Prevent Springtime Allergies by Purifying the Air in Your House

Spring is a refreshing time of the year, but for allergy sufferers, it also causes a lot of discomfort. Even when you are indoors, it is hard to escape the itchy, watery eyes, nasal congestion, and other symptoms that come along with allergens such as dust mites, mold, and pet dander.

Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to purify the air in your home and reduce allergens. Add these simple tasks to your spring cleaning list to purify your air for a more comfortable home.

Remove Clutter

The fewer items you have in a home, the fewer places there are for allergens to build up. Allergens tend to collect on the surfaces of items around your home, so limit the number of items you have to only what is necessary. This will also make the rest of your cleaning tasks easier to complete.

Dust Correctly

According to everydayhealth.com, the most common trigger of asthma and allergy symptoms in the home are dust mites. Dusting helps to remove dust mites, but only if done correctly. Traditional feather dusters often make allergy symptoms worse by dispersing dust particles into the air. Instead, try using a damp cloth or rag that will attract dust particles into the cleaning surface. You can also wear a dust mask while dusting if your allergy symptoms continue.

Vacuum and Clean Floors

Allergens don’t only collect on your furniture and decor, they also accumulate on your floors. Whether they are hardwood, carpeted, or tiled, your floors are likely collecting dust mites that can aggravate your allergy symptoms. Clean your floors often – especially by vacuuming carpets – to remove built-up dust mites hiding in the surface of your floors.

Wash Fabrics

Porous materials like cloth and fabrics can store dust more easily than other surfaces, so washing your clothes, bedding, and curtains can make a huge difference in your home’s air quality. Wash these items regularly to improve your allergy symptoms.

Humidity Control

According to National Allergy, 70-75% of a home dust mite’s weight is water, meaning that the humidity in your house has a direct impact on the dust in your home. Using a dehumidifier during the spring can limit the dust particles in your home. Be sure to clean and empty your home’s dehumidifier often to keep it running properly.

Air Filtration 

Finally, having the proper air filtration system in your home will be an easy solution to improving your home’s air quality. Be certain that your home’s air conditioning system is using HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters to remove the most airborne allergens possible. This will be the simplest and one of the most effective ways of minimizing your allergy symptoms.


Removing the source of your allergies (a.k.a. Antigens) will often help. However, sometimes a little help is needed. When that time comes and the symptoms persist, call Infinite Eye Care for an allergy evaluation consult. You and your eyes will be glad you did.

The True Colors of Color Blindness

With spring quickly approaching, many people are eagerly awaiting the chance to see the colors of outdoor life to return. Green grasses, red flowers, and blue skies are on the horizon, however, some people may see these sights quite differently.

What is Color Blindness?

Color Vision Deficiency (CVD), more commonly referred to as color blindness, is a condition that affects the ability for a person to perceive different colors (typically red, green, and blue light). According to Colourblindawareness.org, it affects about 8% of men and .5% of women across the world, meaning that in the US, approximately 25.5 million men and 1.5 million women experience some form of color blindness.

How Does One Become Color Blind?

Color blindness is typically a genetic condition. According to the National Eye Institute, the mutated genes that cause the most likely form of color blindness are contained on the X chromosome, which explains why men are much more likely to be colorblind. Men have only one X chromosome while women have two. For a woman to be colorblind, both of her X chromosomes must be affected. If at least one of them contain an unmutated gene, she will not be colorblind. However, that woman would still be a carrier of the mutated gene, which she can pass down to her offspring.

Why Does Color Blindness Happen?

An article on Allaboutvision.com states that color blindness occurs in the retina of the eye, which is a layer located at the back of the eye that is sensitive to light and sends impulses of this information from the optic nerve to the brain, which forms the image that we see. In color blind people, the retina fails to respond to variations in wavelengths that allow people to distinguish colors.

At a smaller level, the retina’s cones are responsible for recording color vision. A healthy human retina contains 6 to 7 million cones. In genetic forms of color blindness, certain types of cones are deficient or absent completely, making the retina unable to perceive particular colors.

Color blindness can also occur for a number of other reasons, including a number of diseases and eye conditions, such as cataracts.

How Do Color Blind People See Colors?

For people who can see all colors accurately, it can be hard to understand how people who are affected by color blindness see the world around them. Fortunately, there are resources that allow people to better understand how color blindness affects people. Visit webexhibits.org for a color blindness simulation that covers all color blindness scenarios.

