Teaching Kids to Care For Contact Lenses

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Whereas eyeglasses can be easily taken off, lost, or sat on, contact lenses are more likely to be used and accepted by your school-aged child. Contact lenses for kids in Coldwater, MS, offer a great alternative to eyeglasses. But contacts require special skills to ensure they are well cared for. Here are some tips for teaching your child to care for contact lenses.

Explain the Basics

Be sure to sit down with your child to ensure they understand the basics of contact lenses. Kids are naturally curious, so if you explain what they look like and how they work, your child will have that curiosity satisfied. It also helps them feel more confident about wearing the lenses, knowing that contacts have been used for a long time to correct vision.

Explain the Need

Secondly, explain how the contact lenses will directly help your child to see better, read better, and perform better. Talk about how good vision is essential for playing sports, enjoying playground equipment safely, gaining confidence in social situations, and doing well in school and in other ways. Knowing why they’re wearing contact lenses will motivate your child to care for them properly.

Explain the Function of Each Supply

Layout the contact lens supplies on the bathroom counter and explain what each one is for: the storage case, the cleaning solution, the saline solution, etc. Talk about what each product does.

Demonstrate the Process

Children are masters at mimicking what they see. First, demonstrate the whole process, from removing the contact lens from its container to cleaning, rubbing, and rinsing. Tell your child, “now it’s your turn,” and let your child practice while you oversee. Gently correct any “mistakes.” Practice again until you’re confident that your child has the process memorized.

Establish a Routine

Children respond well to routines, which make them feel safe. Consistency is key in contact lens care. Help your child develop a daily routine for inserting, removing, and cleaning their lenses.

Your eye doctor in Coldwater, MS, can reinforce your teachings at home, giving your child the tools and information to care for their contact lenses. Contact us today to book an appointment!

5 Best Foods to Eat for Better Eye Health

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Better eye health is more than just eating well, though it’s hard to argue with the other benefits of a better diet. The good news is that no matter how old you are or what types of eye conditions you have, it’s never too late to adjust your habits. We’ll look at the five best foods if you want to make a change.

Sweet Potatoes

Vitamin A is a sort of powerhouse when it comes to healthy retinas. Carrots get all of the credit in the public eye, but sweet potatoes are an even better option if you want a strong dose.

Red Bell Peppers

Vitamin C is an excellent way to fight general aging, particularly if you’re a smoker or known for your love of processed foods. Diets rich in Vitamin C are linked to at least delayed development of age-related eye diseases, including cataracts.

Salmon

Another important antioxidant is Vitamin E, which can improve your tear production. If you struggle with dry eyes or red eyes, having more salmon can help you both in the short term with clearer eyes and long-term by staving off future diseases.

Kidney Beans

High in zinc, kidney beans can encourage your body to make more red blood cells. It can help protect your retina and, as with the rest of our suggestions, potentially delay future eye health diseases.

Spinach

Spinach is great for lutein plus a whole other slew of benefits. Dark, leafy greens are known for their ability to improve eye health in Coldwater, MS with their dose of potassium, B6, B9, magnesium, folic acid, iron, and Vitamin K. There’s a reason why this one is a heavy-hitter — it’s not all propaganda.

Eye Doctors in Coldwater, MS

If you’re looking for an optometrist in Coldwater, MS who can put you on the path to better eye health, the staff at Coldwater Vision Center can help you find a plan that works for you. It’s not easy to integrate new foods into your diet, especially if you have a routine, but there are ways to make subtle but important changes. If you have a specific concern or you need a general checkup, contact us today for to make an appointment.

5 Ways to Abuse Your Vision   

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Just like the rest of your body, your vision needs to be cared for. Because people don’t think about their vision everyday, it sometimes gets taken for granted. The worst ways to abuse your vision include the following.

Not Getting Regular Eye Exams

An eye exam in Coldwater, MS is about more than making sure you have good vision. During the exam, your eye doctor assesses the health of your eyes, checking for any potential problems such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and more. When you fail to get regular eye exams—at least once every year—you miss the opportunity for your eye doctor to catch eye disease before it has a chance to develop to a point where your vision is in danger.

Not Wearing Sunglasses

Chronic exposure to UV light damage vision over time. If you spend a lot of time outdoors – gardening, engaging in sports, etc. – you should wear UV-rated sunglasses. Even driving without sunglasses can harm your vision, if there is a lot of glare from the sun. Macular degeneration, cornea damage and cataracts have all been linked to chronic UV exposure.

Not Wearing Sports Goggles

The amount of vision loss related to sports injuries may surprise you. Every day, people insure sports eye injuries that could have easily been prevented just by slipping on a pair of sports goggles before play. Sports goggles help prevent injuries from stray hockey sticks, flying golf balls, fast pitches gone awry, bodily impact and much more.

