Polarized Sunglasses Are Important for Eye Health

Sunglasses make more than a fashion statement — they also keep your eyes safe from the Western NC sun and its harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. That’s why choosing the right sunglasses is an essential part of keeping your eyes healthy.

UV rays can raise your risk of developing eye diseases such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and even cancer of the eye and eyelids. Be sure to contact Visual Eyes Optometric in Fairview NC for more information on getting a routine eye exam and prescription sunglasses that protect your eyes from harmful UV rays.

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More Tips for Protecting Your Eyesight

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Children in particular may be at risk. Older people have smaller pupils than young ones, so the younger eye admits more light. When you go outside and put on your sunglasses, make sure that your child is wearing his as well.

A Few Ways to Block UV Rays

Sunglasses can block harmful UV radiation and reduce your risk for potentially blinding eye diseases and tumors, but they’re also great at preventing dust, sand, and other airborne particles from getting into your eyes.

Prescription sunglasses offer the same protection as non-prescription glasses, provided that they have equal UV protection and lens size. Lenses that darken when exposed to light are a good option.

“Transitions and other lenses change the degree of color, but not the actual color itself,” says a professional in the optometry field. “In the past, they were heavy, slow-acting, and only changed slightly. The newest ones have solved these problems and are very useful in environments and situations where the sunlight and glare change often, such as the golf course, on the water, and getting in and out of the car often.”

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Find the Right Eye Doctor

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Are you worried about protecting your eyes from UV rays? Do you wear sunglasses every time you're outside? Considering contact lenses that offer UV protection? If so, this post is for you!

 The best way to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays is with polarized sunglasses. There is simply no other way. Doctors say that the UV protecting contact lenses offered are  incomplete coverage. In this case, be sure to wear non-corrective sunglasses when your contacts are in.

If you are in need of non-corrective sunglasses, be sure to visit www.visualeyesoptometric.com for more information about our Eye Care Practice in Fairview NC. Our Western NC optometrist, Dr. Haley Perry OD, specializes in routine eye care, as well as medical eye care.

Tips for Choosing Effective Sunglasses

• Look for sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays.
• Don’t choose sunglasses based on the darkness or color of the lenses. Unless treated, dark lenses do not block out UV rays better than other tints. Read the label instead.
• When it comes to sunglasses, bigger is better. Wrap-around shades that offer side protection are especially good choices. The sun’s rays don’t just come from the front. They can reflect from surfaces such as cars or the water.
• If you do a lot of boating or driving, consider polarized lenses, which are effective at reducing glare.
• Remember: Price isn’t an indication of the quality of UV protection. In fact, studies have shown that some costly sunglasses can be less effective at blocking UV rays than less expensive frames. Since there is no uniform labeling of sunglasses, consult your optometrist for advice on choosing the best pair of sunglasses to protect your eyesight.

More Simple Steps for Keeping Your Eyes Safe

• Always wear your sunglasses when you’re outside. This is particularly important during peak sunlight hours, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when rays are the strongest. Also, be sure to wear your sunglasses when you’re at higher altitudes, where UV light can be especially intense.
• Wear sunglasses even when it’s cloudy. Just as doctors recommend sunscreen on cloudy days, eye care professionals recommend people wear sunglasses even when it isn’t sunny out. That’s because UV rays can penetrate through thin clouds and haze.
• A wide-brimmed hat can also help block some UV rays from getting into your eyes.
• Wear sunglasses year-round. Your eyesight can be affected by sunlight in any season, not just summer. You need the same protection on the ski slopes in January as you do on the beach in August.
• Another bonus to wearing sunglasses: They can help reduce the amount of wrinkles around the eyes. The skin of the eyelids and around the eyes is very thin and susceptible to sun damage. And wearing sunglasses reduces squinting, which can also lead to wrinkles.

By wearing sunglasses that offer effective protection against harmful UV rays, you can enjoy the outdoors while protecting your eyesight.

www.visualeyesoptometric.com will steer you in the right direction for making a routine eye exam appointment with your favorite Asheville NC eye doctor. Dr. Haley A. Perry OD, will do what it takes to ensure your eye health is all that it can be.

Allergy Season is Upon Us

Allergies in Western NC

 

Do your eyes suffer from the following symptoms?

• redness
• swelling
• itching
• dry

If so, you're either suffering from allergies or an after-exposure to something. If allergies are getting the best of your eyes, be sure to do the following:

• Rinse your eyes with over-the-counter eye washing solutions. Using an eye wash will eliminate the eye of the allergens. Dust, mold, pollen, and trees can do a number on your eyes.
• Avoid using Visine or Murine. Those solutions only give temporary relief and never actually solves the problem. Stay away from anything that "gets the red out".
• Put cold packs on your eyes to reduce swelling and itching.
• Use refrigerated No-preservative artificial tears hourly. This will help to sooth and flush the eyes.
• Consider trying an over-the-counter antihistamines, such as Chlor-Trimeton or Benadryl. If you find this beneficial, you may want to consult your general physician to prescribe other antihistamines.
• If you can determine what you are allergic to, try to avoid contact with them, to minimize the problem.
• Consider using glacier type glasses with side shields when out in the pollinated summer.