As we said, some color blind people were not born that way, it was a result of an issue with their eyesight - yet another reason to stay up-to-date with all your vision exams. So if you see the world in full color, Keep it that way with an annual trip to Infinite Eye Care.

Finding the Perfect Fit for Your Frames

At Infinite Eye Care, we want you to be completely comfortable with your glasses. We stay up-to-date with the latest trends in eyewear and lenses to keep you looking your best. The problem is, sometimes even the best-looking frames don’t fit the best.

When your glasses are fitting properly, they will feel more comfortable, look more put-together, and ensure proper correction to your vision.

The fit of a pair of glasses is determined by four key elements:

The Frame

The width and style of the material surrounding the lenses. The frame should be level with your eyes and extend a proper length across your face.

The Temples

The extension that runs from the frame and sits on your ears to position your glasses. These must be to a specific length so that the curve does not sit too far in front of or behind your ears.

The Bridge

The portion of the frame that rests on your nose to position the placement of the lenses. The basics of determining if your bridge fits is to see how it is resting on your nose. If the bridge span is too small, your glasses will be placed too high which disrupts your pupil position. If the bridge span is too large, your glasses will continually fall down throughout the day or be positioned too low. It is crucial that despite the style of the glasses, your bridge is fitting properly so that it is nearly level with the center of your eyes.

Pupil Position

Where the pupil of your eye is in relation to your lenses. Your pupil should be near the center of your lenses to ensure that your glasses are properly correcting your vision. If your glasses are not positioned correctly, they may not actually be doing their job!

Assessing these four elements will enhance the look and feel of your glasses while improving the quality of your vision.

If you’re looking for the perfect pair of glasses or sunglasses, come into Infinite Eye Care in downtown Sauk Rapids.  

Healthy Vision and Ultraviolet Awareness Month

May was Healthy Vision and Ultraviolet (UV) Awareness Month, and with the sunny summer months ahead of us, we want to continue to discuss how UV rays can be harmful and how to protect yourself from some of its negative impacts. Most people associate the negative effects of UV rays with sunburn and skin cancer, but are not as aware of the negative affect they have on your eyesight or the kinds of eye problems they can cause.

There are several different eye problems that can arise from UV rays including Macular Degeneration, Cataracts, Pteryglum, Skin Cancer, and Corneal Sunburn. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization says that UV radiation from the sun and from tanning beds poses a threat to healthy eyesight. How you ask? Depending on the types of UV rays, they can affect your eyesight in different ways. There are two types of UV rays- UV-A and UV-B. UV-A rays can hurt your central vision. It has a lower energy and is penetrated deep into the eye, which may injure the macula. UV-B rays can do damage to your cornea and lens; these types of rays are considered to be more dangerous.

It is difficult to constantly keep your eyes protected from the sun, but some of the most effective ways are to know the dangers of UV rays and to stay informed about your eye health. If you do not take the time to stay informed and just ignore the health of your eyes, it will come back to haunt you later on in life.

It is also important to carry a pair of sunglasses or a hat as often as possible. Sunglasses are a great way to protect your eyes, however, be careful about the kind you choose. Some sunglasses are designed with fashion in mind and have no UV protection. While one pair of glasses may be trendier, just remember that long after that trend it out of fashion, you will still need your eyesight.

Lastly, wear a wide-brimmed hat or cap because it can actually block about half of the UV rays that may hit your eyes. Hats are a helpful alternative if you do not have a pair of sunglasses handy, though the combination of the two is the most effective way to protect your eyes.

The sun may not seem to be causing harm every day, but each time you leave yourself unprotected, you put yourself at risk of exposure to harmful UV rays. Even though May is UV Awareness Month, be sure to keep your eyes protected all year round.

Be sure to protect your eyes with sunglasses from Infinite Eye Care.

Foods That Will Improve your Eye Health

As the seasons being to change, so will the foods that you see in your everyday diet. Change it up even more with some of these power foods! These five foods will not only help protect and improve your eye health, but will also leave your taste buds (and eyes) wanting more:

1.    Blackcurrants. These berries contain some the highest levels of the antioxidant anthocyanins and are extremely rich in essential fatty acids. These fatty acids lend added support to their anti-inflammatory properties, which set them a notch above the rest in foods that nourish your eyes. Many opt for using blackcurrant seed oil, but when these berries are in season eating them whole is always an option.  These berries are especially popular in breakfast muffins! You can find this delicious recipe here.

