Author: Envision Eyecare

Envision Eyecare Healthy Eyes Lecture by Doctor Golson

Written by Envision Eyecare on June 14, 2016. Posted in Education. No Comments on Envision Eyecare Healthy Eyes Lecture by Doctor Golson

Do you have questions about eye health? Would you be interested in discussing eye health with an optometrist? Well here’s your chance to learn more and have an open discussion of common vision and eye health concerns with a doctor and your peers! Join Dr. Larry Golson of Envision Eyecare for a discussion on “A Lifetime of Healthy Eyes.” This is one of the regular health and wellness classes that are hosted by Dr. Chad Krisel of Integrative Family Medicine of Asheville. Doctor Golson will be the noted speaker for the evening and he’s very excited to share with you all! We encourage you to attend and learn about and discuss eye care with Doctor Golson.

At Envision Eyecare, our mission is “To preserve and protect our patient’s precious sense of sight for a lifetime.” This discussion will focus on common vision and eye health concerns and how to proactively prevent these eye health and vision disorders before they occur. We will welcome and encourage your questions and dialogue during this event.

If you are interested in attending this class, please RSVP to [email protected] by Thursday, June 23rd at 12:00 pm.
The class is free for Integrative Life Members. There is a suggested donation of $5 for non-members. The entrance for the class is located on Ralph Street behind the Integrative clinic. Integrative will have walking directions posted on their clinic door the day of the event.

A Discussion on “A Lifetime of Healthy Eyes”
Thursday, June 23, 2016
5:30-6:30 pm
Glen Rock Community Space
Located at 372 Depot Street, Asheville, North Carolina 28801
RSVP by June 23rd at 12 pm

Envision Eyecare Sponsors Kids Zone at Festival

Written by Envision Eyecare on May 24, 2016. Posted in Asheville. No Comments on Envision Eyecare Sponsors Kids Zone at Festival

This weekend, May 27-29th, there’s a celebration of sports, the mountains, and Asheville, complete with live music, food, beer, and fun! It’s the 16^th annual Mountain Sports Festival held at Carrier Park on Memorial Day weekend. This year’s festival features a variety of sports events such as Cyclocross, disc golf, hockey, Pilates, a Crossfit challenge, different kinds of races, and much more. The music lineup schedule is up on the website. There’s tons of music all three days from some awesome local bands of different music genres. As it is with most great festivals in Asheville, there’s great food and local craft brews to be had at the Mountain Sports Fest. You’ll find Pisgah Brewing, Sierra Nevada, and Urban Orchard Cider at the festival.

Bring the children out to the festival to enjoy the Heartstrings Kids Zone hosted by the Western Carolina Medical Society. Envision Eyecare is a proud sponsor of the Heartstrings this year. The Kids Zone features bounce houses, a giant slides, games and coloring, face painting, healthy snacks from Trader Joe’s, and more. There will also be a 50-50 raffle to benefit Western Carolina Medical Society Foundation. If you’d like to donate to WCMS Foundation’s numerous charitable programs, you can here.
Lastly, there will be some great vendors and sponsors at the festival, from outdoor gear and rentals to activities and outdoor publications. Don’t miss the silent auction while you’re there. There are some really good adventure and outdoor auction items up for grabs!

Come out and play at the Mountain Sports Festival this weekend!

Envision Eyecare Sponsors Montford Avenue Festival

Written by Envision Eyecare on May 20, 2016. Posted in Asheville. No Comments on Envision Eyecare Sponsors Montford Avenue Festival

This Saturday marks the 13^th annual Montford Avenue Music and Arts Festival in the historical Montford neighborhood of Asheville, North Carolina! Envision Eyecare is proud to be a sponsor of this festival! This festival is Asheville’s longest running single day neighborhood street festival. Of course, no festival in Asheville is complete without local food, music, arts and crafts, and that’s exactly what you’ll find at the Montford Avenue Fest. You’ll experience a taste of Asheville, as only Asheville vendors participate. You’ll find some of Asheville’s finest food trucks there. There will even be beverages from Biltmore Coffee Traders, lemonade from Macdaddy’s Organic Lemonade, and many flavors of ice cream from The Hop Ice Cream.

The music lineup has been announced on the Montford Avenue Festival’s Facebook page. Check out the bands that will be playing all day. There will be two music stages with live music. There will be a few special groups performing such as the Asheville Morris Men, Ashgrove Garland Dancers, and the Mountain Lion Chinese Dragon Dance.

Come out to the Montford Avenue Festival on Saturday, May 21^st from 10 am until 7 pm. Enjoy the historical neighborhood while you stroll the street checking out the local artisans at this wonderful local festival!

Women’s Eye Health Month

Written by Envision Eyecare on April 18, 2016. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Women’s Eye Health Month

Did you know that women are more likely to have vision problems than men are? April is designated Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month for that very reason. Most women don’t even realize the greater risks to their eyesight, so awareness is key to raising attention. According to Friends for Sight, two-thirds of blindness and visual impairments worldwide occur in women.

