Tips For Back To School Eyecare

At the beginning of the school year, parents busily plan for the supplies that their kids will need in school. Many of them make sure they have bought enough books, pens, sporting equipment, and new uniforms. All parents have ambitions and visions for their children. In their minds, they see the success of their kids being affected by what they have provided them. Parents can spend hours helping children with homework, instructions on how to read, learning to respect their teachers, and more. They will be sure to look for all types of protective gear and clothes. Their main aim is always to make sure that their kids stay safe. Among all that, parents must also remember to protect and care for their children’s eyes.

Warning Signs

All of the above activities and products are important and lead to success, but don’t forget that if your child’s eyes are not cared for, it can create roadblocks for your child. They will be striving to succeed, but undetected eye problems can hold them back, and small, untreated problems can quickly become larger issues. Pay attention to complaints children make about aching eyes and even the inability to see well.

Choose the Right Eye Care

Occasionally children’s complaints about aching eyes can be caused by extended exposed to light from monitors and the sun. Kids who engage in lots of outdoor activities can have additional eye problems caused by dust. All of these eye problems should be preventable. Prevention begins by making sure that your child has appropriate eye protection. Children complaining of eye strain after school may need to have an eye exam to determine if they need corrective lenses. Those children participating in sports may require eye protection as well.

The Importance of Teaching Good Eye Care

There are many options for finding children’s eyeglasses in San Marcos. Whatever you choose, if your child does need glasses, remember to make sure that he or she knows how to wear and care for their new lenses. In addition to that, you can also teach your child healthy eye care tips. Below are some that can help you out.

Protection From the Sun

Protecting your child’s eyes from the sun is very important, especially for those children who are often outdoors. Consider finding a pair of sunglasses with UV protection for your child. Prescription sunglasses are also an option for children who need corrective lenses.

Eye Strain

Eyes are delicate organs in the human body. Like the rest of the body, they need regular rest. Remind children of the benefits of getting some rest after doing extended reading from books or from staring at the computer.

Cleanliness

If you child has dirty hands, it’s likely that at times he or she will rub their eyes and transfer that dirt to their eyes. Be sure to remind children about the importance of washing their hands often, or after coming inside from playing outdoors.

As a parent, you want the best in life for your child. So when you are preparing your child for school and making sure they have all of their supplies, remember to focus on the eyes of your child, too.

If you would like more information about where to find children’s eyeglasses in San Marcos, visit Blue Moon Optical, located in San Marcos, TX.

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Ocular Symptoms And Health Conditions

Routine eye examinations from an optometrist are a very important part of any health maintenance checkup. Thorough eye exams can help identify early signs of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and hypertension. Ocular symptoms can even help diagnose autoimmune diseases. Symptoms optometrists should examine can include:

• Dry eyes
• Red eyes
• Blurred vision
• Itchy eyes
• Pain in the eye
• Double vision

The symptoms of major health conditions can also be identified through eye examinations. These include:

• Brain tumors
• Crohn’s disease
• Certain cancers
• High cholesterol
• Hyperthyroid disease
• Liver disease

How Can Eye Exams Help?

When an optometrist exams your eyes they look for many different types of abnormalities. Some of these abnormalities can indicate health issues with your eyes, such as glaucoma. However, some irritations that may seem minor in your eyes can actually be symptoms of another disease or condition altogether. Some examples follow.

Eye Inflammation

Inflammation of the eye can be the result of something minor, such as coming in contact with an eye irritant or having persistent allergies. However, this inflammation can also be an early symptom of Lupus, or of other autoimmune diseases.

Injured Blood Vessels

Another issue that optometrists can spot is damaged blood vessels in the eye. The tiny blood vessels in your eye are often hard to spot yourself, but during an eye exam your optometrist will notice any abnormalities they may be exhibiting. For example, kinks or bends in these blood vessels could be a symptom of hypertension, or high blood pressure. If the blood vessels are leaking blood, this can be a sign of diabetes.

Yellowed Eyes

Yellowing around the corneas or elsewhere in the eye can be a sign of high cholesterol. Plaque can also build up in the blood vessels of your eye, which can be another sign of high cholesterol. These subtle signs will stand out to an optometrist.

