Did you know that the quality of the plastic used in your eyeglasses can impact their lifespan and durability? At Performance Eyecare, we source only high-quality plastics to ensure that your glasses last as long as possible. Plus, we offer a 1-year warranty on all of our eyeglasses for your peace of mind.
In this video, we share the importance of quality plastic for your eyeglasses and how your eye doctor’s sourcing can make all the difference. We also provide some signs to look out for that may indicate that your glasses’ plastic is wearing out, so you can take action to maintain their longevity.
The Best Materials Create The Best Frames
Don’t settle for subpar eyeglasses – choose Performance Eyecare for quality materials and expert care. Schedule an exam with our optical experts today!
Contact lenses are a convenient and comfortable alternative to glasses, but they do require regular maintenance to ensure optimal vision and eye health. In this video, we provide tips for cleaning and storing your contact lenses, including the use of proper solutions and avoiding common mistakes like sleeping in your lenses.
Ensuring you get the most out of rewearable contacts begins at the eye doctor’s office. Our team will help you find contacts that fit with your lifestyle, and determine the best schedule for replacing your lenses. If you’ve had any changes in your vision or eye health, we’ll pick the perfect pair to help you enjoy clear vision and comfortable contact lens wear every day.
Quality Contact Lenses
Performance Eyecare offers a variety of contact lens options, including lenses for dry eyes, astigmatisms, and more. We love helping patients who are exploring contacts for the first time, as well as those who have struggled to get fit for contacts in the past. Schedule an exam with our optical experts to explore the comfort and flexibility of contacts today!
Your prescription eyeglasses are a significant investment in your vision and style, so it’s important to take proper care to ensure they last as long as possible. Our team at Performance Eyecare will teach you all about how to maintain your glasses. By following these simple tips, you can enjoy comfortable, clear vision for years to come:
Clean your glasses regularly – a simple bath with warm water and dish soap will do the trick
Always store your glasses in a hardshell case when you aren’t wearing them
Make sure your frames are properly fit to your face, without leaning towards one side or the other
Keep your glasses away from possible damage – impact sports, hot cars, or curious pets are some of the top perpetrators
Our Glasses Are Built To Last
Performance Eyecare is proud to offer high quality glasses frames, including styles from our exclusive private label collections. Schedule your next eye exam today to find your new favorite pair of glasses!
If you’re reading this article, chances are you’ve experienced some dry eye symptoms. You’re in luck, despite misconceptions, dry eye is a curable condition.
There are several effective treatment options available to alleviate its symptoms and improve overall eye health. If you’ve noticed changes in your eye lubrication or frequently experience dryness, itchiness, or a gritty sensation, it is crucial to seek an evaluation from your eye doctor.
Causes and Symptoms of Dry Eye
Dry eye occurs when your eyes fail to produce enough tears or when the tears evaporate too quickly.
Several factors contribute to this condition, including:
Environmental conditions
Medical conditions
Certain medications
Environmental factors such as dry air, wind, or exposure to smoke can exacerbate dry eye symptoms. Medical conditions like autoimmune disorders, diabetes, and hormonal changes can also impact tear production. Furthermore, certain medications, such as antihistamines, decongestants, and antidepressants, can cause dryness in the eyes.
Symptoms
Dry eye presents with various symptoms, including:
Persistent dry sensation
Redness
Itching
Blurred vision
Light sensitivity
Discomfort when wearing contact lenses.
These symptoms can range from mild to severe and can significantly affect your quality of life if left untreated.
Your eye doctor will conduct a thorough examination to diagnose dry eye accurately and determine the underlying causes. During the evaluation, your eye doctor will review your medical history, assess your symptoms, and perform specific tests to measure tear production and evaluate the quality of your tears.
Treatment Options for Dry Eye
Whether your symptoms are mild or severe, understanding these treatment options can help you find relief and improve your overall eye health. From artificial tears and lubricating eye drops to lifestyle modifications and advanced procedures, each approach aims to address the underlying causes of dry eye and provide the necessary moisture and lubrication your eyes need
Artificial Tears and Lubricating Eye Drops
One of the most common treatment options for dry eye is the use of artificial tears or lubricating eye drops.
These products supplement the natural tear film and provide relief from dryness and discomfort. Your eye doctor may recommend different types of eye drops, including those that reduce inflammation or stimulate tear production, based on the severity of your dry eye.
Lifestyle Modifications
In addition to eye drops, certain lifestyle changes can help manage dry eye symptoms effectively.
Increasing humidity levels in your environment, avoiding excessive screen time, taking regular breaks to rest your eyes, and wearing protective eyewear outdoors can significantly alleviate dry eye symptoms and improve overall eye health.