Eye issues that commonly and more frequently occur in women are Cataracts, Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Dry Eye, refractive error, impairment, and even blindness. That’s multiple major eye issues! Now the question is why do these issues occur more frequently in women? There are many factors that contribute to vision concerns in women.

According to Friends For Sight, two reasons are that women typically live longer than men and the impact of hormonal fluctuations throughout a woman’s life. There are other significant things that could impact a woman’s sight, such as birth control, pregnancy, menopause, breast cancer, and fertility drugs. There are also autoimmune diseases that women are more likely to have that can have negative impacts on the eyes, such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. A few risk factors for eyesight are obesity, smoking, age, and poor nutrition.

What you can you do as a woman (or anyone) to protect your vision? First of all, make sure you regularly schedule eye exams with your optometrist. Your eye doctor can catch vision issues early on, potentially when you’re able to correct the issue or slow the onset. If you are pregnant, you should be sure to see your eye doctor regularly. Eating a healthy diet can help anyone maintain healthy sight. Quit smoking to significantly lower your risks of eye disease. Use cosmetics and contact lenses safely. Wear quality sunglasses year-round.

If it’s time for you to schedule your eye exam, give us a call!

Envision Eyecare Referral Program

Written by Envision Eyecare on March 24, 2016. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Envision Eyecare Referral Program

Sharing is caring! Did you know that Envision Eyecare offers a referral program to our patients? Have you had a great Envision Experience? Tell a friend! We’d love, love, love it if you share about us with a friend, family member, co-worker, or hey, even a stranger who needs eye care or glasses! For each person that you refer that becomes a patient of ours, you’ll receive a $25 credit in optical! To think, all you have to do is mention Envision Eyecare to someone you know that may need to see us anyway! They need a professional eye doctor or great new glasses and you get $25 that you could spend on a new pair of sunnies…that’s a win-win for us all!

Our eye care practice thrives on patient referrals and our great reviews. Sharing our good work with someone in your life, tells us you value of the care you received here. It also means that we are doing a good job and we love to know that our patients feel that way! We truly appreciate all of our patients and clients. We want to thank you for spreading the word about Envision Eyecare and believing in our level of care enough to refer your loved ones.

We hope you’ll think of us when you have a friend who needs eye care, new glasses, or even a stylish pair of sunglasses and send them our way. We’ll take excellent care of them! Be sure that your friend mentions your name or let us know whom you referred, that way we can make certain you are properly thanked.

We appreciate you taking the time to spread the word about Envision Eyecare! It means a lot to our team. Thank you!

Envision Eyecare BluTech Lens Interview

Written by Envision Eyecare on February 28, 2016. Posted in Eyewear. No Comments on Envision Eyecare BluTech Lens Interview

We love BluTech lenses because we wear BluTech lenses to protect our eyes! Here’s a video of Dr. Golson and some of our team who shared about their own BluTech experience. Why wear BluTech lenses? BluTech lenses protect against blue light. What is blue light? Blue light has a very short wavelength, therefore it produces a higher amount of energy. Blue light also flickers more easily than longer wavelengths and creates glare due to the flickering tendencies.

According to Harvard Health, blue wavelengths are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times, and mood. However at night, blue light tells your body it’s not time to go to sleep. Blue light actually produces a reaction that tells your brain to turn off melatonin production. Melatonin tells your brain it’s nighttime and that it is time to sleep.

Blue light is emitted by electronics such as your phone, computer, tablets, and fluorescent and LED lights. There is scientific evidence that points to exposure to blue light being harmful not just to the quality of your sleep, but also harmful to your eyes. There is also evidence that blue light is linked to retinal damage and age-related macular degeneration.

How often do you stare at a screen throughout the day? Are you using electronics before bed? Why take the risk? Enhance, protect, and preserve your sight with BluTech lenses from Envision Eyecare! BluTech will protect your eyes from blue light. Schedule an appointment with us to learn more about getting BluTech lenses in your next pair of glasses.

Eyewear Specials At Envision Eyecare

Written by Envision Eyecare on February 19, 2016. Posted in Eyewear. No Comments on Eyewear Specials At Envision Eyecare

Now is the time to shop for eyewear at Envision! Why? We have two excellent eyewear special offers for you, that’s why! And hey, it’s a new year; why not opt for a new look? We have a great deal on eyeglasses AND sunglasses right now! It’s not too early to get a new pair of sunglasses for the springtime. Of course, we’re advocates of wearing sunglasses in the winter to protect your eyes year round. Read more about why you should wear your sunglasses in the winter.

If you want a new pair of shades just in time for spring, you can receive $50 off a pair of sunglasses with the purchase of any supply of contact lenses. We have a wide selection of stylish, quality sunglasses. Our optical experts are available not only to help you find the perfect pair of eyeglasses, but also sunglasses!

For our eyeglasses wearers, you know what they say, “Two pairs of glasses are better than one!” With our glasses special, you purchase one complete pair of glasses (both frames and lenses) and you receive a free frame* with the purchase of lenses. Why wear the same pair of glasses every day or every season? You have more than one pair of shoes, don’t you? Do you need another pair for reading, driving, or sports? Hurry, this offer is only available until March 11, 2016.

