Category: Tips - academy of eye care

gadgets hurting your eyes?

8/14/2013

From computer monitors to iPads, tablets and phones, it is not unusual for many of us to spend most of the day reading digital screens. But staring at them for hours every day can cause significant eye strain, blurry vision, headaches, burning or watery eyes.

Individual vision problems and poor office ergonomics contribute to the rise in eyesight trouble, and as computer use duration increases, so do the symptoms.

Some tips to help ease computer related eye problems are:

The 20/20/20 Rule -- Relax your eyes every 20 minutes for 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away.
Blink – Our normal blink rate cuts in half when concentrating on a computer screen causing your eyes to dry out.
Set the stage – Ergonomics and lighting are key. Try positioning your screen to eliminate glare. Optimally, the computer screen should be 15-20 degrees below eye level and approximately 2 ft away.
Adjust your display settings - Adjust screen resolution, font size and brightness.
Visit your eye doctor – Schedule an eye exam to ensure that your eyes are healthy and that your prescription is up to date.

Call us today to schedule a comprehensive eye exam 850.769.1404. If you are a computer user, be sure to ask about lenses and contacts specifically designed for computer users.

give your child a visual "head start"

7/14/2013

It is estimated that 80% of learning for children comes through their visual system. It is also estimated that 80% of children begin school without a comprehensive eye exam.

Good vision has been identified as a major factor of a child’s ability to learn and succeed. Since kids need good near and distance vision at school, as well as good peripheral coordination, it just makes sense for parents to have them tested before they start school.

Most children won’t complain about visual problems, because they don’t realize what “normal” vision is. The American Optometric Association (AOA) actually recommends your child have their first complete eye exam at six months, if there are no apparent eye problems.

Check out the AOA’s helpful article “Steps in Infant Vision Development.” www.aoa.org/x9420.xml#1 Call our office at 850-769-1404 to set up an appointment for you and your child!

stop the fog!

6/10/2013

Yesterday's rain inspired this blog. Everyone was walking around Pier Park with fogged up eyeglasses. Why do glasses fog?

Fog is a water vapor which is condensed into tiny droplets lying close to a surface, like lenses in glasses, which limits visibility. Most of the time, eyeglasses become foggy when you move from a cold to a hot environment. For us Floridians, this typically happens when we move from the cold AC inside to the warm and humid outside environment.

At the end of 2011, Essilor came out with a new product, “Optifog”. How does it work? The lenses have a unique fog repellent property that is enhanced with a specific concentrate called the “Optifog Activator”. Each week, you apply this activator to the lenses. This will repel all the tiny water droplets off the lenses resulting in a pair of truly fog-free lenses. This will decrease distortion, blur, and contrast lost from the fog.

If you’ve been frustrated by foggy lenses, we would recommend the addition of Optifog technology to your next pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses. Come by Academy of Eye Care and ask about it today!

what frame will look good on me?

3/23/2013

What frame will look good on me? This is one of the most common questions that we get asked in our optical.

You should consider three main points when choosing an eyeglass frame for your face shape:

Eyewear should repeat your personal best feature (such as a blue frame to match blue eyes).
The frame shape should contrast with your face shape.
The frame size should be in scale with your face size.

There are some general guidelines to follow in choosing a frame, but honestly you just have to TRY THEM ON! Our staff will be glad to help you find what looks good on you and fits your personality.

Visit this site for more information: http://goo.gl/RZJfK

contact lenses and spring allergies

3/11/2013

Spring is here and allergies are going to be in full swing within a few weeks. I always see a dramatic increase in eye infections this time of the year secondary to contact lenses and allergies. Pollen from flowers and trees causes the release of histamine and other inflammatory mediators in the body and the eyes.
Some people find that their symptoms can be amplified if they are wearing contacts lenses. Contacts also increase the chance of getting an eye infection. There are a few things I always recommend doing this time of the year to help prevent an allergic reaction or infection:

Don’t sleep in your contacts at night because it creates a warm moist environment for bacteria to thrive in
Throw your contacts away when your doctor says you should and don’t stretch the life of them because they clog up with debris and don’t let your cornea breathe good enough
Ask the Dr if you are a candidate for daily disposable contacts so there is no re-exposure to allergens building up
Clear Care contact lens solution removes proteins on contacts better than other passive multi-purpose solutions
Use an antihistamine eye drop like Lastacaft or Pataday daily
Start taking an antihistamine pill like Zyrtec, Allegra, or Claritin every day
Above all-- if your eye is red and irritated, take your contacts out and give your eyes a break. If you wear contacts with a red irritated eye you are asking for an infection.

allergy "season"

3/4/2013

We refer to it as allergy "season", but for the last few years it has seemed that the seasons all just run together. So many patients are suffering from eye allergies year round-- red, itchy, watery eyes. In the midst of the worst allergy season ever, it is important to know what works best for you.

There are tons of home-remedies and over-the-counter products based around allergies. Lubricating your eyes with artificial tears helps to dilute accumulated allergens and prevent them from sticking to the conjunctiva. Unfortunately, these drops have no impact on swelling or redness.

For the best relief for your eyes, call our office at 850.769.1404 for an evaluation of your eyes. There are a variety of decongestant eye, antihistamine, and steroid drops that can stop the suffering.

