National Safe Toy and Gifts month

 Roughly 1 in 10 children's eye injuries that end up in the ER are caused by toys. In support of Safe Toys and Celebrations Month this December, Doctors advise parents to be cautious when choosing holiday gifts for young people and recommends avoiding those that launch projectiles, such as crossbows and BB guns. 

• Read labels for age recommendations before you buy. To select appropriate gifts suited for a child's age, look for and follow the age recommendations and instructions about proper assembly, use, and supervision.

• Don't just give presents. Make sure to be present. Always make sure an adult is supervising when children are playing with potentially hazardous toys or games that could cause an eye injury. 

• Know what to do (and what not to). If someone you know experiences an eye injury, seek immediate medical attention from an optometrist. As you wait for medical help, make sure to never to touch, rub, apply pressure, or try to remove any object stuck in the eye.

Injuries other than grit in the eye or small scratches to the eye should be considered potentially serious. If you can't get to an optometrist right away (we have emergency numbers on our answering machines for you to call), go to the emergency room.

(909) 596-6756  2443 Foothill LaVerne CA 91750 

(909) 982-0100  1637 Mountain Ave Upland CA 91784

www.drboyeroptometrist.com

Healthy Vision Month

Approximately 37 million adults in America have age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, or glaucoma, all of which can cause visual impairment or blindness. However, recent studies show that making healthy choices and getting regular eye exams can help reduce a person’s risk of vision loss. Make an appointment to discuss how to reduce your risk (909) 596-6756 2443 Foothill LaVerne CA 91750 (909) 982-0100 1637 Mountain Ave Upland CA 91784 #drkennethboyerOD #drbrianboyerOD #healthyvisionmonth www.drboyeroptometrist.com

 

Sports Safety

 For many kids and adults, the return of spring means it’s time to gather up bats, gloves and helmets and head for the baseball diamond. But too many people forget to include an important piece of gear: protective eyewear. 

According to the National Eye Institute, baseball is a leading cause of eye injuries among children 14 years old and younger who play sports in the U.S. In fact, eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children, accounting for an estimated 100,000 emergency room and doctor visits each year.

It’s a sad fact that nine out of 10 kids who have suffered an eye injury could have prevented it just by wearing proper eye protection. Unfortunately, many youth and adult sports leagues do not require players to wear protective eyewear.

Potential eye injuries from baseball include:

• corneal abrasion;
• orbital fracture;
• hyphema, which can lead to glaucoma;
• ruptured eyeball;
• cataract; and
• detached retina.

People often think that wearing their regular eyeglasses or sunglasses offers some protection from a baseball hit, but this is false. The truth is that non-protective eyewear can shatter upon impact, causing more damage to your eye.

Before taking the field, take the proper steps to keep your eyes safe:

• If you wear prescription glasses or contact lenses, ask your eye doctor about prescription protective sports eyewear. There are certified helmets with attached safety glasses for baseball batters and base runners; fielders can get certified protective eyewear.
• Sports safety glasses must meet American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) safety standards. Eyewear designed to meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) industrial standards does not meet the safety standards for sports eye protection.
• All prescription sports glasses should be made from polycarbonate material because it resists shattering and provides UV (ultraviolet light) protection. If the protective lenses have turned yellow over time, have them replaced, as the polycarbonate material may have weakened with age.
• Sports goggles provide the best eye protection. However, they may not fit narrow faces well. In this case, the best option is certified sports glasses with 3-millimeter-thick polycarbonate lenses.

Our doctors and opticians can help you select the best options that meet the standards you need for your sport.  Contact us for an evaluation and exam. (909) 596-6756  2443 Foothill LaVerne CA 91750 (909) 982-0100  1637 Mountain Ave Upland CA 91784 www.drboyeroptometrist.com

Preventing Sports-related eye injuries

 

Sports-related eye injuries are treated in U.S. emergency rooms each year. The good news is that 90% of serious eye injuries could be prevented by wearing appropriate protective eyewear.

How to Prevent and Treat Sports Eye Injuries

Different activities and sports have different levels of risk for eye injury. Make sure that you’re using the right kind of eye protection for each activity. Regular eyeglasses do not offer proper eye protection and in some cases can make an injury worse if they shatter.

