How To Clean Your Makeup Brushes

There is so much bacteria that is left on your makeup brushes that could easily come in contact with your eyes and affect your eye health. Don't fear: we don't think you should stop wearing makeup, just make smart decisions! Check out Lauren Conrad's tips and tricks on the right way to clean your makeup brushes:

So you know which brushes to use for contouring and which to for concealing. But did you know that you should be cleaning your makeup brushes? Washing your makeup brushes should be a regular part of your beauty routine. When you use your brushes, bits of makeup, oil, dirt, and even bacteria can get trapped in the bristles. So while it might seem basic, skipping this step can lead to clogged pores and pesky breakouts. Not to mention the fact that quality makeup brushes can be expensive. So learning how to properly clean them is one of the best ways to protect your investment.

Luckily, cleaning your makeup brushes is quick and easy. The first step to keeping your brushes clean is picking up a daily brush cleaner and spritzing it on your brushes after each use . Once a week, it’s time for a deep cleaning. (Note that your brushes will need a few hours to dry after a deep cleaning, so I’d recommend washing them after you’ve applied your makeup that day.)

Here’s the right way to deep clean your makeup brushes…

You will need:

• A shallow bowl
• Gentle clarifying shampoo or baby shampoo
• Your sink
• A lint free cloth

1. Begin by running your brushes under lukewarm water, rinsing out all of the residual makeup. Try to focus on the actual bristles while avoiding the part of the brush where handle meets the head, as this can loosen the glue over time

1. Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and a squirt of shampoo, and gently swirl your brush tip in the water. If you need to, you can also swirl the brush in the palm of your hand to work up a lather.

1. Rinse the brush tip under running water once again. Repeat steps two and three until the water runs clear from the brush,

1. Use a cloth to wipe your brush clean, reshaping the bristles as you go.

1. Lay your brushes flat on a cloth to dry.

And there you have it! Your makeup brushes will be as clean a whistle. It’s also worth mentioning that there are specially formulated brush shampoos on the market. A gentle clarifying or baby shampoo will do the trick just fine though.

Are your brushes in need of a cleaning?

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Colour Deficiency

The human eye only sees three colours: red, blue and green. All other colours are a combination of these. However, some people can't see these colours at all! When this happens, its called colour deficiency.

What is colour deficiency?

Colour deficiency occurs when your ability to distinguish colours and shades is different than normal. The term “colour blind” is often used, but usually incorrectly. Only a very small number of people are completely unable to identify any colours, a condition called achromatopsia. Colour deficiency is more common in males than females, with one in 10 males having a colour deficiency.

What causes colour deficiency?

Colour deficiency is usually an inherited condition, passed from mother to son, but it can also result from certain diseases, trauma or as a side effect of certain medications. Colour deficiency is the result of an imbalance in the three kinds of cones in the retina that allow us to perceive colour.

What types of colour deficiency exist?

There are three types of colour deficiency: two different kinds of red-green deficiency and one called blue-yellow deficiency. The red-green deficiencies are by far the most common and are usually inherited, resulting in the inability to distinguish between certain shades of reds, browns, pinks and oranges, or greens and blues. Blue-yellow deficiency is very rare and is usually acquired secondary to damage to the optic nerve and results in the inability to distinguish between certain shades of blue, as well as shades of yellow. People with complete colour blindness see objects in shades of black, white and grey.

How is colour deficiency detected?

Children who are colour deficient are generally unaware of their condition. They assume that everyone sees things the way they do. As a result, a complete optometric examination, including a test for colour vision, is recommended for every child. The test for colour deficiency is a relatively simple one, typically involving the viewing of a series of coloured plates with numbers or designs. The plates have been created in such a way that a person with normal colour vision can see certain figures in the designs. A person with a colour deficiency will either see a different number of designs or will be unable to distinguish the figures.

When should a person be tested for colour deficiency?

Every child should be checked for colour deficiency by at least age five. It is important to detect colour deficiency early because colour coded learning materials are used extensively in the primary grades. In addition, colour deficiency may affect the career path of an individual, since the ability to distinguish colours is an important aspect of some jobs, such as pilots, electricians, some military personnel, police officers and others.

