Pumpkins, ghosts and witches provide lots of inspiration for spooky costumes and festive attire. For many children, this fall holiday is the culmination of a year’s worth of planning.

Having the most elaborate outfit may be your goal, but without careful planning, you can easily double your toil and trouble. Halloween costumes can put you at risk for eye injury, but following easy safety tips will ensure you have all the treats without the tricks.

Below, we have provided four safety tips to lower your risk for eye injury on Halloween.

Use Soft, Flexible Hand-Held Props

Fairy wands and pirate swords can boost the fun of indoor play, but they can pose dangerous threats to your vision on Halloween. Even though Harry Potter’s broomstick or Luke Skywalker’s light saber are made of plastic, they can be hazardous and lead to eye injury.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 3,200 Halloween-related visits to the emergency room every year. However, children still run around dark neighborhoods holding sharp, pointy objects.

Hand-held props can cause painful corneal abrasions or even vision loss. Instead of using props made of metal or plastic, purchase flexible foam props that cannot damage vision.

Consider Wearing a Hat Instead of a Mask

Costume shops sell hundreds of masks, but these accessories are not always tested for safety. Masks can impair your vision if they are too tight or too loose. Often, the eyeholes of the mask are too small, and they limit your visual field. Children can easily fall or run into another person or object and get an eye injury.

Other components of costumes can also obstruct vision, including wigs and eye patches. It is always a good idea to try on any type of head or hair accessory before Halloween to evaluate how it affects your vision.

A decorative hat can be just as creative as a mask. Make sure it fits snugly on the head and is not floppy. If you are feeling especially creative, make your own hat by going to the craft store and buying embellishments like buttons or lace to attach to it.

Carefully Select Eye Makeup and Test it First

Makeup can be another interesting alternative to hats and masks. Using makeup can provide the pop of color you’re looking for without obstructing your vision.

The challenge with costume makeup is that most people don’t use it until Halloween night. If you are allergic to the makeup or have a reaction, your chills and thrills may come to a sudden halt.

When purchasing makeup, look for hypoallergenic cosmetics that do not include parabens or benzalkonium chloride. The FDA published a list of safe color additives so you can make sure your colors are FDA-approved. Certain pigments can also cause inflammation to your eyes, so avoid metallic makeup if you’ve never tried wearing it before.

Avoid applying makeup to the inside of the lash line because you can poke your eye or cause irritation to the delicate skin around your eyes. You may also want to avoid using makeup with glitter because it can flake off and cause corneal abrasions. Craft glitter can contain tiny pieces of glass or metal, so never use craft glitter on any part of the eye.

A few days before Halloween, apply a little of each type of makeup to your forearm and observe your skin closely. If you don’t have a reaction, that makeup will be safe to use on Halloween. After trick or treating, it’s important to remove the makeup right away and not sleep in it.

Only Wear Contact Lenses from Your Eye Doctor

Changing your eye color is a novelty, but it’s not worth losing your vision. You can purchase cosmetic contact lenses almost anywhere, from a gas station to a party planning store, but chances are high that those contacts may contain harmful substances like chlorine or iron.

Contact lenses are medical devices and require a prescription from a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist. Therefore, you are buying unregulated contacts if you obtain them from anyone but your doctor.

Non-prescription cosmetic contacts don’t have adequate air flow and, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), can lead to the following:

• Bacteria build-up
• Deposits on the contact
• Eye infections
• Corneal scratches and abrasions
• Corneal ulcers
• Blindness

Call Your Ophthalmologist for a Comprehensive Eye Exam

Have you noticed your vision is not as clear as it used to be? Have no fear, ghouls and goblins. You may be due for a comprehensive eye exam with dilation. Getting your eyes checked is an essential part of preventive care because it can assess your visual acuity and test for chronic eye conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.

Your ophthalmologist will check you for the following:

• Refractive error — nearsighted, farsighted or astigmatism
• Focusing problems, including presbyopia
• Other vision problems, such as strabismus, amblyopia or binocular vision
• Other diseases such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, which can often be detected in an eye exam

Call today to make an appointment for your whole family so you don’t “go bump in the night” on Halloween!

Living near New York City, Lissette Gonzalez often visits the Museum of Modern Art and watches off-Broadway productions with her family.

This spring, a cataract in her right eye affected her vision, impacting her travels to the Big Apple.

“All I could really make out would be like shadow and light,” she said. “It got to the point where I would have my son stand in front of me and just wave his hand.”

The Hudson County, New Jersey, woman said the vision loss made navigating the crowded city difficult.

“I was legitimately scared to walk, to cross the streets,” Gonzalez, 50, said. “I should not be scared just to walk down city streets that I’m used to walking. It’s not like I never go to New York.”

Cataracts are the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide and of vision loss in the United States. If not treated, cataracts may impair or cause complete loss of eyesight.

Blurry Vision Leads to Eye Exam, Cataract Diagnosis

Gonzalez’s journey began about 19 months ago when she started noticing changes in her eyesight. She made an appointment with ophthalmologist Hardik Parikh, MD, FAAO, in early 2023.

“She came to me with a vision problem in her right eye,” Dr. Parikh said. “She wasn’t seeing clearly for the last few months. She was having a harder time working at her computer, tending to have to refocus constantly. Her vision at nighttime was also impacted. She was having a lot more glare than she was normally accustomed to.”

