Vodka Eye Shots Can Blind You

Want To Go Blind? Then Try This

Recent reports of young people applying vodka to the eye in a misguided attempt to get drunk have eye doctors worried. The practice is very damaging to the eye and can even result in blindness.  Putting vodka in your eye will burn the surface and likely cause permanent damage.In case you don't know, vodka eyeballing involves pouring vodka into the eye or holding a vodka-filled bottle or shot glass directly on the eye. It's very painful.Why does vodka eyeballing hurt so much? It's because vodka typically contains 35 to 50 percent alcohol (sometimes more), which can burn the cornea.  This leads to infection and/or corneal ulcers, scarring, vision loss and even blindness. Another side effect is constant watering of the eyes, which may last indefinitely.  According to a statement issued by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, "Eyeballers do not even get a 'quick high' as claimed, because the volume of vodka absorbed by the conjunctiva and cornea is too small to have that effect."

Safety Glasses and Eye Safety

Q: What's the difference between regular prescription lenses and frames and those that are "safety" rated?

A: In the United States, we have a government agency called OSHA that makes and enforces workplace safety rules and regulations. OSHA requires safety glasses in environments where eyes are at risk.

Safety glasses consist of a safety frame and safety lenses. A safety frame is sturdier than most "dress frames" and not easily bent or broken. Some have side shields, and some don't, depending on your specific job.  Safety lenses are usually polycarbonate, which is basically jet windshield plastic that is very unlikely to break, even when shot with a bullet!   Although OSHA regulations can seem like a real pain, they are really helpful in decreasing workplace eye injuries. In fact, those who do shop work at home should also use safety eyewear.

After all, you only have two eyes! — Article provided by Bonnie, Manager at Layton Visual Center

Holiday Frames

     

      

   

Fun holiday frames put smiles on faces

You've Been Framed

 

Our patients always leave smiling with their new frames. Cool frames for any age or life style!

Toy Story Frames

A blockbuster Disney movie starring, Woody and Buzz Lightyear, is a big hit with kids worldwide. These colorful characters are represented in this exciting new Toy Story Eyewear collection! Enter your child into a drawing for a free frame. Must be scheduled for an appointment. Offer expires 12/31/11. 

Wizards Of Waverly Place Eyewear

Just in time for the holidays!  Let the Wizards Of Waverly Place Eye wear collection spin some of its own magic on your teens eyes!

 

Mention "Wizards" frames to have your teen's name placed in a drawing for a free pair of these frames. Must be scheduled for an appointment. Offer expires December 31, 2011.

For the best gift that keeps on giving

Did you know? Many people make the number one mistake of cleaning their glasses with the product we all love, Windex!  Windex and acetone are both harmful to your lenses and can ruin them.  The best way to keep your glasses clean is to stop getting them dirty!  We know this may seem like an easy concept but we see this habit of not cleaning your glasses correctly on a daily basis.  However, scratching can occur with just one wipe of the lens.  In fact, anytime an object that is harder than the optical coating is being pressed against the lens, this may cause scratches. 

How can we prevent this?  When cleaning your glasses, make  sure that the lenses are wet and the cloth you are using is clean.  For the best gift that keeps on giving, clean your glasses with cleaning solutions that will not harm your lenses.  Specialized cleaning kits are available at our office. Article provided by Erin, our optician at Layton Visual Center.

Is Fashion Worth Your Vision?

Did you know?  New eye fads have surfaced lately in the fashion community. Contact's that make your eyes larger to give different effects or unnatural hue's have surfaced.  These lenses not only cover your iris they also cover part of the whites of your eye.  It is illegal in the United States to sell any contact lenses corrective or cosmetic without a prescription; in fact, no major contact lens manufacturers make these lenses.  However, these lenses are sold widely online and are becoming more widespread across the Internet.  You should always buy your contacts from a trusted eye doctor or manufacturer to avoid eye infection that could potentially lead to blindness!  Remember, you only have one set of eyes so don't abuse them for fashion! 

Article provided by Michelle who is our contact lens specialist.

Why Are Eye Exams Important?

Routine eye exams are important — regardless of your age or your physical health. During a comprehensive eye exam, Doctor Jensen does much more than just determine your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses. He will also check your eyes for common eye diseases, assess how your eyes work together as a team and evaluate your eyes as an indicator of your overall health. As your eye doctor he is often the first health care professional to detect chronic systemic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Who Should Get Their Eyes Examined? Eye examinations are an important part of health maintenance for everyone. Adults should have their eyes tested to keep their prescriptions current and to check for early signs of eye disease. And eye exams for children play an important role in ensuring normal vision development and academic achievement of all kids. Vision is closely linked to the learning process. Children with undetected vision problems often will have trouble with their schoolwork. Many times, children will not complain of vision problems simply because they don't know what "normal" vision looks like.  If your child is performing poorly at school, be sure to have his or her eyes examined by an eye doctor who specializes in children's vision to rule out an underlying visual cause.

Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis)

A pink eye is the most obvious symptom of conjunctivitis, so the term "pink eye" often is used for this common eye problem that can have many different causes.  A pink eye, along with itching, burning, stinging, irritation, pain, grittiness, crusting or light sensitivity, are all symptoms that provide clues about the type of conjunctivitis you could have.  Contagious forms of pink eye are usually linked to bacterial or viral infections. Non-contagious pink eye can occur when eye irritants such as allergens, dust and smoke are in the environment. Coughing and sneezing can spread contagious pink eye by spraying tiny droplets from infected mucus into the air. Shared towels also can be infected, as well as table tops, counter spaces and bathrooms.

Preventing Pink Eye in Children
Because children are in close contact in day care centers and classrooms, it is difficult to avoid the spread of bacteria and viruses causing pink eye. The following information can help parents, day care workers and teachers reduce the risk of a pink eye outbreak:

• Personal items, including hand towels, should never be shared at school or at home.
• Teach children to use tissues and cover their mouths and noses when they sneeze or cough.
• Discourage eye rubbing and touching, to avoid spread of bacteria and viruses.
• Adults in schools and day care centers should wash their hands frequently and have children do the same. Soap should always be available for this.
• Antiseptic solutions should be used constantly to clean surfaces such as common toys, table tops, drinking fountains, sinks and faucet handles.

Despite all these precautions, your child still may develop pink eye. If so, be considerate of others and do your part to keep the infection from spreading. Tell your child's teacher or caretaker about the infection so that extra steps can be taken to sanitize classrooms or day care centers. Minimize exposure by keeping your child home until the contagious stage has passed. Your doctor can let you know when your child can interact with others again safely, usually about three to five days after the diagnosis.

Spooky Contacts Can Be a Nightmare for Your Eyes

Infections, even blindness, may result from nonprescription contact lenses, FDA warns. "We worry this time of year especially. Halloween is coming up, and people do things on a lark or a dare. And who are the biggest risk takers? Kids,"

Nightmare Story
FRIDAY, Oct. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Laura Butler was vacationing in Virginia Beach, Va., when, on a whim, the brown-eyed mom decided to buy a pair of blue contact lenses for $29.99 from a novelty shop. Driving home to West Virginia the next day, she felt a searing pain in her left eye. The ill-fitting contact lens had formed a suction on her cornea, the delicate, transparent membrane that covers the pupil and iris. She literally had to tear the contact off, leading to a severe and extremely painful injury."The window of the car was open, and I thought a piece of wood had flown in and stabbed me in the eye it was so bad," Butler said. "I've had two children and I have never experienced pain like this in my entire life."  When Butler got home, she said she curled up into a fetal position because she was in so much agony. The next day she went to the emergency room, where she received antibiotics and painkillers. She saw an ophthalmologist daily for the first week, and then weekly for 8 weeks. She couldn't drive for more than two months, and has medical bills for thousands of dollars. Butler said she hopes her story will dissuade others from buying contacts without seeing an eye professional first. "I came close to being blinded for the rest of my life," she said.

Contact lenses are medical devices regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is illegal to sell them without a prescription in the United States, but Halloween is a time when sales of "special effects," "theatrical" and "decorative" contact lenses spike, experts said. Decorative lenses don't correct vision, but can turn eyes blue, green or purple, or give the look of zombie or cat eyes. Though there's nothing wrong with buying decorative contacts from an optometrist or ophthalmologist who will make sure the lens fits your eye properly, buying cheap contacts from flea markets, street vendors or beauty supply shops is dangerous, experts warn.

Ill-fitting contacts or contacts that aren't cared for properly can lead to injuries and infections that can cause blindness, said Dr. Thomas Steinemann, a professor of ophthalmology at MetroHealth Medical Center at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. "We worry this time of year especially. Halloween is coming up, and people do things on a lark or a dare. And who are the biggest risk takers? Kids," Steinemann said. He treated one 14-year-old who got a "blinding infection" -- Pseudomonas aeruginosa -- after using nonprescription contacts. The infection came on rapidly, and within 24 hours the girl was in the hospital as doctors worked to save her eye. "We got the infection under control, but she was left with a scar on the cornea that left her blinded in the eye," Steinemann said. To restore her vision she needed a corneal transplant. "That's a horrible price to pay," he said.  Because our hands and faces are teeming with bacteria, using even properly fitted contact lenses carries the risk of infection, Steinemann said. But eye professionals cut down on those risks by educating contact-lens wearers about proper use and care of contacts, such as never sleeping in contacts and using sterile contact lens solution to store them. Infections associated with contact lenses can be serious. "Someone can lose a significant amount of vision in 24 hours," Steinemann said. 

