We want to make sure that you receive all of the information that you need to make educated decisions about your eye health. Please feel free to call us with your eye care questions on 215-745-0993
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Q. Why is it Important to Wear Sports Eyewear?
Not long ago, athletes rarely wore eyewear specifically designed to protect their eyes during sports, and sports-related eye injuries were widespread. Today, sports eyewear can be spotted on almost anyone who picks up a ball, bat, racquet or stick, whether they play in the major leagues or the Little League. Fortunately, coaches, parents and players now realize that wearing protective eyewear for sports pays off in several ways. The risk of eye damage is reduced, and the player's performance is enhanced by the ability to see better. In fact, many athletic and fitness clubs today do not permit their members to participate without wearing proper eye gear. Initially, there was some resistance by children to "looking funny" when they wore protective eyewear. Today, sports goggles are an accepted part of everyday life, much the way bike helmets have become the norm. In addition, both children and adults like the image that wearing protective eyewear gives them: It shows they mean business on the playing field.
If You're Not Wearing Protective Eyewear, Consider This...
Prevent Blindness America reports that hospital emergency rooms treat more than 40,000 eye injuries every year that are sports-related. Even non-contact sports such as badminton can present inherent dangers to the eyes. Any sport in which balls, racquets or flying objects are present pose a potential for eye injury. Sports such as racquetball, tennis and badminton may seem relatively harmless, but they involve objects moving at 60 miles per hour or faster. During a typical game, a racquetball can travel between 60 and 200 miles per hour.
Q. My child had a vision exam at my Pediatrician, why do I need to come to the eye doctor?
Vision screening programs are intended to help identify children or adults who may have undetected vision problems and refer them for further evaluation. However, they can’t be relied on to provide the same results as a comprehensive eye and vision examination. Vision screening programs are intended to help identify children or adults who may have undetected vision problems and refer them for further evaluation. Screenings can take many forms. Often schools provide periodic vision screenings for their students. A pediatrician or other primary care physician may do a vision screening as part of a school physical. When applying for a driver’s license, chances are your vision will be screened. Many times vision screenings are part of local health fairs put on by hospitals, social service agencies or fraternal groups like the Lions and Elks Clubs. While vision screenings can uncover some individuals with vision problems, they can miss more than they find. This is a major concern about vision screening programs. Current vision screening methods cannot be relied upon to effectively identify individuals in need of vision care. In some cases, vision screening may actually serve as an unnecessary barrier to an early diagnosis of vision problems. They can create a false sense of security for those individuals who the screening, but who actually have a vision problem, thereby delaying further examination and treatment. Undetected and untreated vision problems can interfere with a child’s ability to learn in school and participation in sports or with an adult’s ability to do their job or to drive safely. The earlier a vision problem is diagnosed and treated, the less it will impact an individual’s quality of life.
Q. Why do my Polarized sunglasses need anti-reflective coatings?
Anti-reflective coating on a sunlens is used to prevent backside reflections. This eliminates annoying reflections that occur when light is reflected off the lens surface of the lens. This can interfere with or decrease the effectiveness of the polarized lenses. This treatment is only beneficial on the backside of the lens, especially so that you won't see thereflection of your eye in the lens. Since AR increases light transmission it is a disadvantage on the front of a sunlens. (On a clear lens AR is used to increase light transmission). Also, Usually on Backside A/R is used due to the fact that fingerprints and dirt are more visible on a polarized dark surface that has A/R. You can see smudges very easily. The same goes for any Sun Tinted lens.
Q. Can kids wear contact lenses?
Contact lens wear is not a matter of age. Many infants and toddlers wear them; some teenagers shouldn't. In other words, every case is different. Here are a few things you should know to help you decide whether contacts are a good idea for your own children:
- Some contact lenses can slow the progression of nearsightedness.
- Contact lenses are better for sports activities.
- Many children, and most teens, would rather wear contacts than glasses.
Most eye care professionals report great results with kids and contact lenses. No eye doctor will prescribe contact lenses for children or teenagers who aren't ready for them or who don't have a good reason to wear them. And they don't hesitate to unprescribe them if a child doesn't take good care of them.