After a comprehensive eye exam, Dr. Parikh diagnosed Gonzalez with a posterior subcapsular cataract. This fast-developing cataract starts in the backmost part of the lens in the eye and blocks the center part of your vision where the light passes through.

A patient has two options when diagnosed with a cataract. They can wait and adjust their glasses or contacts or have cataract removal surgery, according to Dr. Parikh.

“I would definitely recommend the procedure,” he said. “Cataract surgery overall is one of the safest procedures that we have in all of ophthalmology.”

Gonzalez determined her slightly blurry vision was manageable and delayed cataract surgery. A posterior subcapsular cataract is generally faster growing than other cataracts. About 14 months after her initial diagnosis, Gonzalez experienced light perception vision.

“Even if we took a hand and waved it in front of her eye, going back and forth, she wouldn’t know that the hand was there,” Dr. Parikh said.

Choosing an Intraocular Lens and Cataract Surgery

In March, Gonzalez scheduled her cataract surgery for June 13 at an ambulatory surgery center (ASC). ASCs offer safe, high-quality outpatient medical procedures.

During this procedure, a doctor replaces the cloudy lens of a patient’s eye with an artificial lens. This intraocular lens (IOL) is a clear, plastic lens that becomes a permanent part of the eye.

Depending on your visual needs and lifestyle, several IOLs are available.

• Monofocal Lenses help with distance vision, but you may still need glasses for reading or if you have astigmatism. Medicare and other insurance plans usually cover these.
• Astigmatism-correcting Monofocal Lenses correct your astigmatism as well as your cataracts during one simple procedure. Most people only need glasses for reading after surgery.
• Multifocal or Extended Depth of Focus Lenses help you see both near and far, so you may be able to go glasses-free after surgery.

Gonzalez selected a monofocal IOL and opted to undergo femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery. In this procedure, Dr. Parikh designed a specific surgical plan with a 3-D image of her right eye called optical coherence tomography (OCT).

“We’re using technology to better augment a surgeon’s hands, making tasks easier, more efficient, more predictable, and more standardized,” Dr. Parikh said. “Anything that really helps with the patient’s outcome at the end of the day is a win for us.”

By surgery day, Gonzalez said she was ready to regain her sight.

“I felt at ease with the procedure,” she said. “Sure, with any procedure there’s a risk, but I, personally, at that moment, felt like I had nothing to lose because I already had no sight and it was affecting my quality of life.”

After a seamless surgery-day process, Gonzalez returned the next day for her follow-up appointment.

“Laser-related surgery is really putting yourself in the hands of professionals that can deliver results,” she said. “I walked out of there being able to see again. I had my sight back.”

Dr. Parikh prescribed eye drops for Gonzalez to prevent infection and to reduce inflammation over the next few weeks.

“By about the first month after surgery, they’re generally off all eye drops and they’re back to living their normal lives as things were before the surgery,” he said.

Patient Returns to the Big Apple without Fear

Today, Gonzalez said her vision is better than ever. Her right eye is 20/20 and she has new prescription glasses to accommodate her left eye, which also has a small cataract.

Her restored sight gave Gonzalez confidence to return to New York City. She recently watched an off-Broadway play and viewed her favorite artwork by French Neo-Impressionist painter Paul Signac at the Museum of Modern Art.

“I was able to see everything comfortably,” she said. “I didn’t really deprive myself of my typical activities [before], but what I appreciate is being able to do them without a sense of fear. Just being able to move in the world without having to worry … It just feels good just feeling safe.”

Prioritizing her eye care and cataract surgery restored Gonzalez’s vision and quality of life.

“My only regret was not doing it sooner,” she said.

Schedule a Visit with Your Eye Doctor

September is designated as Healthy Aging Month to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of vision loss. One in six Americans aged 65 and older have a vision impairment that cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

Prioritize your vision health by scheduling a visit with your ophthalmologist for a comprehensive eye exam. Your eye doctor will check your visual acuity, evaluate your current eye prescription and screen you for eye conditions like cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Call today for an appointment.

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This article is designed for educational purposes only. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health concern or disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health concern, you should consult your healthcare provider.

Spending time outside can lower stress and boost your mood, but outdoor fun can increase your risk for UV exposure, eye infection or ocular injuries. Taking daily precautions can protect your eyes and prevent long-term vision damage.

Shield Your Eyes from the Sun

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation penetrates the eye more easily than visible light and can increase your risk of developing vision problems. UV rays cause a variety of eye issues, from corneal sunburn to eye growths and cancer, as well as degenerative eye diseases like the following:

• Cataracts — clouding of the eye lens, which leads to vision loss and potential blindness
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) — retinal damage, potentially resulting in permanent central vision loss

A wide-brimmed hat and a quality pair of sunglasses will block or reflect the harmful UV light from your eyes. When choosing sunglasses, opt for ones that offer 99-100 percent protection against UVA and UVB rays, or ones labeled with a UV400 rating.

How your sunglasses fit is just as important. A good pair of sunglasses should remain in place and provide wide coverage around your eyes. The frames should also minimize the amount of light that enters the eye from the sides, top and bottom (NEI).

One of the easiest ways to prevent UV damage is to stay inside when the sunlight is most intense, often between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The UV index can still be high when there is significant cloud cover. Make it a habit when you go outdoors to wear sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen of at least 30 SPF.

If you have children, it is a wise idea to keep hats and sunglasses for every member of the family in the car.

