Yamamoto & Inouchi
Flex Spending

Beat the Rush

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Beat the Rush , Use our FSA PlanJust like your end-of-the-year holiday planning, it’s also a busy time for your eye doctors. Families are rushing in to use their vision benefits before they expire. This season, don’t wait—make an appointment before the rush. Here are a few tips to help reduce the stress so you can get in and out of your next appointment with ease.

1. Plan ahead. By making an appointment before the busy season, you can pick a time that’s convenient for you.

2. Get to know your vision benefits. Log in to your vision plan to learn about your coverage. If you’re still not sure what’s covered, our office staff will be happy to explain your benefits and the options available.

3. Write down your questions. To get the most out of your time with both your eye doctor and optician, take a moment to prepare your thoughts before your appointment.

4. Recent changes to your vision? Take inventory of your symptoms so you can discuss the changes with your doctor.

By making sure you prioritize your eyes, you can take the stress out of at least one thing this holiday season.

Beat the end of the year rush and schedule an appointment today!

Schedule Your Eye Exam Now
Eye Exam, Eye health

Tips for Keeping Your Eyes Healthy For A Lifetime

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Carrots are good for your eyes.
Carrots are good for your eyes.

Here are some healthy vision tips from Dr. Dan an Dr. Tracie

  1. We feel that patients should schedule yearly comprehensive eye exams Seeing an eye doctor regularly will help keep you and your eyes healthy for a lifetime.
  2. Protect your eyes against ultra violet (UV) rays. Living in Hawaii, ts important to wear sunglasses.
  3. Give your eyes a break from digital devices use. Practice the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes take a 20 second break and look at something 20 feet away.  Limit your screen time.
  4. Practice good nutrition.  Eat your greens. Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables – particularly the leafy green variety.  Leafy greens keep your retina helthy.
  5. Practice safe wear and care of your contact lenses. Keep them clean and don’t over wear them too long.  Don’t forget to dispose of your contact lens on a regular basis.
Eye health

FDA warns consumers not to use 27eye drops from several major brands due to risk of eye infection

 

The FDA has issued a warning to consumers to immediately stop the purchase and use of 27 over-the-counter (OTC) eye drop products due to a potential risk for eye infection.

Anyone who owns the recalled eye drops should follow the FDA’s guidelines for throwing the products away, which may involve taking them to a drug take-back site.

Here is the list of all 27 eye drops that are on the warning list.

CVS Health

  • Lubricant Eye Drops 15 ml (single pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 0.5%
  • Lubricant Eye Drops 15 ml (twin pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 0.5%
  • Lubricant Gel Drops 15 ml (single pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 1%
  • Lubricant Gel Drops 15 ml (twin pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 1%
  • Multi-Action Relief Drops 15 ml
    • Active Ingredients: Polyvinyl Alcohol 0.5%, Povidone 0.6%, & Tetrahydrozoline Hydrochloride 0.05% Eye Drops
  • Lubricating Gel drops 10 ml
    • Active Ingredients: Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops
  • Lubricant Eye Drops 10 ml (single pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Propylene Glycol Eye Drops 0.6%
  • Lubricant Eye Drops 10 ml (twin pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Propylene Glycol Eye Drops 0.6%
  • Mild Moderate Lubricating Eye Drops 15 ml (single pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Polyethylene Glycol 400 Eye Drop ‘0.25%

Rugby (Cardinal Health)

  • Lubricating Tears Eye Drops 15 ml
    • Active Ingredients: Hypromellose 2910-0.3% & Dextran 70- 0.1% Eye Drops
  • Polyvinyl Alcohol 1.4% Lubricating Eye Drops 15 ml
    • Active Ingredient: Polyvinyl Alcohol Eye Drops 1.4%

Leader (Cardinal Health)

  • Dry Eye Relief 10 ml
    • Active Ingredients: Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops
  • Lubricant Eye Drops 15 ml (single pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 0.5%
  • Lubricant Eye Drops 15 ml (twin pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 0.5%
  • Dry Eye Relief 15 ml
    • Active Ingredient: Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 1%
  • Eye Irritation Relief 15 ml
    • Active Ingredients: Polyvinyl Alcohol 0.5%, Povidone 0.6%, & Tetrahydrozoline Hydrochloride 0.05% Eye Drops

Rite Aid

  • Lubricant Eye Drops 15 ml (twin pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 0.5%
  • Lubricant Eye Drops 10 ml (twin pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Propylene Glycol Eye Drops 0.6%
  • Gentle Lubricant Gel Eye Drops 15 ml
    • Active Ingredients: Hypromellose 0.3%, Glycerin 0.2%, and Dextran 70 0.1% Eye Drops
  • Lubricant Gel Drops 15 ml
    • Active Ingredient: Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 1%
  • Lubricating Gel Drops 10 ml
    • Active Ingredients: Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops
  • Multi-Action Relief Drops 15 ml
    • Active Ingredients: Polyvinyl Alcohol 0.5%, Povidone 0.6%, & Tetrahydrozoline Hydrochloride 0.05% Eye Drops

