How to Prevent Cataracts Naturally

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There’s nothing more frightening than losing your eyesight. If you have cataracts and don’t get them treated, they can, in fact, cause you to go blind. That’s why it’s so important to see your optometrist in Jessup, GA, annually.

The doctor will monitor your eyesight so they can detect and provide cataract treatment in Jessup, GA, as soon as they begin rather than waiting until those issues have caused irreversible damage. The good news is that there is something you can do to help prevent cataracts naturally.

How to Prevent Cataracts Naturally

Here is what you can do to help keep from getting cataracts.

Quit Smoking

If you smoke more than 15 cigarettes a day, you are at a much greater risk of developing cataracts later in your life. So, if you smoke, it’s to your benefit to try and quit.

Protect Your Eyes from the Sun

There is some correlation between long-term exposure to ultraviolet light and the development of cataracts. So, if you spend a lot of time outdoors, please talk with your eye doctor about the best way to protect your eyes while you’re outside.

Schedule Regular Eye Exams

Your eye doctor will perform a comprehensive eye exam annually. Cataract testing is performed every two years. After the age of 65, you should have a cataract exam each year.

Properly Manage Cataract Causing Medical Conditions

If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or are obese, it’s important that you manage those conditions to help avoid cataracts. Make sure you keep your blood sugar under control, eat a healthy diet, exercise, and lose weight.

Consume Antioxidant-Rich Foods

Consuming antioxidant-rich foods like yellow and dark, leafy green vegetables. The lutein and zeaxanthin they contain will lower your risk of developing cataracts.

Increase Your Intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Getting enough omega-3 fatty acids will help your body fight inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in seafood, walnuts, and flaxseed. The more omega-3 fatty acids you consume, the lower your chances of developing cataracts are.

Looking for an Optometrist in Jessup, GA?

Follow the steps above to try and keep from getting cataracts. Then, make sure you schedule annual exams so your eye doctor can catch and treat any issues early. Please Contact Vision Source Family Eye Care today. We want to help you keep your eyes shining clear and bright.

Can Eye Strain Affect My Eyeglass Prescription?

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Eye strain can manifest in any number of ways, and it’s not always noticeable if it develops exceptionally slowly over time. If you’re wondering if this can affect your eyeglass prescription, it’s important to know how squinting and peering can eventually make a more permanent change to your vision and when it’s time to see an eye doctor in Brunswick, GA.

Eye Strain and Your Vision

For the most part, eye strain causes temporary changes to your vision. The eye muscles become tired, but then they recover. So, if you happen to run across very tiny print or you’re trying to make out a freeway sign from multiple yards away, you don’t necessarily need to worry about what you’re doing to your eyes. These are normal occurrences, but they don’t happen often enough to really compromise your vision.

The problem isn’t occasional eye strain; it’s chronic eye strain in St. Marys, GA, due to uncorrected vision. If the eye is constantly straining, either because it’s under intense conditions (think overworked eyes during a chaotic time period at work) or because your prescription is wrong, it can result in permanent changes to your visit.

So, let’s say that the prescription is at -2.50 at the time of your initial eye exam. After three months, your eyes would benefit more from a -2.75 prescription due to a progression in your near-sightedness. If you spend the next nine months straining your eyes, you could end up needing a -3.0 prescription when a -2.75 might have corrected the problem before. This is something of an uncommon scenario in that most eyes don’t change this quickly, but it illustrates how important it is to pay attention to the quality of your current prescription.

Optometry Offices in Jesup, GA

At Vision Source Family Eye Care, our staff is here to help patients understand how their habits today can impact their vision tomorrow. Eye strain in adults may not be a common cause of vision changes, but the results change drastically when you start discussing the long-term changes of kids who experience eye strain. Whether you just noticed the problem in yourself or you’re noticing a family member struggling, we have three locations in Jesup, St Marys, and Brunswick to serve you.

Do I Need Special Contacts If I Have Astigmatism?

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An astigmatism is an uneven curvature of the eye, and the abnormality can prompt a lot of questions for those with the condition. The main one being whether a person needs a certain type of contact if they’d prefer not to wear glasses. We’ll look at what you can expect to find on the market if you’re looking for a solution.

Seeing with an Astigmatism

An astigmatism in Brunswick, GA will scatter the light when it enters the eye, essentially causing the tell-tale blur of the condition. Regardless of if you get glasses or contacts, your prescription will redirect the light so it only hits a single part of the retina. This fixes not just the distortions, but also the headaches, squinting, and eye strain that you likely associate with having an astigmatism.

