Yearly Archives: 2021

Research shows that Americans spend at least 50% of each day looking at screens — computers, smart phones, televisions, tablets and other electronic devices. That is why more tips here by experts are a must-read. How can you keep your eyes happy and healthy with all of this screen time? Here are some tips:

Maintain a healthy distance. Your eyes actually have to work harder to focus on things up close compared with far away. Try keeping your monitor or screen at arm’s length, about 25 inches away. If you moved here, you will get the best eye check ups!

Take breaks. Look at anything else but your screen for at least 20 seconds for every 20 minutes of screen time. This will help to give your eyes a much-deserved rest. Try gazing into the distance every now and then to give your eyes a break from looking up close at a screen.

Lubricate your eyes. Make sure you blink regularly to keep your eyes lubricated, which in turn helps prevent fatigue. While you’re giving your eyes a break from screens, try some lubricating eye drops to help ease dryness. Consider using a humidifier to increase the moisture in the air in your home or office.

Give your eyes a rest. Put away your phone for an hour when you’d normally use it. Turn off the TV before getting ready for bed. If you spend a lot of time during the day on screens, limit screen time on nights and weekends. Consider reading books instead of e-books, for example. The key is to give your eyes rest in between periods of screen time. Getting enough sleep is also extremely important if you’re spending a lot of time in front of screens.

Adjust lighting. If a screen is much brighter than the surrounding light, your eyes will have to work harder. Don’t let your monitor be your only source of light at night. During the day, reducing the brightness on any screen and again, making sure that the screen is not the only source of light in the room also can lessen the strain on your eyes.

Try incorporating these tips into your day and your eyes will thank you!

February is Heart Health Month, a great time to learn more about keeping your heart healthy. Did you know that your eyes can offer a glimpse into your heart health? Studies show that evidence of heart disease can be detected in routine eye exams. In fact, vision problems are sometimes the first or only symptom a person has of a serious cardiovascular condition. The skills acquired at the CPR Certification Classes in Albuquerque have proven to be helpful during emergencies.

By Clicking Here, you will understand how heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 4 deaths nationwide are caused by heart disease. It’s also important to know that heart disease doesn’t happen just to older adults. Younger adults are increasingly developing heart disease as well.

The good news? Heart disease can often be prevented with a healthy lifestyle and proper management of health conditions. Here are the most important ways to keep your heart healthy.

• Schedule regular checkups and physicals with your doctor. Regular checkups and health screenings are vital to preventing a wide range of medical conditions, including heart disease.
• Know your blood pressure. About half of people with high blood pressure don’t have it under control, placing them at greater risk for heart disease. Having uncontrolled high blood pressure is one of the biggest risks for heart disease and other harmful conditions, such as stroke.
• Reduce sodium intake. Diet high in sodium, trans-fat, saturated fat, and added sugar increases the risk factor for heart disease.
• Get exercise. Being a couch potato puts you at greater risk for heart disease. Staying physically active helps keep the heart-healthy. Exercise and a healthy diet can help you lose extra weight. Being overweight or obese puts stress on the heart.
• Adopt a healthier diet. Try to fill at least half of your plate at each meal with vegetables and fruits. Try to incorporate more vegetarian meals into your diet.

Take this opportunity to help others embrace heart health as well. If you have family members who have heart disease or are at risk for heart disease or have high blood pressure, help them meet the same goals you are setting for yourself.

Do you spend much of your day looking at a computer screen or at other electronic devices? Do you spend a lot of time behind the wheel for your job? Do a lot of reading? Or are you a bit short on sleep? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you are at a higher risk for eye strain.

What causes eye strain? The condition is brought on by periods of intense or extended focus and use of vision. It can be caused by long periods of reading small print, looking at computer screens, keeping a close eye on the road ahead of you or spending many hours in very dark or very bright conditions.

How do you know if you’re experiencing eye strain? Take note of these symptoms:

• Headache
• Blurry vision
• Itchy, dry or burning eyes
• Headaches
• Difficulty keeping your eyes open
• Other general discomfort

For the most part, eye strain is a normal part of life. Think of your eyes in the same way you would your muscles. Overuse leads to fatigue, right? Eye strain isn’t normally serious, but it could be a sign of an underlying vision condition, so if you’re suffering from eye strain for more than a couple of days, please schedule an appointment with us. Just call us at (801) 476-0494.

Eye strain can be brought on more quickly due to issues with your vision, such as when your eyes aren’t working together to focus properly, or if you have other developing eye or vision problems. A new or updated prescription for glasses or contacts may help by improving your vision so that your eyes don’t have to work so hard. In some cases, reading glasses can help. We also can provide some suggestions for helping support your eyes when you’re spending a lot of time looking at screens. (An important tip: Try giving your eyes a break from the computer screen by following the 20/20/20 rule: Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.)

If you’re experiencing eye strain regularly, take a break! Then give us a call. We can “shine a light” on your options. We look forward to meeting with you.