Blaine Eye Clinic

Use up your 2009 Flex dollars before you lose them.

All Diors are 30% off through the end of the year.

Make your holiday much clearer with a pair of new glasses from the Blaine Eye Clinic

50% Off All Frames

December 3rd and 4th only!

Featuring complete collections each day 12-6

Thursday, December 3rd

Juicy Couture - Valentino - Carrera

Friday, December 4th

Banana Republic - JLO by Jennifer Lopez

Plus over 1000 frames we stock every day.

Don’t forget to use your flex dollars.

Drawings will be held to give away an IPOD, PS3, and many of great prizes!

For a limited time only!  Our entire collection of Christian Dior frames are marked down to 30% off their original price.  This is a great opportunity for those with “champagne taste” to be able to own their very own genuine Christian Dior frame.  Each stone  is placed by hand in Italy with the same careful craftsmanship that we have come to expect from Christian Dior.  Hurry in!  They won’t last forever and some restriction may apply.

It’s that time of year where we are once again offering our Buy One Get One FREE offer.  When you buy one pair of glasses from our men’s, women’s or children’s designer frames you’ll get a second pair from our star value collection absolutely free.

v  Both pair of glasses will be backed by a minimum 1 year warranty.

v  Both pair are backed by our lifetime full service commitment.

v  Great for back to school - for students of all ages.

v  Excellent option for a back-up pair of glasses.

v  Good time to get some computer glasses or reading glasses.

v  Hundreds of frames to choose from.

Some restrictions apply - See Opticians for details

For a limited time only

Spring is here.  Along with the promise of summer around the corner comes seasonal allergies for many.  Often, allergies can affect our eyes.  If you note itching and redness of your eyes, you may be experiencing something called allergic conjunctivitis.  If you are a contact lens wearer, you may find it difficult to wear your lenses comfortably.  Most patients with allergies will also have some nasal symptoms (congestion).  This year, it seems that a lot of our patients are experiencing sinus difficulties as well.

There are various things that can be done to keep your eyes more comfortable during allergy season.  Sometimes the allergy medication your physician prescribes will actually help relieve some of your ocular discomfort.  If it isn’t helping, we recommend doing an eye wash at night before bedtime.  You simply pick up eye wash at your drugstore and gently rinse the eyes out.  The wonderful thing about this idea is that you are actually ridding the body of any allergens that may have found their way into your eyes.  Otherwise, you will sleep with the pollen, etc., that has accumulated in the eyes during the day; you will wake up with red, itchy eyes.  Another home remedy is using over the counter eye drops such as Simulayson II for allergies or Alaway.  Eye drops to avoid using without an eye doctor’s recommendation would be anything that ends in an “-A”.  These drops tend to constrict the blood vessels:  this can affect blood pressure and may be harmful to your eyes if you are at risk for a certain type of glaucoma.

If the home remedies aren’t working or if you aren’t really sure if you have allergic conjunctivitis, be sure to make an appointment with one of our eye doctors.  Also, discontinue contact lens wear.  If we find that you do have this condition, we can also prescribe an excellent medication called Pataday which works very well for most patients.  We will also rule out other more serious causes of red eye.  We will refer you to your physician if you have symptoms of sinus problems.

We want you to enjoy your spring, so please let us know if you need help with your eyes during your seasonal allergies.  Simply call our clinic at 763.757.7000 to make an appointment.

You are probably aware of the danger posed by UV radiation to your skin, but may not realize that exposure to UV radiation can harm your eyes and affect your vision as well.

There are three types of UV radiation. One type, called UV-C, is absorbed by the ozone layer and does not present any threat. That’s not true of the other two types, UV-A and UV-B. More and more scientific evidence is showing that exposure to both UV-A and UV-B can have adverse long- and short-term effects on your eyes and vision.

If you are exposed, unprotected, to excessive amounts of UV radiation over a short period of time, you are likely to experience an effect called photokeratitis.

Like a “sunburn of the eye” it may be painful and you may have symptoms including red eyes, a foreign body sensation or gritty feeling in the eyes, extreme sensitivity to light and excessive tearing. Fortunately, this is usually temporary and rarely causes permanent damage to the eyes.

Long-term exposure to UV radiation can be more serious. A number of scientific studies and research growing out of the U.S. space program have shown that exposure to small amounts of UV radiation over a period of many years may increase your chance of developing a cataract, and may cause damage to the retina, the nerve-rich lining of your eye that is used for seeing. The damage to the retina is usually not reversible.

The effects of UV radiation are cumulative. This means the longer your eyes are exposed to UV radiation, the greater the risk of developing such conditions as cataracts or macular degeneration in later life.

Researchers have not yet specifically determined how much exposure to UV radiation will cause how much damage, but a good recommendation is to wear quality sunglasses that offer good protection and a hat or cap with a wide brim whenever you are working outdoors, participating in outdoor sports, taking a walk, running errands or doing anything in the sun.

To provide protection for your eyes, your sunglasses should:

• block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation;
• screen out 75 to 90 percent of visible light;
• be perfectly matched in color and free of distortion and imperfection; and
• have lenses that are gray for proper color recognition.

Polycarbonate lenses are a must for your sunglasses if you participate in potentially eye hazardous work or sports. These lenses provide the most impact resistance.

If you spend a lot of time outdoors in bright sunlight, wrap-around frames can provide additional protection from the harmful UV radiation.

Don’t forget protection for children and teenagers. They typically spend more time in the sun than adults.

Be sure to see your doctor of optometry at the Blaine Eye Clinic regularly for a thorough eye examination. It is a good way to monitor your eye health, maintain good vision, and keep track of your UV radiation protection needs as well as new advances in that protection.

