Category: Glasses & Contact Lenses

Blurry Vision

Blurry vision is the most noticeable sign that it’s time for a new pair of glasses. If everything looks a little fuzzy, make an appointment with the eye doctor. During a comprehensive eye exam, your optometrist will test your vision and update your prescription as needed.

Eye exams provide important information about your visual and general health. For example, blurry vision isn’t always related to your eyeglass prescription, but may be caused by cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, diabetes, or high blood pressure.

Near Vision Changes After 40

Almost 90% of people over 45 have presbyopia, an age-related vision problem, according to the American Optometric Association’s Health Policy Institute. Presbyopia makes it hard to see clearly close-up. If you have to hold books and papers at arm’s length, you may have presbyopia.

The problem happens when the normally flexible lens inside the eye stiffens with age. Luckily, reading glasses will make it easier to read, thread a needle, or do other close work. Bifocals, trifocals, or progressive lenses are a good idea if you don’t want to switch between reading glasses and your regular glasses.

Fatigue

Does reading put you to sleep? Reading is hard work when you can’t see as well as you once did. If you tire soon after starting a chapter or find yourself nodding off when you’re surfing the web, an eyeglass update may be just what you need.

Eye Strain

Eye strain may be a clue that your vision has changed. Your eyes must work harder to provide good vision if you’re don’t have an up-to-date eyeglass prescription. As a result, you may experience:

• Sore, Red, Tired Eyes
• Burning or Itching
• Blurry or Double Vision
• Headaches
• Dry Eyes
• Watery Eyes
• Tight Shoulder, Upper Back, and Neck Muscles
• Sensitivity to Light

Although anyone can develop eye strain after visually intense work, you’re more likely to experience symptoms if you need new glasses. If you’ve noticed eye strain symptoms after using devices with screens, a pair of computer glasses could improve your comfort.

Squinting

Is everything clearer when you squint? Squinting can be helpful when you need to see a road sign or read package instructions, but it’s not a good long-term option. If you continue to squint, you may experience headaches and eye strain. Changing your eyeglass prescription will improve the sharpness of your vision and eliminate your need to squint.

Tilting Your Head

Vision changes don’t always affect both eyes uniformly. One eye may change while the other stays the same, or the vision in one eye may change more than the other. If you’ve noticed you’ve been tilting your head to read, you may be unconsciously favoring the better eye. Test your vision by looking at a book or a screen and covering one eye at a time. If the vision in one eye is blurry, you may need new glasses.

Halos Around Lights

Changing vision could cause you to see halos around lights, particularly if you have a refractive error, like nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Nearsightedness affects your ability to see objects in the distance clearly, while farsightedness makes close objects look blurry. Astigmatism affects your ability to see clearly at all distances, due to imperfections in the shape of the lens or the cornea covering the iris. Halos can also be a problem if you have dry eyes, eye strain, cataracts, or other eye conditions.

Ready for a new pair of glasses. Contact our office to schedule your visit with the optometrist.

Sources:

• American Optometric Association: For 128 Million U.S. Presbyopes Doctors of Optometry Can Provide Treatment Options, 8/24/2023 https://www.aoa.org/news/clinical-eye-care/diseases-and-conditions/for-128-million-us-presbyopes-doctors-of-optometry-can-provide-treatment-options
• National Eye Institute: Refractive Errors, 12/11/2024 https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/refractive-errors
• Mayo Clinic: Eyestrain, 7/2/24 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eyestrain/symptoms-causes/syc-20372397
• All About Vision: Blurry Vision, 3/4/2024 https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/symptoms/blurry-vision/overview-of-cloudy-vision/

The Many Benefits of Sunglasses

Sunglasses offer protection from:

• Glare. Sunglass lenses filter light and reduce glare from the sun, snow, and sand. Is bright light a trigger for your headaches or migraines? Wearing sunglasses could help you reduce the number of headaches you get.
• UV Rays. Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVA) rays can damage your eyes over time. If you don’t wear sunglasses year-round, your risk for cataracts increases. Sunglasses that provide UV protection also reduce the risk of cancer in and around your eyes.
• Dust and Debris. Sunglasses block dirt, dust, and debris from entering your eyes.
• Dry Eye. Windy or sunny conditions may make dry eye symptoms worse. Wearing sunglasses can help you keep your eyes moist.
• Eye Strain. Glare can lead to uncomfortable eye strain. Sunglasses offer a simple way to avoid sore eyes, blurry or double vision, dry eyes, headaches, and other eye strain symptoms.
• Photokeratitis. Forgetting your sunglasses on a sunny day could lead to photokeratitis, a painful condition that temporarily damages the cornea. Similar to a sunburn, photokeratitis affects the clear corneal tissue covering your iris and pupil. Photokeratitis causes blurry vision, watery eyes, headaches, light sensitivity, and redness. Fortunately, symptoms usually improve in a day or two.