Wear Safety Goggles for Sports or Activities

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, US emergency rooms treat almost 30,000 sports-related eye injuries per year. Experts estimate 90 percent of serious eye injuries could have been prevented if people wore appropriate protective eyewear.

One study found that basketball caused the most sports-related ocular injuries, followed by baseball, softball, airsoft rifles, pellet guns, racquetball and hockey.

Experts recommend athletes wear durable sports glasses with polycarbonate lenses for activities like basketball, tennis, soccer and field hockey.

“If you are participating in any sports or activities where there may be a risk for impact or eye injuries, then consider utilizing impact-resistant frames that meet ASTM standards,” said Fraser Horn, OD, dean of Pacific University College of Optometry in Oregon (AOA).

Wearing protective sports glasses with polycarbonate lenses can lower your risk of eye injury. If you or a family member play racquet sports or any activity that uses a ball, purchase impact-resistant frames that meet ASTM standards. Even those watching sports games can get hurt, so stay vigilant for flying balls, bats or gear that may come into the stands.

Sports are not the only activity that can cause eye injuries. Even yard work and cleaning your home can pose a threat to healthy vision. You should wear protective eyewear for any activity that involves the following:

• Flying debris or small particles
• Projectiles or objects that could become projectiles
• Hazardous chemicals

Remove Contact Lenses and Wear Goggles in the Water

There’s nothing like an aquatic adventure to cool off from the summer heat. Swimming can pose threats to healthy eyes, so it is best to take precautions by creating new habits.

Wearing swim goggles can prevent chlorine irritation and infection from bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye). Although it is rare, some swimmers may contract acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare and very serious infection caused by an amoeba.

“The eye is not great at fighting off different types of infections because it doesn’t have available blood supply to it,” said Masih Ahmed, MD, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “If you have scratches in the cornea, which can happen from dry eye or even rubbing your eye, one of those microorganisms can get into those cuts and lead to infection.”

You can keep your eyes safe in the water by remembering these guidelines:

1. Wear goggles.
2. Remove contact lenses.
3. Rinse your eyes after getting out of any body of water.
4. Use artificial tears to hydrate your eyes.
5. Avoid rubbing your eyes after swimming.
6. Be cautious around natural bodies of water because of possible microorganisms.

Make Annual Eye Doctor Appointments for the Whole Family

Many people assume their eyes are healthy if they are not experiencing specific problems. The fact is, vision problems can develop without symptoms or pain.

A comprehensive eye exam with dilation is an easy way to monitor your eye health. Yearly vision checks will assess refractive errors and focusing problems and screen for eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Regular eye exams can offer a window into your overall health and assess whether you are at higher risk for eye disease or chronic issues like high blood pressure.

Commit to healthy vision by calling your eye doctor to make eye appointments for your family. Ensure your eye health by wearing sunglasses, applying sunscreen and using protective eyewear. Contact your eye doctor if you have discomfort or new symptoms.

Nearsightedness, or myopia, is affecting more children and young people than ever before due to increased near work and use of digital devices.

What Is Myopia?

Myopia occurs when the eyeball is too long from front to back or when the cornea is overly curved, causing the eye to be out of focus and distant objects appear blurry. Nearsightedness is a growing problem globally, and scientists claim it is reaching epidemic proportions.

By 2050, half the world’s population (about five billion people) will be near-sighted and one billion will be at risk for blindness. The areas where myopia is most prevalent include South Korea, China, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan, at 80 to 90 percent.

Why Are More People Myopic Today Than in the Past?

Several factors affect whether someone will be myopic.

Genetics and Heredity

No single gene codes for myopia; however, you are at higher risk if one or both of your parents are nearsighted. In many cases, though, a child can develop myopia when neither parent has myopia.

Nearsightedness usually begins between the ages of 6 and 14 and progresses through the early 20s.

Screen Time on Digital Devices

Environment also influences whether someone is nearsighted. Children are spending more time on screens and digital devices, and it is contributing to eye problems. Distorted visual input can lead to enlarged and elongated eyes, which can cause an increase in eye growth and result in blurry vision. This elongation increases nearsightedness, making distant objects blurry.

Amount of Time Spent on Near Work

Another factor that affects myopia is how much time people spend focusing on something within one arm’s length of their faces. Increased amounts of near work make children more likely to develop nearsightedness. Examples of near work include reading, doing crafts, drawing or painting.

Spending Less Time Outside

Staying indoors can affect the risk of nearsightedness. A study in Leipzig, Germany, analyzed 1,437 children between the ages of 3 and 18. Children who only ventured outdoors once a week were four times more prone to developing nearsightedness than children who spent time outside two or more times a week.

Identifying Symptoms and Treating Myopia Early

You might be curious about how to identify if your child is nearsighted. Look for symptoms like squinting or covering one eye. Often, teachers may be the first to notice a child is myopic if he or she cannot see the board at school. Holding objects close or sitting near to a television can also be telltale signs of near-sightedness.

Research shows high myopia can increase the lifetime risk of vision impairment. Untreated nearsightedness or severe myopia can make people more likely to develop eye problems like cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachment and macular degeneration. Each of these eye diseases can cause vision loss. Therefore, nations such as the United Kingdom, China and many U.S. states require students to undergo vision tests as part of their schooling.

Creating Healthy Parameters for Using Digital Devices

August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, a time to emphasize the importance of eye health and disease prevention. Parents play a vital role in their children’s eye health. Consider placing limits on-screen time and encourage children to use screens in shared spaces like living rooms and kitchens.

