For #NationalSunglassesDay, #VRCberks CEO Lori Schermerhorn gave Olivet Boys & Girls Club some summer safety measures to follow for #UVsafety as part of a series created by Legacy Logistics to spread awareness of long-term vision health. Kids were sporting their brand new UV-resistant ICU Eyewear they received in their goody bags on the way outside for Sweet Ride Ice Cream, LLC and to strike a pose for WFMZ TV cameras #VisionCouncil #UVSafetyAwarenessMonth #LegacyLogistics
Mark Levengood discusses Appropriate vs. Inappropriate Interactions with the Visually Impaired with Scott Maulick, a long-time client at VRC. Watch July 2019’s BCTV’s Insight here…
Mark Levengood talks about The National Federation of the Blind with Rosemary Freedman. Watch June 2019’s BCTV’s Insight here…
Lori Schermerhorn gets an insiders perspective on how to adapt common leisure activities to enjoy them despite visual impairments from Mark Levengood and Tom Devlin. Watch May 2019’s BCTV’s Insight here…
Mark Levengood discusses finances and the visually impaired with guests Tom Kalejta and Matt Kitchie from Kalejta Financial Management. Check it out on April 2019’s BCTV’s Insight…
Tens of thousands of sports and recreation-related eye injuries occur each year. The good news is that 90 percent of serious eye injuries are preventable through use of appropriate protective eyewear.
The risk of eye injury can vary depending on the activity. Make sure the level of eye protection you or others in your family use is appropriate for the type of activity. Regular eyeglasses do not offer proper eye protection.
For all age groups, sports-related eye injuries occur most frequently in baseball, basketball and racquet sports.
Boxing and full-contact martial arts pose an extremely high risk of serious and even blinding eye injuries. There is no satisfactory eye protection for boxing, although thumbless gloves may reduce the number of boxing eye injuries.
In baseball, ice hockey and men’s lacrosse, a helmet with a polycarbonate (an especially strong, shatterproof, lightweight plastic) face mask or wire shield should be worn at all times. It is important that hockey face masks be approved by the Hockey Equipment Certification Council or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
Protective eyewear with polycarbonate lenses should be worn for sports such as basketball, racquet sports, soccer and field hockey. Choose eye protectors that have been tested to meet the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards or that pass the CSA racquet sports standard. See the EyeSmart Protective Eyewear page for additional details.
If you already have reduced vision in one eye, consider the risks of injuring the stronger eye before participating in contact or racquet sports, which pose a higher risk of eye injury. Check with your ophthalmologist to see if appropriate eye protection is available and whether or not participating in contact or racquet sports is advised.
While sports account for a particularly high number of eye injuries, they are by no means the only hobby that poses a risk to your sight. According to physicians surveyed for the 2008 Eye Injury Snapshot conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Ocular Trauma, more than 40 percent of patients treated for eye injuries sustained at home were involved in home repairs, yard work, cleaning and cooking. Use common sense and err on the side of caution, whatever the activity.
If an eye injury occurs, see an ophthalmologist or go to the emergency room immediately, even if the eye injury appears minor. Delaying medical attention can result in permanent vision loss or blindness.
If you or your child get an eye injury, follow these important care and treatment guidelines for eye injuries.
About 3.8 million Americans sustain sports-related concussions each year, so a quick, reliable screening test would be useful on the sidelines, to keep injured athletes from returning to play too soon, and off the field to help physicians more effectively diagnose, treat and rehabilitate patients with concussions. An on-the-field visual test can help.
Prevention is the key and sport-specific eye protection can save your vision. Eye protection during any activity with potential for injury can also save vision. Eye protection is more than eyeglasses but specifically safety or sports glasses.
For all age groups, sports-related eye injuries occur most frequently in baseball, basketball and racquet sports.
If you already have reduced vision in one eye, consider the risks of injuring the stronger eye before participating in contact or racquet sports, which pose a higher risk of eye injury. Check with your ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) to see if appropriate eye protection is available and whether or not participating in contact or racquet sports is advised.
About the American Academy of Ophthalmology: The mission of the American Academy of Ophthalmology is to protect sight and empower lives by serving as an advocate for patients and the public, leading ophthalmic education, and advancing the profession of ophthalmology. The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons. A global community of 32,000 medical doctors, AAO protects sight and empowers lives by setting the standards for ophthalmic education and advocating for patients and the public. AAO innovates to advance our profession and to ensure the delivery of the highest-quality eye care. For more information, please visit their website HERE.
Mark Levengood interviews VRC intern, Keri Quigley, about her internship experiences. Check it out on March 2019’s BCTV’s Insight…
A great way to keep up with all the good things Vision Resource Center of Berks County is doing in our community is by staying informed through our newsletters. Please enjoy our Spring 2019 In-Sight Newsletter below.
Print Version: VRC Spring Newsletter, 2019
Prevent Blindness Declares March as Workplace Eye Wellness Month to Educate on Ways to Protect Vision on the Job
Prevent Blindness has declared March as Workplace Eye Wellness Month to provide employers and employees with free information on the dangers of blue light, digital devices and vision, and eye injury prevention in order to promote eye health at work.
The largest source of blue light is sunlight. However, there is concern over the long-term effects of screen exposure (from television screens, computer monitors, smart phones, and tablet screens) because of the close proximity of the screens and the length of time spent looking at them, such as during the workday combined with leisure time. Early research shows that too much exposure to blue light could lead to:
Digital eyestrain – Fatigue, dry eyes, bad lighting, or how one sits in front of the computer can cause eyestrain. Symptoms of eyestrain include sore or irritated eyes and difficulty focusing.
Retina damage – Studies suggest that continued exposure to blue light over time could lead to damaged retinal cells. This can cause vision problems such as age-related macular degeneration or cataract.
According to a recent report from The Vision Council, “Blue Light Exposure and Digital Eye Strain,” 87 percent of survey respondents use digital devices more than two hours per day and over 52 percent regularly use two digital devices simultaneously.
Once again, Prevent Blindness is partnering with Healthe and its EyeSafe® technologies. Healthe will donate a portion of the sales of its EyeSafe products, including protective covers for digital phones, tablets and computer monitors that reduce exposure to harmful digital UV and High-Energy Visible (HEV) blue light emitted from such devices, to Prevent Blindness in support of its children’s eye health programs and resources.
“As we spend more and more time on digital devices, at work or at play, we need to make sure we take care of our vision,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “By talking to an eye care professional and getting the proper recommendations, we can make sure we protect our eyes for the future.”
To help prevent an eye injury at work, Prevent Blindness recommends:
Prevent Blindness also offers a Work Safety module as part of its free program, the Healthy Eyes Educational Series. Each module in the series includes a Presentation Guide and corresponding PowerPoint presentation on a relevant eye health topic such as adult eye disorders, eye anatomy, healthy living, low vision and various safety topics. Fact sheets can be downloaded at any time from the Prevent Blindness website for use as handouts to accompany the presentation.
To find out more about workplace eye health topics, please call Prevent Blindness at (800) 331-2020.
About Prevent Blindness: Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness has become the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of people each year. Please visit their website HERE.
Mark Levengood and Diana Hazel discuss the benefit of music and singing on our mental and emotional lives. Check it out on February 2019’s BCTV’s Insight…