Wedding season is coming up soon, and there are lots of patients who may be wondering “Should I get contact lenses for an upcoming wedding?” Contact lenses are not just for brides. Patients who are parents of the happy couple, maids of honor, or even the best man may want to consider switching from eye glasses to contact lenses for the big day. Here are some tips to help get the conversation started with an eye care professional:

Make sure to start the conversation early

Since it may take time to schedule an exam and try out different lenses and modalities, patients should try to start talking about switching to contact lenses for a big event like a wedding as soon as possible. This allows patients the ability to try out different options in terms of contact lens replacement schedules, or even different contact lens materials.

Think about overall lifestyle versus a onetime event

Patients should consider what type of lifestyle they lead and what they expect from contact lenses. Do patients want to wake up and be able to see right away? If so, CooperVision offers Biofinity contact lenses which have been approved by the FDA for extended wear for 7 days and 6 nights. If a patient wants a convenient contact lens that is ideal for an on the go lifestyle, then daily disposables such as CooperVision’s Proclear 1 Day contact lenses may be a good option. We even have a convenient option for patients who want to wear multifocal contact lenses occasionally with Proclear 1 day multifocal contact lenses.

Think about situations where eyeglasses may not work

Most patients have certain circumstances or times that they do not want to wear eyeglasses. If a patient and eye care professional can focus on exactly why wearing eyeglasses may not work for these situations, it can help narrow down some choices for contact lenses based on what the patient may need. For more information, patients can locate an eye care professional near them using the CooperVision’s Find A Practitioner Tool.

Makeup and contact lenses can be a challenging combination, but with the right precautions, contact lens wearers can look and feel great. While we have covered this topic of makeup and contact lenses before, here are some fresh tips on what to do and not to do when dealing with makeup and contact lenses:

DO:

• Wash your hands before you handle contact lenses.
• Insert contact lenses before putting on your makeup in order to avoid transferring any oils, creams, makeup or lotions to the lenses.
• Use hypoallergenic makeup or oil free makeup. Some brands even label if a product is contact lens friendly.
• Gently apply eye makeup so that you don’t move your lenses too much.
• Consider using waterproof eye makeup to prevent smudging or flaking.
• Apply powder makeup carefully with eyes closed if possible to prevent flecks of makeup from getting on lenses.

DON’T:

• Apply makeup if your eyes are red, swollen or painful.
• Wear lash building mascara because it tends to flake easily.
• Wear mascara starting at the base of your eyelashes. Try applying from the midpoint of your lashes to the ends.
• Tightline (apply eyeliner in the waterline of your eyes).
• Wear contact lenses in salons. Fumes can damage contact lenses.
• Share makeup.
• Use eyelash cement, hairspray, perfume, or nail polish remover near your lenses. They can damage them.

Used properly, makeup can safely enhance the beauty of your eyes. However, if you do run into any problems with your vision or your contact lenses, make sure to remove them immediately and contact an eye care professional

Patients who may have had perfect vision all of their life will start to notice vision issues after the age of 40. This is a normal part of the aging process. Just like a patient’s body, a patient’s eyes will change after time. Aging changes in various parts of the eye can result in a number of noticeable differences in how well a patient can see.

One issue that affects older patients is presbyopia. As we wrote about in a previous blog post, presbyopia is a condition that affects patients over the age of 40. It’s a natural process that makes it difficult to read small print because the lens inside the eye becomes less flexible. This flexibility allows the eye to change focus from objects that are far to objects that are close. While it is a normal part of the aging process, it can be a cause of frustration for some patients. The good news is that there are a variety of different options to correct presbyopia. Some common options are bifocal glasses, reading glasses, or contact lenses. Here are some contact lens options for presbyopic patients:

• Proclear EP: For patients who are showing early signs of presbyopia, CooperVision has contact lenses called Proclear EP. Proclear EP is the first and only contact lens designed specifically for people who are just beginning to have trouble reading small type and seeing objects up close because of presbyopia.
• Proclear Multifocal: Proclear Multifocal contact lenses are the only lenses designed to address two common conditions experienced by those with aging eyes: presbyopia and eye dryness. In fact, only Proclear lenses are cleared by the FDA for the claim: "may provide improved comfort for contact lens wearers who experience mild discomfort or symptoms relating to dryness during lens wear."
• Proclear Multifocal Toric: Proclear Multifocal Toric contact lenses are the only monthly replacement lens designed to address both astigmatism and presbyopia. As we wrote about in a previous post, astigmatism is a common refractive error that causes vision to be out of focus because the cornea is abnormally curved. So for patients who have both astigmatism and presbyopia, there is an option!
• Biofinity Multifocal: CooperVision's Biofinity Multifocal is a high-performance, monthly silicone hydrogel lens for patients with presbyopia. It provides excellent vision at distance, intermediate and near with Balanced Progressive Technology multifocal contact lens design. Since these contact lenses are an extended wear option, an eyecare professional can recommend these contact lenses for patients who require overnight wear.
• Proclear 1 Day Multifocal: Coming soon, CooperVision’s Proclear 1 Day Multifocal contact lenses will be the newest offering for presbyopic patients. This is a great option for patients who want the convenience of a daily disposable contact lens but need vision correction for presbyopia. Look for it in early summer!