Schedule an appointment so that our Optical Experts can help you find the perfect look and take advantage of the savings!

*This offer is available for select frames only

Why You Should Wear Sunglasses in the Winter

Written by Envision Eyecare on February 1, 2016. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Why You Should Wear Sunglasses in the Winter

Newsflash: Sunglasses aren’t just for summertime! It’s very important to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun year round. It’s no less important to wear sunglasses in the winter than it is in the summer. Don’t worry; it’s still fashionable to wear sunglasses in the winter too!

Both long and short-term exposure to UV rays can be harmful to your eyes and affect your vision. Extended exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays has been linked to eye damage, including cataracts, macular degeneration, pingueculae, pterygia, and photokeratitis that can cause temporary vision loss, according to All About Vision. Cancer around the eyelids and around the eyes is a possibility from sun exposure.

If you’re out in the snow, the risk of damage increases. According to the Sun Safety Alliance, snow can reflect up to 85% to 90% of the sun’s UV rays directly back into your eyes! Glare is an issue in the winter as well, whether you’re outdoors, skiing, or driving. For us in Asheville and the mountains, it’s important to realize that UV exposure is greater in the mountains. Exposure increases with elevation.

Protect yourself by wearing a pair of quality UV-blocking sunglasses. They should block 98% of UV rays, at the least. The frames should fit closer to your face and have wide lenses to cover and protect your entire eye area. Gray lenses are the best to maintain color quality. Be aware that the darkness of the tint does not mean it blocks more rays. Tint is purely cosmetic. Quality lenses help reduce glare, block rays, and overall help you to see better.

We have a large collection of prescription and non-prescription sunglasses, as well as eyeglasses that are available for our clients. We’re currently offering $50 off sunglasses with the purchase of a supple of contact lenses. Come by and see us and try on some frames! Our optical specialists can help you choose the right look.

Glaucoma Awareness Month

Written by Envision Eyecare on January 24, 2016. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Glaucoma Awareness Month

It’s estimated that over 3 million people in the United States have Glaucoma and about half of them don’t even know they have it. 60 million people worldwide have the disease. January is designated National Glaucoma Awareness month in order to bring attention to this preventable disease. Prevention is key, considering there is no cure. According to Glaucoma.org, Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness. Glaucoma is called the “thief sneak of sight” because there are usually no symptoms. Sadly, sight lost from the disease cannot be gained back. The scary thing is that as much as 40% of your sight can be lost from Glaucoma without you even noticing! That’s due to the fact that there is a gradual sight loss, which usually begins with your peripheral vision. The World Health Organization estimates that 4.5 million people worldwide are blind due to glaucoma. It is the second leading cause of blindness in the world!

Vision loss from Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve, which carries images from the eye to the brain. Research shows that eye pressure is major risk factor for optic nerve damage by a buildup of fluid. High blood pressure is also a risk factor. While Glaucoma cannot be cured and blindness can’t be reversed, it can be prevented. Regular eye exams by your eye doctor can help catch Glaucoma, even though there are usually no symptoms. Generally glaucoma affects middle-aged and elderly people, but different forms can affect anyone. Anyone of African, Hispanic or Asian descent are at higher risk for Glaucoma. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in African Americans. Anyone with a family history of Glaucoma is at higher risk for the disease.

There is no cure for Glaucoma, but there are treatments to manage it early on. Ideally if the disease is caught at an earlier stage further onset of the disease can be delayed and vision loss can be prevented. Learn more on the research of Glaucoma here. If you’d like to donate to research funds, donate here.

Envision Eyecare’s MANNA Food Drive

Written by Envision Eyecare on December 14, 2015. Posted in Food. No Comments on Envision Eyecare’s MANNA Food Drive

As Dr. Golson shares in our impromptu video from the AskAsheville team, Envision Eyecare is giving back during the holiday season and we need your help! We’re holding a food drive for MANNA FoodBank. You can participate by dropping off canned food and dry goods to our office location at 181 Charlotte Street Asheville, North Carolina.

In case you can’t swing by, we also have a Virtual Food Drive going on. You can donate directly to MANNA via our Virtual Drive by clicking here. Envision is matching 25 cents to every $1.00 donation we receive! Every $1.00 truly helps! For every $1.00 donated, MANNA can provide the food for THREE MEALS to families in need in the Western NC area. WOW! Our food drive will be happening until January 8, 2016.

Read on to learn a little more about MANNA FoodBank:

As an accredited member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, the mission of MANNA FoodBank is to involve, educate, and unite people in the work of ending hunger in Western North Carolina. Every day, MANNA provides the food for 35,388 meals through 250+ soup kitchens, church pantries, homeless shelters, and other community-based organizations across the 16-county WNC service area. Volunteers are vital to their work. In 2014, 6,983 volunteers dedicated 59,520 hours of their time, which is the equivalent of 35 full-time employees.

To view MANNA’s Annual Report for 2014, or for more information, visit MANNAFoodbank.org, or call 828-299-FOOD