Month: February 2018

After a long day of work looking at the computer or reading the small print, do you ever experience spots or floating black dots, or possibly even shadows in your field of vision? Do you think you are going crazy or possibly have a vision issue? Chances are that these spots, called floaters, are not harmful but should be mentioned to your eye doctor if they are happening more regularly or are accompanied by light flashes. Let’s take a closer look at floaters and what you should know to tell your doctor during your visit.

Noticing Floaters, Specks, And Dots

Floaters come in all shapes and sizes. They may appear as black dots, cobwebs, cloud-shaped, or just tiny specks. They may move or be stationary in your line of vision. They may seem to be grey or black but are hard to tell as when you look to figure out what these are, they may move or disappear altogether. Floaters become more common as people age and are usually harmless, if not a little bit annoying.

Spots May Increase As We Age

Floaters are caused when the “gel-like” vitreous part of the eye breaks free within the inner back portion of the eye itself. As we age this vitreous gel naturally begins to dissolve and become less “gel-like”. This, in turn, causes specks or flecks to break off and “float” into our field of vision. Most people will notice eye floaters are particularly pronounced if gazing at a clear or overcast sky or a computer screen with a white or light-colored background.

Are Floaters A Medical Emergency?

While floaters are not usually a cause for concern, there are times that they should be considered a medical emergency. If floaters come pouring in, or if they are accompanied by flashes of light, you should seek medical attention immediately from an eye care professional. The sudden appearance of these symptoms could mean that the vitreous is pulling away from your retina, a condition called posterior vitreous detachment. Or it could mean that the retina itself is becoming dislodged from the back of the eye’s inner lining, called a retinal detachment. Call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms or if your floaters have changed from random to more common. Call Boston Eye Physicians and Surgeons at 617-232-9600 if you have questions about your vision, or visit our website here.

Now that it’s 2019, we can reflect on all of the glasses and frame trends of 2018. We can talk about which trends we really liked, and which ones we’re excited to leave in the past. Most importantly, we can discuss what we expect to see people wearing in 2019 for frames and style expression. Read this blog to learn about glasses trends, seasonal frames, and all things that may help you choose your next set of frames.

Trends

Gone are the traditional black frames with clear lenses. We’re now seeing so many funky shades of frames and shapes of lenses. The tortoiseshell print used to be just about the funkiest we’ve seen, along with stripes and polka dots. In 2018, we took a turn with our trends to incorporate all types of colors and designs, even translucent frames were in. Even the shapes of the lenses are changing from the classic square or oval. Now we’re seeing the perfect circle lens resurfacing, along with shaped lenses like octagons and triangles.

Holidays

The holidays are always a reason for people to spring for some fun, untraditional frames. Use the holidays to get used to wearing new, fun and funky frames that you’ve always wanted to wear. When you have a few frames to choose from, you may find yourself liking the fact that you can change the glasses you wear and coordinate your frames upon the season and holiday. Christmas, Valentines Day, and St. Patrick’s Day allow you to wear bright red or green frames. New Year’s Eve calls for sparkly and fun frames.

Seasons, Outfits, and Accessories

Match your frames of the day with your outfit and the season. If you’re going somewhere special, put on your special frames. Having a great variety of all different colors and designed frames can make wearing glasses much more of a fun accessory than a necessity. Having multiple pairs is awesome for fashion purposes and helpful for safety purposes. You always have the ability to change your frames.

Switching up your frames and matching your glasses with your favorite trends can be a great way to have some fun. If you don’t wear contacts, and they’re simply not for you, we understand that your glasses are important to you. You must keep them safe and in good condition. This is easy when you’re rotating pairs, and constantly keeping your frames fresh and ready.

These trends and changing of frames have been a hit in 2018, and we can only expect to see more funky frames and designs for 2019. What are your current frames like? Do you have multiple pairs? Consider having two or three for leisure and for emergencies.

If you have questions about your eye health or the frames you’ve been wearing, contact Boston Eye Physicians and Surgeons at (617) 232-9600. Boston Eye Physicians & Surgeons has served patients in New England and around the world for nearly 75 years. We have been a destination for patients seeking high-quality eye care from a team composed of the area’s leading vision professionals.