In This Issue: October 2022
- Happy Holidays
- Coping with Vision Loss During the Holidays
- 5 Questions to Consider When Buying Toys
- Eye Care Tip of the Month: Wear Sunglasses
Happy Holidays
May the magic of this beautiful holiday season fill your life with joy, love and peace. Thank you for being a valued patient and for making our jobs so fulfilling. From all of us at Shepherd Eye Center, we wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
Coping with Vision Loss During the Holidays
Decorating your home for the holidays is enjoyable, but the addition of new items around the house can be a challenge if someone in your life has vision loss. This can be due to conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (which causes blind spots in central vision), retina damage, diabetic eye diseases or many other reasons.
Organization is vital to helping those with partial vision loss safely and easily maneuver at home. Here are a few organizational tips that are helpful during the holidays and every day:
- Declutter: get rid of excess items on countertops, floors, furniture, etc.
- Designate: have specific locations for things like remotes, keys, tools, etc.
- Sort: keep the most-used items within easy reach, especially in the kitchen and bathroom.
- Decorate: place safe-to-touch decorations in corners and use high-contrast colors.
- Install: handrails and grab bars can reduce the risk of falls.
- Remove: area rugs and floor mats can be a tripping hazard.
If you or a loved one is experiencing vision loss, please contact us at (702) 996-5159 to schedule an eye exam. Your condition may be treatable.
5 Questions to Consider When Buying Toys
The American Academy of Ophthalmology designates December as Safe Toys & Celebrations Month. When buying toys for your loved ones, please refer to this checklist to keep their eyes safe:
- Does the toy incorporate lasers? Shining lasers into the eyes can lead to vision loss.
- Are there any sharp edges, points, etc.? Reckless use of wands, swords, fishing poles, etc., can lead to eye penetration injuries.
- Does the toy include projectiles? Blunt trauma can occur if items are shot into the eyes (even soft darts).
- Is the toy made with harmful chemicals? Improper use can lead to chemical conjunctivitis (a type of pink eye), chemical burns and other eye irritations.
- Does the toy include an ASTM label? Toys should meet the national safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials.
Make sure your children are playing with age-appropriate toys, they fully understand how to use the toy and that it meets their maturity level. If they receive a gift that isn’t appropriate, be sure to carefully supervise the play time.
Adults should also heed these warnings and be careful when celebrating during the holidays. Champagne corks can fly up to 50 mph, so make sure you point the bottle away from people and pets. Sustaining an eye injury will certainly ruin your celebration!
If you or a loved one sustains an eye injury, please contact us at (702) 996-5159.
Eye Care Tip of the Month: Wear Sunglasses
Even though it’s winter, it’s still important to wear sunglasses when you are outdoors! The sun is still giving off harmful ultraviolet rays. In fact, UV rays are intensified when they bounce off snow, ice, water, etc. It’s even possible to experience snow blindness (photokeratitis), resulting in temporary vision loss. Please wear sunglasses that block 99% – 100% of UVA and UVB rays all year long to reduce your risk of developing cataracts, macular degeneration, pterygium (surfer’s eye) and more. Stop by our Optical Shops to check out our prescription and non-prescription sunglasses options!
