Treating and Preventing Springtime Allergies

Seasonal allergies can wreak havoc on your health, but you don’t need to let irritating allergies disrupt your enjoyment of spring. Learn about the most common causes of seasonal allergies and about how you can take care of annoying springtime allergies.

Most Common Causes

Springtime allergies can trigger coughing, sneezing, congestion, and runny noses. These airborne irritants can also cause itchy, watery, irritated, and swollen eyes.

Pollen — from trees in early spring and from grasses in late spring and early summer — is often the main culprit of spring allergies. Mold spores, like yeast or mildew, are common in the air outside and inside your home. They often cause severe allergy symptoms from the beginning of spring well into the fall season.

Pollen and mold can set off hay fever, which affects 30 to 60 million Americans each year. The most common types of trees to trigger hay fever in spring include oak, sycamore, elm, maple, birch, walnut, poplar, birch, ash, and cypress. As Minnesota residents, we are lucky enough to have access to nearly all of these.

Get Your Body Back on Track

Everyone looks forward to the sunshine and warmth that spring welcomes, but allergy season is something we could do without. Once you know how to face your allergies head on, however, you can feel in control of your body again.

Be aware of your triggers. More than two-thirds of spring allergy sufferers have year-round symptoms. Talk to your allergist or local specialist. Your doctor can recommend the best treatment or medication to control your symptoms that can range from antihistamine eye drops and oral medications to widely recommended drugs without a prescription and immunotherapy (allergy shots).

Take preemptive care. To alleviate spring allergy suffering, begin taking your allergy medicine before your allergy symptoms escalate. Anticipating the onset of your allergy symptoms and seeking the proper treatment will prevent a host of health problems and suffering.

Clean up after being outside. Don’t leave airborne irritants embedded in your body or clothing. Washing your face, rinsing your eyes, or just hopping in the shower can loosen and flush out the allergens from your body. Take care to launder your clothes (in a machine, not outside) after being outside all day as pollen and mold spores can become embedded in the fibers of your clothing. Wipe your pet’s fur off before returning inside.

Spend some time indoors. For temporary relief, keep your doors and windows closed, use allergy filters on your air conditioning unit, and avoid spending too much time outdoors on breezy days when the pollen counts are especially high. Spending time outdoors between 10 AM and 4 PM will prolong your exposure and worsen symptoms of allergy. When you do, make sure to wear protective sunglasses to shield your eyes from irritants.

Seasonal allergies don’t have to get the best of you. Talk to the specialists at Infinite Eye Care to take control of your allergies and enjoy your best spring yet!

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.

Dr. Tom's 2016 Eye Health Resolutions

2016 marks Dr. Tom Johnson’s 27th year in the eye care industry. His knowledge and willingness to help his patients with every eye care need is what makes him one of the top Family Optometrists in Central Minnesota. So with the start of a new year, here are some tips from Dr. Tom on how you can improve your eye health in 2016:

1. Regular Visits to Your Eye Doctor  

Reviewing your eye health on a regular basis makes discovering potential problems (such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, refraction based lazy eye, etc) easier. Treatment early on is better and more effective than discovering a problem later and trying to reverse more significant damage.

2. Eating Carrots Can Be a Good Thing

Old wives tale? Not really. Leafy green veggies and orange colored veggies like carrots or squash are rich in antioxidants, which can radically slow down the process of certain sight blinding diseases.

3. Rule of 20/20/20

If on a monitor or reading for long periods of time, follow the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at a space 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This gives the eye a chance to rest and lessens the chance or severity of future nearsighted advancements and general strains to the eye.

4. Contact Lens Health

Some folks don’t know that you CAN wear certain contact lenses overnight or for a certain amount of time. More importantly, some don’t know that the wearing of ANY contact lens overnight can lead to a vision debilitating infection, and can even create a scar that will lead to permanent vision loss. NOT FUN. Know your lenses.

