Eye Care Articles

Whether as a young child or grown adult, everyone at some point in their life has experienced waking up to mucus or a gritty substance in the outer corners of their eyes. Although it has its many nicknames such as eye gunk, the sleepies, or even eye boogers, the clinical term for this occurrence is simply eye discharge or rheum.

What exactly is eye discharge?

So much of what a child learns is based on what they see, so much so that 80% of the material taught in the classroom is delivered in a visual manner. In fact, a child’s vision not only impacts their academics, but their athletic performance, personality, and attitude towards school. Therefore, as kids start heading back to school as early as July, it is no surprise that August was declared Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month.

As July has become synonymous for its devastating heat and scorching sunny days, it only seems fitting that it was declared National UV Safety Month. Now UV rays have been mentioned in countless sunscreen and skincare marketing campaigns, but do any of us really know what these rays are? In honor of UV Safety Month, we will discuss not only what these rays are, but how to protect oneself from their harmful effects.

What are UV Rays?

Due to the fact the leading cause of blindness in individuals across the globe over the age of 40 is cataracts, it is no surprise that June was declared National Cataract Awareness Month. And what better way to raise awareness for such a widespread eye disease than to define, and discuss the signs, symptoms, and treatment options of cataracts.

Looking forward to summer plans? Whether it’s hiking the Grand Canyon or simply soaking up the sun on a beach vacation we all look forward to some much needed time outdoors. You might have already started to create your own to do list to get ready for your upcoming adventures, but did you consider preparing your eyes for those bright summer months.

There are millions of people seeing the world through contact lenses, and you may be one of them.

The condition of your eyes depends on how well you care for your prescribed contact lenses and/or eyeglasses. While contacts are convenient for people with vision problems, improperly cleaned and stored lenses can cause eye infections.

To keep your eyes healthy and your contact lenses in great shape, follow our directions below for correct contact care.

Did you know vision benefits included in your health plan expire at the end of the year? If you were unaware of this, then you’re included in a large group of people who didn’t know “use it or lose it” applies to vision health insurance. If you do not use up all the money allotted to you before December 31, 2018, it will not roll over into 2019.

During this festive time of the year many of us want to celebrate to the fullest as we dress to impress, whether it’s going to Halloween parties or send the kids out trick or treating. While dressing up may sound like fun there are some unforeseen risks to our costume choices. Special effect contacts lenses being one of the hottest trends to complete a look can also be the most dangerous when purchasing them from the wrong place.

October is Eye Injury Prevention Month and we want to help you keep your vision healthy throughout your life!

The number one thing you can do to prevent eye injuries is wear protective eyewear. But guess what, more than half of people aren’t doing this. This is super important when performing home repairs and maintenance, and even when playing sports.

Some people who wear contact lenses do not know that contact lenses and water are a bad combination—even when being worn. This includes wearing them while showering, swimming, or using a hot tub.

Back-to-school time is just around the corner, and the scramble to buy school clothes, new pencils, backpacks and notebooks will begin. At Nationwide Vision, we remind busy parents not to neglect one of the most important learning tools: their children’s eyes. 

Some people who wear contact lenses do not know that contact lenses and water are a bad combination—even when being worn. This includes wearing them while showering, swimming, or using a hot tub.

What precautions should you take when using eye cosmetics?

Are you bothered by sore, red eyelids — perhaps accompanied by crusty debris at the base of your eyelashes? If so, you may have blepharitis.

Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelid margin. It's common and treatable. Eyelid hygiene is very helpful to treat and control blepharitis, but only if performed properly.

To begin, use a clean, warm compress to melt any blocked residue in the oil-secreting meibomian glands in your eyelids. Here's how:

For many users, contact lenses can be worn and then forgot about until it’s time to take them out again. However, because of the seeming simplicity of their use, it’s often overlooked that they are still a medical device and have specific instructions for comfortable wear. Below is a list of common questions about being fitted for, buying, and wearing contact lenses.

