The Bedminster Eye & Laser Team wishes you and yours Happy Holidays lit by the warm glow of family and friends! Thank you for entrusting your precious vision and eye health to us.
Holiday Gifts that Get Kids Off the Screens
Need some last-minute gift ideas for the kids? Buy your child something that will finally get them off their screens. Here are some eye doctor-approved gift ideas.
What are some safe, screen-free gift ideas?
Taking frequent breaks from phones and computers is a good way to decrease eye strain. Stepping away from screens and out into the sun may also help decrease myopia, or nearsightedness, in kids.
Some eye-safe holiday gift ideas include:
- Arts & craft supplies to get the creative juices flowing are a fun gift for all ages. Paint sets, coloring books, easels, jewelry beads for younger kids or knitting/sewing kids for older kids are a few ideas. Just make sure to check the recommended age group on each of these before buying.
- Outdoor inspired gifts. Sports equipment like snow gear, roller skates, a trampoline, hiking boots, or the classic bicycle gift are all good ways to encourage healthy outdoor play. Have a kid athlete in your life? Get them the right protective eyewear for their sport of choice. For skiers or snowboarders, that means UV-protected goggles – cold weather does not shield the eyes from the sun!
- Educational games for all ages. As your toddler’s hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills naturally develop, toys such as building blocks or puzzles become easier to use. Age-appropriate board games for learning how to count, tell time, memory games, and other educational themes are good options. For older kids, find classic board games in foreign languages – such as Guess Who or Scrabble – to practice basic language questions and grammar in a new language.
- Social card games, such as Tabletopics Teen Edition of What Do You Meme , are great for getting teen eyes up and away from their phones and interacting with friends and family.
- Ugly produce food kit subscriptions will be sure to get a few laughs and secretly encourage eye-healthy eating. These services deliver good produce not being sold on farms for cosmetic reasons straight to your door. Cook a meal together as a family or set your master chef teen up for success with these nutritious ingredients. Just make sure to forward them a copy of these kitchen eye safety tips.
More ideas from the American Academy of Ophthalmology
National Eye Institute: 3 Ways to Keep Your Eyes Healthy in 2023
There’s a lot you can do to keep your eyes healthy and protect your vision, according to the National Eye Institute (NEI).
- Get a comprehensive dilated eye exam.
Getting a dilated eye exam is simple and painless – and it’s the single best thing you can do for your eye health! Even if your eyes feel healthy, you could have a problem and no know it. That’s because many eye diseases don’t have any symptoms or warning signs. A dilated eye exam is the only way to check for many eye diseases early on, when they’re easier to treat.
- Take care of your health.
Protecting your overall health can go a long way toward keeping you eyes healthy! It’s important to make healthy choices and take good care of yourself. Keep in mind that healthy habits like eating well and being active can lower your risk for diseases and conditions that can lead to eye or vision problems, like diabetes or high blood pressure. Follow these tips for healthy vision:
Eat healthy foods. Be sure to have plenty of dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens. Eating fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids – like salmon, tuna, and halibut – is good for your health, too.
Get active. Being physically active helps you stay healthy. It can also lower your risk of health conditions that can cause eye health or vision problems – like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Quit Smoking. Smoking isn’t just bad for your lungs – it can hurt your eyes, too! Smoking increases your risk of diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts – and it can harm the optic nerve. If you’re ready to quit, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free support. You can also check out the resources on Smokefree.gov.
- Protect your eyes
Every day, you can take simple steps to keep your eyes healthy. Use these tips to protect your eyes from things that can harm them:
Wear sunglasses. Protect your eyes from the sun by wearing sunglasses — even on cloudy days! Be sure to look for sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB radiation.
Wear protective eyewear. Safety glasses and goggles are designed to protect your eyes during certain activities, like playing sports, doing construction work, or doing home repairs. You can buy them from most eye care providers and some sporting goods stores. Get tips to protect your kids’ eyes when they play sports
Give your eyes a rest. Looking at a computer for a long time can tire out your eyes. Rest your eyes by taking a break every 20 minutes to look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
If you wear contacts, take steps to prevent eye infections. Always wash your hands before you put your contact lenses in or take them out. Be sure to disinfect your contact lenses and replace them regularly. Learn more about caring for contact lenses
More ideas from the National Eye Institute
What Are You Reading These Days?
We’ve noticed that many of our patients enjoy reading a good book. We’re collecting recommendations for a “good read,” and we will be sharing them every month in our newsletter.
At right is just one reading recommendation for December 2022
Have a reading recommendation? Email it to our Newsletter Editor.
Connect with The Optical Shoppe
(908) 719-2020
Use It or Lose It! Don’t Forget to Use Your 2022 Vision Plan Benefits by Dec. 31, as well as FSA/HSA dollars!
Late But Not Too Late: Last-Minute Gifts from The Optical Shoppe
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