optometrist

How Pregnancy Can Affect Your Eyesight

Pregnancy can impact almost every part of a woman’s body and health — including her eyes. In fact, an estimated 14% of pregnant women report experiencing visual changes during pregnancy that usually resolve on their own within a couple of months after giving birth.

Knowing the different visual symptoms that can present when you’re expecting can help alert you to potential underlying health concerns that your physician may need to address.

Normal Visual Changes During Pregnancy

Blurred Vision

Blurred vision is the most common visual symptom that pregnant women may experience. Hormonal fluctuations are usually to blame for the temporary decrease in visual acuity, and your eyesight will likely return to normal soon after giving birth.

The influx of pregnancy hormones causes fluid retention in some areas of the body and can cause the cornea to thicken slightly. As a result, the light entering the eye isn’t focused accurately and vision may be blurred.

Less commonly, blurred vision can signal gestational diabetes, a pregnancy complication affecting 6-9% of pregnant women. The rise in blood sugar level impacts the focusing lens of the eye, leading to blurry vision. If you are diagnosed with diabetes, including gestational diabetes, it’s a good idea to book an eye exam to monitor for retinal changes.

Blurred vision is also a common side effect of dry eye syndrome, a condition characterized by tears that don’t adequately lubricate the eyes, which can be brought on or exacerbated by pregnancy.

Eye Dryness

Pregnancy hormones can cause a reduction in the amount of tears your eyes produce or affect the quality of the tears. These changes can affect a woman throughout her entire pregnancy, but studies show that eye dryness is particularly common in the last trimester. For this reason, some women find it difficult to wear contact lenses in their third trimester and temporarily switch to glasses.

Eye Puffiness

Yet another body part that swells during pregnancy: the eyelids and tissues around the eyes.

Pregnancy-related water retention may cause your eyelids to appear puffier than during your pre-pregnancy days. You may also notice darker areas under the eyes. If your puffy eyes bother you, try limiting your salt and caffeine intake, as they can worsen the problem.

Visual Changes That May Indicate a Problem

The following visual changes warrant a prompt call to your eye doctor or obstetrician to rule out any underlying complications.

Flashes or floaters

Seeing stars during pregnancy can signal high blood pressure, which is associated with preeclampsia — a serious medical condition that requires close monitoring by your physician and possible treatment.

It’s crucial to have your blood pressure monitored throughout your pregnancy, as preeclampsia can potentially endanger the life of mother and child, as well as damage the cornea and retina.

Temporary vision loss

Temporary vision loss is concerning for pregnant and non-pregnant individuals. Vision loss is another warning sign of preeclampsia, so contact your doctor promptly if you suddenly lose any portion of your visual field.

Sensitivity to light

Light-sensitivity can either be a normal side effect of fluid retention in the eye, or it can signal dangerously high blood pressure and preeclampsia.

How We Can Help

At Garbig Family Eye Care, our goal is to keep your vision and eyes healthy throughout your pregnancy and beyond. If you experience any visual symptoms, we can help by thoroughly examining your eyes to determine the underlying cause and provide you with guidance on what next steps to take.

Pregnancy is a wonderful time, when self care should be at the forefront — and that includes comprehensive eye care.

To schedule an eye exam or learn more about our eye care services, call Garbig Family Eye Care in Wilder today!

Q&A With Our Eye Doctor in Wilder, Kentucky

Why are regular eye exams important?

Having your eyes evaluated by an optometrist on a regular basis is crucial for detecting early signs of eye diseases and changes in your prescription, including during pregnancy. Many serious eye diseases don’t cause any noticeable symptoms until they’ve progressed to late stages, when damage to vision may be irreversible. Whether or not you wear glasses or contact lenses for vision correction, ask your optometrist about how often to schedule a routine eye exam.

Will my baby need an eye exam after birth?

According to the American Optometric Association and the Canadian Association of Optometrists, babies should have an eye exam within the first 6-12 months of life, even in the absence of noticeable vision problems. Healthy vision is a significant part of healthy overall development, so be sure not to skip your baby’s eye exams!

Why Are Dilated Eye Exams So Important?

Garbig Family Eye Care Dilated Eye Exam near you in Wilder, Kentucky

Having your eyes dilated during an eye exam may seem like a nuisance. But when you consider the benefits of a dilated eye exam, the temporary blurred vision and sensitivity to light that typically follow are definitely worth it.