On August 21, 2017, the entire United states will experience a partial eclipse – and for those lucky enough to be in parts of 11 states, a full eclipse.

The Great American Eclipse of 2017, as it is referred to, offers an exciting opportunity to experience this exciting event.

However, looking directly at the sun an eclipse can permanently damage your vision and potentially blind you, so it is important to plan so you can experience it safely.

Every sun-kissed, popsicle-craving, sprinkler-on-the-lawn-loving child knows: September means saying goodbye to those colorful sunglasses and saying hello to a binder-sized pencil pouch chock-full of school supplies.

Independence Day is upon us again and the bright sparkles and thunderous crackling of fireworks are an exciting and expected part of the celebration.

Fireworks can be a great source of family entertainment when used safely, however, it’s important to remember fireworks are inherently dangerous.

National Sunglasses Day, brought to you by The Vision Council, is held annually on June 27.  It is a commemorative date celebrating the importance of wearing ultraviolet (UV)-protective sunwear and eyewear to protect your vision.

How do you participate?

Between now and through June 27, post a #SunglassSelfie of yourself in your sunglasses on the social media channel of your choice using the hashtag #NationalSunglassesDay. 

When enjoying the great outdoors with family and friends, it’s sometimes easy to forget sun exposure can not only damage your skin, but your eyes too.

Understanding the effects of UV radiation on your eyes is an important step in learning how to protect your eyesight. To keep your eyes healthy, use these facts from the eye experts at Nationwide Vision to protect yours sight when exposed to sunlight.

March is Save Your Vision Month and the American Optometric Association (AOA) encourages patients to learn about blue light and its impact on vision and health.

A 2016 American Eye-Q® survey revealed that 88 percent of Americans know that digital devices can negatively affect their vision, but the average American still spends seven or more hours per day looking at their screens.

All month long, here at Nationwide Vision, our dedicated Arizona eye doctors have been working hard to bring awareness to a condition that can seriously affect your vision: diabetes.

While it’s well known that diabetes can increase your chance of heart attacks, kidney damage, and cancer, many aren’t aware that diabetes can also have severe consequences for your eyesight.

October is Eye Injury Prevention Month and we want to help you keep your vision healthy throughout your life!

The number one thing you can do to prevent eye injuries is to wear protective eyewear. But guess what, more than half of people aren’t doing this. This is super important when performing home repairs and maintenance, and even when playing sports.

In the United States, approximately 120,000 people are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness. If you have glaucoma, don’t keep it a secret. Let your family members know. 

Glaucoma is a condition in which a build-up of pressure inside the eye, referred to as “intraocular pressure,” causes damage to the optic nerve, which transmits images to the brain. Prolonged damage to the optic nerve from high eye pressure can lead to irreversible vision loss or blindness.
Today in the US, primary open-angle glaucoma (the most common type) affects an estimated 2.2 million people. An aging population will raise that number by more than a million by 2020

Wearing contact lenses and glasses can sometimes feel inconvenient, and it’s for that reason many people choose to improve their vision permanently with laser vision correction techniques, such as LASIK. But before someone can receive LASIK, a patient needs to meet a set of criteria—this is important for the LASIK procedure to be successful. For example, if a patient is over the age of 40, he/she is less likely to be a good candidate for LASIK.

If your eyes are red and feel dry and irritated on a regular basis, it may be due to dry eyes, formally known as keratitis sicca. At NationWide Vision we help patients become well informed about their eyes issues and treatment options, and dry eyes are among the most common issues our patients deal with.

Cataracts—a clouding of the lens of your eye—are the most common source of vision problems that people suffer from. Most things in life require good vision—driving, running errands, operating machinery, working, etc.—so impaired vision can be extremely limiting to your quality of life. The first step to treating cataracts is by prescribing a stronger glass prescription, but overtime cataracts will still progress, making it harder to see.