1. Jennifer from Kidz Born 2 Impress has two readers of your choice to giveaway. Ends 2/26.
2. Swing on over to see Pat at Moms Best Bets and win a free pair of glasses from Reading Glasses Shopper! Ends 3/8.
3. Molly from One Grateful Mama is giving away a pair of readers of your choice! Ends 2/28.

Happy Winnings!

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Happy Friday, readers! How was your week? Did you happen to see Shaun White obliterate the competition in the men’s Olympic half pipe? Completely amazing – it seemed almost too easy for him. The highlight for me, though, was last night’s men’s figure skating competition – besides getting to see the US’s own Evan Lysacek surprise everybody by winning the gold, I also enjoyed Johnny Weir’s flamboyant costumes. Looking forward to seeing the rumored fashion collection he’s planning.

Now on to eye news.

Optical Illusions: Do you ever see specks or “floaters” flash through your field of vision? Turns out those aren’t just your brain miscommunicating with your eyes – they actually exist. It’s irregularities in the fluid in your eye, which we sometimes see as shadows or specks of light. Most optical illusions, however, take place in the brain, not the eyes. Check out this article on the crazy ways your brain tricks your eyes.

Eye Twitching? Ever been in the middle of a conversation with someone when your eye starts twitching uncontrollably? Here’s a highly informative article on what causes eye spasms and how you can fix the problem.

3D Headaches: 3D movies are all the rage now, from the visually-astounding Avatar to revivals of the animated film Toy Story.  Some people are kept from fully enjoying the effects, though, when the technology involved ends up giving them headaches. This article explains how eye-muscle problems can lead to 3D discomfort. No worries, though – it also explains how new 3D technology should eliminate the problem.

Green Tea, the Super Drink: Last week I told you about new research into the vision benefits of eating fruits and green, leafy vegetables; now scientists are adding green tea to the mix. In addition to helping dieters lose weight and reputedly benefiting those with cancer, arthritis, and high cholesterol, green tea might help protect your eyes. Super drink, indeed!

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Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope all of you, whether single or attached, take some time this weekend to appreciate your loved ones (and maybe to appreciate some chocolate, too…that’s what it’s all about, right? What? It’s not?)

Here’s the top eye news of the week…

Objects May Be Farther Than They Appear? Another wacky connection between the brain and eyes! A study at Cornell University found we perceive objects as physically closer to us if we really want them. For example, if the slice of cheesecake I’m going to eat for Valentine’s Day were already in front of me, I would “see” that delicious, creamy, heavenly dessert as closer than I would my electric bill, even if they were in reality the same distance away. Crazy!

Eye Makeup as Medicine? We’ve all seen pictures and statues of ancient Egyptian women wearing heavy eye makeup. Ahead of their time in terms of cosmetics? Maybe, but researchers now think the ancient equivalent of the smoky eye might actually have been designed to prevent and cure eye disease.

Olympic Heroes: Are you ready for the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony tonight? There’s more than one athlete who will be living out their dreams over the next two weeks, but one of the most inspirational might just be cross-country skier Brian McKeever. Though he has only 10% of his vision, McKeever made the Canadian Olympic Team last month and will be the first winter sports athlete to compete in both the Olympics and the Paralympics.

Eat Your Vegetables! You might have heard that eating carrots is good for your eyes, but carrots aren’t the only super-vision-vegetable: scientists are now making new discoveries about the vision benefits in green leafy vegetables and colored fruits. From helping your eyes see farther to reducing discomfort from glare, these healthy foods can have numerous benefits for your vision. Why can’t cheesecake do the same thing? Sigh.

That’s all for now, folks. Enjoy your weekend, and have a great Valentines. Mix in some eye-healthy fruits and vegetables with those chocolate hearts ;o)

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Violet, lavender, periwinkle, eggplant, indigo…there’s nothing like the color purple in any shade to make a girl feel pretty. With its rich tones, it’s no wonder that purple was always the first crayon to disappear from my Crayola collection.

Can you look at this and not think, "Oh! Pretty!"?

See what I mean?

What else makes girls feel pretty? Flowers and sparkles, of course. (Yes, even if you’re older than 12! Come on, admit it!) The new Floral Computer Readers combine it all in a rhinestone-accented, flowery-purple masterpiece made for the stylish woman who enjoys a feminine flourish. Check out the beautiful, deep shade of purple that frames the eyes and the lighter lavender of the sides- beautiful! There’s also the pearl-white floral accent on the earpieces – a classic pattern that reminds me of French designs I saw when studying abroad in college. Elegant and stylish, these are the kind of glasses that I want to put on just for fun – who cares about any kind of vision improvement?

