Start Healthy Habits to Protect Your Eyes

Cold weather and dry eyes

By Douglas Lanning • November 27, 2018

You might have noticed that as the temperatures outside drops, eye irritation can be on the rise. There are a few reasons you might be suffering more with a sandy feeling, burning, watering, or even blurry vision.

1. Heating

Whether forced air heat at home, wood heat at home, or a heater blowing in a car or airplane, all of these things can dry out our natural tear film and cause symptoms.

Treatment can be as simple as using an artificial tear drop when symptoms arise. The more commonly available artificial tears are Refresh, Systane, Genteal and Theratears.

I usually advise patients to avoid drops that “get the red out”, as they can make the dryness worse.

2. Allergies

Fall allergies or even year-round allergies can make the eyes itch, and even make dryness of the eyes worse. Many patients assume that because they are taking an oral allergy medication that it should be enough to take care of eye allergies also. This is not always the case, and sometimes an eye drop antihistamine or stronger drop is needed.

As always, if your eyes are bothering you and home remedies are not working you should have an examination.

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Signs It's Time to Visit Your Eye Doctor

By By Admin • September 6, 2018

ou may have been wearing prescription glasses for years and feel that you have no problem with your eyes. Most adults who wear glasses or prescription contact lenses do see their eye doctor regularly (typically once a year) for an exam, but one-fourth of prescription lenses wearers don't.

There may be changes in your eyes you don't even notice, which can cause serious eye damage or even vision loss in the future. Here are some signs that you need to make an appointment with your eye doctor, even if you feel your vision is currently fine.

You Have Eye Strain

Sitting at your computer desk all day, reading a book for long periods of time, or even driving at night may cause you eye strain. Your eyes may not be simply tired but are struggling to focus, causing fatigue and irritating headaches along your temples and brows.

You may not encounter periods of blurriness, but if you find yourself squinting, rubbing your eyes more frequently to refocus them, or if your eyes are red and exhausted-looking at the end of the day, your vision may have changed just enough to negatively affect your eye muscles. To be safe, you should visit your eye doctor for an exam to see if your prescription needs to be upgraded.

You Haven't Been to the Eye Doctor in Years

You should make an annual visit with your eye doctor. The reason lies not just in making sure your vision is healthy, but to see if you have other potential eye problems that need to be addressed, such as:

Poor eye muscle health
High blood pressure
Age-related vision loss
Age-related eye diseases

Macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and other eye diseases are often attributed to age. If you fail to visit your eye doctor regularly, any potential eye diseases could be missed or caught too late to treat effectively.

You See Floaters or Blurry Spots

Floaters are those small bits of transparent debris that you may see periodically. Though floaters are common, if you see them often enough to obscure your vision or feel your vision is getting blurry when you look in a certain direction, see your eye doctor right away.

You may also notice some unsettling side effects of your vision when trying to focus, such as dizziness or the inability to watch a moving object. Report your eye discomfort to your eye doctor, even if you feel you see clearly the majority of the time.

You Have Trouble Driving at Night

Even if your vision feels fine by day, your night driving may be getting worse. Headlights and other lights could appear bright and glaring, and the road may be more difficult to see. Being nearsighted can make night driving particularly difficult for you. Your eye doctor can prescribe you a specific pair of glasses intended to reduce night glare so that you can drive more confidently at night.

Another reason to consider visiting your eye doctor is that you cannot buy new glasses with an outdated prescription. Should your current glasses break or get lost, you will, by necessity, have to make an appointment with your eye doctor to get new ones.

Your eye doctor will check your vision and ensure your eye health is in check. Be sure to mention if you have a family history of high blood pressure or diabetes, since these diseases can greatly affect your eye health.

Visiting your eye doctor more regularly is key to healthy eyes as you age. Call our team of eye care specialists at the office of Douglas H. Lanning, O.D. today.

3 Tips for Choosing the Right Eyeglasses

By By Admin • July 4, 2018

From reading and working on a computer to watching television and making memories that will stay with you forever, the importance of healthy eyes and good quality vision should be easy to see. Unfortunately, many people have to deal with issues that affect their ability to see in a clear and comfortable manner.

Six out of ten people require eyeglasses or contact lenses to correct their vision. Therefore, you should not feel alone if your eye doctor believes you need vision correction. Thankfully, you can choose eyeglasses that not only improve your vision but also complement your appearance and style. Here are a few tips to help you choose the right eyeglass frames.

1. Consider Your Lifestyle

Your lifestyle matters when you are selecting the right frames and lenses for your eyeglasses.