Contact lenses are normally comfortable for patients to wear, but contact lens discomfort can occur. Contact lens discomfort may be caused by a poor fit with the contact lens, dry eye syndrome, environmental allergens, or an underlying condition. An eye care professional can typically assess what the issue of contact lens discomfort is and help to find a solution.

Patients should always care for their lenses, follow a proper maintenance, and replacement schedule. However, even with a consistent regimen, contact lens discomfort may happen from time to time. Some symptoms of contact lens discomfort are:

• Red eyes
• Itchy or burning sensation
• Tearing of the eyes
• Painful swollen eyelids
• Foreign body sensation
• Blurred vision
• Dry eyes

If a patient is experiencing any of these symptoms or any discomfort, he/she should contact an eyecare professional. An eyecare professional can tell if the issue be resolved easily, or if it is part of an underlying condition of the eye. It is important to talk to an eye care professional because sometimes a minor issue can turn into a more serious eye condition if left untreated.

However for immediate relief from contact lens discomfort, here are some tips for patients:

• Remove the contact lens.
• Inspect the contact lens for any rips or tears. Don’t reinsert in the eye if there are any rips or tears. Contact an eye care professional.
• If the contact lens has an eyelash, dirt, or foreign body, simply clean the lens, rinse and disinfect it. Reinsert the lens back in the eye. If the contact lens still feels uncomfortable, remove the lens immediately and contact an eye care professional.

CooperVision has a variety of options for comfortable contact lens wear. For more information, contact an eye care professional to learn more about options for comfortable contact lens wear.

Most patients know it is important to protect their skin from the sun, but what about their eyes? Eye damage from the sun can affect surface tissues and internal structures such as the cornea and the lens. Short term eye damage from the sun can cause a temporary but painful burn to the cornea called photokeratitis. Long term eye damage may cause cataracts, pterygium, pinguecula, and cancer.

Children are especially vulnerable to sun damage to the eyes. Almost half of the time an adult spends outside during his/her lifetime is spent during childhood years. Children are more likely to suffer sun damage to the eyes because the lenses on their eyes are thinner, allowing more of the damaging rays to reach the retina at the back of the eye.

The good news is that patients can prevent eye damage from the sun with UV protection incorporated into eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses. Contact lenses can incorporate UV-blocking optical materials that can offer added protection because they can filter out UV rays that stray past hats and sunglasses. CooperVision offers contact lenses with a UV tint, but remember to use these handy sun protection tips for more complete UV protection:

• Wear sunglasses with UV protection
• Use sunscreen
• Wear a wide brimmed hat
• Stay out of the sun
• Make sure kids are protected too

If patients have questions about eye conditions related to sun damage, they should talk to an eyecare professional. Patients can locate an eyecare professional here .

Today is the 60th anniversary of Administrative Professionals’ Day! It is one of the largest workplace observances outside of employee birthdays and major holidays. This year’s theme of “Admins, the pulse of the office,” reflects the changing roles of administrative professionals today. While the demands of administrative professionals have come to include new technologies, they always manage to incorporate it with their traditional role of being gatekeepers of any office; including optometry practices. They are the pulse of the office because they know what is going on and when.

Here are some fast facts on Administrative Professionals’ Day:

• It was started in 1952 as "National Secretaries Week" by the National Secretaries Association (now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals).
• Mary Barrett, president of the National Secretaries Association, now called IAAP, and C. King Woodbridge, president of Dictaphone Corporation came up with the concept of "National Secretaries Week."
• It was intended to not only recognize the hard work of administrative professionals, but to help attract new recruits to the field.

Today’s holiday is a nice tradition to appreciate professionals who work hard. We'd like to thank all of our wonderful support staff at CooperVision that helps us on a daily basis.

We encourage eye care professionals to thank the administrative professionals in their staffs today. With more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants working in the United States, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, and 8.9 million people working in various administrative support roles, they certainly make a big difference in every office.

Now that spring is in the air, it is the perfect time for outdoor activities for many patients. But what do patients do if they want to be active but they need vision correction? Patients who wear eyeglasses may worry about them fogging up, breaking, or falling off their face while they are active.

For active patients, contact lenses may be a better alternative. Contact lenses allows for a wider field of peripheral vision, a greater array of protective eyewear, zero distortion of images, and optimal vision correction from all angles of gaze. While there are plenty of benefits of contact lenses for an active patient, there are still commonly asked questions about contact lenses and outdoor activities that an eyecare professional can answer. Here are some common questions about vision correction and outdoor activities:

What can I do to protect my eyes from UV rays?

An eyecare professional may recommend contact lenses with a UV tint. It is important to remember that while a contact lens may offer UV protection, it is limited to the area of your eye covered by the lenses. It is crucial to wear sunglasses with UV protection in order to ensure complete UV protection of the eye area. CooperVision offers a variety of contact lenses with a UV tint. You can learn more about CooperVision’s contact lenses here.