Choosing Sunglasses

A good pair of sunglasses blocks UV light and glare without being so dark that you struggle to see. The American Optometric Association recommends choosing sunglasses that block 100% of UV-A and UV-B light and screen out 75 to 90% of visible light.

Sunglasses are available in a variety of styles and types, including;

• Fashion. You don’t have to spend a lot for sun protection. Fashion sunglasses available in stores can be just as effective as pricier types. Once you find a pair that looks and feels good, check the tag to ensure the glasses offer 100% UV protection. Fashionable sunglasses aren’t only found on drugstore racks. Your optometrist offers a variety of fashion-forward, comfortable sunglasses for men, women, and children. Sunglasses are a must for kids, as 80 percent of lifetime sun exposure will happen before your children are 18, according to UCLA Health.
• Clip-On. Clip-on sunglasses attach to your prescription glasses with clips or magnets. Although clip-on sunglasses protect your eyes from the sun, finding a pair of clip-ons that fit your frames perfectly can be difficult.
• Prescription. Prescription sunglasses offer an alternative to clip-ons if you wear glasses. Your prescription is added to tinted lenses to ensure clear, comfortable vision.
• Photochromic. Hate switching between your regular prescription glasses and sunglasses? Photochromic sunglasses may be the perfect choice for you. The lenses darken in the sunlight and gradually lighten when you return inside. Photochromic lenses may not darken completely in motor vehicles due to UV protection added to windshields.
• Polarized. Adding polarized lenses to your sunglasses reduces glare while improving color contrast and sharpening your vision. Polarized lenses are a good choice for driving, water activities, and sports.
• Wraparound. Wraparound sunglasses have a curved frame that prevents light from entering your eyes from the sides or top of your glasses. This style offers the most complete protection from UV rays.
• Sports. Sports sunglasses feature impact-resistant lenses and offer a closer fit than traditional sunglasses. The close fit means you won’t have to worry about the glasses sliding off your face when biking, running, or participating in your favorite sport or activity.
• Blue Light Blocking. Blue light blocking sunglasses feature yellow or orange lenses that decrease the amount of blue light that reaches your eyes in order to reduce eye strain.

Need a new pair of sunglasses? Stop by the office to check out our selection, or call us to schedule an appointment for an eye exam.

Sources:

• American Optometric Association: Ultraviolet (UV) Light https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/caring-for-your-eyes/uv-protection?sso=y
• UCLA Health: Protect Your Peepers: How to Choose the Best Sunglasses for Eye Health, 7/26/2022 https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/protect-your-peepers-how-to-choose-the-best-sunglasses-for-eye-health
• All About Vision: Everything You Need to Know About Sunglasses, 3/23/2021 https://www.allaboutvision.com/eyewear/sunglasses/buying/everything-you-need-to-know
• National Eye Institute: Protecting Your Eyes from the Sun’s UV Light, July 5, 2022 https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news/protecting-your-eyes-suns-uv-light

Why do I need readers?

Presbyopia happens when the lens inside your eye stiffens. The lens helps focus light rays on the retina, the light-sensing layer at the back of the eye. Your lens changes shape to provide clear vision as you shift your focus between far, near, and intermediate distances. Starting around age 40, the lens becomes less flexible, making it difficult to see things close-up clearly.

Most people eventually develop presbyopia, even those who have never had problems with their vision before. If you have presbyopia, you may notice that it’s easier to read if you hold books and papers far from your face. Unfortunately, that strategy doesn’t work forever and isn’t the most comfortable way to read.

The Benefits

Presbyopia makes everyday tasks more difficult, from threading a needle to reading the ingredients on a package to texting. Fortunately, reading glasses offer a simple way to see what you’ve been missing. Reading glasses provide several important benefits, including:

• Sharper Vision. Has reading become a guessing game for you? Reading glasses sharpen your near vision, allowing you to see words and close objects clearly again.
• No More Eyestrain. Squinting to see near objects stresses your eyes and can be a factor in eyestrain. Do your eyes feel sore, tired, or dry when you read or look at close objects? Eyestrain could be to blame. Since blurry and double vision are among the common symptoms of eyestrain, the condition could make reading even more difficult. When you wear reading glasses, your eyes don’t have to work as hard.
• Fewer Headaches and Muscle Pain. Eyestrain may increase tension in your shoulders, neck, and back muscles, causing pain and headaches. Wearing reading glasses for close work helps you avoid these uncomfortable symptoms.
• More Comfortable Reading at Night. Presbyopia may make it more difficult to see near objects clearly at night or in dim light. Reading glasses, in addition to better lighting, make reading easier.

What Kind Are Best?

