N e w s l e t t e r

Volume 1, Issue 5

In this issue:

December is Safe Toys & Gifts Month

Spend the Holidays with Family This Year, not in the Emergency Room!
Read More..

Your Healthy Sight: Vision Conditions

Almost everyone will experience some eye trouble at one time or another. For example, your eyes might look or feel strained, dry, bloodshot, or itchy.
Read More..

Extras:

Web Site Feature: Our Practice

At Northland Eye Care, its all about the patient. Our goal is to be the extraordinary eye care practice in Northern Arizona by treating our patients better than anyone else and providing the highest possible quality of care.
Read More..

Other Sites: Hale-Qamar Cataract & LASIK Center

Northland Eye Care provides LASIK services through Hale-Qamar Cataract & LASIK Center of Scottsdale.
Visit Hale-Qamar

December is Safe Toys & Gifts Month

Before you head to the mall or go online, remember to make sure that the gift you purchase will be a safe one. Unfortunately, thousands of children are injured every year by toys. In 2005, the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that 202,300 children were treated in the emergency room for toy-related injuries. And, 7,820 of those injuries were to the eyes. Read more by visiting Prevent Blindness America.

Your Healthy Sight: Vision Conditions

Almost everyone will experience some eye trouble at one time or another. For example, your eyes might look or feel strained, dry, bloodshot, or itchy. Or your eyes might be particularly sensitive to light due to certain medications you are taking or certain medical conditions you might have. Also if you have recently gone through procedures such as surgery to remove cataracts, your eyes will need protection. In the case of light sensitivity, you might want to consider wearing photochromic lenses to help reduce the amount of light that enters the eye and to block 100% of eye-damaging UV radiation. Make sure to consult your eyecare professional for any problems that last more than a day or two or to determine the best way for you to protect your eyes from excess light and from UV radiation.

Enjoying Healthy Sight There are several things you can do each day to help maintain healthy sight and help reduce the risk of damage to the eyes. In addition to visiting your eyecare professional regularly, you should eat properly, not smoke, exercise regularly, take vitamin supplements, if recommended, and drink eight to ten glasses of water a day to keep your body and eyes hydrated. Make a conscious effort to stop periodically to rest and blink frequently - especially when reading, working on a computer, or watching television. Avoid rubbing your eyes. And remember to always select proper eyewear with everyday lenses that protect your eyes from the sun's harmful UV light and glare.

Following are some common eye conditions that you should be aware of. However, Transitions Optical recommends that you discuss this list and any vision-related concerns with your eyecare professional, as this information is not intended to be a substitution for medical advice.

Minor Eye Irritation

(May include sand, dirt, or other foreign body on the eye's surface.) Wash your hands and then flush the eye with lukewarm water for up to 15 minutes. If the object remains embedded, seek professional medical help immediately.

Conjunctivitis (Pinkeye)

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, or clear membrane covering the white part of the eye and lining of the eyelids. There are actually 20 different types of conjunctivitis, from fairly common strains that usually pose no long-term danger to you or your child's vision to types that are resistant to antibiotics. Call or see your doctor to treat pinkeye.

Dry Eye Syndrome

Itching, burning, and irritation of the eyes, sometimes called "dry eye syndrome," is one of the most common problems treated by eyecare professionals. It is usually caused by the quality of the tears that lubricate our eyes. As we age, our bodies produce less oil to seal the eyes' watery layer. Hot, arid climates, air conditioning, certain medicines, and irritants such as cigarette smoke can all affect dryness. Your eyecare professional might prescribe "artificial tears" or other eye drops to help alleviate the problem.

Floaters and Spots

Ever notice a small speck moving in your field of vision? It might be what's called a floater - a tiny clump of gel or cells in the vitreous, the clear, jelly-like fluid inside your eye. Aging, eye injury, and breakdown of the vitreous are the main causes of floaters. If you notice a sudden increase in the number of spots you see, call your eyecare professional.

Cataracts

When we hear the word "cataract" we might think of a film on someone's eyes that causes double or blurred vision. But a cataract does not form on our eye, but rather within our eye. Have you ever opened your eyes underwater? People with cataracts say it's like looking through water. In fact, the word 'cataract' means waterfall.

A cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens of our eye that makes it hard to see. In a normal eye, the crystalline lens is almost transparent and can change shape to focus objects at different distances from the eye. When the lens loses its flexibility and becomes 'opaque,' we call it a cataract.

Some types of cataract formation have been linked to overexposure over a long period of time to ultraviolet (UV) light. As people age, many develop cataracts, but they can be treated with a safe and simple surgical procedure performed by an ophthalmologist. Special precautions must be taken after surgery to ensure that the eye is protected from sunlight. Please consult your eyecare professional at Northland Eye Care to ensure that the proper protective eyewear is prescribed to you.