If you spend a lot of time exercising, playing sports, or working a job that is physically demanding, your frames should be lightweight, but durable. Metal may be the most durable option, but it is also the heaviest material. Today, manufacturers have created metal frames that are both durable and lighter in weight.

For the best of both worlds, consider Flexon or titanium frames. Flexon is not only strong and lighter in weight, but it is also resistant to rust and corrosion. If you spend periods of time outdoors in the various weather conditions, this material may be the best option for your frames since moisture will not become an issue.

Titanium is comparable to steel, so you know titanium frames will be incredibly durable. Of course, titanium frames are available in a variety of colors, patterns, and textures, which helps improve the look and style of your glasses.

Finally, nylon is a material that you should consider. Nylon frames are strong, lightweight, and hypoallergenic, even though the material is actually a type of plastic.

2. Consider your Face Shape

When it comes to how frames look on your face, one size does not fit all. To find frames that fit comfortably and look great, you need to take the shape of your face into consideration.

Round faces are curved, lacking any edges and angles. The right frames can add much-needed definition to your round face. Choose frames that are slightly angular or rectangular.

If you have a square-shaped face with strong forehead and jawline, you should choose frames that tone down these angles and edges. Opt for minimalistic, rimless, rounded eyeglass frames.

Finding frames that complement an oval face is a bit easier, since you have both angles and curves. In most cases, any style of frame will work well on oval faces.

If you have a heart-shaped face, you will have higher cheekbones, a wider forehead, and a narrow chin. Consider rimless, rounder frames to balance out your facial proportions.

3. Consider the Colors

With the right material and the right shape, your eyeglasses will be comfortable and appealing. However, focusing on the actual color of your eyeglass frames is also important especially if you want to enhance your appearance.

Choosing a frame color does not have to be challenging if you focus on the actual color and tone of your skin.

Browns, dark beige and yellow colors, and even an olive green shade look best on skin with warm bronze or gold undertones.

If you have a cooler complexion with blue or pink undertones, choose darker frames. Dark browns, blues, greens, purples, pinks, and grays work best on these skin tones.

Choosing eyeglass frames may seem impossible because of all the options available. Fortunately, help is available. To correct your vision in a complementary, stylish, and effective manner, contact Douglas H. Lanning today.

Tips to Improve Your Vision

By By Admin • May 8, 2018

our eyes are as important as any other organ in your body. If you don't take care of your eyes, think about what you're missing out on - like seeing your children's faces, watching the sunset, and seeing the beauty of the outdoors. You should make it a priority to care for your vision in your day-to-day routine.

Read on for tips to help you care for your eyes and improve your vision.

Prevent Tired Eyes

Your eyes may get tired throughout the day and can cause stress on your eyes. This strain can lead to headaches, tension in your neck and shoulders, and even eye problems. To avoid these results, give your eyes a break throughout the day.

If you are on a computer throughout the day, get up from your desk and walk away a few minutes throughout the day. You can also look away from the screen periodically to help give your eyes a break as well.

Another way to give your eyes a rest is to cup your hands over your eyes, closing your eyes and not allowing any light in. Leave your eyes closed and hands in place for a couple of minutes. This will help your eyes to relax. Do this exercise in the middle of the day or in the evening.

Blink Throughout the Day

Blinking helps to freshen your eyes and to keep your eyes moistened. Without blinking, you're causing your eyes to strain, which. can worsen eyesight or cause problems such as dry eye syndrome or astigmatisms. Make sure you are blinking throughout the day, and make it a point to look away from screens to give your eyes time to blink and refresh.

Eat a Nutrient Rich Diet

You can help keep your eyes healthy with a healthy diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and leafy green vegetables, as well as lean meats and healthy fats (such as nuts, oils, and fish). Drinking plenty of water each day can also help ensure healthy vision.

Exercise Daily

Daily exercise or adding some sort of activity into your daily routine can be beneficial for your overall health, and it can also be beneficial to your eye health as well. Exercise can help reduce stress and help you lose weight, which can prevent health problems such as diabetes (which can affect your vision further).

Get Outside

Go outside throughout the day to take a walk or just to get some fresh air. That fresh air can benefit your vision, as being in the fresh air can reduce your stress levels. Higher stress levels can cause damage to your eyes. When you're outside, be sure to wear your sunglasses to protect your eyes from harmful UV-A and UV-B rays.

Wear Your Eyeglasses And Contacts

If you've had your vision tested and been told you need contacts or eyeglasses, be sure to wear them as directed. Don't stop wearing them because you don't like them or because they aren't your style - you need them to be able to see, and not wearing them will worsen your vision.

