Dangers of Improper Contact Lens Care

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a report showing there are almost one million doctor visits in the United States every year for eye infections due to improper contact lens care.

It is estimated that 38 million Americans wear contact lenses. While contacts in Charleston, South Carolina, can provide improved vision for people who are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism, you must follow proper hygiene steps to avoid eye infections.

Keratitis is the condition that can occur with poor contact lens care. It occurs when the cornea becomes infected with fungi, bacteria or other microbes, leading to pain, inflammation, scarring and vision disturbances…even blindness.

Avoid Eye Infections with Proper Contact Lens Care

If you don’t wear or care for your contacts properly, your risk of Charleston, South Carolina, eye infection (keratitis) increases. Here are some tips to follow when using contacts:

·         Always have super clean hands before touching contacts in or out of your eyes

·         Never clean contacts with tap water or saliva – there are millions of bacteria in your mouth and tap water can be teeming with bacteria and microorganisms that can lead to serious infections

·         Use a fresh batch of the proper disinfecting solution every time – certain types of bacteria can live in cleaning solution for over 4 hours

·         Clean and dry your contact lens case with the proper solution after each use; replace the case every 3 months

·         Do not sleep in contact lenses unless approved by your doctor

·         Do not swim or shower in contact lenses

·         Always have an extra pair of glasses to wear, in case you need to remove your contacts

If you love your appearance with contact lenses (as opposed to glasses), you need to invest time each day to care for and wear them the right way. If you rate your “Contact Lens Hygiene” low, but you don’t like wearing glasses, maybe LASIK in Charleston, South Carolina, is a better way to go!

LASIK vision correction at Charleston Cornea and Refractive Surgery may help you achieve 20/20 vision so you can remove the inconveniences of contacts and glasses from your life. However, not all patients are good candidates for this procedure. The only way to know for sure is by scheduling a free LASIK Consultation to have your eyes examined. Call 843-856-5275 or visit http://www.charlestoncornea.com/ to schedule your first step toward a lens-free life…and possibly a lower risk of eye infections.   

Enjoy Library Lovers’ Month with Clear Vision

February is Library Lovers’ Month…a great time to celebrate how libraries of all types benefit our communities. It’s also a great time to pick up a book and rekindle your love of reading.

However, if you are farsighted and have trouble focusing on printed items close-up, you may become discouraged by the need to constantly locate your glasses in order to read. If farsightedness has plagued your eyesight for years, Dr. O'Day at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery may be able to help. Dr. O'Day has performed thousands of LASIK procedures in Charleston, helping many farsighted patients achieve 20/20 vision. Patients are often amazed at how clear their close-up vision is after LASIK.

If you are over age 40 and feel that you are just now experiencing farsightedness, you are most likely experiencing a completely different vision condition called presbyopia. Unlike a refractive error, presbyopia occurs to most people as they age and is caused when the eye lens begins to stiffen. People with presbyopia have trouble focusing on close-up objects, including menus and books, and require reading glasses to see more clearly.

Monovision LASIK is sometimes performed to help minimize the effects of presbyopia by correcting one eye for up-close vision and one eye for distance vision; however, traditional LASIK does not correct presbyopia.

To find out if you qualify for bladeless LASIK in Charleston, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com to schedule a free LASIK Consultation. Most patients report improved vision the day after their procedures; you might be able to enjoy Library Lovers’ Month with clear vision after LASIK!

Here are some other observations during February to complement Library Lovers’ Month:

• Saturday, Feb. 7: Take Your Child to the Library Day
• Saturday, Feb. 14: International Book Giving Day (share your love of reading on Valentine’s Day!)

Pirates Don’t Wear Glasses

Blackbeard…Captain Kidd…Black Bart…Redbeard…even Jack Sparrow…

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a pirate who wore glasses (there were plenty of eye patches, though). Does that mean that all pirates had 20/20 vision? Probably not; but it’s safe to assume that pirates didn’t have access to good eye care.

Even if a pirate did manage to visit an eye doctor and find out his vision was less-than-perfect, the idea of wearing eye glasses wasn’t too appealing. (After all, a pirate had a reputation to uphold!) And LASIK vision correction wasn’t FDA-approved before the late 1990s, so all the gleamin’ booty in the world wouldn’t make that an option.  

Why are we talking about pirates? September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day! It’s a day for you to connect with your inner pirate and toss about a few “Aarrs” and “Blimeys” with friends, family and co-workers. You may even want to don an eye patch for the occasion. But if you have to wear glasses to correct your nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, it will be almost impossible to look authentic with an eye patch over your glasses. 