Reading glasses are sold in many stores, but are they a good idea for you? Over-the-counter reading glasses can help you see better but have a few drawbacks, including:

• Prescription Uncertainty. As you sort through the rack of reading glasses, you’ll need to know which lens power is right for you. Is +.75 good enough or should you choose the +1.00 glasses? Making the wrong choice could cause discomfort and eye strain.
• Lack of Customization. Over-the-counter reading glasses are a one-size-fits-all solution to presbyopia. If you need a slightly different lens power for each eye, as many people do, you’ll have to settle for glasses that are too weak or strong for one eye.
• Style Limitations. Frame selection may be limited when you buy your reading glasses at the drugstore or grocery store. You might not find a style you like or discover that none of the frames feel comfortable.

During a comprehensive eye examination at the optometrist’s office, your eye doctor determines the ideal prescription for your reading glasses. The optometry office also offers a large selection of eyeglass frames designed to fit your personal style and budget.

Do you already wear eyeglasses due to myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism? Bifocals, trifocals, or progressive lenses may be good options for you. Bifocals are eyeglass lenses that are separated into an upper and lower section divided by a line. The upper section provides good distance vision, while the lower vision improves your near vision. Trifocals offer three distinct viewing areas for near, intermediate and far distances. Progressive lenses seamlessly transition between near and far vision without lines.

Ready to find out how reading glasses could improve your life? Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the optometrist.

Sources:

• American Optometric Association: For 128 million U.S. presbyopes, doctors of optometry can provide treatment options, 8/24/2023 https://www.aoa.org/news/clinical-eye-care/diseases-and-conditions/for-128-million-us-presbyopes-doctors-of-optometry-can-provide-treatment-options?sso=y
• American Academy of Ophthalmology: What Is Presbyopia, 5/21/2024 https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-presbyopia
• National Eye Institute: Presbyopia, 12/4/2024 https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/presbyopia
• American Academy of Ophthalmology: Tips for Choosing the Right Reading Glasses, 10/30/2017 https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/tips-choosing-right-reading-glasses
• Consumer Reports: If You’re Straining to Read This, It Might Be Time for Reading Glasses, 8/2/2022
  https://www.consumerreports.org/vision-eye-care/is-it-time-for-reading-glasses-a7121254630

How Dry Eye Causes Problems for Contact Lens Wearers

Dry eye is an issue for many contact lens wearers. Ten to fifty percent of contact lens wearers stop wearing their lenses within three years due to discomfort, according to a 2017 article published in Clinical Optometry. Dry eye was the most common reason people stopped wearing contact lenses.

Contact lens wearers are at increased risk for dry eye due to:

• Lower Oxygen Transmission. Contact lenses reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches the clear cornea underneath the lenses. The amount of oxygen reduction varies depending on lens material and type.
• Lens Materials. Some materials lose moisture faster than others, which increases the risk for dry eye.
• Fit Problems. Poorly fitting contact lenses irritate your eyes and might make dry eye feel worse.
• Protein Buildup. Protein buildup on contact lenses can worsen dry eye. Since daily lenses are thrown out every day, they’re less likely to cause a problem than monthly lenses.

Contact Lens Options for Dry Eye

There’s no need to suffer in silence or assume that contact lenses just won’t work for you if have dry eye. Your optometrist can recommend several options that could improve eye comfort and reduce dry eye symptoms. You may need to try a few types or brands of contact lenses to find the right kind for you.

Contact lens choices for dry eye include these options:

• Bausch + Lomb Ultra. These monthly lenses uses MoistureSeal technology to maintain 95% moisture for 16 hours a day, according to the Bausch + Lomb website.
• CooperVision Proclear sphere. Monthly CooperVision Proclear sphere are made with a special technological process that binds water to the lens while reducing protein buildup.
• Alcon DAILIES TOTAL1. Alcon DAILIES TOTAL1 are daily lenses made with Alcon’s Water Gradient Technology. The technology holds in moisture, creating a cushion that contains almost 100% water at the surface of the lens, according to Alcon. DAILIES TOTAL1 lenses also release an ingredient that keeps the outer lipid layer of the tear film stable. In addition to maintaining tear film stability, the lipid layer keeps tears from evaporating too quickly.
• ACUVUE OASYS 1-DAY. Another daily contact lens option, ACUVUE OASYS 1-DAY with HydraLuxe Technology reduces tear evaporation and keeps eyes moister.
• Scleral Contact Lenses. Scleral contact lenses may be a good option if your symptoms don’t improve after wearing other types of lenses. Unlike soft daily or monthly lenses, scleral lenses cover the cornea and the sclera (white part of the eye). Scleral contact lenses are made of rigid, gas-permeable polymers and offer a custom fit. The lenses seal off the cornea, decreasing tear evaporation and preventing dust and dirt from irritating your eyes.

How to Improve Comfort While Wearing Contact Lenses

Wondering what you can do to improve contact lens comfort if you suffer from dry eye? Try these tips:

• Reduce Wear Time. The contact lens manufacturer may claim that you can comfortably wear the lens all day, but that may not be true if you have dry eye. You may find that your eyes feel better if you remove your contact lenses after work or only wear them for eight hours a day.
• Carry Rewetting Drops. Rewetting drops moisturize your eyes while you wear your contacts and are a must-have if your eyes are often dry or irritated.
• Switch Your Solution. Trying a new type of solution could ease your symptoms. Switching to a preservative-free hydrogen peroxide-based solution can be a good option if preservatives in lens solutions irritate your eyes, according to a 2023 article published in Review of Optometry.