Can colour deficiency be cured?

Unfortunately, a cure for colour deficiency has not yet been discovered. A person with a colour deficiency can, however, be taught proper colour naming and to accurately distinguish colours. For example, you can be taught to recognize the brightness and location of a traffic light rather than the colour itself. It is sometimes possible to increase the ability to distinguish colours with the use of special filters. For example, a special red tinted contact lens can be used in one eye, to aid people with certain colour deficiencies.

For more information or to book an appointment with one of our Doctors of Optometry, please feel free to call 604.553.3900 or visit us online at www.visionsourcenw.com.

Are you experiencing blurred vision and headaches?

Blurred vision & headaches may be caused by a naturally occurring aging process called "presbyopia."

Having to wear glasses for the first time due to presbyopia turns out to be a natural part of aging for most of us. But the stress and anxiety experienced by one woman while trying to have its symptoms diagnosed is not.

“A Doctor of Optometry in our office saw a female patient who had disabling headaches and blurred vision,” says Doctor of Optometry Richard Kort. “She first went to a family physician, who ordered a series of tests, including a CAT scan, to rule out a brain tumor or aneurysm. Months later she came into our office for a comprehensive eye exam. A simple pair of reading glasses got rid of her symptoms. But the entire process took months and seriously affected her quality of life.”

Dr. Kort says the unnecessary anxiety the patient experienced drives home the importance of seeing a Doctor of Optometry if you are experiencing blurred vision or headaches – symptoms that can be related to vision problems, such as presbyopia (literally “aging eye” in Greek). Doctors recommend that adults under age 65 have a comprehensive eye exam every two years, and seniors annually.

Other symptoms of presbyopia include eye fatigue, difficulty reading in dim light, and having to hold reading material at arm’s length. People with a history of good vision are typically the most surprised when symptoms of this naturally occurring process begin, usually around the age of 40.

But while eyeglasses are an inevitable fact of life for most of us, not all glasses are created equal. Buying “cheater” lenses – the inexpensive glasses often purchased in drug stores without a proper prescription – may be tempting, but other factors need to be considered for proper vision care. Cheaters don’t take into account the wearer’s preferred reading position and angle, or that most people need different magnification strengths for each eye to avoid eye strain and fatigue.

“Using cheaters may reduce the amount of time someone can read comfortably, compared with prescription reading glasses,” says Dr. Kort.“Prescription reading glasses don’t have to be expensive. The important thing is that, if you’re having difficulty reading, you should see a Doctor of Optometry.”

Eye exams need to be regular:

• Children should have their first complete eye exam between six and nine months of age, another between ages 2 and 5, and yearly after they start school.

• Adults 20-39 years old should have an eye exam every two to three years.

• Adults 40-64 years old should have an eye exam every two years.

• Those over age 65 or people with diabetes or a history of eye disease in their family should have yearly exams, or as recommended by a Doctor of Optometry.

Routine eye exams by a Doctor of Optometry not only ensure good vision and eye health, but peace of mind. For more information or to book an appointment, please call us at 604.553.3900 or visit us online at www.visionsourcenw.com.

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Top Five Story Books to Celebrate Children’s Vision Month!

Did you recently find out that your child will have to wear glasses? A great way to introduce kids to the idea of wearing glasses is through a story book. See below for our top five choices.

1. ‘Who Wears Glasses’ by Ana Galan
In this hilarious early reader safari animals talk about why they love their glasses. Each of the animals has their own style. Some are serious, some are cool, and some are just plain silly!

2. ‘The Princess Who Wore Glasses’ by Laura Hertzfeld Katz
This book is about a Princess who can’t see very far and is missing out on all the wonders of the kingdom of TuaLuna. Princess Liana goes on a journey to see Maximilian the court magician who gives her an amazing eye test and the beautiful gift of magical eyeglasses.

