Category: Eye Care

Protecting Your Eyes During Sports

Protecting Your Eyes During Sports

Certainly, protecting your eyes while playing sports is extremely important any time of year. Since April is Sports Eye Safety Month, it’s even more important right now!

Athletes and coaches are well aware that eye injuries happen all the time, while playing sports. It is estimated that more than 100,000 eye injuries occur, due to sports each year. A sizable number of those eye injuries lead to permanent vision loss. Therefore, it is important to take measures to protect the eyes, while playing sports.

Highest Incidence Of Eye Injuries

It is interesting to note that some sports report more eye injuries than others. These are very high risk sports. For example, basketball, baseball, and sports like tennis report a high number of eye injuries. This is probably because the sports use a flying object. It is easy for a player to get hit in the eye or jabbed in the eye.

Full-contact martial arts are also a sport that reports extreme eye injuries. Other sports that report a high number of eye injuries include football, hockey, and lacrosse. Generally, they are eye socket fractures to corneal abrasions.

Guidelines for Protecting Your Eyes

An eye doctor in Boca Raton would certainly agree that it is important to wear protective eyewear. This is the best way to avoid injuries to your eyes. It is suggested that athletes and those that take part in leisure sports wear shatterproof polycarbonate lenses. Polycarbonate lenses are recommended because they are very tough and durable. The lenses are able to easily endure the strongest objects that are thrown at you, while playing just about any sport.

Baseball and hockey players should wear protective helmets that include shields made of polycarbonate that go over their eyes. It is also advisable to replace any damaged protective eyewear with new polycarbonate lenses.

If You Get an Eye Injury Playing Sports, See an Eye Doctor in Boca Raton

If an eye injury occurs while you or a friend are playing sports in Boca Raton, stop immediately and seek out the services of an eye doctor. An eye doctor will examine the injury and determine if the eye injury is minor or serious requiring more medical attention. If you would like more information about eye injuries or eye safety, schedule an appointment at We Are Eyes by calling 561-995-9600.

 

 

What is dry eye and what are some common causes?

What is dry eye and what are some common causes?

Dry eyes is a common condition that affects millions of Americans. Those with dry eyes can experience irritation, tearing, and discomfort that gets worse later on in the day. A common cause of dry eyes include long periods of phone and computer usage. When you are using such devices, your blink rate significantly decreases which leads to your eyes being exposed to the environment for longer periods of time. Eye Doctor Boynton Beach

The purpose of blinking is to rewet the surface of the eye, so by decreasing this process, you are causing a deficient tear surface and this creates many symptoms. In addition, your vision may decrease as well since tears are needed to create a clear surface for light to get into your eyes.

Other causes include systemic conditions such as Sjogren’s or rheumatoid arthritis, medications such as antihistamines (allergy medications), and many other factors including age, gender and environmental conditions.

Home Treatment Options for Dry Eyes

Once your eye doctor makes the diagnosis of dry eyes, he or she will often recommend a using over the counter artificial tears. They substitute the lack of good quality tears and provide comfort by rewetting the surface of the eye.

Warm compresses may be suggested as well to help open up the meibomian glands which contribute to the oily layer of the tears that prevent evaporation. Sometimes, bacteria can grow on the eyelids and cause dry eyes as well, and in this case, the eye doctor will recommend lid scrubs and cleaning the eyelids with baby shampoo.

Look for Treatment at a Dry Eye Center of Excellence

A dry eye center of excellence uses state of the art technology to provide advanced dry eye treatment. They can use imaging technology to assess the function of the meibomian glands, which produce the oily layer of the tears, vital in preventing evaporation.

Advanced Dry Eye Treatment Boynton Beach, FL

If you need dry eye treatment near West Palm Beach, call the eye doctors at South Palm Eye Associates at 561-737-4040. They are able to address all of your eye related issues!