Has your eyelid ever become red or painful for no reason? A stye is an infection of the eyelid that causes a red bump. Here is everything that you should know about eye styes.

Symptoms— A stye is the swelling of your eyelid, also known as a hordeolum. The primary symptoms of a stye are redness and swelling. Your eyelid will probably feel irritated or be painful upon touch. The infection is either at the base of an eyelash follicle (external hordeolum) or in an oil gland (internal hordeolum).

Causes— Styes develop when bacteria (usually from your skin) gets trapped by dead skin cells on your eyelid to create a swollen bump. Styes are actually contagious because they are caused by bacteria from your skin and that bacteria can easily spread. However, basically everyone has the same type of bacteria and the same potential for getting styes. Just make sure to not let the bacteria come into contact with anyone else’s eyes by keeping your hands clean and not sharing pillowcases or washcloths.

Treatments and Prevention— The main treatment for styes is to keep your eyelids clean. If you have a stye, the first thing you should do is wash your eyelids thoroughly. Also make sure that you carefully wash your hands before using them to wash the stye. Another technique is to apply warm compresses (a washcloth heated with hot water with work) several times a day. Whatever you do, don’t attempt to pop the stye as you might a pimple. This will probably spread the infection and make the stye worse. Avoid wearing eye makeup while you have a stye because it can detain the healing process. If you usually wear contact lenses, wear your glasses instead until your eye heals.

Healthy habits will ensure that your eyes stay infection-free. Book your appointment with your Valley Eyecare Center eye doctor. Call us at 602-955-2700 or schedule online today.

A concussion is a form of mild traumatic brain injury that occurs as the result of a blow to the head. Concussions can cause a variety of short-term and long-term symptoms, including vision changes. Understanding the physical repercussions of concussions can be confusing because there are so many different possible effects, so here are some important details you need to know about how concussions impact your eye health!

Common eye symptoms following a concussion— A variety of eye-related conditions can result from a head injury. The most common eye problems include: blurred or double vision, sensitivity to light, partial vision loss, eye pain, abnormal eye movements, and visual motion sensitivity. While these symptoms typically manifest shortly after the injury occurs, others might not develop until hours or even days later. The vast majority of people see all symptoms gone within a few weeks.

The possibility of long-term vision changes— Damage to the brain caused by a concussion can potentially last for as long as decades after the original head trauma, but there is the very small chance that a concussion will affect your long-term vision. Long-term eye conditions are similar to short-term eye symptoms and can include blurred vision, double vision, difficulty with various eye movements, and reduction or loss of visual field. But don’t despair—these visual problems can actually be effectively decreased or even eliminated with appropriate treatments to restore eye health, such as vision therapy and vision rehabilitation programs.

The bottom-line on concussions and long-term vision— A concussion can affect your long-term vision, but only rarely. Concussions usually only produce short-term vision conditions and temporary changes, at worst. Even in the slightest chance that you experience more severe long-term vision problems, there are still possible solutions!

Learn more about the impacts of concussions on eye health! Book your appointment with your Valley Eyecare Center optometrist. Call us at 602-955-2700 or schedule online today.

When your eye begins to twitch uncontrollably, it can be both alarming and simply annoying. An eye twitch is not usually a cause for worry and can be traced to a few common causes.

What happens–An eye twitch is when you experience a spasm in your upper or lower eyelid. Intermittent eye twitches can occur over any period of time that lasts from a minute to several days. Although twitches are usually slight, they can occasionally force your eyelid to momentarily shut.

Causes of eye twitching–Sleep deprivation and stress are the most common causes of eye twitches. Other sources include alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine. Eye twitching can also result from an irritation on the surface of the eye.

Benign essential blepharospasm–Benign essential blepharospasm is a rare condition that surfaces in mid to late adulthood and will cause increasingly severe eye twitching. The condition is a result of environmental and genetic factors and can be sparked by excessive fatigue, stress, or air pollution. Only around 2,000 people in the US are diagnosed with benign essential blepharospasm each year.

Seeing your optometrist–You should see an optometrist if an eye twitch persists for more than a week, if your eyelid closes completely during twitches, or if there is redness, swelling, or discharge from your eye. There is the small possibility that the eye twitch may be related to a more serious eye or nerve condition.

Treatments–Most eye twitches are harmless and cease without treatment. Make sure to rest and sleep sufficiently. Seek stress-reducing activities. Consider cutting down upon the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine. Your optometrist may also assess that your eyes need to be moisturized, if dryness or irritation is causing the twitch.

We are here to help you remedy a pesky eye twitch! Book your appointment with your Valley Eyecare Center optometrist. Call us at 602-955-2700 or schedule online today.