If you are new to wearing contact lenses, you may be unsure how to care for the lenses or how to protect your eyes. The eyes are extremely sensitive. You are putting a foreign object into the eye on a daily basis, so you want to stay abreast of all information that will keep your eyes healthy while wearing contacts.

• Never share contacts.
• Remove contacts when showering.
• Follow doctor’s instructions for contacts.

Remember to never share contacts with anyone. For prescription contact lenses, this is not usually a problem. Special effects and vanity contact lenses are often shared among friends for costumes or other special events. This is extremely unsanitary and can pass germs and eye diseases easily.

Remove your contacts when showering. The heat of the shower can create bacteria between the eye and the contact lens. It’s the same when you are in any hot, steamy area such as a hot tub. You should remove contacts in both instances to prevent infection in the eyes. If you want to continue wearing your contacts in the shower, make sure you are taking a lukewarm shower or make it a quick shower so you aren’t standing around in a steamy area for a prolonged period of time.

Follow your doctor’s instructions for contacts. Remove your contacts each evening and cleanse and store properly in a cool, dry place. Change your contacts out as recommended or opt for daily use contacts that are disposable. Sanitary contact use is your best defense against eye infections.

Glaucoma is one of the most common eye issues people deal with. Glaucoma can affect anyone, but most often affects people age 65 and older. One of the first signs of glaucoma is slight blurry vision, for both people who have good eye sight and those who use glasses or contact lenses.

Starting at age 40, you should have annual eye exams from a professional. Glaucoma is one of the things they will test for and here’s what you can expect when going into an eye exam.

Testing for Glaucoma

Testing for glaucoma is most often done with the NCT or non-contact tonometry test. This is when a puff of air is administered to the eye. You may remember this from Friends when Rachel visited the eye doctor. The puff is quick and clean, which means there’s no reason to worry about the tickling sensation that sometimes accompanies an NCT.

Depending on how resistant to the air puff your eyes are determines your probability of obtaining glaucoma. The NCT calculates your IOP or intraocular pressure. Those with high eye pressure have a higher risk of getting glaucoma.

Applanation Tonometer

The applanation tonometer method is less common, but still widely used when an optometrist is testing for glaucoma. For this method, yellow dye is placed in the eye which creates a heavy feeling on the eye. This is not a dilating tool. The yellow dye shows up prominently when the optometrist places a blue light over the eye and applies slight pressure to the eye’s surface.

Eye care is an essential part of your health. If you feel there are changes in your vision or you’re having problems with your eyes for an extended period of time, you need to see an eye doctor immediately. Many people do not have health insurance that includes eye care and choose to put off seeing an optometrist because of this. You should still visit an eye doctor as soon as you notice a change in your vision. Eye care is all about prevention, so the sooner you get to a doctor, the better.

• Look online for reviews of eye doctors.
• Talk to the front desk about payment plans.

Many large cities will have a database online through an online review site such as Yelp that helps you figure out which doctors have affordable rates for patients paying out of pocket. Depending on your issues, you can rack up a big bill quickly at the eye doctor. This is why you want to do your research before choosing a doctor. You can also check if there’s a university or clinic that offers affordable eye care.

If you end up going to an eye doctor’s office, ask the front desk about payment plans and options. Most doctors want to have your business and are happy to work out a payment plan that allows you to receive the medical care you need without paying in one lump sum. Usually, a percentage of the total due will be paid up front and the remainder by a specified date in a few months.

You eat well to stay in shape, but did you know a lot of the same foods that are great for your body are also optimal for the health of your eyes? There are many things you can do to care for your eyes, but what you put it in your body plays a large role in preventative measures to keep your eyes healthy.

In a recent study, it was reported that depression and poor eye health including vision loss are possibly linked. This was a three year study conducted from 2005-2008, with 10,000 patients ages 20 and older.

For those who were depressed, there was a reported 11% vision loss while those who were not depressed only reported 5%. While the study did not report a direct, concrete link between the two things, there were numerous other factors such as age, sex and health that contributed to the idea of depression and vision loss being associated with each other.

Those who are feeling depressed should do their best to seek help. If it’s a normal time to be down, such as after the death of a loved one or after a divorce, take up a new hobby to get your mind on something. Give yourself new goals, be it with work or the home. You can also exercise regularly which increases endorphins and provides you with that ‘natural high’ that can break you out of a rut.

Those who feel they have suffered from depression for a number of months and have tried natural treatment on their own should seek professional help. Talk therapy can be a major source of support as you battle depression.

For more severe cases, a psychiatrist will be able to prescribe you with anti-depressive medication. These should only be used as an aide, not a crutch. Ultimately, you will be able to overcome your depression so your health is improved.