Happy 10th Anniversary at Edwards Eye Care

Happy 10th year anniversary to our Hickory Flat Eye Care Community!! It’s hard to believe 2022 is almost over and we will soon ring in a new year! Where has the time gone? As a matter of fact, where have the last several years gone? For many in our community I know that from the early days of the pandemic in 2020 until today can certainly feel like a blur to many with all that has gone on over the last few years. Today we are happy to be standing on the other side of the pandemic and thankfully have overcome many of the challenges of the last several years. For sometime now we have been blessed to be back to business as usual in our Hickory Flat community. Much of our world is back to normal without having to wear masks of course although we have maintained even more thorough cleaning measures from over the last few years so some things are here to stay it seems. One thing that is definitely here to stay is the growth that we have seen in our community over the last several years. In 2023 we will strive to accommodate this increased population by happily serving more eye care patients than ever in our 10 year history!! We are thankful to have started our eye care practice in this community just over 10 years ago and have been blessed with many great long term patient relationships / friendships over that time. We have always strived to stay ahead of the curve with the latest in eye care technology to help serve our patients in order to help them maintain healthy vision throughout their lives. Many of our patients continue to be impressed with our technology year after year as they return for their annual eye exams. This technology enables us to provide great patient eye care in a thorough, comfortable and efficient manner which leads to an overall great patient eye care experience. We look forward to continuing to serve our patients in this manner with excellent eye care services and quality eye care products in the Cherokee County area of Georgia and beyond in the coming years! We thank you all for your continued patronage and support of Edwards Eye Care. We look forward to seeing you again soon!!

DO YOU SLEEP WITH YOUR EYES OPEN? It may be surprising to learn that some people sleep with their eyes partially or fully open. It's a condition called nocturnal lagophthalmos, and according to the National Sleep Foundation as many as one out of five of us have it -- including babies.

Nocturnal lagophthalmos can have many causes, including faulty eyelid mechanics, facial nerve disorders, and structural changes in the face. There are things you can do to help. It may be as simple as wearing an eye mask while sleeping. Using artificial tears during the day and a humidifier at night can also help with moisture loss.

As you age, it is normal to notice changes in your vision. A few common changes for older adults include: * Losing the ability to see up close * Having trouble distinguishing colors, such as blue from black * Needing more time to adjust to changing levels of light These problems are often easily corrected. Glasses, contact lenses, and improved lighting may help and enable you to maintain your lifestyle and independence. Your risk for some eye diseases and conditions increases as you grow older, and some eye changes are more serious. Keep your eyes as healthy as possible by getting regular eye exams so any problems can be spotted early.

EYE SAFETY PREPAREDNESS Knowing what to do for an eye emergency can save valuable time and possibly prevent vision loss. Be Prepared! WEAR eye protection for all hazardous activities and sports at school, home and on the job that could lead to an eye injury. DO stock a first aid kit with a rigid eye shield and commercial eyewash (make sure it is not expired) before engaging in activities where an eye injury could occur. DO NOT assume that any eye injury is harmless. When in doubt, see an eye doctor promptly.

CUT AND PUNCTURES * DO NOT wash out eye with water or any other liquid. * DO NOT try to remove an object that is stuck in the eye. * Cover the eye with a rigid shield or the bottom half of a paper cup without pressure. Secure the shield or cup to the brow above the eye and the cheekbone below the eye without putting pressure on the eye. *Seek emergency medical care immediately. SOMETHING IN THE EYE * DO NOT rub the eye. * Try to let tears wash the speck out or use a commercial eyewash. * Try lifting upper eyelid outward. Look down over the lower lid. * DO NOT use tweezers or other items to try and remove the speck. * If it doesn’t wash out, see an eye doctor immediately. BLOWS TO THE EYE * Apply cold compress without pressure. * Seek emergency medical care in cases of pain, blurry vision, one eye sticks out more than the other, blood inside the eye, or discoloration (black eye), which could mean internal eye damage.

FEBRUARY is National Macular Generation Awareness Month. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recognizes the month of February to promote awareness about Age-related Macular Degeneration, also called simply macular degeneration or AMD, the nation’s leading cause of vision loss. We want to give you information regarding AMD and offer insights into how to prevent or stop the progression of macular degeneration.

WHAT IS AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION? AMD is a deterioration of the eye’s macula, the central part of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye called the retina. The macula is much more light sensitive than the rest of the retina and helps us focus in fine detail, such as the ability to recognize faces, read fine print, read street signs, etc. FACTS ABOUT AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION: According to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, AMD affects more than ten million Americans, more than cataracts and glaucoma combined. -AMD is the leading cause of vision loss among people over 50. The disease usually affects people who are 60+, but it can occur earlier. -Age is the major risk factor for AMD. Other risk factors include smoking and people with a family history of AMD. -People of Caucasian descent are more likely to develop AMD than those of African American or Hispanic/Latino descent. -AMD does not lead to complete blindness, only affecting your finest central vision. AMD usually does not impact your peripheral vision. People with advanced AMD may develop legal blindness due to loss of central vision. -There is no cure for AMD, only treatments that can help slow its progression. -AMD usually affects both eyes, but one eye may be affected before the second eye. -Many people do not know they have AMD until they have a noticeable vision problem, or until it is discovered during a routine eye examination. -There are two kinds of AMD, “wet” and “dry.” -Early detection is key to slowing the progression of AMD. .

EYE CONTACT

What is your eye color?