Eyebrows and eyelashes – what to know before your beauty appointment

Eyebrows and eyelashes – what to know before your beauty appointment

Tinting your eyelashes, micro-blading your eyebrows… with all these enhancements available to the general public, what are the actual risks?

Enhancing your eyelashes and eyebrows via tinting or adding extensions could cause problems with the eyes and affect vision, as they all take place so close to the eyes. Repeated exposures to chemicals in dies and glues could cause sensitivities. Accidental slip-ups can cause permanent corneal damage and more.

The Food and Drug Administration has not approved any color additives for permanent dyeing or tinting of eyelashes and eyebrows. The agency says permanent eyelash and eyebrow tints and dyes have been known to cause serious eye injuries, including blindness. Despite issuing warnings, the FDA cannot regulate salons. That job falls to state and local governments, which can have different rules.

Know the risks before booking that beauty appointment!

Tech Tuesday – winter session begins!

Happy Tech Tuesday! The winter session of our Technology Program starts today! 📱

Cellphones and iPads have made life easier with their new features like email, planners, social media, navigation systems, weather, and so forth…

Although most apps and features are not geared toward people who are blind or have low vision, there are many meant for just them – all of which this program teaches to the participants!

Did you know you can use your phone to program household electronics, vacuums, thermostats, and lights, just to name a few useful features? Pretty cool stuff!

If you’d like to find out more about our Technology Program, please email Linda Groszew, the Program Director, at 📧 lgroszew@vlanj.org, or call us at ☎️ 973-627-0055 ext 1312.

Monday Mindfulness – yield the right of way!

Monday Mindfulness – yield the right of way!

In all 50 states, the law requires drivers to yield the right of way when they see an extended white cane or guide dog.

Only people who are blind or have low vision may legally carry white canes. They listen to traffic patterns to know when to cross streets and to keep a straight line when moving around.

So remember to yield the right of way!

Sunglasses in the winter?

😎 ☀️ Gorgeous weather calls for digging out your sunglasses! ☀️😎

You should, however, keep them out for the rest of winter too. Studies show that sun exposure — regardless of season — may increase the risk of developing cataracts, snow blindness and growths on the eye, including cancer. Find out more in the article below!

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/winter-sun-eye-safety?fbclid=IwAR2whWZNJ9vHBYi_T3on4GjWZI-XiUi4n4ON1nZHOcIPIumnnd88Kfr3flc

Glaucoma – the silent thief of eye sight

Glaucoma – the silent thief of eye sight

Glaucoma is often referred to as the silent thief of eye sight. 👁️👁️

The signs and symptoms of glaucoma vary depending on the type and stage of your condition. If left untreated, glaucoma will eventually cause blindness. Even with treatment, about 15 percent of people with glaucoma become blind in at least one eye within 20 years.

Symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma include:

• Severe headache
• Eye pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Blurred vision
• Halos around lights
• Eye redness

Symptoms of open-angle glaucoma include patchy blind spots in your side (peripheral) or central vision, frequently in both eyes, and tunnel vision in the advanced stages.

If you’re experiencing some of the symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma, such as severe headache, eye pain and blurred vision, head to the emergency room or see your eye doctor immediately!