It is also important for children and adults to take regular breaks from screens. The American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests following the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, pause for 20 seconds to focus on an object that is at a distance of at least 20 feet.

In the evening, choose a set time that everyone puts away digital devices for the evening. Using phones and tablets before bed can disrupt the circadian rhythm and affect sleep cycles.

Schedule a Comprehensive Eye Exam Before the End of the Year

Scheduling yearly comprehensive eye exams with dilation is a great choice for maintaining your family’s vision health. Regular eye exams help diagnose myopia, refractive errors and eye diseases.

Family history can make you more susceptible to certain eye problems, so make sure to talk to your doctor to determine your risk of developing a disease or condition. The year is quickly ending, so call your eye doctor to schedule an appointment.

Bob Puzio did not know how the world really looked until he saw it in a new light.

A husband, father and retiree, Puzio lives a busy life in Roxbury Township, New Jersey, traveling with family and pursuing his hobbies as a documenter and collector of craft brewing memorabilia.

So, it was a surprise when, during a comprehensive eye exam, Puzio was diagnosed with both glaucoma and cataracts in both eyes.

“One thing you find out [during an eye exam] is that you could be clueless that your vision is anything but normal,” he said. “If anything, I thought my vision was getting better as I aged.”

As Puzio’s sight improved following months of treatment, he wanted to thank the people who gave him the vision he thought he always had.

But how? A card or a small gift would be more than most people offer, but Puzio had an idea, one that could help others see the world in a new light.

“There’s this Bible quote about how 10 lepers were cured, but only one said, ‘Thank you,’ and I wanted to be the one to say thank you,” Puzio said. “You can buy people donuts and coffee, but I had to do more than just say, ‘Thank you. Good job.’”

“A Triple Whammy” Diagnosis

To say the findings from his eye exam caught Puzio off guard would be an understatement.

“I joked that the diagnosis was a triple whammy,” Puzio said. “Glaucoma and cataracts in both eyes were not what I was prepared to hear.”

A cataract is a hazing of the eye lens that impedes passing light into the eye. At first, the cloudiness may affect only a small part of the lens, and you may be unaware that you are developing vision loss.

Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss among people older than 55. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, over half of all Americans will develop cataracts by age 75.

Cataracts can impair vision or destroy it if left untreated. At first, stronger eyeglass prescriptions can help with cataracts. Puzio’s ophthalmologist, Dr. Erin Mann noted that many patients may reach a point where surgery becomes the only option.

“We can often tweak glasses to work around different changes in prescriptions, but at some point, glasses can’t be tweaked any further,” Dr. Mann said. “Robert had received steady changes to his prescription, but he was still presenting issues, and we couldn’t run the risk of waiting too long and there being complications.”

Patient Undergoes Cataract Surgery

Unlike other eye diseases like glaucoma, doctors can remove cataracts to restore eyesight. The operation includes removing the clouded lens and replacing it with an artificial one, called an intraocular lens (IOL). The construction of an IOL involves using silicone, acrylic or other plastic materials and frequently applying a protective coating against UV rays.

“Cataracts are a natural clouding and graying of that lens inside the eye,” Dr. Mann said. “Patients describe it as a fuzz or blur you’d normally fix by cleaning your eyeglasses. But it’s not glasses: it’s the lens inside your eye that’s turning gray, and we can go in and replace that with a man-made lens.”

In late 2023, Puzio received an injection to treat his glaucoma procedure and reduce eye pressure at an ambulatory surgery center (ASC). Two cataract surgeries — one in each eye — followed, performed by Dr. Mann in January and February 2024.

Puzio said the improvement to his vision was obvious in the weeks between his cataract procedures. Taking advantage of a snowfall that had blown through his area, he tested what his “new” right eye could see.

“Just for kicks, I put my hand to my right eye, and the snow looked like it was yellow straw colored through my left eye,” Puzio remarked. “I did the opposite and that same snow looked as bright as an LED light.

“Seeing the difference in my vision was a total ‘woah’ moment.”

Helping Others to See a Way Forward

A hub for service dog training, the neighboring town of Morristown, New Jersey, is home to The Seeing Eye, an internationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to training service dogs. For nearly a century, the local charity has raised generations of dogs to help the blind achieve greater independence and freedom.

To thank those responsible for his improved vision, Puzio made multiple donations to The Seeing Eye, including gifts on behalf of Dr. Mann and his ASC staff.

“[The ASC staff] did something grand for me, so the least I could do is pay it forward,” Puzio said. “The Seeing Eye is local, so I see them training around town, and I know the great work they do. What better way to say thanks than to benefit others?”

Dr. Mann said Puzio’s gesture signified something more profound than a simple positive review.

“People who have a good experience usually leave a positive review, but Robert’s case is unique,” Dr. Mann said. “It’s almost spiritual to want to connect with something bigger.

“[Puzio] was able to have a surgery to see better, and he paid that forward by providing resources so that others could get back a different kind of sight.”

Now months removed from treatment, Puzio is back at his hobbies and enjoying spending time with his wife and children. Cataract surgery, he said, has changed the way he sees the world.

“When Dr. Mann told me that I needed surgery as soon as possible, I thought, ‘Why?’” he said. “But now, everything I see is sharper, brighter and clearer.

“I’m really seeing the world in a completely new light.”

