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Eye Safety at Home

 

In recognition of Home & Sports Eye Safety Month, we've chosen to highlight ways to keep your home safe for your eyes specifically for kids. It's important to take the earliest chance to guarantee your home environment is an eye-safe zone.

Generally, babies enter the world with an partially developed optical structure that develops with them. In the beginning, infants can view an object only very close. A youngster's visual system is continuously stimulated as the individual develops. Children's games and toys can be one of the easiest methods for stimulating a youngster's eyes. Nevertheless, you should remember that a large number of childhood mishaps take place in the house, many of them with toys.

What's the simplest way to avoid accidents? There are many steps you can take when choosing toys for the house to guarantee your child's eye safety.

First off, check that toys with long handles - such as sticks- aren't sharp-edged, and carefully watch youngsters under two with such toys. Though blocks are usually safe for kids of any age, it's best to make sure the corners are rounded, in order to avoid eye or other bodily accidents. It's a good idea to stay away from toys that shoot objects in the air, such as arrows or guns. In an instance where you can't eliminate them altogether, then use of these toys should be monitored by a responsible adult. If your older child works with a chemistry set or woodworking tools, be sure he or she wears safety glasses.

Beyond games and toys, other household dangers might be present that you want to be on the look out for. Corners with a sharp edge that are found on tables are a frequent cause of injury for small children and should be protected. Chemicals that are not stored properly are another source of danger for kids and should be stored away or locked up to prevent curious children from obtaining them.

Although it's true that games and toys for children may not always be 100% risk-free, there are lots of great playthings that can benefit a child's eyesight. There are many age-appropriate toys for children that offer amazing ways to grow optical development. When choosing toys for youngsters, go for those that develop hand-eye coordination and will help children to understand colors, shapes and space. You may want to consider trying to look on the Internet before making a purchase. This way you can do your best to make sure your purchase will protect your children and will enrich their visual development at the same time!

BIG NEWS!

We’ll soon be “Eyes on Main”! And that’s not the only news... please offer a warm welcome to Dr. Mike Gowen.

From Dr. J:

I opened my office in 1990 – That’s 30 years coming up on August 1st!!   In some ways it feels like yesterday, and in others, like forever.  Along with so much else that has changed this year, one more occasion is on the horizon.  I am excited to announce that I am selling my practice to Dr. Mike Gowen.  Dr. G and his wife, SallyAnn, met at Virginia Tech close to 40 years ago. They have been proud and loud Hokies ever since and dreamed of returning to live in Blacksburg.  Both are strong supporters of the arts, athletics and the civic engagement that make this a very special place to live, work and play!

I am thrilled to be handing the baton to a doctor who believes as I do in community service. Plus, he is laser focused also on individualized patient care, personal and professional intellectual advancement and enjoying the good things and kind people who come along every day.

Better yet, I’m not going anywhere!  I will continue seeing patients, focusing on visual rehab for those suffering from concussions/TBI, working to control the progression and consequences of nearsightedness through orthokeratology and other treatments, and counseling all regarding the inter-relation of the eyes, brain and body, along with the importance of nutrition, exercise and mental well-being.  There’s so much I yet want to learn and do, and now I won’t have to worry about arguing with insurance companies.  I’m excited!

From Dr. G:

It’s impossible to express how pleased I am to be moving to Blacksburg. It has long been the dream of my wife and I to become a part of this unique town, where we met as Virginia Tech students and continued to frequent as alumni.    I look forward to the privilege of serving the people of Blacksburg and bringing my lifetime of experience in the field of eye care to serve one and all. I'm delighted that Dr. Steve Jacobs will remain with the practice, which will now be “EYES on Main.” I consider it a great privilege to continue the exemplary patient care and community service that Dr. Jacobs has and will continue to provide to the New River Valley. Together we will serve the Blacksburg community with the same culture of care and community involvement that has always been a part of this practice.

 More updates to follow.  Send us a message or give us a call with questions, comments, or to set up an appointment.

We can always be reached at 540-953-0136!

Sincerely,Dr. J, Dr. S, Dr. G & staff