Use it, don’t Lose it!

If you have vision insurance, you may be unaware that the benefits you have saved this year could potentially disappear at the end of 2020. Let’s be real, 2020 has been tough enough on most of us. Don’t make it worse by losing the benefits you pay for before having the chance to use them!

There are different ways to obtain vision insurance and different types to take advantage of. You may be lucky enough to have it through your employer. In this case, take advantage of all this perk has to offer.

Flexible Spending Account

Sometimes a part of employer-sponsored insurance could be a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). If so, it can be an awesome way to set aside money for unexpected medical expenses throughout the year. The money gets set aside pre-tax and can be used it yearly. The only issue with an FSA is that the funds put into that account do not roll over at the end of the year.

Come 01/01/2021 we are all going to be very excited this year is over. But if the money in FSA  is not used before then, you are going to be upset that the money is gone.

How to Use Vision Insurance

Some common uses for FSA that are related to vision would be a yearly eye exam, the cost of glasses, and the cost of contacts. Depending on family size and vision needs these expenses can add up quickly. If funds are already set aside for these expenses, don’t wait! Even with 20/20 vision, things can change so it is always best to get an exam yearly. If you and your family have already gotten your exam, maybe look for a new style of glasses, or make sure you are stocked up on contacts.

We know that this season of the year can be one of the busiest. Between work and school as well as holiday parties and family gatherings it can feel overwhelming to make the appointments needed. A great time to make an appointment would be during winter break while the kids are off. We have two convenient locations so call today to make you and your family appointments!

EXERCISE

We all know that regular exercise is good for you, this of course, is not news. BUT did you know that in addition to keeping your heart and body healthy it may also help your eye health?

There is a new study that has linked regular exercise to eye health. According to the American Academy of ophthalmology, exercise can help you guard against eye damage and help prevent serious diseases.

Some of the diseases that it could help prevent are:

Macular Degeneration (AMD) – This is a leading cause of vision loss for people over 50, and this happens when the small central portion of your retina wears down over time.

Glaucoma-this is a group of eye conditions that cause damage to the optic nerve, this is usually caused by abnormally high pressure in your eye.

Diabetic Retinopathy-this is damage caused to the blood vessels of the retina, as a result of diabetes.

Cardio exercise will increase the flow of blood to the optic nerve and the retina. The science behind the link is that exercise promotes healthy blood vessels in the eye. This means, that exercise boosts the resilience of your eyes to damages. Vision problems and eye disease can also be a byproduct of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Regular exercise and a healthy diet can help to lower both your blood pressure and your cholesterol, which in turn help you prevent future eye problems.

DIET

Your overall health and eye health is all interconnected and being health conscious about your food and making sure to get your physical activity in can make such a difference. There are certain nutrients found in commons foods that are good for you eyes like Vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Examples of foods that are good for you and your eyesight are:

• Spinach/Kale/Collards
• Salmon/Tuna
• Eggs/nuts/beans
• Oranges and citrus fruits

Just adding some of these to your weekly meals will help dramatically.

Eye Health

By taking steps towards a healthier lifestyle you are not only helping your waistline or your heart but your eye health as well. As we move into the holiday season, make sure to balance it out with exercise and healthy meals as well.

In addition to exercise and healthy food, do not forget to schedule your eye exam with us here at TriCounty Eye Associates! A regular eye exam should always be a part of your healthy lifestyle.

Optomap Prime… Our cool new machine!

We are always trying to keep up with the newest technology in the eye care field. Not only does it keep us evolving as a practice, it helps us to best serve our customers…aka YOU! 

We got a new machine here at TriCounty Eye associates a while ago, and we wanted to make sure our patients know about it. The machine allows us to use Optomap ultra-widefield imaging when doing a routine eye exam. This machine is not offered at other eye care facilities in the area and we are very excited to be able to offer it to you as part of a complete eye exam. 

