Happy Friday, everyone! This week, we’ve been focusing on the importance of eye health using the Kings VSP Vision Tips with our friends from the Sacramento Kings. We posted a Facebook poll on Tuesday asking fans when their last eye exam was, and we were very happy to see that 65% of poll participants have received an eye exam in the past year!

Receiving regular eye exams is a critical component of your health care routine. Learn more fun facts about eyecare by watching these silly Kings VSP Vision Tips today!

For those of use who love winter sports, we hope he sees that shadow. We’d like to keep the good times rolling (or shredding) on the slopes.

While there’s little science behind Phil’s prediction (tradition reigns), there is substance behind seeing the slope shadows to keep us safe and coordinated. If you haven’t opted to change the tint in your eyewear lens when ripping it up on the slopes, you’re missing out. Amber or rose ski goggle lenses or glasses enhance soft grays that mark shadows on a ski slope. Because these shadows indicate ridges or bumps in the surface, skiers and snowboarders “read” them to decide when to turn, so they won’t catch an edge and fall. Missing a mogul could be disastrous to your body and maybe your ego.

So, on February 2^, (at least while Phil is emerging from his den), don your rose-colored glasses and keep your fingers crossed for more snow. Then, keep them over those baby-blues and shred–safely.

Learn more about how tints affect vision in the Center.

Jill N., aka Eye Need Coffee Mommy, is proud mom to appropriately dressed Baby AJ.

We are going to be sharing some quirky and fun video vision tips over the next few weeks with you. Each week we will use different videos for a different topic to start the conversations. We hope you will learn something new, share your thoughts and experiences and enter to win some great prizes!

This week, we are kicking it off talking all about Eye Health. Since the start of the year usually means the start of people’s health benefits, we thought it was appropriate to talk about the importance of using your benefits, and especially why that’s important when it comes to you and your family’s eye exams.

Check out our first silly video and then join us on Facebook to join the conversation and learn how you can be entered to win a prize!

The image by professional photojournalist Scott Sommerdorf of the Salt Lake Tribune was recently featured in one of the photographer blogs that I follow: wearephotographers.com.

Scott creatively captured an image of an eye chart reflected off the cornea, a perspective that is not usually thought of. (At the risk of stating the obvious: great photographers do that.)

This has inspired me to go make even more creative and uncommon images.

Flexon Live In Times Square 1 from Marchon on Vimeo.

However, as we take to the slopes with childlike abandon, the cold snap brings its own challenges for the outdoorsman (and woman) and one hazard that’s easy to forget—protecting our eyes. That’s surprising, considering eye injuries are a common injury suffered during ski and snowboarding activities, and the glare from the snow can make it very difficult to see where you’re headed.

The surface of our eyes often become irritated by harsh winds, and snow sport enthusiasts should protect their eyes using properly fitted, sports-rated eyewear that filters out 100% of UV light. Those with less than perfect vision benefit from the availability of prescription goggles. In either case, the risks of not protecting your eyes include keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), conjunctivitis, and retina damage, not to mention direct injury to the eye.

While our body is able to repair much of the damage we do it, the lens of the eye can’t repair itself. The risk of irreversible damage is too high to risk. We also have a tendency to think the sun is less intense during the dark winter months, but the winter sun sits lower in the sky and exposure can actually increase.

So, while you raise your glass to toast the winter events, remember it’s a lot more fun when you can clearly see the smiling faces around you celebrating a day on the slopes together.

Visit The Center to learn more about keeping your sight safe this winter.

We received many great entries for the VSP “See the World” Photo Contest, thank you to everyone who submitted a photo of the people important to you!

Now the fun will continue, as the voting period begins today! Your vote will help decide the grand prize, first runner up and second runner up winners. Click here to see the top photos and vote for your favorite photo submission!

An added bonus – you can also be a winner just by voting! All eligible voters will receive one entry into the daily drawing for a chance to win a $25 Visa^® Gift Card. Voting ends on November 16, so remember to vote once a day every day, beginning today.

Help your favorite photo win by encouraging your friends and family to vote, too! Spread the word about the VSP “See the World’ Photo Contest on Facebook and Twitter using this link: http://www.seemuchmore.com/photo-contest/?utm_source=VSPblog&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=VSPcom

Good luck to all the finalists. Happy voting!

Eyeconic.com

I don’t know about you, but I get seriously bummed when I have to put away all the colorful stuff I wear all summer just because I don’t live in a sun shiny place like Maui. Yeah, black is eternally epic. Gray is awesome. But can’t I hang on to my “crush” on color all year round?

Turns out – I can! At least this season. I did some serious research—getting stuck in the longest line in the supermarket can come in handy—and there it was. In magazine after magazine. Bags, scarves and boots in some really strong colors, like orange! Oh yes, I’ve got a crush. An orange crush. Now, no one wants to look like a pumpkin or gigantic can of soda, so key word…moderation. But warming up all the gray, brown and black outfits was splashes of orange, yellow and magenta.

Tyreke sports orange

So, I decided the easiest way to keep my crush alive all winter was through a sunglass splash. And eyeconic.com has some hot orange sunglasses that look like me (or NBA star Tyreke Evans…yeah, I think he copied me). Ok, so, I used a webcam on my computer to try a pair of Nikes on live. It was fabulous, and since my style team was out of town I could confirm that my orange crush was real…Color rules.

Fashion Maven

• Lady Gaga may be a popular costume this Halloween, but steer clear of the vanity contacts she used in her “Bad Romance” video. While they may look pretty cool, the contacts are illegal and can cause permanent damage to your child’s eyes. 
• False eyelashes can also give a great look. However, the glue can irritate the skin and eyes. Follow the package instructions carefully, and avoid use with young children.
• Sometimes a costume is just a goofy outfit without the perfect mask. If your children are wearing masks, make sure they are fully secured and won’t shift during the night, which can impair their vision. Children running across dark and unfamiliar streets with limited vision is a recipe for disaster. Additionally, ensure that their eyes have room to blink!
• A safer and cheaper alternative to masks is face paint and makeup. Be sure to choose products that are hypoallergenic and approved for use on the skin. Also, use products only as recommended. Remember, even eyeliner can injure a squirmy child or someone who is not used to applying it. For removing makeup, cold cream can be gentler and easier than soap and water.
• Looking to accessorize? Remember to be careful with sharp items—swords, light sabers, wands and other pointed toys can and frequently do cause eye injuries. Keep the kids out of the emergency room and opt for an imaginary sword this year.
• If you’re taking your youngsters out trick-or-treating, be sure to grab a flash light so you can see where you are going. Consider sticking reflective strips on their costumes to increase their visibility to traffic.