Squeaky Clean

Your eyeglasses are an investment, not only in the terms of money, but for your vision. Caring for your glasses properly will not only save you time and money, but it will also help prevent eyestrain and headaches.


Here are some helpful steps to care for your glasses:


Use the right cleaning cloth. Use microfiber cleaning cloths. Avoid using paper towels, tissues, and clothing. Even soft t-shirts can scratch your lenses! The microfiber cloth can be used for multiple ways. Use it to clean your computer screen, touch screen devices, even your car speedometer. They are very inexpensive and you can wash them!


Use cleaners that are meant for eyeglasses. Water does not dissolve on the lenses, so it will not clean oil or fingerprints. Glass cleaner (windex) has chemicals in it that can damage the lenses. Always use a cleaner  specifically used for lenses.


Keep your frame clean too. Avoid putting your glasses on your head or in your bag/purse with out a case. Frames can easily pick up dust, oil, hairspray, and gels. Wipe our glasses off with your microfiber cloth to prevent build up around nosepads and ear pieces. 


Always store them properly when not in use. A protective case or glasses necklace is the best way to store glasses when you are not using them. Never set the glasses down with the lenses on the table. This could scratch your lenses. In fact, you should think of our fun catch phrase, "if it's not in your face, put it in your case!"


Maintenance is key! Just like getting your oil changed every few months in your car. You should stop in every few months to have us check the glasses for stripped screws, scratches, or even fix any adjustments needed. We are always happy to see you!

Hey there pretty eyes!

We all go through it. The morning when you wake up and the look in the mirror creep you out. Puffy, bloodshot, dark circles, these are all problems that have a simple solution! Here is a list of things that you can do.


To clear up red eyes:
Eyes redden when blood vessels become irritated and start to enlarge.Also, allergies, infection, irritants, inflammatory conditions (pink eye) or uveitis (inflammation of the eye's middle layer) can all cause your eyes to be red. For this you can apply a soothing cool compress (like a cool cucumber), use artificial tears or allergy fighting drops containing antihistamines.


However, if the redness in your eye is caused from a scratch, and is accompanied by a white discharge, pain or reduced vision it will be best to see your eye doctor.


Tame a stye:
A stye forms when an eyelash follicle or gland becomes clogged with oil or dirt. Styes can be very tender when touched. To treat it yourself you can try applying a warm compress (warm CLEAN washcloth) for ten minutes four times a day. This helps with drainage. Do not squeeze the stye and do not use eye makeup when you have a stye. Keeping the eye area clean will help protect form infection. 


You should see your doctor when the stye does not improve within a week, if it becomes painful, becomes larger, bleeds, interferes with vision or has scaling, crusting, excessive tears or light sensitivity.

Calm eye twitches:
Eye twitches can be caused by many things! Stress, too much caffeine, fatigue, excessive squinting, and long periods of reading/staring at the computer. You can treat yourself by reducing your stress. Easy said than done right? Try getting a good night's sleep. Not just for one night but constantly. You could also apply a warm compress to your eyes, and cutting back on the caffeine. So get a nice slumber and skip the coffee shop on your way to work.


See your doctor if twitching is in both eyes versus one, if the twitching persists or worsens, if the spasms consist on your whole side of the face.


De-puff under-eye bags:
Going on a trip...because your eye-bags looked packed. Silly humor that you may get for looking a little on the snoozey side. As you age, puffing can happen more frequently. It is caused by fat and fluid that pool in the area.Not the kind of pool party I want to have. you can help de-puff by getting enough sleep, sleeping with your head elevated, applying a cool compress, avoiding allergens, and easing up on high-sodium foods that cause water retention. 


See your doctor if the swelling is severe or persists, if other parts of your body are swollen, or if your eyes are red, itchy or painful.


Quick makeup tips for the ladies: Say what?
*Blue eyeliner or mascara can help brighten the whites of your eyes. Try if your red eye is caused by irritation or tiredness. 


*Use concealer slightly darker than your foundation on the puffy spots. then use a lighter color  in the crease. put a little on your finger and dab it in! Vol la! 

Contact Lenses: The Do's and Don'ts

Do you wear contact lenses? Here are some Do's and Don'ts for contact lens usage!


Do....
*Follow the directions that come with your lenses.
*Wash your hands with a mild soap and dry with a lint-free towel before touching the contacts.
*Use the same brand of solution. Not all products work with all lenses.
*Rinse and disinfect extended wear contacts each time you remove them.
*Wear UV-protective sunglasses. Even when you have contacts on.
*Get regular eye exams to be sure your contacts are doing their job and aren't causing inflammation.


