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Eye Health Warning Signs	Proper Care of Contact Lenses
Eye Health Emergencies	Proper Care of Eye Glasses
Reducing Eye Strain at Work

Watch for These Eye Health Warning Signs

All of the following symptoms can be signs of potentially serious eye disorders. Some serious disorders, such as glaucoma, may have no early warning signs. A regular eye examination is the best way to detect problems before they become major concerns.

eye pain or discomfort
feeling of irritated or burning eyes
blurred vision
distortion of objects
colored halos around lights
any loss of vision
loss of central vision
loss of peripheral vision
tunnel vision
a "curtain effect" to vision
weakening of color vision
dark area at center of vision
night blindness
light flashes when eyes are closed
large amount of spots and floaters
inflammation of eyelids or eyelashes
inflammation of inner eyelid
sudden noticeable changes in vision
physical changes in the eye

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Handling Eye Health Emergencies

Treating eye health emergencies promptly can reduce the risk of permanent damage. Contact your eye doctor immediately to assess the injury.

For cuts to the eyelid: Bandage lightly without pressure. Don't rub the eye, try to remove foreign objects, or wash out the eye.

For specks in the eye: Lift the upper eye lid outward and pull it down over the lower lid, letting lower eyelashes and tears wash out particle. Do not rub the eye. If the particle fails to wash out, keep the eyelid closed and contact your doctor immediately.

For chemical irritation: Using your fingers, hold the eyelids open, then flush out the eye with clean water. Don't cover the eye, but contact your doctor immediately.

For a blow to the eye: To reduce pain and swelling, place a cold compress over the eye. Contact your doctor to assess pain, discoloration, or reduced vision.

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Care for Daily Wear and Extended Wear Contact Lenses

Be sure to use the specific products recommended for cleaning, disinfecting, and storing your lenses. The formulas for these solutions vary significantly from one manufacturer to another. Use of non-recommended products may result in lens damage or irriation to your eyes.

Review the steps you should follow in caring for your lenses with your eyecare professional.

Cleaning: Your contact lenses must be cleaned after wearing. After washing your hands thoroughly, place a lens in the palm of you hand, put a drop or two of cleaning solution on it, and rub it with your index finger in a straight back and forth motion.

Clean Lens Case Daily: After removing your lenses from the case, rinse your case well with contact lens solution and allow it to air dry before refilling with fresh solution. Replace your lens case several times a year.

Storing Lenses: When soft lenses are stored in the case, always immerse in the prescribed disinfecting or soaking solution. NEVER store lenses in tap water, mineral water, or anything other than the sterile soft lens solution.

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Proper Care of Glasses

Follow these helpful tips to prolong the life of your new glasses:

Always keep you glasses in a case when you are not wearing them
Never lay your lenses directly on any hard or abrasive surface that could cause scratches
Use two hands when putting on or removing glasses
Do not let anyone "try on" your glasses. This could cause the frame to stretch or fit improperly
Clean your glasses and frames regularly with warm water or an approved lens cleaner and wipe clean with a dry cloth
To avoid scratching, never wipe your lenses when they are completely dry
Have your glasses adjusted periodically. Screws can loosen over time, and your fit can change too.

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Reducing Eye Strain at Work

If you spend most of your day at a computer monitor, you may experience irritating and uncomfortable eye strain from time to time. Here are some things you can do to ease the strain:

Glance away from the monitor for 10-15 seconds every 10 minutes or so. Focus on more distant objects.
Get up and move around at least once every 2 hours to give both your eyes and your body a rest.
Blink more often. Your eyes need the natural lubrication that blinking provides (every 5 seconds is normal). Computer users often blink less than normal, resulting in dry, itchy eyes.
Relax. If possible, lean back and close your eyes for a few moments once in a while.
Adjust your work space. Position your monitor 18 to 30 inches from your eyes with the top of the screen at eye level where you can look slightly down at your work. Eliminate reflected glare on your screen from surrounding lights.
Use special eyewear. If you spend the majority of your time at a computer, glasses or contact lenses designed to focus correctly on you computer screen can help.

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