Contacts with an Astigmatism

It should be noted that people with a very mild astigmatism can typically wear regular contacts. (An eye doctor in Jesup, GA can tell you if you fall into this category.) This is because the effects are so minimal that your vision can be corrected without the need for specially shaped contacts. However, if you’re dealing with a more moderate to severe condition, you may need to consider the following products:

  • RGP: Rigid gas-permeable contact lenses will hold their shapes better than soft lenses, and they ensure the cornea is lubricated enough to correct the imbalance.
  • Scleral: Scleral contacts will have bigger surfaces than soft contacts, and their centers are filled with synthetic tears. Much like RGP contacts, the artificial liquid is what helps people with an astigmatism see clearly.
  • Hybrids: Hybrid lenses are a mix of hard lenses and soft lenses. While the middle is hard, the edges are soft, which can be more comfortable for a patient to wear.

Eye Doctors in St. Marys, GA

If you have questions about which contacts are right for your eyes (and which will be tolerable to keep in day in and day out), the optometrists at Vision Source Signature Eye Care can tell you more about the brands and types of contacts that are best for you. With locations in Brunswick, St. Marys, and Jesup, GA, our staff is here to help.

macular-degeneration

FAQs Regarding Macular Degeneration

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Macular degeneration happens when a part of the eye called the macula becomes compromised. Your macula is actually part of your retina. It’s located near the back of your eye, and its primary purpose is to process color and fine details. As a result, it’s responsible for the acuity of your central vision. If there’s a problem with your macula, you may notice changes to your vision that include blurred or fuzzy vision and blind spots when you look straight ahead. A visit to your eye doctor in Brunswick, GA, can diagnose macular degeneration.

What Causes Macular Degeneration?

Several factors may contribute to macular degeneration. For many, this is an age-related disorder that sometimes affects people over the age of 50. Gradual changes in vision may point to the dry form of this condition that’s caused by the breakdown of the macula’s light-sensitive cells. While doctors aren’t sure exactly why this happens, they do believe it may have genetic or environmental roots.

Severe macular degeneration often happens as a result of the wet form of this disorder. This happens when abnormal blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak blood and fluid that blocks your vision. Lifestyle and diseases such as chronic hypertension may lead to wet macular degeneration.

Who Is Most At-Risk of Developing Macular Degeneration?

Some people are more at-risk than others of developing this debilitation eye condition. They include:

  • Smokers
  • People who eat a lot of saturated fats
  • Those with uncontrolled hypertension
  • People over the age of 50.

Regular eye exams with your vision specialist can help detect macular degeneration in its early stages. This may prevent further loss of vision.

Is It Possible to Prevent Macular Degeneration?

You may decrease the risk of developing macular degeneration by making simple changes to your lifestyle. Stop smoking, eat a healthier, lower-fat diet, get regular exercise, and have regular eye exams. If you’re concerned sudden vision changes may signify macular degeneration in Brunswick, GA, make an appointment with Vision Source Family Eye Care today. Vision Source has convenient locations in Brunswick, St. Mary’s, and Jesup, GA, and our friendly and knowledgeable associates are always happy to schedule an appointment time that works for you.

3 Ways to Deter Eyelash Mites Around Your Eyes

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Eyelash mites, scientifically known as Demodex mites, are microscopic bugs that reside around the hair follicles on your skin. While these mites are common and live on pretty much every human, an overabundance of them generates problems. If you have an overabundance of eyelash mites, you may even be at risk of conditions that require treatment from a Brunswick, GA eye doctor.

1. Steer clear of old cosmetics

It is a good idea to swap out your eye makeup products every few months. As you use these products on your eyes, they pick up dead skin cells, eyelash mites, and the eggs of the insects. This means even if you keep your eyelashes clean, you are essentially bringing back the problem with every swipe of product.

2. Clean your eyes twice a day

Morning and night, take the time to clean your eyes well with water and a washcloth that has a bit of texture. You want to remove any remaining eye makeup, but also dead skin cells, excess skin oil, and eyelash mites and eggs as well. A lot of people make the mistake of cleaning their lashes and lids with only a moistened cotton ball. This may wipe away makeup residue, but it does not do a good job of getting rid of lingering eyelash mites.

3. Keep your bedding and pillows as clean as possible

If you want to thwart issues with eyelash mites, make sure you keep your bedding and pillows clean. Dust that hangs out in bedding is attractive for the mites. They will actually lay their eggs in the dust, which means every time you sleep on the soiled bedding, you could be picking up more mites. Thankfully, all that is required to keep populations at bay by killing off the eggs is a trip through your washing machine.

Keep Your Visual Health in Check with a Brunswick, GA Eye Doctor

Even though eyelash mites sound scary, the issue is common and highly treatable with the help of a Brunswick, GA eye doctor. Plus, a few changes in your everyday routine makes a huge difference. If you suspect you are dealing with eyelash mites due to eye irritation, reach out to us at Vision Source Family Eye Care to schedule an appointment.

Why Do I Feel Like I Always Have to Squint? 

