Let’s begin this look at eye injuries with a bit of sage advice, and that is to consider every single eye injury as if it were an emergency. Contact an eye doctor immediately afterward and get the issue examined and treated. That is the bottom line on the question of “when to see a doctor”. However, there is also the issue of what to do before you even get to the doctor. Read more »

Unlike so many other systems in the body, our vision is not something that gets stronger when we challenge it. In fact, the opposite is true – if we over challenge our eyes it will actually weaken them.

Thus, one of the first things that can be said about strengthening the eyesight is to find ways of giving the eyes a bit of a vacation. For example, if you are one of the millions of people who have to work on a computer or with print all day, take a ten minute break every 50 minutes or so. Close the eyes and count backward from one hundred, look to the right and left, and generally avoid staring at the screen (including that mobile device – yes, put it away!) for at least ten minutes. Read more »

Eye care is important for people of all ages. When you need high quality, competent eye care in Middleburg, Florida, Valuvision located at 1545 Branan Field Rd., Suite 5 is the place to turn to.

Each Valuvision location has an optometrist located in-house who is dedicated to bringing you the best possible service when you visit their office. Each location offers a variety of services, ranging from eye wear to doctor examinations, and we even have online specials for the value-conscious consumer.

Valuvision has been serving Northeast Florida’s eye care needs for over 40 years, and they base their practice on customer service and sound medical science practices. We specialize in treating every patient with the same goal of satisfaction and healthy vision in mind for each one.
We know there are a variety of eye care options to choose from to meet your eye care needs. Valuvision has been a locally owned business since we first opened in 1973, so the people we treat are our friends and family, not just our clients. Open 7 days a week, Valuvision offers the convenience of being open when you need them.  We even own our own labs, making your glasses on site instead of farming the job out to a contractor.

This also lets Valuvision pass even greater savings to their customers, which allows them to be very competitive with other practices, while never losing quality of their products or care. Since we make our glasses in house, we know exactly how they are produced, and stand behind each pair we make for our customers.

You can also find just the right pair for your needs, as they carry well-known brands and styles guaranteed to help you look as good as you feel. We also accept most insurance plans, such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Medicare, Medicaid, and others.

Come in Today

Visit Valuvision today and see how we can provide you with the top quality eye care you deserve at a value that can’t be beat. Our competent and knowledgeable staff is on hand 7 days a week to serve you.  Come in and see how we can meet your needs and the needs of your family with affordable, top-notch vision care.

Never before in the past have older individuals approaching the middle ages of their life had to rely on their visual acuity as much as now. Part of the aging process that diminishes eyesight, often times makes it very challenging to focus on any object (especially small) that is less than two feet away. As a result, most people turn to reading glasses in an attempt to make the image crisper and more recognizable. As electronic equipment continues to evolve, a vision test application has been developed to keep an individual’s vision much sharper for many years longer, well beyond the typical age when glasses are usually required.

The applications that have been developed and used on an iPhone help train the brain to automatically translate blurry text and images into significantly clearer ones. The process works by displaying a group of blurry lines (referred to as Gabor patches) onto the screen at several points. The individual then must identify when a single “patch” appears at the center of the screen. Clinical studies have shown that individuals averaging at least 51 years old develop the ability to read text at least two lines lower on a testing eye chart, after only 40 times of using the eye enhancing application.

As an effective way to counteract the “read-limiting” effects of presbyopia, an iPhone application named GlassesOff was developed. Presbyopia is an eye condition that limits the eye’s abilities to focus on near text and objects. Older individuals are finding that they no longer need to hold books, menus and magazines out at the end of their arm’s length just to read the text.

As an effective technique, this brain training application had been continually researched and tested for almost two decades. Using the app for only 15 minutes, at least three times each week, for 90 days has resulted in very positive clinical results. The reading speed of an individual between the ages of 42 and 51 years have shown to be reduced by four seconds per each sentence read, saving tremendous amounts of time for the average aging reader.

The application works very well because it uses iPhone’s high-quality retina display. The results are so impressive that it helps reduce response time to a variety of visual events including sports, detailed work and driving. By developing the brain’s image processing, the application can help nearly anyone suffering from vision deficiencies, and those that experience severe headaches while reading.

Saving money is beneficial when purchasing new contact lenses. As a result, consumers may decide to search for the latest deals online from discount companies. However, this does not guarantee that the lenses are the right fit and quality.

Purchasing contact lenses from your local eye doctor in Jacksonville, Florida,  is the best option to guarantee the quality and accuracy of the contact lenses. The following are a few reasons why contact lenses should be purchased through your optometrist.

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Delicious and chalk-full of health benefits for the eyes, you’d be surprised at how your favorite fruits and vegetables can improve your eye health. Many people do not realize that what is consumed can have an effect on the health of the eyes. There are certain foods that when eaten can actually improve the health of the eyes over time. Foods that are filled with lutein, vitamins A, B, C, and E, are especially known to be incredibly beneficial.

The following foods are considered to be some of the best natural methods in maintaining and improving the health of the eyes.

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Give the gift of fashion forward eyewear this year for Valentine’s Day. It may seem a little less romantic to give your special one a pair of eyeglasses but it’s equivalent to a day at the spa – it improves your look and your health!

Give Her a Piece of Jewelry She’ll Wear Everyday

Fashionable eye glasses are an essential accessory for every woman from the business-savvy professional to the runaround housewife. Valuvision has a huge selection of eyeglasses that come from all of the best designers across the world.

