Date Archives March 2023

Top 5 ways to ease dental anxiety

read Children's Oral Health
Don’t let dental anxiety keep you from visiting the dentist. Try these five tips to experience anxiety relief.

Does the thought of visiting the dentist ever make you feel uneasy, nervous, or scared? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In fact, experiencing feelings of fear or anxiousness about going to the dentist is more common than you think. Today, it’s reported that about 36% of people in the U.S. fear dental treatment.

Although dental anxiety is common, there are many things you can do to calm your nerves and make you feel confident about your visits. Keep reading to learn more about our top five ways to experience anxiety relief at the dentist.

Top 5 ways to ease dental anxiety

If you have dental anxiety, you may be more likely to put off dental visits. Unfortunately, postponing visits and not getting the proper care you need can lead to poor oral health down the line. Luckily, there are things you can do to ease dental anxiety to make your dental visits more enjoyable.

Talk to your dentist and hygienist 

The best way to ease dental anxiety is to communicate your feelings with your dental team. If the appointment makes you nervous, tell them! By informing them of your situation, they’ll know they need to give explanations and assurances throughout each step of your appointment so you know what to expect from start to finish. They may also guide you through other anxiety relief techniques. 

Drown out the noise

Today, many dental offices offer the option for patients to watch TV during their appointment. If you get the choice, turn the volume up on your headphones to mute out the sound of potential anxiety-inducing instruments and tools. If your dentist doesn’t provide headphones, feel free to bring your own and listen to a show, movie, podcast, or music.

Practice meditation

Meditation is a great way to calm both your mental and physical self before, during, and after a dental visit. It doesn’t have to be something elaborate, but even just taking the time to focus on your breathing can help. Take deep breaths in and long breaths out and make a note of how you feel while doing it. If you brought headphones, feel free to use a meditation app for different guided meditations.

Bring a family member or friend

If the support of friends and family eases your mind, bringing someone close to you may make you feel more comfortable during your visit. Ask your dental office if they’re okay with having a companion sit in the room with you.

Discuss medication options 

If natural remedies don’t provide you the anxiety relief you’re looking for, your dentist may be able to prescribe anti-anxiety medication for you to take before an appointment. You and your dentist may also discuss the possibility of sedation and decide that something like nitrous oxide (laughing gas) may be a great option to keep you calm.

Don’t let dental anxiety keep you from the dentist

At the end of the day, you can’t hide from the dentist forever. Dental visits are essential for your oral and overall health, so it’s important that you invest the time in finding ways to relieve your dental anxiety. Next time you have a dental appointment, try one of the tips above!

What to do after an eye injury

read Lifestyle, Vision Benefits
Do you know what to do after an eye injury? Eye injuries can be mild or severe and are more common than you may think. Learn more about what to do after an eye injury to prevent further damage and protect your vision.

When you think about injuries, what comes to mind? Broken bones? Sprained ankles? Maybe a laceration? Most people do not think of the eyes as a common place to have an injury. However, each year an estimated 2.4 million people suffer from eye injuries in the United States. That’s more than 6,000 eye injuries per day!

If you find yourself dealing with an eye injury, the steps you take after can be the difference between a full recovery and vision loss. Keep reading for information on what to do after an eye injury.

Causes of eye injuries

Eye injuries are caused by many things including accidents, exposure to certain chemicals, sports, foreign objects in the eyes, and so on. According to Prevent Blindness, 125,000 eye injuries each year are caused by common household products such as cleaning products, gardening materials like fertilizer, and even grass clippings when mowing the lawn. Additionally, more than 2,000 people a day injure their eyes at work in the United States, and over 25,000 people seek treatment for sports-related eye injuries each year.

Incurring an eye injury is easy to do and can cost you immensely – both financially and physically. The good news is that with proper eye protection, 90% of these injuries can be prevented.

Types of eye injuries

Eye injuries can be considered mild, which need little treatment, to severe, where more invasive treatment is necessary. Here are some of the most common eye injuries according to the Cleveland Clinic:

  • Black eyes
  • Bleeding in the eye
  • Burns caused by chemicals, fumes, and other irritants
  • Corneal abrasions
  • Injury from foreign objects
  • Irritations caused by chemicals, fumes, and other irritants
  • Retinal detachment

While some of these injuries can be treated at home, others need immediate treatment from a doctor. No matter how severe an eye injury is, it’s important to follow up with an eye doctor as soon as possible to prevent further complications.

What to do after an eye injury

If you find yourself with an eye injury, it’s important to contact your general physician for advice. Many medical providers have options to chat online rather than having to make an appointment. However, if the eye injury is severe, such as an object stuck in the eye, a trip to the emergency room is necessary.

