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This may not seem like a big deal, but you may be doing damage to your eyes with out-of-date glasses.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 The thick cat-eye frames and the oblong lenses of the past have been replaced by more modern and sleek styles in recent years.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 Lyme Disease Can Be Dangerous for Your Sight

May is known for many things: flowers, warmer weather, the end of school terms, but a lesser known May celebration is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. This tick-borne disease causes many complications throughout the body, including problems with the eyes. Lyme disease is a spiral-shaped bacteria, and depending on where they grow, different eye problems can occur. Luckily, eye complications don’t always occur with Lyme disease and treatment is possible for the disease and any problems it may cause your eyes. Here are the most common symptoms that Lyme Disease can have on your sight:

• Sensitivity to Light

A common effect of Lyme disease is sensitivity to light, even on cloudy days or at night.

• Cloudy or Foggy Vision

Sometimes those with Lyme disease with find their vision to be cloudy, especially as the bacteria are being killed off and giving off endotoxins. This often occurs after a person wakes up.

• Conjunctivitis

Commonly called pink eye, conjunctivitis causes eyes to be red and itchy, and to produce discharge. Unlike common pink eye, this is not contagious. This usually occurs in the early phase of Lyme disease.

• Uveitis, or Inflammation of the Middle of the Eye

The uvea includes the iris (the colored part of the eye), the ciliary body (which makes the fluid that fills the eye), and the area beneath the retina. Inflammation of the uvea can cause floaters in a person’s vision, which appear as dots or lines that float around in someone’s vision. Uveitis can be treated by eye care pros like Infinite Eye Care.

• Optic Neuritis, or Inflammation of the Optic Nerve

Optic Neuritis is the inflammation of the fibers covering the optic nerve. Since this is the channel of communication to the brain, this can be painful and cause vision loss, but is also treatable.

• Keratitis, or Inflammation of the Cornea

The cornea is the transparent protective outer layer of the eye. Inflammation of the cornea leads to light sensitivity, eye pain, and blurry vision. Eyes with keratitis can even have the appearance of being cloudy.


If you have been diagnosed with Lyme disease or have questions about any of these symptoms, please contact us immediately at (320) 257-4990. We can help treat any eye problems, whether they’ve been caused by this disease or not. Visit Livestrong.com for more information on ocular signs of Lyme disease.

How to Prevent Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is spread by the bite of an infected tick. While not all ticks carry this disease, lyme disease prevention starts with preventing the bite, so follow these steps to keep the ticks away altogether:

• Cover your legs, ankles, feet, head, and arms if you plan on hiking, being in tall grasses, or in the woods
• Always check your skin (and your children or pets) for ticks, which can be very small—poppy seed size—this early in the summer. Don’t forget in between the toes and in the hair! 
• Wear insect repellant to keep ticks and other bugs away
• If you have found a tick on you, remove it properly, and keep watch for fever or rash

Summer is just about here. Although it may attract some unwanted pests, you won’t want to miss a second of it! If you are having troubles with your vision - whatever the reason may be - make an appointment with Dr. Tom and the caring staff at Infinite Eye Care.

Clearing Up the Facts About Pink Eye

Winter. For some people, it’s the season that embodies staying indoors working on crafts or catching up with a few good books. For parents, it’s the season in which their children can come home with a new, exciting illness transferred from their friends at school. According to Washington's Top News, Winter is peak season for pink eye. More accurately, winter is peak season for bacterial or viral pinkeye.

The proper name for pink eye is conjunctivitis, and there are four different causes:

Viral Conjunctivitis - Symptoms can mimic that of a cold or the flu. The disease usually begins in one eye and spreads to the other within a few days. Any discharge from the eye is watery.

Bacterial Conjunctivitis - Bacterial pink eye can accompany an ear infection and will produce a yellow/green colored discharge.

Allergic Conjunctivitis - This type of conjunctivitis will usually affect both eyes. Like many allergy symptoms, the eyes will be watery, itchy, and may cause swelling. It will also accompany other allergy symptoms, such as sneezing or a scratchy throat.

Conjunctivitis Caused by Irritants - Conjunctivitis, put simply, is an irritation of the conjunctiva - the thin tissue covering the white parts of your eye and inside of your eyelid. Sometimes pinkeye can be caused by external irritants, like contact lenses, makeup, or chlorine.  

Viral and bacterial are the only types of pink eye that create discharge in your eyes. They are also the most contagious. As long as you or your child has discharge present, it is important not to come in direct contact with others. It is also important to know that is may go away after a few day, but in bacterial infection, treatment is recommended as it may cause permanent vision loss if scars are present in certain areas of the eyes.  If you get pink eye related to contact lenses, new lenses, lens cases, or eye makeup, replace these items with new ones.

