Akron Families Focus on Safe Winter Sight

Winter brings a long stretch of days spent indoors without the opportunity to run around outside. This often results in accidents like ball injuries from playing ball inside, banging into doors and tables or other inside hazards. Fun and exercise is healthy and productive, yet it’s wise to also play it safe.

As your kid-friendly optometrists in Akron, OH, we provide emergency eye care for many children each winter. While eye injury and eye infection may be common for kids who are in a closed space, there are various ways to lower their risk and prevent many eye emergencies.

What are typical pediatric eye emergencies?

Eyes and their surrounding skin are some of the most delicate organs in the body. Many classic sports moves put children’s eyes in the line of danger, such as whizzing balls, horsing around with friends, and climbing on furniture.

Even outdoor recreation, such as playing in the snow, can lead to eye irritation from snow, rain or allergies. The sun is also a concern because many people do not wear sunglasses in the winter. This is a mistake as UV rays are harmful even during cooler months.

Our optometrist commonly treats these eye emergencies in kids:

• Cuts or scratches on the eye or eyelid
• Eye infection, such as pink eye
• Blunt injury to the eye or eyelid
• Exposure to chemicalsa
• Objects stuck in the eye
• Burns

How do I know if my kid has an eye emergency?

Every parent has faced the confusing question how bad is it? Kids come home with scrapes and bruises all the time. You don’t want to overreact with a mad dash to the emergency room, yet you also don’t want to ignore a potentially serious medical problem. Without attention from a qualified eye doctor, some types of eye injury and eye infection can lead to vision loss and future complications.

Call the Closest Pediatric Eye Doctor’s Office Call 330-630-1124

Symptoms to watch out for include:

• Redness (bloodshot eyes)
• Bleeding, or other unusual discharge from the eye
• Itchy eyes
• Bruising
• Eye pain
• Stinging or burning
• Pupils of unequal size
• Double vision, reduced vision, or loss of vision
• Sensation of something stuck in the eye
• Sensitivity to light

Even if you are unaware of any trauma or injury that occured, the above symptoms are all red flags to be taken seriously! Call our Akron eye doctor for urgent assistance.

First Aid for Parents to Do

Before you reach our optometrist or for very minor eye injuries, there are some helpful actions to take at home. Keep these guidelines handy:

Black eye

It often feels like there is a magnetic attraction between balls, bats, sticks, stones and children’s eyes! A direct hit to the eye or face can cause a black eye – basically a bruise from bleeding under the skin. The best thing you can do is gently apply cold compresses to your kid’s eye (with no pressure) as soon as possible. Then contact us for medical assistance. Our eye doctor will check for any vision damage.

Irritated eyes from contact with chemicals

Applying sunscreen to the face can be tricky, and generous amounts will easily smear into your child’s eyes. In addition, using art supplies in a closed room can be another source of potentially hazardous substances, such as paint thinner and fixative sprays.

If your child gets any of these chemicals in his or her eyes, rinse the eye/s out immediately with clean, cool water. Hold the eyelid open under a sink faucet for about 15 minutes. (If you need to rinse both eyes, a shower works best.) Afterwards, call our Akron optometrist for guidance on how to proceed – we’ll need to know exactly what solution contacted the eye.

Foreign object stuck in the eye

If you’re dealing with a tiny object, such as a stray eyelash or grain of sand, the eye will typically handle it naturally through blinking and tears. When you need to provide help, the best thing to do is wash your hands and inspect your kid’s eyes. If you see the object, flush it out with clean water. If you cannot see the offending item, contact our office to bring your child in for urgent treatment. Our eye doctor is qualified and experienced to remove foreign objects.

However, if the object (such as a wood shaving from carpentry workshop) appears to have penetrated the surface of your child’s eyes, do not attempt to remove it! Only a professional who is trained in emergency eye care should remove the foreign body. Seek medical attention immediately, as a delay can lead to complications or vision loss.

