Author: Boston Eye Physicians and Surgeons

Happy October! We all know what this means… Halloween is right around the corner. Some of us plan our costumes all year long for this day. No matter what age, everyone enjoys Halloween. This season, take the time to read through our eye safety precautions that come with dressing up, wearing make-up, and intricate masks. You can be creative while still being safe! 

Respectful Costumes That Follow The Rules

Many organizations have strict rules about masks, props, costumes and more when it comes to public Halloween celebrations. These are rules you should ensure your costume abides by! It would ruin your evening if you spent all year waiting for this day, and all day preparing your costume, just to be denied at the door because your costume doesn’t follow the guidelines! Research your event beforehand so you know what to expect.

Masks That Are Appropriate 

Halloween masks are spooky, fun, interesting, and very appropriate for the evening. They can also be somewhat dangerous at night, in the dark. Be sure that you test your vision through your mask days prior to Halloween night. You may need to widen the eye holes as some masks don’t allow you to see very well. If you plan on walking around, going through a haunted house or a corn maze, be sure to keep a flashlight on you at all times.

Easy Ways To Accessorize Your Halloween Costume

If you’re wearing character glasses, big hats, carrying swords or other accessories, be mindful of your surroundings. Try to ensure your accessories are soft, plastic, or not sharp/dangerous. Halloween is a busy night for everyone, so you may be surrounded by many other trick-or-treaters at times.

Makeup and Ingredients 

When choosing makeup for your costume, always go with hypoallergenic makeup. Do not just apply the makeup to your face, instead, test it on a small area of your skin to see how you will react. Applying Halloween makeup to the face can be risky, especially near your eyes. Use a cotton swab or a brush for small accents, and leave a good amount of free space between the makeup and your eyes. You don’t want to get too close, and get the makeup in your eyes causing irritation.

Ideas & Inspiration For Halloween This Year 

If you’re looking for intricate makeup ideas, look for inspiration on Pinterest or Instagram. Halloween makeup trends include full face looks, cat eyes, intense smokey eyes, rhinestones, stick-ons, and tons of details in design. Start planning your costume now with caution in mind!

Kids and people of all ages should be aware of these safety precautions. You can still dress as your favorite character, while ensuring your safety with proper planning. We hope these tips help you when thinking about your costume and your Halloween plans this season! Have a safe and happy Halloween from everyone at Boston Eye Physicians and Surgeons!

When we order new frames, it’s an exciting time! We choose a new color, and a fresh new look. If prescriptions are out-of-date, we usually get a new, stronger, more accurate prescription when we get new frames. New frames feel refreshing and exciting. But after a while of wear, it’s tough to keep our frames from getting scratched up and bent out of shape. The next time you get new frames, create some good habits so you can ultimately keep your frames fresh for longer. Here are some tips on how to do so

Keep in a Case
Keeping your glasses safe and in a case when you’re not wearing them protects them at all times. Sometimes when our glasses get broken or bent, it’s not our fault, and it may be an outside force. Something or someone might fall on them or crush them. If they’re always in a case, this eliminates the possibility.

Hang from Neck
There are plenty of styles of lanyards and hangers to choose from. Hanging your frames from your neck and leaving them against your chest allows for you to take them on and off easily, and they are always in safe spot (like your case). Frames can be expensive, and keeping them close to your body is a great way to make sure they’re always secured.

Keep Clean
Be sure to constantly use glasses wipes, a small microfiber cloth, or something to keep your frames clean. Frames get dirty very easily, sometimes even when we don’t notice. Wiping down not only the frames, but the temples and temple tips as well.

Tightening Often
When frames are worn often, they loosen up at the screws. This allows for them to more easily get bent out of shape. If you wear your frames often, invest in a small glasses/frame kit that comes with the tools to tighten them as needed. Some eye doctors allow you to even bring your frames back to the office to be tightened and reshaped for you. This only takes a few minutes, and can help increase your frame lifecycle.

Keeping your frames clean, safe, and contoured to your face really affects the frames’ lifecycle. When you get new frames, extend that fresh new feel as long as you can. If you take proper care, your glasses will feel new for a lot longer, and you won’t have to replace your frames as much. We hope these tips help you keep your new frames looking fresh as ever, even months after your purchase.