Target

  • Up&Up Dry Eye Relief Lubricant Eye Drops 30 ml
    • Active Ingredients: Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops
  • Up&Up Extreme Relief Dry Eye 15 ml (single pack)
    • Active Ingredients: Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops
  • Up&Up Extreme Relief Dry Eye 30 ml (twin pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 0.5%

Velocity Pharma LLC

  • Lubricant Eye Drop 10 ml (triple pack)
    • Active Ingredient: Propylene Glycol Eye Drops 0.6%

Walmart

  • Equate Hydration PF Lubricant Eye Drop 10 ml
    • Active Ingredients: Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops
Diabetes, Eye health

November is Diabetes Awareness Month

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November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Diabetes can affect your eyes . November is a special month for millions of people around the world as it marks Diabetes Awareness Month. During this time, individuals, organizations, and healthcare professionals come together to raise awareness about diabetes, a chronic condition that affects over 400 million people globally. The goal is not only to educate the public but also to promote early detection, prevention, and support for those living with diabetes. Many people don’t know that diabetes can affect the eyes.  An annual eye exams can detect early changes to the eyes by diabetes.  Our eye doctors can help you stay healthy and seeing well with an annual eye exam.  Schedule your eye exam today.

Flex Spending

Don’t Forget to Use Your Flex Spending

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Use Your FSASchedule Your Eye Exam Now

Did you know that you can use your flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account dollars to purchase prescription eyeglasses, prescription contact lenses, and prescription sunglasses?

Don’t wait until next year to maximize your vision benefits. There is no better time than now.

Understand Your Vision Benefits

Review your plan details to see what’s covered and within what time frame. Easily find details like co-pays, frame allowance and lens enhancement coverage. You can also print or email yourself a copy of your membership card if you like, but you don’t technically need one when you go to the eye doctor.

Schedule an Eye Exam

Comprehensive eye exams are beneficial because they can also help with early detection of eye conditions and diseases that can be better treated if caught early.

Choose Your Best Eyeglass Frames

You don’t need to be a fashion expert to find eyeglass frames that look great on you. But our opticians can help you determine which frames enhance your look based on your face shape, skin tone and lifestyle.

Now that you’re equipped with the know-how, end 2023 with your clearest vision yet! Use your benefits before you lose them.

Eye Exam, Eye health

Dr. Tracie Inouchi’s Simple Tips to Relieve Digital Eye Strain at Work

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Digital eye strainOur optometrist, Dr. Tracie Inouchi recommends the following tips to reduce digital eye strain.

  • Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Take a 20-second break, every 20 minutes and view something 20 feet away.
  • Blink often: Decrease the chances of dry eyes when using a computer by making an effort to blink frequently.
  • Keep a distance: We recommend sitting at a comfortable distance from the computer monitor where you can easily read all text with your head and torso in an upright posture and your back supported by your chair. Generally, the optimal viewing distance is between 20 and 28 inches from the eye to the front surface of the screen.
  • View from a different angle: We feel the computer screen should be 15 to 20 degrees, or about 4 to 5 inches, below eye level as measured from the center of the screen.
  • Decrease glare: While there is no way to completely minimize glare from light sources, consider using a glare filter. These filters decrease the amount of light reflected from the screen.
  • Get an annual eye exam

Eye Exam, Eye health

Improper Use of Halloween Contact Lenses can Cause Harm

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Whether you’re goblin or ghoul, vampire or witch, poor costume choices—including decorative contact lenses and flammable costumes—and face paint allergies can haunt you long after Halloween if they cause injury.

Enjoy a safe and happy Halloween by following the guidelines from FDA, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

  1. Wear costumes made of fire-retardant materials; look for “flame resistant” on the label. If you make your costume, use flame-resistant fabrics such as polyester or nylon.
  2. Wear bright, reflective costumes or add strips of reflective tape so you’ll be more visible; make sure the costumes aren’t so long that you’re in danger of tripping.
  3. Wear makeup and hats rather than masks that can obscure your vision.
  4. Test the makeup you plan to use by putting a small amount on the arm of the person who will be wearing it a couple of days in advance. If a rash, redness, swelling, or other signs of irritation develop where the makeup was applied, that’s a sign of a possible allergy.
  5. Check FDA’s list of color additives to see if makeup additives are FDA approved. If they aren’t approved for their intended use, don’t use it.
  6. Don’t wear decorative contact lenses unless you have seen an eye care professional and gotten a proper lens fitting and instructions for using the lenses.Eye Safety

Schedule Your Eye Exam Now

Contact lenses, Eye health

Do Your Contact Lenses Filter Blue Light? Oasys Max does.