But be sure to only wear lenses that are made for your particular prescription. Never wear lenses that are from a previous prescription or for someone else.

Your eyes are important, so take good care of them. Take breaks throughout the day to prevent stressing out your eyes too much and wear your lenses as directed by your optometrist.

Make an appointment today with Douglas H. Lanning, O.D. today for your next eye exam and for other eye care tips.

Four Great Reasons to Wear Your Sunglasses

By By Admin • March 9, 2018

If you're like most people, you have a pair of sunglasses, or perhaps even several pairs - but you often forget to wear them. Sunglasses are more than just a fashion accessory. They are a vital tool to protect your eyes, and they should be treated as such. Here are four good reasons to wear your sunglasses whenever you're outside or driving in the car.

Cataracts

Cataracts are quite common in older adults. They occur when the lens, which is the clear portion of the eye meant to focus light on the retina, becomes cloudy and opaque. Cataracts start out minor and barely noticeable, but they become progressively worse, eventually leading to severe visual impairment.

One of the biggest risk factors for cataracts is UV exposure. UV rays from sunlight cause free radicals to form inside the eyes and these free radicals damage the cells of the lens. Wearing sunglasses reduces your exposure to UV rays. You should be especially careful to keep sunlight out of your eyes if you are a smoker, have diabetes, or have hypertension, as these conditions increase your risk of cataracts.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye condition that causes damage to the optic nerve, which is the nerve that carries information from the retina to your brain. The damage it causes is irreversible, though there are treatments to slow the progression of glaucoma and prevent further vision loss. Left untreated, glaucoma will eventually lead to blindness. About 2.3 million Americans have the disease, and many others may have nondiagnosed glaucoma.

There are many risk factors for glaucoma, including family history, African American ethnicity, and advanced age. You don't have control over these risk factors, but you do have control over UV exposure, which a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology in 2014 found to be a risk factor for glaucoma.

Skin Cancer

Sunglasses do not just protect the inner structures of your eye. They also protect the skin around your eyes from sun exposure. This is of the utmost importance since eyelid cancers can be very destructive and difficult to treat.

The most frequently diagnosed form of eyelid cancer is basal cell carcinoma. UV exposure increases your risk of this condition. You can apply sunscreen to the rest of your face and body for protection, but you do not generally apply sunscreen to your eyelids, so they remain exposed and at-risk when you do not wear sunglasses.

To fully protect your eyelids, make sure you choose sunglasses with wide frames. Have your glasses adjusted so that they fit you comfortably and do not slide down your face. You do not want the sun to shine in from the sides and hit the skin around your eyes.

Ocular Melanoma

You can also develop cancer in your eye tissues themselves. Melanoma is a form of cancer that shows up most often on the skin and is brought on by UV exposure. The condition develops in melanocytes, a type of pigment-forming cell that is also found in your eye. If the melanocytes in your eye become cancerous, the condition is known as ocular melanoma.

Ocular melanoma is difficult to treat, and doing so often requires removing some or all of the eye tissue. Many patients lose their eyes in the treatment process. Melanoma also spreads easily and can turn deadly very quickly. It's far easier to wear your sunglasses and prevent ocular melanoma than it is to treat the condition.

Wearing your sunglasses is an important step towards ongoing eye health and disease prevention. If you're looking for quality, protective eyeglasses you will look forward to wearing every day, visit Douglas H. Lanning, O.D. We offer designer sunglasses from brands like Bebe, Genesis ,Espirit, Nike, and more.

5 Signs Your Toddler Needs Glasses

By By Admin • November 8, 2017

Toddlers are usually pretty good at letting you know what they want or need, even if they can't outright say it. Toddlers will often point, pull on your hand or arm or communicate in other nonverbal ways to try to get you to understand them.

However, when it comes to your toddler's vision, they may not even know that they have problems seeing clearly, so it is up to you to see the signs that their vision needs assistance. Here are some clues that indicate your toddler needs glasses so you can get them to the optometrist for an exam.

1. Your Toddler Gets Too Close to Their Activities

If your child has issues seeing clearly, they may get very close to their activities so they can get a better view of what they are doing. For example, they may place toys very close to their face while they are playing with them or they may choose to sit inches away from the television rather than sit farther away on the couch.

2. Your Toddler Often Rubs Their Eyes

Your toddler likely rubs their eyes when they are tired or getting ready for a nap, but they may also rub their eyes due to eye strain. If your toddler's eyes water, appear fatigued during the day or appear red and strained, then their vision may be poor, their eyes may be struggling to adjust and may be showing signs of wear.