Ah, but vision improvement you will have! Besides the pretty color, the tiny rhinestones that add some sparkle to the temples without being gaudy or overwhelming, and the lovely white flower pattern on the earpieces, these readers have two powers: one for reading, and one for computer use. Gone is the need to take your glasses on and off when going from printed materials to computer screen, or to peer over the rim of your glasses to make out words on a monitor. The glare-resistant lenses also will help with headaches from the light reflecting off the computer screen (check out last week’s post on computer glasses and computer vision syndrome for more information), and the sparkly purple case will ensure your glasses stay safe and sound when they are not on your face.

Aren’t you glad you can both be stylish AND see clearly? On sale for $21.21, these glasses are a great way to give your eyes what they need while appeasing the fashion-conscious part of you, too. Ah, affordable fashion.

Have a great week!

Photo Credit: wikipedia.com

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As society has become more and more technology-driven, our everyday lives have changed. Do you spend most of your day hunched over a keyboard and staring at a computer screen? You’re not alone. Approximately 143 MILLION Americans spend each day working on a computer, and 70% of those 143 million suffer from computer eye strain, commonly known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).

What is Computer Vision Syndrome?

Chances are your eyes are feeling a little tired as you read this.  Looking at a computer screen is different than looking at a physical magazine or book. Words on a computer screen aren’t made of dense black lines with defined edges, like in printed material; they’re created by tiny pixels of light that are brightest in the center and fade towards the edges. What does this mean for your eyes?  The lack of contrast and definition – not to mention the glare from bright office lights – makes it more difficult for our eyes to focus, and so your eyes have to work harder. This is why you find yourself rubbing your burning and tired eyes– the eye’s focusing muscles are constantly working overtime.

There are other symptoms that can be associated with CVS, including headaches, blurred or double vision, loss of focus, and neck and shoulder pain.

How Can You Avoid Computer Vision Syndrome?

There are several steps you can take to help ease the symptoms of CVS.  One of the easiest is to adjust the angle of your computer monitor. Experts recommend that you place the monitor directly in front of you, not off to one side. Make sure it’s not too high or too low – many people find that the most comfortable viewing position is when they are looking slightly downward at the monitor.  Try adjusting the screen so that the center is about 4 or 5 inches below eye level, and make sure it is 20-28 inches from your eyes. This will help to reduce the movement and focusing required by your eyes.

Another adjustment you can make is to position any reference materials you are using so that eye movement is limited. If you find that you’re often moving from computer screen to paper, try using a document holder so that you do not need to move your head to look from one to the other.

Take rest breaks. Look away from the screen every 10-15 minutes and briefly focus on an object in the distance. Studies show that people blink less when they are using the computer, which can lead to dry eyes; taking breaks reminds your eyes to blink and reduces eyestrain.

Reduce glare. Try lower watt bulbs and use blinds or curtains on windows. Another option is to use an anti-glare screen to decrease the light reflected from the computer screen.

Computer Glasses

If you experience the symptoms of CVS regularly, you might want to consider wearing computer glasses, even if you already wear contacts or prescription eyeglasses.  The typical eyeglasses prescribed by an optometrist can correct distance vision, helping people to see objects far away, or near vision, helping people to view objects close up (as in reading glasses).  Bifocals do both, with a distance prescription at the top of the lens and a reading prescription at the bottom.

However, computer screens are positioned in what’s considered the intermediate zone of vision, so the near vision prescription in reading glasses or lined bifocals doesn’t work.  Reading glasses are designed so that you see best at a distance of 14 to 16 inches from your eyes, but computer screens are best and most comfortably positioned farther away (20 to 28 inches from your eyes). Trifocals and progressive lenses (or unlined bifocals) do include some lens power for intermediate vision, but because they share the lens with distance and near vision prescriptions, the area is not large enough for comfortable computer work.

Computer glasses are designed to help you with this intermediate zone of vision, plus many of them come with an anti-reflective coating that will reduce the glare that causes eyestrain. Some computer glasses, called occupational bifocals, include a top part of the lens for intermediate vision and a bottom part for near vision so that you can see both the computer screen and any printed material you are using comfortably.

Taking steps to combat Computer Vision Syndrome can help you avoid uncomfortable symptoms and further vision problems. If nothing is done to relieve the strain put on your eyes by repetitive computer use, symptoms will continue to come back and perhaps worsen, leading to permanent vision changes.

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