5.  Dry Eye  

There are many conditions that can lead to dry, scratchy eyes, which can also cause reduced visual ability, even with your best glasses or contact lens prescription. There is merit to regular hot lid compress cleaning every day - it will increase the performance of your tears and lessening the dry eye symptoms. We can illustrate how to properly perform lid treatments, and when used with other meds or treatment options, they can drastically help dry eyes.

6. Glasses Cleaning  

What a puzzle. I’ve seen the most absurdly scratched glasses mostly from the people who feel they never see clearly and they need to “power scratch” their glasses. The more they scrub, the worse they see. At Infinite Eye Care, we train our patients how to properly clean daily in a way that scratches (while not impossible) are much less likely. I often stop by our in-office lab and illustrate it to my patients myself. I can describe it, but it’s so much easier to teach in person. Stop in and see a first-hand demonstration on how to properly clean your glasses.

For more information and assistance or to book an appointment visit infiniteeyecare.com or give us a call at 320.257.4990. We wish you a healthy and happy 2016!

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

15 Interesting Eye Facts

Take a moment and think about the human eye; all of the different uses for our eyes, the range of different colors eyes come in, and how your eyes actually work. There is so much that is unknown about the eye and how it works, but there are also a lot of fun facts that you might not know about the eye! Here are 15 crazy facts that you might not know about your eyes:

 1. There are more than 2 million working parts in the human eye

2. An iris has 216 more unique characteristics than a finger print, making retina scanning an increasingly popular security feature

3. Following the brain, eyes are the second most complex organ in your body

4. Corneas are the only tissue in the whole body that do not contain blood

5. Your eyes don’t continue to grow after you are born

6. Your eye color can change throughout your life

7. The average eyes blink upwards of 20,000 times per day

8. The eyelid is the fastest muscle in the human body

9. Newborn’s eyes don’t produce tears

10. If you are nearsighted, your eyeball is longer than normal, if you are farsighted, your eyeball is shorter than normal

11. Depending on the reason for your tears, they will be made up of varying compositions of liquid.

12. Your retinas perceive everything you see upside down - it’s your brain that flips the image for you

13. You can always see your nose, your brain just chooses to ignore it

14. When you see an image you are only seeing half of the surroundings, it’s your brain that fills in the rest from memory

15. Doctors still have not found a way to transplant a complete eyeball

Eyes are an important part of the human body and they are constantly working to help you learn, work, and accomplish daily tasks. It is important to take care of your eyes so that they can work at optimal levels throughout your life. If you would like to know more about the human eye or would like to schedule an appointment, visit our website at infiniteeyecare.com.

Amplify Your Attire This Halloween With Phantom Lenses

Halloween is one of the only times a year when you can dress up however you want - the scarier you look, the better. Phantom contact lenses are one way that you can take your costume to the next level. They come in a wide variety of styles, colors, and patterns and can enhance any Halloween costume.

Image by ArunKamaraj via Flickr

The most popular options for these lenses are the cat eye styles in various colors, and the blizzard or “witch eye” styles. These were some of the first styles to come out and are now the most popular when looking to add some spook to your costume. Some of the newer styles are the Spinner, Vortex and Robotic which are likely to become hot sellers.

Phantom Contact Lenses can be sized to fit any eye and can be customized to fit nearly any prescription. They can be ordered with no prescription for those who do not need optical correction but want the added spooktacular effect.

Image by the_steve_cox via Flickr

Really any Halloween costume can be “spooked out” by adding some of these Phantom lenses, but some popular ideas and coordinating styles are:

• Witch --- Blizzard or Helter Skelter
• Vampire – Bloodlust, Red Dawn, or Demonic Red
• Zombie – Pandora, Night Orc, Red Orc, or Undead Yellow
• Cat – Tigers Eye, Purple Cat, Sun Cat, Blood Cat, or Snow Cat (depending on how scary or realistic you’d like to be)
• Rocker Chick – Pink Seduction, North Star, Flower Power, Hydra

You don’t have to have a costume that is scary to incorporate these lenses into your costume either! There are plenty of styles that will add that extra something to any costume and make it just right. Check out the line of Phantom Contact Lenses and get some inspiration for a fantastic 2015 Halloween!