Get a Comprehensive Eye Exam

How long has it been since your last comprehensive eye exam? A dilated eye exam is the only way to properly diagnose cataracts. All adults older than 40 should get a complete eye exam with dilation.

Your doctor will give you a visual acuity test, look for refractive errors and evaluate your most recent prescription for glasses or contact lenses. Not all vision problems are obvious. Many conditions that affect your vision have no symptoms in the early stages. Eye exams are the best way to detect and diagnose common eye diseases like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.

Make an appointment with your eye doctor to evaluate your eye health and screen for cataracts. Don’t miss out on seeing the world in a new light. Get screened for cataracts and say “yes” to clear vision!

Eye trauma and injuries can cause vision loss or blindness, so protect your eyes by watching a professional fireworks display.

Fireworks Are a Common Cause of Summer Injuries

It is exciting to see explosions of bright colors in the night sky! Americans have been using fireworks to celebrate freedom since the first organized Independence Day celebration on July 4, 1777, in Philadelphia. Although firecrackers and sparklers play a major role in summer celebrations, they pose a critical risk to eye safety.

Fireworks cause thousands of injuries each year, and the majority of accidents occur from May to July. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, almost 300 people go to the emergency room each year due to fireworks-related eye injuries during the weeks surrounding July 4.

Hospital emergency rooms treated 10,200 fireworks injuries in 2022, and 73 percent happened around the Fourth of July. Burns were the most common injury, and 28 percent of all injuries were to children younger than 15.

Body parts most often injured:

• Fingers and hands (29 percent)
• Face, head and ears (19 percent)
• Legs (19 percent)
• Eyes (16 percent)
• Torso (12 percent)
• Arms (5 percent)

How Can Fireworks Damage the Eyes?

Fireworks can damage any part of the body, but the eye is susceptible to chemical, thermal or blast injuries. Injuries to the eye can range from minor scratches on the cornea and objects stuck in the conjunctiva to cuts on the eyelid, retinal detachment, broken eye socket and penetrating eye wounds. Explosives can also cause burns around the eyes, facial lacerations, fractures and scarring.

“Chemicals found within fireworks cause the amazing display of colors and explosions that we see during celebrations, but these can be harmful to the eye,” said Grayson W. Armstrong, MD, MPH, director of ophthalmology emergency services at Mass Eye and Ear and board member of the American Society of Ophthalmic Trauma. “The eye needs to remain at a normal pH, and if there is acidic or basic material exposed to the eye, it can lead to chemical burns and sometimes long-term problems such as limbal stem cell deficiency, scarring, cataract, glaucoma and even retinal toxicity.”

Protect Your Vision and Prevent Ocular Damage

Fireworks may be legal, but it does not mean they are safe. Legally purchased fireworks can contain modified fuses, dangerous chemicals and unsafe levels of explosive materials. Explosives can misfire, ignite all at once or discharge in the opposite direction.

Watching a show in the crowd also poses some risk because 65 percent of fireworks injuries are to bystanders who were too close to the action. Many believe sparklers are safe for kids, but they can reach temperatures up to 2,000 degrees and result in over 600 injuries annually.

You can protect your eyes by following these safety tips:

• Attend a professional fireworks show.
• Purchase non-toxic glow sticks for children and grandchildren to wear during the show.
• View fireworks from at least 500 feet away.
• Do not touch unexploded fireworks.

Cataracts May Impede Your View of Colorful Fireworks

Do you miss the vivid pop of brilliant color you used to enjoy during fireworks displays? If you’re noticing colors don’t appear as bright as they used to, you may be developing cataracts, or a clouding of the eye lens. Having cataracts can affect your vision by making vivid hues look yellow or faded.

Cataracts are a normal part of the aging process. However, eye trauma or eye injury can also cause cataracts. Up to 65 percent of eye injuries lead to cataract formation and can cause short and long-term vision loss.

Traumatic cataracts can form quickly or develop slowly over time. Acute injuries like blunt or penetrating trauma, electric shock or chemical injuries can damage or rupture the lens, leading to partial or complete cataracts and blindness.

You should call your ophthalmologist right away if you experience symptoms of cataracts:

• Blurred vision
• Double vision
• Seeing halos around lights
• Glare at night
• Fading or yellowing of colors

Cataract Surgery Can Restore Clear Vision and Your Ability to See Brilliant Color

Cataract surgery can restore most cataract-related vision problems. It is one of the safest and most common procedures, and has a success rate of 97 percent or higher when performed in appropriate settings.

Cataract surgery is usually an outpatient procedure and requires a short recovery period. It usually takes less than 30 minutes, and patients can return home after a few hours.

The surgeon will remove the cloudy lens and replace it with a customized artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL). The incision is so small that stitches are rarely necessary. Most patients find they can resume their normal activities the following day.

Schedule a Comprehensive Eye Exam Before the End of the Year

All adults over 40 should have a comprehensive eye exam every year. During a vision examination, the optometrist will assess your visual acuity, check for any refractive errors and examine for all types of cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.

Have you been putting off vision testing or an eye procedure? The second half of the year is a good time to schedule procedures because you may have already reached your deductible. Call your insurance company to find out how close you are to meeting your deductible and then call your eye doctor. Your eye procedure may cost less than you thought.

Cataracts are a leading cause of blindness and vision impairment, but surgery can restore cataract-related vision loss.

