Archive for November, 2009
Posted on November 25th, 2009 by Jessica G.
Did you know that parts of your Thanksgiving feast help your eyes? Diets high in antioxidants like vitamin A and lutein (which your body converts into an antioxidant) have been connected with lowered rates of macular degeneration and cataracts.
Here are some harvest favorites that are high in nutrients that support the health of your peepers—and taste great!
- Sweet potatoes: An excellent source of beta-carotene, which your body converts into the essential anti-oxidant vitamin A. For a refreshingly basic take on these oft over-sweetened veggies, try tossing chunks in olive oil, salt, and pepper and roasting in a hot oven.
- Pumpkin: With lots of vitamin A and a powerful wallop of beta-carotene and lutein, who needs to feel guilty about a second serving of pumpkin pie?
- Green beans, brussels sprouts, and broccoli: Each is a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect the retina from light damage. To let the flavor of these veggies shine, try them lightly steamed or roasted in the oven.
And don’t forget your leafy greens! The deeper the color, the healthier they are for you and your eyes.
VSP wishes you and yours a happy, healthy, Thanksgiving!
File under: eye health, Fun | Tagged: beta-carotene, broccoli, brussels sprouts, eye health, food, Food For Thought, green beans, lutein, sweet potatoes, Thanksgiving, Vitamin A, VSP Vision Care, zeaxanthin
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Posted on November 24th, 2009 by Melissa W.
NBA Star Bobby Jackson talks about the importance of vision for kids in school and with sports. Do you have a story about how vision has impacted you or your child in school or sports? Share it with us, and you’ll be entered to win a backpack autographed by Bobby Jackson.
File under: eye health, Get Fit, Uncategorized, VSP in the Community | Tagged: bobby jackson, kids, NBA, school, sports, vision, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on November 20th, 2009 by Liz B.
Joel Kestenbaum O.D. is a VSP provider in Long Island, NY.
VSP provider Joel Kestenbaum, O.D. from Long Island N.Y. provides an overview of dry eye syndrome
Tears bathe our eyes to keep them nourished and usually do not leak down the cheek. Why is that? On the other hand, why do tears sometimes flow in such abundance that we must wipe them away?
Various glands in and around the eyelid produce the tears. Microscopic glands produce the tears that are composed of water, oil, mucous and an abundance of nutrients. If one of the components of the tears is not produced in the exact amounts, the tears become either too wet or too dry.
A common complaint in my office, especially as people age, is that tears run down the cheek. Usually excess tear production occurs because the microscopic glands in the lid that produce the normal water part of the tears are not producing enough. In response, the one large gland, the lacrimal gland, that normally secretes a lot of tears when we cry produces too much water so we drip. This is classic dry eye syndrome. Are you confused yet? Read more »
File under: eye health | Tagged: Dr. Joel Kestenbaum, dry eye, dry eye syndrome, excess tear production, FDA, lacrimal gland, tears, uncontrollable crying, wet eyes
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Posted on November 16th, 2009 by Liz B.
Rob T. is a member of VSP's Sales Team
Rob T. in VSP’s Hawaii Sales Office shares some recent events VSP participated in with the Hawaii Optometric Association.
If you were out in Hawaii recently, the Children’s Discovery Center in Honolulu was the place to be as VSP partnered with the Hawaii Optometric Association (HOA) to take part in two great community events that brought the importance of vision awareness and fun together.
On September 27, 2009, VSP and HOA hosted “Be Wise To Your Eyes” day. In its second year, the event emphasized the importance of an annual eye exam which parents took to heart after their children participated in free vision screenings by our volunteering doctors. Read more »
File under: Fun, Private Practice Doctors, VSP in the Community | Tagged: children, eye health, eyecare, Hawaii Optometric Association, kids' glasses, private practice eye doctors
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Posted on November 11th, 2009 by Melissa W.