Talk to your eye doctor about eye rubbing and set up an appointment with your toddler to see if their vision is to blame for their constant eye touching.

3. Your Toddler Squints

Your toddler may squint while watching TV, playing with toys or doing other activities. If they don't squint, you may notice another sign your toddler needs glasses: closing one eye when focusing on an object. This attempt to see things more clearly can lead to eye strain, fatigue, headaches and other issues, so don't hesitate to schedule an eye appointment with your eye doctor to make sure their eyes are OK.

4. Your Toddler Can't Locate Faraway Items

Nearsightedness means your child cannot see something far away, while farsightedness means your child has issues seeing items that are close up. Try playing a vision game with your toddler. Ask them to point out a shoe across the room or a building across the street. Choose something your child can easily identify on their own to avoid confusion.

If your toddler looks at you with confusion or shows signs they cannot see what you are talking about, their vision may be to blame.

5. You or Your Significant Other Wears Glasses

If you or your significant other wears glasses, then odds are your toddler may need them as well. Poor vision is an inherited trait, and if both parents require corrective lenses, then your toddler has up to a 50% chance of needing them as well. Even if your toddler doesn't show any signs of poor vision, it's best to take them to an eye doctor for an exam if the need for glasses runs in the family.

Your toddler can benefit from getting glasses at an early age if they have poor vision. Your eye doctor can prescribe them comfortable eye wear that they can wear during play and other activities. If you suspect your toddler needs glasses, don't wait to set an eye appointment for them.

If you have questions about your toddler's eyesight, call our friendly team of experts at the office of Douglas H. Lanning, O.D. We are happy to help assess your family's vision needs.

Everything's Getting Older, Including Your Eyes: Five Complications to Watch out for as You Age

By By Admin • August 22, 2017

Some things get better with age, like fine wine. However, some things deteriorate with time. Your eyes, and the problems they give you, are only one example of the toll time takes. After turning 40 or shortly thereafter, many people start to experience problems with their eyes. If you're getting older, you should be on the lookout for any of the following five age-related eye complications.

Dry Eyes

Tear production decreases with age, resulting in a condition called dry eyes. Without enough tears to lubricate their surface, eyes become irritated and may burn or feel gritty. Excess watering and blurred vision can also occur. In extreme cases, dry eyes can damage the surface of the eye, resulting in impaired vision.

Dry eyes is most often treated with artificial tears. However, there are other treatment options available. Your doctor can seek to increase tear production with medication or block the drainage of the tears you do produce through the placement of tear duct plugs.

Presbyopia

There's a very good reason why people over a certain age start holding things further away to read them; it's called presbyopia. Presbyopia is an age-related condition that affects your ability to focus on objects that are near. Virtually everyone will develop presbyopia at some point in their lives. It's a natural part of aging that's caused by the thickening and loss of flexibility of your eye lens.

Glasses, either reading glasses or bifocal glasses, are the standard remedy for presbyopia. Several surgical options are available, including conductive keratoplasty, PresbyLASIK and refractive lens exchange.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

The leading cause of vision loss, age-related macular degeneration affects your central vision. The disease is progressive and there is no cure. In macular degeneration, the retina, which is responsible for recording images and passing them along the optical nerve to the brain, starts to deteriorate. At first, the disease presents with blurred or wavy vision. However, with time, a dark spot forms in the central vision. The spot continues to grow with time.

Although there is no cure, you can slow the progression of the disease through lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and avoiding bright sunlight.

Cataracts

Cataracts are another problem that comes with age. A clouding of the eye lens, cataracts can affect one or both eyes, making it difficult for you to see clearly. In the beginning stages, you may be able to treat the symptoms with glasses, better lighting and anti-glare technology. However, cataracts are a progressive condition with only one cure: surgery.

Once cataracts advance beyond a certain point, surgery is the only option for restoring your sight. In surgery, the affected lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens. The surgery is quick, virtually painless and highly effective.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a painful disease in which excessive fluid builds up in the eye, increasing eye pressure and crowding the optic nerve. If left untreated, it can lead to irreparable damage of the optic nerve and complete loss of sight. One or both eyes may be affected, and the progress of the disease can be slow or sudden. A sudden, acute glaucoma attack is considered an emergency.

Treatment for glaucoma focuses on reducing the pressure in the eye, which may be accomplished with eye drops, oral medications or surgery. There are several surgical options available, including placing a drain in the eye that allows the excess fluid to flow out of the eye.

If you can't see as well as you used to, it's time for a checkup. Call the office of Douglas H. Lanning to make an appointment today.