Open Your Eyes to Healthy Eating Habits

Millions of Americans Can Protect Against Eye Diseases by Eating Healthier 

In honor of March’s Save Your Vision Month, Blaine Eye Clinic and the American Optometric Association (AOA) and the Minnesota Optometric Association (MOA) remind Americans that caring for eyes includes paying attention to nutrition. 

Approximately 43 million Americans suffer from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or cataracts, the two leading causes of vision loss and blindness.  Based on research from multiple studies, there is a strong correlation between good nutrition and the prevention of these age-related eye diseases.  By eating foods rich in six nutrients ― antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, essential fatty acids, vitamins C and E and the mineral zinc ― you can help protect your eye sight and vision.  

Research shows that 30 million (or one out of four) Americans age 40 and older suffer from some level of vision loss.  According to the AOA’s 2008 American Eye-Q® survey, which assesses public knowledge and understanding of a wide range of issues related to eye and visual health, only 29 percent of Americans are coping with vision loss or other eye problems by increasing nutrients for healthy eyes. 

“Given the positive association between nutrition and age-related eye diseases, it is troubling that fewer than a third of Americans seem to realize the importance of eating healthy,” said Dr. Breann Forliti.  “Although eye-healthy foods cannot reverse the damage of eye diseases, research shows it may help prevent or slow the progression of disease.” 

Healthy Fruits and Vegetables

The AOA and the MOA recommend eating a diet with a variety of foods loaded with key nutrients for maintaining and improving eye health, such as lutein (LOO-teen) and zeaxanthin. 

The American Eye-Q® survey showed that nearly half of all Americans (48 percent) still believe carrots are the best food for eye health.  While carrots do contain nutritional value by supplying the provitamin A beta-carotene which is essential for night vision, spinach and other dark, leafy greens prove to be the healthiest foods for eyes because they naturally contain large amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin. 

The following foods contain key nutrients for eye health:

·     Lutein and zeaxanthin:  Colorful fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, kale, corn, green beans, peas, oranges and tangerines

·     Essential fatty acids:  Fatty fish like tuna, salmon, or herring, whole grain foods, chicken and eggs

·     Vitamin C:  Fruits and vegetables, including oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, papaya, green peppers and tomatoes

·     Vitamin E:  Vegetable oils, such as safflower or corn oil, almonds, pecans, sweet potatoes, and sunflower seeds

·     Zinc:  Extra-lean red meat, poultry, liver, shellfish, milk, baked beans, and whole grains

There are many recipes that promote healthy eye sight and vision.  One example of a quick and easy eye-healthy recipe includes: 

Whole-Wheat Penne with Spinach and Gorgonzola*  

Ingredients:

10 oz. uncooked whole-wheat penne pasta

Olive oil cooking spray

1 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced (~1 medium onion)

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup chicken broth

3 Roma tomatoes, chopped (~2 cups)

1 (6-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach

1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

2/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese [or substitute ½ cup low-fat freshly-grated parmesan cheese]

1/3 cup pine nuts (optional) 

Directions:

·     Cook pasta according to package directions, without salting water.

·     While pasta is cooking, spray a large, non-stick frying pan with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add onions, then stir and cook until slightly transparent, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic, stir and cook for another minute. Add broth and let simmer for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, toss, and simmer for 2 minutes. Add spinach and basil, cook and stir for approximately 2 minutes, or until leaves wilt. Remove from heat and salt/pepper to taste.

·     Drain pasta and add to spinach mixture. Thoroughly toss. Serve on a platter and top with gorgonzola (or parmesan) cheese and pine nuts. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving): 300 Calories; 25% fat (8.3 g total, 2.8 g saturated), 57% carbohydrate (43 g), 18% protein (13.5 g), 8 mg cholesterol, 8.6 g fiber, 27 mg vitamin C, 1.33 mg vitamin E, 20.4 mg lutein/zeaxanthin, 271 mg sodium.  

* Recipe courtesy of Elizabeth Somer, registered dietician and nutrition research expert. 

Did You Know?

·     Eating spinach can reduce your risk of getting certain eye diseases like AMD because it contains a large amount of lutein, an important eye nutrient.  In order to maintain healthy eyes, add 10 mg of lutein to your diet each day or eat one cup of cooked spinach four times a week.

·     More than 50 percent of Americans do not take in the recommended dosage of Vitamin C per day. Vitamin C has been linked, in approved amounts, to minimize or reduce the risk of cataracts and AMD.

·     One cup (8 fl oz) of orange juice per day contains 81.6 mg/serving of Vitamin C, more than enough to help offset some eye diseases.

We have something new happening at Blaine Eye Clinic.  Field trips!  This is available for all children.  The purpose of offering these visits is to educate children, parents, and teachers about the importance of eyesight.  Your group is divided into various stations.  Each child will learn about the various instruments used during an eye examination, see an actual photo of the inside of an eye, and visit with the doctor.  The field trips are offered at no charge to your school/home school coop/etc. 

Please contact Nate at nates@blaineeyeclinic.com for more information.

Relax!  There is still plenty of time to make good use of your hard earned flex dolalrs.  In order to be submitted as an expense for this year, many plans require you to have an itemized receipt from 2008.  This does not mean that your order has to be completed or picked up by the end of the year, they just need to be on-order. 

Even if you don’t need new dress glasses maybe you need a good pair of prescription suns or even a pair of computer/task glasses that would make neck strain from leaning back to get at the strongest part of your leses a thing of the past.  Ask any of our opticians to help you decide what would best meet your individual needs.  Call us today!