How to Get Her the Right Eye Frames

Giving the gift of sight is a bit tricky, especially if that special someone is going to be surprised! How to do it? Simple.

First, start by noting her existing prescription on a pad of paper when she isn’t looking. Look for a prescription note around the home that has the description she needs. Or, even better, bring something in if you know she won’t be looking for it for a couple hours.

Secondly, take note of her closet. What are her favorite designers? Mark them down or keep note of the style she normally goes for when she is going to work or play.

Third, come to one of our Valuvision locations to speak to a sales associate about the right style, brand, and prescription is needed.

She’ll love you for caring after her eyesight, and you’ll love how easy it was to pick a gift for her!

It’s not just a fashion statement; it’s a necessity if you live in Jacksonville, Florida. Everyone needs a pair of sunglasses that are fashionable, yes, but also of high quality to reduce ultraviolet rays that affect your eyesight.

Many of us in Jacksonville, Florida, enjoy being outdoors when the weather is good. Whether you’re on the golf course, beach, or cruising around on your bike, it’s important to protect your eyes when you’re outside.

The Dangers of “Cheap” Sunglasses

We all do it. When we’re at a gas station or discount store and see a sunglass sale: “Buy a pair for $1!” We stock up and think to ourselves, sunglasses are sunglasses, they all block the sun. But that’s not necessarily accurate.

Oftentimes, we see our clients come in with injuries sustained from low-quality sunglasses. Two of the most common injuries we treat are from the uneven lens surface and unqualified ultraviolent transmissivity. The first, uneven lens surface, triggers fatigue in the eyes while the second will hide the visible light but allow ultraviolent ray into the sunglasses. As the pupil expands due to the dim light, more ultraviolet ray is absorbed into the eye.

Essentially, sunglasses are an investment. Choose quality over price and you’ll be making an investment for your eyes. Protect them now, or pay a lot more in eye care bills later as you attempt to make up for the poor quality. When you see a sunglass sale in the middle of a gas station or discount store, just say no! Turn to Valuvision instead to find the right sunglasses to match your unique style while protecting your eyes from the harsh Florida sun.

The Twilight movie series is making news for something other than the tween heartthrobs. New reports from moviegoers suffering from seizures during the viewing is putting photosensitive epilepsy into the spotlight.

There is one scene in Twilight Breaking Dawn movie that is really affecting moviegoers around the world. It’s the birth of Edward and Bella’s baby that includes scenes of flashing white and red light, almost like a strobe light. Those flashes at the right frequency can cause neurons in the brain to start firing in a synch.

This isn’t the first time that a movie has caused seizures in patrons. In 1997, the Pokemon movie caused 700 Japanese cartoon viewers to be hospitalized because of a strobe-light-induced seizures.

While the birthing scene did cause seizures and raised some concerns, another moment in the movie has caused an equal amount of controversy. Dr. Robert Laureno, chair of neurology at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., said he went to the movie with his wife and wasn’t fazed by the strobe effect at all. However, he was affected by the blood and watched one fellow moviegoer fall to the floor.

“Personally, I don’t even remember the flashing lights,” he said. He does, however, remember the blood. In fact, his wife’s friend, a nurse, had to help a fellow Twilight fan who fainted during the gory scene.

Most movie developers will stear clear of flashing lights and frequencies that are known to induce seizures, however it’s important for filmmakers to add a disclaimer or modify the flash the frequency.

In conclusion, if you have not seen this film just yet, it’s important to be cautious of this situation and perhaps avert your eyes from the birthing scene should you feel as though you’re susceptible.

Flaxseed oil and fish oil have been proven to prevent or control dry eyes. Flaxseed oil contains high levels of an omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Upon digestion, it is converted into two different omega-3 fatty acids: EPA & DHA. These fatty acids are used throughout the body to protect cell membranes. Flaxseed oil is a natural alternative to help alleviate the discomfort of dry eyes.

What causes dry eyes?

Dry eyes are often caused by an imbalance in the tear-flow system of the eye. It can also be caused by situations that dry out the tear film, including dry air from air conditioning, heat, or other environmental conditions. There are a few other possible alternatives as to why you are suffering from dry eyes, including menopause, side effects to a medication, and diseases that include rheumatoid arthritis.

Flaxseed Oil Benefits

According to a 2006 study,a 2006 study showed that flaxseed oil may be as effective as commonly used dry eye medication doxycycline for the treatment of dry eye. The study compared oral flaxseed oil capsules (3,000 mg daily or 3 capsules a day) with the antibiotic doxycycline (100 mg twice a day) for the treatment of dry eye in patients who had undergone LASIK eye surgery. Eighty-one patients (152 eyes) were treated with either 3,000 mg daily of flaxseed oil or 100 mg twice daily of doxycycline for seven days before and after LASIK surgery.

Study results indicated that flaxseed oil was as effective as doxycycline in preventing dry eye after LASIK eye surgery. An added benefit is that flaxseed oil has fewer side effects than doxycycline, making it a good alternative.

(Colin C. K. Chan, M.D., and Brian S. Boxer Wachler, M.D.: 2006 annual meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery).

Flaxseed oil can be taken in a variety of form but the most common and simplest is orally. For better absorption, take flaxseed oil with liquids, cottage cheese, and yogurt.