The University Children's Eye Center has released its latest newsletter. Our goal is to promote healthy eyes and proper ophthalmic care among children by bringing the best and most pertinent content to parents.
Our latest issue is entitled "Autumn and the Eyes: Everything You Need to Know".
Read on for the full copy.
Dry Eyes: An Autumnal Trend
With fall in full swing, many of you might have noticed that your eyes have gotten drier than usual. The condition is fairly normal this time of year, but contact lens users are especially prone to discomfort and irritation.
“As the air gets dry, it’s natural for our eyes to get drier as well,” says Dr. Nidhi Rana of University Children's Eye Center, “and the heat indoors does not help with that situation.”
Symptoms associated with dryness include gritty sensations, burning in the eyes, and additional tearing when confronted with strong winds.
To counteract dryness, Dr. Rana recommends using over-the-counter artificial tears.
“Using them once or twice a day is totally appropriate,” she continues. “Contact lens wearers should also use artificial tears, but make sure the bottles say ‘for soft contact lens wearers’ or ‘for soft contact lenses’.”
Additional tactics include the use of an indoor humidifier, and, if necessary, seeking treatment from a trained professional.
Lastly, Dr. Rana takes care to note what symptoms are not typical of seasonal dry eyes.
“If you notice redness of the eyes, or any kind of discharge, you might have a concurrent infection that should be evaluated,” she says, “so please reach out to us to triage that.”
For more information on dry eyes and the diagnosis and treatment thereof, check out the video above.
Healing the Children NJ
A huge congratulations to Dr. Engel and his wife Isabel, who were honored at the Healing the Children Health and Hope Celebration on Sunday, October 13th.
Isabel and Mark have dedicated their lives to improving the lives of others. Mark went on his first medical trip with Healing the Children New Jersey in 1997 to the Dominican Republic. Leading our Ophthalmology trips as a valued surgeon and Trip Chief, Mark has volunteered on 23 surgical mission trips with HTCNJ to the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru.
How Much Screen Time is Too Much Screen Time?
We live in a digital age, and all love our screens, but too much screen time for your growing child can be detrimental to their eye health and vision.
“Everyone loves their iPads, their computers, their phones,” says Dr. Sepideh Rousta of University Children’s Eye Center, “but we would be remiss if we didn’t remind parents that too much of this can be harmful, particularly at very young ages.”
So with that being said . . . how much screen time is too much?
“Children three years old and younger should essentially have zero screen time,” Dr. Rousta continues. “I like to caution parents to absolutely give no cell phones to little kids; no use of cell phones at all, and no iPad. Television at a distance of at least six feet, up to an hour a day, preferably broken up in 30-minute increments, would be acceptable. But a cell phone is by far the worst influence for the eyes of a young child, and can really promote a lot of nearsightedness.”
Of course, these recommendations are easier to articulate than they are to implement.
“We're all busy and many of us are on our screens,” says Dr. Rousta. “Because of this, it’s really difficult to tell your children to not be on their screens.”
Instead, she recommends that parents encourage alternative activities, such as facilitating outdoor play time when the weather permits, and encouraging the use of non-digital games, such as legos, toys with crafts, etc.
For more recommendations, and for treatment options when issues of nearsightedness arise, watch the video above.
Practitioner Spotlight: Dr. Rose Hughes, O.D.
Dr. Rose Hughes is a pediatric optometrist at University Children’s Eye Center. With 25 years of experience, and 17 years with the practice, she is the practitioner that your child will most likely see if they come in for a routine eye exam for glasses or contacts. Dr. Hughes also treats amblyopia (lazy eye) and sees patients for non-surgical treatment of drifting or crossing of the eyes (strabismus). She sees children for emergencies such as corneal abrasions, conjunctivitis, styes, and systemic conditions such as diabetes.
In addition, Dr. Hughes is who your child will see for myopia control. Myopia is the technical term for nearsightedness, a problem that is worsening in step with the increase of screen time among youth. University Children’s Eye Center offers two types of myopia management: the MySight contact lens and the dilute atropine drop.
Check out the video to learn more about Dr. Hughes and her practice.
Team Update: UCEC Boat Dinner Cruise
October 2024 marked the 31st Anniversary of University Children’s Eye Center. To celebrate the occasion, the UCEC team set sail aboard with Cornucopia Boat Cruises. A beautiful time was had by all.
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