Learn the Facts about Cataracts During Cataract Awareness Month

Are spring flowers no longer as vibrant as you remember? Do you experience blurred or double vision? Is driving at night becoming increasingly difficult? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may have cataracts.

June is Cataract Awareness Month, a time to learn about how cataracts form and what you can do to preserve your vision. A cataract forms in the lens of the eye. Over time, the lens clouds and prevents light from passing through. This clouded area is a cataract, and it will gradually impair vision as it grows.

Over time, cataracts can make everyday activities like reading, driving and house cleaning difficult and will cause vision loss if untreated.

Does Everyone Get Cataracts?

You can get cataracts in one eye or both eyes, but it does not spread from one eye to the other. By age 80, most adults have cataracts or have had cataract surgery.

Most cataracts form due to the natural aging process, but some cataracts can form because of the following:

• Eye injury or surgery
• Use of certain medications like steroids
• Other diseases like diabetes

Cataract Surgery Is Safe and Effective

Your doctor may suggest cataract surgery if your condition is preventing you from doing your everyday activities. Clear vision is important for safety, especially for older adults.

Most people do not have to rush to have cataract surgery. Unlike other eye diseases like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration, cataracts do not cause permanent eye damage. However, there is no reason to wait for cataracts to stop your normal daily activities before removing them.

Cataract surgery is one of the most common and safest surgical procedures in the United States and around the world. Eye surgeons perform about four million cataract surgeries every year (nearly 28 million worldwide).

How Does Cataract Surgery Work?

When you are unable to do your daily activities while wearing your glasses, it is time to consider cataract surgery. An ophthalmologist is a physician with expertise in treating eye disorders and performing surgical procedures related to the eyes.

On the day of your procedure, you will receive drops to dilate your pupils. You may also receive mild sedation to help you relax. After you arrive in the operating room, an anesthesiologist will give you intravenous or local anesthesia. You won’t feel pain because your surgeon uses topical anesthetic.

During cataract surgery, your eye surgeon removes your damaged lens and replaces it with an intraocular lens (IOL). An IOL is a small, artificial lens for the eye. It is constructed from silicone, acrylic or another type of plastic material. Unlike contacts, IOLs are implanted inside the eye and are permanent.

In most cases, cataract surgery only takes about 10 to 20 minutes to complete. You’ll wake up feeling drowsy, but the recovery team will monitor you until you can walk around.

Shortly after surgery, you should notice colors appear brighter, but you may still experience some blurred vision for the first few days. You shouldn’t feel pain, but some people say their eyes feel scratchy. Your eye doctor will prescribe drops to prevent inflammation, and you will return for several post-op visits to make sure you are healing properly.

How Do I Choose the Best Type of IOL for My Vision?

IOLs have an array of features and focusing powers. Your ophthalmologist will take measurements of the eye length and curvature of the cornea to calculate your IOL’s focusing power.

There are three major categories of IOLs:

• Monofocal IOL — Medicare and other insurance usually cover monofocal IOLs for cataract surgery. Monofocal lenses are designed for sharp distance vision, so you still may need reading glasses. If you have astigmatism and choose a monofocal lens, you likely will need to wear glasses all the time.
• Astigmatism-correcting IOL — Astigmatism causes blurred vision because the cornea has an irregular shape. In some cases, a surgeon can make limbal relaxing incisions to alter the shape of the cornea and correct low levels of astigmatism. Toric IOLs can help with higher levels of astigmatism. This type of lens is not covered by insurance so you will pay an extra fee.
• Multifocal IOL — A multifocal lens can help you see near, intermediate and distance and sometimes correct astigmatism so you may be able to be glasses-free. About 80 to 90 percent of patients with multifocal lenses don’t need to wear glasses. This is the most expensive IOL because insurance will not cover it. However, the multifocal lens potentially will save thousands of dollars because most people won’t have to purchase new eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Get a Comprehensive Eye Exam During Cataract Awareness Month

How long has it been since your last comprehensive eye exam? A dilated eye exam is the only way to properly diagnose cataracts. All adults older than 40 should get a complete eye exam with dilation.

Your doctor will give you a visual acuity test, look for refractive errors and evaluate your most recent prescription for glasses or contact lenses. Not all vision problems are obvious. Many conditions that affect your vision have no symptoms in the early stages. Eye exams are the best way to detect and diagnose common eye diseases like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.

Make an appointment with your eye doctor during the month of June to evaluate your eye health and screen for cataracts. Don’t miss out on the glorious colors of the season. Get screened for cataracts and say “yes” to clear vision!

Pickleball is a popular sport, especially among seniors and retired Americans. Even though pickleball seems as harmless as ping-pong, it can cause serious eye injuries, so it is essential to protect your vision.

Pickleball Is the Nation’s Fastest-Growing Sport

A combination of badminton, ping-pong and tennis, pickleball is an energetic sport that is easy to learn and suitable for all levels of athletic ability. Invented in 1965, pickleball has skyrocketed in popularity in the last five years, with participation up 159 percent from 2019 to 2022. Seniors especially enjoy the sport, with more than 80 percent of players being 60 and older.

“Eye injuries in sport are a mix of factors relating to the presence of a bat or ball, the size of the court and opportunity for impact with other players increasing the risk of eye injury,” said Annette Hoskin, PhD, a Research Fellow at the Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney and the Lions Eye Institute, University of Western Australia in Perth.

Dr. Hoskin said there has been a remarkable increase in pickleball injuries as more people discover the sport.