Advanced Procedures
For severe cases of dry eye, advanced procedures may be recommended.
Punctal occlusion is one such option where tiny plugs are inserted into the tear ducts to slow down tear drainage and maintain better eye lubrication. Other advanced treatments may involve techniques like intense pulsed light therapy or prescription medications to address the underlying causes of dry eye and provide long-lasting relief.
Trust the Experts for Dry Eye Treatment at Performance Eyecare
By seeking timely treatment for dry eye, you can enjoy clear vision and comfortable eyes without any pain or discomfort. If you are experiencing dry eye symptoms, schedule an appointment with one of our experienced eye doctors at Performance Eyecare.
With ten convenient locations in Missouri and Illinois, we offer personalized care and tailor dry eye treatment options to your specific needs. Don’t let dry eye hold you back from living life to the fullest. Schedule your next eye exam today to take the first step towards relieving your dry eye symptoms. Our dedicated team is ready to assist you on your journey to optimal eye health.
To celebrate National Sunglasses Day 2023, we’re shedding light on the importance of protecting our eyes from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. The Vision Council, a leading authority in the eyewear industry, has been instrumental in raising awareness about the significance of UV sunglasses.
In this blog post, we delve into the history of National Sunglasses Day, discuss the vital role of The Vision Council, and emphasize the significance of shielding your eyes with UV sunglasses.
The History and Purpose of National Sunglasses Day
National Sunglasses Day was established by The Vision Council to educate the public about the harmful effects of UV radiation on eye health and promote the use of sunglasses as a protective measure. This annual observance, held on June 27th, serves as a reminder to prioritize eye protection and raise awareness about the importance of selecting quality sunglasses.
Advocacy for Eye Safety
The Vision Council is a non-profit organization that serves as a unified voice for the entire eyewear industry. Comprising manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers, this esteemed council collaborates to foster innovation, set industry standards, and promote best practices.
The Vision Council’s commitment to advocating for eye safety is evident in their efforts to promote National Sunglasses Day. Through this campaign, they aim to emphasize the role of sunglasses as a fashionable accessory and a vital tool in safeguarding vision.
Protecting Your Eyes: The Importance of UV Sunglasses
Understanding UV Radiation
UV radiation, a component of sunlight, can cause various eye conditions, including cataracts, macular degeneration, and corneal sunburn. Prolonged exposure to UV rays without adequate protection can lead to long-term damage and vision impairment.
Benefits of UV Sunglasses
UV Protection: High-quality sunglasses with UV filters block harmful UVA and UVB rays, reducing the risk of eye damage and potential vision problems.
Glare Reduction: Sunglasses minimize glare from reflective surfaces, enhancing visual comfort and reducing eye strain.
Blue Light Filtering: Certain sunglasses are designed to filter out harmful blue light emitted by electronic devices, reducing eye fatigue and potential long-term effects on vision.
Choosing the Right Sunglasses
To ensure optimal eye protection, consider the following factors when selecting sunglasses:
UV Protection: Look for sunglasses labeled with 100% UV protection or UV400 to ensure maximum shield against harmful rays.
Lens Quality: Opt for lenses that provide distortion-free, high-definition vision while blocking UV radiation.
Fit and Coverage: Select sunglasses that provide adequate coverage, shielding your eyes from all angles and minimizing peripheral light exposure.
Accurate Prescription: Make sure you’re getting your prescription sunglasses from a trusted eye care provider. At Performance Eyecare, we specialize in comprehensive eye exams to ensure the prescription in your sunglasses are exact.
Check out this helpful infographic for fun facts about sunglasses and UV protection:
Remember to celebrate this day by wearing your favorite pair of UV sunglasses and encouraging others to prioritize their eye health. Let’s keep our vision clear and bright for years to come!
Need Prescription Sunglasses?
Fill out the form below to schedule an appointment at your nearest Performance Eyecare location to get fitted for prescription sunglasses for the whole family!
Are you tired of dealing with the hassle of cleaning and storing your monthly contact lenses? Have you considered switching to daily disposable contacts? If not, you may be missing out on numerous benefits that can improve your vision, comfort, and eye health.
Convenience
In our latest video, Dr. Marcus Cuff explores the numerous benefits of daily disposable contact lenses. One of the biggest advantages of these lenses is the convenience they offer. With daily contacts, there’s no need to clean or store them after each use, which saves you time and eliminates the risk of lens contamination.