3. ‘Fancy Nancy: Spectacular Spectacles’ by Jane O’Connor
Nancy thinks that Bree’s new glasses are simply spectacular. After all, they are lavender. They are glittery. And best of all, they come in a silver case. So when Bree tells Nancy all about her trip to the eye doctor, Nancy can’t help but wonder if her own eyesight is perhaps getting a little blurry too.

4. ‘Arlo needs glasses’ by Barney Saltzberg
This is an interactive picture book that allows kids to help the shaggy, loveable dog Arlo rediscover how to be the best ball-catcher in the neighborhood. They interact with Arlo through reading an eye chart, looking through a fold-out phoropter and trying on different pairs of glasses.

5. ‘My Travelin Eye’ by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
This is a charming story about one very inspiring little girl who overcomes her disability and offers inspiration to others. This picture book is highly recommended for young children, ages 3-8.

Visit us online at www.visionsourcenw.com or give us a call at 604.553.3900 for more information or to book an appointment.

A Historical Look at Women in the Eyecare Professional Community

September is Women of Achievement Month so we thought it would be appropriate to take a look at the women who made history in the eyecare professional community. We would like to introduce you to some notable women, we think you should know about, in the eyecare industry.

Women in Ophthalmology

Patricia Bath is the first African-American female physician to receive a patent for a medical invention. Inventions relate to cataract surgery and include the Laserphaco Probe, which revolutionized the industry in the 1980s, and an ultrasound technique for treatment. Bath also co-founded the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness (1976) whose motto is “protect, preserve, and restore the gift of sight.”

Selwa Al-Hazzaa published many papers, but her most important paper was DUANES, which specialized in genetically inherited eye diseases in Saudi Arabia. In 1997, she became the first female department head in King Faisal Specialist Hospital, as she became the head of the ophthalmology department. She was also the late King Fahad’s personal ophthalmologist.

Ida Mann diagnosed a trachoma epidemic amongst Indigenous people in the Kimberleys and traveled extensively in Western Australia in order to examine and treat Indigenous people with trachoma. Mann published extensively in the area of eye anatomy and eye disease, publishing many scientific articles and several books. She also wrote on her travels and findings relating to trachoma. Most of her writings were published under her married name Ida Gye or a pseudonym, Caroline Gye.

Marilyn Miller is an American pediatric ophthalmologist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of congenital eye diseases and strabismus. She has held leadership positions in her field, often as the first female in those positions. She was the first female to serve as president of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, and also the first female board member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Aida de Acosta Root Breckinridge became an advocate for improved eye care and was founder and director of the first eye bank in America, after losing sight in one of her eyes to glaucoma, in 1922. Her ophthalmologist was famed eye specialist William H. Wilmer, whom Time magazine called “the greatest eye surgeon the U.S. has ever had.” Dr. Wilmer’s care saved her other eye, and inspired her to organize a fund-raising campaign that resulted in $3 million to fund the establishment in 1925 of the Wilmer Eye Institute in Johns Hopkins Hospital, the first eye institute in the U.S. In 1945 she founded and became Executive Director of the Eye-Bank for Sight Restoration in New York, the first eye bank in the U.S

Isabel Hayes Chapin Barrows (1845–1913) was the first woman to practice ophthalmology in the United States, as well as the first woman appointed to a medical school faculty. Her accomplishments, she managed while financing her husband’s education and raising two children. Her list of achievements also includes serving in roles such as a missionary, editor, reporter, prison reformer and ambassador.

Regina Salomea Pilsztynowa, ophthalmologist in 18th-century Poland. Regina Salomea Rusiecki (later Pilsztynowa) was a young, poorly educated Polish Catholic woman in the 18th century who became well known in Eastern Europe and the Ottoman Empire because of her skill in the treatment of cataracts and some other medical problems. She was born in 1718, and at the age of 14 she married an experienced, but significantly older, German Lutheran physician and ophthalmologist, Jakob Halpir. By helping him eagerly in his work, Pilsztynowa learned a great deal of her husband’s way of treating cataracts and other ailments, and she ambitiously made use of the friendship and help of other physicians whom she met on her travels.

