3. Don’t buy contact lenses at gas stations!
“We have had several patients get decorative (Halloween) contact lenses at service stations, only to get corneal damage from poor fitting, poor-quality lenses,” said Dr. Ticho, suggesting that fans shy away from using the cheap lenses.
4. Don’t share eye drops or eye makeup.
Although this shouldn’t surprise you, sharing makeup is a big no-no. “Be aware that mascara becomes contaminated quite easily,” Dr. Ticho explained. Doing so could result in contracting “herpes, pink eye and other infections,” all of which are easily transmissible, according to Dr. Ticho.
5. Don’t skip eye screening examinations!
This applies especially for children who will “rarely complain about eye issues,” Dr. Ticho said. Because of this, “it is common to find children with loss of vision in one eye (amblyopia) or surprisingly high glasses prescriptions.”
The importance? By making it a point to see your eye doctor annually, you can catch common conditions before they start. “Glaucoma, one of the leading causes of permanent vision loss in African-Americans and older Americans, is almost always asymptomatic until very late in the disease,” Dr. Ticho added.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, there are two major types of glaucoma: primary open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma. Both of these can lead to blurry vision, severe eye pain, chronic headaches, nausea, vomiting, and seeing rainbow-colored rings or halos around lights. While the disease can be treated with medication, severe cases may require medical procedures such as laser surgery or a trabeculoplasty, the drainage of fluid in the eye to reduce eye pressure.
For more on eye health:
WATCH: African Americans & Eye Health with Dr. Edwin Marshall
Let's Talk: African Americans & Eye Health
Posted by BlackDoctor.org on Wednesday, July 19, 2017