Reading in Poor Light

Eye strain isn’t just an abstract concept; it’s a very real condition that can impact the health of your eyes. Whenever you feel eye strain, take steps to alleviate it. Either stop what you’re doing for a while, adjust the lighting in the room or look away from the book or screen and focus instead on something in the distance.

Not Wearing Goggles During Hazardous Activities

Another time when goggles should be worn is during activities with the potential for eye injury. This includes woodworking, when wood chips could fly into the eyes, mowing the lawn, when unexpected debris could come flying up, and working with caustic or chemical liquids, when a stray splash could get into the eyes.

The best way to protect your vision is to take some simple protective measures and, of course, to see your Coldwater, MS eye doctor at least once a year.

 

What is Retinal Detachment?

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Retinal detachment is an eye emergency that requires immediate care from an eye doctor in Coldwater, MS. When retinal detachment occurs, there is a risk of permanent loss of eyesight. There are telltale symptoms of retinal detachment that shouldn’t be ignored.

What is a Retina?

The retina is at the back of the eye. It’s where the light that enters the eye lands. It consists of a very thin layer of tissue. 

Retinal detachment is when the retina detaches, in whole or in part, from the back of the eye where it is supposed to remain. When retinal detachment occurs, it becomes separated from the layer of blood vessels that supply oxygen and nourishment. 

Just like if the brain was deprived of oxygen and nourishment it would suffer, the eye suffers when the retina becomes detached. Permanent vision loss is a possibility and immediate medical care is needed.

Symptoms of Retinal Detachment

Retinal detachment often comes on suddenly. The symptoms of retinal detachment may include one or all of the following:

  • sudden blindness, either temporary or enduring
  • black spot in field of vision
  • loss of full peripheral vision
  • appearance of many floaters in the eye (more than usual)
  • flashes of light or “sparkles”

Note that pain is not a common symptom of retinal detachment. Often, only sudden changes in vision are present with retinal detachment.

Retinal detachment should be treated as an eye emergency. It’s not enough to book an appointment weeks away. The longer the retina is detached, the higher the risk of permanent loss of vision.

Causes of Retinal Detachment

The underlying causes of retinal detachment include:

  • ongoing, failing health of the eye
  • untreated diabetes
  • untreated hypertension
  • tumors
  • aging
  • inflammatory disease
  • sudden blunt force eye trauma
  • and more

Types of Retinal Detachment

There are three main types of retinal detachment.

  • Tractional – caused by the growth of scar tissue
  • Exudative – caused by accumulation of fluid beneath the retina
  • Rhegmatogenous – caused by a hole or tear in the retina

Diagnosing Retinal Detachment

Your eye doctor will be able to diagnose retinal detachment by your reported symptoms as well as a retinal exam and/or ultrasound imaging. Once the retinal detachment has been diagnosed, a treatment plan can be made.

Please get into touch with your eye doctor in Coldwater, MS immediately if you suspect retinal detachment or if you have sudden onset of unusual eye symptoms.

 

Symptoms of Dry Eye

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Dry eye is a syndrome that is estimated to affect over 4.88 million people in the U.S. More women than men have dry eye syndrome, which may be due to factors related to release of estrogen. It’s good to know that treatment for dry eye in Coldwater, MS is available. If you think you may have this condition, book an appointment for a professional diagnosis and treatment plan. In the meantime, here are the most common symptoms of dry eye to be aware of.

Chronically Red Eyes

The whites of the eyes can redden for a number of reasons, including eye strain. This often happens after long hours at a computer, either at work or at home while gaming. They can also get red due to injury or exposure to an irritant. But if you can’t attribute your red eyes to anything recent, and you seem to always have red eyes, it could be that you have dry eye syndrome.

Burning, Stinging Sensation********

Irritated eyes often feel like they are stinging or burning. With dry eye syndrome, the eyes are not getting enough fluid, which causes them to feel uncomfortable and results in a burning or stinging feeling. This is a common symptom that should be reported to your eye doctor in Coldwater, MS.

Sensitivity to Light

Do you find yourself squinting a lot, even when it’s not particularly bright outside, or when others don’t appear to be bothered by the light? If you have excess sensitivity to light, or if you have trouble driving gat night due to other vehicles’ headlights, you could have dry eye syndrome. Light sensitivity is a symptom of other eye conditions, also, so a professional diagnosis is imperative.

Swollen, Irritated Eyelids

If your eyelids are irritated and swollen on a regular basis, know that is another sign of possible dry eye syndrome. The swelling and irritation is caused when the eyelid drops down over the eyes to blink or sleep, and friction is present due to lack of moisture.

