Why Do Your Eyes Water When You Yawn?

It doesn’t happen for everyone, but many people experience watery eyes after an especially big yawn. But why? What’s going on in the eye that causes those errant drops to fall?

Dry your eyes and read on to find the cause.

Two things are happening. The first pertains to the lacrimal glands—the glands above the outer part of the eye that produce tears and eye moisture. During a yawn – especially a powerful yawn where you finding yourself shutting your eyes – the lacrimal gland gets squeezed, pushing out a bit of extra moisture in the form of a tear. At the same time, the area of the eye called the lacrimal puncta, where excess tears drain out of eye, gets temporarily closed off.

This causes there to be no way out for the water in your eyes but to drip out as a tear. And there you have it—your eyes water when you yawn because squeezing your eyes shut for a moment pushes out a tear.

Is This Normal?

Yes, you have nothing to worry about if you find this happening. It has nothing to do with emotion; it is purely physiological.

Do You Have Watery Eyes Often?

Outside of yawning, watery eyes can be caused by over-secretion of the tear ducts, either due to irritation on the eyes or inflammation of the eye itself. Or, just like with yawning, if your tear drainage channel (the puncta) is blocked or too narrow, the excess moisture won’t drain as it should. To treat overly watery eyes, try eye drops. This will moisten the eyes so your tear ducts won’t have to work overtime.

Or you can always contact us at Infinite Eye Care for more guidance!

How Often Should I Replace My Glasses?

Has it been a few years since you’ve updated your glasses?

This may not seem like a big deal, but you may be doing damage to your eyes with out-of-date glasses.

Glasses that haven’t been updated not only affect your style; they also can cause unnecessary strain on your eyes. Here are a few of the factors that you should consider when deciding whether or not to update your old glasses to a new pair:

1. Damage

If your lenses or frames have received a decent amount of wear and tear, now may be a good time to replace your glasses. Damage to frames is likely a minor issue, but it can lead to a broken frame later. Damage to the lenses like scratches and drops can, however, lead to serious discomfort and eye strain. If you have markings on the surface of your lenses, these are likely disrupting your field of vision and are causing your eyes to over-exert themselves focusing past the damages. This exertion can often lead to headaches or irritation for your eyes. For your own comfort, we highly recommend updating your glasses.

2. Prescription Changes

As you age, your eyesight gradually worsens over time. This means that your prescription is constantly changing. To see to the best of your ability and avoid over-exertion on your eyes to compensate for weak prescriptions, it is important that you attend routine eye checkups and update your prescription frequently. This does not mean only updating your contact lens prescription; you will literally save yourself headaches updating your glasses prescription as well.

3. Technological Updates

Optometrists are constantly innovating in their field to bring the best products possible. Therefore, updated glasses will keep you on the cutting edge of optical technology, which may have some advantageous benefits for the long-term health of your eyes.

4. Style

Let’s face it, glasses styles come and go rather quickly. The thick cat-eye frames and the oblong lenses of the past have been replaced by more modern and sleek styles in recent years. We at Infinite Eye Care pride ourselves on providing quality stock by keeping up with current trends and offering a variety of timeless styles so that anyone can find a pair of glasses that they will be happy with for years to come.


If you’re considering updating your glasses, now is a great time. We have a great variety of frames for men and women, and we just began offering a new line of frames from Etnia Barcelona. Stop in to get an updated prescription and assistance from our professional opticians to pick out the perfect frames for you.

When Beauty’s a Beast: Harmful Makeup Habits to Avoid

Many women wear makeup every day. With all the options, colors, textures, and shades, makeup comes in many forms and performs many functions.

Many ladies, however, may not know that makeup can do some serious harm to your eyes.

Here are the top habits to be aware of when using makeup:

1. Check the Expiration Date

Wait, there are expiration dates for makeup? Yes, there are and they are very important to follow. If your makeup doesn’t show a date on them, you can follow these general rules to replace them. You might even be able to look up their expiration dates online. Once your makeup is past that date, stop using it and throw it away.

2. Wash Your Hands Before Applying Makeup

Think about all the things you touch in a day. Now, think about touching them with your face, which is essentially what you’re doing if you don’t wash up before applying makeup. Some germs can even cause an infection when they come in contact with your eyes.

3. Wash Your Makeup Brushes

It’s not just your hands that touch your face when you apply makeup. Your makeup brushes collect dirt and bacteria after some time. Washing your makeup brushes regularly will also prevent infections and keep your skin clear. To keep your skin and eyes healthy, use a makeup cleaner.

4. Don’t Share

Forget what your mother told you. Your friend may have a great eyeliner or mascara and you may be tempted to try, but don’t. It might seem like an easy way to try a new product, but it’s also an easy way to get an eye infection.