Allergies tend to get the best of us during this time of year. Don't suffer. See your favorite Fairview NC Eye Doctor. Dr. Haley Ammons Perry, OD will be able to prescribe eye drops for allergy related issues. Call today for an appointment, or visit or website to make a request for an appointment. www.visualeyesoptometic.com

Are you Over-wearing your contact lenses?

Are you Over-wearing your contact lenses? If so, you may want to continue reading. Over-wearing your contact lenses, past the recommended length of time may actually damage your eyes.

The consequences of abusing extended wear contact lenses may permanently affect your sight or ability to wear contact lenses for the remainder of your life.

 

As your preferred Western NC eye care professional, we care about your eye health. Be responsible for the longevity of your good vision. In order to gain responsibility and ensure good eye health, be sure to ask yourself the questions below:

 

1. Would you like to wear your contact lenses for the next 10-20-50+ years?

2. What would you be willing to pay to be able to see with glasses or contact lenses the rest of your life?

We are dealing with your eyes. You don't get another pair.  You decide your comfort level of risk. From studies, research and practice we know our comfortable risk limits. Most patients contact lens wearing/care regime is unacceptable by current standards of care. Patients do not understand the events or consequences of poor compliance. Unfortunately for some people, Visual Eyes Optometric does. We've seen too many eye problems resulting from over-wearing contact lenses. Don't be a risk taker. Take care of your eyes!

The short term effects of over wearing your extended wear contact lenses? Red, painful eyes and/or poor vision. If this ever happens to you, immediately remove your lenses and call our office. If these symptoms are ignored by the patient or simply waived off as “temporary” or “It’ll be gone by the morning”, you move into a higher risk zone with a potentially permanent loss of vision. New blood vessels may grow into the cornea which may mean permanent loss in the ability to wear contact lenses. The worse case scenario would be the development of a corneal abrasion which becomes infected and ulcerates, causing a permanent scar. If this occurs in the center of your cornea where you look through, it may cause such a vision loss that the eye is legally blind.

As you can see,  recommendations of the FDA, AOA, and AMA are important rules to abide by. Below is a photo of an over-wearer's eye. OUCH!!! Don't let this happen to your eyes. Take care of them.

Recommendations:

• Wear extended wear lenses 6 days, maximum. Give your eyes a break. Wear glasses at least one full day a week.
• Leave your lenses out 12 hours a day, so they can obtain enough oxygen with your eyes open.
• Replace lenses exactly when the brand recommends you to. Don't stretch them out, even if you don't sleep in them.
• Be evaluated every 3-6 months, as long as you wear the lenses overnight. If you don't sleep in them, 6-12 months is recommended.
• Put re-wetting drops in your eyes at bed time and upon waking. Be sure to cleanse lenses well after daily use.

If you are suffering from any type of eye disorder, be sure to call Visual Eyes Optometric today. Dr. Haley Ammons Perry, OD, in Fairview, NC, will be happy to asses your eyes. She will also teach you how to take care of your precious eyes.

Visit our website, www.visualeyesoptometric for more information on the services we offer.

How to Better Your Vision

As we've talked about before, eating certain things can actually better your vision. It's hard to know what to eat, though. It's even harder to know how to prepare it, without it being too boring! 

There are actually ways to better you vision by just altering your lifestyle a little. You won't even believe the little things that help!

Below are some great ideas for you!!

1. Mix a cup of blueberries with a cup of yogurt for breakfast this morning. Blueberries are one of the richest fruit forms of antioxidants, and a study published in The Archives of Ophthalmology found that women and men who ate the greatest amount of fruit were the least likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the leading cause of blindness in older people.

2. Spread bilberry jam on your morning toast. Or take a bilberry supplement every morning. The berries contain compounds called anthocyanosides, which may protect the retina against macular degeneration.

3. Have spinach twice a week. Could be a spinach quiche, steamed spinach, or maybe Tuscan spinach — sautéed in some olive oil with garlic and raisins. Regardless, be sure to get your spinach. Studies find that lutein, a nutrient that is particularly abundant in spinach, may prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Ideally, get your lutein in combination with some form of fat (olive oil works great) for the best absorption.

4. Cook with red onions, not yellow. Red onions contain far more quercetin, an antioxidant that is thought to protect against cataracts.

5. Aim your car vents at your feet — not your eyes. Dry, air-conditioned air will suck the moisture out of eyes like a sponge. Aim the vents in your car away from your eyes, or wear sunglasses as a shield. Dry eyes can be more than an inconvenience; serious dryness can lead to corneal abrasions and even blindness if left untreated.

