Loudoun Eye Associates

How Does Smoking Affect Your Eyes?

Today is World No Tobacco Day. Millions of people die every year from inhaling smoke and exposure to secondhand smoke. Not only does it harm your body but it also harms your eyes!

verywellhealth.com Smoking can do more than just irritate your eyes. Learn about your increased risk for cataracts, macular degeneration, and more.

3-Eyed Snake Found in Australia Surprises Rangers

Not a scene from a movie, but a real-life triclops: “Monty”: the three-eyed python snake, spotted traveling the highway.

livescience.com This wild snake had a third eye on its forehead that apparently worked.

We’re excited to be reopened as we’re taking all the extra steps to keep our patients and staff alike safe and healthy. We stagger appointments so please don’t come early and come alone. Always wear a mask or face covering when you enter. If you are sick PLEASE STAY HOME.

We’re thrilled to be reopened. But the “new normal” isn’t going to be normal for a while. For the safety of our staff and other patients, please observe social distance in our practice, wear a mask or face covering, and if you feel sick...STAY HOME!
#wereallinthistogether

To all of our soldiers, we thank you and we honor you.

COVID-19: Importance of home exercise while being isolated

Here are some ways to exercise and stay active while being at home:

As we're spending more time at home, it’s important to find new ways to remain active and exercise is important. Mayo Clinic physical therapist Sunni Alessan...

Modern Men in Eyewear

You are what you wear! Glasses define personality. Which one of these modern eyewear pieces for men are you?

2020mag.com Editors of 20/20 February 2020 Men's Eyewear Modern Men in Eyewear For well over a decade now, 20/20 has taken great pride in noting that men’s eyewear has stepped to the forefront in style impact and substance of a guy’s personality. Men love their glasses, taking great pride in the distinctive...

With kids home from school, they’re spending lots of time on electronic devices! Instead of having them spend hours gaming, have them watch educational or workout videos.

We're open to routine eye care by appointment only! Please contact us to schedule an appointment or if you have any questions. #wereallinthistogether

We’re thrilled to announce that we’re reopening for regular eye care! However, COVID-19 is not yet behind us, so please call ahead so we can walk you through the booking process. #wereallinthistogether

#NWHW is a reminder for women to make their health a priority and build positive habits for life. Here are some ways to improve your physical and mental health:

This mother’s day show your mom how much you care by cooking for her or spend time watching a movie. If she’s far, call and remind her how much you love her or send flowers...after all, it’s the little things that count the most!

COVID-19 is definitely stressful for us all but stress and anxiety can increase the risk for depression. Use this time to talk to family and friends about your worries and take a break from the news. Stay positive, we’ll get through this together!

Yes! Contacts are safe to wear when you practice these good hygiene procedures: Properly wash hands with soap & water for at least 20 seconds and dry hands with unused paper towels. Dispose daily disposables and disinfect monthly or two week lenses with lens cleaner. Don’t forget to clean your contact lens case! If you feel ill with a cold or flu-like symptoms, please discontinue use.

This year Cinco de Mayo will be celebrated with margaritas and traditional Mexican dishes made from the comfort of our very own homes. Gatherings will be done virtually with family and friends. With COVID-19 still a concern, we urge everyone to stay safe, practice social distancing, and we hope everyone stays healthy.

13 Eye Health Myths You Need to Stop Believing | Best Life

Wearing the wrong prescription isn’t a big deal! Or is it? It’s time to set straight some commonly believed myths about eye health.

bestlifeonline.com Think carrots are really going to get you back to 20/20 vision? These are the eye health myths you need to stop believing now.

Follow this rule to help avoid digital eye strain, take a break from the screen every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Today is Earth Day! Let’s protect the environment around us, not just for today, but for every day. What have you been doing outdoors lately to help protect Earth? Comment below!

Prevent Blindness Urges Women to Make Their Vision Health a Priority | Prevent Blindness

Did you know that more women than men have eye diseases? To raise awareness, Prevent Blindness has declared April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month.

preventblindness.org Prevent Blindness Declares April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month to Educate Public on Ways to Save Sight Because women have higher rates of eye diseases

April is Sports Eye Safety Month - Discovery Eye Foundation

Can you guess which sport causes more eye injuries? It could be your favorite, so make sure to protect your eyes!

discoveryeye.org april is sports eye safety month. Basketball, Baseball and Air/Paintball Guns Top the List of Leading Causes of Eye Injuries More than 40 percent of eye injuries that occur every year are related to sports or recreational activities.

Happy Easter everyone!

It may surprise you to learn that coronavirus remains on plastic surfaces for as long as 3 days. If not careful, we can easily touch our eyeglasses and then touch our eyes, nose, or mouth, and potentially get infected. To prevent such an occurrence, make sure to routinely wash your glasses and hands with antibacterial soap and warm water!

Let’s take a moment to thank all of the nurses, midwives, and other healthcare workers around the world for always being there! This #WorldHealthDay lets #SupportNursesAndMidwives, comment below if you are one!

Make sure to stock up on important supplies, such as eye medications, eye drops, supplements (omega 3, fish oil tablets), contact lenses and solution in order to get by in case you need to be quarantined or if supplies run short!

