Tips for Computer Screen Eye Protection

 

Did you know that the average office worker spends 1,700 hours per year in front of a computer screen, without even considering the time spent on a phone or other digital device? All this screen time has led to an increase in complaints of eye strain, dry eye, headaches and insomnia. Computer use causes more eye strain than reading print material because focusing your eyes on computer screens or other digital screens is typically at less than ideal angles and distances and your blink rate decreases by a third to a half, causing dry eyes as well. Follow these simple tips for protecting your eyes from this computer screen eye strain:

Keep Your Distance: Keep the screen at arm’s length, about 25 inches away and position it so your eye gaze is slightly downward.

Reduce Glare: Use a matte screen filter to reduce glare.

Adjust Lighting: Adjust your room lighting to get the highest screen contrast increase the contrast on your screen as much as possible.

Take Breaks: Blink and follow the 20-20-20 rule. Take a break every 20 minutes by looking at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Keep Eyes Moist: Keep artificial tears nearby to lubricate your eyes when they feel dry.

Stop Screen Use Before Bed: Limit screen time one to two hours before bedtime and use nighttime settings on devices and computers that minimize blue light exposure.

If you experience consistently dry red eyes or eye pain at any time, but especially with computer screen use please schedule an eye exam at Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, or Facebook to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are conveniently located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.          

Cataract Surgery Improves Driving Safety

 

Did you know that cataract surgery actually improves driving safety? The ability of cataract surgery to restore sight is well known. Patients say they’re stunned by the vibrancy of color after surgery and the improvement in night vision. Depending on the type of lens implant (IOL) selected to correct your vision after cataract surgery many patients no longer even need to wear glasses, reading glasses or bifocals after cataract surgery. Researchers reporting at a recent meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology used a driving simulator to test patients’ vision before and after cataract surgery. They found that near misses and crashes decreased by 48 percent after surgery! While visual acuity-how well you see the eye chart-is quickly measured after cataract surgery, it’s an incomplete assessment of how visually able you might be to drive. Cataract surgery appears to improve quantity of vision, or visual acuity, as well as contrast sensitivity leading to better night vision and improving drivers’ safety on the road.

These results highlight the importance of timely cataract surgery in maintaining safety and continued mobility and independence in seniors. If you or someone you know is experiencing cataract symptom such as cloudy foggy vision, glare or difficult night driving and would like to learn more about cataract surgery & lens implants please schedule a cataract evaluation. Call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, or Facebook to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are conveniently located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.

Sleep Apnea & Diabetic Eye Problems?

 

If you have diabetes, did you know that having severe sleep apnea may increase your risk of developing diabetic macular edema, a complication of diabetes that can cause vision loss or blindness? Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) also appears to be more difficult to treat in patients with severe sleep apnea according to reports from researchers at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts, disrupting sleep and causing blood oxygen levels to drop. This drop in oxygen appears to unleash a host of changes in the body that may play a role in injuring blood vessels. People with sleep apnea are at risk of developing hypertension, heart attacks, stroke and type 2 diabetes. When people with diabetes have poor control over their blood sugar levels, the tiny blood vessels at the back of the eye can become damaged. Sometimes, tiny bulges protrude from the blood vessels, leaking fluid and blood into the retina. This fluid can cause swelling or edema-called Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) in an area of the retina that allows us to see clearly. Researchers believe that sleep apnea may contribute to the development and worsening of diabetic retinopathy by increasing insulin resistance, elevating inflammation and raising blood pressure, all of which can damage the blood vessels at the back of the eye.

If you or someone you know is diabetic and especially if you suffer from sleep apnea, please be sure to have an annual eye exam and be tell your eye doctor that you suffer from sleep apnea as it is a risk factor Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). Please call us to schedule a diabetic eye exam at Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, or Facebook to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are conveniently located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.

Diabetics Need Annual Eye Exams!

Diabetes and the related diabetic eye problem of diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause preventable blindness in the United States among adults age 20 to 74. About 1/3 of the 30 million Americans with diabetes have diabetic retinopathy. With early detection and treatment vision loss from diabetes is preventable! Often, people may not notice vision changes in the disease's early stages. But as it progresses, diabetic retinopathy usually causes vision loss that in many cases cannot be reversed. Even if you don’t notice changes in your vision-diabetics should have annual eye exams. That’s why it’s so important that everyone with diabetes has yearly exams for early detection. But the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still reports that less than 2/3 of people with diabetes undergo their recommended annual dilated ophthalmic examination. We all lead busy lives but diabetics need annual eye exams to prevent vision loss.

If you or someone you know is diabetic please remind them to have an annual eye exam or call us to schedule a diabetic eye exam at Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, or Facebook to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are conveniently located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.

Avoid Eye Injury from Halloween Contacts

Spooky contact lenses can complete your Halloween costume. But beware of the dangers of illegal costume contact lenses lurking on store shelves and invading online retailers. Though the federal government works to keep illegal and harmful versions of decorative or color contact lenses off the shelves, they can still be purchased at costume shops, gas stations, corner shops and online. Here’s an easy way to tell if your lenses are counterfeit: Can you purchase them without a prescription? If the answer is yes, those creepy lenses are a danger to your vision.

That's why the American Academy of Ophthalmology is urging people to buy decorative contact lenses only from retailers who require a prescription and sell FDA-approved products. It’s easy to forget that decorative lenses are medical devices, not costume jewelry. They must be prescribed and fitted by an eye care professional, just like regular contact lenses. That's because a poorly fitted contact lens can easily scrape the cornea, the outer layer of the eye, making the eye more vulnerable to infection-causing bacteria and viruses. Research shows that people who purchase contacts without a prescription face a 16-fold increased risk of developing an infection.

To help ensure you won’t be haunted by a ghoulish and painful contact lens-related eye infection, here are some tips to follow:

• See an Eye Care Professional for a Prescription for Costume Contact Lenses. Packaging that claims “one size fits all” or “no need to see an eye doctor” is false. Get properly fitted by an ophthalmologist or optometrist.
• Buy Only FDA-approved Contacts. Buy contacts only from eye care professionals or retailers that require a prescription and sell FDA-approved lenses.
• Never Share Contacts. Sharing contacts can spread germs and bacteria, potentially causing blinding corneal infections and even pink eye.
• Practice Good Hygiene. It is important to follow directions for cleaning, disinfecting and wearing costume contacts. See an eye doctor right away if you notice any swelling, redness, pain or discharge from wearing contacts.
• Limit Wear of Colored Contact Lenses to 4-5 Hours. The dye and less expensive materials used in costume lenses can restrict oxygen flow to the cornea. Less “breathable” lenses are less healthy for the eye. Never sleep in contact lenses, even if you have a prescription.
• Spread the Word About the Dangers of Costume Contacts. Don’t let friends make the mistake of wearing costume contacts without a prescription. It can cost them their vision.

If you or someone you know has questions about or needs a fitting for Halloween colored contact lenses please schedule an appointment at Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, or Facebook to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are conveniently located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.