tips

What’s the Best Way to Clean Your Eyeglasses?

Did you know that about 50% of all Americans wear corrective glasses? With eyeglasses being so popular, you might assume people would know how to take care of their optical lenses properly, right? Wrong! When surveyed, most eyeglasses wearers respond that they clean their lenses by exhaling onto them and wiping the fog off with their shirt.

Unfortunately, this all-too-common practice can actually damage your eyeglasses. Our experts at Overland Optical Family Eye Care, with optical stores in , St. Charles, Maryland Heights, and the entire city of St. Louis, , Missouri, share the following tips on the best way to clean your glasses.

Eyesight is precious. So are your eyeglasses.

Everyone appreciates the value of clear vision and the importance of doing everything possible to keep your vision safe and healthy. If you think of your eyeglasses as an investment towards your sharp vision, you’ll treat them with the care they deserve.

In addition to purchasing frames for your prescription eyeglasses, you may have chosen to coat the lenses with anti-glare, UV protection, and anti-scratch features. While these coatings are generally durable, they aren’t 100% damage-proof. Cleaning your lenses improperly can cause minor scratches.

What’s the worst way to clean eyeglasses?

The following cleaning solutions or methods rank as the absolute worst ways to treat your eyeglasses, because they can strip the lenses of their coatings and leave fine marks that can create a visual haze.

Window/glass cleaner
Ammonia
Bleach
Vinegar or lemon juice
Toothpaste
Tissues or napkins
Paper towels
Exhaling onto the lenses
Your shirt

What are the best ways to clean eyeglasses?

Keeping your lenses clean and clear is an essential part of optimizing your vision! The best cleansers to use include water, rubbing alcohol, dishwashing liquid, microfiber cloth, and special optical wipes.

Once you’re armed with the right substances, follow these guidelines:

Run your glasses under lukewarm water (NOT hot water).
Using a small drop of dish soap on your fingertips, rub both sides of the lenses and nose pads gently.
Rinse the eyeglasses with warm water and dry gently with a clean microfiber cloth. Because microfiber doesn’t leave lint behind, your lenses should be sparkling clean.
Keep individually-wrapped optical wipes handy so you can clean your eyeglasses throughout the day, as needed. Alternatively, spritz glasses cleaner or even rubbing alcohol from a spray bottle onto the lenses and wipe with a microfiber cloth.

We offer a full line of optical products

Need to stock up on wipes or a spray bottle of solution made especially for cleaning your glasses? Stop by our vision care centers in Overland, St. Charles, Maryland Heights, and the entire city of St. Louis, , Missouri, to make sure you have all the quality eyewear products and accessories you need!

At Overland Optical Family Eye Care, we put your family’s needs first. Talk to us about how we can help you maintain healthy vision. Call us today: 314-254-2211 or book an appointment online to see one of our Overland eye doctors.

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12 Tips for Optimal Eye Health

Good Eye Care Habits & Hygiene

By practicing good eye care habits and hygiene, you can prevent many vision problems from occurring. Eye problems and the risks associated with vision loss only grow as you age. By neglecting eye care, you place yourself at a higher risk of suffering from cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and low vision.

So make sure you maintain great eye health by following these 12 tips for optimal eye health.

1. Avoid rubbing your eyes

Itchy eyes can be a hallmark symptom of allergies, and though rubbing may bring temporary relief, it ultimately increases swelling and worsens the itch. If you wear contact lenses, rubbing your eyes can also dislodge or even break a lens, causing the lens to get lost or scratch the cornea. Plus, eye rubbing can lead to eye infections, since our hands are typically covered with a host of germs.

2. Regularly wash your hands

Conjunctivitis (pink eye) is often caused by germs and bacteria carried to your eyes by unclean hands. Frequently washing your hands with soap and warm water helps keep bacteria away and prevents eye contamination. Prior to inserting or removing contact lenses, make sure to wash your hands with mild soap and dry them using a lint-free towel.

3. Beware of UV rays

By exposing yourself to sunlight and UV rays, you increase the risk of developing macular degeneration and corneal sunburn. Beyond just adding some style and zest to your look, sunglasses should protect your eyes from dangerous UV rays. Speak to your optometrist about the different options available for people who wear prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses too, to keep your eyes safe in the sun.

4. Stay hydrated

Staying hydrated is crucial for your body’s overall health and wellbeing — and that includes your eyes. Among other complications, if you don’t have enough fluid in your body, it impacts tear production and can cause dry eyes and irritation. Drink up!

5. Don’t smoke cigarettes

Need some extra motivation to quit smoking?

Smokers are more prone to developing age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and other eye conditions. Cigarette smoking can also destroy optic nerves, which can adversely affect your vision over time. So think twice before you light up, and speak to your doctor about getting help to quit.