Are you having trouble finding comfortable contact lenses that don’t dry out your eyes? We’ll help you explore the options and recommend the best type of contact lenses for your eyes. Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the optometrist.

Sources:

• Bausch + Lomb: Monthly Contact Lenses https://www.bausch.com/products/contact-lenses/monthly-contact-lenses
• CooperVision: Proclear sphere https://coopervision.com/contact-lenses/proclear-sphere
• My Alcon: Dailies Total1 Daily Disposable Contact Lenses https://total.myalcon.com/products/dailies-total1
• Acuvue: ACUVUE OASYS 1-Day with HydraLuxe Technology https://www.acuvue.com/en-us/products/acuvue-oasys-1-day
• All About Vision: Contact Lenses for Dry Eyes, 2/27/2019 https://www.allaboutvision.com/contacts/lenses-dry-eyes.htm
• CDC: About Contact Lens Types, 9/13/2024 https://www.cdc.gov/contact-lenses/about/about-contact-lens-types.html
• Clinical Optometry: Contact Lens Wear and Dry Eyes: Challenges and Solutions, 2/15/2017 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6095561
• Review of Optometry: How Contact Lenses Contribute to Dry Eye, 5/15/2023 https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/how-contact-lenses-contribute-to-dry-eye

What Is 20/20 Vision?

Optometrists use the term “20/20” vision to describe visual acuity, or your ability to see clearly without contact lenses or eyeglasses. If you’re like the the average person, you can see an object clearly at 20 feet away without contact lenses or eyeglasses.

The greater the second number, the blurrier your vision. For example, if you have 20/200 vision, others can see a tree clearly at 200 feet, but the leaves and trunk only come in to focus when you’re 20 feet away. If the second number is lower than 20, your vision is better than average. Let’s say your vision is 20/15. In that case, you see an object clearly at 20 feet while an average person must stand 15 feet away to see the same object clearly.

How Is 20/20 Vision Measured?

It wouldn’t be practical to measure your eyesight by asking you to stand outside and move back and forth in front of a tree. That’s why eye doctors developed eye charts like the Snellen chart used today. Originally, patients stood 20 feet away from the chart while reading letters that got progressively smaller on each line. Today, mirrors make it possible to measure your vision in a smaller space.

Each line on the chart corresponds to a specific acuity measurement, like 20/20 or 20/40. As you read each line, your optometrist notes if you struggle to see any of the lines or letters.

Your eye doctor may also also ask you to look into a auto refractor when determining your visual acuity. During this test, a computer estimates your acuity by measuring how light reflects off your retina.

Can You Still Have Good Vision If You Don’t Have 20/20 Vision?

Many people with in the U.S have refractive errors that affect their vision. Refractive errors affect the way light bends and focuses on light-sensing retina at the back of the eye. These four refractive errors can affect visual acuity:

• Myopia. Myopia, the most common type of refractive error, affects 42% of Americans, according to the International Myopia Institute. Myopia, or nearsightedness, occurs when light entering the eye focuses in front of the retina instead of directly on it. This can happen if your eyeball is too long or the cornea is too rounded. Nearsightedness can also be caused by an issue with the lens inside your eye. If you’re nearsighted, you can see near objects clearly, but objects in the distance are blurry.
• Hyperopia. Hyperopia, or farsightedness, happens when light is focused behind the retina. Farsightedness can be caused by a too-short eyeball, a cornea that isn’t curved enough, or an imperfection in the lens of the eye. If you have hyperopia, you can see things in the distance ,clearly but struggle to read or look at close-up objects.
• Astigmatism. Astigmatism occurs due to an irregularly curved cornea or a lens imperfection. These irregularities affect how light enters the eye, causing blurry vision at near and far distances.
• Presbyopia. Presbyopia, an age-related refractive error, happens when the lens becomes less flexible. The lens changes shape when you change your focus from near to far. People who have presbyopia struggle to see near objects without reading glasses.

Eyeglasses and contact lenses help people see well even if they don’t have perfect vision. These devices correct your vision to 20/20 vision or as close to this number as possible while you’re wearing them. Both devices change the ways light is refracted as it enters your eyes and keeps it focused precisely on your retinas.

Although your eye doctor will have rough idea of your prescription from your Snellen and autorefractor results, he or she must fine-tune your prescription to ensure that your vision is as crisp and clear as possible. During this part of the visit, you look into a phoropter, an instrument that contains lenses of many different strengths. As you look into the instrument, your eye doctor flips different lenses in front of your eyes and ask you to pick the clearer of two options. The test helps determine the perfect prescription for you.

