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How Pools are Hurting Your Eyes, Especially Post-LASIK & Cataract Patients
It’s a scorching hot summer, and the pool is looking very good to you. You just had eye surgery a week ago, but you desperately want to go for a swim. What should you do? You should reconsider activities. Swimming in pools can be harmful for your eyes, especially since you’ve just undergone an ocular procedure like LASIK or cataract removal. Your eyes will be exposed and extremely susceptible to bacteria, so you must be careful to avoid infection. With diligent care, you can begin to swim again after only two weeks. But where is the safest place to swim?
What about in my own pool?
Your pool is the safest bet to swim in after LASIK or cataract surgery. Why? Since it is your pool, you have full control over how much chlorine goes into it. Though bacteria are still a primary concern, you have a reasonable amount of control over possible infection. Another added benefit of swimming in your own pool is that you can dictate what happens in it. You can keep your head well above water, you can minimize splashing, and you can wear goggles to further protect yourself from the water.
What about the public pool?
Public pools are more dangerous than private pools. They are cleaned as regularly as any private pool, but they have the disadvantage of hosting many more people. Having lots of people in the pool only raises the level of bacteria in the water, therefore raising the risk that you will get your eyes infected. Unlike being in a private pool, you can’t control the level of splashing and mayhem that occurs at a public pool. It’s best to stay away from them if you’ve had eye surgery recently.
What about my favorite waterpark?
For those that recently had LASIK and cataract surgery, waterparks must be avoided at all costs. They take the normal chances of infection and exponentially increase them. Waterparks have thousands of people swim in their water every day, meaning that there is an extremely large chance of an eye infection happening. Though their filtration systems are highly advanced, the waters at a waterpark still contain a staggering number of bacteria that can easily infect a vulnerable eye. To top it off, waterparks also require a fair level of physical stress, which can strain your eyes and cause undue harm.
More helpful tips
Overall, you should take it easy and altogether avoid the risk of eye infection through swimming. You can resume swimming normally about a month after either surgery. If you’ve been swimming in a pool and you think your eyes may become infected, be sure to contact your doctor at the Eye Center of Texas.
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5 Simple Tips for Avoiding Digital Eye Strain at the Office
The modern-day office environment, especially long hours on the computer, can wreak havoc on your eyes. Though office work doesn’t require exposure to dangerous chemicals, risky tools or direct sunlight, the time we spend on digital devices can be just as hard on your eyes. In fact, studies show that 87% of American office workers who use digital devices for more than two hours a day suffer from digital eye strain.
Digital eye strain, also known as “Computer Vision Syndrome,” can cause a number of irritating symptoms such as blurred vision, double vision, red/dry eyes, headaches, and even neck and back pain. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help. Here are a few easy tips from our doctors.
1. Proper lighting.
Harsh fluorescent lighting or natural light directly behind you can cause unpleasant glare and reflections, which increase the likelihood for digital eye strain. If you’re noticing irritation from computer glare, simply either reposition your monitor or adjust screen brightness and the room’s blinds.
2. Perfect computer settings.
When your eyes are irritated, lighting may not be the only agitator. So next, check your computer settings to help reduce eye strain. Experiment with increasing text size, turning down screen brightness and lowering blue color temperature to alleviate irritation.
3. Take breaks.
One of the easiest ways to avoid eye fatigue is to take short breaks from your screen periodically throughout the workday. Studies have shown that taking five-minute breaks, five to six times a day could reduce the discomfort and eye strain associated with computer use.
4. Remember to blink.
It may sound obvious, but in the middle of a busy day, it is quite easy to forget to take a second and blink. Actually, people who work on computers blink about one third less as often as they do normally while not working. This lack of blinking can cause dry eyes, which could then lead to long-term eye damage if left untreated. To retain moisture and make sure you’re blinking enough, blink slowly 10 times in a row mindfully every 20 minutes.
5. Eye workouts.
Just because your eyes aren’t muscles doesn’t mean they don’t need exercise to stay in proper shape. To avoid wearing out your eyes at the office, use our 20/20/20 routine. Try looking away from your screen every 20 minutes, and staring off at a distant object that’s about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. The distance helps to release tension and relax the part of your eye that helps you focus.
Keep Your Eyes in Working Shape with Regular Exams with Your Optometrist
Eye Center of Texas specializes in all aspects of eye care, including diagnosis, management, and surgery of ocular diseases and disorders, however, we do not perform routine eye exams or write prescriptions for corrective lenses (glasses and/or contact lenses). We are happy to help you find an optometrist who provides comprehensive eye and vision care. If you are in need of LASIK or cataract surgery, Eye Center of Texas is here to meet all of your vision needs. With six convenient locations all around the greater Houston area, our doctors are equipped with the state-of-the-art equipment and expertise necessary to keep your eyes working their best both on the clock and off. For high-quality medical eye care that you and your family can rely upon, schedule a consultation or an appointment today.