TuDiabetes is a social network for people touched by diabetes. It currently nears 12,000 members, mainly patients and people who have a loved one with diabetes. This World Diabetes Day 2009 at 2 pm local time, they will host The Big Blue Test, a diabetes awareness activity through which thousands of people with diabetes will be testing their blood sugars together, exercise for 14 minutes, test again and share the whole experience. Watch KCRA interview. Read more »
File under: diabetes | Tagged: American Diabetes Association, Charles Best, diabetes awareness, Diabetes Awareness Month, Frederick Banting, insulin, sacramento kings, tudiabetes, Tyreke Evans, United Nations, WDD, World Diabetes Day, World Health Organization
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Posted on November 9th, 2009 by Jill N
File under: Private Practice Doctors, VSP in the Community | Tagged: charitable eyecare, children, Dennis Delp O.D., ForSight, kids' glasses, Not-For-Profit, PA, private practice eye doctors, SeeZar, vision, VSP Mobile Eyes, York
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Posted on November 9th, 2009 by Liz B.
Joel Kestenbaum O.D. is a VSP provider in Long Island, NY.
In recognition of Diabetes Awareness Month, Dr. Joel Kestenbaum has shared some thoughts regarding diabetes and eyecare. VSP is a proud National Strategic Partner of the American Diabetes Association. Join the fight. STOP Diabetes.
One of the first lessons I learned in optometry school was that diabetes was a leading cause of blindness. We were taught that early diagnosis was the key to preserving good eyesight. We were also taught that educating our patients about the effects of diabetes on the eye was extremely important. So here are a few tidbits to think about.
There are many early signs of diabetes, many of which are common eye complaints. Styes, double vision, light sensitivity, fluctuating vision, glare and frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions are just a few early signs. These and other signs can also affect people who have had diabetes for a long time. Getting annual eye examinations by a qualified specialist can detect problems that may be vision threatening. Early detection can lead to early sight saving treatment. Read more »
File under: diabetes | Tagged: American Diabetes Association, diabetes, Diabetes Awareness Month, eye diseases, eye health, healthcare, private practice eye doctors, STOP Diabetes, vision
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Posted on November 6th, 2009 by Liz B.
Step aside, Miss Cleo! VSP now has its very own resident fortune teller, The Great Bernie. He is available to see your future through TheGreatBernie.com, and interacts with future seekers on Facebook and Twitter. And, you can always access Bernie from the Featured Apps section of VSP Blog.
See what Bernie has to offer below, visit The Great Bernie, and let us know your fortune in the comments!
File under: Fun | Tagged: crystal ball, facebook app, fortune teller, future, Miss Cleo, The Great Bernie
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Posted on November 4th, 2009 by Jace D.
Did you know that as of November 1, 2009, VSP Reveal™ and Reveal™ Freeform progressive lenses with optics by Carl Zeiss are available from VSP doctors in all 50 states,Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico?
Cindy M. is a market manager for VSP.
Cindy M., a market manager for VSP, shares her experience adjusting to progressive lenses:
I am an emerging presbyope. Come on. I’m only 42 years old. Really—progressive lenses–really? Up until two years ago, I didn’t even need glasses. Last year, I started with computer vision glasses. Progressive lenses were the absolute last thing on my mind when I headed to my optometrist a few weeks ago for my annual eye exam. But there it was during the exam, my distance vision needed “correcting.” I could go without, she said, but did I really want to give up distance clarity?
Hmmmm. Then my doctor recommended progressive lenses. Granted, I work for VSP, and knew about VSP Reveal progressive lenses and what they had to offer me: greater near, intermediate, and distant fields of vision, reduction in image swim, fully customized for my prescription … I decided to put them to the test. Read more »
File under: Frames & Lenses | Tagged: fields of vision, image swim, presbyopia, progressive lenses, Reveal, VSP Reveal
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VSP is proud to share personal statements of people who have been impacted by diabetes and are uniting to support the American Diabetes Association’s 