5. Don’t Apply Makeup When You’re Driving

We get it; You’re busy, running late to work. First, you will want to focus all of your attention on driving. Second, if your car hits a bump while trying to apply your makeup, you can miss and poke your eye. This will not only cause you some pain but can be detrimental to your eye and possibly even your vision. Soon, you’ll be trading your mascara for an eye patch. A general rule of thumb: don’t put sharp things near your face or eyes while in motion. It’s just not a good idea.

6. Remove Your Makeup Every Night

To keep your eyes healthy, you should properly remove your makeup every night - especially your eye makeup. As Dr. Hilary Beaver from the University of Iowa writes, “If eye makeup is not removed daily there is an increased possibility of an allergic reaction or contact irritation.” So unless you want itchy, red eyes, clean up before bedtime.

7. Tightlining

Tightlining is a technique in which you add eyeliner to the upper waterline of your eye lashes to define and thicken your lashes. It’s popular among makeup bloggers and beauty enthusiasts, but overapplication can cause problems. “The problem, I feel,” says Infinite Eye Care’s Dr. Tom, “is that the pasty substance of the eyeliner may plug the oil glands that secrete in that area. Over application can cause blockage of those oil glands and inadvertently cause styes. I think it looks nice, but I encourage people to not do it in order to avoid complications of the oil glands on the eyelids.”



Use these tips to keep your eyes healthy and your makeup on point. If you do start to feel pain or irritation in your eyes, please contact Infinite Eye Care.

How to Protect Your Eyes In Winter

All Minnesotans know that winter can put the body under stress, but have you ever thought about winter’s effects on your eyes?


Eyes can be easily irritated by the fluctuation between brutally cold winter winds outside and the dry heat indoors. These irritations can be broken down into four conditions that are experienced during the winter season:

1. Runny, Wet Eyes

When your eyes attempt to compensate for the dry winds and heat, often they overcompensate and you get watery eyes that produce excessive tears.

To combat this, wearing sunglasses outdoors can protect your eyes from the wind. In addition, be aware of how you are wiping tears from your eyes. You may be irritating your eyes more if you are wiping them with unclean hands or rubbing your eyes vigorously.

2. Dry Eyes

On the opposite end of the spectrum, if your eyes do not produce enough tears, they are dried out by the winds and dry air.

What can you do to help? Here are a few options:

• Give Dr. Tom a ring to chat about the use of prescription eye drops
• Sunglasses will once again help your eyes fight the dryness
• Buy a humidifier for your home or office to add moisture to the air that typically dries out your eyes
• Take Omega-3 supplements to increase tear production
• Drink plenty of water
• Track your medications as some may restrict your ability to create tears. These include antihistamines, sleeping pills, pain relievers, and others.

3. Swollen Eyes

Red, swollen eyes can be caused by compression of the blood vessels in tissues around the eyes. This condition can cause overproduction of tears, blurry vision, and eyelid spasms.

Sunglasses can once again reduce this issue. The UV light reflected on the snow can increase inflammation of the cornea; sunglasses will reduce the UV light’s effects.

4. Burning Eyes

Not only can the cornea become inflamed by winter winds; it can also freeze. Do not force your eyes to open in the wind or cold as these conditions can have damaging effects to your cornea.

If you are experiencing this condition, please call Dr. Tom. He can help find a solution to your eye pain and burning. A temporary fix in the meantime is once again to put on those sunglasses. They will protect your eyes from some of these wind chill effects.

You may have noticed a trend in this article – sunglasses aren’t just for the summer! If you were planning on waiting to get a new pair prescription sunglasses, you might want to rethink that decision. We have many stylish options available at Infinite Eye Care.

Whatever your eye troubles, give Dr. Tom and our team at Infinite Eye Care a call. We can set you up so you’re not suffering through the winter season.

Spectacles of the Past: The History of Eyeglasses

Have you ever wondered when the first eyeglasses were invented? What did the eyeglasses of the past look like?

A brief history of eyeglasses and how their styles have changed through the years is an interesting - though sometimes blurry - look at times gone past.

Early Eye Glass Inventions

The first efforts to correct blurry vision were especially crude; think a large glass bowl filled with water. The first magnifying glass, invented in Venice around 1000 C.E., was the true start to corrected vision. These “reading stones” became friends of aging monks and medieval detectives.

The first pair glasses were simply two magnifying glasses connected by a hinge and balanced on the nose, invented in Italy somewhere between 1285-1289. Early versions of glasses would also sometimes be held up by a handle.

During the next couple centuries, eyeglasses continued to rise in popularity and demand.