Prevention

• The easiest way to prevent pink eye (especially in the winter) is to keep clean. Wash your hands, bedding, and clothing often, especially if you or someone you know comes in contact with a pink eye patient.
• Avoid touching your eyes.
• If you wear glasses, clean them regularly.
• If you wear contacts, clean, store, and replace them properly.
• Don’t share anything that comes in contact with your eyes, such as glasses, sunglasses, makeup, bedding, or towels.   

The most important thing you can do if you or someone you know develops pink eye is to seek treatment. At Infinite Eye Care, we offer urgent care & pink eye services. The sooner you seek help, the sooner you will heal.

Exciting New Technologies at Infinite Eye Care

       

At Infinite Eye Care, we are dedicated to offering the best services possible to our patients. This includes keeping up with the most advanced technology in the ophthalmology field. Recently, we have acquired a new piece of medical technology that is greatly improving our ability to scan the eye. The Ivue OCT. is a tool that Dr. Tom and the rest of the team will use to assess the retina, optic disc, and cornea.  This, along with the iWellness exam, will offer a much better understanding of our patient’s eyes.

Ivue OCT. is like an MRI of the retina in the back of the eye. In the past, we have only been able to look at the “surface” of the retina, but with this new technology, we are able to evaluate 10 layers deep behind the surface.

Catching Eye Problems Sooner

The ability to see into the layers of the retina allow the Infinite Eye Care team to spot the earliest signs of disease such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinal detachments, tumors, neurological conditions and their causes, as well as some anterior disease of the cornea (the transparent layer on the front of the eye).  This Ivue tool is allowing our team to catch eye health issues before they start showing physical symptoms.

New iWellness Exam

Along with the Ivue OCT., we have added another new technology to analyze the health of the eye. The iWellness exam is a new way to check for eye problems. Sight-threatening diseases often show no outward signs or symptoms, until it becomes serious. Early detection is extremely important in order to reduce the risk of vision loss.  For this reason, we recommend a yearly screening using this new technology. The exam can be essential in the detection of eye conditions. Learn more about our iWellness exam and what it offers on our website.

These new technologies allow us to see the eye in ways we’ve never been able to before. The Ivue Oct. and iWellness exam are crucial for disease diagnosis. With these powerful clinical tools, we will offer our patients excellent care, which may give our team an advantage to detect eye health problems. Schedule an appointment with Infinite Eye Care today, and be sure to ask for your iWellness exam.

Love Your Eyes: Tips for Healthier Eyes

It might sound like an exaggeration, but taking care of your eyes is crucial to living a happy life. Don’t think so? We use our eyes nearly every waking moment to drive, work, read, watch tv, surf the web (maybe for a blog about eye health), and enjoy time with friends and family ­ It is especially important to take care of your eyes. Use these simple tips on a regular basis and you can look forward to healthier eyes and a clearer life.

Regular Eye Exams

Regular visits to the eye doctor are important to ensure eye health and eye exams help avoid problems that may become worse without treatment. Eye exams are short and safe, and should be scheduled with your eye doctor annually.

Avoid wearing contact lenses longer than 19  hours

Take care of your contacts! Most users know that contact lenses can become harmful ­ even cause permanent damage ­when left in the eye too long. It is especially important to remove, clean and change your contacts as your eye care provider has recommended.

Remove eye makeup

Makeup can cause redness and irritation in the eye when left on the skin overnight; especially eye makeup and eyeliner. Remove makeup every day to prevent irritation and maintain healthier eyes.

Don’t rely on Allergy drops

Eye drops are meant to temporarily reduce the irritation in the eye, but don’t rely on them too heavily. Because they are effective and create moisture in the eye, the eye can stop creating its own moisture and become more irritated. If you find you’re using your eye drops too often, contact your optometrist.

Wear Sunglasses

Always wear sunglasses when the sun is out ­ even in the winter. You may not be going to the beach, but the sun is still out, and you can bet it is bouncing off all that snow! Choose shades that are UVB and UVA protectant 99%­100% for the best protection. The younger you are when you start wearing sunglasses on a regular basis, the better it will be for your eyes when you are older.

Get Sleep

Sleep is the most important ingredient to almost any good habit. Get 7­8 hours of sleep a night. A good night’s sleep not only allows your eyes to rest, but excessive strain on your eyes can cause temporary blurriness.

Exercise Regularly

Just like sleep, regular exercise is very beneficial to any healthy lifestyle. Exercise can prevent glaucoma and macular degeneration, as well as keep you feeling better every day.

Keep Eyes Hydrated

This one is simple; drink plenty of water! Cucumbers on eyes prevent puffiness. Eye lubrication 

drops (not Visine) help, but remember that using eye drops too often can make them worse. If your eyes do get too dry, avoid rubbing them, as this can cause accidental trauma.

Limit Screen Time

Look straight at a computer screen or TV screen, not angled down or up. Also, keeping good posture is good for overall health. Use the 20­20­20 rule: after 20 minutes of screen time, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Eat a Healthy Diet

A diet rich in Vitamin E, Zinc, Vitamin C, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and Omega 3 fatty acids can help you see clearer and reduce eye complications later in life. In short, listen to your mother and eat your vegetables.

