Maintaining Good Eye Health

Don't take your eye health for granted. Protect your eyesight with these five tips:

1. Eat for Good Vision

Protecting your eyes starts with the food on your plate. Studies have shown that nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E may help ward off age-related vision problems such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Regularly eating these foods can help lead to good eye health:

• Green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collards
• Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish
• Eggs, nuts, beans, and other non-meat protein sources
• Oranges and other citrus fruits or juices

Eating a well-balanced diet also helps you maintain a healthy weight, which makes you less likely to get obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults.

2. Quit Smoking for Better Eyesight

Smoking makes you more likely to get cataracts, optic nerve damage, and macular degeneration. If you've tried to quit smoking before and started smoking again, keep trying. Studies show that the more times you try to quit smoking, the more likely you are to succeed.

3. Wear Sunglasses for Good Vision

The right kind of sunglasses will help protect your eyes from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Too much UV exposure makes you more likely to get cataracts and macular degeneration.
Choose sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays. Wraparound lenses help protect your eyes from the side. Polarized lenses reduce glare when driving.
If you wear contact lenses, some offer UV protection. It's still a good idea to wear sunglasses for more protection.

4. Use Safety Eyewear at Home, at Work, and While Playing Sports

If you work with hazardous or airborne materials at work or home, wear safety glasses or protective goggles every time.
Certain sports such as ice hockey, racquetball, and lacrosse can also lead to eye injury. Wear eye protection such as, helmets with protective face masks or sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses) to shield your eyes.

5. Look Away From the Computer for Good Eye Health

Staring at a computer screen can cause:

• Eyestrain
• Blurry vision
• Difficulty focusing at a distance
• Dry eyes
• Headaches
• Neck, back, and shoulder pain

Protect your eye health by taking the following steps:

• Make sure your glasses or contact lens prescription is up-to-date and adequate for computer use. 
• Some people may need glasses to help with contrast, glare, and eye strain when using a computer.
• Position your computer so that your eyes are level with the top of the monitor. This allows you to look slightly down at the screen.
• Try to avoid glare on your computer from windows and lights. Use an anti-glare screen if needed.
• Choose a comfortable, supportive chair. Position it so that your feet are flat on the floor.
• If your eyes are dry, blink more.
• Every 20 minutes, rest your eyes by looking 20 feet away for 20 seconds. At least every two hours, get up and take a 15-minute break.

Click here to read the original article published on webmd.com.

 Our eyes are very delicate organs, and we should plan routine eye exams whether or not we notice any problems. By getting your eyes checked regularly, you’ll be able to keep them healthy your whole life. Neglect can be costly!

Click here to schedule an eye exam at 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore.

Tips for Making Halloween Safe

Halloween should be a fun time that your child remembers for years to come. Every year, there are several hundred eye injuries related to costumes and masks treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. There are many things you can do to ensure your child enjoys a safe Halloween and prevent a night of treats from turning into a night of tragedy.

Costumes and Safety

• Avoid costumes with masks, wigs, floppy hats or eye patches that block vision.
• Tie hats and scarves securely so they don’t slip over children’s eyes.
• Avoid costumes that drag on the ground to prevent tripping or falling.
• Avoid pointed props such as spears, swords or wands that may harm other children’s eyes.
• Wear bright, reflective clothing or decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape/patches.
• Carry a bright flashlight to improve visibility.
• Do not ride a bike/scooter/skateboard or roller blade while wearing a costume.
• Obey all traffic signals—pedestrian and driver.
• Younger children should go with an adult while trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. Older children should trick-or-treat in groups.
• Use common sense. Never dart out between parked cars or hidden corners such as alleys. Avoid streets under construction.
• Don’t trick or-treat in busy commercial areas or where there is heavy traffic.
• Go trick-or-treating in daylight, as it is safer than going after dark.
• A safer option is to go to a Halloween party instead of trick-or-treating.

Cosmetics and Contacts Lenses

• Wear hypoallergenic makeup. Have an adult apply the makeup and remove it with cold cream instead of soap. Use makeup in place of masks.
• Cosmetic contacts that make your eyes look like cat’s eyes may seem like fun, especially at Halloween. However, these lenses come with the same risks as regular contact lenses. This growing fad may seem harmless, but it is not!
• Improper use of cosmetic lenses can lead to serious eye complications. These problems include bacterial infections, swelling, eye pain, sensitivity to light, conjunctivitis (pink eye), corneal scratches, corneal ulceration and even permanent loss of sight.
• Never buy cosmetic contacts without a prescription! Never share your cosmetic contacts with others or use someone else’s contacts.
• Since this fad is popular among teens, be vigilant about older kids’ appearance before letting them leave the house. If they are wearing these contacts, ask where they got them.

Treats

• Inspect all trick-or-treat items for signs of tampering before allowing children to eat them.
• Carefully inspect any toys or novelty items received by kids age 3 and younger. These may pose a choking hazard. Avoid giving young kids lollipops as the sticks can cause eye injuries.

Decorations

• Be sure your lawn, steps, porch and front door are well lit and free from obstacles.
• Keep candles and jack-o’-lanterns away from steps and porches outside, as costumes could brush against them and ignite. Inside, keep them away from curtains and other decorations to avoid causing a fire.