Comfort
Another benefit of daily contacts is improved comfort. These lenses are made with advanced materials that provide a comfortable fit and retain moisture, which reduces dryness and irritation. Additionally, daily lenses can be a great option for those with allergies, as they help to prevent the buildup of allergens on the lens surface.
Less Risk of Infection
Daily disposable contact lenses also offer superior eye health benefits. Since these lenses are only worn once and then discarded, there’s no risk of bacteria or other contaminants building up on the lens over time, which can lead to infections and other eye problems.
Give Dailies a Try with Performance Eyecare
In conclusion, if you’re looking for a convenient, comfortable, and safe contact lens option, daily disposable contacts may be the perfect solution for you. With their numerous benefits, including improved comfort, convenience, and reduced risk of eye infections, daily contacts can help you see the world more clearly and comfortably.
If you’re interested in learning more about this option, watch our latest video and schedule an appointment with us to determine if daily disposable contact lenses are right for you.
Performance Eyecare is the Midwest’s largest, privately held eye care provider with nine locations in Missouri and Illinois.
January is a great time to schedule your annual eye exam. Just remember, “a new year, a new eye exam” to help you remember.
Eye exams are often pushed aside by people with great vision and even those with poor sight, but routine exams are important regardless of age or physical health.
The eye doctors do much more than determine your prescription, if any, for eyeglasses or contact lenses during your eye exam. They also check them for common eye diseases, assess how your eyes work together as a team and evaluate your eyes as an indicator of your overall health.
Eye doctors are often the first health care professionals to detect chronic systematic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
So what does e eye doctor check for during your eye exam? As mentioned above, it’s more than you think.
Eye doctors check the eyes for refractive error, which refers to nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. This can be corrected with eye glasses, contacts or surgery.
They also check for amblyopia, which occurs when the eyes are turned or when one eye has a much different prescription than the other. In addition, they can check for strabismus (crossed or turned eyes), eye teaming problems, focusing problems, eye diseases such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, and other diseases.
Be sure to schedule an eye exam soon, especially if you haven’t one in over a year. You can schedule an appointment at any of our MO or IL locations over the phone or online!
We’ve all squinted to see something before, but we don’t have to do that if we wear the correct eyewear.
At Performance Eyecare, we will protect you from eye strain by giving you an eye exam and then prescribing any necessary eyeglasses or contacts.
Preventing Eye Strain
Are you sitting too close to your computer screen? Doing this can cause eye fatigue and blurred vision, which will make you feel like you have to get even closer to the screen.
Is there excessive lighting around your desk? Overhead lighting should be no brighter than your screen or else it will cause eye strain.
Are you wearing old prescription glasses? It’s always important to wear recently prescribed eyeglasses if you have them. You should schedule an appointment if you are forced to wear old eyeglasses. We can also fit you for custom computer eyeglasses.
Does your computer have an old monitor and low-resolution screens? These two things can be hard on your eyes. Upgrade to a high-resolution flat panel display for less eye fatigue.
Do you “turtle” when you sit at your desk? “Turtling” is when you sit with your back rounded, chin pushed forward and head tilted back. Some of us do this to get closer to the screen. You should schedule an appointment with our office if you can’t see the screen clearly with good posture.
Is your mouse too far away? If yes, then you’re forced to lean forward and closer to the screen which will cause strain.
Are you sitting in a bad chair? Your back should be supported so you can sit upright and at a comfortable distance from the screen.
Here are three additional tips to help combat eye strain:
Get an eye exam. This is simple because your eye doctor can identify your vision problems and prescribe special computer glasses for better comfort.
Avoid “computer stare.” It’s easy to forget to blink at a computer screen. Remember to blink often and fully to keep your eyes moist and comfortable.
The bright sun reflecting off the white snow isn’t the only eye hazard you should be worried about this winter. Other hazards that could irritate your eyes are the cold winds and dry air.
As noted by Osteopathic.org, harsh weather conditions can make eyes constantly dry and irritated, especially for those who wear contact lenses. Also, dry eyes can be troublesome when you’re indoors as well since the indoor heat eliminates moisture from the air.
Eye drops can be used a few times a day to help combat the dry-eye problem as well as installing humidifiers throughout your house to increase the indoor levels of humidity.
Staying hydrated and eating proper nutrition, in addition to eye drops and wearing sunglasses outside, can help keep your eyes moist. Studies have found that supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids, such as cold-water fish (sardines, cod, herring, and salmon), and flaxseed oil can relieve dry eye.
Drinking more water can help as well. The Institute of Medicine states that each day women need 91 ounces of water and men need about 125 ounces to stay hydrated. Experts agree that about 20 percent of the water your body needs comes from the food you eat. The best choices for beverages are water, 100 percent fruit and vegetable juices and milk.