All in all, your eyes are an important part of everyday life, so take care of them now. Take time to take care of yourself and schedule an eye exam today. We would be glad to help. You can contact us online with any questions, or call Infinite Eye Care at 320­257­4990 to set up an appointment.

Glaucoma Awareness Month

In honor of Glaucoma Awareness month, we wanted to share facts and generate awareness about the disease that affects 200,000 + people per year. According to the National Eye Institute, Glaucoma is, “a group of diseases that damage the eye’s optic nerve and can result in vision loss and blindness.” Here are 5 facts about Glaucoma, and 3 ways to prevent it:

What we know:

1. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation. They also state that 10% of people who receive proper treatment, still go blind from the disease.
2. Three million Americans have Glaucoma, but only half are aware that they have it.
3. African Americans are 15 times more likely to have Glaucoma, than Caucasians.
4. Glaucoma can affect the number of words you can read at one time, due to the loss of visual field.
5. Open Angle Glaucoma is the most common form, affecting 95% of people with the disease.

Preventing Glaucoma:

1. 
   Exercise, believe it or not, is a great way to prevent Glaucoma because it decreases Intraocular Pressure (Eye Pressure) which can lead to Glaucoma.

2. Wearing proper eye protection when playing sports or doing other activities can prevent Glaucoma. Often times, eye injuries lead to the development of the disease, making it extremely important to always protect your eyes.

3. Receive regular eye exams and checkups; early detection of Glaucoma can help the treatment of the disease. If you are under 40 years old, you should be checked every two to four years. If you are 40 to 54, every one to three years. If you are 55 to 64, you should be checked every one to two years, and if you are over 64 you should be getting checked every year.

Stop into Infinite Eye Care to get checked for Glaucoma. We run various tests to be sure you are safe from this vision-threatening disease. We also prescribe treatment for those already affected by the disease which can keep it from progressing. Call us at 320-257-4990 or visit our website to book your next eye appointment.

May the Frames Be With You

Greetings. My name is Mini Darth Vader, I am the long lost brother (and a significantly shorter version) of the Real Darth Vader, aka Anakin Skywalker. Many of you know his story - well here is mine. Shortly after the Empire Struck back, I set course for the plant Madukatar in the Galaxy of the Milky Way. During my voyage, my ship experienced engine failure and I crashed landed in a place called Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, on your planet Earth. After my crash landing, I noticed that my eyesight had diminished due to my entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.

Luckily my ship landed near Infinite Eye Care, where I was pleased to meet Dr. Thomas Johnson. Dr. Tom and the Infinite Eye Care staff graciously assisted me with my eye care needs.

Everything from the check-in, the waiting lobby, the eye exam and the selection of frames was exceptional (The best service in the universe actually). They even accepted my healthcare insurance provider!

After my checkup, I was greeted by a lovely lady named Katie who helped me try on some frames. Their large selection of high-quality frames made it a very difficult decision.

After much consideration, I decided to go with the red ones, not only because I am a member of the dark side, but because they fit my facial structure just right!

To repay my friend Dr. Thomas Johnson and the Infinite Eye Care staff, I agreed to help them run a contest of epic proportions called #MayTheFramesBeWithYou, which is happening now until the movie premiere of the new Star Wars Film: The Force Awakens, on December 18th.

You can win a multitude of prizes, including Marcus Theatres gift cards, popcorn and soda and the grand prize, a family movie package, including a gift card to Zaffiro's!

So pay close attention to Infinite Eye Care’s Facebook page over the next few weeks, and be sure to stop in and say hello, as I will be hanging out in the lobby waiting for your arrival. Make sure to snap a picture with me as well, I enjoy taking photos.

Hope to see you soon, and #MayTheFramesBeWithYou,

Mini Darth Vader

Importance Of Back To School Eye Exam

Did you know 80% of all learning is done through vision?

Good vision is a crucial part in your child’s success in school. With the first day of school coming right around the corner, it is important to send your child back to school seeing clearly! You can view our hours here.

(Dr. Tom checks a child's eyes at a volunteer vision screening)

Regular eye exams are recommended for everyone at least once a year. Our vision naturally changes with age, which makes regular eye exams crucial. 95% of vision problems in kids can be fixed if detected early. Here are some signs your child may be experiencing vision impairment:

•  Loses place while reading 
• Avoids tasks that require good vision
• Frequent squinting or eye- rubbing while reading or watching television
• Repeated shutting or covering of one eye
• Holds a book closer than normal 
• Uses finger to maintain place while reading 

(Jeff Udy recording near vision standings)

Click here for more signs and information on visual impairment. If you notice any of these signs in your child’s behavior schedule an eye exam with us today!

Scheduling an appointment with us can be easily done through our website. You can also schedule an appointment via telephone at: 320- 257- 4990.