Top Tips for Pediatric Eye Emergencies

Rule no. 1: with all types of eye injury or infection, it’s critical to tell your kids not to rub their eyes! Rubbing eyes can spread the harmful substance, inflame already irritated eyes, and make every condition worse.

How can you help keep your kids safe from eye emergencies? Our best advice is to equip your child with protective eye gear. Make sure they wear sunglasses year round and use protective eyewear when needed.

Providing Emergency Eye Care in Akron, OH

First of all, don’t panic! Styes may cause pain, yet they are generally harmless and very rarely have any effects on your vision or eyeball. In addition, they’re pretty common. Most people experience at least one or two styes at some point during their life, and these irritating bumps tend to recur. If you have swelling, tenderness and red-hot pain near the edge of your eyelid, don’t wait for your annual eye exam to get it checked. Visit your eye doctor for emergency eye care in our Akron office.

What is a Stye?

A stye is a small lump either on the inside or outside of your eyelid. Most of the time a stye is visible on the surface, yet sometimes they can occur deep inside the eyelid. What’s inside this lump? It is a pus-filled abscess, generally due to an eye infection by staphylococcus bacteria.

Cause of Styes

Many types of friendly bacteria live and breed on the surface of your skin, all of the time. Yet, when the conditions are right, some of these bacteria – such as the staphylococcal bacteria – feast on dead skin cells and other debris. As a result, a stye can develop. The process is similar to the way in which pimples appear.

In addition, a chronic facial condition called rosacea may be the root of your stye problem. Visit your eye doctor or dermatologist to diagnose rosacea and prescribe the best medical treatment.

All Styes are Not the Same

When a stye is located on the outside of your eyelid, it begins as a small spot next to an eyelash. Over the next few days, it will develop into a red and painful swelling. Typically, the stye will then burst and heal. Fortunately, the whole experience begins and ends relatively fast.

An internal stye, which is located on the underside of your eyelid, also leads to a red and painful swelling. However, the hidden location prevents the stye from creating a whitehead. Instead, it will disappear slowly once the infection is past, or a small cyst filled with fluid may remain. If that happens, your eye doctor may need to open and drain the cyst.

Treatment for Styes

Fortunately, most styes will improve and heal on their own within a few weeks. Never try to pop or squeeze a stye! It’s important to let them rupture and release the pus on their own. With regard to self-care, our Akron eye doctor recommends that you apply warm compresses to your closed eye for about 10 minutes, four times a day for a few days. The mild heat will relieve your pain and swelling as it also encourages the style to come to a head. As soon as you see the white head appear, continue applying warm compresses to promote bursting.

Sometimes, medical treatment is necessary and only a qualified eye doctor can evaluate your condition fully. If your style was caused by an infected eyelash follicle, we may need to remove the lash closest to the stye. Other times, the pus may need to be drained. After this procedure, the eyelid heals rapidly.

Signs that You Need Emergency Eye Care

Extreme symptoms of inflammation and pain are typical reasons that patients call our Akron, OH, eye doctor for urgent care. However, even if you experience only mild irritation and swelling of your eyelid, you need to consult with an eye doctor if it doesn’t go away within a few weeks.

We advise you to seek medical advice for the following:

• Eyelid swelling that interferes with your vision
• Inflammation that doesn’t disappear within a week or two
• Pain in your eye
• Recurrent styes; these can indicate a chronic skin problem

Is there a way to prevent styes?

If you find that your styes recur frequently, it’s a sign that you need to improve your eyelid hygiene. Start using lid scrubs to remove excess cellular debris and germs. Follow these steps:

1. Add a few drops of mild baby shampoo into a cup filled with warm water. Stir well.
2. Dip a cotton wool ball into the mixture and gently rub the soapy solution along the base line of your eyelashes. Keep your eyelids closed while you do this.

We also recommend that you take care not to dry your face on dirty towels, rub your eyes with dirty hands, or use old and/or shared cosmetics.

Many of our Akron patients tell us that they felt pinpoint tenderness near a few eyelashes before the stye appeared. If you experience this, you may be able to prevent the stye from forming by applying warm compresses frequently. Being proactive in this way can help you avoid further blockage of the eyelid glands.