What Are Dilated Eye Exams?

At some point during a comprehensive eye exam, your optometrist will shine a bright light into your eyes to examine the back of your eye, called the retina. The problem is that bright light causes the size of the pupil’s opening to shrink, which makes it hard for the optometrist to see a large portion of the retina.

That’s why eye doctors apply special eye drops in each eye to keep the pupils open. A dilated pupil allows for a much more accurate assessment of your eye’s structures, including the focusing lens, blood vessels and tissues at the back of the eye called the retina, as well as the optic nerve and macula.

Dilating the eyes makes it easier for your optometrist to detect the following conditions and diseases:

Cataracts
Glaucoma
Diabetic retinopathy
Macular degeneration
Retinal tumor
Retinal detachment or retinal tears
Eye floaters

It’s important to note that many of these conditions can develop without noticeable symptoms, until they cause vision loss at which point treatment may be more challenging, making dilated eye exams all the more crucial.

The Dilation Process

First, your eye doctor will apply eye drops to each eye to trigger dilation of the pupil. Your eyes should be fully dilated about 10-20 minutes later.

Your eyes will remain dilated for 4-6 hours, and during this time you may be sensitive to light. That’s because the larger pupil allows more light than usual to enter the eye. Many patients find it more comfortable to wear sunglasses until their eyes return to normal.

Reading and using a computer may be difficult with dilated eyes, and your vision may be blurred. Some patients report feeling a tightening sensation in their eyelids, or headaches.

Dilated eye exams are a crucial part of keeping your eyes healthy. To schedule your comprehensive eye exam, call Garbig Family Eye Care in Wilder today!

Garbig Family Eye Care, your Wilder eye doctor for eye exams and eye care

Alternatively, book an appointment online here CLICK FOR AN APPOINTMENT

At what age should one have a dilated eye exam?

You should have your dilated eye exam no matter your age. Most eye doctors will dilate a new patient at their first exam regardless of age to get a baseline of their retinal health.

Will I be able to return to work after a dilated eye exam?

Everyone reacts differently, so it’s hard to tell. If your job requires you to focus on small print or detail, it may be challenging. Typing and writing may also be difficult with dilated pupils. To be on the safe side, book your appointment at the end of your work day, clear your schedule after your eye exam and only plan to do activities which aren’t visually demanding.

10 Eye Care Tips for Healthy Vision

Eye Clinic near you in Wilder, Kentucky

Do you eat healthily and work out to keep your body in shape? Did you know that there are specific ways to keep your eyes strong too? You need your eyes for just about everything you do, and vision changes – such as painful vision or seeing blurry – can be extremely frightening. At our eye care center in Wilder, we make it our mission to help you see clearly and comfortably for as many years as possible.

Local Contact lens supplier near you in Wilder, Kentucky

To ensure that you are armed with all the info you need for powerful peepers, we outlined the following tips:

