Protect Your Eyes from Winter Rays

Your eyes don’t know what season it is.

Whether it’s winter, spring, summer or fall, your eyes need protection from the sun’s harmful rays.

Most people recognize the need for sunglasses during warmer months and in warmer climates. However, when the temperature starts to dip, people often assume that eye protection is no longer necessary (or even silly).

Why Winter Shades are Important

• The sun is positioned at a lower angle in the sky during the winter, so the rays may affect the eyes more directly
• Fresh snow reflects 80% of the sun’s UV rays, causing extreme glare (dangerous when driving, skiing, etc.)
• Dry eye symptoms can worsen during dry winter months; wraparound sunglasses or sports goggles may help
• Overexposure to harmful UV rays can lead to cataracts and macular degeneration in Richmond
• Polarized, anti-reflective sunglasses can block 100% of UV radiation (ask your eye doctor for recommendations)

Another Reason for LASIK

If you are nearsighted or have astigmatism, you will need corrective lenses to see distant objects clearly; that means investing in a good pair of prescription sunglasses to wear all year long. The other option is to wear contact lenses with over-the-counter sunglasses. However, dry, cold winter air can cause eye irritations for contact wearers.

LASIK vision correction in Richmond can make wearing sunglasses in the winter:

• More cost effective (in the long run the one-time cost of LASIK is cheaper than the ongoing expense of replacing and maintaining glasses and contacts)
• More fashionable (because of the vast choices that exist)
• More comfortable (no trying to fit goggles over glasses)

Wear Sunglasses All Year

Back in 1984, Corey Hart hit the music charts with his hit, “Sunglasses at Night.”

While Mr. Hart may have worn his sunglasses in the evening hours, to stress the importance of protecting your eyes against daytime winter rays, we’d change the song to “I wear my sunglasses all year…”

Sport your cool sunglasses all year long. And if you don’t want to invest in prescription sunglasses, consider having LASIK at Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center. Dr. Lipstock offers free LASIK Consultations to ensure you are a good candidate for the procedure and answer all questions you may have. Contact Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center today to arrange your appointment: 804-288-1543 or lipstocklaser.com. 

Serious Eye Conditions Growing in Young People

According to Medical News Today, a recent survey of optometrists has shown that the number of young people being diagnosed with serious eye conditions such as dry eye and blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids) is growing. Many of these doctors were also concerned that certain sight-stealing vision conditions may be developing at a younger age:

• Glaucoma
• Cataracts
• Age-related macular degeneration

This phenomenon of deteriorating eye health may be due to any number of reasons, including:

• Diabetes
• Poor nutrition
• Increased usage of computer, tablet or smart phone screens
• Smoking
• Lack of sunglasses
• Improper contact lens usage

It’s important to note that even if you have your vision corrected through a procedure such as LASIK in Richmond, and even if you achieve 20/20 vision after the procedure, it is still possible to develop serious eye conditions. Regular eye exams are vital to the overall health of your eyes because they can detect any“silent” problems that are developing so treatment options can be explored.

If you are experiencing any changes in your vision or would like to learn more about ways to protect and preserve your eyesight, contact Lipstock LASIK & Cataract at 804-288-1543 or lipstocklaser.com to schedule an eye exam in Richmond. Lipstock LASIK & Cataract also offers free LASIK Consultations to help patients reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contacts. 

Foods that Sabotage Eye Health

Potato chips…cream-filled cakes…cookies…French fries…processed meats…

Most people know that consuming too many highly-processed foods will lead to unhealthy weight gain. But researchers have also made a link between the increased risk of eye disease and overindulgence of junk food containing vegetable, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats along with linoleic acid.

Consider this: Whether you’ve had excellent eyesight your entire life or even if you had successful LASIK eye surgery in the past to correct your vision problems, if you sustain an unhealthy diet, your eyesight could be negatively impacted.

A study conducted at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary found that eating too much junk food increases your risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which causes vision loss in your central vision…even blindness for some people. In contrast, consuming two or more servings of omega-3 fatty acid foods each week such as albacore tuna and salmon may actually lower your risk. Increasing your intake of leafy green vegetables and not smoking also helps.

Why sabotage your eye health…especially if you’re considering investing in your eyesight with LASIK technology in Richmond? Limit your intake of junk food and adopt a healthy diet to not only protect your waistline but also protect your vision.

