Month: March 2022

Springtime can bring so many good memories to mind. Warmer weather, fresh wildflowers blooming, bright colors, and outdoor activities. In the Lowcountry, it means the Flowertown Festival is around the corner. The bright pinks of the Azalea bushes will be coloring every corner of town.

These are all telltale signs of spring has sprung can be an incredibly unpleasant time of year for allergy sufferers. One of the most affected parts of the body by allergies are the eyes.  Here are a few ways to cope during this time of year.

Helpful Tips

1. Avoid Allergens – some ways you can avoid allergens could be to change your HVAC filter more often, or even get a filter specifically made to filter out allergens. You can check the pollen levels outside using your weather app on your phone, if the pollen level is high keep the windows of your home closed. Cleaning your home more frequently can help because pollen travels fast. A shower before bed will make sure you don’t track any pollen into your bed with you. It is also a good idea to wipe down pets when they come in from the outdoors and wash them more often during the pollen season.
2. Don’t wear contacts – contacts can get irritated more easily by allergens so switching to glasses just for the season can help to alleviate some symptoms.
3. Wash your hands and face – this is similar to cleaning your home and showering before bed. If you are washing your hands and face more often, you will be getting rid of the pollen you have tracked in.
4. Wear sunglasses – while we have discussed many reasons why sunglasses are a good idea, in this instance, sunglasses can keep pollen from getting directly in your eyes while you are outside.

Tips to Soothe Your Eyes

1. Eye drops – since allergens can cause your eyes to dry out, they can get in your eye. Eye drops can help to keep your eye lubricated as well as help to flush out any allergens stuck in there.
2. Cold Therapy – using a cold compress to help with the symptoms. You can just wet a clean, soft cloth and leave it in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Then gently apply to your eyes for some much-needed relief of redness and puffiness.

Of course, if your allergies are still not under control while following these steps, give us a call. We will be able to determine if medication is needed to keep your allergies at bay.

We hope everyone stays comfortable during this pollen season!

Glasses were invented back in the 13th century in Italy. Since then, people wear them to help see better. Some people need them from birth, others develop vision impairment later in life. Some people just need reading glasses as they age to help them continue to work or enjoy a good book.

There is some new research we wanted to tell you about that the AAO released in January of this year. They are experimenting with eye drops as a way to improve eyesight so that you do not need to wear reading glasses. These topical eye drops could ease the burden of having to remember where you left your reading glasses.

The Details

The technical term for needing reading glasses is presbyopia, which is a gradual loss if near vision with age. There are two kind of eye drops they have developed to combat presbyopia.

1. Miotic Drops – these types of drops will change the size of the pupil which will maximize near and far focus in the eye. This is the first type of drop that is actually FDA-approved.
2. Lens-Softening Drops – these types of drops combat the stiffening of the clear lens in the eye. It softens the eye’s lens, this flexibility allows the eye to better focus on near objects. This drop would be ideal for someone without cataracts who are at the beginning stages of presbyopia.

How Do They Work?

The miotic drops have been proven to start working thirty minutes after use, and they can last from four to seven hours until the effects start to wear off. The early studies of the lens softening drops suggest they can last years.

Side effects

This is a new development in the eye world. While the Miotic Drops have been FDA approved, the lens softening drops have not been approved yet. The main side effects people reported were headaches, limited vision at night, and depth perception issues.

Cost

It is doubtful these eye drops will be covered by insurance, but they are likley to still be less than a pair of glasses.

This is an exciting development for anyone who wears reading glasses. While each person has a different eye health journey it is hopeful that these eye drops can help to improve the quality of life for people who suffer from presbyopia.

Whether you are itching to be on the frontline of technology or comfortable with your glasses, we at TriCounty Eyes are here to serve you!