Transforming your vision has never been easier

This process is much easier on you and it gives us a much better image of your retina. To dive a little deeper, this machine allows our doctor to be able to screen your retina for early detection of possible conditions. Some things that can be detected by the Optomap machine are:

• eye conditions
• stroke 
• heart disease
• hypertension
• diabetes 

You should love it as much as we do!

The cool thing about this machine is that it lets your doctor look at the retina, which is located at the back of your eye and is normally not visible for eye exams. It also usually won’t require dilation of your eyes. It also is completely noninvasive. The scan won’t cause any discomfort and won’t leave you with blurry vision for 4-6 hours like dilation can.

More benefits of the Optomap machine are that it facilitates early protection from vision impairment, early detection of life-threatening diseases, and more effectively catches early signs of retinal disease. Prior to this technology, imaging would only show 15% of the patient’s retina at once. The Optomap is a digital image of the retina produced by optos scanning laser technology. It is the ONLY technology that can capture 82% of your retina at one time.

Having these images done each time you come in for an exam will also help our doctor to compare year after year to monitor changes in your eye health over time. 

Our Optomap deserves the Prime at the end of it’s name!

We are so excited to be able to offer this new technology to our patients. It not only makes your eye exam a bit more comfortable, it offers you a more complete look at your eye health as well as other possible health issues.

Set up Your Annual Eye Exam Today! 

Ready to come get your eye exam? Call us today to schedule your appointment!

Blue light is not a new phenomenon, but we are, in recent years, realizing the potential threat it could cause after long term exposure to man-made sources of blue light. What is it you ask and how dangerous is it anyway? We are here to explain! 

Blue light, is one of the visible rays of light that are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. It has a very short wavelength, because of this it produces a higher amount of energy.

It can be found in sunlight as well as the handheld electronics we use daily, computers and televisions. Most of us, in this day and age, are exposed to an excess of it. 

It’s Not All Bad

There are some perks to blue light, it doesn’t need to be avoided altogether. It is known to be beneficial during daylight hours to help boost alertness, attention, mood, and reaction time. It can also be linked to helping memory and elevating your mood.

The concern is that long term exposure to blue light over time can eventually cause some serious eye issues. Some signs you are looking at too much blue light is if you have:

Eyestrain

Difficulty focusing 

Frequent headaches

Physical fatigue

Mental fatigue

Trouble sleeping

Or blurry vision 

Long Term Effects of Blue Light

It is also suspected to increase the risk of macular degeneration which could lead to vision loss in extreme cases.

Since the invention of the television, we have been increasing our exposure to this light year after year. From work to play, we are usually looking at a screen for a significant amount of time. Since we care so much about your eyes here at TriCounty Eye Associates, we want to be sure you have the right equipment. 

What Can You Do?

You can fight the long term effects of over exposure a couple of different ways. The first is pretty obvious…limit your time staring at electronics. While some electronics can’t be avoided like your work computer, others can have time limits set like your cell phone, tablet, or televisions. For the ones you HAVE to look at we recommend utilizing the 20/20/20 rule. The rule is, every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds, this will help keep your eyes from straining. 

Another way to help protect your eyes from necessary exposure is to wear glasses that have special lenses that help block the harmful light from coming through. We can add this feature to any prescription glasses, and we can offer you just strictly blue light blocking glasses if you do not need a prescription and just want to protect your eyes.

Make sure your kiddos have all the supplies they need.

This school year is going to look very different for everyone. With the different options and trying to keep everyone safe and up to date with the newest health info. Some kids will be in the classroom setting and some will be e-learning from home. We simply want to remind you to make sure your kiddos have all the supplies they need, including glasses!

Schedule annual eye exams.

Kids should start getting their eyes examined as early as 6 months old. The easiest way for parents to keep track is to schedule the exams yearly around the beginning of the school year. Yearly exams are important to keep up with kids possible changing eyesight and make sure they are well equipped and ready to learn. 

Signs your child may need glasses.