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How To Avoid Developing Cataracts
Aside from your essential organs, your eyes are among your body’s most essential parts. The same way we rely on our eyes to see, our eyes rely on a lens to bend incoming light and form clear images. Over time, however, your lenses can develop cataracts which cause them to cloud and diminish your vision. While there is no 100% proven method of preventing cataracts, taking certain steps now can help to protect your eyes and reduce your risk of developing cataracts later on.
1. Protect Your Eyes from the Sun
Although sunlight is not the direct cause of cataracts, excessive exposure has been shown to increase your risk of developing them. To keep your eyes adequately protected, invest in sunglasses with UV protection, and wear a wide brimmed hat to keep your eyes properly shaded while outdoors.
2. Maintain a Healthy Diet
In addition to being a major risk to your overall health, studies have shown that diabetes can increase your risk of developing cataracts. The first step to avoiding diabetes? A healthy diet. Maintaining a healthy blood sugar level will keep your eyes (and the rest of your body) much healthier as you age.
3. Limit Your Alcohol Consumption
In general, preserving bodily health is an important step to preventing cataracts. Just like a poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption can promote unhealthy blood sugar levels which increase your risk of developing cataracts.
4. If You Smoke, Stop
Need another reason to quit? It’s no secret that smoking is absolutely horrible for your lungs, but did you know that tobacco can also harm your vision? According to recent research, your risk of developing cataracts doubles if you smoke cigarettes.
5. Keep Key Nutrients in Your Diet
Studies have shown that the right balance of certain vitamins, antioxidants and minerals in your diet can seriously reduce your risk of developing cataracts. To make sure you’re maintaining an eye-friendly diet, eat plenty of dark-green leafy vegatables. They contain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which studies have linked to an 18% decrease in the likelihood of cataract development. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish like salmon and sardines can also help you reduce your risk of developing cataracts.
6. Maintain Regular Eye Appointments
The best way to avoid cataracts is to have your eyes checked regularly. Even if your eyes seem healthy, regular eye exams are the only way to detect early signs of eye disorders such as cataracts, glaucoma, or macular degeneration. After all, early detection can reduce your risk of permanent damage and save your vision!
7. Keep Your Vision Intact at Eye Center of Texas
If you’re experiencing vision issues due to cataracts, Eye Center of Texas is the first step to healthier, longer-lasting vision. Using only the finest technology at each of our six locations, our doctors work to make each experience comfortable, convenient and pain free. Find the location nearest you, and schedule an appointment to get started!
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What’s the Difference Between Farsighted & Nearsighted?
If you or your loved one are unfamiliar with vision terms and hear the words farsighted or nearsighted, you might wonder what they mean. In fact, many patients ask us, “What is the difference between farsighted and nearsighted?” Both are refractive conditions—they refer to how light is focused in relation to the eye. Below, learn what farsightedness and nearsightedness mean, as well as the differences between the two.
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Symptoms of a Scratched Cornea
The cornea of your eye is one of the most sensitive areas on your body. Even a small abrasion will be extremely painful. Along with the pain, there are other symptoms related to a scratch on the cornea. You may experience redness, light sensitivity, blurry or decreased vision, headaches, eye twitching, and even nausea.
Causes of a Scratched Cornea
How does a cornea become scratched? The ways to scratch your cornea are endless. Any object that comes into contact with your eye has the possibility of damaging or harming it. Makeup brushes, your finger, a tree branch, workplace debris – anything that gets close enough to touch your eye. Most times it isn’t even a traumatic event and you might not even realize it’s happened until the symptoms show up. Even being outside where there is dirt or sand flying through the air can cause a scratch when you attempt to rub it away.
If you suffer from dry eyes, you could risk causing a scratch trying to open your eyes when you wake each morning. When your eye is dry, your lids can tear and dislodge an outer layer portion just from opening them.
Treatment for a Scratched Cornea
Treating a scratch will depend on the severity of your wound. If it is not a serious one, you can treat it with a non-preserved lubricate applied to your eye. Keeping your eye comfortably moist will allow your eye to naturally heal itself. It is sometimes recommended to use an antibiotic eye drop so infection cannot set in.
If the scratch is more serious, it may need an ointment containing an antibiotic to keep on your eye longer. Sometimes a steroid is needed to decrease the inflammation caused by the scratch. The steroid will also relieve your pain and help reduce the chance of permanent scarring.
Preventing a Scratched Cornea
Since you are not always aware you’ve scratched your eye, it is somewhat difficult to prevent it from happening. There are some circumstances, however, that can help ensure the safety of your eyes. Wearing safety glasses or goggles while doing work where particles are likely to fly about is one method.
Contact your eye doctor immediately if you suspect your cornea has been scratched. The best way to ensure your eye health and prevent permanent damage will require a knowledgeable eye doctor’s help.