Racket Sports Can Cause Serious Eye Injuries

Smaller balls like racquetballs, squash balls and pickleballs are more likely to cause eye injury because they can fit in the eye socket without hitting the bone. Even though pickleballs are lightweight and move about one-third the speed of tennis balls, they can still travel up to 40 miles per hour and cause more damage than footballs or tennis balls.

“While pickleball is generally considered to be a safe sport due to its non-contact nature, the risk of eye injuries cannot be overlooked,” said Andrew G. Lee, MD, chair of the Blanton Eye Institute at Houston Methodist. “The high velocity of the ball and small court poses a significant risk for eye injuries.”

Older people are particularly vulnerable to ocular injury because they may lack quick reflexes, and those who have pre-existing eye conditions are at even higher risk. CBS News stated pickleball injuries have nearly doubled, from just under 9,000 in 2020 to over 17,000 in 2022, and three out of four injuries since 2018 involved individuals aged 55 to 75.

“A lot of people stand very close to the net when they’re playing pickleball,” said Raj Maturi, MD, ophthalmologist and member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “A ball directed to the eye can come faster than you have time to reflexively react to, causing significant vision impairment.”

Pickleball and other racket sports can cause several types of eye injuries, including the following:

• Corneal abrasion
• Vitreous hemorrhage
• Retinal tears
• Retinal detachment
• Posterior vitreous detachment
• Traumatic lens dislocation

Wear Proper Eye Protection When Playing Racket Sports

People who play racquetball and squash are more likely to wear eye protection, but pickleball players rarely wear protective glasses. About 90 percent of serious eye injuries could be prevented by wearing appropriate eyewear.

Studies show that wearing sports goggles, safety visors or face shields are the most effective method to protect the eyes and prevent injury. The most effective eyewear are polycarbonate safety goggles with front and side coverage.

Get Your Eyes Checked during Healthy Vision Month

May is Healthy Vision Month. Yearly visits to the eye doctor are as important as getting a wellness check with your primary care physician. Healthy vision keeps you safe and allows you to participate in the daily activities you enjoy, like reading, driving and caring for your home and pets.

Preventive vision care is essential because 2.9 million Americans have low vision, and 1.3 million are blind. Vision loss and eye disease cause an economic burden of $139 billion, but 80 percent of vision impairment is avoidable through preventive care and treatment.

Call Your Ophthalmologist Today to Schedule a Comprehensive Eye Exam

Has it been over a year since you had a complete eye exam? Healthy Vision Month is a perfect time to call your eye doctor and schedule appointments for your family. You should schedule annual eye screenings at age 40 or earlier if you have hypertension, diabetes or a family history of eye disease.

Approximately 37 million adults in America have age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma, all of which can cause visual impairment or blindness. A comprehensive eye exam is the best way to find out if you have eye problems, need a new prescription or are in the early stages of a chronic eye condition or disease.

About 12 percent of Americans smoke cigarettes. We’ve known for decades that smoking can cause health problems and damage the eyes. However, we do not know as much about e-cigarettes. New research suggests the combination of smoking and vaping can pose a heightened threat to eye tissues.

What Is an E-Cigarette?

E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that mimic traditional tobacco cigarettes. A pharmacist in Beijing created the modern e-cigarette in 2003 as an alternative to regular cigarettes.

E-cigarettes use an atomizer and a cartridge that contains nicotine or a non-nicotine solution. The battery heats the liquid, and the atomizer vaporizes it as a mist. This is why smoking e-cigarettes is often called “vaping.”

Vaping Is Increasing in Popularity Among Young Americans

While fewer Americans are smoking traditional cigarettes, vaping is increasing. According to a Gallup poll, eight percent of U.S. adults said they smoked e-cigarettes in the past week. Vaping is especially popular among young adults; people younger than 30 are twice as likely to vape than any other age group.

Vaping also seems to have more sticking power than cigarettes. In 2023, 50 percent of young people who tried e-cigarettes kept using them.

Study Links Smoking and Vaping to Increased Eye Problems

A recent study published in JAMA Ophthalmology found that young adults and adolescents who used cigarettes and e-cigarettes had more significant eye problems than those who used only one product. Participants who smoked and vaped were more likely to experience pain, redness, dryness, blurred vision, headaches and sensitivity to light.

“In ophthalmology clinics, I’ve increasingly noticed patients, particularly adolescents and young adults, presenting with eye-related symptoms such as dryness, irritation, and even vision disturbances,” said Anne Xuan-Lan Nguyen, MDCM, an ophthalmology resident at the University of Toronto, Canada, who led the research.

The study examined more than 4,000 people aged 13-24 about their smoking habits in the last month, week or ever. About 900 participants said they smoked cigarettes and/or vaped in the last week. Many of the patients said they did not wear contact lenses or take medication for eye problems.

Among the respondents who vaped, 55.9 percent said they also used cigarettes. Dual users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes had more frequent and severe eye symptoms compared to users of only one type of product. Up to four percent of respondents who had ever used both products said they experienced severe or very severe eye symptoms.

“All these conditions we know are worse as you get older,” said Laura Enyedi, MD, pediatric ophthalmologist in Durham, North Carolina, who was not associated with the study. “So if young people are having symptoms, it doesn’t bode well for them as they age” (Medscape).

Why Are Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes Harmful to the Eyes?