Eat Well for Your Eyes Specific nutrients are particularly beneficial for healthy eyesight, such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, and zinc. The good news is that it’s not too hard to find foods rich in these nutrients. Snack on some berries and nuts, slice the avocado into your sandwich, choose brown rice and quinoa instead of white grains, make a fresh salad with kale and chard, drizzle flaxseed oil as a dressing, steam some broccoli, and eat an orange daily. Fish is a great source of eye-healthy omega-3s, including salmon, mackerel, tuna, and super-food sardines.
Book Regular Eye Exams Don’t wait until you have a problem before scheduling an eye exam in Wilder. Many eye problems don’t have symptoms at the beginning. By the time you notice them, they will have advanced to a more serious stage. Eye diseases such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration can stay silent for a long time. However, when they are detected early – treatment is much more effective. Also, if you wear prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, an eye exam will confirm that you still have sharp vision.
No Smoking Smoking is linked to a very long list of health problems, as you probably know. Yet, you may not know that eye disease is also on that list. Smoking can cause an increased risk for cataracts, optic nerve damage and macular degeneration – all of which can lead to blindness.
Blink and Blink Again All screens, be it your computer, TV, smartphone or tablet, encourage us to stare at one spot for hours. In fact, a recent study found that people in the US look at screens for more than 7 sevens per day, on average! How does this hurt your eyes? The more time you spend gazing at one spot, the higher your chances of digital eye strain and fatigue. Our Boca Raton and Wilder eye doctor remind you to blink frequently, and to follow the 20-20-20 rule: look up and into the distance 20 feet away, for about 20 seconds, every 20 minutes.
Block Your Eyes from the Sun Just like you slather on sunscreen to protect your skin, remember to put on a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes. The sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays have a cumulative effect and can raise your chances of eye disease in the future. Wearing shades today can positively impact your eye health years later. Make sure that you purchase sunglasses that block a minimum of 99% of the rays.
Take Care of Your Contacts If you wear contact lenses, your risk of eye health complications increases considerably. Not adhering to the disinfecting routine and/or wearing schedule that your eye doctor in Boca Raton and Wilder advises can introduce dangerous debris and bacteria into your eyes. This can lead easily to an eye infection. If you wear disposables (dailies or weekly), toss them out when you’re supposed to.
Stay a Healthy Weight & Stay in Motion Exercise can help to prevent and control many health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Also, if you are overweight or obese, you are at a higher risk of developing these diseases, which put you at an increased chance of getting glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy.
Know Your Family Eye History A number of eye diseases are inherited, so it’s a good idea to find out if any family members had them. This information will help our eye doctor in Boca Raton and Wilder to personalize your eye care.
Put on Protective Eyewear Do you play sports that have sticks or racquets, such as lacrosse, ice hockey, and racquetball? All activities with swinging sticks can lead easily to eye damage. Whizzing balls are another hazard. Check out the selection of protective eyewear, such as safety glasses and sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses, in our fully stocked center for eye care in Wilder. This advice also rings true for people who work with airborne materials or hazardous substances.
Sip a Fresh Brew Caffeine appears to work as more than a pick-me-up in the middle of a long day. According to medical experts, drinking two servings of caffeinated drinks each day may offer protection against dry eye syndrome. Coffee, tea, or soda, the choice is yours!

Value your vision! Healthy eyes are an important part of a healthy body, and they play a major role in your quality of life. For more guidance on how to keep your eyes healthy, reserve an appointment and eye exam in our Wilder practice.

Garbig Family Eye Care Eye Clinic and Eye Clinic in Wilder, Kentucky

Many eye diseases can be quickly and easily diagnosed during a comprehensive eye exam. If you were diagnosed with an eye disease, such as Cataracts, Glaucoma, Macular degeneration, Diabetic retinopathy, or Dry eye, you may be overwhelmed by the diagnosis and confused about what happens next. Will you need medications or surgery – now or in the future? Our Wilder eye doctor has prepared the following answers to your questions about eye disease.

Book Regular Eye Exams with our Garbig Family Eye Care Eye Doctor!

Local Eye Clinic in Wilder, Kentucky

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Dry Eye Treatment

Dry eyes can lead to many uncomfortable or painful symptoms that can disturb your daily tasks. For example, driving, reading, and using a computer may become a challenge due to irritated, dry eyes. Because the cause of dry eye syndrome is highly individual, it is essential to undergo a thorough Garbig Family Eye Care eye exam to identify the cause. Once we have the results of your exam, our optometrist will design the most helpful dry eye treatment. Your dry eye therapy may include lid wipes, artificial tears eye drops, heat compresses and Bruder masks, or Restasis eye drops.

Myopia Correction & Myopia Control

Myopia, more commonly known as nearsightedness, can be corrected efficiently with prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. Our Garbig Family Eye Care eye care specialist will perform detailed vision testing to determine your precise prescription, so you enjoy the clearest eyesight possible! For children with high myopia that worsens continuously, our eye doctor may recommend various methods of myopia control, such as soft multifocal contacts, Zeiss Myokids lenses, MiSight contact lenses from Coopervision, and vision therapy.

Specialty Contacts: Scleral Lenses for Keratoconus

Our Garbig Family Eye Care eye doctor is competent in fitting contacts for even the most complex, hard-to-fit vision conditions, such as keratoconus. If you have this corneal disorder, Dr. Douglas Garbig will map your cornea using the latest technology – so you benefit from the comfort of scleral lenses with a precise fit. Nowadays, almost everyone can wear contacts, and we are experienced in performing contact lenses fittings and eye exams in our Garbig Family Eye Care office.