Have things been looking a little blurry lately? We can help you improve your vision. Contact our office to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

• International Myopia Institute: 2023- 4 IMI Myopia Attitudes and Practices Survey https://myopiainstitute.org/myopia/
• All About Vision: What Tests Are Part of an Eye Exam, 1/10/2020 https://www.allaboutvision.com/eye-exam/parts-of-eye-exam
• American Optometric Association: Visual Acuity https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/vision-and-vision-correction/visual-acuity?sso=y
• American Academy of Ophthalmology: What Does 20/20 Vision Mean?, 1/28/2022 https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/what-does-20-20-vision-mean

What Shape Is Your Face?

Before you browse the frame selection at your eye doctor’s office, determine which of these shapes best describes your face:

• Square. If your chin is as wide as your forehead and cheeks, you have a square face.
• Rectangular. Although your cheeks, jaw, and forehead are the same width, your face is longer than it is wide if you have a rectangular face.
• Heart. A wider forehead and high cheekbones combined with a narrow chin creates a heart shape.
• Triangle. Triangular faces taper from the forehead to the chin, forming a triangle shape.
• Round. Round faces are perfectly symmetrical with full cheeks and a rounded jaw. These faces are equal in length and width.
• Oval. Oval faces also have rounded features, although the length exceeds the width.

Selecting Frames for Your Face Shape

Not sure which frames are best for your face. Take a look at our recommendations:

• Square or Rectangular Face. Try on oval or rounded frames. The frames work well with the angles of your face and provide a softening effect.
• Heart Face. Look for frames that balance your narrow chin and wider forehead, like cat eye, aviator, oval or semi-rimless styles.
• Triangle Face. Follow WebMD’s advice and choose glasses with stronger upper lines that emphasize your forehead. Aviator, cat-eye and semi-rimless glasses are good choices.
• Round Face. Counteract the roundness of your face with rectangular, square or geometric shapes to create contrast.
• Oval Face. Nearly every style looks good if you have an oval face. In fact, you may have trouble choosing between square, rectangular, rounded, rimless and cat’s eye frames.

Things to Remember

When choosing frames, keep these things in mind:

• Select Frames You Love. Feel free to forget the guidelines if a pair of glasses you love doesn’t follow the rules. After all, life can be more fun if you break a few rules. The ideal frames fit your personality and personal sense of style.
• Be Flexible. Try on a variety of frames, even if you don’t think a particular style would look good on you. You may be surprised to discover a style you overlooked in the past brings out your best features.
• Add a Little Color – Or Not. Consider red, blue, or other colorful frames, or look for a pair that offers more subtle touches of color. Don’t want anything to distract from your face? Clear or rimless frames are an excellent option.
• Consider Material Choices. Do you prefer plastic or metal frames? Although plastic frames are lightweight and available in many shapes, they can break more easily than metal frames, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
• Make Comfort a Priority. The eyeglasses may look great, but how do they feel? If the frames hurt your ears, pinch your nose, or slide down your face, they’re not the best choice, no matter how amazing you look wearing them.
• Think About Your Prescription. The stronger your prescription, the thicker your lenses. Your lenses may protrude past your frames unless you pay a little extra for thinner high-index lenses. Do you have a prescription for bifocals, trifocals, or progressive lenses? The frames you choose must be long enough from top to bottom to accommodate multiple focal points.

Need help selecting frames? Our staff can help you choose eyeglasses that feel as good as they look. Stop by our office to try on frames, or call us if you need to make an appointment for an eye exam and new prescription.

Sources:

• American Academy of Ophthalmology: How to Choose the Glasses Frame Material That’s Right for You https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/eyeglass-frame-materials
• WebMD: How to Pick the Right Glasses for Your Face Shape, 8/17/2022 https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/how-to-pick-the-right-glasses-for-your-face-shape
• CNET.com: How to Pick the Best Glasses for Your Face Shape and Skin Color, 9/19/2024 https://www.cnet.com/health/personal-care/how-to-pick-the-best-glasses-for-your-face-shape-and-skin-color
• American Academy of Ophthalmology: Eyeglasses: How to Choose Glasses for Vision Correction, 6/14/2023 https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/glasses

Use a Hard Case

Soft cases provide some protection from scratches, but aren’t as sturdy as hard cases. Hard plastic eyeglass cases offer the ultimate protection from breakage and scratches. Look for hard eyeglasses cases that close securely and include a scratch-resistant lining.

Follow Safe Cleaning Guidelines

Choosing the wrong cleaner or drying method may damage your glasses. Follow these suggestions when your eyeglasses become dirty or smudged:

• Remove Dirt. Get rid of dirt and smudges by rinsing your eyeglasses with warm water.
• Use a Safe Cleaning Option. Place a drop of mild, non-abrasive dishwashing liquid on each lens and gently rub. Consumer Reports cautions that window cleaner, bleach, ammonia, and vinegar can damage the lenses and shouldn’t be used.
• Rinse the Lenses. Remove the cleaning solution or dishwashing liquid by rinsing the lenses thoroughly under warm water.
• Dry Your Lenses Carefully. Dry your lenses with a clean cotton or microfiber cloth. Don’t use anything else to dry your lenses. Although a paper towel, tissue, or the corner of your shirt may be more convenient, fibers in these objects could scratch your lenses.