Advancements and Breakthroughs

A large breakthrough came in the 1500's when crafters fashioned a concave lens to correct the vision of the nearsighted Pope. Now lenses could cure both nearsighted and farsighted problems.

In the 1700's, the idea emerged to anchor eyeglasses to the ears so they would stay in place. The late 1700's also brought the invention of bifocals, though it wasn’t until the 1800's that glasses evolved to correct astigmatism. Monocles and trifocals followed in the late 1800's and early 1900's.


The multitude of styles on the market today proves the diversity and popularity of eyeglasses. While traditionally the best frames were made in Germany and the best lenses made in Italy, manufacturers from all over the world now understand how to produce high-quality glasses.

We can use eyeglasses to correct almost every vision problem. Understanding the history of eyeglasses and how they have changed over time helps us to appreciate how far we have come.

Pumpkins: The Superfood For Your Eyes

A few things distinguish fall from the other seasons: the color of the leaves, the brisk

This fall, don’t just carve your pumpkins for Halloween or serve pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, incorporate pumpkin into your regular diet. Pumpkins are a superfood for your eyes, providing copious amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and other antioxidants. Here is a deeper look into the benefits eating pumpkin can have for your eyes.

Preventing Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is a major cause of adult-onset blindness. A study by the National Eye Institute found that the Vitamin A and Vitamin C in pumpkin work together to significantly reduce the risk of developing advanced macular degeneration.

Sharper Eyesight

Pumpkins are high in zinc, essential to the overall health of your eyes. According to sweye.com, “Zinc not only enables vitamin A to navigate from the liver to the retina to form melanin (an eye-protecting pigment), it also slows progression of age-related macular degeneration, and helps to reduce the loss of visual sharpness by 19%.”

Filter Damaging Light

Almost like sunscreen for your eyes, the antioxidants in pumpkins shield you from harmful high-energy light wavelengths. In particular, lutein and zeaxanthin are to thank for protecting you from eye damage!

Decreases Risk of Cataracts

Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in adults over 40 years old and the biggest cause of blindness around the world. The power of Vitamin C in pumpkin also reduces the risk of cataracts, a leading cause of adult-onset blindness.

See Better In Low Light

The Vitamin A found in pumpkins helps our eyes see better in low light. It works to protect the cornea, the surface of the eye, and it is consumed by the retina in the form of retinal.


As if you didn't have enough reasons to love pumpkins already, the fact that they are a superfood for your eyes should put it over the top! This season, do not throw away any pumpkins from your front porch; cook them up, eat them, and your eyes will thank you!

Infinite Eye Care Gives Back—From Infants to Roller Derby

At Infinite Eye Care, we are dedicated to improving the lives of our customers and our community, whether that’s by giving the best care for your family’s eyes or by making an impact in the world around us. Here are some of the ways we are involved in our local and broader community.

Strides Against Breast Cancer

The “Infinite Pink” team will be participating in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides of Central Minnesota walk. Our goal is to raise $1,500 to support the fight against breast cancer, and we need your help! You can join the team and walk with us on October 14th, or make a donation. A $20 donation gets you an “Infinite Pink” t-shirt!

InfantSEE

Infinite Eye Care is proud to offer free InfantSEE assessments for children ages 6 months to 1 year. These evaluations are recommended in addition to your child’s eye exam done by your pediatrician. 1 in every 10 children is at risk from undiagnosed eye and vision problems. The InfantSEE session may include assessing eye movement ability, eye health, and excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, allowing for earlier identification and treatment of these issues.

Back to School Screenings

Dr. Tom and other volunteers have recently helped screen approximately 800 kids in area school districts. It was found that over 35% of the kids needed referral for further assessment by local eye care providers. Of them, about 50% are not currently wearing any corrective lenses and have probably not been to see an eye care professional.

Identifying when children need further assessment can be a major benefit to parents, and we’re happy to help our local students in this way.

Reading Bug Program

Infinite Eye Care wants to encourage young readers to keep up their interest in books throughout the summer months. Whether children are reading on their own or enjoy books read to them (through our “Read to Me, Please” Program), the Reading Bug Program encourages kids to sign up to win prizes as they reach the goal of 10-15 books through the summer!

SCAR Dolls Sponsor

There is nothing quite like the speed and tenacity of our local Roller Derby team, the Saint Cloud Area Roller Dolls. Infinite Eye Care is proud to sponsor this local team of athletes.

Eyeglasses Recycling

We are proud to support the Minnesota Lions Club Eyeglass Recycling Initiative, and we are a collection site for used glasses. Don’t throw them away; recycling them at our location!


We believe that meaningful relationships don’t just apply to the patients walking through our doors, but that we are part of something bigger. We hope you will be a part of some of our philanthropic initiatives in the local community!