Monthly Archives: August

5 Easy Ways to Avoid an Eye Infection from Contact Lenses

Many people prefer contact lenses to glasses, but it’s important to understand that they do require some extra care. Contacts sit directly on your eyes, so the risk of an eye infection is greater, especially if there is a lack of good hygiene or if they are not handled properly.

Luckily, you don’t have to give up the contacts in order to avoid an eye infection. Following some simple guidelines can help to ensure the health and safety of your eyes.

Wash your Hands Before Touching your Contact Lenses

One of the easiest ways to improve contact lens safety is also one of the simplest – wash your hands.

Before putting in or removing your contacts, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water then dry them with a clean, lint-free towel. This helps prevent dirt, bacteria and other germs from transferring from your hands to your contacts and eyes, which can lead to an eye infection. Hand sanitizer isn’t a replacement for washing your hands before handling contact lenses. Whenever possible, use soap and water.

Don’t Sleep With Contacts In

Falling asleep in your contacts may seem harmless, but wearing contact lenses overnight when they aren’t specifically approved for extended wear is actually very unsafe. When you sleep with your lenses in, your eyes can become more vulnerable to dryness and irritation and it creates conditions that allow bacteria to grow more easily.

Use Fresh Contact Lens Solution

Taking care of your contacts requires proper cleaning and storage. It’s important to always use fresh contact lens solution when storing your lenses, and never simply adding new solution to the old solution already in your case. Use the type of solution recommended for your specific lenses, and follow the directions carefully. Also, make sure to keep the case itself clean to avoid the buildup of bacteria.

Don’t Forget to Replace your Contacts on Schedule

If you’re supposed to replace your contacts every day, weekly or monthly, follow that schedule. Even if the lenses still appear to be in good condition, replace them anyway. Wearing contacts past their recommended replacement schedule can allow deposits and microorganisms to build up on the lenses. This can contribute to irritation and increase the risk of an eye infection.

Never Share Contact Lenses

Sharing contact lenses with another person is a terrible idea, as it can spread bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms from one person’s eyes to another. This rule applies to decorative and colored contact lenses, too. Cosmetic contacts still come into direct contact with your eyes and carry the same risk of eye infection if shared.

Contact Us with Any Signs of an Eye Infection

Even with proper contact lens care, it’s important to know what symptoms could indicate a problem. If you notice any of the following changes in your eyes, remove your contacts and contact us for an evaluation:

• Red or swollen eyes
• Eye pain or discomfort
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Excessive discharge or tears
• Blurry vision
• A feeling that something is stuck in your eye

A contact lens-related eye infection can become serious, so don’t ignore symptoms or assume they’ll simply go away. Schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible by calling 630-862-2020, as a prompt vision evaluation by the team at Family Vision Development Center can help determine the proper treatment in order to protect your eyes and healthy vision.

Family Vision Development Center is a full-service vision center offering innovative vision therapy services, sports vision therapy services, post-concussive vision rehabilitation, comprehensive vision exams for eyeglasses and contact lenses, management of ocular diseases including glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration and cataracts, and a state-of-the-art optical center offering the latest designs in eyewear.

Find Surprising Relief from Vertigo with Vision Therapy

Those who suffer from vertigo are all too familiar with the symptoms – dizziness when moving your head, feeling like the room is spinning, or struggling to maintain balance when standing up. This condition can be extremely frustrating and can have a significant impact on daily life.

Vertigo can be caused by a number of possible factors, including inner ear disorders which are most common. But it can also develop if you have a condition that affects your brain, such as a stroke or head injury. When the eyes and brain do not work together properly, symptoms like dizziness can worsen until the condition is treated.

The Connection Between Vision and Balance

Your ability to stay balanced depends on your brain constantly combining information from three different systems: your eyes, your inner ear, and the muscles and joints throughout your body. Your eyes tell your brain where you are in relation to your surroundings, your inner ear senses movement and changes in head position, and your muscles and joints provide feedback about your body’s position.

When all three systems work together, your brain can accurately determine where you are in space, helping you move confidently and maintain your balance. But if your visual system isn’t communicating properly with the rest of your body, those mixed signals can cause your brain to become confused, leading to symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, motion sensitivity, poor balance, headaches, or nausea.

Vision Issues that Contribute to Vertigo

When the visual system is not functioning properly, it can lead to vertigo. Someone who has trouble tracking or focusing on a moving object, has poor eye teaming skills, has issues with controlling eye movement, or suffers from a binocular vision disorder can suffer from frequent dizziness.

Using Vision Therapy to Treat Vertigo

Vision therapy is a personalized program of visual exercises designed to improve how your eyes and brain work together. Unlike simply prescribing glasses, vision therapy works to strengthen this communication between your eyes and your brain, with treatment customized based on each patient’s specific visual challenges and symptoms.

It can be an effective option for treating vertigo, as it focuses on improving poor visual skills that often lead to dizziness, such as:

• Eye coordination
• Eye tracking
• Ability to focus
• Depth perception
• Visual processing
• Balance-related visual skills

Working with Family Vision Development Center for Effective Vision Therapy

At Family Vision Development Center, we have extensive training in vision therapy and can provide custom treatment plans that target the specific visual skills needed to improve feelings of dizziness. Our knowledge extends to those who have experienced a concussion or traumatic brain injury, stroke or neurological injury, prolonged illness or other neurological conditions – all of which can lead to symptoms of vertigo. If you are experiencing dizziness and have not been able to find relief, we encourage you to visit us for a consultation to see if a vision therapy program might be the right option for you. Contact us at 630-862-2020 to learn more.

Family Vision Development Center is a full-service vision center offering innovative vision therapy services, sports vision therapy services, post-concussive vision rehabilitation, comprehensive vision exams for eyeglasses and contact lenses, management of ocular diseases including glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration and cataracts, and a state-of-the-art optical center offering the latest designs in eyewear.  We are dedicated to keeping our patients comfortable and well-informed and we will explain every exam and procedure and answer all of your questions.  We accept both scheduled and emergency appointments, and offer convenient financing and insurance options to ensure that high-quality vision care is available and affordable to all of our patients.