Don't....
*Use new eye products without your healthcare provider's permission.
*Use tap water or saliva to clean or store them.
*"Stretch the time between replacing contact lenses. Reusing them too much could lead to an eye infection.
*Swim while wearing contact lenses.
*Try on someone else's contacts.
*Use your fingernails, tweezers or any other tool to take your lenses out of their package.

Remember...taking care of your contacts means happy contacts. Happy contacts means happy eyes!

Tender Love and Eye Care

Our eyes do a lot for us every day. We usually do not consider this thought during our day. We only seem to notice our eyes when they are hurting or when we can not see as sharp as we could.

Here are some tips on how to show your eyes a little TLC:

*Take a mini break. Place your palms over your eyes without putting pressure on the eye sockets. This blocks out all of the light so you can close your eyes for a minute. This can help relieve stress and relax your eye muscles.

*Reduce the glare on your computer screen. If you are seated near windows, use curtains or blinds to help filter the light. Also consider anti-reflective lenses to help relieve eye strain and annoying glare. You can also position your computer screen as far away from your eyes as possible. Far enough to see without having to squint. It is suggested to have your screen at or below eye level, so you don't have to look up. Looking up increases tear evaporation and dry eye symptoms.

*Have a pair of safety goggles handy. In case you have to do anything with hardware, or dangerous chemicals. You do not want to damage your eye. Also read labels and follow instructions carefully.

*If you wear mascara, brush it on the tips of your lashes only. Getting too close to the root of the lash could actually block glands that help form tears. This could make your eyes feel dry and painful.

*If you wear contacts, make sure that you have a back up pair of glasses so you can give your eyes a rest!

Play It Safe!

It's around that time of year when  you are starting to think about all the things that you or your child needs for school. Notebooks, check! Pencils, check! Eye Exam...getting warmer. What about sports glasses? 


We already know that a fair amount of children wear eye wear to correct their vision, but what do we do when they play sports? Usually our automatic answer is to have the child play their sports in their everyday glasses. The bad thing with this is if a child gets hit in the face with a ball, it could not only break the glasses, but also hurt the child. Some instances can be a bruise, black eye, to the most extreme...blindness. there are over 38,000 sports-related injuries a year. Don't let your child be one of those statistics! 

We carry a great line of protective sports eye wear called Liberty Sport. These glasses are made specifically for sports and play. Some styles are even dedicated to football, baseball, cycling, and water sports. These can also be used for basketball, tennis, golf, etc.

Guess what parents? There are some for you too! liberty Sport also makes adult glasses for not only sports, but for running, cycling, and motorcycle riding. These have turned out to be very popular to our bike riding patients! 

Hot Headed-Why you should not leave your glasses in your car especially in the heat!

During these hot, summer days we are doing our best to stay cool, drink plenty of fluids, and wear our sunscreen. There are a few things that we do not always think about during our "what to do in the heat" checklist. 


We always advise others not to leave their glasses in their car. This is something we explain all year long. Even if it is not blistering hot out, the sun can seep through your windows and hurt your frames and lenses. If leaving your glasses in your car is a habit you have, try to break it this summer! 


Here are a few reasons why you should not leave your glasses in your car:

*The heat can warp your frame, especially if it is plastic! Warping means that the frame will easily twist or bend out of it's original shape. The material could also expand, making the lenses not fit in the frame properly

* The lenses could also craze. Crazing meaning a network of fine cracks on the surface of a material.

* Any metal in the frame (spring hinges) could burn your face if too hot! That would not be fun to partner with a sunburn! Ouch!

Just for fun, other items you should not leave in your car in the heat are: cd's, gps, mp3 players, sunscreen, medicines, disposable lighters and water bottles! Good to know.

If you are wondering where you should put your glasses when you are not in your car, I recommend ladies to put your glasses in the case and into your purse. For men it is a little harder, since most of you do not carry a bag. My male co-worker says to "put them in your girlfriend/spouse's purse. Which would seem to work, but this is not always the option. I would suggest if you are traveling to work and have a brief case, slip them in there. If you are headed to a restaurant or bar, I would suggest getting folding glasses to put in your pocket. It sounds crazy but see the picture below to know what I am taking about. These sunglasses come with a small square case that fits into your pocket like your wallet does. Bonus...you can put your Rx in it! PS, we sell these!

We also would like to wish everyone a fun and safe 4th of July! Protect your eyes and wear your sun wear! If you need any repairs or adjustments after the holiday, come on by and see us!