Elisabeth S. Swan, O.D.

Are you an active snow enthusiast who still wears glasses? If so, you’re probably familiar with the seasonal struggle to find eye protection that doesn’t reduce your peripheral vision when engaging in winter sports.

Two safe, simple and convenient solutions are the bladeless LASIK procedure or switching to contact lenses. Many of our patients say they feel better able to participate in sports as a result.

Give us a call if you’d like to discuss your options.

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of costuming for Halloween and forget to think about safety. We’ve discussed Halloween safety with you before but enough injuries occur every year that we’d like to provide some safety thoughts again this year.

Many parents are unaware that some lip liners are not approved for use in and around the eyes. You can check the Summary of Additives on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website. If your child wants a blood-curdling look around the eyes, use products that are approved for that area. Or stay with spooky instead of bloody and use eye shadow and eyeliner that is approved by the FDA. When using face paint or make-up, leave a margin around the eyes.

What about the costumes themselves? The Prevent Blindness America website cautions against the use of “masks, wigs, floppy hats or eye patches that block vision.”

And then there are the props. Spears, swords, wands—all sharp objects should be carefully considered. If Robin Hood simply can’t go trick-or-treating without his trusty sword, store it safely in a belt or scabbard and make sure it is made of soft, flexible material.

Don’t allow your children to use novelty contact lenses for Halloween unless you check with us first. No matter how tempting it might be to acquire a supernatural gleam or a zombie gaze, these “accessories” can cause serious eye infection leading to diminished vision and even blindness.

We hope you have a safe and happy Halloween.

An Israeli study indicates that “contamination is common in contact-lens storage cases.” Apparently, more than one pathogen (disease-causing agent) was found in the disinfection solution in the storage cases. Such pathogens can cause infection of the cornea, the transparent front part of the eye, and keratitis, a painful inflammation of the cornea.

If you are a contact lens user, be sure to follow care guidelines exactly and clean and replace your cases regularly. Give us a call if you have questions or concerns.

A new study shows rigid gas-permeable (RGP) contact lenses can significantly improve the visual acuity of patients who experience unsatisfactory results from LASIK and other types of refractive surgery.
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Boston XO2 contact lenses from Polymer Technology are a good choice for patients with sensitive eyes.

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1-Day Acuvue Moist contact lenses from Johnson and Johnson use a new moisture rich ingredient for a fresh lens feeling that lasts throughout the day.

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A flexible spending account (FSA) is a tax-advantaged financial account set up through the cafeteria plan of an employer in the United States. An FSA allows an employee to set aside a portion of his or her earnings to pay for qualified expenses as established in the cafeteria plan, most commonly for medical expenses but often for dependent care or other expenses. Money deducted from an employee’s pay into an FSA is not subject to payroll taxes, resulting in a substantial payroll tax savings.
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Wesley Jessen has designed FreshLook Toric as 1 to 2 week disposable lenses to correct the vision of patients suffering from astigmatism.  They are made with a visible tint to help you locate your lenses in the solution.
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Acuvue 2 Colour – Enhancer contact lenses are designed to change the color of light eyes and are 1-2 week disposable lenses that are worn for up to two weeks and discarded.

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Presbyoptic patients get clear, irritant-free vision from their Focus Dailies Progressive contact lenses because they are replaced with new lenses every day, avoiding the buildup of deposits that can irritate your eyesight and cloud your vision.
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