6. Eat a healthy diet

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to ensure that your diet is rich in antioxidants, such as Vitamins A and C. These can be found in leafy greens (your mom was right about spinach!), orange vegetables (think, carrots and sweet potato) and citrus fruit. Furthermore, fatty fish like salmon contain essential omega-3 fatty acids which also promote excellent eye health.

7. Keep a healthy distance from screens

Nip digital eye strain in the bud by positioning your computer monitor about an arm’s length away from the eyes and 20 degrees below eye level. Ideally, work in a room with enough diffused lighting to reduce stress on your eyes from the computer light.

8. Remember the 20-20-20 rule

Speaking of computers, have you heard of the 20-20-20 rule? When using digital devices, rest your eyes every 20 minutes by looking 20 feet away for 20 continuous seconds.

Once you’re at it, blink 20 times in succession to prevent dry eyes, and make it a habit to rise from your seat and take 20 steps to promote good posture and blood circulation, which helps your vision too.

9. Be careful with eye make-up

Make sure that your eye shadow, mascara, and eyeliner don’t cause your eyes an allergic reaction. Get in the habit of removing your make-up before going to sleep in order to avoid bacterial build-up from residual make-up left in the eye area. And, from time to time, clean your make-up brushes, especially those used to apply cosmetics around the eye area.

10. Sleep is golden

Just as with the rest of your body, your eyes need a break. So make sure that you get sufficient shut-eye (8 hours) each night to keep your eyes revitalized and healthy.

11. Wear protective eyewear

Whatever you do, make sure your eyes are well-protected. If you’re swimming, wear goggles to prevent chlorine from entering your eyes. If you’re gardening or engaged in a DIY project at home, wear safety glasses to keep dust particles and bacteria at bay and prevent eye injuries. Ask your local eye doctor about protective eyewear for sports and other activities.

12. Regularly visit your eye doctor

Don’t underestimate the importance of getting a routine eye exam, whether you need an updated prescription or not. Even if you can see well today, a comprehensive eye exam can pick up early signs of eye diseases and conditions before symptoms become noticeable, such as glaucoma, diabetes, retinal holes which could lead to retinal detachment, and cancers like melanoma. Early detection and management can prevent further complications and serious vision loss down the line.

Only an eye doctor has the required knowledge, experience, tools and techniques to determine whether you have these or other eye conditions.

It is recommended that everyone gets a comprehensive eye exam once a year (or at least every two years). Children, whose eyes are rapidly developing, and people at higher risk for developing eye problems such as diabetics and older people, need to undergo eye exams even more frequently: at the minimum, yearly.

During the evaluation, the eye doctor will check for things like:

Farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism and/or presbyopia
Eye coordination
Optic nerve and eye pressure tests to spot glaucoma

It’s also important to be on the look-out for any changes in your vision. If you experience hazy or double vision, worsening eyesight, red eyes, eye pain, swelling or floaters, contact Dr. Sara Schmitz, O.D..

Incorporate these tips and habits into your lifestyle to maintain healthy eyes and a high quality of life. Overland Optical Family Eye Care offers comprehensive eye exams in Overland, Missouri, and will be happy to answer any questions you may have about ways to maintain healthy vision.

VR Goggles Safety Guide for Your Vision

Learn how to use the Oculus and protect your eyes from CVS and blue light

Virtual reality goggles are rapidly becoming the hottest must-have gaming device. They immerse you fully into a different world, a fantastic realm. And let’s face it, who doesn’t want to be transported to a new and fascinating place?

All you need to do is put a pair of VR goggles over your eyes and you can dash around, battle the enemy, race, and fly away.

However, we also need to face reality and consider the safety of these clever VR goggles, such as the Oculus. Our Overland and St. Charles eye doctors addresses your questions about the effects of this technology on vision and long-term eye health.

Do VR goggles lead to computer vision syndrome (CVS)?

Most types of VR headsets contain LCD monitors that project images at each eye, and the resulting stereoscopic effect creates an illusion of 3D. In order to accomplish this, the monitors must be placed very close to the eyes. As a result, eye strain and the irritating symptoms of CVS are a real-world concern.

Also, especially with young kids who tend to wear headsets like the Oculus for hours on end, prolonged exposure to this unnatural visual position can interfere with the healthy development of focusing, depth perception, and tracking.

Another common symptom of CVS that may occur is “cybersickness”, a type of motion sickness characterized by dizziness and nausea that can continue to disturb you even after you remove the VR goggles. It results from the mismatch of visual information and body posture.

In an interesting twist, while the bothersome and unhealthy symptoms of CVS are definitely a concern, VR goggles can also be used to enhance vision development. When used under the guidance of a qualified optometrist, some VR goggles can improve visual acuity, strengthen eye muscle weakness, and boost eye-hand coordination, reaction time, eye coordination, and depth perception.

What about blue light and CVS?