Do you have questions about frames that are right for you? Reach out to us today 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.

Eye protection is important year round, but especially during the summer season. With high heat and intense ultraviolet rays from the sun, there are safety precautions you can take to protect your eyes. Read on to learn more about what you can do to take action this summer.

Goggles for Swimming
When you go swimming, use goggles to protect your eyes and face. The chemicals from chlorine and salt water pools can dry your eyes and cause irritation, especially on your first swim of the year. The contaminants in the oceans can hurt your eyes as well, so be sure to invest in some goggles before all of your summer swimming excursions.

Sunglasses
Sunglasses offer complete ultraviolet protection for your eyes. Too much exposure to sunlight can damage your eyes significantly. Be sure to check your bags and make sure you bring your sunglasses with you on super sunny days. Invest in a glasses string that goes around your neck so they can hang on your chest conveniently. They even make sunglass lanyards in cool styles!

Washing Hands Constantly
When your eyes get irritated, it’s usually because you’re touching or rubbing them, even without noticing. Touching our eyes when they’re irritated is an involuntary reaction, but we never consider the cleanliness of our hands before we touch our eyes. Be sure to wash your hands consistently, and scrub with hot soapy water.

Wear Hats with Brims
Hats with brims or sun hats can help keep the sun off you and away from your eyes. Suntans and sunburns on the face can greatly affect your eye health. Hats with brims and big hats help very well to keep the sun off your face.

Drink Plenty of Water
Water and food consumption plays a huge role in eye health. Drinking water is important to keep your body and eyes hydrated. What you eat and drink really affects the quality of your vision. Getting enough Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and zinc is also very important. Summer can really dehydrate us, so be sure you’re drinking enough water.

If you have more questions about eye health and safety, reach out to us today. 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. As skilled eye care specialists, we have dedicated our careers to providing rewarding patient care in a safe, comfortable environment using state-of-the-art equipment.

Eyebrows and eyelashes have made their mark on the fashion industry. Right now, we characterize our faces with thick lashes and dark brows. But have you thought about your brows and lashes any further? Beyond fashion, we have evolved with lashes and brows for protection of the eyes. Read on to learn more about protection, and how you can talk to your optometrist about your eye health.

Eyebrows are on our faces to keep the sweat and moisture from our face. When we sweat or when it rains, eyebrows direct the water away from our eyes to the sides of our faces. This is why our brows are shaped like an arch. When we pluck our brows, we alter them and they can’t do their job as well.

Like eyebrows are protecting our eyes from moisture, lashes are protective as well. Though eyelash hairs are finer, they still protect our eyes from dust, dirt, and debris. Eyelashes act as little protective shields or like a fence surrounding our eyelids when we blink.

Eyebrow hairs take months to grow in, while eyelash hairs replace themselves quickly. It’s easy to understand their purposes of protection, but what about females and makeup? Some people question whether makeup is safe to wear. There are brands that are more sustainable, healthy, and made from better quality products than some other brands. It makes sense to choose the best quality products for something you’re putting so close to your eyes.

Though we don’t recognize eyebrows and eyelashes as helpful or protective features, they most certainly are. Next time you’re wearing makeup or choosing glasses, consider your eyebrows and lashes. Do your glasses fall nicely beneath your eyebrows? Do your lashes graze the edge of your lenses? These are all necessary considerations when choosing glasses for comfort and protection.

If you have concerns about your eyelashes or eyebrows, ask your optometrist at Boston Eye Physicians and Surgeons today. We can answer all your questions about eye health, protection, and glasses functionality. Contact us at (617) 232- 9600.

Laser eye surgery, or Lasik surgery, is a corrective surgery in order for you to stop wearing glasses or contacts. People who are uncomfortable with glasses look into this mostly because it’s convenient, and you don’t have to wear anything. Read on to learn about the details of the surgery and what goes into finding the best technique for you.

When we get glasses, we’re bending the light away from our eyes. But with laser surgery, we’re shaping the cornea to reflect the light on its own, allowing you to see. The eye surgeons do this with a special type of cutting laser.

Individual surgeons may specialize in different types of surgery. At Boston Eye Physicians, specialists that do surgery are Anthony Fraioli, M.D., Kevin Kaufman, M.D. Ph.D., and Cecily Hamill, M.D. Ph.D.