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As people grow older, they develop certain physical habits. These may include gesticulating with their hands when they speak, tilting their head at a certain angle or something else. But squinting isn’t so much a habit as a conscious or unconscious adaptive behavior or sight adjustment. If you feel like you are always squinting, or even need to squint, then may have some underlying condition going on with your eyesight.

Your Vision May Have Changed

The actual eye changes shape as you age. This results in changes in vision over time. Even those who have enjoyed 20/20 vision their entire lives may find that their vision isn’t as perfect as it was several decades previously. If you feel like you always have to squint, you may simply need corrective lenses. Contact us to schedule aneye exam in Jesup, GA, where we can evaluate your vision and recommend treatment options.

You May Have Macular Degeneration

A more serious cause for the need to squint may be related to macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is fairly common, but most people aren’t aware of it. Left untreated, eventually a person could lose their vision entirely. While sometimes macular degeneration exhibits no symptoms, other times a minor difficulty in seeing is apparent.Macular degeneration in Jesup, GA can be detected by your eye doctor. Come in as soon as possible so that treatment can begin right away, if necessary.

You May Need UV Protection

UV rays aren’t always obvious. But the sun can create eye strain even on cloudy days in winter. If you are always feeling like you need to squint, it could be that your eyes have become more sensitive to light than they have been in the past. A good pair of UV-rated sunglasses may do the trick. Or, you may do well with a pair of transitionprescription eyeglasses in Brunswick, GA instead of your usual eyeglasses.

Remember, needing to squint is not normal. You should contact youreye doctor in St. Marys, GA to get to the bottom of the issue. We can help determine the cause and come up with relevant treatment options that will make you more comfortable and your eyes more healthy.

What Are the Best Solutions for Dealing with Dry Eye?  

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Dry eye is a common condition that develops when your eyes do not produce enough tears to keep them lubricated. While dry eye in Brunswick, Jesup, and St. Marys, Georgia is frustrating and uncomfortable, it is also easy to treat.

The Process of Tear Production

Your eyes contain a film created by a small gland near each eye. The film contains aqueous fluid, fatty oils, and mucus. The eyes normally produce all three substances to ensure that your eye surfaces remain lubricated. Dry eyes occur when the glands fail to produce any of the substances. Common reasons for this interruption include:

  • Allergies
  • Autoimmune disease
  • Decreased or increased tear production
  • Hormonal changes
  • Inflamed eyelid glands

Aging, the use of certain medications, and having certain medical conditions are the most common reasons for decreased tear production. You could have also acquired corneal nerve sensitivity due to contact lens use or laser eyelid surgery. Fortunately, decreased tear production after laser eyelid surgery is temporary. People with increased tear production may have vitamin A deficiency, blink less often than other people, allergies, or structural problems with the eyelids.

Some people with dry eyes go on to develop eye infections or permanent damage to the surface of their eyes. Making specific lifestyle changes is your first line of defense when it comes to eliminating the problem of dry eyes.

How to Prevent Dry Eyes

Here are some commonsense steps you can take to treat or prevent dry eyes:

  • Use artificial tears daily if you have a history of dry eyes.
  • Stop smoking if you are a smoker and avoid contact with secondhand smoke.
  • Position your computer screen below eye level. Taking this step keeps you from opening your eyes widely and slows the evaporation of natural tears between blinks.
  • Take a break from reading, computer use, or anything else that forces you to focus your eyes for long periods.
  • Wear wraparound sunglasses outdoors.
  • Do not blow air into your eyes with a hair dryer, car heater, or any other source that produces hot or cold air.
  • Use a humidifier in the winter to increase moisture in the air.

If you continue to struggle with dry eyes, please contact our eye clinic in Brunswick, Jesup, or St. Marys, Georgia to schedule an appointment and learn more about our treatment options.

 

Does Everyone Eventually Get Cataracts?

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As you age, you may begin to worry about getting cataracts. If you’re like most people, the thought of getting cataracts may cause many sleepless nights, headaches, and anxiety. You may often ask yourself “Will everyone eventually get cataracts?” Most people will develop cataracts as they get older, but age isn’t the only cause of cataracts in Jesup, GA and other places. Here are the most common reasons why a cataract may form.

Diseases

Many studies suggest that people who suffer from a disease like hypothyroidism, autoimmune disorder, or glaucoma have a much greater chance of getting cataracts. People with diabetes are especially prone to developing cataracts because the part of their eye known as the aqueous humor usually has too much sugar. If your aqueous humor has high levels of sugar, your vision will be significantly affected.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a common condition.

If you have high blood pressure, you’re more likely to experience increased inflammation. When this happens, cataracts may develop.

Eye Trauma

Another common reason why cataracts form is eye trauma, whether it’s chemical, radiation, blunt, or penetrating trauma. Even if the eye trauma occurred several years ago, cataracts can eventually develop.

