At Simon Eye Associates our patients are constantly asking us questions about how to choose Eyewear based on the clothes they wear, their body type, etc. To make it easier, we decided to post this article written by Eyewear Designer, Robert Marc.  Robert has been in the Fashion Eyewear business for many years, founding his own line in 1999.  Here’s what Robert had to say:

• Take your entire lifestyle into consideration. Don’t buy a casual style if you wear suits to work and dress up a lot for evenings.

• Pick a shape that contrasts with your face shape. If you have a round face, you don’t want a round frame. Try something more horizontal and angular.

• Look at scale and balance. Just as a size 10 wouldn’t buy a size 18 dress, a petite woman shouldn’t get an oversized frame.

• Don’t be afraid of making a mistake. Experiment and try on a lot of glasses. You might surprise yourself and discover a new look.

• You don’t wear the same pair of shoes to go to the gym, work and a cocktail party. At minimum, you should have two or three pairs of glasses in your wardrobe.

Vera Bradley Sunglasses

At Simon Eye Associates we do a lot for one’s eyes and eyesight.  But we would prefer our patients take extra steps in preventing the problems they come to use to solve.  Recently, we have been gathering data for our readers on ways and means to do just that.  When we stumbled across this article, first published in Optometry Today, we knew we had found something of great benefit to you, our patient.  Enjoy!

To mark National Eye Week (November 9-15), the sight care charity has joined forces with healthcare provider, Simplyhealth to alert the public about the eye health risks associated with certain lifestyle choices. Together they are highlighting the effects that obesity, smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise and excessive alcohol consumption can have on a person’s eyesight.

Although smoking has been identified as a key element in the development of age-related macular degeneration, just 9.7% of the 13 million smokers in Britain are aware of this link, whist 92.2% and 87.7% are aware of its association with lung cancer and heart disease respectively.

Furthermore, although a small amount of red wine has been found to be beneficial for the eyes, too much alcohol will interfere with the liver. If the liver is damaged, the production of glutathione – which prevents cell damage that leads to cataracts, glaucoma and retinopathy – is reduced.

Around 30 minutes of exercise five-times a week is also encouraged by the Trust. Regular exercise increases the oxygen supply to the retina and optic nerve, as well as lowering the pressure which builds up in the eye.

Iain Anderson, chairman of The Eyecare Trust, said: “There is growing evidence that lifestyle factors play a significant role in determining the long-term health of our eyes. Making the right lifestyle choices from the start can help preserve your vision. However, it’s never too late to make changes, as in some instances vision that is already in decline can be restored by following a healthy diet, taking regular exercise and generally cutting down on the things that we know are bad for us like cigarettes and alcohol.”

Squash the Bad Lifestyle Habits

We’ve all heard about the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.  Countless books have been written on the subject as well as a myriad of nutrition experts have all praised the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.  What hasn’t been spoken, or written about much, is the numerous benefits your eyes will get out of the Mediterranean Diet.  What exactly is a Mediterranean Diet? It might sound like an exotic Euro fad, but it isn’t.  Simply put, the Mediterranean Diet is the norm in places all along the Mediterranean.  From Portugal to Turkey, people have been experiencing the great health benefits of eating Fish, Raw and Cooked Vegetables, Olive Oil and Red Wine.  To the people of the Mediterranean, this is not just some fad diet, it’s a way of life.  But what can it do for you? And more importantly, what can it do for your eyes?

The benefits of the Mediterranean Diet seem to stem from the high amount of Antioxidants in the food they eat.  Antioxidants are known to protect your cells from the damaging effects of free radicals, which we get into our system all day long, from environmental pollutants and from being on this planet.  These are naturally formed compounds, which attack your cells.  Foods like Whole Grains, Olive Oil, Red Wine, Fish and Vegetables are full of these free radical killing Antioxidants.  Your eyes are like any other part of your body, if a foreign invader (free radicals) intrudes into their space, they can have problems.  Antioxidants will help defeat these nasty pests and help you see better, longer.  So make yourself a nice piece of Fish tonight, with some Steamed Vegetables, drizzled with Olive Oil and don’t be afraid to have a great glass of Red Wine with your meal.  Salute!

The Mediterranean Diet

Exposure to the Sun has been linked to all kinds of eye problems, from cataracts, to macular degeneration and skin cancer around your eyelids.  The problem is not the sun itself, but those harmful ultraviolet rays we’ve all heard of, mostly during the summer months and around beach areas.  Ultraviolet rays not only harm your skin and could cause serious damage, but they also have the potential to cause damage to eyes.  And just like you wear sun screen with SPF to shield your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays, you also need to shield your eyes, or you risk potential problems in the future.  What can you do? The most important thing you can do is to get yourself a really good pair of sunglasses.  Cheap sunglasses are more harmful than good and don’t protect your eyes enough.  Look on the label and find a pair of sunglasses that blocks out 99-100% of both UV-A and UV-B rays.  Don’t just choose a pair of sunglasses with the most tint.  You have to make sure they say they block out at least 99% of both UV-A and UV-B rays.  Wearing a hat will help as well.  It will keep the sun from coming in from overhead.  There is nothing wrong with the sun and it has many, many benefits.  But with prolonged exposure you are at risk unless you take precautions.

The Sun: A Gorgeous Force