Wize Eyes

Tips for Making Your Eye Exam Go Smoothly

Regular eye exams are an integral part of maintaining your eye health. During your checkup, your optometrist will evaluate your eyesight and test for signs of disease or other vision problems. Taking an active role in your eye care will help you get the most out of your exam for a smooth visit every time.

Share Your Family History and Current Medical Conditions
The health of your eyes can be dependent on genetic factors and any current health concerns you may have. Tell your eye doctor about any family history of glaucoma, cataracts, and other eye problems. He will incorporate this knowledge into your eye exam to monitor for high-risk conditions. Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, can also affect the health of your eyes. Keeping your eye doctor up-to-date on your overall health will ensure that you both have the information you need to address any special vision needs you may have.

Ask Questions if You’re Unsure
Ask questions and voice concerns if you have them. You may find it helpful to create a list ahead of time, detailing any vision problems or changes you may be experiencing. If you notice changes such as difficulty driving at night, dry eyes, or constant squinting, mention these symptoms during your exam so they can be addressed.

Practice Good Eye Care at Home
Taking the right steps to care for your eyes and your eyewear will prevent complications and vision problems to ensure a smooth and easy eye exam. Keep your contacts or glasses in good repair and replace them as needed. Avoid working on a computer for long periods of uninterrupted time and wear safety eyewear if your job poses an eye hazard.

At Wize Eyes, our thorough eye exams are always just $18. You can schedule your appointment seven days a week and enjoy 30-minute same-day service on eyewear at any of our Long Island locations. Call (415) 358-0040 to make an appointment, and check out our website for more eye care information to ensure a lifetime of optimal vision.

These Sites Provide Additional Information About Eye Health

Are you interested in learning more about eye health? These articles include additional information on managing your vision and maintaining healthy eyesight.

• Sudden changes in eye color can be a sign of eye disease. Learn about eye color and what determines it by visiting this website.
   
• Follow these steps for maintaining eye health from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
   
• Read more about age-related macular degeneration, a common optical disease, at the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s website.
   
• Diabetic eye disease includes such conditions as diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma. For more information about diabetic retinopathy, visit the National Eye Institute online.
   
• Learn more about the impact that diabetes can have on eyesight.

At Wize Eyes, we are committed to our customers’ optical health. That is why we offer high-quality, affordable $18 eye exams. Contact us at (415) 358-0040 today to schedule your eye appointment!

How Does Diabetes Affect Your Eyes?

Visiting the local eyeglass store for an optical exam is especially important for diabetes patients, who are at higher risk for eye disease. While diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults between the ages of 20 and 74, understanding the way diabetes impacts vision, as well as taking important preventive steps, can help patients manage serious complications.

The Impact of Diabetes
Diabetes occurs as result of an excess amount of glucose in the bloodstream. Having high blood glucose can damage the tiny blood vessels that run through the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye known as the retina. Over time, these blood vessels can swell and weaken or become clogged and block blood flow altogether. Because of this, diabetic patients are prone to a variety of eye illnesses and complications including cataracts, glaucoma, and the most common complication, diabetic retinopathy.

Preventive Steps
Good diabetes management can significantly reduce your risk of diabetic eye disease. This can be accomplished by monitoring and managing your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Maintaining your weight, staying active, and avoiding tobacco products can also contribute to eye disease prevention.

In addition, retina damage has many warning signs, including blurred or double vision, dark or floating spots, pain or pressure in one or both eyes, perceived flashes of light, and blind spots in peripheral vision. Identifying these symptoms and seeking treatment immediately can help to prevent permanent vision impairment. For example, according to the National Eye Institute, timely treatment can reduce a diabetic patient’s risk of retinopathy by 95 percent. If you suspect that you may have diabetes-induced retinal damage, visit your local eyeglass store for an optical exam. 

Treatment Options
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss. Depending on your diagnosis, treatment can take a variety of forms, including laser treatment, cataract surgery, or the use of eye drops or medication. If your vision is permanently impaired, an optometrist can help to determine the appropriate eyeglasses or contact lenses necessary to aid your sight.

Visit Wize Eyes in one of our six Long Island locations for an affordable eye exam. Call (415) 358-0040 to schedule your appointment today or to hear about our selection of eyewear.

How to Take Care of Your Eyeglasses

Your eyeglasses are an important tool for getting through the day and, as such, deserve appropriate maintenance.

This video will show you how to properly care for your eyeglasses and keep them in perfect shape! Learn what tools you will need to maintain your glasses and how you can keep your lenses and frames clean and serviceable. For example, you should clean the lenses with a microfiber cloth and always remove your glasses with both hands to avoid twisting the frames.

Are you ready for a new pair of eyeglass frames? Contact Wize Eyes at (415) 358-0040 or visit one of our six Long Island locations for a wide array of eyeglass frames, including luxury eyewear, sunglasses, and more.

Understanding Eye Color

Eye color is such a defining characteristic that it is one of the few traits published on state IDs. You can even choose luxury eyewear to complement your eye color and shape. But how is eye color determined and what does it mean for you?

How Eye Color Is Determined
Whether your eyes are green, brown, blue, or some variation thereof, eye color is primarily based on genetics. There are varying amounts, combinations, and types of pigmentation, known as melanin, in the iris, which create unique colors. Also, contrary to popular belief, eye color is not dictated by a single gene—that is to say, brown eyes cannot universally dominate over blue eyes or vice versa. Instead, eye color is dictated by a multitude of genes, with some simply having more influence than others.

What Eye Colors Occur Naturally
Common eye colors include brown, blue, gray, and green with variant shades and hue combinations filling out the rest of the eye color continuum. Violet is considered the rarest of eye colors and is thought to be the result of a lack of pigment in the eye’s iris. Most babies are born with blue eyes that can naturally darken in their first three years of life as melanin—a brown pigment—begins to develop as the child ages.

How You Can Change Your Eye Color
Fortunately, if you don’t like the eye color that you have inherited, you can alter it with colored contacts. If you are interested in changing your eye color with contact lenses, visit one of Wize Eyes’ six Long Island locations. Keep in mind that contacts—even those used only for aesthetic purposes—should be prescribed and monitored by an eye professional.

It is also important to note that natural, drastic changes to eye color can also be a warning sign for certain eye diseases. If you notice changes in your eye pigmentation, schedule an appointment with an optometrist.

Call Wize Eyes at (415) 358-0040 for more information on color-altering contacts or to schedule a visit to discuss changes in your eye pigmentation. Based in Long Island, Wize Eye offers regular eye exams as well as a full line of contacts, eyeglasses, and frames.