Here are a few tips to remember:

Avoid staying outdoors when pollen levels are high
Allergies dry your eyes and dryness keeps more allergens on the surface-- break the cycle!
Cold compresses soothe allergy swollen eyes
Refrigerate eye drops for a soothing sensation during application
DO NOT RUB your eyes as this spreads histamines and causes more itching

combating winter dry eyes

12/15/2012

In Florida, we are accustomed to humidity in the air that so thick you can slice it with a knife. But when winter months approach, the atmosphere here gets very dry. Dry eyes that burn and ache are a common side effect of the cold winter winds outside and the dry, heated air of our homes inside. Our tears evaporate off the surface of our eyes, and our tear glands simply cannot produce fluid quick enough to maintain the protective, moist coating that our eyes require to stay hydrated. The result is dry eyes that may cause blurred vision or a scratchy, burning sensation.

Luckily, there are several simple ways that you can combat dry eyes during the winter months. Here are our tips for keeping your vision clear and your eyes moisturized during the cold winter season ahead:

Sunglasses to shield your eyes from the drying elements and decrease the evaporation of your tear film.
Humidifier to maintain a healthy level of moisture in your home.
Lubricating eye drops help to supplement your tear film and heal damaged tissue. Because there are so many over-the-counter artificial tear brands to choose from, make sure that you ask Dr. Byers to ensure that you are using drops that are suitable for your condition.

The winter season can be a great time to get outside and soak up the smells and sights of the season. However, make sure that you follow these simple steps for combating dry eyes to make sure that you do not fall victim to the hazards of the cold, dry winter weather.

november is diabetic eye disease awareness month-- be aware!

11/7/2012

In November, we acknowledge American Diabetes Month and with it the serious toll the disease can take on your eyes. Prevent Blindness America attempts to raise awareness on the damage to the small blood vessels that nourish the retina when your blood sugar is not under control.
The numbers for this disease speak for themselves:

24 million children and adults in the U.S. have diabetes.
7.7 million Americans suffer from diabetic retinopathy.
25,000 people go blind from diabetic retinopathy every year.
25x more likely to lose your sight from retinopathy, glaucoma or cataracts if you have diabetes.

What are the symptoms?
Often, there are no symptoms in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy. Vision may seem unchanged until the disease becomes severe. Eventually, the vision of a person with diabetic retinopathy may become blurred or blocked entirely. But even in more advanced cases the disease may progress without symptoms for a long time. That is why regular eye exams are so important for people with diabetes.

See an Eye Doctor at Least Once a Year!!!
Early treatment of serious diabetic retinopathy can improve the chance of saving your sight. For some people, diabetic retinopathy may be one of the first signs that they have diabetes. Adults and children who have diabetes should have a dilated eye exam at least once a year.

At Academy of Eye Care, Dr. Byers always dilates your eyes as part of your eye examination. Eye drops are used to widen your pupils to allow a close look at the inside of the eye. We even have advanced technology of the Topcon 3D OCT to exam the layers of the retina and macular tissue in detail.

[Source: Prevent Blindness America]

use it or lose it! (FSA/HSA spending)

11/4/2012

Starting around this time of year, we seem to get a lot of questions from people about their Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA). In most cases, FSA / HSA must be used by the end of the calendar year, or you lose it. Here are a few answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions!

1. Can I use my FSA/HSA for prescription sunglasses? Yes! For lenses or frames!

2.  Can I use my FSA/HSA to pay for my husband’s / wife’s / child’s / grandmother’s eye care?   Yes! It can be used for anyone you claim on your taxes as a dependant.

3.  Can I use my FSA/HSA for contacts?   Yes! You may use it for contacts and any other expenses incurred in the maintainence of contacts, including cases, solution, rewetting drops, etc.

4. Do I need a receipt to send in to the administrators of my FSA/HSA?   It varies widely by plan. Some plans see that the expense is from a doctor’s office, and so do not question it. Other plans want an extremely detailed receipt. We are happy to give you a detailed copy of your receipt with the insurance CPT codes on it if your FSA / HSA needs it. We can give this to you when we dispense your glasses or contacts to you, at the time of the exam, or can mail or fax the receipt to wherever you need it to go.

we only have 2 eyes! call us for emergencies!

10/1/2012

If you smash your finger with a hammer – it’s not that big of a deal. If you get hit in the eye or get something in your eye, that can be a big deal. You have ten fingers and toes BUT only two eyes. And to date – we can put a new finger on your hand; we can’t put a new eye in your head. Some eye injuries can cause serious vision loss. It is important to understand when these injuries are considered emergent and how to appropriately respond to it. DO NOT attempt to treat a serious eye injury yourself!

CALL US RIGHT AWAY IF YOU HAVE:

Eye pain
Something in the eye or under the eyelid that can’t be rinsed away
Sudden onset of floaters, flashes of light, or a "curtain" blocking your vision
Sudden blurred, distorted , or double vision
A torn or cut eyelid
An eye that does not move or protrudes
An odd shaped or sized pupil
Blood behind the clear part of the eye (cornea)

There is a time to be tough and to suck it up, but that time should never come to your eyes! Come see us and don't play with your vision!