National Safe Toys and Gifts Month

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

December is National Safe Toys and Gifts Month. It is an annual observance dedicated to promoting the safety of toys and gifts for children, particularly during the holiday season. It serves as a reminder to parents, caregivers, and gift-givers to choose age-appropriate and safe toys to ensure the well-being of the children who receive them.

Started by the nonprofit organization, Prevent Blindness, National Safe Toys and Gifts Month focuses on raising awareness about the importance of selecting toys and gifts that meet safety standards and align with a child’s age and developmental stage. The month aims to prevent accidents and injuries caused by inappropriate or hazardous toys, especially when gift-giving is most common.

Too often, accidents involving children and toys occur and may result in eye injuries. Each year, thousands of children ages 14 and younger suffer serious eye injuries, including blindness, from toys, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Approximately one in ten children’s eye injuries caused by toys end up in the ER.

Promoting safe toys and gifts during this month is essential for children’s well-being. Ways to participate and ensure safe gift-giving include:

Check the labels of the toys before purchasing them. Always look for age-appropriate labels on toys and gifts and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Avoid toys with small parts, which can be choking hazards for young children.

Inspect the toys for any hazards by examining them for sharp edges, loose parts, or any potential dangers that could harm children.

Research the toys and gifts online by reading reviews and asking for recommendations from other parents and caregivers.

Consider the child’s age before buying any gifts or toys. Also consider their interests and abilities when selecting gifts for them.

Support educational toys by choosing toys and gifts that encourage learning, creativity, and development.

Spread awareness by sharing safety tips and information about safe toys and gifts month with your community and on social media.

Taking proper precautions can avoid many accidents and injuries involving children’s toys. Let’s all do our part to encourage their safety.

To schedule an eye exam for your child at Flushing Hospital’s Medical Center Ambulatory Care Center, call (718) 670-5486. If there is an emergency, please call 911.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Xavia Malcolm

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects the eyes. It occurs when diabetes damages the small blood vessels in the retina.

In some people, diabetic retinopathy may cause blood vessels to swell and leak fluid; in others, abnormal blood vessels may grow on the retina’s surface. These changes over time can lead to vision loss or permanent blindness.

The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they are to develop diabetic retinopathy. They may not have any symptoms in the early stages of the disease. However, as it progresses, they might experience:

Trouble seeing far-away objects
Seeing dark, floating spots
Difficulty reading
Blurry vision
Poor night vision
Color blindness or color vision changes
Blind spots

In addition to having diabetes, other factors can increase the risk of diabetic retinopathy. They include:

High blood pressure
Pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
High cholesterol
Poor control of high blood sugar levels
Smoking

You can reduce your risk of diabetic retinopathy by:

Controlling blood sugar levels by taking medications as prescribed and following your healthcare provider’s care plan
Quitting smoking
Managing cholesterol
Managing high blood pressure
Maintaining a healthy diet
Getting regular eye exams

Regular eye exams can help your doctor detect and diagnose diabetic retinopathy early. Timely treatments can reduce the risk of complications or other serious eye conditions.

There are several treatment options available if you develop diabetic retinopathy. They can include injecting medications into the eye, focal laser treatments, scatter laser treatments, or eye surgery.

If you are looking for an eye doctor in Flushing, NY, our ophthalmology clinic provides a range of treatment options for both adults and children. To schedule an appointment, please call 718-670-5486.

Glaucoma Awareness Month

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases and the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the U.S., as it affects more than 3 million people in the country. The National Eye Institute projects that this number will reach 4.2 million by 2030, a 58% increase.

Anyone can get glaucoma, but some people are at a higher risk than others, including:

People who are over 60 years of age
People who are Black/African American and over 40 years of age
People who are Asian American
People who are Hispanic/Latino
People who have a family history of glaucoma

Glaucoma has no early symptoms. Vision loss begins with peripheral or side vision, so you may not notice anything until significant vision is lost. The best way to prevent vision loss is with a comprehensive dilated eye exam. There is no cure for glaucoma, but starting treatment as early as possible can help prevent vision loss.