Never try to diagnose your dry eye syndrome at home. In particular, don’t start treating dry eyes with over-the-counter eye drops. At-home eye drops can hide or exacerbate a serious eye condition. Contact your eye doctor today for consultation about symptoms of dry eyes.

Are Sunglasses Really Necessary?

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If you want to protect your eyes for a lifetime of good vision, then you should consider wearing sunglasses. Sunglasses can be made to fit your prescription eyeglasses in Coldwater, MS so that when you’re outside you can switch your eyewear to your prescription sunglasses. Following are all the reasons why sunglasses should be part of your defense against all kinds of eye damage.

The Dangers of UV Light

Many individuals are unaware that their eyes, like their skin, can become sunburned in a similar way that skin does. Photokeratitis is caused by exposure to too much UV light in a short period of time. Pain, inflamed eyes, high light sensitivity, tears, and a gritty sensation in the eyes are some of the symptoms. Fortunately, it is just transient, similar to a sunburn. Regrettably, it may be excruciatingly painful.

Long-Term Damage Over Time

Beyond photokeratitis, prolonged sun exposure causes further long-term issues. UV damage builds up over time. This is why your eye doctor in Coldwater, MS advises people to wear sunglasses when outdoors for long periods of time. The sun’s rays are a significant cause of premature eye aging, but the damage may be postponed for a lifetime of healthy vision. Sun protection in the form of sunglasses can help you to avoid a variety of eye problems, including:

  • Macular degeneration
  • Cataracts
  • Skin cancer
  • Abnormal growths

Less Squinting With Sunglasses

Sunglasses not only protect your eyes, but they also improve your everyday comfort. They lessen squinting because they diminish glare. In turn, this reduces the onset of wrinkles around the eyes. Some people aren’t even aware of how sensitive they are to light until they find that wearing a nice pair of sunglasses improves their comfort.

Given the health advantages of sunglasses, it’s no wonder that the American Optometric Society (AOA) advises them for everyone, regardless of whether or not they use corrective lenses. There are a variety of choices for protecting your eyes from the sun, depending upon your needs.

The short answer is that, yes, sunglasses are necessary if the health of your eyes is vital to you. Come on in today to discuss wearing prescription or non-prescription sunglasses with your eye care professional. Contact us to book your appointment.

3 Ways a High-Sodium Diet Affects Your Eye Health

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Do you eat a lot of salty foods? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average American consumes at least 3400 milligrams of sodium every day even though less than 2300 milligrams is the recommendation.

Unfortunately, a high-sodium diet can be detrimental to your health, even your visual health. One thing you may not expect to hear when you go in for an eye exam in Coldwater, MS is that your salt intake could be too high. Check out some of the ways that a lot of salt can negatively affect your visual health.

Heightened risks of cataracts

High sodium intake has been directly linked to cataract formation in the eyes, specifically posterior subscapular cataracts. Salt affects a lot of things about how the eye functions, which may heighten your risks. If you are at risk of cataracts already, it is important to be especially vigilant about monitoring how much salt you consume on a daily basis.

Changes in intraocular pressure

Intraocular pressure is a medical term used to refer to the level of pressure within the eye on the blood vessels. Individuals with glaucoma usually have abnormally high levels of intraocular pressure, which over time affects the quality of eyesight. Unfortunately, consuming a lot of salt may negatively affect intraocular pressure and generate even more risks of glaucoma.

Restricted blood flow to your eyes

Salt changes how fluid is distributed throughout the body, including in your eyes. If you have restricted blood flow to the eyes, this can mean your visual health is at risk. When blood flow is impeded to a great extent, this can actually cause your vision to get blurry. The blood pumped into the eye feeds oxygen to the retina, and without the oxygen, the retina cannot function properly.

Monitor Your Visual Health with the Help of a Coldwater Eye Doctor

So many aspects of your everyday life can have a part to play in your visual health. Be sure to work with a Coldwater, MS eye doctor to form a comprehensive preventative care plan for your eyes. Reach out to us at the Coldwater Vision Center to schedule an appointment.

What Is a Dilated Eye Exam? 

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During a dilated eye exam, your eye doctor in Coldwater, MS, uses eyedrops to widen your pupils. This allows them to more clearly see the retina in the back of your eyes. A healthy retina is necessary for good vision, and this test is often part of a routine eye exam, especially if you have existing medical conditions or a family history of glaucoma.

Uses for a Dilated Eye Exam

A dilated eye exam is used to diagnose diseases and conditions that affect the eye. These include:

  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Brain tumor
  • Head injury
  • Glaucoma
  • Cataracts
  • Age-related macular degeneration

Early diagnosis and treatment are key in preventing vision loss. A dilated eye exam can help your eye doctor develop an early treatment plan in the event you have a medical condition that affects your vision.

