Tag: back to school

4 Tips to Promote Healthy Eyes During Back to School Season

Posted on August 17, 2020

Whether your child will be going back to classes in person, staying home this fall, or a little of both, their eyesight is important to their overall health and learning. Poor vision can harm your child’s education because their eyes are constantly used for visual learning activities such as reading, writing, and using computers. Be sure to schedule a comprehensive eye exam with Longe Optical for your child at the start of the year to ensure they are seeing clearly and can learn their best!

  1. Screenings aren’t everything

A basic screening that your child might have done at school, while helpful with detecting vision issues, doesn’t capture the overall health of eyes. Only a comprehensive eye exam like the ClearVu Experience we offer here at Longe Optical can truly give you the big picture of your eyesight. Vision screenings in school and at a pediatrician’s office usually only test a child’s distance vision. Most learning is done through reading which is closer than 20 feet.

  1. Know your family’s eye history

Knowledge of past and present family eye disorders can help save your vision. If age-related macular degeneration (AMD) runs in your family, you’ll have a greater chance of developing it. Telling your optometrist the types of eye diseases that run in your family can help them give you accurate recommendations for eye screenings. The earlier an eye disease is caught, the better chances you may have of saving your vision. This is why annual comprehensive eye exams are important!

  1. Wear Sunglasses on cloudy days

Making sure your children have proper eyewear even if it’s cloudy outside is important! Your eyes are exposed to UV light even on cloudy days and during every season of the year. Cataracts, other growths, and various cancers are directly related to UV exposure. Make sure your sunglasses offer 100% UV protection. Just because a pair of sunglasses says it offers “UV protection” doesn’t mean it is protecting against all kinds of UV.

  1. Healthy diet and exercise

Nothing can replace a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. Eating properly is good for your body, and that goes for your eyes, too! Foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin help prevent cataracts, such as spinach, kale, and broccoli. Lutein also stimulates the growth of pigments that block out harmful UV rays. Antioxidants improve protection against sun damage. Carrots, blueberries, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes are a few excellent sources of antioxidants. Exercise is vital to healthy vision as it helps prevent high blood pressure which can damage vision and even lead to blindness.

For more information about what to include in a healthy diet and lifestyle, ask your optometrist or doctor! You can click here to learn more about our exclusive ClearVu Experience and when you’re ready to schedule your family’s yearly eye exams, visit us here or give us a call at (260) 469-3937.

If you’ve recently had exams but are ready for a fresh pair of specs, just stop in at any of our five Fort Wayne locations with your prescription.

We look forward to helping you and your family out this school year!

 

Back to School Eye Exams are Due!

Posted on July 12, 2019

Kids in Glasses

It’s hard to believe it’s already back to school time, and you may already be busy prepping all the essentials like fresh supplies, the latest tech, and new clothes. But there is one thing you may have forgotten and we want to help you check it off the list – an annual eye exam!

Studies show kids learn better when they can see their best and regular eye exams are especially important for growing kids. Vision changes often go unnoticed without them, which could negatively affect a child’s performance in school.

Our friendly and helpful independent optometrists specialize in children’s eye care, offering stress-free, but thorough eye exams utilizing our exclusive ClearVu Experience, which generates an ultra-precise prescription that can be up to 25 times more accurate than using traditional equipment.

Here are some helpful children’s eye care tips from the American Optometry Association:

  • Be aware that pediatric eye exams are most likely covered by your health insurance plan. Most insurance plans recognize a comprehensive eye exam as an essential benefit and cover this expense, including glasses for children.
  • Keep an eye out for signs of poor vision and eye health issues. If you see your child covering one eye, holding a book close to their face, leaning down close to homework, or complaining of headaches or other mild discomfort, there’s a chance they have a vision problem and they may not even know it.
  • It’s essential to monitor the use of digital devices to help reduce eye strain. The AOA recommends following the 20-20-20 rule (taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes by looking at something 20 feet away). We also offer special lens coatings that can help filter the light generated by digital devices, which is available to adults as well.
  • Proper eye protection for sports and outdoor activities is extremely important, as are quality sunglasses that offer UV protection. We carry a wide variety of high-quality brands of sunglasses and safety glasses, available in both prescription and non-prescription.

To help kids succeed and ease the cost of eyeglasses, we offer FREE HD lenses with the purchase of any frame in the store for students 17 and under? These digitally crafted lenses come complete with UV protection, scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coatings. This is a $240 value, absolutely FREE!

You can click here if you would like to learn more about our exclusive ClearVu Experience and if you’re ready to schedule your family’s yearly eye exams, you can do so here or give us a call at (260) 469-3937. If you’ve recently had exams but are ready for a fresh pair of specs, just stop in any of our 5 Fort Wayne locations with your prescription.

We look forward to helping your kids, and you, see better this school year!