Be careful during activities or games involving projectiles and other sharp objects that could create injury if in contact with the eye.

If you have an eye injury call our office, even if the injury appears minor. Delaying medical attention can result in permanent vision loss or blindness.

What Sports Cause Eye Injuries?

Eye injuries can happen in almost any sport, but some sports are higher risk than others.

Basketball causes most sports eye injuries in the U.S.

One study found that basketball was the leading cause of sports-related eye injuries in the United States followed by basketball, softball, airsoft rifles, pellet guns, racquetball and hockey.

Protective sports glasses with shatterproof plastic, called polycarbonate lenses, should be worn for sports such as basketball, racquet sports, soccer and field hockey. Our office can help provide you with the ASTM  standard of eye protection.

Sports that require face masks or face shields for eye protection

In ice hockey and men’s lacrosse, wear a helmet with a polycarbonate face mask or wire shield. Hockey face masks should be approved by the Hockey Equipment Certification Council or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

On-the-Field Visual Test Helps Diagnose Concussions in Athletes

About 3.8 million Americans sustain sports-related concussions each year. A quick, reliable screening test is useful on the sidelines to keep injured athletes from returning to play too soon. An on-the-field visual test (which consists of reading a series of printed numbers, and their responses were scored for accuracy and time) helps physicians better diagnose, treat and rehabilitate patients with concussions.

(909) 596-6756  2443 Foothill LaVerne CA 91750 

(909) 982-0100  1637 Mountain Ave Upland CA 91784

www.drboyeroptometrist.com

Emergencies

Ocular emergencies can happen in a heartbeat. Our doctors have treated numerous ocular emergencies in their years of optometric practice. An eye doctor is the best first contact for ocular emergencies.  Optometrists have specialized equipment and training to treat eye problems.  Urgent care centers are not well-equipped to deal with ocular emergencies.

Here at Dr Boyer Optometrist, the Doctors routinely treat ocular emergencies promptly, often on a walk-in or same-day basis.  Since emergency department visits can be costly, it also makes economic sense to see an eye doctor first.

Some eye conditions require seeing an eye doctor promptly.  These include:

Sudden loss or change of vision	Flashes of light
Severe eye pain	Seeing double
Eye trauma	Chemical splash
Foreign body in eye	Injuries from fireworks

(909) 596-6756  2443 Foothill LaVerne CA 91750

 (909) 982-0100  1637 Mountain Ave Upland CA 91784

 #drkennethboyerOD #drbrianboyerOD drboyeroptometrist.com

Floaters, Light Flashes and Spots

Seeing eye floaters, light flashes or spots before your eyes can appear as specks or strings of black and gray. This generally occurs upon eye movement, but they can also appear when looking at something bright, such as sunlight. They are generally harmless to your field of vision, but larger sized floaters may cast a shadow making it slightly more difficult to see. Experiencing floaters warrants a visit to your eye care professional to make sure that it is not something more serious. The aging process is the most common reason for having eye floaters.

The Causes and Effects of Floaters

The cause of eye floaters is a protein known as collagen. The back of the eye contains a gel-like substance known as vitreous humor. As a person ages fibers decrease in size and collect in this area among the vitreous. The changes that take place cause the spots or floaters. Floaters can occur in all ages, but is most prominent between the ages of 50-75. It also affects people who have undergone cataract surgery or those who are nearsighted, as well as other disorders that occur within the eye.

Treatment of Floaters

There is no real treatment for eye floaters, as it is not necessary. Most people become used to them. For some people treatment is necessary, as it impairs their ability to see. This surgery is generally done by removing the vitreous. This surgery does carry the risk of retinal bleeding or tearing though. Laser surgery is also an option to break up the floaters.

Flashes of Light with Spots

If flashes of light or loss of vision are also seen with floaters it could signal something of a more serious nature and requires immediate attention. Serious conditions, such as retinal detachment, bleeding in the eye area or a retinal tear could also be occurring. Contact our office immediately if you are experiencing flashes of light with spots or floaters. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can save your sight.

Dr Boyer Optometrist  

(909) 596-6756  2443 Foothill LaVerne CA 91750

 (909) 982-0100  1637 Mountain Ave Upland CA 91784

 #drkennethboyerOD #drbrianboyerOD www.drboyeroptometrist.com