What do you recommend for overnight outdoor activities?

For convenience, daily disposables such as Proclear 1 Day contact lenses may be a good choice because it removes the hassle of having to remove or clean lenses at night. Wearers simply remove them after a day’s wear. There is no need to worry about lens storage. An eyecare professional can determine which patients are good candidates for daily disposables. For more in depth questions about contact lenses and outdoor activities, patients should talk to an eye care professional. CooperVision offers an eye care professional locator that allows patients to find a professional near them here.

CooperVision held a webinar on making daily disposables a significant part of your practice on March 21. Did you miss it? Don’t worry; you can always access it in the OD Wire archive.

Daily disposable lenses have many advantages over other lens modalities. Whether its ocular health, convenience, or compliance, there are a variety of reasons that eye care professionals should consider making 1 Days a significant part of their practice. Are you ready to make "1 Days" a major part of your contact lens practice? This webinar, hosted by Dr. Kerry Gelb, offers concrete and practical advice on how to boost 1-Day usage in order to make this modality a large portion of your contact lens practice.

Specifically, Dr. Gelb discusses:

• Advantages of 1 Days for Patients
• Patient Compliance with 1 Days vs. Other Modalities
• Overcoming a Patient's Financial Concerns with 1 Days
• Trends in Market Share & Growth and How to Leverage These in your Eye Care Practice
• A Discussion of the Greater Acceptance of the 1 Day Modality

Dr. Kerry Gelb graduated with honors from the Illinois College of Optometry and completed a one-year residency in the Diagnosis and Management of Ocular disease. He has been practicing in Woodbridge, NJ for the past 22 years. Dr. Gelb has been interviewed on both radio and television on topics related to ocular health. He frequently lectures on the topic of building a "One Day" contact lens practice, and has extensive knowledge and experience in the evaluation and fitting of specialty or "hard to fit" contact lenses.

You can access the Daily Disposables In Your Practice webinar here if you missed it the first time around!

Did you know that eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children in the United States? Most of these eye injuries are sports related. In fact, most eye injuries among kids ages 11-14 occur while playing sports. Of these eye injuries, almost 90% of them could have been prevented with the use of protective eyewear.

First, an eye exam before enrolling a child in any sport is important. An eye exam done by an eye care professional can help detect preexisting eye conditions in athletes. After an eye exam, an eyecare professional can recommend the best protective eyewear for that patient.

Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards designed for a particular sport. While protective eyewear does not include contact lenses, protective eyewear can easily be worn over them. In fact, all active children are encouraged to wear protective eyewear; not just children who need vision correction. Here is a breakdown of sports according to eye injury risks:

High Risk

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Boxing
• Hockey
• Paintball
• Racquetball
• Softball
• Squash

Moderate Risk

• Football
• Golf
• Badminton
• Soccer
• Tennis
• Fishing

Low Risk

• Bicycling
• Diving
• Skiing
• Swimming
• Wrestling

The National Eye Institute provides a list of recommended protective eyewear for specific sports here. You can talk to an eyecare professional about the right type of protective eyewear for your child and to ensure proper fit. Remember, protecting eyes during sports can help prevent blindness and permanent eye damage. Make sure to talk about eye safety and sports with an eyecare professional for more information.

As you think about spring or summer trips, you could be wondering: “How do I travel with contact lenses?” A lot of patients choose to leave their contacts at home in favor of traditional eyeglasses in order to avoid any hassles with flying with contact lenses. In fact, a few years ago, a couple missed their honeymoon over a bottle of contact lens solution! The good news is that with these contact lens tips, contact lens wearers can look and feel great during their vacations this year.

• Remember the 311 Rule:
TSA allows contact lens solution as an exception to their 3.4 oz liquids rule, but travelling with travel sized bottles of solution and rewetting drops may be more convenient. As a rule of thumb, travelers should remember the 311 rule. That means 3.4 oz of acceptable liquids in separate bottles, placed in one quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Once a traveler gets to the checkpoint, he or she should place that plastic bag in a separate bin to be scanned by a TSA agent.
• Pack It All On Carry On:
Pack your contact lens solution, rewetting drops, and glasses in your carry-on bag to avoid problems if your checked-in luggage is delayed or lost. Cabin air tends to get dry, so keeping a bottle of rewetting drops can help prevent your contact lenses from drying out while you travel.
• Consider Daily Disposables:
In order to prevent issues at TSA checkpoints and while packing, consider trying daily disposable lenses. With daily disposable lenses like CooperVision’s Proclear 1 Day contact lenses, there is no need for contact lens cases or solution. Plus, contact lens wearers get the benefit of a fresh pair of contact lenses every day.
• Pack Back Up:
In case you don’t wear daily disposables, make sure that you pack a few back up lenses in case your original pair gets torn or lost. Packing your eyeglasses just in case your eyes get too irritated for lens wear may be a good idea too. Always remember to call an eye care professional if you experience any severe eye discomfort.