The Proper Way To Wash Your Hands

One of the most important ways to prevent getting the Coronavirus is to wash your hands... constantly! Here’s how to get it done right:

With kids being home from school due to the Coronavirus, they may be getting more screen time than usual. Take a break! Get some fresh air outdoors, but be mindful of your surroundings.

If someone sick is within 6 feet of a healthy person and coughs or sneezes, their respiratory droplets can enter through the eyes, mouth, and nose. Avoid touching your face!

[03/22/20]   March 20, 2020

Dear patients of Loudoun Eye Associates,

As of Tuesday evening, March 17, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended all routine
eye care be deferred until further notice in order to slow the transmission of COVID-19 throughout our community.

From 3/20 through 3/27, the office will be open for patients to pick up their eyeglasses and contact lenses. Please
contact us at (703) 724-0330, via phone or text message, to arrange for a window of time to schedule a pick-up.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. We will also remain available to triage eye emergencies.

From 3/28 through at least 4/05, the office will be closed, but we will remain available to triage eye
emergencies. We will continue to monitor the situation closely to determine when it is appropriate to re-open.
During this period of social distancing and quarantine, we must all do our part by restricting activities outside the
home except for getting medical care.

● Routine Eye Exams: If you are scheduled for a routine eye examination appointment for the remainder of
March and early April, we will reschedule your appointment. As of March 20, 2020, we will begin
rescheduling routine eye examination appointments for April 20th and later.

● I need to replace my glasses. What do I do?
Please contact us at (703) 724-0330, via phone or text
message. We may be able extend your prescription during this time and will help you with your eyewear
needs.

● I’m nearly out of contact lenses. What do I do?
Please contact us at (703) 724-0330, via phone or text
message. We may be able extend your prescription during this time, and/or place an order for your contact lenses and have them shipped to your house.

● I need a refill on the medication prescribed to me by the practice. What do I do?
Please contact us at (703) 724-0330, via phone or text message. We can transmit a refill for your prescription directly to
your pharmacy so that you have the medication that you need.

● What about an eye emergency? What can I do?
If you have an ocular emergency, contact us at (703)
724-0330, via phone, and we will triage the problem. Please leave a message if we are unable to answer
right away. If we determine that your condition needs a telehealth or in-person office visit, we will make
the necessary arrangements.

Drs. Kao and Park and the staff at Loudoun Eye Associates will do their best to accommodate you whenever
possible. We thank you for your patience. We are confident that our community will pull together and get
through this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kao, Dr. Park, and the staff at Loudoun Eye Associates

Is iPhone's new 'dark mode' really better for your eyesight?

Is the new iPhone dark mode really better for your eyes? Read this article to learn more about this controversial topic.

college-optometrists.org The ‘dark mode’ feature on the new IOS is described as ‘easier on your eyes’, but what's the evidence behind this? Our Clinical Adviser, Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, provides some insight in his latest blog.

We are so lucky to have amazing patients, sending the luck of the EYE-ris to everyone! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

[03/15/20]   To Our Patients,

Out of an abundance of caution, we are taking extra precautions during this time to protect our patients and staff.

Steps our Practice is taking:
- Any team member who is sick has been told to stay home.
- We sanitize all equipment and patient contact surfaces after
every use and again at the end of the day.
- Our team members wash their hands after contact with each
patient and throughout the course of the day.
- We have sanitizing stations in our office.
- We are doing our best to limit our schedule in order to
minimize the number of people in our office at the same time.

To our Patients:
- If you have recently (within the past 14 days) traveled
outside of the US or to any area with significant community
spread (currently Washington state, California, and New
York), or have had close contact with someone who has, or if
you have a fever, cough or other symptoms of acute
respiratory distress, please call our office to reschedule your
visit.
- We are asking all our patients who are considered high risk,
to postpone their eye appointments. This includes anyone
over the age of 60, pregnant or nursing mothers, and
anyone who is immunocompromised.
- We do expect this to be an ongoing situation in our area for
an extended period of time and do not want our patients to
neglect their eye care needs during this time.
- Please call us with any questions or concerns, and if you feel
it is best for you or your family member to reschedule your
appointment, feel free to do so, without penalty.

The Display of the Future Might Be in Your Contact Lens

Mojo Vision created a prototype of a smart contact lens that will allow users to see their schedules, view notifications of incoming messages, and even control music playback! This futuristic eyewear won't be on the market for another few years and the first release of these contacts will be targeted to individuals with low vision.

wired.com Mojo Vision's prototypes can enhance your vision or show you your schedule—right from the surface of your eyes.

Some often feel that good vision means good eye health but that is not always the case. Getting a routine eye exam can ensure your vision not only stays clear but it can also keep your eyes and body healthy. Save your vision with an eye exam!

Early detection is key to preventing and treating Glaucoma to keep you safe from getting blind. Save your sight by scheduling your routine eye exam with us. Visit our website or contact us to schedule!

Equal world = enabled world. Let’s celebrate women’s achievement, raise awareness against bias, and take action for equality! #InternationalWomensDay #EachforEqual