Horizon Responds To Angry Public

Here’s what Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey put on their Website on 1/30/2008 to counter the public outcry over this incident… Read more

Video Gaming For Senior Health

I noticed a local announcement that the local High School students “will spend their annual Day of Service sharing expertise in technology, such as computers and Wii game system, at the county Senior Wellness Center.” My gut reaction was seniors wont have any interest. But surprisingly, Read more

Study Claims Children Adapt Quickly to Contact Lens Wear

According to a study, 83% of children and 89% of teen participants adapted to contact lens wear and maintenance within three months. Read more

Use Caution with Cosmetic Contact Lenses

Cosmetic contact lenses can be make your teens’ Halloween costume extra special. However, both the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Optometric Association advise consulting an eye care professional first.

Over-the-counter sales of non-prescription “plano” cosmetic lenses have been illegal in the United States since 2005. Yet decorative contacts are still widely available in retail stores, flea markets and online.

It’s not uncommon for teenage girls to even swap lenses with friends. Because they’re not educated on proper use and care of decorative contacts, they do not realize the harm that can result from improper use.

Contact lenses are classified as a medical device. Therefore it’s best to consult a professional so your teen can have fun and stay healthy.

Back to School Special: Help Your Child Gain Bad Habits

I’m not what you might call a shining beacon of health and fitness. But I have to open my mouth about this.

Sometime back I signed up for a Dunkin Donuts promotion. Since then, I get email announcements on various ’specials.’ I tend to ignore them, but the latest email offer caught my attention. Essentially, keep in touch with your college student daughter by shipping coffee to her each month.

“The more coffee you buy, the more you’ll save.”

Way back when, I started drinking black coffee at the tail end of high school to keep awake at my night job. Twenty-plus years later, I’m at about 3-4 cups a day (at my worst 6-8 daily). My teeth are stained and my sleep habits are horrible. I certainly would never encourage my children to take it up.

I wonder how far brands will go to push their back-to-school promotions on parents? I imagine we’ll see:

• Chips brand: “Look, he’s gonna gain that ‘freshman forty’ anyway. Might as well make sure he enjoys it.”
• Condom brand: “She’s not your little girl anymore, pal. Tell her you care about her health by sending a 6 months supply of Brand X condoms.”
• GPS tracking brand: “Getting her driver’s license was liberating. But is she really where she told you she’d be? The Little Darlin’ brand subcutaneous tracking device can be implanted while she sleeps, helping you sleep well every night.”

Think I’m kidding? Time will tell.

Tips to Prevent Computer Related Vision Problems

The American Optometric Association (AOA) warns that children heading back to school are at risk for developing Computer Vision Syndrome, which leaves them vulnerable to problems like dry eye, eyestrain and fatigue.

Too much time in front of a computer screen can lead to eye discomfort, fatigue, blurred vision and headaches. However, some unique aspects of how children use computers may make them even more susceptible than adults to these problems. According to VSP Vision Care, nearly half of U.S. children spend four hours a day or more using computers or other portable electronic devices.

Parents should consider these issues concerning children’s use of computers:

• Children have a limited degree of self-awareness. Prolonged activity without a significant break can cause eye focusing problems and eye irritation.
• Children are very adaptable. As a result, children often work in an unhealthy situation — such as with glare on the computer screen — and might not even think about changing the computer arrangement or surroundings to achieve more comfortable viewing. This can result in excessive eye strain.
• Also, children often accept blurred vision caused by nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) or astigmatism because they think everyone sees the way they do.
• Children are not the same size as adults. Most computer workstations are arranged for adult use. Therefore, a child using a computer on a typical office desk often must look upward at a higher angle than an adult.
• The lighting level for the proper use of a computer is about half as bright as that normally found in a classroom. Increased light levels can contribute to excessive glare and problems associated with adjustments of the eye to different levels of light.

Children have different needs to comfortably use a computer. A small amount of effort can help reinforce appropriate viewing habits and assure comfortable and enjoyable computer use.

In preparation for a healthy school year, the AOA offers parents these tips for preventing Computer Vision Syndrome in children:

• Have your child’s vision checked before beginning school.
• Strictly enforce the amount of time that children may continuously use the computer, with a 20 second break for every 20 minutes of use.
• Check the height and arrangement of the computer, which are generally adjusted for adults.
• Check the lighting for glare on the computer screen (try holding a mirror flat against the screen to look for light sources reflecting off the screen).
• Reduce the amount of lighting in the room to match the computer.

[Read Press Release]

Contact Lens Wearers Should Use Compatible Cleaning Solution

Contact lens wearers should use compatible cleaning solutions. Sounds obvious, doesn’t it? But I realized that my eye care professional never recommended a specific product or brand.

Over the years, he has prescribed for me at least four different contact lenses (ACUVUE 2, ACUVUE ADVANCE, ACUVUE OASYS, O2OPTIX). My parting goodie bag from each annual eye exam typically includes a replacement contact lens case, a trial size bottle of some solution and a coupon. So I asked a few other contact lens wearers and they all reported similar experiences.

For years, I’ve been buying solutions that offer the best bang for the buck at Costco. But I’ve become enlightened. Here’s why…

April 2006, Bausch and Lomb suffered a public relations nightmare surrounding their delayed product recall of ReNu with MosturLoc. It created consumer awareness how poor maintenance habits and possible contaminants may lead to serious eye infections.

June 2007, Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) issued a product recall of AMO Complete MoisturePlus contact lens solution due to a high risk of eye infection among users of the product.

Supposedly, the issue of bio-compatibility is being taken more seriously now and your eye doctor should have access to updated industry information to make better recommendations.

If you, your spouse or your child wears contact lenses, consider the following:

• Be extra vigilant to follow the maintenance advice of the eye doctor and manufacturer to keep your eyes healthy.
• Check out the compatibility stain grids below.
• Use a reputable brand of cleaning solution. (Don’t substitute tap water or spit.)
• If you or someone you know is experiencing corneal staining or discomfort, consider testing a different contact lens cleaning solution to see if the condition improves.
• Consult with your eye care professional.

Your eyes are precious. Don’t take short cuts that could affect your eye health.
-BD

Related Links:

Hydrogel / Silicon Hydrogel contact lens and multipurpose solution stain grid

Japanese study of Silicon Hydrogel and multipurpose contact lens solution.

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