Oct 26

How often Should one Switch their Pair of Contacts?

Wearing contact lenses has become as common as wearing eye glasses. When one wears contact lenses, they have to think of them as a medical device that requires proper handling and care. One such contact lens care technique is taking the time to understand when they should be switched for a new pair of contacts.

Normally the manufacturer states how long a pair of contacts should be worn before they need to be replaced. As well, your eye doctor will also have the correct information about when to switch a pair of contacts.

There are a number of various types of contact lenses. Such contact lenses can include regular contact lenses, daily wear contacts, and extended wear contacts. The life of a contact lens depends on the type and brand of the contact lens. Experts say that on average, the life of regular soft contact lenses is about 12 to 16 months. The average life of RGP lenses is about 3-4 years depending on the care taken with handling the lenses. Most normal extended wear lenses should be switched after one month. Daily wear contacts must be removed nightly.

While extended wear contacts can be worn overnight for seven days in a row without removal, the life of the contact lenses will also depend on how well you take care of them. A healthy pair of contacts should not cause any pain to the wearer. If your contact lenses are uncomfortable and the discomfort does not resolve after cleaning and disinfecting them, it may be time to switch contact lenses. Cleaning contact lenses involve using a rub or non rub cleaner and soaking them in disinfectant overnight. There is also special protein removing products on the market to remove protein build up on the lens. Make sure your hands are washed thoroughly before handling your contacts. How long soft colored contact lenses last will depend not only on how one takes care of them, but also the thickness of the lens.

Even if you care for contacts properly on a daily basis, there will be a time when the contacts will become over worn and cause eye problems. Problems can include: corneal ulceration, eye infection, sensitivity of the eyes and eyelids, increased mucus and redness of the conjunctiva, abrasions of the cornea, eye pain, and sensitivity to light, and cloudy and blurred vision.

Different contact lens brands and types are made to last various lengths of time. Some contacts are designed to be worn 24 hours a day for a month. Other contact lenses are designed to last only 2 weeks. As well, there are contacts made to last for a year with good cleaning and disinfection practices.

If you are unable to get your contact lenses to feel comfortable again and switching to a new pair of lenses does not correct the problem, you should see your eye doctor. You may have a medical problem or the particular type of contact lenses may not be the right type for you.

It is important to remember that contacts are inserted into the eye so it is essential to take care of them in order to maintain good eye health.

When looking for contact lenses, contact lenses cases, Halloween contacts or Acuvue contacts, be sure to shop online for huge savings when compared to retail prices.

Oct 08

How to Read a Prescription for Glasses?

by Amy Nutt

If you go to an eye care professional for all of your optical needs, then reading your eyeglass prescription is something that you may never have to worry about. However, if you ever plan on trying to order a pair of eyeglasses online without visiting the optician's office it's imperative that you know how to properly read your prescription it you want to get a pair of glasses that you can see out of.

You prescription will often be delivered as a pair of numbers - one number under the Latin abbreviation of OS (your left eye) and the other under the Latin abbreviation OD (your right eye). The farther away either number is from zero in either direction (plus or minus) the worse your eyesight is and the more correcting your vision will need for you to be able to see clearly.

If the numbers in your prescription are in the positive it means that you are farsighted, or that you have problems with seeing things close to you; if the numbers are in the negative it means that you are nearsighted or that you have difficulty viewing objects that are far away.

If you suffer from astigmatism you'll see three numbers in your eye glasses prescription - the first of which will represent both of the numbers seen in a prescription of a person who doesn't have astigmatism, the second number will represent the severity if the astigmatism - the larger the number here the greater you are effected by the astigmatism. The third number in the prescription of a person who suffers from astigmatism will be between zero and one hundred and eighty and this number reveals the location of the astigmatism. For proper corrective treatment of astigmatism, the technician making your lenses needs to know the location of the astigmatism in degrees as well as the level of severity.

Each of the numbers that you see in your eyeglass prescription is crucial to the final result, the numbers may be whole numbers or they may be fractional (like 1.25, representing one and one quarter) and the exact number is required for you to be able to see clearly. The numbers represent diopters which is the unit of vision correction from which your lenses will be manufactured. If you are off by even a fraction of a point when relating the information of your diopters, your glasses may not be as precise as they need to be to properly correct your vision. When relating all of the numbers and symbols of your eyeglass prescription for an order it's imperative that you be precise or you will receive a pair of glasses that won't properly correct your problem.

