Archive for August, 2011
When is a Child Old Enough To Wear Contact Lenses?
08.10.2011
Parents often ask me what is a good age is for a child to start wearing contact lenses. I always tell them that it is not necessarily an age, but more of a maturity factor. Contact lenses are a huge responsibility and, as a parent, you have to make sure that you are willing to monitor your child’s contact lens habits. Improper use of contacts can often lead to frequent infections, corneal abrasions and in rare cases, permanently scarred corneas that have the potential to affect vision for the rest of your life. Parents can use these Do’s and Don’t as a guideline to see if their child is ready to step into the contact lens world.
Simple Do’s
- Always follow the directions on the packaging of your lenses and those of your Eye Doctor.
- Always wash hands thoroughly with warm soap and water before handling contacts.
- If you find a brand of solution that works for you, stick with it. Not all brands work for everybody and all types of lenses.
- Discard old solution and replace with fresh every time you put your lenses in their case, even if they are only going to be in there for a short time.
- Get regular eye exams to ensure proper strength and fit of your current prescription.
- Whenever you are out in the sun, always wear UV protective sunglasses, even if your contacts are in.
Simple Don’ts
- Don’t use any medication without your doctor’s permission
- Don’t ever take your lenses out of the packaging using your fingernail or any other tool.
- Don’t ever store your contact lenses in the case using tap water, or even worse, SALIVA.
- Don’t stretch out the time between changing your lenses to try to save money. This could lead to an infection and having to get costly eye drops.
- Don’t ever put on someone else’s contacts, even the non-prescriptive ones used just to change eye color.
If you follow these simple steps, contact lens use can be a great experience, freeing your child from the hassle of having to wear glasses.
Mary Sweetman
Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
============
I use the “clean room” test.
If the child’s room is kept neat and clean, he or she is probably ready to wear contact lenses.
Paul Krawitz, M.D., President
VisiVite.Com
Are Video Games, iPads and Cell Phones Damaging To Children’s Eyes?
08.09.2011Working for an Ophthalmologist who specializes in Glaucoma and Cataract Surgery, I do not see pediatric patients very often. But many of my friends question me, knowing that I am in the Eye Care Industry. With Technology changing and moving forward at lightning speed these days, you have to wonder if it is OK for your child to play a Nintendo DS 3D, or as it affectionately known in our house, as “chasing little men” on the computer for hours at a time.
Can it possibly be harming our children’s eyesight?
The answer to that question is “Not Exactly.” How’s that for a definitive answer?
At the current time, there are no studies showing any kind of permanent visual damage from 
prolonged use of electronic devices. But – using cell phones, video games, computers, even watching television for long periods of time can cause strain, fatigue and dry eyes. The cause of strain and fatigue comes from the fact that while engaging in these activities your eyes are focusing and moving closer together, causing the muscle to get tired and feel strained. The dry eye, scratchy feeling comes from the fact that while you are doing any of these activities, you actually blink much less than while you are doing normal daily activities.
How can a parent help prevent such kinds of eye strain and dry eye? The first answer is easy: Limit time spent playing video games. Use video game and electronic use as a reward for a good grade or cleaning their room. Try to also cut back all video games until after homework is done for the night. If a child has been on a video game for hours before they start their homework, they may really feel the strain on their eyes when it comes time to study or read their assignments for school the next day. Additionally, get your kids up and moving in an outdoor activity. Doing something outside such as riding a bike or playing a sport, encourages a child to use his distance eye muscles, giving those near muscles a break.
My motto has always been that everything in moderation is fine and while I realize it is not always easy to pull your children off the computers and away from the videos, they may actually thank you, not realizing how much better their eyes feel.
Mary Sweetman
Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
=======
Hand-held computer use may not damage eyes, but there is some evidence that it causes near-sightedness, which reduces distance vision without eyeglasses or contact lenses.
See our previous blog post at http://blog.visivite.com/2010/02/ipod-use-may-cause-near-sightedness/
Paul Krawitz, M.D., President
VisiVite.Com
Free Eye Health Book this month to first 100 people that sign up
08.05.2011
We’re giving away my eBook, Ultimate Insider’s Guide to Eye Health this month only to the first 100 subscribers. To sign up for this free offer, go to http://www.visivite.com/get-free-ebook.html. It’s packed with insider’s information, advice and recommendations about Lasik, Contact Lenses, Dry Eye, Cataract Surgery, Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy, and more.
Paul Krawitz, M.D., President
Vitamin Science, Inc.
