Loudoun Eye Associates

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

Don’t forget to Spring forward! Remember to set your clocks ahead one hour tonight.

#frEYEdayFunFact: Men blink an average of 11 times per minute while women blink an average of 19.

Thousands of workers sustain job-related eye injuries daily due to the lack of proper eyewear at work. Whether you work indoors or outdoors, we urge everyone to keep your eyes protected at all times!

20 Surprising Things That Are Damaging Your Eye Health | Best Life

From doing yard work to using acne medication, there are so many daily activities we do that can damage our vision. This article discusses 20 different surprising things that can harm your eyes.

bestlifeonline.com Worried about your eye health? Make sure you're aware of these 20 things that can damage your vision—and then stop doing them.

4 Mistakes You Might Be Making When It Comes to Your Eyes—and How to Fix Them

Before you hit the trails, learn about common eye-health mistakes most people make while running and how to avoid them.

runnersworld.com If you wear contacts or glasses, you’re going to want to take note.

Blurry vision? Schedule your eye exam today!

Smart contacts: The future of the wearable you won't even see

Ok, so we may not have flying cars yet, but scientists are developing something just as exciting – smart contacts! Smart contacts help detect if there's a problem in the bloodstream, too much stress, and other health risks. Read the article to find out more.

newatlas.com The notion of wearing lenses over our eyes to correct our vision dates back hundreds of years, with some even crediting Leonardo da Vinci as one of the first proponents of the idea (though that remains somewhat controversial). Material science and our understanding of the human eye have come a long....

Fun President’s Day Fact: Teddy Roosevelt was blind in his left eye due to an injury in a boxing match! Did you know that?! Comment below!

Each year, about 300,000 children are diagnosed with cancer. Show your support for children and adolescents with cancer, survivors, and their families. #InternationalChildhoodCancerDay 🎗

Happy Valentines Day!

Eyelash extensions irritation: You probably don't have lice, but you might have mites

Full, long eyelashes are all the rage. If you have eyelash extensions or are considering getting them, read this article about the risk of getting lash mites and the importance of good eyelash hygiene.

usatoday.com False eyelashes create a risk for an irritating buildup of demodex: the medical term for mites — not lice.

Dr. Marvin Poston: Remembering an Industry Pioneer

Dr. Poston became the first African American to enlist at UC Berkley School of Optometry, the first African American licensed to practice optometry on the West Coast, AND the first African American named “Optometrist of the Year'' by the American Optometric Association! He later pioneered vision insurance programs alongside many outstanding accomplishments. Optometry today would not be the same without his many achievements. #BlackHistoryMonth

newsroom.vspglobal.com Something inspired us all to go into the field of optometry. For some, it was a mentor along the way. For others, it was an event or experience. Some of us had friends or family affected by conditions we could address as an optometrist, and that ...

#frEYEdayFunFact: Your pupils dilate when you look at someone you love!

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of low vision and blindness in people 60 years and older. AMD can develop so slowly that an average person wouldn’t notice their vision getting bad until it is severe. Getting an eye exam done yearly is the key to early detection. To learn more click here: http://bit.ly/macular_degeneration

The aim of World Cancer Day is to raise awareness and educate the world about cancer and it’s prevention. Not only is getting a yearly physical important but getting a yearly eye exam is just as important. Many forms of cancer can be detected during an eye exam, so make sure to schedule yours!

Yes, there is such a thing! Ommetaphobia develops when someone experiences a bad situation or traumatic event occurs in their life involving eyes. For example, seeing an eye pop out of the socket, getting hit in the eye, or going blind in an eye.

Reasons You Must Visit An Optometrist Once A Year – You Must Get Healthy

Why must I visit an optometrist once a year?! Here are few top reasons why you and your family should…

youmustgethealthy.com Do you think the value of an annual eye exam is only updating your vision prescription? No, it’s not! It goes far beyond that. Let’s have a look at some of the top reasons why you and your family should visit one of the best optometrists at least once a year. Corrected Vision: Getting updated .....

Timeline Photos

Video: What is Glaucoma?

What is glaucoma?

glaucoma.org Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve. This 3-D animated video explains how glaucoma affects the eye.

Better life with better sight. Use your vision benefits.

Today we honor the life and legacy of a great civil rights hero, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. #MLKDay

Timeline Photos

Woman Gets Parasitic Worms in Her Eyes After a Trail Run

A worm that normally infects cows gets into a woman’s eye after a trail run! This is the second human case of this kind…

livescience.com Normally, this worm infects only cows.

New year, new insurance benefits! Start the year off right with great vision. Contact us to schedule an appointment!

What “new” are you looking forward to this year? Comment below!

Glaucoma, also known as "the sneak thief of sight," has no symptoms and once vision is lost, it's lost! The best way to protect your eyes is to get an eye exam done once a year. If glaucoma is detected early, treatment can begin to slow down the vision loss process. Schedule your yearly eye exam today!

Have a better life with better sight! Contact us today for an appointment.

Happy Birthday to Louis Braille, the inventor of Braille! Did you know he was just 15 years old when he created a reading and writing system based on Charles Barbier’s night writing system?!