LASIK Co-Management

Do you want crystal-clear vision without the nuisance of eyeglasses or contacts? Ask us about our convenient co-management services for LASIK surgery and other refractive procedures. We offer complete preoperative and postoperative care in the comfort of our convenient center for eye care in Garbig Family Eye Care. You will receive top-notch, personalized attention from the eye doctor who knows you best.

Our eye doctor looks forward to seeing you! Call to book an eye exam or stop in anytime to find the perfect pair of high-quality, designer frames. We are the leading eye care center near you in Wilder, Kentucky.

Call Garbig Family Eye Care on 859-208-2588 to schedule an eye exam with our Wilder optometrist. Alternatively book an appointment online here CLICK FOR AN APPOINTMENT

Just in case you missed them, here are some of our previous blog posts :

Understanding Eye Color

Protecting Your Eyes From The Desk Job

Halloween Eye Safety

This Halloween Be Wary of Costume Contact Lenses

Help! My Child Doesn’t Want to Wear Glasses!

Do your kids need glasses in order to see clearly? Maybe they have a strong case of nearsightedness, perhaps they have astigmatism, or another type of refractive error. Whatever the cause, getting your kids to wear eyeglasses can be a parenting challenge.

Dr. Douglas Garbig treats patients from all over Wilder, Kentucky with their vision correction needs. The knowledgeable, caring staff at Garbig Family Eye Care can help you and your kids if they’re struggling with their glasses or don’t want to wear them.

Why Won’t My Child Wear His or Her Glasses?

To help your children get the best vision possible, you first need to understand why they’re fighting with you over their glasses. It usually stems from something physical, emotional, or social, such as:

Wrong fit
Wrong prescription
Personal style
Reactions from friends

How do you know which it is? Pay close attention to the signs, from what your kids say, to how they behave, to how they interact with others.

Physical

Improper fit is a big reason why glasses could feel uncomfortable. If they slip down, itch behind the ears, or put pressure on the bridge of the nose, it can explain why a child wouldn’t like to wear them.

If there’s been a big change to their prescription, they may need time to get used to it. If they were given the wrong prescription, they may be straining their eyes, getting headaches, or having eye fatigue. An incorrect prescription can make wearing glasses painful or awkward. It doesn’t correct their vision, either, so they’ll still see blurry images. When this happens, your eye doctor can check the prescription and make an adjustment.

Emotional

Your kids at home aren’t the same as your kids in school, on the sports field, or with their friends. They may be afraid of being made fun of in school, or they may not want the sudden attention on their appearance. These feelings can be even stronger among the tween and teen set.

Social

Even young kids can feel different when they put on a pair of glasses, especially if it’s for the first time. Feeling different or weird, in their eyes, translates to a negative experience. When wearing glasses makes them feel like the odd man out, they may not want to wear them. The last thing your child wants is to feel like a social outcast. After all, everyone wants to belong.

How We Can Help

First, bring your child in to the eye doctor for an eye exam. Our optometrist, Dr. Douglas Garbig , will check to make sure that your child has the right prescription and that any vision problems are being corrected. Next, we’ll take a look at the glasses and place them on your child’s face to determine if they’ve got the proper fit. Our optician will take care of any adjustments that need to be made.

The Vision They Need, The Style They Want

Fashion isn’t only for adults. Your budding fashionista or trendy young stud wants to look awesome, so don’t forget about style. When your kids look great, they’ll feel great! Give them the top-quality eyewear they need without compromising on style. Your kids are a lot more likely to wear glasses when they like the way they look.

What You Can Do to Help

Encourage, stay positive, and don’t give up. Avoid telling them what you want them to wear. Let them choose for themselves. In the end, they’re the ones wearing the glasses. Making decisions is an important life skill, something they’ll need as they grow up and become more independent.

For younger children, use positive words to encourage them. Talk about how glasses are like magic, letting them see beautiful things around them. Show them how a pretty flower or a bright red truck looks with the glasses on, and how different it looks with the glasses off. For older kids, throw in a little pop culture. Tell them how trendy they’ll look by showing them pictures of celebrities who also wear glasses. You’ll also rack up some cool parent points.

At Garbig Family Eye Care, we have the experience and unique approach to children’s eyewear that will make your kids want to wear their glasses. Schedule an eye exam today – you can book an appointment online right here. If you have any questions or concerns, give us a call and we’ll be glad to help.