Drs. McIntyre, Garza, Avila & Jurica

Requiring eyeglasses is often difficult for a adolescent. Just the thought of wearing glasses can make a adolescent panic. As opposed to glasses, children and teens that use contact lenses feel a significant improvement in their appearance, reports a newly published study. The study results indicate that beginning from the age of eight, kids may prefer being offered the option of contact lenses. Researchers published the study in the November issue of Eye & Contact Lens, published by the Contact Lens Association.

So why are contacts so critical for adolescents? Teenagers are self-conscious, and they often feel better about themselves when they don’t have glasses being the focus of their appearance. Lenses can increase a teenager’s self-esteem by giving them a less obvious option for vision correction.

While teens are generally fitted with contact lenses, children younger than thirteen are usually not given the choice of lenses, since eye care practitioners and parents don’t feel that children are ready to take care of them appropriately. However, with proper instruction, children as young as eight are just as capable at wearing and caring for contacts and they should be given the choice.

Of course before your child buys contacts you should consult your optometrist to discuss any potential issues your child might encounter. Our optometry practice located in Corpus Christi,TX, will be glad to help you in determining the right plan for your teen’s contact lenses.

If your pre-teen or teenager is in need of vision correction, why not consider lenses? Through something as simple as a soft lens, you can enhance your teen’s self-image. With the wide selection of contacts on the market, you and your eye doctor can work with your child to figure out what type of lens is most suitable for their character and style of life.

Great video on msnbc.com today about Computer Vision Syndrome: symptoms include dry eye, eye strain, fatigue, etc. Our office for many years has always been a big advocate of taking lots of breaks on computer; the 20/20 rule, every 20 min take 20 sec. break.

See the video:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/3041426/vp/41457672/#41457672

You don’t need an expensive consultant to create a computer workstation that reduces your risk of stress, discomfort and potential injury.

Here are some of the top computer ergonomics tips recommended by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). These tips are designed to reduce the risk of stress, physical injury and computer eye strain from prolonged computer use.

1. Sit so your head and neck are upright and in-line with your torso, not bent down or tilted back.
2. Face your computer screen directly. Avoid viewing your screen with your head turned or your back twisted.
3. Keep your elbows comfortably close to your body.
4. Use a chair that provides support for your lower back and has a cushioned seat with a contoured front edge.
5. Keep your mouse close to your keyboard so you don’t have to reach for it.
6. Position your computer display so the top of the screen is at or slightly below eye level. This will allow you to view the screen without bending your neck.
7. Adjust the position of your display to prevent reflections of overhead and outdoor lighting appearing on your screen.
8. Put your monitor close enough to your eyes so you can comfortably read text on the screen without leaning forward.
9. When working with print documents, use a document holder that positions them at the same height and distance as your computer screen.
10. Use a hands-free headset when talking on the phone while working at your computer.

Read more: http://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/ergonomics.htm#ixzz1CdhYFV1L

Top 10 Brain Foods, by Eric:
Want to keep your mind sharp and nourished? Here are 10 highly effective brain foods that improve memory, mood, concentration, and overall clarity. Blueberries, Salmon, Flaxseeds, Coffee, Mixed Nuts, Avocado, Eggs, Whole Grains, Chocolate, Broccoli.
http://www.dirjournal.com/health-journal/top-10-brain-foods/

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. We call it the silent thief of sight. Make sure you and your loved ones are coming in yearly for their eye exam especially if there is a family history of Glaucoma. http://texas.aoa.org/x7360.xml

Every now and then you may come across someone with what looks like a grey ring around the outside of the colored part of the eye (iris), especially in darker pigmented irises. This is called corneal arcus and could be a sign of high cholesterol. Make sure you or someone you love gets their cholesterol checked.

Visine and other derivatives like Visine-A can cause dilated pupils. This has lead a lot of patients to go to the emergency room with concern over their pupils. Our office just doesn’t recommend them since there are better OTC dry eye drops and anti-histamines that can help even more without the side effects.

Football season is in full swing and as fans start to root for their favorite team, we want to make sure that everyone can see their teams clearly — near, far and everywhere in between.
For most young patients, watching the game live or tracking scores on their smartphone may not be a problem. However, for patients with presbyopia, this can be a challenge. We now have Multifocal Contacts to help patients.

70% of Americans mistakenly believe that carrots are the best food for their eye health, when in fact it has been proven that while carrots are good for the eyes, spinach and broccoli are better foods for eye health. Eating the equivalent of a half cup of cooked spinach four to seven times per week can help protect against age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the United States.