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Acuvue Oasys Max
Acuvue Oasys Max

Schedule Your Eye Exam Now

The next Level of ACUVUE® contact lenses are here! ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day has the highest-level blue-violet light filter* in the industry. Schedule your appointment now to see the MAX difference!

*Filtering of HEV light by contact lenses has not been demonstrated to confer any health benefit to the user, including but not limited to retinal protection, protection from cataract progression, reduced eye strain, improved contrast, improved acuity, reduced glare, improved low light vision, or improved circadian rhythm/sleep cycle. The Eye Care Professional should be consulted for more information.

 

Eye health, Eyeglasses

Give Your Eyes a Break

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Coumpter eye strain

The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends following the 20-20-20 rule to ward off digital eye strain – take a 20-second break every 20 minutes and view something 20 feet away.

Although ongoing technology use doesn’t permanently damage vision, regular, lengthy use of technology may lead to a temporary condition called digital eye strain. Symptoms can include burning or tired eyes, headaches, fatigue, loss of focus, blurred vision, double vision or head and neck pain. Overexposure to high-energy, short-wavelength blue and violet light emitted from electronic devices may also contribute to digital eye strain.  Our eye doctors can suggest lens options such as non-glare, filtering lenses to help protect vision from harmful blue light.

Schedule Your Eye Exam Now

 

Eye health, Lenses, UV

How to Protect Your Eyes From the Negative Effects of Blue Light

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Today’s gadgets and devices are placing demands on your eyes that they are not equipped to handle naturally. Our society seeks efficiency and convenience, yet the very devices that bring those benefits have a downside, especially eye fatigue. By reducing the amount of blue light that enters the eye, you will  increase your comfort level and reduce eye fatigue, headaches, blurred vision and other related chronic discomfort.

Hoya Recharge anti-reflective treatment reduces blue light emitted by electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, TVs and even energy efficient light bulbs by 10 percent compared to conventional anti-reflective treated lenses. (some blue light is important and therefore it is not necessary or desirable to block it all)

Hoya Recharge Anti Reflective Lens treatment is ideal for long lasting eye energy while using eyeryday devices.Book Your Eye Exam Online

Here is what you need to know:

  • School text books are rapidly moving to tablets
  • 72.5% of adults are unaware of the potential dangers of blue light to the eyes
  • 61% of adults experience eye strain due to prolonged use of electronic devices
  • 2 in 5 Millennials spends at least 9 hours per day on digital devices.

Benefits of Recharge Treatment

  • Blocks up to 10% of harmful blue light waves emitted by electronic devices.
  • Helps alleviate;e eyestrain, headaches, fatigue and blurred vision
  • Can help improve sleep patterns
  • Eliminates reflections, repels dirt and dust, and provides superior scratch resistance.
Eye Exam, Eye health

What is Causing my Dry Eyes?

 

Get Relief from Dry Eyes.

Are you experiencing a stinging, burning scratchy feeling in your eyes, or a sensation that you have something in your eyes, have difficulty wearing contact lenses, or driving at night? These could all be symptoms of dry eyes. Dry eyes can be incredibly uncomfortable to live with day-to-day. According to the Mayo Clinic, dry eye syndrome could be the main source of symptoms—it occurs when your supply of tears becomes insufficient in lubricating and nourishing your eyes. Although it can happen at any age, typically dry eye syndrome happens over time and most commonly in people over 40.

However, there may be other culprits for your dry eyes that are not directly connected to dry eye syndrome according to the American Optometric Association. Reasons for your eyes to feel dry could include:

  • Antihistamines, antidepressants, and birth-control pills
  • Dirty, old, or improperly fitted contacts
  • Dry air caused by indoor heaters and/or ceiling fans
  • Allergies
  • Long hours in front of a computer or digital device

As you can see the causes range from minor to more challenging. If you suspect you may have dry eye syndrome or any of the above causing your dry eyes, it’s best to visit your eye doctor to explore options. During your eye exam, your doctor can check for vision problems and signs of health conditions that could result in dry eyes. An accurate diagnosis is important!

Eyeglasses, Holiday

Happy Halloween

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Pumpkin eyeglasses
Happy Halloween from the gang at Ala Moana Eye Center – Yamamoto & Inouchi’s office

Happy Halloween to all you ghouls and goblins 🎃👻👁!!
#happyhalloween #witches #pumpkins #blackcat #skeleton #alamoanaeye #festivewear #optometry #eyewear #glasses #honoluluhawaii #hilife #optometrylife