Don’t forget about cleaning the other parts of your eyeglasses. Dip a cotton swab in a mixture of water and dishwashing liquid and clean the nooks and crannies, including the hinges, temples, bridge and nose pads.

Glasses don’t just get dirty at home. All About Vision suggests buying eyeglass cleaning solution and spraying it on your lenses if they need a little attention when you’re out.

Do you wash your cleaning cloth regularly? Although you may only use the cloth to dry your glasses, it can still become dirty. Dirt or debris from the cloth could transfer to the lenses when you dry your glasses.

Don’t Share Your Eyeglasses

Eyeglasses are not a one-size-fits-all solution to vision improvement. Everyone has a unique vision prescription, plus frames come in a variety of sizes. Although frames are designed to handle some wear and tear, they can stretch if someone with a larger head tries on or wears your glasses.

Pay Attention to Your Surroundings

Although you should put your glasses in an eyeglasses case every time you remove them, we know that’s not always practical. If you take your eyeglasses off for a moment, find a safe space for them. Place the eyeglasses lens side up to prevent scratches.

Don’t put your eyeglasses on a chair, the floor, next to a heat source, or anywhere pets or small children could find them. If you put your glasses in the same place every time, you’ll avoid blurry, panicked searches when you realize you can’t find your eyewear.

Don’t Leave Your Glasses in Your Car

Your glasses can be ruined by heat if you leave them in your car. Heat builds up quickly in a parked car and can soon warp your frames. Warped frames may no longer fit your head correctly and may feel looser than normal. According to VSP Vision Care, heat can also damage polarized lenses or coatings designed to prevent glare or scratches.

Inspect Your Glasses Often

Wear and tear can loosen the screws that hold hinges or nose pads in place. Finding those tiny screws once they fall out is almost impossible. When you inspect your glasses periodically, you’ll have plenty of time to tighten loose screws. An inexpensive eyeglass repair kit that contains tiny screwdrivers and replacement screws is a good purchase for anyone who wears eyeglasses.

When you inspect your glasses, check for scratches on the lenses. Tiny scratches, depending on their location, may not cause a problem, but large scratches can interfere with your vision.

Make Protection a Priority

Remove your eyeglasses when applying hairspray or other aerosol products that could damage the lenses. Planning a few weekend home repairs? Wear protective goggles or safety glasses over your eyeglasses to avoid exposure to paint and strong chemicals that could damage the lenses.

Prolong the life of your frames by handling them gently. Place both hands on the temple when putting the glasses on or taking them off. Removing your glasses one-handed can stretch or break the frames.

Is it time for a new pair of eyeglasses? Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the optometrist.

Sources:

• Consumer Reports: How to Take Care of Your Eyeglasses, 8/2012 https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/08/how-to-take-care-of-your-eyeglasses/index.htm#
• All About Vision: How to Clean Your Glasses, 5/10/2021 https://www.allaboutvision.com/eyeglasses/how-to-clean-glasses.htm
• VSP Vision Care: Why You Shouldn’t Leave Your Sunglasses in the Car https://www.vsp.com/eyewear-wellness/lasik-glasses-lenses/frames-sunglasses/frames-in-a-hot-car

Start a Routine

Are you worried that you’ll accidentally insert both contact lenses in the same eye? That’s less likely to happen if you always insert the same lens first. Following an insertion and removal routine will also help you feel more comfortable when putting in and taking out your lenses.

Use these insertion steps to put a soft contact lens on your eye:

• Pull up on your upper eyelid slightly. This step is easier if you use a finger on your non-dominant hand.
• Place the contact lens on the index finger of the hand you use most often and gently pull down the lower eyelid with your middle finger.
• Place the lens on the center of your eye and blink a few times to correctly position the lens.

To remove your lenses:

• Gently pull down on your lower eyelid and up on your upper eyelid with the opposite hand.
• Use your dominant hand, the one you use most often, to gently pinch the lens and remove it.

Do These Things First

Before you put in your lenses:

• Take a Shower. Tap water may contain bacteria or amoebas that could cause eye infections if you get water in your eye during a shower. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also notes that soft contacts could swell and stick to your eye when exposed to water. If that happens, you might develop a painful scratch on your cornea.
• Dry Your Hair. The heat produced by a hair dryer could dry out your contact lenses and make them feel uncomfortable.
• Use Hairspray. Use hairspray and other aerosol products, like perfume or deodorant, before inserting your lenses. These products could contaminate your lenses if used after inserting your contacts.
• Wash Your Hands. Reduce your risk for eye infections by washing your hands with soap and water before you handle your contact lenses.