Remember, while styes can be very painful – they do not typically pose any hazard to your vision. If you have symptoms of a stye, our eye doctor will provide emergency eye care to help alleviate the pain and promote healing.

Our Dry Eye Specialists Explain Causes of Dry Eyes

Are you always rubbing your eyes or blinking constantly to spread more moisture across the surface? Dry eyes can be extremely irritating, even painful for some people. Inadequate lubrication may cause sore eyes, redness, an inability to wear contact lenses and overall uncomfortable vision. At our eye care clinic, our experienced, expert eye doctors will perform a thorough eye exam to diagnose Dry Eye Syndrome.

As every patient is unique, our eye exam will include questions about your personal lifestyle in order to identify what’s causing your dry eyes. Finding the cause is the best way to find an effective solution!

Depending upon the results of your eye exam, we’ll recommend a number of lifestyle changes to help alleviate the annoying symptoms caused by your dry eyes. We asked our Akron Dry Eye Specialists and they’ve offered 6 possible culprits for Dry Eye Syndrome:

1. Extreme Weather Conditions

Whether it’s summer or winter, extreme weather can stress your eyes so that they can’t produce enough tears to keep your eyes lubricated well. In the winter, it’s helpful to wear goggles or glasses to protect your eyes from frigid temperatures and wind. This is particularly beneficial when you hit the ski slopes or lace up your ice skates. In the summer, heat can lead to dehydration, which saps the moisture from your eyes too. The best way to avoid this problem and stay comfortable is simply to drink enough!

2. A/C or Indoor Heating

Air-conditioning, fans and indoor heating are directly linked with drying out your eyes. Blowing air evaporates moisture from your eyes more quickly, and it also dries out the atmosphere inside your home or office. A humidifier is a worthwhile investment to solve this problem. In the winter, a humidifier will give you an extra bonus of keeping your sinuses moist too, which helps to relieve the symptoms of your winter cold.

3. Seasonal Allergies

Recent studies have shown a strong link between spring allergens and dry eyes. When pollen counts are highest. an increased number of patients visit our eye doctors with complaints of dry eye symptoms. During allergy season, using an air filter indoors may be the most efficient way to avoid the effects of pollen on your eyes.

4. Skin Conditions

Specific skin conditions and disorders are associated with dry eyes. Blepharitis, which refers to an inflammation of the skin along the edge of your eyelids, often leads to Dry Eye Syndrome, because the oil-producing glands are often clogged. This ruins your eyes’ ability to produce tears with a healthy composition of oil. Rosacea, an inflammatory skin condition that generally appears on the face, may also block the oil-producing glands of your eyes.

5. Environmental Effects of the Great Outdoors

While fresh, outdoor air is generally healthy for your eyes, skin and lungs, too much exposure to smoke, wind, dust, and extreme temperatures can certainly lead to eye dehydration. Global climate change has been blamed for many of these ill effects, as your tear film depends upon natural humidity to stay moist. Yet as our environments have changed (and continue to change), the amount of hydration that your eyes can obtain from the outdoor environment has been reduced. Air pollution is also detrimental to healthy eyes, damaging and drying out your tear film.

6. Low-Tear Production

Our eye doctors diagnose many cases of dry eyes that are due to a reduced tear production. Officially termed keratoconjunctivitis sicca, a decreased manufacture of tears can result from a variety of causes. To stimulate tear production, it may be helpful to up your intake of omega-3 fish oil.

Aging is a common reason for inadequate tear production, as well as certain medical disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, diabetes, thyroid conditions, scleroderma, vitamin A deficiency and Sjorgen’s syndrome. If you’ve undergone radiation treatments, your tear glands may have suffered damage. Laser eye surgery is another potential culprit, however symptoms of dry eyes due to these procedures are generally short-lived.