What to Expect During Your Dilated Eye Exam

A dilated eye exam is relatively routine. First, your eye doctor places drops in your eyes that cause your pupils to dilate, or widen. This allows more light to enter and makes it easier for your vision specialist to see what’s happening inside your eye. It takes around 15 to 20 minutes for the eyedrops to become fully effective. At this point, your eye professional will shine a light into your eyes to examine them.

A dilated eye exam is not painful, though your vision may remain a bit blurry for a few hours afterward. Your eyes may also feel sensitive to bright light for several hours following your exam. Sunglasses will help. If you anticipate a dilated eye exam, bring a friend with you to your appointment, so they can drive you home afterward.

Call Coldwater Vision Center Today

If it’s time to schedule a dilated eye exam in Coldwater, MS, Coldwater Vision Center is happy to help. Call today to schedule an appointment with our friendly and experienced vision specialists, and be sure to inform your eye doctor if you’re worried about glaucoma, retinopathy, or other conditions that affect the eyes. A dilated eye exam is easy enough to perform, and it can help you obtain the early diagnosis you need to begin treatment for common eye disorders.

How Are Dry Eyes Treated?

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Itching, redness, burning, discomfort—dealing with dry eyes on a regular basis is no joke and can really hinder your plans. Dry eye treatment in Coldwater, MS is one of the most common reasons people seek out an eye doctor for anything outside of vision checkups. A lot of patients assume that dry eyes are easy to treat, but most eye doctors will take a multifaceted approach to help find relief.

Recommended Lifestyle Changes

Things present in your environment and even your daily habits can be a major underlying causation factor of dry eyes. Therefore, this is the first thing an eye doctor will ask you about when you come in for an appointment. You may be dealing with problems due to:

  • Facial cosmetics that you wear on a regular basis
  • Aerosol or fragrant products that you use in your home
  • Pets that you have in your home
  • Chemical irritants that you are exposed to at work
  • Spending a lot of time on a computer or phone

Sometimes, making slight changes in your environment or even the products that you use can drastically reduce the problems you are experiencing.

Medications

The eye doctor may prescribe medications that will help deter issues with dry eyes by combating some of the symptoms. For example, if tear production seems to be lacking, the doctor may prescribe lubricating eye drops. Or, if allergies seem to be causing the problem, the doctor may work with your general practitioner to make sure you are taking the proper allergy medications.

Devices and Other Procedures

In the most severe cases of dry eye, you may need more direct treatments and procedures to control the problem. For example, a procedure may be done to partially plug tear ducts, which will keep moisture from draining out of your eyes as it normally does, to keep the corneal lens lubricated longer. Special-made glasses may also be an option if the eyes need protection from the environment.

Need Dry Eye Treatment in Coldwater?

Dry eyes can bring about so many uncomfortable situations with your eyes. If you have problems with dry eyes but have never obtained a legitimate diagnosis, it may be time to see a Coldwater eye doctor for help. Reach out to us at Coldwater Vision Center to schedule an appointment.

Is Your Teen Ready for Contacts? 4 Signs

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Many kids and teens who wear glasses eventually decide that they want to wear contact lenses. If you’re considering contact lenses for your teenage child, it’s important to first evaluate whether your teen is a good candidate for contact lenses.

Contact lenses require your teen to take on a lot more responsibility than glasses – and they’re not a good fit for everyone. Here’s what you need to consider before getting your teen contacts in Coldwater MS.

1. Your Teen Takes Care Of Their Glasses

Does your teen routinely lose their glasses, or forget to put their glasses on? Then they may not be a good fit for contact lenses. Contacts are smaller than glasses and come in a case that can be easily lost.

In addition, contacts will require regular care from your teen. If your teen is already having a hard time with their glasses, then they may not be able to handle the responsibility of caring for their contacts.

2. Your Teen Maintains Routines Well

Some contacts need to be removed nightly, while others are left in for longer periods of time. Either way, all contacts need to be periodically removed and maintained. If your teen’s contacts aren’t taken out when needed and cleaned when needed, then your teen could end up with an eye infection. Your teen needs to be up to the responsibility!

3. Your Teen Demonstrates Responsibility In Everyday Life

Does your teen get themselves up on time for school? Can they be trusted to perform basic chores around the house without reminders? Do they get good grades and make an effort to act responsibly most of the time?

If the answer to these questions were yes, then your teen is probably a good candidate for contact lenses. If the answer to these questions was no, then your teen might be better off with glasses.

4. Your Teen’s Eye Doctor Thinks Contacts Are Appropriate For Your Teen

Before you can get contacts for your teen, their eye doctor in Coldwater MS will need to evaluate their eyes. Call Coldwater Vision Center to make an appointment today.