Else Steinert née Loewenheim is one of Germany’s first female specialist ophthalmologists. Merely tolerated as a guest listener, she conducted most of her studies in Leipzig (1900-1905) and acquired her doctor’s license there. During World War I she worked as assistant at the Ophthalmology Clinic at Leipzig University under Hubert Sattler (1844-1928), but soon thereafter was displaced by her male colleagues returning from the War. Between 1920 and 1937 the young widow and mother of three had a private practice, first in Leipzig and then in Idar-Oberstein, which was one of the first ophthalmology practices to be opened by a female doctor on a national scale. After the Nazis had seized power and she had thus been declared a Jew, her doctor’s license was withdrawn and in this manner she was deprived of her livelihood. To escape being deported to a concentration camp she fled and survived World War II in the countryside of Bavaria. Her MD thesis of 1920, of which only an eight-page abridged version has survived, is a contribution to the debate on the indication and prognosis of Elliot’s trepanation for the treatment of glaucoma. Based on her investigations she strongly recommended this operation for all patients with severe glaucoma.

Dr Georgiana Dvorak-Theobold was the first woman to win the Howe Medal in 1957 for her contributions to the ophthalmic world. She made many contributions to our understanding of ocular disease. Most importantly, three particular areas, the anatomy of the canal of Schlemm and its relation to the vascular system, the second is the pseudo-exfoliation of the lens capsule, the third area was the possible location of abnormal resistance to aqueous outflow in the collector channels. She joined the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary in 1915; she remained affiliated with them for her entire life. The American Board of Ophthalmology certified her in 1928; she became a full member in 1934.

Women in Optometry

Celia Sánchez-Ramos gained her PhD in Pharmacy in the area of Preventice Medicine in 1994. She is a well-established optician-optometrist and Tenure Lecturer at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She has filed 13 patents, including one for therapeutic contact lenses for pseudophakic eyes and/or eyes suffering neurodegeneration. The latter innovation led to her being awarded, in April 2009, the Best Invention presented by a Woman Inventor of 2009 prize (Premio a la Mejor Inventora del Año 2009) by the UN World Intellectual Property Organization, the Gold Medal (with congratulations of the jury) for the Best Invention in the Healthcare Area, and the Best Spanish Patent prize, awarded by the Spanish Office of Patents and Trademarks (Oficina Española de Patentes y Marcas).

Paula R. Newsome is the first African-American female Optometrist to practice in North Carolina, and the second African-American female Optometrist licensed by North Carolina. She is the first African American female in the U.S. to become a member of the American Academy of Optometry.

Mollie Wright Armstrong, she was the first woman optometrist in the state of Texas and only the second in the United States. After attending Baylor Female College, she studied at optometry schools in Georgia, Illinois, and Missouri. She began her practice in Brownwood in 1899. She was active in the passage of the first optometry law in Texas, became a member of the Texas Board of Examiners in Optometry, and served as vice president and president of the board, to which she belonged for twenty-four years. She was president of the Texas Optometric Association from 1923 to 1925 and at another time served as the association’s director of publicity. When the Texas Optometrist was first published, she was its editor. It was largely through her efforts that the first optometric professional liability policy was made available to optometrists nationwide, and she became a trustee of the American Optometric Association. In 1927, Dr. Armstrong was instrumental in organizing the Texas Woman’s Auxiliary to the American Optometric Association. That same year she was appointed a regional director of the American Optometric Association Auxiliary. In Brownwood, she was the organizer and first president of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Brownwood Business and Professional Women’s Club, and the Brownwood Civic League. She served as director of the Brownwood Chamber of Commerce and represented her district as a member of the State Democratic Executive Committee.

One of these two notable ladies, Fannie Gassett of Boston, MA and Gertrude M. Martin of Utica, New York are presumed to have the distinction of being the first woman optometrist in the American Academy of Optometry. Both ladies were on lists dating back to 1929, though the first published list of the American Academy of Optometry members is a geographical directory, which was first published in 1934. It is assumed, that since both women were on earlier unpublished lists that they were also among the earliest members of the Academy.

If you would like to know more about women in the eyecare professional community, please visit the Facebook pages and/or websites below. Both groups work tirelessly for women in our industry.

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