Avast! If you want to celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day by looking like a pirate (meaning, no glasses), find out if LASIK vision correction in Charleston is right for you. Call 843-856-5275 or visit charlestoncornea.com to schedule your free LASIK Consultation at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery.

Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery won’t hornswaggle you with the cost of LASIK and they will even provide LASIK financing optionsto make better vision more affordable. 

Will Glasses Stand the Test of Time?

Popular Mechanics recently published an online article titled “10 Things That Will Disappear in the Next 110 Years.” We thought we would share that list with you:

1. Eyeglasses
2. Video game consoles
3. Postage stamps
4. C batteries
5. Keys
6. Snow tires
7. Telephone poles
8. Band-Aids
9. Wallets  
10. Flathead screwdrivers

The article didn't go into any specifics on why the publication’s editors felt these items would no longer be relevant. However, at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery we can take a guess at one reason why the #1 item on the list might phase out: LASIK vision correction. Charleston LASIK is already helping thousands of people in our area eliminate their need for glasses or contacts. It’s a laser procedure that corrects vision for people who are nearsighted, farsighted or who have astigmatism, but it’s not for everyone. If a patient’s corneas are too thin or if other eye problems exist, an alternative to LASIK may be recommended. The only way to know for sure if LASIK might reduce or eliminate your need for eyeglasses is to schedule a free LASIK Consultation at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery by calling 843-856-5275 or visiting charlestoncornea.com.

It’s possible that no one reading this blog will know for sure if all of these 10 things will be gone in 110 years. But it’s going to be interesting to see what the future holds for all types of technology, including vision correction. 

How Alcohol Affects Vision

Researchers in Canada recently studied how drinking a “legal” amount of alcohol affects vision. What they discovered is that up to 30% of vision is impaired even before participants hit the legal blood alcohol concentration limit, which is 0.08% in most states.

The researchers used a process called the Hermann Grid for the study. One group of participants consumed nonalcoholic drinks; the other consumed enough alcohol to get just under the legal limit. Both groups then looked at a grid of black squares on a white background to estimate the number of ghost-like dark spot illusions they saw at the intersections of the grid.

Participants who consumed alcohol were 30% less effective in distinguishing contrast of the spots in the grid as they approached the legal blood alcohol limit.

The results of this study showed that drinking alcohol will make it difficult to distinguish differences between objects based on lightness and darkness. Your vision may be impaired by up to 30% when driving at night or at twilight under the influence of just one or two alcoholic drinks.

Everyone should take note of this study, whether you are nearsighted, farsighted, have perfect vision or have had LASIK vision correction. No one is immune from the effects of alcohol, and even if you “feel” good enough to drive after having one or two drinks, your vision may still be impaired.

At Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery we inform all of our patients when they can safely consume alcohol before and after eye procedures, such as LASIK. We encourage all patients to be responsible when drinking and always have a designated driver. To learn more about LASIK, including the cost of LASIK in Charleston, schedule a free LASIK Consultation with Dr. O'Day at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery. Call 843-856-5275 or visit charlestoncornea.com today. 

Celebrate National Puzzle Day!

January 29 is National Puzzle Day. When was the last time you sat down to tackle a puzzle with your family or friends? This is a great way to slow down your hectic pace, actually talk to loved ones and enjoy the little things in life. However, if you are forced to wear glasses in order to see the tiny puzzle pieces, this activity might create more distress than enjoyment.

People who are farsighted have trouble seeing things up-close without vision aids like contacts or glasses. Staring at puzzle pieces can make your eyes feel dry when you’re wearing contacts. And let’s face it, the weight of glasses on your nose is just plain uncomfortable after a while.

If you are farsighted and would love to see puzzle pieces more clearly, maybe you should consider LASIK vision correction. LASIK is a procedure that slightly alters the shape of your cornea so light will reflect properly on the back of the eye (retina). In farsighted people, the eye is too short, the cornea not curved enough or the lens is positioned farther back than normal. This causes light to focus behind the retina so it’s harder to focus on close objects.

LASIK can’t give every patient 20/20 (or better) vision, but it might put the puzzle pieces together for your eyes. You need to schedule a free LASIK Consultation with Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery to find out. Contact Dr. O'Day in Charleston, South Carolina today at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com to schedule your free Consultation. Or take our free online LASIK Self-Evaluation to find out if you might be a good candidate for LASIK. The puzzles are waiting! Call today! 

Take Steps to Achieve Your (Vision) Dreams

What are your dreams? Most of us have one or more personal aspirations. The Dream Come True Foundation has designated January 13, 2014 as National Make Your Dream Come True Day. So, rather than listing nebulous New Year’s resolutions this year, use January 13 to actually take steps to make those dreams a reality.