Read the original article published on preventblindness.org

Decorative contact lenses can be a fun part of your halloween costume this year, but before you go out and buy a pair you should understand the danger and safety precautions you should take to avoid vision problems and blindness.

To know more about Halloween, including details on who should NOT use decorative contact lenses. Drop in any of our 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore. We will look forward seeing you!

Love your eyes

Our eyes are the most incredible pieces of equipment and they enable us to enjoy the world around us.

We have only two eyes so it’s vital that we take good care of them because the passage of time, the ageing process and the increased risk of medical conditions affecting them mean that they may become less likely to satisfy our visual needs.

EYE TEST

An eye test at least every year (unless advised otherwise) is very important. This helps to identify whether they need a little help from glasses or contact lenses. For example, presbyopia (loss of focusing power of the lens) usually starts in middle age and most people notice that reading or focusing on objects close up is not as easy as it was. It’s considered a normal part of ageing and occurs when the eye lens becomes stiffer, larger and less able to change its shape to focus. It is easily improved with reading glasses.

A test also allows problems which can damage the eyes to be detected and treated early. An example is glaucoma, a condition where by fluid pressure builds up and if left untreated can cause blindness. The problem often goes unnoticed until permanent damage has occurred. However, during an eye test, it can be identified so treatment can be given and vision protected. 

GOOD DIET

Diet plays a very important role in good vision. One rich in antioxidants - vitamins A, C and E, beta-carotene, zinc, selenium andflavonoids (found in red wine, green tea and dark chocolate) - can help to counteract the effects of time and the environment on the eyes. Smoking increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration and so is best avoided.

CLOUDING

Cataracts are cloudy areas in the lens that are very common and make vision unclear. Nowadays they can be easily treated by surgical removal. Low calcium, smoking, excess UV radiation and diabetes make cataracts more likely so the eyes need to be protected from these. 

TAKE A BREAK

Like any part of the body, the eyes need rest too. Whether it’s close work or time spent in front of a computer screen, if you are to avoid straining, then regular breaks are needed. Don’t forget that like the skin, the eyes can be damaged by UV radiation, so protect them by wearing sunglasses. Think about protective glasses or goggles if there’s a risk of particles of debris entering your eyes whilst you work or participate in sports and hobbies.

Read the original article published on healthspan.co.uk by Dr Rob Hicks,

20/20 Eyeglass Superstore Orlando – Winter Park has thousands of eyeglass frames to choose from, and with its own resident optometrist and in house lab, you can be in and out with your new customized glasses in as little as one hour. Family owned and operated, it’s a one stop shop for all your eye care needs. At 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore Orlando – Winter Park, rest assured that you will find a frame for every face and a price for every budget.

Tips for Eye Cosmetic Safety: Watch Out for Hidden Harms

Love your eyes and keep your eyes health. Your eyes are amazing you should take care of them. They are the only pair you have.

Eye shadow, liner and mascara are great ways to make your eyes pop, but they can also be a breeding ground for bacteria. Eye makeup expires just like food does. Liquid and creamy formulas harbor bacteria faster and more easily than powders. Minimize your chance of developing infections and problems that can seriously impact your vision by following these tips:

• Throw out anything you bought more than three months ago; or immediately, if your eyes become red, irritated, or you develop an allergic reaction or eye infection while using it. See your eye doctor and don’t wear anything until your doctor gives you the okay; then only new products.

• Store makeup in a cool, dry place – not in your steamy bathroom.

• Always wash your hands before applying eye makeup. Ensure your face and eyelids are clean, as well as your applicators and brushes.

• Never share makeup with a friend. And never try store testers, which can be contaminated; even fresh applicators can transfer bacteria.

• Don’t use dried-out mascara, and never moisten it with water or saliva. Replace it!

• Keep eye makeup outside the eye and above the lash line; don’t line the inner lid, where makeup can enter your eye or clog the oil glands of your upper and lower lids.

• Don’t use kohl eyeliners because they may contain dangerous levels of lead.

• Metallic, glittery and powder makeup can be especially problematic, flaking and irritating corneas and eyes, especially if your eyes are dry. It can also get between your contact lenses and eyes, which can scratch the cornea and become infected. This may cause a potentially blinding corneal ulcer.

• Don’t use permanent coloring or dyes on your eyelashes or eyebrows, which can permanently damage your eyes if used incorrectly. It’s best to steer clear of this option altogether.

• Always remove all makeup at night, especially mascara, which can stick to your lashes. Use a clean cotton ball or swab on the lash line to remove any remnants. Keep eye makeup remover out of your eyes and flush them if any gets in. Then thoroughly rinse your eyelids and face.

 Read the original article publish on lighthouse.org

 

Relate to this question about wearing eye makeup with glasses?

I’ve worn glasses since I was nine years old. I like my glasses, but have never learned how to do eye makeup properly because of them. I’ve put on eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara a few times over the years but once I put my glasses back on it all just looked wrong and old-ladyish, somehow. Nowadays, I will put on a little mascara, but I usually do nothing. I want to play with color and shading! Is there a way for eye makeup and glasses to look great together?

Here at 20/20Eyeglass Superstore, our goal is to give you the best pair of glasses so that you may see the world around you as clearly as possible. And what a world there is to see!