Often doctors will recommend anyone with an eye injury come in for an exam. During the exam your doctor may do the following:

  • Check your eyes for signs of injury like redness, bruising, swelling, etc.
  • Check for abnormalities in and around your eyeballs
  • Monitor how your eyes move and pupils contract and expand
  • Conduct an eye exam to look inside your eyes
  • Perform medical imaging such as X-rays, MRIs, or ultrasounds

After a doctor has completed the exam, they will give you further instructions for treatment. In some cases, a cold compress may be all you need. However, in more severe cases such as retinal detachments, surgery is required. Most of the time mild eye injuries can be treated with eye flushing, eyedrops, or eye patches that allow the eye to rest while it heals.

It’s very important to follow through with your treatment to prevent things like vision loss or additional damage to your eye.

How to prevent eye injuries

The key to preventing eye injuries is to use the proper protective gear when doing certain activities. If you participate in sports, sports goggles or glasses are widely available. For jobs that involve construction or simply doing chores around the house, safety goggles keep debris from entering the eyes. Some safety goggles even prevent irritants such as fumes, vapors, chemical splashes, and other harmful substances from entering the eyes.

Keeping your eyes safe is important. One way to keep your eyes healthy and safe is to have vision insurance. Learn more about our vision insurance options now.

The importance of eye protection when playing sports

read Vision Benefits
Eye injuries are common in sports, especially when eye protection is not utilized. Learn more about the importance of eye protection for adults and children when playing sports.

*Updated September 2023

Athletes know the importance of protecting their bodies when playing sports. Helmets, pads, and mouth guards are just a few of the items used to keep them safe. When it comes to vision and eye protection, however, there tends to be less concern.

Discover why using eye protection while participating in sports is an essential part of keeping your eyes and vision safe.

Most sports should feature eye protection

What sports come to mind when you think of eye injuries? People tend to think about action sports such as skiing, snowboarding, and mountain biking, but there are other activities such as basketball, hockey, boxing, and soccer that run the risk of an eye injury.

Although many traditional sports in the United States don’t require eye protection, parents and participants may want to consider adding it to their list of protective items.

Below is a chart of activities with varying risks of eye injury:

Some sports, such as paintball and fencing, run a high risk of eye injury and require participants to wear eye protection. Others such as hockey, baseball, and softball don’t require eye protection. Unfortunately, significant injuries can occur if a player takes a hockey puck or ball to the eye.

Sports such as biking, skiing, snowboarding, and swimming have a lower injury risk, but that doesn’t mean eye protection isn’t a good idea. Bikers should wear eye protection to prevent small items such as pebbles or sand from entering their eyes. Skiers and snowboarders get multiple benefits from wearing goggles. Not only do their goggles prevent debris and wind from getting into their eyes, but many types also have protection against the sun.

Eye protection can help prevent infections, too. Swim goggles protect against chlorine, bacteria, and other chemicals from entering the eye. These chemicals can cause irritation and other medical problems in the eye.

Sport-related eye injuries

Sport-related eye injuries are more common than many people think. Here are some of the types of eye injuries that can occur when playing sports without proper eye protection:

  • Corneal Abrasion: Corneal abrasion occurs when the cornea, or “the clear, protective ‘window’ at the front of the eye,” is scratched or injured. This tends to happen when a small object such as a pebble, dirt, toys, or a ball hits the eye.
  • Hyphema: Hyphema is bleeding in and around the eye, usually after being struck by something. If this appears, it is crucial to get medical care immediately.
  • Black eye: A black eye occurs after impact with the eye causes the surrounding tissue to bruise.
  • Fractures: Fractures occur when one or more bones surrounding the eye are broken. This is usually caused by a significant impact. Orbital fractures can cause severe damage to the eye, so going to see an eye doctor is imperative.
  • Eyelid laceration: Eyelid lacerations are scratches or cuts that occur on the eyelid. If this happens, have an eye physician examine the cornea, pupil, and retina to make sure the laceration doesn’t impair you or your child’s vision.

Choosing the right eye protection 

The best way to protect your eyes and vision is to choose the correct protective gear. Different types of sports glasses and goggles are available for reasonable prices. Here are some of the most common options:

  • Sports glasses: Also known as “rec specs,” sports glasses are more common in sports with limited contact or a lower intensity.
  • Sports goggles: Often used in sports with high speeds and the potential for contact. This is because sports goggles stay on your face much better than sports glasses.

Pro tip: Sports goggles and sports glasses can often be customized with prescription lenses. Be sure to talk with a vision specialist for more information.

Lastly, it’s crucial that whatever type of eye protection you get fits correctly. Protective eye gear that doesn’t fit properly may not provide adequate protection and compromise your vision, which could result in serious injury.

Looking for more information on keeping your eyes healthy? Check out The Sun and Our Vision | Prevent Eye Damage from the Sun.