When your eyes are unable to keep up with healthy tear production, it’s a good idea to take a look at any medications you’re taking. Common household drugs, such as decongestants and antihistamines are known to affect the moisture level of your eyes. Other medications that could cause dry eyes include: antidepressants, hormone replacement therapy, acne drugs, medication for Parkinson’s disease, hypertension treatment and birth control.

How Do I Treat My Dry Eyes?

• • Visit Our Page on Treatment Options for Dry Eyes
  • Call our Dry Eye Specialists in Akron at: 330-752-6888

When people think of workplace dangers to the eyes, it is usually machinery, chemicals or construction materials that come to mind.  However, a growing danger to the eyes is one that may be less obvious – exposure to blue light from digital devices, television and computer screens and artificial lighting.  

While the long-term effects of blue light or high-energy visible (HEV)  light emission are not yet fully known, what is known is that blue light is a cause of computer vision syndrome (CVS) and sleep disruptions.  60% of people spend more than 6 hours a day in front of a digital device and 70% of adults report some symptoms of computer vision syndrome (CVS) which include eyestrain, headaches, blurred or double vision, physical and mental fatigue, dry or watery eyes, difficulty focusing, sensitivity to light, or neck, shoulder or back pain (caused by compromised posture to adjust to vision difficulty). Most people do nothing to ease their discomfort from these symptoms because they are not aware of the cause. 

In its natural form, blue light from the sun is actually beneficial to your body by helping to regulate your natural sleep and wake cycles – also known as your circadian rhythm.  It can also boost your mood, alertness and overall feeling of well-being. However, prolonged exposure to artificial sources of blue light, such as that found in electronic devices, television and energy-efficient fluorescent and LED lights, has been shown to cause disruptions in the circadian rhythm as well as more serious vision problems. Researchers at Harvard University have linked blue light with damage to the retina at the back of your eyes, indicating that long-term exposure to blue light could be linked to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and possibly other serious health and vision problems. 

Since 43% of adults work at jobs that require prolonged use of a computer, tablet or other digital monitor, blue light is an increasingly serious threat to your vision, health and productivity. There are a number of options for reducing your exposure to blue light which include computer glasses, specialized lenses and protective coatings. Speak to our eye care professionals to determine which option is best for you.

• Single Vision Computer Glasses: Provide the optimum lens power and field of view for viewing your computer screen without straining or leaning in to reduce symptoms of CVS. These are ideal for when the computer is at a fixed working distance, and work well if the user needs to view multiple screens at the same working distance.
• Office Lenses or Progressive Lenses: No-line multifocal eyewear that can be made to correct near, intermediate and some distance vision with a larger intermediate zone for computer vision if indicated. Perfect for those with presbyopia which is the gradual loss of focusing ability that occurs naturally with age. Office lenses work like progressive lenses but provide a wider field of view for intermediate (1-3 m) viewing distance and near working distance (about 40 cm). 
• Blue-Blocking Lenses: Definitely recommended for this electronic age, blue-blocking lenses block blue light emitted from computer screens that is associated with glare, eye strain and possible sleep disturbances. 
• Anti-glare and filtering coatings (treatments): Eliminate reflections from the surfaces of your lens to reduce eye strain and discomfort from glare. Some coatings can also block blue light emitted from computer screens. 

While all of these are good options for protecting your eyes, the 20/20/20 rule still applies – after every 20 minutes of near tasks, look at something beyond 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds…it’s a good time to stretch the rest of the body too. 

Additionally, diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are carotenoids found in dark, leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale are protective to blue light damage.

A note about children and blue light:

Children are more prone to blue light damage than adults because the natural lenses in their eyes are so clear that blue light passes easily through to reach the retina.  Adults are somewhat less prone since the older we get our natural lenses become more cloudy and blue light does not pass through quite as easily. Pediatricians recommend that young children under the age of two should get ZERO screen time.   They have much better ways of developing their eyesight with activities requiring hand eye coordination with high contrast physical objects.

Technology is advancing the world, and our jobs and daily lives will only continue to rely upon it. Don’t let technology get in the way of your vision and your health. Ask us about the best solution for you.