How to Shield Your Eyes and Skin from the Sun Even In the Winter

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winter eye care honolulu, hiWhen you think of wearing sunscreen and sunglasses, visions of the beach or a hot summer’s day likely come to mind. However, even though we are in the dead of winter, you still need to be wearing the proper protective gear to shield both your skin and your eyes. Whether you’re planning your next ski vacation or you’re gearing up to head outside into another cold day, this article will discuss a few of the ways you can protect yourself from the sun during this cold season.

Eyewear

Going to the beach without wearing sunglasses is going to likely give you a headache and make you say, “Doh!” But going outside in the snow without wearing sunglasses or protective eyewear is likely something that you do on a consistent basis. Did you know that by not wearing the proper eyewear, you can cause permanent eye damage? When the sun reflects off of things like the snow, it can cause your strain and damage to your eyes.

Sunscreen

You may think that sunscreen is only important to use when you are exposing a lot of your skin on a really hot summer day. However, you should be wearing at least an SPF 15 on your face and hands every day. Did you know that you can get sun damage on your skin even when you are driving? By wearing sunscreen, however, you are adding that extra shield to protect your skin from the sun’s harsh rays.

A Hat

Luckily for you, hats for both men and women are in style this season. As one of the best ways to protect both your skin and your eyes, wearing a hat when you are outside or in the car will help prevent you from developing sun damage. When shopping for a hat, remember that the larger the brim is, the more of your face and body it will shield.

Taking care of your skin and eyes isn’t just something you need to do in the summer. By wearing the proper eyewear, sunscreen, and maybe even grabbing a hat, you can help prevent against getting a permanent skin or eye damage. To learn more about how you can shield yourself while outside, contact Dr. Jeffrey Maehara’s office today!

 

 

 

Give the Valentine’s Day Gift of the Century With LASIK

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LASIK Surgery honolulu, HILet’s face it, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner you don’t want to end up in the dog house by gifting your significant other with a gift that is less than personal. Although jewelry, large teddy bears, flowers, and chocolates are favorites amongst many individuals, they aren’t exactly personal. Give your love a gift that will keep on giving not just throughout the year but for the rest of their life by gifting them with LASIK Surgery. If your significant other has a hard time seeing either near or far and they are always complaining about their bad vision, nothing will make them happier than restoring their eyesight. Read on to learn more about LASIK Surgery.

What Is LASIK Surgery?

Unlike traditional LASIK surgery, Dr. Jeffrey Maehara performs bladeless LASIK Surgery which is a faster and equally as effective surgical procedure. With traditional LASIK Surgery, a small blade is used to help shave off and reshape the cornea. However, with bladeless LASIK surgery, a variety of lasers will be used to do the same thing— which means less time and a lower chance of error.

What Are the Results Like?

The best part about LASIK eye surgery is the fact that your loved one’s vision will be restored to perfection after recovering from the actual surgery itself. And who doesn’t want to have perfect vision?

How Can It Be a Surprise?

Because we can’t perform bladeless LASIK surgery without conducting a consultation beforehand, you aren’t going to be able to fully surprise your loved one on Valentine’s Day. You can, however, schedule their consultation appointment for Valentine’s Day so that we can get the ball rolling sooner than later.

Get the biggest hug and kiss from your Valentine this year and give them a gift that they will never forget: LASIK eye surgery. If you would like to learn more about this procedure or other eye procedures, contact Dr. Jeffrey Maehara today and schedule a consultation appointment.

 

3 Holiday Gifts to Give Your Spouse That Just Keep On Giving

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Botox Injections With the holidays in full swing, if you haven’t yet started your holiday shopping, you need to jump on it so that you can get everyone in your life something that they will love and remember. As one of the hardest people to shop for, make sure that you get your spouse something they will thank you for and not hold over your head during your next big argument. Luckily, Dr. Jeffrey Maehara’s office has several unique gifts that you can give to your spouse that they will praise you for.

1. Botox Injections
Whether you are gifting this to your husband or your wife, Botox is sure to be a gift that they will love, and that will keep on giving for a few months afterward. As an injectable that is injected into the muscles in your forehead and around your eyes, Botox temporarily paralyzes the muscles which cause them to relax and your wrinkles to soften.

2. Juvederm
Mostly popular among women, Juvederm is a filler that is used to fill in not only the fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth but will fill in your lips as well. The great thing about Juvederm is that it will last your spouse up until next Christmas so you can ensure they enjoy your present all year long.

3. LASIK Eye Surgery
Is your spouse always complaining of their inability to see things correctly? Are they always misplacing their glasses and getting frustrated? Help better their life for good with the gift of LASIK. By reshaping the inner cornea of your eye, LASIK eye surgery will give your spouse the ability to see things without having to wear glasses or contacts again.

Give your spouse one of these three gifts this holiday season. To learn more about these services and other services that we offer, contact Jeffrey Maehara today!

How to Get Dust Out of Your Baby’s Eye

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Dust Out of Your Baby’s EyeWhen you’re a new parent, it can be intimidating to know exactly how to take care of your child when they are sick, irritated, or overall uncomfortable. And when it comes to things like getting something out of their eye, it can be hard to know exactly what to do in order to get your baby feeling better and back to their normal giggly self once again. Read on to learn more.