The jury is still out about the long-term effects of HEV (high energy visible light), also known as blue light, but research indicates that it may raise your risk of developing eye disease in the future. In addition, blue light flickers – which can stress your eyes and lead to headaches and other problems associated with CVS.

Fortunately, these fears about the hazards of blue light don’t have to get in the way of your high-tech leisure. Newer VR goggles are available with protective blue light filters built-in to the lens. Ask our team Overland Optical Family Eye Care about the latest, eye health friendly VR headsets.

How can you enjoy VR and avoid CVS?

Taking a few precautions can enable you to embrace the innovative tech of virtual reality and keep your vision safe. Our Overland, Missouri, eye doctor shares these tips:

Limit your (and your kid’s) time wearing the Oculus and exploring VR. Play for a half-hour at a time, and take a break every 5 minutes to walk around and reestablish your equilibrium.
Choose a slow speed for your main character and avoid making any quick or sudden movements within your VR world
Adjust the lenses of your VR goggles to meet the particular needs of your eyes.
Set your VR goggles for low brightness and a comfortable contrast
Don’t use headsets like the Oculus when you’re feeling sleepy or under the influence of alcohol, medication, or other drugs

Real-life eye exams are essential

Along with listening to the warnings and advice above, we encourage you to book regular comprehensive eye exams in our eye care center near you. Our advanced technology and optometric equipment may not be as exciting as spending time in a virtual world, but it will help to keep your vision healthy!

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Stop squinting – Contact Lens Sunglasses Exist!

Sunglasses have always been your go-to for shading your eyes to stop squinting in the sun, but they’re not always the most convenient accessory. They fog up and slip down your nose when you work up a sweat, and need to be wiped off when you’re hit by water spray at the beach. But what’s the alternative? Is there another way to protect your eyes from UV rays and soothe your vision from the blinding Overland, Missouri, light?

Our Overland Optical Family Eye Care eye doctors are pleased to offer a revolutionary solution – the new ACUVUE® OASYS with Transitions™ Light Intelligent Technology™ contact lenses. These contact lenses that can act like sunglasses were given FDA approval in April 2018. And they were also awarded to be one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2018.

Now that we’ve caught your eye with this hot new tech, read on for more info about Acuvue’s contact lenses sunglasses from your favorite Overland, Missouri optometrists’ office.

Smart & Dynamic Contact Lenses

ACUVUE® OASYS with Transitions™ Light Intelligent Technology™ are the first contacts to be developed that “read” the light conditions in your environment and adapt to enhance your vision. These lenses use photochromic technology that was designed in partnership with Transitions™, the leading manufacturer of photochromic eyeglasses lenses. The contacts incorporate a special additive that darkens automatically when exposed to light.

When exposed to outdoor UV and/or blue light from digital devices, these contacts react quickly. And because they respond “intelligently” to changing light conditions outdoors, the lenses do not typically remain in the darkest state the whole time you’re outside. So when you’re on an open stretch of beach, they’re not the same as when you’re standing under the shade of a wide awning. The effects on the appearance of your eyes is minimal, and when you come indoors, they fade back to clear within 60 seconds.

Sharper, Safer Vision – All Day Long

Surveys estimate that 94% of all consumers compensate for bright light conditions by squinting, dimming indoor lights, reducing screen brightness, or shading their eyes. ACUVUE® OASYS with Transitions™ Light Intelligent Technology™ filter indoor and outdoor light, including blue light rays that threaten your eye health. At night, these contact lenses sunglasses are also useful, as they reduce haloes and starburst. Your vision will improve during all hours of the day.

See the Benefits of Contact Lenses Sunglasses

Experience the comfort and convenience of going frame-free – while still safeguarding your vision
Highest level of UV protection in a contact lens
When you go into a darker environment, these contacts help your vision recover from bright light up to 5 seconds faster than normal
Ultimate gain, with only a minimal change to the appearance of your eyes and face
Crisp nighttime vision, with no disturbing haloes or starbursts
Soothing vision all day long, without bothersome glare

Visit our Overland, Missouri, eye doctor to try ACUVUE® OASYS with Transitions™

We’re thrilled to offer these breakthrough contacts at Overland Optical Family Eye Care! Our eye doctors would like to point out that while these contact lenses sunglasses are truly remarkable, we don’t recommend that you use them to replace your sunglasses all of the time.

While they offer exceptional UV protection to the areas they cover, contact lenses still leave other parts of your eyes and the surrounding ocular tissue naked to UV light. Sunglasses cover a wider area and therefore give additional protection. In addition, car windshields block close to 100% of UV light, so your ACUVUE® OASYS with Transitions™ won’t darken when you’re behind the wheel. To solve that problem, they can easily be worn under non-prescription sunglasses. So when you visit Overland Optical Family Eye Care for your contact lenses fitting, check out our nonprescription sunglasses collection too!