ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS
As spring appears and everything begins to bloom it becomes that time of year when construction, spring cleaning, and landscaping start. Many people take the time to knock out a spring project or two in order to spruce up around the house and make it look nicer.
As you step outdoors remember the eye protection. Eye protection from not only foreign debris entering the eye but also from the sun. Your eyes, much like your skin, are sensitive to the UV Rays that are left off by the sun. Make sure that you have the proper eye protection to help prevent you from landing in the doctor’s office.
We often get excited when the temperatures jump above 50 and the sun starts to shine through the clouds. It’s the first sign of spring and it gives us a chance to work around the house, dust off the work gloves and bask in the warm spring air. I urge people as they step outdoors, whether it is to trim the shrubbery or maybe repaint the shed – grab those safety glasses. While regular glasses can help to prevent anything from entering the eye they do not stop objects from getting around the top, bottom or sides of the glasses. That is why when you are selecting your eye protection you choose a pair of glasses that are more form fitting to your face to reduce the possibility of injury.
The next thing to pay attention to is the sun. We have talked about snow blindness in previous blogs. We want to stress that this can happen even in the absence of snow. It is most common when there is a reflective surface, such as snow or water, where the UV rays can be reflected up into your eyes increasing the level of exposure to the sun. Don’t forget when you decide to get out and enjoy the warm weather to grab a pair of sunglasses with proper UV protection.
If you do suffer from an eye injury, whether it be a foreign object in the eye or the effects of the sun, it is important to seek medical attention. A foreign object in the eye can be painful and in some cases can cause permanent damage to your eye sight. By seeking proper medical help you can help minimize permanent injury.
About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.