N e w s l e t t e r Volume 1, Issue 5 In this issue: December is Safe Toys & Gifts Month Spend the Holidays with Family This Year, not in the Emergency Room! Read More.. Your Healthy Sight: Vision Conditions Almost everyone will experience some eye trouble at one time or another. For example, your eyes might look or feel strained, dry, bloodshot, or itchy. Read More.. Extras: Web Site Feature: Our Practice At Northland Eye Care, its all about the patient. Our goal is to be the extraordinary eye care practice in Northern Arizona by treating our patients better than anyone else and providing the highest possible quality of care. Read More.. Other Sites: Hale-Qamar Cataract & LASIK Center Northland Eye Care provides LASIK services through Hale-Qamar Cataract & LASIK Center of Scottsdale. Visit Hale-Qamar	December is Safe Toys & Gifts Month Before you head to the mall or go online, remember to make sure that the gift you purchase will be a safe one. Unfortunately, thousands of children are injured every year by toys. In 2005, the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that 202,300 children were treated in the emergency room for toy-related injuries. And, 7,820 of those injuries were to the eyes. Read more by visiting Prevent Blindness America. Your Healthy Sight: Vision Conditions Almost everyone will experience some eye trouble at one time or another. For example, your eyes might look or feel strained, dry, bloodshot, or itchy. Or your eyes might be particularly sensitive to light due to certain medications you are taking or certain medical conditions you might have. Also if you have recently gone through procedures such as surgery to remove cataracts, your eyes will need protection. In the case of light sensitivity, you might want to consider wearing photochromic lenses to help reduce the amount of light that enters the eye and to block 100% of eye-damaging UV radiation. Make sure to consult your eyecare professional for any problems that last more than a day or two or to determine the best way for you to protect your eyes from excess light and from UV radiation. There are several things you can do each day to help maintain healthy sight and help reduce the risk of damage to the eyes. In addition to visiting your eyecare professional regularly, you should eat properly, not smoke, exercise regularly, take vitamin supplements, if recommended, and drink eight to ten glasses of water a day to keep your body and eyes hydrated. Make a conscious effort to stop periodically to rest and blink frequently - especially when reading, working on a computer, or watching television. Avoid rubbing your eyes. And remember to always select proper eyewear with everyday lenses that protect your eyes from the sun's harmful UV light and glare. Following are some common eye conditions that you should be aware of. However, Transitions Optical recommends that you discuss this list and any vision-related concerns with your eyecare professional, as this information is not intended to be a substitution for medical advice. Minor Eye Irritation (May include sand, dirt, or other foreign body on the eye's surface.) Wash your hands and then flush the eye with lukewarm water for up to 15 minutes. If the object remains embedded, seek professional medical help immediately. Conjunctivitis (Pinkeye) Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, or clear membrane covering the white part of the eye and lining of the eyelids. There are actually 20 different types of conjunctivitis, from fairly common strains that usually pose no long-term danger to you or your child's vision to types that are resistant to antibiotics. Call or see your doctor to treat pinkeye. Dry Eye Syndrome Itching, burning, and irritation of the eyes, sometimes called "dry eye syndrome," is one of the most common problems treated by eyecare professionals. It is usually caused by the quality of the tears that lubricate our eyes. As we age, our bodies produce less oil to seal the eyes' watery layer. Hot, arid climates, air conditioning, certain medicines, and irritants such as cigarette smoke can all affect dryness. Your eyecare professional might prescribe "artificial tears" or other eye drops to help alleviate the problem. Floaters and Spots Ever notice a small speck moving in your field of vision? It might be what's called a floater - a tiny clump of gel or cells in the vitreous, the clear, jelly-like fluid inside your eye. Aging, eye injury, and breakdown of the vitreous are the main causes of floaters. If you notice a sudden increase in the number of spots you see, call your eyecare professional. Cataracts When we hear the word "cataract" we might think of a film on someone's eyes that causes double or blurred vision. But a cataract does not form on our eye, but rather within our eye. Have you ever opened your eyes underwater? People with cataracts say it's like looking through water. In fact, the word 'cataract' means waterfall. A cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens of our eye that makes it hard to see. In a normal eye, the crystalline lens is almost transparent and can change shape to focus objects at different distances from the eye. When the lens loses its flexibility and becomes 'opaque,' we call it a cataract. Some types of cataract formation have been linked to overexposure over a long period of time to ultraviolet (UV) light. As people age, many develop cataracts, but they can be treated with a safe and simple surgical procedure performed by an ophthalmologist. Special precautions must be taken after surgery to ensure that the eye is protected from sunlight. Please consult your eyecare professional at Northland Eye Care to ensure that the proper protective eyewear is prescribed to you.

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