2.    Bilberry. No, that was not a typo. These berries are a close relative to the blueberry, but tend to be difficult to grow and cultivate. They also contain high amounts of anthocyanins similar to the blackcurrant. Research on these berries has shown that the bilberry extract is effective for the prevention of macular degeneration and cataracts. Bilberries are another delicious powerhouse food for eye health, especially when added in a pie.

3.    Kale. One of the hottest food trends right now is Kale, and we aren’t complaining! Green leafy vegetables are high in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are important nutrients for eye health and clear vision. Kale is one of the most lutein-rich foods, but you can also find it in foods such as carrots, squash, and other orange and yellow fruits and vegetables. If you’re looking for something that is both good tasting and good for you, check out these 10 healthy recipes using kale.

4.    Organic Pastured Egg Yolks. One of the best ways to take advantage of these nutrients is by eating these foods raw. Eating just one raw egg yolk contains .25 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin. Keep in mind that when you consume raw eggs, finding a high-quality source is critical to avoid foodborne illnesses. Make sure your eggs are from organically raised and pastured hens to reduce these risks.

5.    Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon. This power food contains two essential eye nutrients: omega-3 fats and astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is an exceptionally potent antioxidant that has been found to protect against a number of eye diseases, including blindness, and is also low in mercury. The omega-3 fat provides structural support to cell membranes that boost eye health and protect retinal function. These recipes will help make eating this super food both easy and delicious!

You’ve just taken a look at five essential power foods that will help improve and protect your eye health. Now go out and cook up something that is both delicious and good for you. You, and your eyes, deserve it!

Eyesight 101

With the end of the year comes the end of another school semester, and that means exams and extra studying. High school and college students are cramming and planning out all sorts of activities this month and trying to fit studying somewhere in between. Many don’t realize that all that time spent pouring over notes and staring at a computer screen can do more than a bit of damage to their eyes. Whether you are a student yourself, or have children spending the month cramming their minds, think about some ideas to maintain healthy eyes.

Stressed Out

Stress causes all sorts of problems: weight gain, anxiety, restless sleep, (the list goes on and on), but did you know it also can do harm to your eyes? One of the major complications caused by stress is high blood pressure. When blood pressure goes up, your internal eye pressure can do the same. Over time, high pressure to the optic nerve can lead to Glaucoma. Stress is also a trigger to the sometimes comically portrayed (though still very irritating) eye twitch. Though typically not dangerous, an eye twitch can last anywhere from minutes to days long. Take the time to decompress: exercise, listen to music, take a walk, anything that takes your mind, and eyes, somewhere else for a bit.

Badvision.com…

The transition between looking at a keyboard, computer screen, and surrounding distractions strains our eyes. Computer images sometimes have a perceivable “flicker” on the screen, and our eyes read them differently than printed words. Eye strains can cause headaches or back and neck pain, as well as damage to your eyes. Be sure to unplug yourself every now and then and rest your eyes. Or, believe it or not, you can get a prescription for glasses specifically for computer use.

Go to Sleep!

The benefits of a full-night’s sleep span many areas of health, including eyesight. Missing a few precious hours adds dark circles under your eyes, but without at least five hours of rest your eyes do not properly replenish themselves. Lack of sleep can stop your eyes from reaching their full potential, so be sure to get plenty of rest at night.

End of terms can be the most stressful on students and parent alike. Infinite Eye Care reminds you to take the good with the bad this time of year. Take heed from these tips and enjoy the rest of your 2014 year!

Sauk Rapids Ladies Night Out

We are thrilled to announce we are a part of Sauk Rapids Ladies Night Out events as one of the participating businesses! These events are held every third Thursday of June, July, August, and September. 

These events give us an opportunity to stay involved in the community and have some fun! Giveaways, drinks and snacks are just some of what you can expect at these fun- filled events. 

We had a blast participating in the first Ladies Night Out event. We gave away a stylish STORM sports shirt. 2 coach purses were also given away as part of the big outing. We gave away free retina exams to those that came into Infinite Eye Care. Shear Dynamics also came in to talk about face makeovers and hairstyles. 

The second Ladies Night Out was Hawaiian themed and was on the 17^th of July. Guests had the chance to win an Infinite Eye Care cooler! The lucky winner of this prize was very ecstatic! 

You can look forward to the next Ladies Night Out event on Thursday August 14^th. For more information on the Ladies Night Out events visit: http://on.fb.me/1lLbUcv.