Warm Compress
The easiest way that you can help to soothe your little one when they are fussy because they have something in their eye while simultaneously getting the dust out of their actual eye is to apply a warm, damp compress over their eye. When doing this, make sure that the water isn’t too warm because you don’t want to scald them— simply test the water on your forearm before hand. Once deemed the correct temperature, take the warm compress and lay it over your baby’s affected eye. The warmth and the water will help your child’s eye to water naturally which will help push out the dirt or eyelash trapped in their eye. Leave the compress on their eye for a minute or two at a time or for as long as they will hold still.

Flush It
If your child is inconsolable because they have something in their eye and you are feeling frantic about getting it out, avoid using your fingers because this could actually scratch their cornea. Instead, take a medicine dropper and fill it with lukewarm water— again testing it on your forearm before using it— then try to hold their eye open and squirt the water into their eye. Although your child will likely fuss and scream, the water and pressure of water will help to extract the dirt from their eye.

When your child is crying and inconsolable due to things such as having something in their eye, you want to do everything you can to make them feel better again. However, when you’re feeling frantic, you might not know exactly how to correctly remove the dirt from their eyes. To learn more about vision care, contact Dr. Jeffrey Maehara’s office today!

Can Zika Affect Your Eyesight?

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eye healthThere are two things that are taking over the news as of late: the presidential election and Zika Virus. And although the prospect of both things may be a bit frightening, Zika Virus boasts to be a bit more so because doctors are still learning new things about it everyday. And with recent research available, there is evidence that Zika can even affect your eyesight. Read on to learn more.

Red Eyes
One of the symptoms of Zika virus is that of red eyes, which can also be a bit swollen and itchy. Oftentimes mistaken for common seasonal allergies, however, red eyes are a symptom of Zika that can easily be overlooked. If you notice that your red eyes simply aren’t improving with sleep, over-the-counter eye drops, or an antihistamine, then visit your primary care physician right away or contact Dr. Jeffrey Maehara to have any other eye conditions ruled out.

Uveitis
There are some studies and articles that are calming that Zika can also cause an eye disease called Uveitis. As a disease that causes your eyes to become inflamed, uveitis can affect one or both eyes at once. Symptoms of uveitis include redness, blurred vision, and even eye pain that can occur from simply blinking. If left untreated, uveitis can result in blindness. However, if caught early on, there are several treatment options to treat uveitis, so if you exhibit any of the above symptoms, schedule an appointment with Dr. Jeffrey Maehara right away.

Much like with anything that is still being studied, it can be hard to know just how detrimental the impacts of Zika virus truly are. One things we do know for certain is that if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, it’s important that you avoid regions of the country and the globe that are experiencing outbreaks. Additionally, if you do happen to be travelling out of the country to areas that have been infected, make sure to wear a bug spray that contains DEET.

To learn more about eye conditions that may be influenced by Zika virus, contact Dr. Jeffrey Maehara today!

5 Common Eye Injuries and How to Deal With Them

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eye careEye injuries come in many variations, from minor surface scratches to deep puncture wounds. The severity of the injury, of course, dictates the best course of treatment. Here, we list some common conditions associated with eye injuries and what you can do to determine your next step if you have an accident:

  • Swelling

One of the most common eye injuries is a black eye. The good news is it that the best form of treatment is simply an ice pack. If you experience a black eye, it will typically reduce in appearance over time with no complications, but it’s a good idea to see your doctor to rule out any internal damage.

  • Eye Bleeding

Subconjunctival hemorrages (eye bleeding) is when blood from one or more blood vessel in the eye leaks, causing a blotchy red spot in your eye. This eye injury is painless and typically looks worse than it really is. In time, the blood will clear and the eye will return to its normal appearance without the need for treatment.

  • A Foreign Object in the Eye

If something like metal or a fish hook penetrates your eye, don’t attempt to remove the object yourself. Loosely tape an eye shield or even a paper cup over your eye to protect it, then go to the emergency room immediately.

  • Corneal Abrasion

A scratch on the eye’s surface (or corneal abrasion) is generally caused by getting poked in the eye or rubbing the eye when something like dust or sand is in it. Corneal abrasions can cause eye redness and light sensitivity. Scratches can also cause infection from bacteria or fungus. If you feel like something has scratched your eye, don’t rub it and avoid using an eye patch. Instead, keep your eye closed as much as possible and visit your eye doctor as soon as possible.

  • Chemical Burns

If you get splashed in the eye by anything other than water, it can be alarming. While some liquids only cause temporary burning or stinging and are harmless overall, others can lead to serious injury. Acids, for example, can cause significant burning and redness but can usually be flushed out. If you’re splashed in the eye, put your head under a small stream of lukewarm water and let it run into your eye and down your face. Substances that contain alkali, like oven cleaners and toilet bowl cleaners are much more serious. They can cause blurriness and redness that doesn’t go away. If you experience these symptoms and rinsing the eye with water is ineffective, seek medical attention.

To learn more about maintaining optimal eye health, contact Maehara Eye Surgery & Laser today for a consultation:  or by calling 808.955.3937.