What’s the number one concern during the cold winter months? Staying warm, of course! Keep in mind that your eye health shouldn’t take a back seat because these cold months can be just as dangerous as the summer ones.
Here are 3 tips to keeping your eyes healthy this winter:
Keep your eyes moist
We all love to sit around a fire or next to the heater during the winter, but doing this can cause dryness and irritation to your eye. Those who already suffer from dry eyes should really be careful where they sit in relation to a heat source as this can be extremely painful.
Dry eye syndrome is just one of the many eye conditions we can treat at Performance Eyecare. Dry eye syndrome is a common condition, especially in women over 40, but it has many available treatment options.
Wear sunglasses with UV protection
Many of us don’t like snow because it keeps us from traveling outside, but here’s another reason to dislike the snow: it’s super bright when the sun is out. As noted by YourSightMatters.com, “snowy conditions double the sun’s effect as ultraviolet rays can enter the eyes from above and are reflected off the snow into your eyes.”
So what’s the best thing to combat the brightness? Wear sunglasses that block 99 or 100 percent of UV light. In addition, wear a hat or a visor for extra protection.
At Performance Eyecare, we carry a lot of UV-protected sunglasses. What’s even better is that we have designer sunglasses, so yes, you can look fashionable even when you’re wearing a heavy coat and bulky pants to stay warm during the winter. Just stop by for a visit soon to find the right pair for you!
Wear goggles
It can be easy for debris to into your eyes when you’re outside. It can be easier when you’re skiing behind someone or having a snowball fight. It’s recommended that you wear goggles for maximum protection as sunglasses won’t be as effective for protection.
Who knew the winter months could be so dangerous for your eyes? Luckily, we know and we also know how to treat your eyes with care and precision. Contact us to make an appointment or check-up soon!
Many of us were told when we were kids to eat our carrots if we want to have healthy eyes. But healthy eyes go beyond just carrots.
Are you eating the right foods to keep your eyes healthy and your vision strong? Here are a couple great options to support your eye health:
Leafy greens have antioxidants, called lutein and zeaxanthin, which can lower the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts according to recent studies. So that salad isn’t just good for those looking to lose weight.
Eggs are also a great source for these antioxidants. They also have zinc which can help reduce your risk for macular degeneration, according to Paul Dougherty, MD, of Dougherty Laser Vision in Los Angeles.
Food with vitamin C, especially berries and citrus, have also been discovered to reduce your risk of macular degeneration and cataracts. So when you’re eating eggs for breakfast make sure to have a glass of orange juice with it!
Another great vitamin to fight your risk of macular degeneration is vitamin E. Almonds are a great source of vitamin E and the best part is that one handful is roughly half of your recommended daily intake.
Food rich in DHA, such as fatty fish like salmon, tuna, anchovies and trout can help you fight dry eye syndrome. Low levels of DHA, a fatty acid found in your retina, have been linked to dry eye syndrome according to Jimmy Lee, MD, of Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.
If you have been having vision problems or due for a checkup, please contact the eye care professionals at Performance Eyecare. We look forward to assisting with all your glasses, contacts, or other eye care needs!
Big project due? Bills need to be paid? Trying to find a job? These are a few things that can cause stress. That stress can cause other problems to your health including your eyes.
Life can be hectic as we try to best manage our tasks in an orderly fashion, but sometimes the anxiety takes control of us and our body. Hypertension, or constant high blood pressure, can put us at a higher risk of Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO), according to HealthMeUp.com. This disease affects about four out of 1000 people and is considered a “heart attack or stroke selectively affecting the retina.”
This can lead to blurred vision or total loss of vision if not treated.
Our eyes are the most sensitive part of our body which is why stress easily affects our vision. High blood pressure obviously affects the heart and it also damages the vessels that supply blood to our eyes. This damage is in the form of clots.
How Can I Keep My Eyes Healthy?
The best way to treat this problem is to address your stress. Stress can cause major physical damage throughout our body, including our eyes. Finding ways to cope with our stress will lead to less anxiety. This will keep our eyes and the rest of our body healthy.
Fortunately, technology has also helped with controlling the damage done to our eyes due to stress. These new treatments include injections, lasers and surgery. Get your blood pressure checked regularly to help prevent RVO from affecting you and your eyes.
If your vision is becoming blurred, please schedule an appointment to see one of our Performance Eyecare doctors. It’s important to understand why your vision is blurred and to address it immediately. Our team is available for regular wellness exams, as well as emergency appointments to make sure you get the care you need!