Masks: Why Are We All Wearing One?

We know that the primary way people get infected with COVID-19 is through respiratory droplets. Respiratory droplets are released into the air when you sneeze, cough AND talk! The research tells us that face masks-even common cloth masks, surgical masks and non-fit-tested respirators, can be an effective barrier to spreading respiratory droplets. So…we are…and we ask you to…wear a mask please!

We look forward to seeing you soon for your regular eye exams for eye health & vision! Should you need help for a contact lens irritation, red eye or contact lens problem, PLEASE CALL 800-423-3937 and we can provide you with either a TeleEyeHealth Virtual Visit & Consultation  or schedule an appointment for a personal visit at The Eye Clinic of Texas.

Visit us at The Eye Clinic of Texas or on Facebook.

Practical Eye Health Tips for COVID

There are some practical eye health tips and precautions that you should consider to stay safe from COVID risk. We suggest thinking about:

• If You Wear Contact Lenses, Consider Switching to Glasses for a While. There's no evidence that wearing contact lenses increases your risk of Coronavirus infection, but if you wear contacts, you tend to touch your eyes more than average. Wearing glasses decreases the likelihood and need to touch your eyes. 
• Wearing Glasses May Add a Layer of Protection. Eyeglasses or sunglasses can shield your eyes from infected respiratory droplets in the air, but they don’t provide 100% security. The virus can still reach your eyes from the exposed sides, tops and bottoms of your glasses. If you’re caring for a sick patient or potentially exposed person, safety goggles may offer a stronger defense. 
• Stock Up on Eye Drops and Medicine Prescriptions If You Can. If possible try to stock up on critical medications and eye drops, so that you’ll have enough to get by if you are quarantined or if your pharmacy is unable to fill your refills. If your insurance allows you to get more than 1 month of essential eye medicine, such as glaucoma drops, you should do so. Some insurers will approve a 3-month supply of medication in times of natural disaster. Ask your pharmacist or our office for help if you have trouble getting approval from your insurance company. And as always, request a refill as soon as you’re due. Don’t wait until the last minute to contact your pharmacy. 
• Avoid Rubbing Your Eyes. Everyone rubs their eyes! We all do it and it can be a tough to stop. But-doing so will lower your risk of infection. If you feel an urge to itch or rub your eye or even to adjust your glasses, use a tissue instead of your fingers. Dry eyes can lead to more rubbing, so consider adding moisturizing drops to your eye routine. If you must touch your eyes for any reason-even to administer eye medicine-wash your hands first with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Then wash them again afterwards. 

We look forward to seeing you soon for your regular eye exams for eye health & vision! In the meantime if you, a friend or relative should need help for a contact lens irritation, red eye or contact lens problem, PLEASE CALL 1-800-423-3937 and we can provide you with either a TeleEyeHealth Virtual Visit & Consultation or schedule an appointment for a personal visit at The Eye Clinic of Texas. Visit us at The Eye Clinic of Texas or Facebook.com/ecot.lasik/.

COVID Eye Safety & Contact Lenses-What to Know!

COVID Eye Safety & Contact Lenses

The traditional “best practices” for wearing contact lenses safely may not be sufficient to completely prevent COVID-19 spread, as wearing contact lenses requires a great deal of finger manipulation around the eyelids, nose and mouth in order to insert the lenses. Contact lens wearers often touch their eyes, mouth and nose, putting wearers at risk for contracting the virus. Even with the best care and hygiene the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) recently published recommendations for corona virus eye safety that strongly suggested not wearing contact lenses and keeping everything away from patients’ eyes. That said, you can choose to keep wearing your contact lenses but:

1. Wash your hands carefully and thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, followed by hand drying with unused paper towels. This should occur before every contact lens insertion and removal. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. People should avoid touching their face, including their eyes, nose and mouth, with unwashed hands.
2. Disinfect or dispose your contact lenses as prescribed by your doctor. Either dispose of your daily disposable lenses each evening, or regularly disinfect your monthly and two-week lenses according to instructions.
3. Discontinue lens wear if sick. Consistent with recommendations for other types of illness, those who feel ill with cold or flu-like symptoms should cease contact lens wear.

We look forward to seeing you soon for your regular eye exams for eye health & vision! In the meantime if you, a friend or relative should need help for a contact lens irritation, red eye or contact lens, PLEASE CALL 800-423-3937 and we can provide you with either a TeleEyeHealth Virtual Visit & Consultation or schedule an appointment for a personal visit at The Eye Clinic of Texas. Visit us at The Eye Clinic of Texas at our Eye Care Blog, or on Facebook.

COVID Guidelines You Should Remember!

COVID Safety Guidelines

We are all dealing with the day to day issues and safety concerns created by the COVID-19 virus. As time goes on, and it appears as if we may have reached the peak, sometimes there can be a degree of relaxation of the necessary guidelines and good practices to stop the spread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers these general guidelines for preventing the spread of corona virus and protecting your health:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• You should especially wash your hands before eating, after using the restroom, sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose.
• If you can’t get to a sink, use a hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your face-particularly your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• If you cough or sneeze, cover your face with your elbow or a tissue. If you use a tissue, throw it away promptly. Then go wash your hands.
• Avoid close contact with sick people. If you think someone has a respiratory infection, it’s safest to stay 6 feet away.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Regularly disinfect commonly touched surfaces and items in your house, such as doorknobs and counter tops.

We look forward to seeing you soon for your regular eye exams for eye health & vision! In the meantime if you, a friend or relative should need help for an urgent eye problem such as an eye accident, red eyes, eye pain, irritation, sensitivity to light, eye discharge, matter in eyes, eyelid redness, crusting, eyelids stuck together, excessive tearing, eyes burning, watering, feeling gritty, eyes itching, allergy eyes, eyelid swelling, eyelid lumps or eyelid bumps, PLEASE CALL 1-800-423-3937 and we can provide you with either a TeleEyeHealth Virtual Visit & Consultation or schedule an appointment for a personal visit at The Eye Clinic of Texas.

Visit The Eye Clinic of Texas or www.facebook.com/ecot.lasik/. The Eye Clinic of Texas is an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, the largest ophthalmology clinic in the nation. We are a leading eye care practice serving the greater Houston, Galveston, League City and Texas City with offices at 1100 Gulf Freeway, Suite 114, League City, Texas 77573, 7111 Medical Center Drive, Suite 110, Texas City, Texas 77590 and 2302 Avenue P, Galveston, Texas.