Q. What can I do to prevent Dry Eyes?
Dry eye affects over 25 million Americans and is caused by changes in the quantity or quality of your tears. Your tear film consists of three main layers that work together to keep your eyes both comfortable and protected. If anything affects the balance of these elements, your tears can evaporate, leaving your eyes feeling dry and irritated. One of the most common symptoms is a feeling of dryness, but dry eye can also make your eyes experience irritation, grittiness, scratchiness, burning, or stinging. Not everyone will experience the same symptoms, but most people with dry eye will agree that persistent symptoms can make everyday activities difficult, and can interrupt hobbies and activities you enjoy.
- There are several different factors that could cause dry eye, including changes in the environment (like higher temperatures and a lack of humidity) or changes in our own bodies. Hormones are crucial to healthy tear production and changes in hormone levels may decrease natural tear production. Although dry eye can affect both men and women of any age, menopause is especially known to affect tear production. Studies have shown that over 16 million Post-Menopausal Women suffer from symptoms of dry eye.
- Unfortunately, there is no cure for dry eye, but there is a variety of treatments that can help soothe its symptoms. Ask us. We can Help!
Q. When is it appropriate for children to start wearing contact lenses?
A: Contact lens wear is not a matter of age. Many infants and toddlers wear them; some teenagers shouldn't. In other words, every case is different. Here are a few things you should know to help you decide whether contacts are a good idea for your own children:
- Some contact lenses can slow the progression of nearsightedness. Several studies on myopia control have had positive indications for Gas Permeable (GP) lenses. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University have found that myopia is reduced and myopia-producing eye growth slowed when orthokeratology lenses are worn at night only.
- Contact lenses are better for sports activities. Even if your child is wearing polycarbonate eyeglass lenses, if the frame breaks, it too can cause injury. With contacts, he or she can wear protective goggles. Your child will also have better peripheral (side) vision, for better awareness and performance.
- Some contacts are a better value than others. Unlike soft contacts, GP lenses are made of a firm plastic material that retains its shape. This means they're easy to clean without tearing or scratching, and they generally last longer than soft contacts or glasses.
- Some contacts are healthier than others. GP contacts let oxygen pass through to the eye much better than many soft contacts do. Corneal tissue needs oxygen to remain healthy. It also needs moisture; since GP contacts don't absorb water from the eyes (unlike soft lenses), they don't dry them out. Your child's eyes will stay more comfortable all day long.
- Many children, and most teens, would rather wear contacts than glasses. The self-esteem of children and teens is closely related to their appearance. If they don't like the way they look in glasses, it can affect their personality, their performance in school, even their future. Once they start wearing contacts, many shy kids come out of their shell and begin participating more in life.
- Most eye care professionals report great results with kids and contact lenses. They find that kids of all ages usually take contact lens wear seriously and are more likely than adults to follow cleaning instructions to the letter. No eye doctor will prescribe contact lenses for children or teenagers who aren't ready for them or who don't have a good reason to wear them. And they don't hesitate to unprescribe them if a child doesn't take good care of them.
- Talk it over with the doctor — he is the best person to help you decide what's right for your children's vision correction.
Q. Can I swim with contact lenses?
A. Swimming with contact lenses should be avoided whenever possible to help prevent bacterial contamination of your eye. Swimming with contacts can result in eye infections, irritation and potentially sight-threatening conditions such as a corneal ulcer.
Water can be home to countless viruses and dangerous microbes. One of the most serious is the Acanthamoeba organism, which can attach to contact lenses and cause the cornea to become infected and inflamed. This condition, called Acanthamoeba keratitis, is associated with wearing contact lenses while swimming and can cause permanent vision loss or require a corneal transplant to recover lost vision if not treated early enough.
If water gets in your eyes when swimming, you should remove, clean and disinfect your contact lenses as soon as possible to reduce your risk of eye irritation and infection.
If you're going to swim while wearing contact lenses, the best way to reduce your risk of eye irritation and infection is to wear waterproof swim goggles. In addition to protecting your eyes from waterborne contaminants, swim goggles reduce the risk of your contacts dislodging from your eyes.
Your eye doctor will be able to advise you on your best eyewear options for swimming and other activities you enjoy