Structure of the Eye

During an eye exam an optometrist can also note the structure of your eye. Abnormalities in your eye structure may not be immediately noticeable to you, which is why it is important to have a professional occasionally examine your eyes. Abnormalities in eye structure can be a sign of ocular melanoma. If your optometrist notices any abnormalities like this they will most likely refer you to a specialist so that the condition can be treated early.

Your Changing Eyes

Even though many times you will not be experiencing any abnormal symptoms in your eyes, it is still a good idea to visit your eye doctor regularly to make sure that your prescription should stay the same. Our eyesight can change gradually over time. Even if the change is small, it can mean that a stronger prescription would be beneficial for your eye health.

If you would like more information about eye health or would like to schedule an eye exam, contact Blue Moon Optical in San Marcos, TX.

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Keep Your Glasses Looking Like New

Eyeglasses are required by many people of all different ages, and they can be costly. You could buy a pair of cheap glasses from a department store, but in due time something could happen to them, and they will need to be replaced. That’s why knowing how to take good care of them is a vital thing to learn. Taking proper care of your glasses can significantly extend their lifetime.

If you don’t take care of your lenses, having a pair could eventually become one of the most expensive things you’ll have in your everyday life because you’ll have to regularly buy a new pair. But don’t worry, we’ll give you the best tips to keep your glasses in the best possible quality for many years.

You Need To Rinse Them Properly

This is one of the primary things you’ll want to consider. Cleaning your glasses requires constant washing with the proper equipment. Using a slow but steady stream of slightly warm water is the best way to remove any types of stains or dust your glasses may have accumulated. Make sure that you dry them properly as well after you are finished washing them.

Keep Them In Secured Cases

It cannot be stressed this enough: glasses are very delicate and can get damaged easily, which is why you should always have a hard case where you can store them when you aren’t using them. Whether it’s sunglasses or regular ones, you always need to make sure that when you buy them, you get a proper hard case that can keep them out of harm.

Do Not Expose Them To The Sun

Glasses are usually made of plastic, which is why repeatedly keeping them in hot temperatures can eventually damage them. Leaving your glasses in the car every day during a hot summer can lead to irreparable damage. You need to keep them in a fresh area where they are not in constant contact with direct sunlight.

Spray Them Carefully

When you are using cleaning spray, you need to be very careful how you use it and be careful with the type of spray liquid you are using to clean them. You want to use the formula you get only at specialized stores. Some other formulas, such as Windex, contain ammonia and will damage the lens on your glasses.

Scratches Are Permanent

Highly trained professionals will inform you that there is absolutely no way to remove a scratch from your glasses, at least not that has been found yet. After you get a scratch on your glasses lens, there is nothing you can do. You can replace the lens, but removing a scratch is something that just does not exist. That’s why it is recommended to take the best care possible with your glasses.

Use The Proper Equipment

Always use a specialized cloth to clean your glasses. If you are going to dry them, do so with a small dryer which is specifically for these types of items. Always use the right liquid to clean them, and always keep a set of tools available to treat them in case a screw gets loose or something like that.

Don’t Be Careless While Handling Them

You have probably heard this before, but handling your eyewear carelessly can quickly lead to damaged glasses. Make sure that you use a delicate touch when cleaning and storing your eyewear. It also helps to keep your eyewear in a relatively safe place. You don’t need to put them in a vault, but avoid leaving them where someone might accidentally sit on or set something on top of them.

Teach Children How To Care For Their Glasses

Adults may be able to follow these instructions correctly, but also remember to teach your kids about these specifics and help them make a habit of caring for their glasses. The idea is for them to learn from an early age how to be careful with and responsible for their eyewear.

If you would like further information about purchasing eyeglass frames in the Central Texas area, visit Blue Moon Optical in San Marcos, TX. We hope these tips will help you take better care of your glasses.

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Getting Your Child Used to Wearing Glasses

If your child needs glasses, they may not readily accept the fact. It can be difficult to get them to warm up and adjust to the idea, but it’s well worth the effort.

