Hakim Optical Blog

A Guide to Keeping Your Eyes Performing at Their Best

Taking proper care of your eyesight requires more than just a visit to the optometrist once a year. From keeping your glasses or contacts up to date to eating a healthy diet, the information below will help you learn more about healthy eye habits.

Eye Safety

Whenever you are playing sports or performing tasks at home or work that may present eye hazards, be sure to make protective eyewear a part of your safety gear to prevent eye injuries. Another easy way to keep your eyes safe and sharp is to wear sunglasses whenever you go outside, even on overcast days. The sun’s rays can penetrate even low clouds to wreak havoc on your eyes and your vision over time.

Good Hygiene Habits

If you wear contact lenses, be sure to remove them every night and clean them thoroughly before and after wear. Always store them in contact solution to make sure they’re clean and if you’re feeling sick, try to stick with your glasses for a few days to avoid contaminating your contacts. Never wear contacts longer than their recommended wear time and talk to your optometrist if you experience any eye irritation or other discomfort.

Eye Healthy Diet

Did you know a healthy diet can also contribute to better eyesight? The Vitamin A found in foods such as carrots has been linked to a lowered risk of developing problems such as night blindness and dry eyes. Antioxidants and minerals such as zinc also contribute to better eye health, promoting health and regeneration of the eyes as you age to help prevent degeneration of your eyes and your sight over time from conditions such as macular degeneration.

For more tips on how to keep your eyes healthy, visit one of Hakim Optical’s more than 100 locations in Canada today. Our vision specialists are here to evaluate your vision needs and provide you with the right eyewear to keep your eyes performing at their best. Click through our website to learn more about us or call (888) 431-4133.

What You Need to Know About Eye Allergies

Your eyes are as susceptible to allergic reactions as the rest of your body. These reactions often cause uncomfortable symptoms and make it difficult to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses. To learn more about what causes eye allergies and how to clear up your eyes for better vision and comfort, keep reading.

Eye Allergy Causes

Eye allergies are caused by many of the same allergens that elicit other sorts of allergic reactions, including conditions such as hay fever and other types of breathing allergies such as asthma. Eye allergies may also be caused by a reaction to makeup or other cosmetics, lotions, or even a medication you may be taking on a temporary or permanent basis. It’s important to seek a medical opinion when you suspect an eye allergy in order to have your condition properly diagnosed to find the cause of the irritation.

Eye Allergy Symptoms

The symptoms or eye allergies can make it difficult to drive, read, or perform other tasks. Generally, eye allergies are characterized by reddened, swollen eyes as the blood vessels in your eyes swell in reaction to irritants. You may also experience tearing, blurry vision, and itchy or burning sensations in your eyes, causing you to want to rub your eyes. However, rubbing can often aggravate the symptoms, so it’s important to seek allergy treatment to minimize your eyes’ allergic reaction.

Eye Allergy Treatments

The treatment necessary for your eye allergies depends on the cause and your specific condition. In general, over the counter treatments such as artificial tears, antihistamine eye drops, and decongestants are effective for many minor eye allergies. In cases of severe reactions or prolonged discomfort, however, you should speak to your eye doctor about more aggressive treatments, which may include steroid eye drops, topical creams to reduce inflammation, and even allergy shots to help treat the underlying condition.

Protect your eyes from allergies and enjoy clear vision with the quality eyeglasses and contacts from Hakim Optical. We offer the finest in designer and prescription eyewear for stylish, comfortable eyes. Check us out on the Web or call (888) 431-4133.

How You Can Prevent Computer Eye Strain

With the prevalence of computers and screens in today’s world, it’s no surprise that so many people suffer from computer-induced eye strain. This can cause headaches, difficulty focusing, and more, but with the right eyewear, you can protect your eyes from strain. Read on to learn more. 

Get Computer Glasses

Focusing on your computer screen often creates eye strain because of the unique focusing requirements placed on the eyes at the distance of your screen. Computer glasses are specially-designed eyewear that can be customized to your personal prescription or vision needs. These glasses help to eliminate eye strain by adjusting your vision to optimize it at the distance of your computer monitor while you work, offsetting the difficulty your eyes have when focusing at this distance unaided.

Adjust Your Working Conditions

From rearranging your workstation to adjusting your monitor’s settings, changing your working conditions can alleviate eye strain caused by computer work. Make sure you have adequate lighting for all your tasks and that your chair, desk, keyboard, and monitor are set up in an optimal configuration to promote good posture. Try to work with black text on a white background whenever possible, and adjust your monitor’s settings so that the text size, color, and brightness are all comfortable for your eyes.

Give Your Eyes Some Exercise

Taking frequent breaks from staring at your computer screen can also help to alleviate eye strain. Every 20 minutes, take about half a minute to look at something far away, ideally at least 20 feet from your eyes. This helps to readjust your eyes and reduce fatigue. Getting up and walking around is helpful for your body as well as your eyes, and blinking more often can help to keep your eyes moist and comfortable during the workday.

Protect your eyes from computer strain with a pair of prescription computer glasses from Hakim Optical. We offer the very best selection in designer and customizable eyewear to meet all of your vision needs. Take a look at our inventory at our website or call (888) 431-4133 to learn more.

Understanding the Importance of Eye Care During the Winter Months

Even though the days might be shorter, the sun can still do significant damage to your eyes during the winter months. You can find out more about how to protect your eyesight in the winter by watching this informative video.

As the video explains, the clear lenses in regular eyeglasses do not protect your eyes from UV radiation. The best way to protect your eyes is to wear sunglasses or transitional prescription lenses that will adjust to the amount of UV radiation present to protect your eyes under all conditions. UV damage cannot be reversed, but if caught early your optometrist can take steps to protect your vision..

Protect your eyesight with regular exams and the right eyewear for sun protection available from Hakim Optical. We are dedicated to protecting your vision for a lifetime of seeing clearly. Visit our website for more information, or call us at (888) 431-4133 with your questions

The Parent's Guide to Their Child's Vision

Your child’s vision is one of their most important assets, and it’s important to ensure that they can see clearly and comfortably. Your child may not know how to tell you that they need prescription lenses, so keep reading to find out more about how to help your child’s vision healthy for life.

Eye Exams

You should begin taking your child to the optometrist for yearly vision tests beginning at age six. Even if your child hasn’t exhibited any symptoms of eye or vision problems, it’s still essential that they see a vision specialist for evaluation. Your child may not know that he needs glasses or be unsure about talking to you, while an optometrist can test for and ask the right questions to evaluate your child’s sight and eye health.

Vision Development

You can help your child develop sharp vision and hand-eye coordination with a few simple steps. Let your child see the book when you read to them to get them started on the road to recognizing letters and words. Promote healthy playtime habits by encouraging him to play outside on jungle gyms, balance beams, and other equipment that helps to develop sight and body awareness. Also consider the vision benefits of artistic activities, such as playing with chalk, paints, and crayons to enhance color and shape recognition.

Eye Safety

Just as important as developing good vision is helping to keep your child’s eyes safe. Never let him play with sharp objects that could scratch or puncture the eye, and provide protective eyewear such as sunglasses for long days spent in the sun. If your child enjoys sports, be sure he’s wearing protective lenses along with the rest of his safety equipment to help keep his vision safe from accidents during play.

Promote clear vision and healthy habits in your child with the help of Hakim Optical today. We provide vision screening and prescription eyewear for young and old alike. Find out more about our offers and unbeatable prices on our website or call us at (888) 431-4133 to schedule your appointment.