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.
Preparing for your first time in contacts? In this video, Dr. Thomas Cunningham, a top-rated eye doctor for Performance Eyecare, shares his tips for first time contact lens wearers.
Our best advice for patients preparing to wear contact lenses is to not worry! Before attempting to put the lenses in, we recommend practicing getting your (clean) finger close to your eye. Take your time with this, getting closer until you’re comfortable enough to touch your eye. This will take some of the anxiety away from putting lenses in for the first time.
Once patients learn that touching their eye is not harmful or painful, they quickly pick up how to insert the contact lenses into their eyes.
Wearing contact lenses for the first time can seem daunting, but with the right guidance and practice, you’ll be able to wear them with ease. Dr. Cunningham’s tips for first-time contact lens wearers are an excellent resource for those who are new to the world of contacts. So, whether you want to wear contacts for cosmetic reasons or medical necessity, Performance Eyecare has you covered.
Book an appointment today and experience the benefits of wearing contacts with the help of our experienced and knowledgeable eye doctors.
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!
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.
Hey, listen up! Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans have hearing loss in at least one ear? That’s right! That comes out to be about 48 million people.
Just because we care for your eyes doesn’t mean we ignore everything else! In fact, our optometrists are focused on providing you with excellent eye care AND improving your total health. That’s why we’re pleased to offer all of our patients hearing services in our office with the help of Hearing Professionals of America.
When you come in for your annual eye exam, we will conduct a FREE one-minute hearing screening to test for any and all hearing loss you may have. Loss of hearing can range from minor loss from wax build-up to serious loss due to health problems such as cancerous tumors.
In case you do not pass the hearing screening, you will be scheduled with our on-staff hearing specialist who will perform comprehensive hearing evaluation for you! He will then determine if you will need any hearing devices or not.
So if you’re experiencing anything out of the norm with your hearing, find it difficult to understand a conversation in a noisy restaurant, or have found that your loved ones have been constantly complaining that you set the volume too high on the TV or the car radio, then you don’t have to worry. You can just come in to see us at Performance Eyecare, and we’ll make sure your hearing is up to par.
Whether it concerns your vision or your hearing, you can be confident that we have your best interest in mind.
Snow lovers everywhere are gearing up for winter to officially hit, and many are wondering if this year’s winter will be a winter wonderland or a mild season. Many forecasters are calling for more wintery precipitation than last year in the St. Louis area.
You might be one of the many who dread winter and are currently putting away your shorts, flip-flops, and swimsuits for the rest of the year. One important “summer” item that you shouldn’t put away – your sunglasses!
You may not realize it, but spending a day in the snow can be much harder and detrimental to your eyes than a day at the beach. That’s because snow reflects nearly 80% of the sun’s rays, which means that more harmful ultraviolet rays are directed into your unprotected eyes.
Hours of bright sunlight can actually burn the surface of your eyes. This causes a temporary yet painful condition called photokeratitis. As time passes, unprotected exposure to the sun can contribute to cataracts and even cancer of the eyelids and to the skin around the eyes. Ultraviolet exposure can also increase your risk of macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 65.
Winter Eye Protection
How do you ensure that your eyes are protected during the winter? Easy! Wear the proper eye gear.
When you go outside to build a snowman, take a walk in the snow, start a snow fight, or attempt to drive to work in the snowy wonderland, always wear a pair of sunglasses that will block out the harmful ultraviolet light. Make sure that your sunglasses can block out 100% of UV light. Remember, just because the lenses are dark doesn’t guarantee that they will block out 100% of the light.
If you plan on hitting the slopes this winter, be sure to wear protective eyewear. Goggles or sunglasses should do the trick and should help ensure your safety.
Most importantly of all, please do remember to wear sunglasses while on the road. Too often we are blinded by the bright light reflecting off the snow, and this can cause harm to ourselves and others around us. Avoid any and all accidents by wearing sunglasses so you can see where you are going.