Put makeup on after you insert your lenses. Tiny makeup particles may cling to your fingers even after you wash your hands and could transfer to your lenses.

Learn Which Way Is Up

If your eye feels uncomfortable after you insert a lens, your contact may be inside out. All About Vision recommends looking at the lens from the side. If it resembles a cup with upright edges, it’s fine to put in your eye. Your contact lens is inside out if it resembles a soup bowl with a rim.

All About Vision also recommends the taco test. This test involves gently squeezing the contact lens near the center and observing the edges. The lens is fine if the edges point straight up and the contact looks like a hard taco. The edges of an inside-out contact lens will bend outward.

Keep Contact Lens Supplies with You

Don’t leave the house without a contact lens case and rewetting drops. If a piece of dust or an eyelash sticks to your lens while you’re out, simply rinse your lens with the rewetting solution and reinsert.

If the lens is still uncomfortable, put it in the case and add rewetting solution to keep it moist. Daily disposable lenses should be thrown away instead. Don’t try to reinsert a torn or noticeably dirty lens. Replace your lens cases every three months or sooner if you notice they’re dirty.

It’s a good idea to bring your eyeglasses with you if you’ll be away from home for a few hours. You’ll be glad you brought your glasses if your contact lenses become uncomfortable or you need to take them out for any reason.

Let Your Optometrist Know If You’re Having Problems

Your eye doctor and optometry staff have plenty of experience helping patients adjust to contact lenses. They can offer helpful suggestions if you’re struggling with insertion or removal or make suggestions to improve comfort. Let them know if you’re having trouble with lens fit or comfort, even if the discomfort is minor.

Interested in trying contact lenses? Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the eye doctor.

Sources:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Healthy Habits: Keeping Water Away from Contact Lense, 4/15/2024 https://www.cdc.gov/contact-lenses/about/healthy-habits-keeping-water-away-from-contact-lenses.html
• All About Vision: How Can I Tell if My Contacts Are Inside Out?, 1/11/2019 https://www.allaboutvision.com/contacts/faq/inside-out.htm
• American Academy of Ophthalmology: Contact Lens Care: You’re Probably Doing it Wrong, 8/1/2018 https://www.aao.org/newsroom/news-releases/detail/contact-lens-care-you-re-probably-doing-it-wrong

High Cholesterol

High cholesterol increases your risk for heart attacks, heart failure, heart disease, and stroke. These conditions affect the network of blood vessels circulating blood throughout your body. Although none of these conditions usually cause symptoms in the early stages, your health can still be affected even if you feel fine.

If you have high cholesterol, your eye doctor might notice a white, blue, gray or yellow ring around the outer edge of your cornea. The clear cornea covers your iris and bends the light rays that enter your eyes. The ring may be complete or partial. Although these rings don’t always mean you have high cholesterol, they can be a warning sign, particularly if you’re younger than 40.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure affects your blood vessels and can be just as dangerous as high cholesterol. Potential signs of trouble include narrowed or swollen blood vessels or small clots in the vessels in your eyes. A clot may be small enough that you never notice symptoms. In some cases, clots can cause blurry vision. Clots may also prevent blood from flowing to the optic nerve, the pathway to the brain, and can cause permanent damage and loss of vision.

Choroidopathy, the build-up of fluid under the retina, can also occur due to high blood pressure. The condition can distort your vision or create scars that interfere with your eyesight, according to the American Heart Association.

Diabetes

Your eye doctor also looks for signs of diabetic retinopathy during your exam. Diabetic retinopathy affects more than 9 million people in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost 2 million people have diabetic retinopathy that’s so severe that it threatens their vision.

Diabetic retinopathy happens when your blood sugar level is consistently too high. Glucose clogs the blood vessels in the light-sensitive retina, restricting blood flow. Leaking blood or fluids from the blocked blood vessels may cause blurry vision. Your eyes may also form new blood vessels if a vessel becomes completely blocked. Unfortunately, these new vessels are often weak and prone to leaking.

Swelling in the lens, the clear structure inside your eye behind the iris and pupil, may occur if you have high blood sugar. The swelling can cause blurry vision that improves once your blood sugar level drops to a normal level.

Thyroid Disease

Protruding eyes could be a sign that you have thyroid eye disease, which most often affects people whose hyperthyroidism is caused by Graves’ disease. This autoimmune disease occurs when the thyroid gland produces an excessive amount of thyroid hormone. In addition to protruding eyes, thyroid eye disease may cause dry or red eyes, grittiness, tearing, double vision, or sensitivity to light.

You may have hyperthyroidism and not be aware that anything is wrong. Early symptoms, like difficulty sleeping, trouble concentrating, and nervousness or anxiety, can easily be dismissed as stress symptoms. During your exam, your eye doctor may notice that your eyes have begun to bulge slightly even if you haven’t experienced any noticeable symptoms of thyroid disease.

