Seeing Eye To Eye

It is a New Year!
Written By: | January 18, 2012

Take control of your own eye health and make it a core component of your overall healthcare routine.

  • Stop Smoking
  • Eat a diet rich in green leafy vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids
  • Be physically active every day
  • Maintain normal blood pressure
  • Control Diabetes if you have it
  • Wear sunglasses
  • Wear protective eyewear

Make your vision health a priority.

Visit us for a comprehensive dilated eye examination.  Imagine your life without your vision.  It is a scary prospect and one that can likely be prevented with comprehensive eye care.

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Beware of Halloween Contact Lenses (on the internet)
Written By: | October 13, 2011

Halloween is right around the corner.  Special effect and “circle-tinted” contact lenses popularized by the Twilight Saga movies and Lady Gaga are being sold on the internet.  This is a concern.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified all contact lenses, whether they correct vision or are simply cosmetic, as medical devices in 2005.  In the United States, contact lenses cannot be obtained legally without a prescription.

Contact lenses of all types obtained without a prescription and without appropriate fitting, training and follow-up present risks to the eye that include corneal abrasion, corneal ulcers, vision impairment and blindness.

If you want special effect contact lenses,

  • Get an eye examination from an eye care professional.
  • Get a valid prescription that includes the brand and the lens specifications.
  • Buy the lenses from an eye care professional or a vendor that requires prescription information.
  • Follow directions for wearing, cleaning, disinfecting and replacing the lenses.
  • Visit your eye care professional for follow-up eye examinations.
  • And, never share your contact lenses.

 

 

 

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10 Summer Tips
Written By: | July 25, 2011

It is now late July and summer is in full swing! We’ve had quite a few weeks of sunshine especially with the heat wave we’re currently experiencing.

Of course, with all the extreme summer sun also comes the hidden dangers such as UV damage, which can affect both our eyes as well as our skin. As you know, UV damage increases the risk of skin cancer, but UV damage to eyes can also be exceedingly harmful. It can be one of the factors responsible for the development of cataracts, macular degeneration, pinguecula, pterygia and photokeratitis. To help you avoid these problems in the future, we have developed a list of 10 great eye care tips to protect your eyes from the intense summer sun without missing out on the fun!

1.

Purchase sunglasses with UV protection.
Be sure your sunglasses offer 100% UV protection. This will ensure that your eyes are protected against harmful UV rays. You will find that all sunglasses from the designer brands such as Maui Jim, Ray-Ban, Prada and Oakley will offer UV protection as standard.

2.

Always wear your sunglasses. Even on those cloudy days.
Even if the sun’s not shining, you should always remember to wear your sunglasses when there is cloud cover. You may not realize it but UV damage can still occur even when it’s cloudy.

3.

Consider larger style sunglasses for extra protection.
Coverage is crucial. Larger style sunglasses offer more eye coverage than smaller lenses. This ensures better protection from the sun. Shield or wrap-around styles are great at restricting the amount of sun that can enter from around the edges of your sunglasses providing the fit is good. So, be sure to have your sunglasses fitted by an optician to be sure you are achieving maximum coverage.

4.

Go Polarized!
With all the outdoor activities during the summer, polarized sunglasses are great at reducing glare from reflective surfaces such as water, and wet or metallic objects. These are also great for sport activities and daytime driving. Normal tinted or graduated sunglasses may provide UV protection but they still leave you squinting from the glare, which will only exhaust your eyes!

5.

Try Transitions
Sunglasses with photo chromic or transition lenses darken on exposure to UV light. This makes them great for both low and bright light conditions. Just ask us for a photo chromic coating with your prescription lenses. This will provide you perfect protection for both indoor and outdoor use!

6.

Maintain your glasses
If they’re not on your face, then they should be in a case! Your sunglasses should always be well protected and maintained. This will ensure they are kept free from frame damage, dirt and scratches. Protecting your sunglasses will allow them to last longer and continue fitting correctly. Scratched or dirty lenses can cause discomfort, as you are more likely to blurred, patchy vision, which can create eyestrain.

7.

Take the plunge and switch to RxSun!
If you have a prescription, we highly recommend choosing a pair of designer sunglasses to provide fashionable and 100% UV Protected vision. Our large selection of Maui Jim sunglasses offers you the top UV and polarization protection on the market. With nine layers of polarization, Maui Jim sunglasses stand above all other polarized sunglasses available.

8.

Always have a spare
Pepose Vision always recommends that you have a spare pair of sunglasses. It will be in that moment that you are playing your favorite summer sport, or floating down the river that you will lose or break your sunglasses and be in need of a spare. Keeping a second pair on hand will allow you to have the comfort of knowing you always have protection from the sun, even in times of emergency.