If you’re looking for the perfect pair of sunglasses for you to wear during the winter (and the rest of the year, too!), come see us. We have hundreds of frames for you to choose from. Protect your vision this winter with help from your friends at Performance Eyecare!
Buying your child’s first pair of glasses can be a very exciting time, but it can also become a confusing and very overwhelming endeavor if you’re not certain what to look for. After all, there are so many choices available out there when it comes to eyewear that it’s nearly impossible to choose the perfect frame! What’s a parent to do?
Sometimes, your optometrist might make a specific recommendation about which frames would work best for your child, but usually that choice is yours alone to make. To make the decision easier on you, check out our 7 most essential tips for purchasing eyeglasses for your child!
Through Thick and Thin
Your child’s prescription is always the most important choice when it comes to selecting glasses, and you should consult with your optician about the lenses before you choose the frames. As a rule of thumb, if your child’s lenses are thick, try to find the lightest frame for them so the glasses won’t be so heavy. Keep in mind also that smaller lenses usually have fewer higher-order aberrations near the end of the lenses than larger lenses do so blurred or distorted peripheral vision shouldn’t be a big problem for your child.
Lens Material Matters
In addition to the thinness and thickness of your child’s lenses, you must also be sure that the lens material will not only help your child to see but will also protect his or her eyesight. Lenses should be made of polycarbonate or a material called Trivex. These materials are lightweight and can take much more tough love than other lens materials. They also usually include protection against potentially harmful ultraviolet rays and are coated with scratch resistant materials. Ask your optician’s opinion on the matter if you’re in doubt.
Metal or Plastic
Frames are made of two types of material – metal (that is, wire) or plastic. In the past, plastic was a popular choice because it was seen as more durable and lighter in weight and in price, but anymore, manufacturers are making metal frames that have the same advantages as plastic frames. When in doubt, be sure to ask your optician which material is the better choice for your child.
Take It to the Bridge
Perhaps one of the most difficult parts of the entire decision is the bridge fit of the frames. After all, children’s noses aren’t yet fully developed, so glasses can have a tendency to slide down a child’s face, especially when they’re playing. Many frames, especially metal ones, tend to be made with adjustable nose pads to help fit the glasses to everyone’s bridge, so keep a look out for frames with nose pads!
Choose Your Earpiece Style
Essentially, there are two types of earpiece styles: cable temples, which feature a more curved earpiece that reaches around the ear, and standard temples, which are a straight edge. Cable temples tend to be very advantageous for very young children or for times when children are playing since they tend to not slide off the child’s face. Standard temples are great for those who wear glasses only some of the time since they are easier to take on and off.
Find the Cool Frames
Wearing glasses usually subjects the child to a good amount of teasing, especially when they’re wearing them for the first time. Try to avoid frames that aren’t pricey, inappropriate for their age, or make them look “uncool.” Remember, the real goal is to get your child to keep wearing his or her glasses, so make sure that they like the glasses that you choose!
Plan B
Children can be pretty tough on eyewear, so it might be a good idea to have an extra pair of glasses just in case the pair that you plan on having them wear is lost or broken. An extra pair is particularly advantageous for children who have strong prescriptions and can’t function without the use of their glasses.
If you’re ready to pick out your child’s eyeglasses, don’t wander around in the dark! Stop by to see us at Performance Eyecare for all of your eyecare needs.
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!
Your flexible spending deadline is most likely fast approaching, so be sure to spend your flex dollars wisely. Many flexible spending plans have a deadline of December 31st, so be sure and check with your plan administrator to determine the specific requirements of your FSA plan so that you can make sure you are utilizing it before it is gone and the new year begins.
Did you know that virtually ALL of your eye health costs qualify for your FSA?
8 smart ways to use your health benefit dollars, so you don’t have to kiss them goodbye!
Set up an eye exam
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If you are ready to put your flexible spending dollars to use on high quality care at Performance Eyecare, contact your local office today. Your family’s eye heath is our number one priority. We look forward to seeing you in our office soon.
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