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How Long Does Laser Eye Surgery Last?
If you are considering laser eye surgery, you probably have several questions about the procedure. How long does it last? What are the side effects? Will you have to go through the surgery again in the future?
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Cataract Prevention & Treatment
Your eyes are among the most fragile organs you possess. As such, it becomes important to take extra special care of them. One major eye defect that should be guarded against is the formation of cataracts. Let’s take a closer look at this particular medical condition and see how you can prevent it from destroying your vision.
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Cataracts Can Happen to Anyone, At Any Age
Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss for people in their 40s and older, but sometimes cataracts can develop in children or even from birth. Cataracts are cloudy spots on the lens inside the eye. This lens is normally clear, so when it is clouded, it affects vision.
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LASIK or PRK?
At the Eye Center of Texas, we want to make sure our LASIK and PRK patients can see clearly and have the healthiest eyes possible. This means carefully screening our patients and doing whatever we can to prevent complications.
While wavefront LASIK allows excellent custom laser eye surgery results, there are some cases in which LASIK is a poor option for vision enhancement. With that in mind, let’s consider why corneal thickness is so important.
What Is LASIK Surgery?
LASIK is a refractive surgery procedure that involves the use of lasers to reshape the cornea, which is the topmost central transparent layer of the eye. By reshaping the cornea, the passage of light through the eye is improved. Light will focus on a single point on the retina, which is the light sensitive tissue located at the backs of the eye.
LASIK is ideal for treating the following refractive errors:
- Nearsightedness (myopia)
- Farsightedness (hyperopia)
- Astigmatism
How LASIK Is Performed?
During LASIK surgery, a flap is created in the topmost portion of the cornea, which is known as the epithelium. Once the epithelial flap is lifted, a laser can then reshape the rest of the cornea to improve vision quality. The flap is set down after the laser contouring is completed.
Why Corneal Thickness Matters:
Good candidates for LASIK have corneas that are of regular thickness. Corneal thickness matters since it’s important to have sufficient corneal tissue in place to be reshaped. Thin corneas can make it difficult to create an epithelial flap. A lack of corneal tissue can make the surgery risky. The laser will remove a minute amount of corneal tissue, but if there is not enough corneal tissue in place this can result in keratoconus (an outward bulging of the eye) as well as other serious complications.
Can People with Thin Corneas Undergo LASIK?
In general, LASIK is a bad idea for people who have thin corneas or corneas that are irregularly shaped. This is just a common sense approach to laser vision correction that helps prevent serious complications and other issues.
Alternatives to LASIK for People with Thin Corneas:
If you do have thin corneas, there are other laser vision correction options that work on similar principles. This includes PRK. Rather than create a corneal flap, these surgery will involve removal of the epithelium or the shifting of the epithelium to allow for corneal reshaping.
In terms of results, these LASIK alternatives can each enhance vision in a significant way, with results that are comparable to LASIK. Healing times and overall healing experience may be different from LASIK, but patients should noticed improved vision without the need for corrective prescription lenses.
Discussing Your Treatment Options
During the consultation process, we can assess the thickness of your corneas and determine the ideal treatment option for you and your needs. We will work closely with you each step of the way to ensure you undergo optimal treatment for your vision needs. This includes a full discussion of the risks and benefits of laser eye surgery and why one option may be better for you than another.
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Planning Your Super Bowl Menu?
Good news! Avocados are a good way to get more lutein in your diet! Lutein has been shown to be concentrated in the macular of the eye, and some research suggests that it may help maintain healthy eyesight as we age! It’s also linked to reducing the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration (AMD), which are common in the elderly. Therefore, eating avocados should have benefits for eye health over the long term. Bottom Line: Avocados are high in antioxidants, including Lutein and Zeaxanthin so party on!
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Our Locations
Houston/Bellaire
6565 W. Loop S., Suite 650Bellaire, TX 77401
Medical Office:
713-797-1010
Medical Fax:
713-357-7276
LASIK/Near Vision:
Office: 713-395-1515
Fax: 713-357-7278
Pasadena
4415 Crenshaw RoadPasadena, TX 77504
Medical Office:
281-977-8800
Medical Fax:
281-977-8877
Sugar Land
15200 S.W. Freeway, Suite 130Sugar Land, TX 77478
Medical Office:
281-277-1010
Medical Fax:
281-277-4504
Clear Lake
455 E. Medical Center Blvd., Suite 110Webster, TX 77598
Medical Office:
281-332-1397
Medical Fax:
281-282-9152
Katy
Greenhouse Medical Plaza2051 Greenhouse Road, Suite 110
Houston, TX 77084
Medical Office:
713-797-1010
Medical Fax:
281-214-2971
The Woodlands/Conroe
100 Medical Center Blvd., Suite 118Conroe, TX 77304
Medical Office:
713-797-1010
Medical Fax:
936-647-1620