To schedule an appointment with an eye doctor at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, please call 718- 670-5486.

National Safe Toys and Gifts Month

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Patrick Hercules

Promoting safe toys and gifts during this month is essential for children’s well-being. Ways to participate and ensure safe gift-giving include:

Check labels: always look for age-appropriate labels on toys and gifts, and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Avoid small parts: steer clear of toys with small parts or choking hazards for young children.
Inspect for hazards: examine toys for sharp edges, loose parts, or any potential dangers that could harm children.
Read reviews: research toys and gifts online, read reviews, and ask for recommendations from other parents and caregivers.
Consider the child’s age: consider a child’s age, interests, and abilities when selecting gifts for them.
Support educational toys: choose toys and gifts that encourage learning, creativity, and development.
Spread awareness: share safety tips and information about safe toys and gifts month with your community and on social media.

Taking the proper precautions can avoid many accidents and injuries involving children’s toys. Let’s all do our part to encourage their safety.

To schedule an eye exam for your child at Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center, call (718) 670-5486. If there is an emergency, please call 911.

Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month

Posted on August 7, 2024 by Patrick Hercules

August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month. With children going back to school, it is important to get their eyes checked.

Vision is a vital part of a child’s development. It is how they learn, play, and interact with the world around them.

Unfortunately, many eye problems in children go undetected, which can lead to long-term issues. Regular eye exams are critical in identifying problems early which ensures your child has the best chance for healthy vision. Good vision is essential for their performance in school, in sports, and their overall well-being.

Children are vulnerable to many eye problems, including:

Injuries
Infections
Nearsightedness

There are many things to be aware of that may indicate a problem with your child’s eyes. They include:

Their eyes do not line up or appear crossed
Their eyelids are red-rimmed, crusted, or swollen
Their eyes are watery or inflamed
They rub their eyes a lot
They close or cover one eye
They tilt their head forward
They have trouble reading or doing other close-up work
They hold objects close to their eyes to see
They blink more than usual or seem cranky when doing close-up work
Things are blurry or hard to see for them

There are many ways to protect your child’s eye health, including:

Getting regular eye exams
Wearing protective eyewear during sports and other activities
Limiting screen time
Practicing healthy nutrition

If you would like to schedule an eye exam for your child, you can visit an ophthalmologist at Flushing Hospital Medical Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 670-5486.

The Do’s and Don’ts for Monday’s Solar Eclipse

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Jacob Lobosco

On Monday, April 8^th, a total solar eclipse will be visible across North America. During a total solar eclipse, the moon completely obscures the sun as it orbits the Earth, causing it to appear like a dark circle surrounded by a ring of light. The moon will pass the sun from about 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM; in New York, the total eclipse should be visible between 3:00 and 3:30. This type of eclipse is not rare, taking place approximately every 1.5 years. However, they often occur in more remote parts of the world; this eclipse will be the first one to be visible in the United States since 2017.

While this event will make for a rare and interesting sight, it’s important to take safety precautions to protect your eyesight if you plan to view it. Any amount of time spent looking at the sun can permanently damage your retina and potentially cause blindness. Make sure to follow these tips to protect your eye health while watching the eclipse:

Do: View the eclipse with glasses that contain solar filters or hand-held solar viewers. Ordinary sunglasses do not sufficiently protect you against the harmful effects of looking directly at the sun, even during an eclipse.

Do: Make sure any eclipse glasses or viewers you purchase come from a reputable vendor that verifiably includes solar filters into their products.

Do: Read any instructions that come with your eclipse viewer or glasses. If you plan to look at the eclipse with your child, make sure to help them understand how to use these tools to view the sun safely.

Don’t: Look at the sun through cameras, telescopes, or binoculars that do not contain a solar filter, even if you are wearing glasses or using a viewer that contains a solar filter at the same time. These devices can concentrate the sun’s rays in a way that damages the solar filter.

