Focus on Eye Safety

Happy New Year

Practice Safe Specs..... You only get one set of eyes: Best ways to preserve your eyesight in 2012

Protect your eyes: from hazards around the house such as when using power tools or household chemicals since more people are injured at home than on the job. See our recommendations in eye health = eye safety in health news

Diet & Vitamins: maintain a healthy body weight, reduce levels of sugar and salt in the foods you eat & discuss with your doctor these supplements to prevent eye disease. Cataracts: A daily multivitamin reduces the risk of cataracts by 25%. Vitamins C and E, along with leafy vegetables like spinach, also reduces your risk of developing cataracts. Macular degeneration: Lutein, a plant pigment, is found in leafy vegetables such as spinach. Reduced levels of Lutein in the eye have been reported in patients with macular degeneration. Bausch & Lomb has developed a vitamin supplement Ocuvite for patients with macular degeneration. Glaucoma: A brisk walk regimen, vitamin B 12 and magnesium may help reduce pressure inside the eye. Diabetic retinopathy: Magnesium and vitamin C may slow the onset.

Annual eye health examinations a yearly eye checkup can ensure your eyes work at their best level of performance and last a lifetime for the leading causes of diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure are first detected in the eyes

Don't smoke: smoking leads to higher incidences of cataracts, eye disease, and macular degeneration

Lubrication: Dry eyes contribute to blurred vision and eye infections Cooler outside temperatures and warmer inside temperatures dry out the atmosphere lowering your eyes moisture level. Perspiration dries out the ocular surface and Computer use reduces blinking by as much as 75% making your eyes drier. Natural tear eye drops (not "get the red out" type drops) help the eye maintain proper moisture levels and are not habit forming.

Protect your eyes from ultraviolet exposure: sunglasses are the sunscreen for your eyes to prevent cataracts. Please review our recommendations for sunglass lens colors

Limit rubbing of the eyes: evidence suggests that repeated rubbing of the eyes can adversely affect cornea strength.

7 steps for Healthier Eyes in 2012

Product highlights:

Optifog is a product I have tested and recommend to address fogging of optical lenses. I invite you to visit the following YouTube site for a presentation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww8GO673P8Q. For pricing information please contact our office 708-686-5266

DGXL series of frames by Hudson are designed to fit men who have large facial features which are outside the 95th percentile

Steelcase has recalled their Amia desk chairs. You can contact Steelcase @ 800-391-7194 for the specific model numbers concerned.

Cooper Vision contact lens company expanded its recall of Avaira brand of contact lenses. Contact your eye doctor or 855-526-6737

Eye Health = Eye Safety: Living & working with cataracts......

you can make modifications to improve your visual performance. You'll discover that increasing illumination levels where you read and work will greatly enhance your ability to see. New prescription lenses for your eyeglasses provides optimum clarity. Be sure to include an anti-reflective coating to your new lenses to reduce glare and visual stress. When working with computers, smart phones, hand held tablets, and GPS units increasing the font size goes a long way in making it easier to interact with these devices. Since Transition lenses don't darken while you drive your vehicle I recommend a separate pair of sunglasses which have the darkest shade of gray to eliminate the sensitivity to sunlight and maximum protection against ultraviolet light. If you work at unique distances beyond the norms of intermediate (18 - 21inches) and reading (16 - 18 inches) ranges be sure to use our vision tool WIDE. Provide this information to your eye doctor so eyeglasses can designed specifically for these working distances.

Cataract prevention falls into these easy steps: protect your eyes from ultraviolet light with a wide brim hat and dark sunglasses from the earliest age, don't smoke, exercise regularly, proper nutrition including a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, vitamins, and control other health issues such as weight

When you have a cataract 20/20 vision is not always possible, even with a new prescription. Remember the human eye when you are 60 or older doesn't have the accommodation (focusing) performance as when you're 20. Be sure to return to your eye doctor as he outlines so the cataracts development can be properly monitored. Since I have lived with a cataract all my life I can tell you incorporating my recommendations should make it easier for you to live and work with a cataract.

Vision in the news:

Army Pfc. Douglas K. Phillips a member of the 3rd Infantry Division’s Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, deployed to Durai-ya, Iraq, in May 2007, shows the damage to his face and his eye protection from a small-arms attack. Phillips credits eye protection with saving his eye. The Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs Vision Center of Excellence is exploring other ways to prevent battlefield eye injuries and to better treat those who suffer them. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Natalie Loucks

The Department of Defense/Department of Veterans Affairs Vision Center of Excellence officially opened its new headquarters at the Walter Reed facility. It is reported eye injuries are one of the signature wounds of the wars over the last decade. Officials estimate that 13 to 22 percent of all casualties between 2002 and 2010 have suffered eye injuries or trauma. These injuries often go underreported on the battlefield, particularly when caused by explosions that inflict other, highly visible and frequently life-threatening wounds. Eye-injury rates soared as high as 29 percent among casualties before the military began mandating the use of ballistic glasses for deployed troops.

Hand Held ergonomics: from tablets to GPS units and smart phones these devices are quickly the go to first technology used by people of all ages. I have observed more and more younger individuals including teenagers complaining of physical difficulties you would normally associated with computer usage. Please consider these recommendations:

** when entering information avoid "banging" ** increase font size ** instead of hanging your head over the tablet: prop up the tablet ** maintain your arms at a 90 degree angle

Be sure to check out our new IPhone vision and safety application recommendations

Saving money ..... please stop by for money saving coupons for eye lubricants and ocular vitamins, be sure to visit me when I'm next at your facility for a complimentary sample. For your employees who require an eye drop lubricant I offer the Blink brand of natural tear at a 37% cost savings. Employees can purchase personal eyewear through Vision Xperts and save $$$$$$ over retail prices

Vision Xperts

613 S. 2nd St. St. Charles, IL 60174 708-686-5266

duane@wecare4eyes.com