The FDA offers these tips on safe use of contact lenses: 

•Get an eye exam from a licensed eye doctor (ophthalmologist or optometrist), who will examine your eye, make sure the lenses fit properly and write you a prescription even if the lenses are decorative only.

•Follow directions for cleaning, disinfecting and wearing the lenses, and visit your eye doctor for follow-up eye exams.

•Never share contacts or contact lens solution.

•Seek medical attention immediately if you have signs of possible eye infection, such as redness, pain, discharge or decrease in vision.

Trick Or Treat at Layton Visual Center Friday, October 28th

Bring your little ghouls and goblins

 in their costumes

 anytime between 9AM and 5:30 PM

 Friday, October 28th

 for a special TREAT!

See you Friday!



Don't be the last Pilgrim to arrive!

You can schedule a Saturday or Monday appointment

Saturday, Nov. 19th or

Monday, Nov. 21st

Call for your appointment at (801)546-2481

 before they are all filled up

Happy Boss's Week Dr. Jensen!

 We want to thank our boss for being kind and fair throughout the year.

He is a marathon man and has been recognized as Young Doctor of the Year. We appreciate him for always bringing such positive and great energy to everything he does.


You always give your best; And inspire others to do likewise; That you are appreciated; Should come as no surprise.

Your kind of leadership skills; Is a talent, that's true...One that's appreciated and valued; It's good working for, and with, you.

Happy Boss's Day!

The staff at Layton Visual Center

World Sight Day

Quick Facts
World Sight Day is annually held on the second Thursday of October to raise awareness about blindness and vision impairment.

Background
The world's population is ageing and people are living longer but blindness from chronic conditions is also rising, according to WHO. About 80 percent of the world's 45 million blind people are aged over 50 years. About 90 percent of blind people live in low-income countries, where older people, especially older women, face barriers to getting the necessary eye health care. Yet, many age-related conditions leading to blindness - such as cataract, refractive error and glaucoma - can be easily and cheaply treated or cured. Timely intervention can often delay or reduce their effects on vision.

What do people do?
The World Health Organization (WHO), which is the UN's directing and coordinating authority for health, and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) are actively involved in coordinating events and activities for World Sight Day. Associations such as Lions Clubs International have also been actively involved in promoting the day on an annual basis for many years.

Some people plant trees to commemorate World Sight Day and while others submit a photo for an international photo montage that focuses on the theme of blindness. Other activities include taking part in awareness-raising walks or distributing and displaying posters, bookmarks, booklets and other forms of information the raise awareness about preventable blindness.

You've Been Framed

 

Our Patients come as friends... and leave as family...

VISIOFFICE® SYSTEM Has come to Layton Visual Center!

Come see our "New Addition"

The Visioffice® System

 is a state-of-the-art tool featuring the new eye code measurements which will provide the most highly individualized spectacle lenses and precise vision possible.

— THE MOST UNIQUE, INTERACTIVE MEASURING TOOL AVAILABLE TODAY.

Dr. Jensen is the only Optometrist in Northern Utah who has one!

THE MOST PRECISE, INDIVIDUALIZED VISION Visioffice is the first and only universal measuring system that allows you to obtain every possible parameter needed for today's individualized lenses. Only the Visioffice system measures a revolutionary new parameter — the real 3D position of the Eye Rotation Center for each eye. Patients get the most precise vision possible, no matter where they look through the lens — instantly and effortlessly.

A PRODUCT OF ESSILOR OF AMERICA, INC

Welcome to Contact Lenses!

Dr. Jensen offers complete contact lens services including all specialty lenses and products. Contact lenses are medical devices and this is why they require a prescription to obtain them. These lenses are carefully selected to properly fit your eyes. Be patient with learning, as you will get it soon, and you will one day laugh at yourself at how difficult it first was to learn how to put the lenses in, and take them out. 

Our contact lens specialist Michelle will order your lenses for you and answer any questions you may have.

You've Been Framed

 Our patients leave with great frames and big smiles!

Proud Sponsor of Layton High Football Team

Layton Visual Center is a proud sponsor of the Layton High football team.

Blow Out Back To School Promotion

Be sure to bring in your family for the Blow Out Back To School Promotion...Featuring the Converse Kid's Frames.  With every Converse Kid's frame purchase your child will receive a free pair of ear buds and a notebook with every Lucky Kid frame.  

JT who is a member of the Layton High Football Team picks up a sponsorship check from Layton Visual Center.

We salute Layton High School for beginning a sportsmanship program. This program reinforces the need for sportsmanship as one of the values taught through educational athletics.


A good sport is a true leader within the school and community.

Meet Our New Optician

Meet Erin our new afternoon optician. She comes to us with great experience and a passion for working with eye wear. Erin joined the staff in June.