Improving vision is often a dream for individuals who have to wear glasses or contacts. When you are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism, seeing the world clearly without the aid of vision correction devices may seem like an unobtainable goal.

However, at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery, we have helped thousands of people achieve their dream of 20/20 vision and visual freedom through LASIK vision correction. The problem is that many people leave LASIK in the “dream” category, without ever truly investigating if they can afford LASIK and if the procedure will work for their eyes.

January 13 is the perfect day to schedule a free LASIK Consultation and really take that first step. Dr. O'Day offers free LASIK Consultations to determine your LASIK candidacy, discuss LASIK financing options and answer all of your questions about LASIK.

Contact us today to make your vision dream a reality! Call 843-856-5275 or visit charlestoncornea.com. 

Celebrate Letter Writing Day!

Did you know that December 7 is Letter Writing Day? It’s a real observance that encourages people to swap their computer keys and texting thumbs for a pen or pencil…and to craft a hand-written note to someone. Sending someone a personal letter shows that you took time out of your busy schedule to share a story or two about your recent activities…or to thank them for a kind gesture…or to ask Santa for that new remote-controlled car!

For some people, writing a letter means getting out their glasses or putting in their contacts to see their words form on the page. Farsighted people have difficulty seeing things up-close, which can make writing, reading and fine detail work just plain impossible without corrective lenses. Wouldn’t it be nice to have the ability to jot down a note anytime, day or night, without the hassles of glasses or contacts?

LASIK vision correction can make letter-writing a breeze for some patients. The process actually corrects the shape of the cornea in farsighted patients, helping light to focus directly on the retina as opposed to behind it.

LASIK won’t help you craft the great American novel, but it has helped millions of Americans see up-close more clearly. It’s also important to know that even after LASIK, some patients need reading glasses in later life due to the natural stiffening of the eye’s lenses…a naturally-occurring condition called presbyopia.

To find out if your next Letter Writing Day could be celebrated without glasses, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery in Charleston today by calling 843-856-5275 or visiting charlestoncornea.com to schedule your free LASIK Consultation. 

Do Starfish Have Eyes?

The next time you stumble across a starfish while swimming in the ocean, gaze into his arms to see if he notices you. That’s right…his arms!

Oddly enough, most starfish have primitive compound eyes on the tips of each of their arms. A recent study showed demonstrated that starfish use these eyes to process visual information, especially when there was a need to locate food sources. Two groups of starfish were studied: one group with eyes and one group without. The two groups were placed in a sandy area of the ocean and studied how they moved toward the coral reef, which was their food source. The group with eyes was able to navigate directly toward the reef, while the group without eyes wandered aimlessly.

Additional studies into starfish may help researchers learn more about eye evolution.

Researchers are also continually studying human eyes and devising new technologies to correct vision problems. For example, in the past if you were nearsighted, farsighted or had astigmatism, you were stuck wearing glasses or contact lenses for life. Today, people have options, such as LASIK laser vision correction, to potentially eliminate their need for corrective lenses.

That means swimming in the ocean (and checking out the starfish) with clear vision using just a regular snorkel/diving mask or goggles.

If seeing starfish and other sea creatures more clearly sounds attractive to you, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com today to schedule your free LASIK Consultation. Dr. O'Day isn't an expert on starfish, but he has extensive experience in helping qualified candidates improve their vision. 

In Music, the Eyes Have It

The eyes have been dubbed “the window to the soul.” Maybe that’s why so many eye make-up products are sold and why so many songwriters focus on this expressive facial feature in their music…songs like:

·         Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
·         Doctor My Eyes by Jackson Browne
·         Eyes Without a Face by Billy Idol
·         Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue by Crystal Gayle
·         When You Close Your Eyes by Night Ranger
·         Betty Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes
·         Private Eyes by Hall and Oates
·         For Your Eyes Only by Sheena Easton
·         Angel Eyes by the Jeff Healey Band
·         Behind These Hazel Eyes by Kelly Clarkson
·         Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain by Willie Nelson

If you’re tired of hiding your eyes behind corrective lenses, you should consider laser vision correction. LASIK eye surgery has allowed millions of Americans to showcase their “baby blues” (and other eye colors, of course) for the world to see.

LASIK eye surgery is performed on people who are nearsighted, farsighted and who have astigmatism. No LASIK surgeon can absolutely guarantee that LASIK will free you from corrective lenses forever, but this popular procedure is very effective for most patients…especially when they choose a surgeon who has extensive experience and a proven track record of success…a surgeon like Dr. O'Day at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery in Charleston.

If you can think of other “eye” songs, share them with us on our Facebook page. And be sure to contact us soon at 843-856-5275 or on charlestoncornea.com to schedule your free LASIK Consultation.