Most types of laser eye surgeries do the same things, but use different techniques that set them apart depending on the patient and their eyes. Surgeons at BEPS specialize in cataract surgery and ocular plastic surgery. When you visit your doctor for a consultation, s/he will tell you which type of surgery is best for you. Your doctor will examine your eyes and ask you details about your eye health and take a general health history to see if you have any conditions that may affect the outcome of the surgery. This includes eye injuries, history of your family’s eye conditions, dry eyes, or glaucoma. The best technique for doctor to use during Lasik surgery is subjective, and different upon every patient’s health.

If you have mild vision problems, you’re definitely in the right place to consider Lasik surgery. The surgery tends to be less effective the more trouble you have seeing. If you have Astigmatism, you may be a candidate for surgery. If you wear contacts, be sure to stop wearing them for three weeks before the surgery. They distort the natural shape of your cornea, so you want to leave them out for a while to let your eyes get back to their natural shape to prep for surgery.

The surgery tends to have few complications. After the surgery, expect to have some itchiness, irritation, and slight visual disturbances. Double vision and dry eyes are both common side effects post op.

Some insurance plans don’t cover the cost of laser eye surgery, so be sure you can afford it before jumping into a consultation. You want to be realistic and logical when making the best decision for the health of your vision. Boston Eye Physicians and Surgeons accept most major insurance providers. Please remember to bring your insurance card(s) and call your primary care physician for a referral, if needed. Please call our insurance specialist at (617) 232-9600 if you have any questions.

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. Contact us at (617)- 232-9600.

Choosing new frames can feel like a struggle. You want to get the most stylish pair, but you also want them to be timeless as you’ll wear them often and don’t want to get sick of them. They must be durable, they must meet your needs, and they must fit into your budget

We’ve created a guide to finding your perfect frames, including the top three things to think about when glasses shopping. When your prescription expires, or your frames are damaged, you’ll be ready to follow this guide to choosing the best frames for you.

Think about your needs
Do you wear bifocals? Do you need glasses for distance? Some particular lenses don’t come in certain frames. When choosing your glasses, be sure your prescription can be made into the frames your looking at and choosing from. Nothing is worse than spending hours picking out your frames, finally deciding just to be told those frames won’t work for you.

Face Shape and Frame Shape
When choosing a frame shape, be sure to consider the size and shape of your face. Get a good look in the mirror when trying them on to be sure you’re satisfied. Make sure the corners of the frames don’t come too far off your face. Be sure the ends of the glasses can be tightened and bent to the shape of the back of your ear to stay on well. Frame shapes range from oval to circle to rectangle. If you need help choosing, find a specialist at the store to tell you if the frames your interested in will work for you.

Hair and Eye Color
People are often concerned with hair and eye color coordinating with their frames. If you have dark hair, sticking with a solid color of black or brown can be a safe option. If you have blonde hair, a classic lighter brown would matches really well. Everyone is different, and glasses are all about preference at the end of the day. The tortoise shell designed glasses are trendy and still in style.

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. Call us with any questions regarding your visual experiences at (617) 232-9600 or visit our website.

Do you use technology often? This means watching TV, using the computer, iPad, or staring at a screen. Maybe you work on a computer and sit at a desk all day. Or maybe your hobbies include video and computer games.

There’s no doubt that technology makes things easier for us throughout our day to day lives. There’s also no denying the facts- blue rays are damaging to our eye health, and we need to do something to protect ourselves. As technology increases every day, it’s evident that technology will always be relevant.

If you find yourself experiencing headaches, strains, or any associated symptoms, read on through this blog and explore all the benefits of Anti-Blue Ray glasses.

What Are Anti-Blue Ray Glasses?

Blue light is the visible light that comes from computers and technology. The naked eye cannot process this light well, and blue rays can shine deep into the retina of the eye and slowly start to cause damage. Blue Ray Blocking glasses are specially designed with lenses to make things easier for you. Colors and designs on your computer screen will be bolder, more vibrant, and easier to recognize. With these glasses, screen time will become easier over time.

Strain Less, Work Harder

By making your vision clearer while using technology, you’re straining less and ultimately you’re enjoying a better computer experience. You’ll notice you feel better and are less tired. A lot of the time people don’t realize they’re straining or even affected by these blue rays.