To schedule an eye exam to determine the overall health of your eyes or to learn more about how to improve your vision with Richmond LASIK, contact Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center by calling 804-288-1543 or visiting lipstocklaser.com. We offer free online LASIK Self-Evaluations as well as free LASIK Consultations. 

The Effect of Vision Problems on the Collective American Wallets

Prevent Blindness America (PBA) recently commissioned researchers from the University of Chicago to determine how the cost of vision-related diseases affects the American economy. What they discovered is that the long-term effects of eye diseases/disorders and vision loss cost our government, insurance companies and patients approximately $139 billion every year…and there is no growth end in sight. The largest burden, $71.6 billion, falls on patients and their families. This makes eye diseases/disorders one of the most expensive medical conditions in the United States.  

Vision problems and vision loss can make a huge impact on a person’s ability to lead a productive professional and personal life. Having regular eye exams can act as a safeguard to stay on top of any obvious or “silent” vision changes that may be developing and allow patients to take proactive measures to preserve their sight. Eye exams can even help detect the presence of other medical conditions, such as diabetes.

At Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center in Richmond, our goal is to help our patients live fuller lives through eye care. We do this through medical procedures like cataract surgery and LASIK eye surgery, as well as treatment/maintenance of conditions like glaucoma and macular degeneration. We work hard to help our patients see with clarity to perform everyday tasks and remain productive members of society.  

Eye disease prevention, maintenance and research will go a long way toward keeping vision medical costs in check. We encourage you to schedule an eye exam/Vision Consultation today. Call 804-288-1543 or visit lipstocklaser.com.

(The University of Chicago report is titled: "Cost of Vision Problems: The Economic Burden of Vision Loss and Eye Disorders in the United States.")

Differences Between Optometrists and Ophthalmologists

Many people think all eye doctors the same. They use the terms Optometrist and Ophthalmologist interchangeably. The truth is that these are two very different types of eye care professionals.

Optometrists

Optometrists have earned a Doctor of Optometry Degree (OD). Optometrists have completed a four-year Bachelor’s Degree, plus four years of post-graduate professional training in optometry school. Their main focus is to provide primary eye care, including vision checks, eye disease diagnosis and overall eye health review. They prescribe corrective lenses to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, and they can prescribe some medications. Optometrists often work closely with ophthalmologists to provide pre- and post-op care for eye surgery patients.

Ophthalmologists

Ophthalmologists are Medical Doctors (MDs) or Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) who have achieved a Bachelor’s Degree, four years of medical school encompassing care for the whole body, internships, at least three years of hospital-based residency and additional years of training in eye disease treatment and eye surgery. Ophthalmologists diagnose and treat eye diseases, perform eye surgery, perform eye exams and write prescriptions for medications or corrective lenses.

Certain eye conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration, are managed and corrected by ophthalmologists. Eye surgeries such as LASIK or Cataract Surgery and Intraocular Lens (IOL) implants should only be done by an eye surgeon who is highly experienced and using the latest technologies.

Frequent eye exams, even if you aren’t experiencing any vision problems, can provide early detection – and treatment – of developing issues.

Visit the website of ophthalmologist Dr. Lipstock at Lipstock LASIK and Cataract Center to schedule a Vision Consultation. Visit lipstocklaser.com or call 804-288-1543 today.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Your Eyesight

Omega-3 fatty acids are definitely a plus in your diet. They are known as a ‘good fat’ for your diet – one that protects the cell membrane and is reported to protect you from certain health issues. One of these health issues, as reported by NPR (National Public Radio), is age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration generally occurs in older adults. This condition results in vision loss in the middle of your line of sight, due to retina damage. According to the article, “Women who ate fish, a prime source of omega-3s, at least once a week were less likely to get age-related macular degeneration compared with women who ate fish just once a month, a new study finds.”

While all of this information is interesting to look at, the article also points out that the study is not complete.

There are always studies being done on vitamins and minerals. It’s important to know what is fact and what is fiction. Doing your homework is essential in preventative medicines, but the most important thing is having a complete eye examination. You eyesight is like a fingerprint – it is unique to you, and what may work for 5 or 10 other people may not necessarily be the best thing for you. If you think you may have an eye disease or your family has history of eye diseases, you should schedule regular eye exams for the best way to keep on top of it.

If you would like to read the article, you can find it here.