lenses nightly before storing can suffer with uncomfortable lenses as deposits build up on the lenses.  DD wearers enhance their comfort with contact lens wear by starting each day with a fresh, new contact lens.

The risk of contact lens solution sensitivity, allergy, and toxicity are reduced with DD contact lens wear.  No solutions are used to clean, disinfect, or store the DD contact lenses.  The use of a contact lens case is eliminated with DD wear.  Contact lens storage in the case has been linked to harmful eye infections when contact lens wearers do not properly clean or replace their case.

Convenience is also a benefit with DD.  It is pretty easy to just open a new foil pack every morning and just put the lenses on.  Travel is also easier when all I have to do is throw a few strips of lenses into my overnight bag.  Gone are the times I had to worry about carrying the correct size bottle of contact lens solution for air travel, remembering to pack solutions, and packing back-up contact lenses in case of a lost or torn lens.

DD contact lenses are also affordable.  They cost less than a dollar a day for healthy, clean, and comfortable contact lenses.  What else can you get for a dollar a day these days?  A cup of gourmet coffee or a fast food lunch will certainly run more.

Since I switched to DD contact lenses a few years ago, I have not looked back.

“January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month and we encourage all people, especially those at higher risk for this disease, to familiarize themselves with the potential symptoms and need for regular eye examinations” Dr. Holser said. “A regular eye examination is especially critical since a person with early-stage Glaucoma may not notice any symptoms at all.”

Dr. Holser added that while the early stage symptoms may not be noticeable, persons with more advanced Glaucoma may notice blurred vision, the presence of halos around lights, loss of peripheral vision and difficulty focusing on objects.

“Glaucoma affects an estimated 4 million Americans,” Dr. Holser said.  Some people are more at risk than others. Those at higher risk include:

•People over the age of 60

•African-Americans over age 40

•People with diabetes

•Individuals that have experienced a serious eye injury

•Anyone with a family history of glaucoma

“While there is no cure for Glaucoma, early detection and treatment can slow or prevent further vision loss,” Dr. Holser said. “First and foremost in the process is a comprehensive eye health exam by your family eye doctor.”

Check out the full article on multifocal contact lenses for hunters from Coopervision here.

President Barack Obama signed into law a measure that provides nearly $600,000 in new federal resources to help expand the scope and impact of InfantSEE® – the signature public health program of the American Optometric  Association (AOA) and administered by Optometry’s CharityTM – The AOA Foundation.

The first direct appropriation, sponsored by Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) totaled $500,000 and is aimed at supporting expansion and outreach of the program.

“Many parents of newborns do not know that the most dramatic development of a child’s visual system occurs within the first year of life,” said Sen. Byrd. “And it is through early detection and treatment of potential problems that parents can help ensure poor vision and eye health does not severely affect their child’s ability to learn and place them at a disadvantage in education and in life.”

The second direct appropriation totaling $90,000 was sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and will support program expansion through outreach in Iowa.

“InfantSEE® is doing much more than identifying and treating risk factors that may cause eye and vision problems later in the life,” said Sen. Harkin. “They are taking prevention to a new level to ensure healthier, thriving children and lower health care costs down the road.”

InfantSEE® assessments are complementary to the routine well-care exams a baby receives from a pediatrician or family physician. Optometrists have the training to identify areas of risk that are critical to vision development and the skills to identify conditions that might not be detected in a routine pediatric wellness exam. In some cases, conditions may need to be monitored, immediately treated or referred to a pediatric eye specialist.

At Advanced Eye Care, we believe in and support the InfantSee program.  Check out this post to learn more about it.  If you have a newborn or are expecting, remember that the InfantSEE® exam provides a no-cost vision assessment if your baby is between 6 and 12 months old.

This is a cute video from Miss Whoops of the MR. MEN show on Cartoon Network.  I may use this with all kids who are skeptical about their new glasses!

Take Care,

Dr. H

InfantSEE® is a public health program designed to ensure that eye and vision care becomes an integral part of infant wellness care to improve a child’s quality of life. Under this program, American Optometric Association (AOA) member optometrists will provide a comprehensive infant eye assessment within the first year of life as a no cost public health service.  Dr. Holser is a proud volunteer for the InfantSEE® program!

Often, the medications patients are taking such as the popular antihistamines, Allegra D and Claritin D, do a great job of drying out the watery nose. But, they also decrease our tear production which is essential for contact lens comfort and rinsing the allergans (what is causing your allergic reaction) away from the eye and the mucous membranes of our eye lids. That makes the ocular symptoms of the allergies worse! The ocular symptoms are better managed with eyedrop medications that work at the source of the allergic reaction.

Fortunately, there are a lot of options to help manage the ocular allergy symptoms. We have medications, like Pataday, that are dosed once daily to provide all day relief of the red, itchy, watery eyes. Clinical studies have shown that the over the counter products, such as Visine-A, don’t provide long term relief that a prescription medication can. Because it is a prescription medication, however, Pataday must be prescribed by your optometrist.

If you are an allergy sufferer and would like some relief, call for an appointment today.

At Advanced Eye Care of Grand Rapids, we have added the Eyemaginations 3D-Eye patient education software.  In the examination room, I can now use 3-D animations to teach patients about their visual condition, eye health, and treatment options.  The animations can also be emailed to patients so that they can be referenced after the exam.  I realize that not everything discussed sinks in immediately and it is great to hear the message a couple of times before we can fully understand the message.  Some of the animations are also available directly on our practice website, http://advancedeyecaregr.com, so that anyone can review eye conditions at any time.

I felt that this software really enhances our patient education process at Advanced Eye Care of Grand Rapids.  I will still discuss your vision and eye health conditions and treatment options one-on-one in the exam room and let you take home printed information.  But now, you will have access to more details in the 3D-eye animations emailed right to you.  You can also share this information with family, friends, and even your neighbors!

Come and check out the 3D-Eye animation about your eye or vision condition today!

Dr. Holser

advancedeyecaregr.com

(616)361-20/20

One of the most frequent questions I am asked by patients is if they can change their eye color using colored contact lenses.  Yes, we can make your brown eyes blue (or green or gray or even purple!).  Colored contact lenses are a great way to show a different side of your personality.  Whether you want to change your eye color all the time or just for going out on the weekends, we have the eye color for you.  Give us a call to set up a contact lens examination and try colored contact lenses today.

Dr. Holser

616-361-20/20