Irene Retirement Party

Belleview Eye Associates

5104 S. Field St. Ste. C

Littleton, CO 80123

Please Join us for a Retirement Party

in Honor of

Irene LeVangie

Friday, the Eighteenth of May, Two Thousand and Twelve

Open House Wine & Cheese

Please RSVP by May 16, 2012

303-979-3937 or bea2020@msn.com

Thank you to all who attended or called to wish Irene happy retirement! 

Patient Appreciation Days

Belleview Eye Associates

Help us celebrate our 6th anniversary by attending our Patient Appreciation Day!!

Our trunk show will feature over 1,000 designer frames on sale, including Lulu Guinness, Ted Baker, Cinzia, Europa International, Tura, Tournea, Michael Ryen, and Scott Harris Kids!

Pick a balloon and see what discount you'll receive or if you'll win a prize instead! This year, we're giving away free Progressive lenses worth over $300.00, a Paula Dean Teapot, a pearl necklace and earring set and more!

No appointment is necessary and we encourage you to bring your friends and family! It's our way of saying thank you to all of our wonderful patients.

(Patient Appreciation Sale price CANNOT be combined with insurance.)

Wedding Day Contact Lenses

ALL EYES ARE ON YOU: WEDDING DAY TIPS FOR CONTACT LENS WEARERS

Most brides spend extra time applying makeup on their wedding day. Whether you are planning to do your own makeup, or hire a professional makeup artist, brides who wear contact lenses should take extra care with makeup selection and application. Tearing and irritation, while a minor annoyance, could lead to more serious problems during or after the wedding.

When shopping for makeup, choose a water-based, hypo-allergenic liquid foundation – instead of cream – to prevent leaving a film on your lenses. You should avoid lash-extending mascara, which has fibers that can irritate the eyes, and waterproof mascara, which cannot be easily removed with water and may stain soft contact lenses.

On your wedding day, don’t use hand creams or lotions before handling contacts; they can leave a film on your lenses. Use an oil-free moisturizer. Keep false eyelash cement, nail polish and remover, perfume, and cologne, which can damage the plastic, away from lenses. Hairspray should be used before putting in contacts. If used while they are in, close your eyes during spraying, and for a few seconds afterwards. Put on soft contact lenses before applying makeup.

In addition to makeup application, tinted contact lenses can produce a dramatic effect for the day. A bride can change her eye color from blue to green or transform brown eyes to blue. Tinted lenses, prescription or non-prescription, are safe, but must be fitted by an eye care professional only. This ensures that the lenses fit your eyes and provide you with instructions for proper care and disinfection. Inappropriate use of tinted lenses or lenses that do not fit your eyes correctly can cause serious damage to the cornea and to your general eye health.

Finally, entrust someone with your contact lens case.

Follow these tips, and your eyes will be as lovely as you are on this special day.

BOO-rific Bash & Splash

The Ridge Recreation Center

We will be handing out candy to trick-or-treators at the Ridge Recreation center.  Come join us for a fun evening of Halloween fun and swimming!

Diabetes Awareness Month

DIABETES: A TOP CAUSE OF BLINDNESS AMONG ADULTS
The American Optometric Association reminds patients about the importance of comprehensive eye exams during November, National Diabetes Month.

"More than 21 million Americans have diabetes, and perhaps of even greater concern, more than 6 million Americans are unaware that they have the disease," said Dr. Jorge Cuadros, AOA's Diabetes Eye Care Expert and University of California School of Optometry professor. "In addition to overall health complications, diabetes can cause vision changes and ultimately lead to blindness."
Optometrists can serve as the first line of detection for diabetes, since the eye is the only place on the body that blood vessels can be seen without having to look through the skin. All individuals with known diabetes need to have dilated eye exams each year; despite the fact that only four out of ten Americans recognize that diabetic patients should have their vision checked annually, according to the 2007 American Eye-Q.

"It is especially important for individuals who are at high risk for diabetes to visit an eye doctor regularly for dilated eye exams," said Dr. Cuadros.
According to the American Diabetes Association, an estimated 54 million Americans aged 40 to 74 (40.1 percent of the U.S. population in this age group) have pre-diabetes, a condition that puts them at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Early detection is critical in maintaining healthy vision. Additionally, several factors influence whether someone with diabetes develops diabetic retinopathy. These include controlling blood sugar control and blood pressure levels, the length of time with diabetes, race and family history.

Be sure to see an optometrist if your vision becomes blurry; you have trouble reading signs or books; experience double vision; feel pressure in your eyes; encounter straight lines appearing indistinct; or your side vision is limited.

Glaucoma Awareness Month

WHAT IS GLAUCOMA? Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the optic nerve in the eye. If left untreated, glaucoma can cause permanent vision loss or blindness.

WHAT CAUSES GLAUCOMA? Clear fluid flows in and out of a small space at the front of the eye called the anterior chamber. This fluid bathes and nourishes nearby tissues. If this fluid drains too slowly, pressure builds up and damages the optic nerve. Though this buildup may lead to an increase in eye pressure, the effect of pressure on the optic nerve differs from person to person. Some people may get optic nerve damage at low pressure levels while other tolerate higher pressure levels.

WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO GET IT? Millions of people have glaucoma. Anyone can get it, but some people are at higher risk: African Americans over the age of 40, Everyone over the age of 60, People with a family history of glaucoma.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? At first, there are no symptoms. Vision stays normal and there is no pain. But as the disease gets worse, side vision may begin to fail. Objects straight ahead may be clear, but objects to the side might be missed.

HOW IS IT DETECTED? Glaucoma is found most often during a dilated eye exam. In this procedure, drops are put into the eyes to enlarge the pupils. The optometrist is then able to see more of the inside of the eye to check for signs of damage. The optometrist will also measure eye pressure during the exam, but that alone does not detect the disease.

HOW CAN IT BE TREATED? Although, glaucoma cannot be cured, it can usually be controlled. Here are the most common treatments:
MEDICATION - Eye drops will help reduce pressure by either slowing the flow of fluid into the eye or improving how it drains. For most people, regular use of the eye drops will control the pressure inside the eye. But they may stop working over time, or they may cause side effects.
SURGERY - Laser surgery can be performed to increase the flow of fluid from the eye. Over time, this effect may wear off. Traditional surgery can call help fluid drain from the eye. This is usually only used for patients whose pressure cannot be controlled with eye drops or laser surgery.