Because the study was observational, the findings cannot prove that the combined effect of smoking and vaping damages vision. However, they suspect cigarettes and e-cigarettes cause oxidative damage. When combustion occurs in cigarettes and the e-cigarette solvent propylene glycol, the reaction creates free radicals, causing oxidative stress, which damages the eye surface.

Smokers are twice as likely to develop age-related macular degeneration and two to three times more likely to develop cataracts than non-smokers. Smoking can also cause uveitis, an inflammation that develops inside the eye. Uveitis can lead to redness, pain and vision problems.

How You Can Prevent Smoking-Related Vision Problems

If you are a smoker, the best way to preserve your vision is to stop smoking. If you are not a smoker, don’t begin smoking. You can also make healthy lifestyle choices, such as the following:

• Exercising regularly
• Eating a nutritious diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, fatty fish and healthy omega-3s
• Staying hydrated
• Maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Using sunscreen on a daily basis
• Wearing sunglasses that offer 100 percent UVA and UVB protection

Schedule a Comprehensive Eye Exam

Make a commitment to clear vision and healthy eyes by calling your ophthalmologist to make an appointment for a comprehensive eye examination. Annual eye exams are essential because good eyesight can improve the quality of day-to-day life. Your eye doctor will check your visual acuity, evaluate your current eye prescription and screen you for eye conditions like cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Regular visits will help preserve your vision for years to come, so call today to make an appointment.

Studies show that we value sight more than any other sense. This is not surprising, as we take in 80 percent of all impressions by our vision.

Our sense of sight is a precious gift, but we must care for our eyes throughout our lifetime. Protecting our eyes helps lower the chances of vision loss, blindness and the development of eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease.

Visit Your Eye Doctor

Eye exams are essential for preventive care and maintenance, even if you don’t wear glasses or contact lenses. Because many eye diseases can develop without symptoms, you should visit your eye doctor every year.

Annual comprehensive eye exams will allow your doctor to diagnose and treat eye conditions early to prevent vision loss. Having a dilated eye examination is crucial if there is a history of conditions such as glaucoma, diabetes or macular degeneration in your family. For example, early detection of vision issues due to diabetes will reduce the risk of blindness by 60 to 90 percent.

Protect Your Eyes Properly

Do you spend time outside or looking at digital screens? If so, you need to protect your eyes properly.

Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight can damage part of the retina called the macula, which is responsible for central vision. Wearing sunglasses that block 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays can help prevent macular damage.

Outdoor sports and activities can make you more prone to eye injury. Safety goggles can protect your eyes from foreign objects while gardening, woodworking or playing sports. When purchasing safety glasses, make sure they have side protection, shatter-proof lenses and impact-resistant frames.

Digital eye strain will not cause vision loss, but it can be irritating or painful. Staring at screens can cause many problems, such as the following:

• Headaches
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Blurry vision
• Difficulty concentrating
• Eye fatigue

Digital eye strain can also reduce your blink rate and cause dry eye. Making a conscious effort to blink more often will help lubricate your eyes and prevent dryness. You can also try some over-the-counter rewetting drops.

When using electronic devices, it is beneficial to keep in mind the 20-20-20 rule: after every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to focus on an object situated at least 20 feet away.

Incorporate Exercise into Your Daily Schedule

Physical activity and a balanced diet can make a significant impact on your vision. Unlike New Year’s Resolutions, long-term commitments to your health and wellness don’t wane after January. Healthy living is a lifetime habit, cultivated one day at a time.

Studies show people who exercise regularly have a lower risk of developing eye disease.

• According to a study, individuals who engage in physical activity at least three times a week have a lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration compared to those who do not exercise.
• Another study discovered people who exercised moderately were 25 percent less likely to develop glaucoma (AAO).

Exercise also can help lower eye pressure in patients with glaucoma and help patients with diabetic retinopathy keep diabetes under control.

Adults should try to get 150 minutes of moderate-level exercise and two days of muscle strengthening activity each week. Cardiovascular exercises can include swimming, walking, cycling, playing tennis or even gardening. Muscle strengthening activities should incorporate all muscle groups: legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms (CDC).

Eat Nutritious Foods High in Antioxidants

Antioxidants are foods that protect tissues from the damage caused by oxidation, a process that causes cell death and aging. For example, oxidation can cause permanent changes in proteins located in the eye lens, leading to cataracts.

Foods that contain vitamins A, C and E, lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids and selenium protect eyes from oxidation. It is advisable to get vitamins and minerals from balanced meals rather than relying on supplements. Here are a few antioxidant-rich foods to consider (AAO):

• Vitamin A — leafy greens, tomatoes, cantaloupe, mango, milk and eggs
• Vitamin C — citrus fruits, kiwifruit, strawberries, red and green peppers and broccoli
• Vitamin E — olive oil, sunflower seeds, almonds and avocadoes
• Lutein and zeaxanthin — kale, spinach, broccoli, peas, lettuce, eggs, maize (corn) and orange peppers
• Carotenoids — carrots, winter squash, watermelon, pink grapefruit, leafy greens, pumpkin
• Selenium — seafood, organ meats, Brazil nuts, eggs, grains, cereals and dairy products

Call an Ophthalmologist for Your Comprehensive Eye Exam

When is the last time you visited your eye doctor? A comprehensive eye exam evaluates your eye health as well as your vision, and it takes only about an hour. You will have a visual acuity test, and you’ll likely receive a screening for eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. If you need to receive any treatment, your eye doctor can explain your options and create a customized treatment plan.