Analyzing At Your Computer Habits

Are your computer habits healthy? Dig deep into your daily life and ask yourself about your computer habits. Do you use a computer all day, in the morning, or just in the evening? How many consecutive hours are you staring at your screen? How do you feel after your screen time? Do you feel good, energized, or tired, and strained? Throughout your screen time, do you experience headaches and irritation? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this may lead you to discover your symptoms.

Symptoms & Effects of Blue Ray Irritation

If you’re experiencing headaches, eye strains, or any discomfort when using your technology, these glasses are for you. They are inexpensive and can but don’t have to be prescribed. You can buy these online on many sites, in various styles and shapes. Anti-Blue Ray glasses can be worn by people who use the computer all day, or just a few hours a day. Some stronger symptoms of straining your eyes can be eye redness, irritation or blurriness.

Anti-Blue Ray glasses block the glare and reflect your eyes from the blue rays that come off your technology. Whether you use the computer all day at work or want to be on the laptop for side projects in the evening, you will really see a difference wearing these glasses if you normally experience discomfort.

Blue Rays Are Damaging To Our Sleep Cycles

Blue rays can also be damaging to our sleep cycles. Sometimes people really struggle to fall asleep after excessive screen time. The exposure to blue rays reduces the body’s production of melatonin, a natural hormone that helps us fall asleep. When you’re disrupting your natural sleep schedule and altering the chemicals in your body, this can make it difficult for you to stay awake during the day, focus at work, and even make sense of what’s on your computer screen.

Ease of Use With Screen Time Will Increase Over Time

When you’ve decided it’s time to do something about this, and you’re done with the headaches and fatigue, you’ll want to look into these frames. Start wearing these frames while you’re on your computer as much as possible. When you’re constantly wearing them at work or during screen time, you’ll soon notice using these devices has become easier. You’ll enjoy a more comfortable computer experience, and you’ll never want to be on the computer or tv without wearing them again!

Boston Eye Physicians & Surgeons Can Help

Wearing these glasses can drastically improve your technological experiences. 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. We can help answer questions about your visual experiences. Contact us at (617) 232-9600 today.

Chances are that you have a friend, family member or co-worker who has undergone laser eye surgery and had tremendous results that they rave about! With hundreds of thousands of Lasik surgeries conducted every year, many people wonder if they, too, are a good candidate for this surgery.

LASIK or Laser in-Situ Keratornileusis treats refractive errors by removing corneal tissue beneath the surface of the cornea. This procedure combines the accuracy of the excimer laser with the benefits of Lamellar Keratoplasty (LK). LK has been performed on a limited basis since 1949 to correct higher levels of nearsightedness and moderate amounts of farsightedness. Here are some factors to consider for your fit as a candidate for Lasik surgery.

• General Health – Candidates should generally be in good health and over the age of 18. Certain conditions such as heart disease, uncontrolled diabetes, and autoimmune diseases may call into question the safety of such a procedure so discuss your complete medical history with our staff prior to deciding on whether this is right for you.

• Eye Conditions – Before considering a candidate for Lasik, one of our experienced ophthalmologists will confirm the health of your eyes. For example, people considering Lasik should be free of eye diseases such as: keratoconus, glaucoma, cataracts, corneal disease and certain retinal and optic nerve diseases. They should also have no current eye infections or herpes of the eyes. In addition, an eye doctor will evaluate a candidate for diseases that may impact the healing process.

• Other Considerations – Women who are pregnant or nursing should wait until after they have begun menstruating again (3 month cycle) and after they have completed nursing. The hormone level can impact the prescription strength. All candidates should be able to lay on their back for the procedure. In addition, people who suffer from claustrophobia may find the procedure difficult and should consider whether they are mentally able to undergo the procedure. Contact wearers will also need to follow specific guidelines on how long before the procedure they should avoid wearing contacts.

While Lasik surgery does not guarantee 20/20 vision after the procedure it can greatly reduce a patient’s dependency on glasses or contact lenses. Contact Boston Eye Physicians and Surgeons at 617-232-9600 or visit our website at BEPSEye to find out if you are a good match for Lasik.

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.