6. Move your computer screen to just below eye level. Your eyes will close slightly when you’re staring at the computer, minimizing fluid evaporation and the risk of dry eye syndrome, says John Sheppard, M.D., who directs the ophthalmology residency program at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia.

7. Take a multivitamin every day. Make it a habit, like brushing your teeth. A major study suggested that if every American at risk for age-related macular degeneration took daily supplements of antioxidant vitamins and zinc, more than 300,000 people could avoid ARMD-associated vision loss over the next five years. Other studies find that women who took vitamin C supplements for at least 10 years were 77 percent less likely to show initial signs of cataracts than those who took no supplemental C. So take a multi with at least 150 mg vitamin C, or take a separate C supplement.

8. Walk at least four times a week. Some evidence suggests that regular exercise can reduce the intraocular pressure, or IOP, in people with glaucoma. In one study, glaucoma patients who walked briskly four times per week for 40 minutes lowered their IOP enough so they could stop taking medication for their condition. It’s also possible — although there’s no proof yet — that walking could also reduce your overall risk of developing glaucoma.

9. Eat fish twice a week. A study from Harvard researchers presented at the 2003 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology’s annual meeting evaluated the diets of 32,470 women and found those who ate the least amount of fish (thus getting the least amount of omega-3 fatty acids) had the highest risk of dry eye syndrome. Even tuna fish (yes, the kind that comes in a can) protected against the syndrome. If you can’t stand fish, or are worried about mercury consumption, try fish-oil supplements to get your omega-3s.

10. Twice a week, walk away from greasy or sweet snacks. A 2001 study found that people whose diets were high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in omega-6 fatty acids (found in many fat-filled snack foods like commercially prepared pie, cake, cookies, and potato chips) were significantly less likely to develop ARMD than those whose diets were high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, if your diet was high in omega-6 at all — even if you still ate plenty of fish — the protective effects of the omega-3 fatty acids disappeared.

11. Have sweet potatoes for dinner tonight. Since they are rich in vitamin A, these sweet spuds can help improve your night vision.

12. Turn down the heat in your house. Heat dries out the air, which, in turn, dries out your eyes. In the winter, you might also try adding some humidity with a humidifier or even bunching a lot of plants together in the room in which you spend the most time.

Eye Healthy Spinach and Blueberry Salad! Yum!!

Have you ever wanted to eat eye healthy foods? Have you ever wondered what you could eat, that is eye healthy? Have no fear. Visual Eyes Optometric of Fairview NC will help you get eye healthy with wonderful foods! Today, we will share a great, delish, eye healthy salad!

Dr. Haley Ammons Perry, OD- your preferred Western NC Eye Doctor, would like to share with you her favorite salad. Not only is this salad great for your eyes, it's also great for getting your daily dose of antioxidants.

If you're interested in eye health and a great Asheville NC Eye Doctor, you should check back with us in the future. We plan to post different recipes, great for eye health. It's easy to make the decision to eat for eye health. It's hard to go out and find actual recipes. Below is the delicious eye healthy spinach and blueberry salad!

1 cup fresh blueberries, divided
1.5 cups chopped walnuts/pecans, toasted
3 Tbsp fruity vinegar- raspberry works great!
1 Tbsp minced shallot
1 Tsp sugar
.5 Tsp salt, divided
3 Tbsp olive oil
.5 Tsp freshly ground pepper
8 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese

Directions:

Pulse 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup of nuts, vinegar, shallot, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until it is a chunky paste. With the motor running, add oil until it is incorporated. Transfer entire amount of paste to a large bowl.

Add the spinach to the bowl with the dressing; toss to coat. Top salad with cheese and remaining blueberries. Enjoy!!

Here are a few pictures of the salad. Dr. Perry took the salad to the Fairview NC Business Association Meeting. It was greatly accepted! Some even requested the recipe! Be sure to make your very own eye healthy salad! Tasty foods that are great for eye health can't possibly be a bad thing!


Dr. Haley Ammons Perry OD, a Western NC Eye Doctor and Fairview NC Business Association member:

Salad Dressing:

Adding the shallots and blueberries:

Eye healthy spinach salad:

Let us know how your salad making goes! Have way to better it? Please share below with a comment! Also, be sure to check back with us soon for more great tips on keeping your eyes healthy! Have a great rest of the week!

You Are What You Eat. And So Are Your Eyes.

Your eyesight is one of the most important parts of your body. Without them, you aren't able to do daily routines you may be used to. Of course, one can always adjust to a life without sight. But, the better thing to do is take care of the vision you have now. Eat healthy. Exercise. Stay active. Don't let what you eat and how you live affect your eyesight. It's hard to even believe there are foods that actually better your vision. Thankfully, it's the truth! Below are a list of great foods that are good for your eyesight.