Your child’s comfort and happiness are a top priority for you, and for us! We want to see them with a pair of glasses they fall in love with, so here are some tips to help them come around and become a fan of their new accessory!

The first step to getting your child on board with the thought of wearing glasses is to find the right frame. Be sure your child is involved in the frame-choosing process, and don’t rush things. Let them try on as many frames as they like, testing out various styles, colors, and materials until they find the perfect pair. If they get to pick their own frames, they’re more likely to want to wear them.

However, before you commit to a certain pair of frames, be sure they fit properly, or they may experience discomfort and decide they don’t like their glasses. Make sure you check the fit with someone experienced with how glasses should properly fit.

Once you’ve taken the perfect pair home, start getting your child used to putting them on first thing in the morning. Eventually they’ll be putting them on without you having to remind them.

If they still have a hard time adapting, help them see that many of their favorite characters and celebrities wear glasses. Pull up pictures or clips of people and characters your child enjoys seeing and point out that they wear glasses too! If you don’t wear glasses, you may consider getting yourself a pair of non-prescription glasses to wear around them, which can help make them feel more comfortable.

If you’re looking for the perfect pair of glasses for your child in the San Marcos, TX area, be sure to visit Blue Moon Optical! We carry a wide variety of styles and colors, and we know we can help your child find a pair of glasses that they’ll fall in love with.

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Tips to Avoid Tearing Contact Lenses

Americans love their contact lenses. Around 30 million Americans currently wear contacts, and the vast majority of them choose the soft contacts. Those of us who wore the hard contacts of yesteryear remember the discomfort in putting on the contacts and taking them out. Worse, hard contacts do not allow air to get to the cornea. The combination of the discomfort in applying them, and the tired, dry, and itchy eyes we experienced after a few hours of wear made the thought of contacts much less appealing. Now we have wonderful soft lenses that are comfortable, easy to apply and remove, and that allow air to reach the sensitive eye. However, there is a tradeoff for the level of comfort we receive; soft contact lenses are easily torn. Once they are torn, they must be discarded. Wearing a contact lens with even a minor tear around the edge can cause damage to the eye. So, how can you avoid tearing your contact lenses?

Tips to Avoid Contact Lens Tears

Use good quality contact lens solution and keep your contact lens cups clean and filled with solution. Partially filled cups could cause a contact lens to adhere to the side of the cup. Removing it will often tear it.

If you find your contact lens has folded in half in the solution cup, make sure it is submerged in solution and gently rub it apart. Trying to unfold it out of the solution almost always tears the lens.

Keep your contact lenses moist. Dry lenses tear very easily. If you find your case has leaked and you have a dry lens, fill the cup with clean solution and allow the contact to soak until it is restored to its normal condition. The contact lens should soak in the clean solution for around four hours.

Use solution in the eye before removing the contact lenses. Some patients struggle with dry eyes whether they wear contacts or glasses. For these patients, put a few drops of solution in the eye before removing the contact lens. This moistens it and keeps it from sticking to the dry eye or tearing in the friction of removal.

If you have a problem with dry eyes, do not sleep in your contact lenses. Remove them every night and soak them in solution, and use drops to moisten the eye. Your eye doctor will advise you on the best type for your eye.

Avoid rubbing the contact lenses while you are wearing them. Rubbing the eyes while wearing contact lenses could cause rips and tears. If the eyes are itchy, remove the contact lenses and apply eye drops or use eye drops made for contact lens wearers.

Should Children Wear Contacts?

Children have special needs and requirements for vision correction. Children’s eyeglasses are often available in many different frames, styles, and designs to allow the child to see better while maintaining their eye health. Of course, when children mature enough, they can wear and care for contact lenses. Some doctors will suggest a specific age (for example 13-years old) that is appropriate. However, wearing contact lenses is a responsibility. When a child is mature enough to take care of the contact lenses properly so that they can be worn effectively and without damage they can be introduced to contact lenses.

If you’re looking for a place to get eye exams in San Marcos, Texas, contact Blue Moon Optical for additional information or to make an appointment.

