Come See Us!
If it has been a year or longer since your last eye exam, now is a great time to schedule a visit with an ophthalmologist. The team at Shenandoah LASIK and Cataract Center performs comprehensive eye exams that go beyond assessing vision. Here, we observe all of the vital parts of the eye to screen for signs of disease, such as glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy. Routine eye exams are recommended as an annual screening for eye health. Many of the eye diseases that can degrade vision are what we call silent. They don’t provide any clues. With regular exams, the signs of eye health issues can be caught early when they are more easily treated.
Modify Screen Time
We live in a highly digitized world and spend a fair amount of our daily hours in front of some type of screen. Without mindfulness, we could easily move from looking at one screen directly to another, such as hopping on our phones during commercials or scrolling online on our lunch break. All of this screen time is bad for the eyes. Like any overworked muscle, the eyes can become fatigued, sore, and irritated after too much use. And digital screens don’t just force us to focus, they also emit blue light, which can cause eye strain as well as difficulty sleeping. One way to protect the eyes is to wear blue light glasses when working. Another is to simply modify the amount of time spent in front of a screen. Rather than scrolling during breaks, go outside and take a walk, looking at objects in the distance.
Don’t Overwear Contacts
Contact lenses are a convenient way to correct vision. Often, once a person gets used to wearing their contacts, they might develop some bad habits. one of the worse is to moisten contacts with saliva before inserting them. This should never be done. Our saliva naturally carries bacteria which, placed into the eye, can cause infection. Contact lenses come with clear instructions for how long they can be worn and how they should be cleaned. If you wear contacts, follow your care and wear instructions to a tee so you do not inadvertently invite infection.
Remove Eye Makeup At Night
Eye makeup that gets left on overnight can create a crusty buildup along the lash line. This buildup of debris and dirt can block the glands along the ridge of the eyelid, causing a stye to form. A stye is an uncomfortable bump on the eyelid that is filled with pus. It is similar to a pimple. While the bump may resolve in three to five days, it can cause significant discomfort and irritation.
Wear UV Protective Lenses
The bright sunlight doesn’t bother everyone. Those whose eyes are sensitive to intense sunshine may be strict about wearing sunglasses. People who tolerate the sunshine without discomfort may feel there is no need for these lenses. There is. The eyes absorb UV light with or without irritation. They absorb this light on cloudy days, too. The UV light that gets absorbed can degrade ocular structures and increase the risk of future problems like cataracts. To take good care of your eyes, buy yourself a quality pair of UV protective sunglasses and wear them outdoors.
Jump start your healthy new year with a comprehensive eye exam. Contact us at 540-722-6200 to schedule your visit.