There are other considerations when contemplating ordering prescription glasses online that don't necessarily have to do with your prescription itself, but that could seriously affect the corrective properties of your glasses. The most common number not represented in your prescription that you'll need to know when ordering glasses online is the distance between your pupils, or your PD. There's a good chance that your PD will be imprinted somewhere on your old glasses, if you've still got them - if you don't the number isn't all that difficult to get. You'll need a ruler that measures in millimeters and a mirror. All you do to get you PD is to look straight ahead into the mirror and hold your ruler directly below your eyes to measure the distance between the centers of your pupils. The most common distance for a PD is between 58 and 70 mm, so if your distance is either well under 58 or well over 70, you might want to measure again.

Reading your prescription and ordering glasses without visiting the optician is certainly possible, but if you have any questions about what you're reading it's highly advisable to visit your eye care professional to be certain that you get it right - eyeglasses are expensive and you certainly won't be able to return a custom pair, so make sure you get everything right before you make anything final.

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Jul 01

What Types of Sunglasses are Good for Sports?

by Amy Nutt

When people play sports, sunglasses are worn for protection just as much as they are worn for looks. Wearing sunglasses protects the eyes from damage due to the sun as well as physical injury. There are now many types of stylish sunglasses available for the avid sports enthusiast.

The following is a list of the different types of sunglasses that are good for sports:

Sunglasses for Cyclists: The best sunglasses for cyclists are those designed for speed and wind. They should be lightweight and block the brightness of the sun. They should also be designed to hug the face to block dirt particles and wind, especially those who mountain bike. Cycling sunglasses should be impact resistant, strong, durable, and have a strong lens and frame. They should be ultra violent resistant and block the bright sun rays. Polarized sunglasses are a good choice. Anarchy sunglasses are a popular brand for cyclists.

Sunglasses for Golfers: People who golf know that the sun can play a significant part in how well they play. Bright sun can throw a player off his or her game. Sunglasses that have a yellow lens reduce the bright conditions caused by the sun on the open green. They help make the golf course and its terrain much clearer and more visible. Popular brands include Nike, Adidas, and Bolle sunglasses. Sunglasses with a high nanometre rating are effective at blocking ultra violet light.

Extreme Sports Sunglasses: When playing extreme sports, sunglasses need to hug the face, be strong and durable, have effective hinges and screws, and have a lens and frame that can handle strong impacts. Popular sunglasses for people who engage in extreme sports such as snowboarding, skateboarding, skiing, and dirt bike racing are Black Flys and Julbo sunglasses. They are UV resistant and have polycarbonate lenses.

Popular brands of sport sunglasses include:

1. Nike Sunglasses: Nike has a variety of sunglasses suitable for sport activities. Features of many of Nike sunglasses include poly carbonate lenses, metal frames, and varying lens types that block sun brightness while making objects clearer and more visible. They also have interchangeable lenses to fit different light and weather conditions.

2. North Face Sunglasses: The North Face brand of sunglasses is great for cold climate sports such as climbing snowy mountains and other winter sports. They have excellent eye shield and sun blocking lenses.

3. Oakley Sunglasses: Oakley makes sunglasses for almost every type of sport and weather condition. They are strong, durable, impact resistant, and are designed for effective peripheral vision. They allow for customization so that the wearer gets a secure fit. 4. Bolle Sunglasses: These stylish sunglasses have many interchangeable lenses and are designed for a secure fit to protect your eyes and face.

5. Smith Slider: This popular brand of sunglasses has a variety of lenses to suit many weather conditions. They provide great coverage while enhancing peripheral vision. They contain fittings that make the sunglasses secure and durable.

When looking for a good pair of sunglasses, you should consider whether the glasses are a good fit, are made of a good quality non-skid materials placed on the nose and at the temples to prevent slippage when sweating, quality of shatter resistant lenses, and how well the glasses protect you from the glaring sun.

Whether for protection, style, or both, sunglasses for sports are a necessity. When choosing a pair of sports sunglasses, it is important to consider how well the sunglasses will work in your particular sport.

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