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Materials of Eyeglass Lenses

Materials, Corrective Types, and Coatings

When you have impaired vision, or any of the variety of related conditions beyond not being able to see far away or close up. For some the moment of panic sets in when you take time to get the right prescription lenses and order frames, and you still are having problems. Whether it is a mild inconvenience or a huge issue, sometimes you don’t have to simply accept that your fate is to have bad vision. Some of us need bifocals (or even trifocals), some of us can’t help but scratch our glasses, some find the light being too intense in the day or night, and everything in between and related to these problems. But the reality is there is a lot more to treating poor vision than just getting some frames and some normal lenses with your prescription. And a large part of dealing with your unique problems is finding the right set of lenses for you. There is a lot more than 2 or 3 types, and more than just what it’s made of that you have as options. There is the plethora of materials lenses are made of (with each type having a unique set of pros and cons).

A big choice is the different types of materials. Sometimes you may not have a choice, because you may require a curved, thick or thin type of lenses. But even for strong prescriptions, there are a few choices you may have. For very strong prescriptions, we all have this expectation that you will be wearing coke bottle glasses, but there have been some recent advances in design. If you’d like to avoid the overly thick ones, you should ask to receive “high-index” lenses, which are far thinner and lighter and can still provide the high strength needed for some. For those who are active, or have a job that requires you to be physically active, you may want something that is impact resistant. Poly-carbonate is the usual choice, as they are also slightly UV resistant as well and impact resistant, and while they are thin, they are not exceptionally so. If you want something thin and light that is still resistant (as well as resistant to scratching), you should ask for trivex. They won’t be as resistant to impact or offer any UV protection, but are much lighter. For maximum UV protection, you’ll want photochromic material. For those who don’t want any difference in sight for the different areas of the lenses, aspheric will allow you to utilize all edges of your glasses and minimize any distortions, so you see a realistic a picture as possible, which is great for some professions.

In our next article we will be covering the different corrective designs to treat various diagnoses, and the coatings that can be put on to customize your glasses to you. We will also be going over the material in bifocals, trifocals, and progressive lenses (which are essentially bifocals without the visible split for the style-conscious wearer).

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What do the numbers in “20/20 sight” mean?

Popular culture almost always refers to perfect vision as “20/20”, but most people could not tell you what the first or second number means. Optometrists and most places that test for visual acuity opt for the Snellen Chart. We will be going over what the first number means, what the second number means, and what different combinations entail for your sight in practical application.

The first number is based off what the test subject will see at 20 feet away. The test subject always will stand 20 feet away to take their test. This is to normalize results to allow for comparisons. In fact, this means that the first number will ALWAYS be 20(for 20 feet). Normal vision is considered 20/20. This is because when the test subject stands 20 feet away, they can see the same number of letters on the Snellen Chart that the average person can see at 20 feet away. The first number is always used as a reference point for rating one’s visual acuity. It would be impossible to have 10/20 sight if taken in the standard fashion.

The first is static, and the second is variable. The second number represents the distance from the chart that the average person would need to be at to see the same number of letters as the average person. However, if someone had 20/10 sight, this would mean that if they are standing 20 feet away, they can see what the average person can see at 10 feet away. Which means that they have above average sight. Most average people would need to be 10 feet away to read the same number of letters the test subject can read while standing the typical 20 away. The more your number is below 20 feet the better your vision. If you had 20/5, you can be standing 20 feet away, where most people would have to be practically right next to it to see the same as you. If you have 20/100 vision, the average person could stand a third of a football field away and see the same as you at 20.

If someone has astigmatism, it can be hard to include that number in the rating. In the same way, if someone has unique sight problems, it is not always something easy to diagnose. This can include night-blindness. It is very hard to replicate some of the situations in which these start to affect you, even though night blindness is a huge impairment for some people. This number is undoubtedly not a catch all, but it’s a great way to show the kind of distance we can see. In the same way, it is not always the easiest to show how nearsighted you are with this number either. But regardless of any shortcomings, it’s a good way to generalize prescription data, and included in the positive and negative ratings we give both eyes, can give you an idea of someone’s sight abilities.

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