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Now that you have picked up your new pair of prescription eyeglasses, your focus becomes taking care of them. This is a task many disregard, but it is absolutely imperative that you make sure you are following a couple simple steps to keep the quality of your vision with your new spectacles.

We are all guilty of using a garment when in a rush to wipe away a pesky smudge on our glasses. This act is unfortunately the worst thing you can do for your lenses.

No matter how clean your clothes are, dust particles and even small bits of sand and debris cling to them. Since eyeglass lenses are not made of diamonds, these tiny little particles can do tremendous amounts of damage to your new lenses. The smallest little crumb can grind a scratch directly in your line of vision, which in turn can render your glasses almost useless.

Most of us know what it feels like trying to concentrate on the world in front of you when there is a little scratch distorting and distracting your vision. A majority of the time, these little scratches can be avoided by following a few simple steps.

You may have noticed while shopping in your favorite store that they sell a variety of eyeglass cleaners. You need to be careful because the sprays and wipes which you can purchase in retail stores are not necessarily approved for all types of eyeglass lens materials.

This factor makes them fall under that category of products that many eye care professions cannot recommend. Most of these liquids contain a form of acetone or other cleaning agent that is too harsh for plastic lenses. Many years ago, when all eyeglasses were actually made out of crown glass, these products would have worked just fine. Now, during a time where they have developed thinner, lighter materials like cr-39 plastic and polycarbonate, these products have proven to be too hard on the lenses.

Over time, the lenses will start to break down if exposed to the chemicals used in these sprays, causing a fogging effect. Once again, you are left with a pair of glasses that are now unable to be worn.

Now that we have gone over the two main culprits in the destruction of eyeglass lenses, other than accidents, let’s focus on some tips to extend the life of your glasses.

Most importantly, you should use an eyeglass case. For the large portion of patients who wear their glasses all day, it’s understandable how awkward it can be to carry a case around. But it’s nowhere near as frustrating as realizing the new pair of eyeglasses you just purchased is becoming scratched and ruined.

Also, you do not need to carry the case with you everywhere you go. Strategically leaving a case on a bedside table, in your car, or in a purse is the difference between “life or death” for your glasses.

This is also a simple way to clean your glasses that does not require you to purchase anything you probably don’t already have at home. Using lukewarm water at the sink, place a small, pea-sized dab of dish soap on your fingers. Gently rub the soap on both lenses from side to side, and then rinse with warm water. A disposable paper towel is recommended to dry the glasses.

Disposable towels work because they are just that, disposable - which guarantees they are not carrying dirt or sand from a prior use.

Taking care of your glasses today means you have them for clear vision tomorrow and into the future.

 

Article contributed by Richard Striffolino Jr.

The content of this blog cannot be reproduced or duplicated without the express written consent of Eye IQ

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Ask Dr. Stewart Your Eye Care Questions

What can be expected during a contact lens fitting?

A patient can expect to have a different experience when having a contact lens fitting. In addition to the eyeglass exam, questions will be asked to determine which contact lens will work best for them. Will they want to leave the lenses in their eyes overnight or will they remove them every day? Will they wear them only occasionally or will they be for everyday use? Do they want a contact lens that they throw away every day or do they want a contact lens that they have to clean and disinfect? If the patient is over age 40 and has a compromised ability to see up close, how will they see up close with their contact lenses? Will they wear readers over their distant contacts, or will they wear multifocal contacts, or will they wear monovision?

Are some people more prone to having Dry Eyes than others?

Experiencing dry eye symptoms is more common as we grow older, particularly in people 50 years of age and older. Hormonal changes in women who are experiencing menopause or who are post-menopausal. Inflammation in our body can affect the tear gland's ability to produce tears. Eye or health conditions such as glaucoma, diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjogren's Syndrome can be associated with Dry Eyes. Environmental conditions such as dry winter air, dry indoor heated air, working on the computer, and wearing contact lenses can cause Dry Eyes.

Are there advantages to single-use contact lenses? What are they?

Single-use daily wear contacts are convenient to the patient and a healthy recommendation from their eye doctor. At the end of the day, the patient only has to dispose of the contacts. There is no need to take the contacts out to clean and disinfect them. The patients time and money spent on solutions and caring for them are eliminated. Not to mention that the next time they wear a contact, they will be wearing a brand new contact! The single best recommendation your eye doctor can make is to recommend single-use daily wear contacts. They are the healthiest contact that can be worn. The contact lens pathology issues of wearing the same contact for two or four weeks such as neovascularization, microcystic edema, and bacterial infections are greatly reduced.

What is an eye infection?

Your eyes can get infections from bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Eye infections can occur in different parts of the eye and can affect just one eye or both. Two common eye infections are conjunctivitis (also known as pink eye) and lid styes which are swollen lid bumps that can also be painful. Common signs of an eye infection are pain, itching, or a sensation of a foreign body in the eye, photosensitivity, redness or small red lines in the white of the eye, discharge of yellow pus that may be crusty upon awaking, and tears.

What happens during a typical Diabetic Eye Exam?

Your Eye Doctor will evaluate the back of your eye called the Retina to check for leaking blood vessels. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when elevated blood sugars damage the walls of the blood vessels. The vessel walls may thicken, leak, develop clots, close off, or grow balloon-like defects called microaneurysms.

My eyes tear all the time. Why do you call it Dry Eyes?

Your eyes have extra tears because your eyes produce extra tears to combat irritation and dryness. A better way to describe Dry Eyes is tear film instability, which refers to the composition of your tears not being in the proper composition. Stopping eyes from producing extra tears is a goal in the treatment of Dry Eyes.

At what age should my child have his/her eyes examined?

If you ask 10 different Doctors you will get 10 different answers. Newborns have their eyes checked in the birthing ward for starters. From birth to age 5 their eyes are growing. At age 5 is a good time to schedule a regular eye examination, however, if any unusual eye behavior is observed under age 5 an eye exam should be scheduled at that time. Unusual eye behavior such as eye squinting, a head tilt, or having to get close to see.