• Blurred vision
• Poor night vision
• Dry eyes
• Double vision
• Light sensitivity
• Brown spots on or around the eyes
• Changes in color vision
• Puffy or droopy eyelids
• Watery eyes

Ask the prescribing doctor about the side effects of the medication you are taking, and if you notice any of these symptoms, consult with him or her. A change in dosage or medication may be necessary.

Drugs that may affect your vision include:

• Analgesics
• Antacids
• Antianxiety drugs
• Antibiotics
• Anticoagulants
• Anticonvulsants
• Antidepressants
• Antihypertensives
• Corticosteriods
• Diuretics
• Oral contraceptives

Combining medications can also cause visual side effects. So keep your doctors, including your optometrist, updated on all the
prescription and non-prescription drugs you are taking. You can also consult with your pharmacist about drug incompatibilities. When you have your eyes examined, ask your optometrist to send a report to your other doctors so they will be updated on your eye health and vision.
Copyright 1994-1998, American Optometric Association. Licensed to Medical Strategies, Inc. (MSI).

• The need to wear glasses and have periodic lens changes is  normal. The cause is usually presbyopia, an age-related condition involving the gradual loss of lens flexibility inside the eye.

• Be alert for symptoms of eye disease, such as sudden blurred, hazy or distorted vision; frequent headaches; itching, burning, watering eyes; flashes of light or floaters; eye pain or redness; double vision. But see your optometrist annually for an eye health exam because some eye diseases, like glaucoma, don’t have early noticeable symptoms.

• Don’t panic if cataracts are diagnosed. Surgery isn’t necessary until the cataract begins to affect everyday living. Your optometrist can help you determine if and when surgery is needed and refer you to an eye surgeon.

• Jobs and lifestyles often dictate a need for more than one pair of glasses.

• Expect to need more light to see after age 60 and to be bothered a bit by headlight and even indoor glare.

• Remember that medications and health problems, such as diabetes, can affect your eyes.  Keep your optometrist updated on these two areas.

Copyright 1994-1998, American Optometric Association, Licensed to Medical Strategies, Inc. (MSI).

• Reading in dim light will hurt your eyes. Reading or doing other close work in dim light won’t harm your eyes but it does put more stress on them. You may experience headaches or tired, itching, burning or red eyes from using too little light.

• Sitting close to the television screen will harm your eyes. Sitting two or three feet from the television screen won’t hurt your eyes but it can put stress on them. A good viewing distance is about five times the width of the screen. Always sitting close to the television screen can be a sign of nearsightedness.

• You only need an eye exam when you notice problems with your eyes or vision. There are three good reasons everyone needs a thorough eye examination every year or two: 1.To diagnose eye health problems, most of which have no early noticeable symptoms; 2.To diagnose subtle and gradual changes in vision that many people don’t notice; and 3.To help in preventing the development of stress-related vision problems.

• Everyone who has cataracts needs eye surgery. There is no need to rush into cataract surgery. Most cataracts are associated with aging and begin as tiny areas of cloudiness. The majority of them remain small and, with periodic prescriptions lens changes, most people can maintain good vision in spite of them. If a cataract reaches a stage where it interferes with a person’s ability to do the things he or she wants to do, then surgery is recommended.

Copyright 1994-1996, American Optometric Association, Licensed to Medical Strategies, Inc. (MSI).

Activity Calendar :

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1. Wear protective eyewear any time the eyes are exposed to UV rays, even on cloudy days and during the winter.

2. Look for quality sunglasses or contact lenses that offer good protection. Sunglasses or protective contact lenses should block out 99-100% of UV-A and UV-B radiation and screen out 75-90% of visible light.

3. Check to make sure sunglass lenses are perfectly matched in color and free of distortions or imperfections.

4. Purchase gray-colored lenses because they reduce light intensity without altering the color of objects to provide the most natural color vision.

5. Don’t forget protection for young children and teenagers who typically spend more time in the sun than adults and thus are at greater risk of damage. Protecting the eyes of everyone in your family is an important task. Remember you can enjoy the summer skies and be safe, too!

Your gift will help us continue services such as escorted transportation to essential medical appointments for an elderly client, provide an eye exam for a child whose family lost their health care or make vision screenings available for young children. The bottom line is that we count on your support to help bridge the financial gap that exists after we have received funding from grants and foundations, government contracts, Lions Clubs, the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and the United Way of Monroe County.

Make your check payable to “Center for Vision Loss,” and send to 845 West Wyoming Street, Allentown, PA 18103 or click on the JustGive.org button below to donate using a credit card.