Congenital Cataracts

Despite common belief, newborns can also get cataracts. Newborns are likely to develop cataracts if they’ve experienced a genetic disposition, measles, trauma, or a reaction to a drug. Newborns who are born with diabetes can also develop cataracts.

Smoking

Do you smoke on a regular basis? You may be surprised to learn that smoking can actually cause cataracts. Many experts believe that smoking can cause cataracts due to the extremely high levels of free radicals in the eye lenses. Over time, these free radicals can result in cell oxidation in the eye lenses, which ultimately contributes to cataract development.

Too Much Alcohol Consumption

Excessive alcohol consumption can drastically increase your chances of getting cataracts. Whenever you drink too much alcohol, you’re inadvertently damaging your eye cells. More often than not, significantly damaged eye cells are vulnerable to cataracts.

Be sure to make an appointment with an eye doctor as soon as possible if you think you’re suffering from cataracts. The condition is usually treatable. Ask an eye doctor in Brunswick, GA if cataract surgery is right for you.

Why Are My Eyelashes Falling Out?

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Eyelashes go through growth cycles just like the hair on the top of your body. These growth cycles happen naturally and you can’t control them. What you do need to know is that it’s also natural for eyelashes to fall out every now and then. Everyone has experienced the occurrence of having an eyelash get in the eye or land on a cheek. This is perfectly normal. But eyelashes aren’t meant to fall out all at once. Each lash is on an independent growth cycle, so they are meant to fall out individually, at different times. If you have eyelashes that seem to be thinning or falling out in groups, here are some reasons why that may be happening.

Use of Fake Eyelashes

Most women enjoy having long eyelashes. Lush eyelashes are equated with beauty and youth. Unfortunately, the long-term use of fake eyelashes can actually lead to thinning lashes or lashes that fall out in clumps. One culprit is the glue that is used to adhere the lashes to the lid. Sometimes inexpensive eyelashes have poor glue that really shouldn’t be used near the eyes. It’s best to only buy superior eyelash brands from a company and name that is trusted in the beauty industry.

Allergies

Sometimes allergies can lead to eyelashes falling out, too. Even if you’ve never experienced allergies in the past, you may have developed a new allergy from a new beauty product. If you have concerns about eye allergies, talk to your eye doctor in Jesup, GA.

Certain Medications

If you are taking certain medications or having certain medical treatments, one of the side effects may be hair loss. If so, it’s quite possible that your eyelashes would be affected, too. Review any medications that you’re taking and see if hair loss is listed as a side effect. If it is, speak to your physician about the possibility of getting an alternative medication.

Excess Eye Rubbing

If you are constantly rubbing your eyes because of eye irritation, this could cause friction on your eyelashes and make them fall out. If your eyes are irritated to this degree, book an appointment with your Jesup, GA eye doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

Eyelashes don’t normally fall out en mass. If this is happening to you, contact us today to figure out the solution.

Wire Frames or Plastic Frames? Which One is Right For You?

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When you’re choosing a new pair of glasses in Brunswick or the surrounding area, it’s important to find glasses that match your personal style. Glasses come in a range of colors and shapes. One of the decisions you’ll have to make is whether to get plastic or wire frames. These two materials are very different from each other, so it’s important to know the differences before you make your choice. Here’s what you need to know.

Wire Frames, Pros and Cons

Compared to plastic frames, wire frames are light weight and comfortable on the face. Unfortunately, this also means that wire frames are easier to bend. If you accidentally sit on your wire frames or put your wire frames in a place where they’re put under pressure, they may bend out of shape.

One more quality that wire frames have that are not found in plastic frames: nose pads. Some people see nose pads as an advantage, others see nose pads as a disadvantage. Nose pads need to be replaced regularly, which can be an inconvenience. However, nose pads are also adjustable to the shape of the nose, which can make the glasses more comfortable to wear.

Plastic Frames, Pros and Cons

Some people find plastic frames hard to adjust to, because they’re heavier than wire frames. For the first few days that you wear plastic frames, you might feel some discomfort.

Plastic frames are also less adjustable, which means that some plastic frames may not fit properly on your nose. It’s important to choose a pair that fits well.

One advantage of plastic frames? They often come in bright, noticeable colors. If it’s important to express your personality with your glasses, then plastic frames may be the right choice for you!

Making a Decision

Not sure how to decide which type of glasses are right for you? Start by visiting your eye doctor in Brunswick. Try on some glasses for yourself. Ask someone from the eye doctor to help you choose the right size glasses for your face.

Contact Your Eye Doctor Today

If you’re ready for a new pair of glasses, contact your eye doctor to make an appointment for an eye exam. Once you’ve had an eye exam, then you can get your next pair of glasses. Call today to get started.