Did you know, that approximately 44% of parents are not aware that some behavior problems could be a product of poor eyesight? If you aren’t sure that your child needs to get glasses here are some good indicators are:

• Frequent headaches 
• Short attention span 
• Avoiding reading and other close activities 
• Frequent eye rubbing 
• Tilting the head to one side

If you notice any of these signs it could be because they are having trouble seeing and need glasses or contacts. But, even if there are no apparent signs, it is still a good idea to get an exam yearly to be proactive about possible issues down the road. Eyesight is imperative to the learning process. 

School exams vs. licensed Optometrist

Some schools offer the yearly exams to help identify issues, but there are some important differences between the exams done at school and an exam done by a licensed optometrist. An optometrist checks more than just your child’s vision. Our local stores offer special customized services to help you and your child find the right pair of glasses. 

We also offer blue-light blocking glasses. This is especially important for the kids choosing to learn from home on their computers and tablets. Blue light blocking glasses can help prevent long term issues that could arise later. 

Contact us today!

Call either location today to schedule your child’s yearly eye exam and get them the glasses or contacts they need for the school year. It will be here before you know it!

We here at TriCounty Eye Associates are excited that it is officially summer!  

As of June 21st one of everyone’s favorite seasons is here! With all that is going on in the world these days, we are sure that everyone is ready for a little getaway.

Road Trip!

We are thinking the best option these days is a ROAD TRIP! According to AAA, 100 million Americans took road trips last year…and considering new safety concerns this year, we are betting that number is even higher!

Sometimes, the destination isn’t near as important as the journey to get there. Logging miles in the car to far off destinations, or just going to the next town over could help you to cure your cabin fever. Let’s face it, we are all going a little stir crazy!!

Why Now?

Did you know that while driving almost 90% of your reaction depends on your vision? That’s HUGE. You may be thinking that you have never needed glasses before, so why get tested now?

A couple of signs that you could need glasses are if you notice yourself squinting, getting frequent headaches, or feeling unusually tired. If you have any of these signs frequently happening you could be in need of glasses which will make things easier for you as well as keep you and everyone else on the road safer.

In order to keep you, your family, and everyone on the road safe this summer we want to remind you to get your yearly eye exam in before you head out.

Schedule your exam today!

Whether you have always needed glasses or contacts, or you never have before, your eyes are always changing and you may need a new or updated prescription. It is a good idea to get an eye exam once a year to keep up with your changing vision. Driving without the correct eyewear could put you in a bad situation and we are here to help you avoid that!

TriCounty Eye Associates are open regular hours, call us to schedule your exam today! 

Summer is here, Break out your sunglasses!

Has anyone else been day dreaming of your summer vacation? According to the ustravel.org in 2019 only 54% of Americans planned their paid time off days to take a vacation…are you one of those people???

Plan a Vacation

If not, let me tell you why you should be! ustravel.org also reports that people who planned their paid time off reported to be 15% happier overall than people who didn’t plan.

It’s officially summer and we here at TriCounty Eye Associates are excited for more beach days and sunny getaways.

While you are planning and packing we want you to remember one of your most important summer accessories, your SUN GLASSES!

But Seriously, pack your Sunglasses

Not to scare you, but UV rays can cause some serious damage if you’re not protected properly.

The American Optometric Association explains that there are three types of UV radiation:

1.UV-C

2.UV-A

3.UV-B

UV- A and UV- B radiation can have long- and short-term negative effects on the eyes and vision. UV-C is not anything we need to worry about seeing as it is absorbed by the ozone layer.

Just like your skin, your eyes need SPF. If you were to expose your eyes to excessive amounts of UV radiation (ya know like that week you wanna spend laying on the beach?) over a short period of time they call it Photokeratitis. Basically a sunburn for your eyeballs..OUCH!

Now, the long term effects can be a tad bit scarier resulting in the development of cataracts or macular degeneration later in life. Because its not known exactly how much exposure will cause these long term problems its best to just always protect your eyes.

We can Help!

Come visit us at TriCounty Eye Associates and let us find the perfect set of shades for you and the whole family!!!

Sources:

American Optometrist Association

UStravel.org