Autoimmune Disorders

Other autoimmune disorders can also be detected during your annual visits to the optometrist. Ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory type of arthritis, may cause changes to your irises. Fifty percent of people with ankylosing spondylitis develop iritis (inflammation of the iris) or uveitis (inflammation of the middle layer of the eye) at least once, according to the Spondylitis Association of America.

Eye changes may be among the early signs of other autoimmune diseases, including lupus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Protect your health with an annual visit to the optometrist! Contact our office to schedule your eye exam.

Sources:

• American Heart Association: How High Blood Pressure Can Lead to Vision Loss, 5/8/2024 https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/health-threats-from-high-blood-pressure/how-high-blood-pressure-can-lead-to-vision-loss
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Prevalence Estimates for Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), 5/15/2024 https://www.cdc.gov/vision-health-data/prevalence-estimates/dr-prevalence.html#
• Spondylitis Association of America: Iritis or Anterior Uveitis https://spondylitis.org/about-spondylitis/possible-complications/iritis-or-anterior-uveitis/
• Prevention: 3 Serious Health Conditions Your Eye Doctor Can Detect, 9/14/2021 https://www.prevention.com/health/health-conditions/a37387204/health-conditions-eye-exam
• The Healthy: 6 Surprising Diseases That Eye Doctors Find First, 8/7/2020 https://www.thehealthy.com/eye-care/shocking-diseases-eye-doctors-find-first

Don’t Put Your Contacts in Checked Luggage

Imagine arriving at your destination and discovering that your checked luggage (and your contact lenses) never left the airport or were mistakenly routed to another city. Unfortunately, checked luggage can be lost or delayed, even if you’re traveling a fairly short distance. In 2023, nearly six of every 1,000 bags were mishandled, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Avoid this happening to you by keeping your contact lenses in carry-on luggage when traveling by air, train, or bus.

Check TSA Requirements Before Flying

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) limits liquids in carry-on luggage to 3.4 ounces, but doesn’t set any limitations for checked luggage. You can bring contact lens solution over 3.4 ounces in your carry-on luggage if you declare it at the TSA checkpoint. Large bottles of contact lens solution will be subjected to additional screening.

Buying travel-size solution is the best option, as you don’t have to declare your lens solution at the TSA checkpoint if the bottle weighs 3.4 ounces or less. Both contact lenses and contact lens solution are considered liquids and must be put in a quartz-sized bag with any other small liquids you plan to bring on the plane.

Use Your Rewetting Drops During Flights

The air inside the plane becomes drier as time goes on. According to the American Optometric Association, dry air, reduced oxygen availability, and reduced humidity and atmospheric pressure can cause contact lens discomfort, particularly in flights lasting three hours or longer.

Applying rewetting drops throughout the flight will help you avoid discomfort. Make sure you bring your eyeglasses on the plane with you in case the rewetting solution doesn’t help.

Pack a Contact Lens Care Bag

You’ll be less likely to forget something if you place lens cases, solution, rewetting drops, and other contact lens supplies in the same bag. Use a small bag that zippers or closes securely.

Bring Extras

Packing extra lenses is a good idea if you wear disposable contact lenses. No matter how careful you are, you never know when you’ll drop, tear, or lose a lens. Bring a few extra contact lens cases too, just in case you lose one. Extras are particularly important if you’ll be camping or spending time far from civilization during your trip.

Don’t Forget Your Eyeglasses

It’s easy to forget about packing your glasses when you spend most of your time wearing contacts. If your lenses become uncomfortable or you want to relax and read in bed at the end of the day, you’ll be glad you remembered your eyeglasses. Pack your glasses in a sturdy case in your carry-on to prevent damage during the trip.

Keep Your Contact Lenses Away from the Water

Are you tempted to wear your contact lenses at the beach or pool? Optometrists recommend removing contact lenses before swimming, showering, or using a hot tub. Water can easily become trapped under your lenses, increasing your risk of a serious infection that could threaten your vision.

Prescription goggles available from your eye doctor offer clear vision and keep water out of your eyes. Can’t imagine reading on the beach without your contacts and favorite sunglasses? Take a look at the large selection of frames available for prescription sunglasses the next time you visit our office.

Add a Copy of Your Prescription

Lost contact lenses or eyeglasses don’t have to ruin your trip. When you carry your prescriptions with you, it’s much easier to replace your contact lenses or eyeglasses.

Need a new prescription for contact lenses or eyeglasses before your trip? Contact our office to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

• Bureau of Transportation Statistics: Baggage Mishandled by Marketing U.S. Air Carriers https://www.bts.gov/content/mishandled-baggage-reports-filed-passengers-largest-us-air-carriersa
• Transportation Security Administration: Contact Lenses https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/contact-lenses
• American Optometric Association: Environments https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/vision-and-vision-correction/environments?sso=y
• All About Vision: Traveling with Your Contact Lenses? These 9 Tips Will Help, 8/23/2019 https://www.allaboutvision.com/contact-lenses/travel-tips