Garlic
Onion
Blueberries
Carrots
Tomatoes
Salmon
Tuna
Cod
Apricots
Onions
Zucchini
Collard Greens
Eggs
Broccoli
Spinach
Sardines (yuck!)
Wheat Germ
Oysters
Sweet Potatoes

Try incorporating these things into your diet. You may not feel a difference. You will slowly improve your vision and keep your eyes healthy. Stay tuned for eye healthy recipes!!! 

Also, if you need a great western nc eye doctor, call Visual Eyes today! (828) 628-6700. We are close to Asheville NC, Fletcher NC, Arden NC, and Black Mountain NC. We hope to see you soon!

Happy Valentine's Day Contest!!

Happy Heart's Day Everyone!!!

We are happy to announce that today, on Valentine's Day, we will be doing our first ever social media participation contest! Read on for details!


We will be giving away a pair of Bolle aviator style sunglasses and  pair of Guess standard rectangular style sunglasses! Both are unisex and great for any type face.

To enter:

Go to our facebook page: www.facebook.com/visualeyesoptometric

Like our facebook status that explains the contest

Share the facebook status

Come back to this blog and comment below with your name, which pair of sunglasses you like best, and state that you've liked our facebook page, status, and shared the status!!

After you've done all of the above, sit back and wait! The contest will run until Monday, Feb 18th! 2 random winners will be posted Tuesday, Feb 19th!

Good luck everyone!!

Macular Degeneration Awareness

This month is Macular Degeneration awareness month. How many of you know what macular degeneration actually is? If you're unaware, be sure to read on to find out what the causes are, symptoms, and other issues it causes.

Macular degeneration is a medical condition that affects your central vision. Usually affecting older people, the actual cause is not known. What happens? Well, it's a bit complicated. But... here it is, in a nutshell! A definition given by your very own western NC eye doctor, Dr. Haley Perry, OD.

"Your retina has different layers. The top layer makes debris. The bottom layer disposes of the debris. When the bottom layer  degenerates, or stops getting rid of the debris, it causes drusen. Drusen separates the "seeing" layer. The separation causes the vision to decrease." DR. Haley Perry OD

Because the retina is the part of the eye that sees the most detail, macular degeneration can really impact the way you see. Not all macular degeneration causes you to loose your sight. Sometimes it just distorts it. Below are a list of symptoms macular degeneration causes:

• Drusen
• Pigmentary alterations
• Exudative changes: hemorrhages in the eye, hard exudates, subretinal/sub-RPE/intraretinal fluid
• Atrophy: incipient and geographic
• Visual acuity drastically decreasing (two levels or more), e.g.: 20/20 to 20/80.
• Preferential hyperacuity perimetry changes Blurred vision: Those with nonexudative macular degeneration may be asymptomatic or notice a gradual loss of central vision, whereas those with exudative macular degeneration often notice a rapid onset of vision loss.
• Central scotomas (shadows or missing areas of vision)
• Distorted vision in the form of metamorphopsia, in which a grid of straight lines appears wavy and parts of the grid may appear blank: Patients often first notice this when looking at mini blinds in their home.
• Trouble discerning colors, specifically dark ones from dark ones and light ones from light ones
• Slow recovery of visual function after exposure to bright light
• A loss in contrast sensitivity

If you suspect you may have macular degeneration, be sure to call Visual Eyes Optometric today, to schedule an appointment. Also, if you have a family member that has macular degeneration it's a good idea to partake in our Macula Risk genetic test. It determines your risk of sight threatening macular degeneration.

If you are in need of new glasses or just a regular yearly vision exam, feel free to contact us as well! We would love to help you in any way we can! Fairview NC is located near Asheville NC. Be sure to contact your preferred Western NC Eye Dr today! You won't be sorry!

Social Networking for Visual Eyes Optometric

Hi! Welcome to Visual Eyes Optometric's blog! We are here to help Western NC see clearly! We specialize in routine vision exams, as well as Macular Degeneration and Glaucoma exams. Have any questions regarding your vision or glasses? Below are direct links to all our social media sites! Feel free to call, too! 828-628-6700. We are happy to help in any way we can!

We also offer a full service Optical. Our Optician, Matoka, has been a licensed optician for 27 years! She is a professional in the western NC optical industry!


Twitter:
https://twitter.com/WeHelpYouSee

Instagram:
http://instagram.com/visualeyesoptometric

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/visualeyesoptometricfairview

Email:
visualeyesoptometric@gmail.com


Be sure to follow us on all our profiles for more info on eyeballs, eye wear, and more! We will feature medical issues that can occur with your eyes, as well as Western NC Eye Doctor information.

Don't miss out on following our blog! You can have it emailed directly to you, or you can bookmark it for future use! Hope to see you soon!

Until next time,


Visual Eyes Optometric!