9.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
The recommendation is to drink 8 cups of water day to prevent dehydration. Of course you should always drink more if it’s hot or you are exercising. Drinking plenty will helps prevent headaches and dry skin caused by dehydration, but it will also help to keep your eyes from drying out and feeling tired.

10.

Stay inside during peak hours
When possible, we recommend avoiding the midday sun (11am – 3pm). During these hours the sun is at its strongest, which means the highest levels of UV damage occur during that time. If you do venture out at this time of day always be sure that you are wearing sunscreen, a hat and of course….your sunglasses!

Do you have any more summer sun tips? We’d love to hear them below!

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Oh Say Can You See?
Written By: | July 1, 2011

With summer officially here and temperatures in the nineties, July fourth cannot be far away. And what would Independence Day be without a breathtaking fireworks display?

Unfortunately, around 12,000 people a year are treated in Emergencies rooms for fireworks-related injuries, including a handful of fatalities. Well over half of these injuries occur between June 18 And July 18.

Of those injured, roughly one in four involve the eyes, often resulting in blindness, third degree burns to the lids and face and permanent scarring. Close to half of those injured are 14 years of age and younger, boys twice and frequently as girls, with the 10 to 14 years old group at highest risk.

Firecrackers, sparklers and rockets were the cause of most of the injuries and burns. Sparklers often ignited clothing, as they burn at over 1000 degrees. Rockets fly into faces and firecracker explode in peoples hands, causing injury to the victim and to bystanders.

What is the solution? LEAVE FIREWORKS DISPLAYS TO TRAINED PROFESSIONALS.

Celebrate our nation’s independence and have a wonderful time with your loved ones and family. Please remember to make it a safe July fourth and protect your most precious sense and your children’s, as well.

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Dr. Pepose Talks about St. Louis Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa’s condition
Written By: | May 12, 2011

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Sunglasses Are Not Just For Fashion
Written By: | April 6, 2011

Spring is here and the thought of outside activities is on everyone’s mind. One thing that is extremely important to remember is UV protection for our eyes. Over-exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can cause eye damage and can lead to vision loss. Damage to the skin around the eye causes wrinkles, premature aging, and skin cancer.

UV-related eye conditions that can be prevented by good quality sunglasses include Cataracts, Pterygium (growth on eye), Macular Degeneration, Skin Cancer of lids, and Photokeratitis (sunburn on the cornea).

Most good quality sunglasses should have 100% UV protection. Polarization is a type of lens that blocks out scattered light or glare. Polarized sunglasses also have VU protection. For the sharpest, most comfortable vision out doors and in the car, look for sunglasses that are polarized.

Remember to bring your sunglasses with you when heading out the door. Weather you are young, old, or in between, we all need UV protection. You don’t need an appointment to visit our optical and have one of our experienced consultants help you with your selection. Sunglasses aren’t just an accessory.

 

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The Importance of Eye Safety in Sports
Written By: | February 4, 2011

Sports are the leading cause of eye injuries in children. Seventy-two percent of the injuries occurred in individuals younger than 25 years, 43% occurred in individuals younger than 15, and 8% occurred in children younger than 5. Obviously there are many long-term health and social benefits to playing sports, but 40,000 people each year find themselves in the emergency room because of a sports-related eye injury. More than 100,000 individuals a year visit their doctor because of an eye-related sports injury. The bottom line is that sports related eye injuries do happen, they can be severe, and they can cause permanent vision loss.

The most common eye injuries in sports are from something hitting an eye with force. Contact sports and sports that use balls, rackets, or sticks have a higher risk of this kind of injury. These injuries can be relatively minor, like a black eye, or more serious. Serious injuries include breaking the bones around the eye, bleeding inside the eye, retinal detachments, or rupturing the eyeball. Some of these injuries may result in permanent vision loss.

Other types of sports eye injuries occur when something cuts or pierces the eye, like a piece of glass, debris, or fingernails. These types of injuries can also cause permanent vision loss. Additionally, water and snow sports involve intense sunlight and require protection from ultraviolet light.

The good news is that 90% of sports-related eye injuries are preventable by simply using the correct protective eyewear or gear. When protective eyewear is fit properly it should not hinder performance. The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommend protective eyewear for all sports participants where there is a risk of eye injury. Regular eyeglasses and sunglasses do not provide very good protection of the eyes during sports. In fact, according to the National Eye Institute, sports participants using regular glasses or sunglasses are at higher risk of an eye injury than those participants not using anything at all. This is because the glasses themselves may become part of what injures the eye.

No matter what your sport, look for eye protection that is appropriate for the sport and fits properly. Some sports have standards for protective eyewear established by the American Society of Testing and Materials. The lenses or shields in this safety eyewear should be made of polycarbonate material, the strongest and most shatter-resistant material. By wearing protective eyewear, you can significantly decrease your risk of eye injury and keep yourself in the game.  Enjoy your winter sports and take care of your eyes!

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