Don’t: Use your eclipse glasses or viewer if they have visible damage or scratches on them, as these can reduce their protective effects.

If you’ve experience eye damage due to the effects of the sun, you can visit an ophthalmologist at Flushing Hospital Medical Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 670-5486.

Thyroid Eye Disease

Posted on February 8, 2022 by Michael Hinck

Thyroid eye disease (or TED) is a condition that causes the immune system to attack the muscles and other tissues around the eyes. The condition is most commonly associated with Graves’ disease, which is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the thyroid gland, causing it to produce more thyroid hormone than the body needs.

In most cases people who develop TED are already diagnosed with Graves’ disease, but for some, it is the first indicator of thyroid problem. Approximately one half of all people diagnosed with Graves disease develop eye symptoms. In most cases the symptoms are mild, but for some, it can have more serious consequences.

The most common symptoms of TED include:

Pain and pressure
Dry, itchy, or watery eyes
Difficulty wearing contact lenses
Inflammation and swelling of the eye and its surrounding tissues
Bulging or wide-eyed stare caused by swelling in the orbital tissues
Red or bloodshot eyes
Double vision
Light sensitivity
Impaired vision
Difficulty moving the eyes

Thyroid eye disease can affect people differently. Symptoms can last from 6 months to 2 years. For some, symptoms may go away on their own, but others may experience lasting effects. To best treat the condition, it is best to work with a team of doctors, including a primary care physician, an ophthalmologist, and an endocrinologist.

For milder cases, applying lubricating eye drops and artificial tears a few times during the day can help be helpful. It is also recommended to avoid conditions that can worsen the condition, such as wind and bright light (or try to wear sunglasses in these elements to protect your eyes). Other tips include applying cool compresses to provide relief and elevating your head while you sleep to relieve pressure on the eyes.

If you have severe symptoms, a doctor may prescribe corticosteroids, such as prednisone to reduce the swelling in and around your eyes. In a very small percentage of patients, orbital decompression surgery may be recommended if your vision becomes impaired.

To schedule an appointment at Flushing Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Center, please call 718-670-5486.

Pinkeye

Posted on July 7, 2021 by Joann Ariola

Pinkeye, also known as conjunctivitis, is one of the most common and highly treatable eye conditions. More than three million adults and children in the U.S. contract pinkeye every year.

Pinkeye occurs when the thin, clear tissue under the eyelid, known as the conjunctiva, becomes inflamed. This inflammation makes the blood vessels in the eye more visible, giving them a pink appearance. People who develop pinkeye typically experience pain, or feel a burning or itchy sensation. Their eyes may also tear and form a discharge that crusts while sleeping. Other symptoms may include swelling, tenderness or sensitivity to light.

There are several causes for pinkeye, but it is most commonly either viral, which is the most contagious form, or due to a bacterial infection. Other factors that can lead to pinkeye include exposure to irritants such as shampoo, cosmetics, dirt, or pool chlorine, an allergic reaction to pollen, dust, or smoke, or a reaction to eye drops or contact lenses. Usually a doctor can diagnose pinkeye through a routine examination.

Treating pinkeye depends on the cause of the condition. In most cases it is treated by administering artificial tears, which can be purchased over-the-counter, to treat the dryness and cold compresses to treat inflammation. If pinkeye has developed due to a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be prescribed. Symptoms of pinkeye typically last anywhere from one to two weeks.

To avoid contracting pinkeye, take the following precautions:

Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes.
Avoid sharing towels, blankets, and pillowcases.
Do not share eye makeup, face makeup, makeup brushes, contact lenses or containers, or eyeglasses.

In rare cases pinkeye can lead to complications. Please see a doctor if you experience moderate to severe pain your eyes, if you have problems with your vision, or if symptoms persist or worsen over time.

To make an appointment at Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center, please call 718-670-5486.

Do You Have Trouble Identifying Colors? You Might Be Color Blind!

Posted on December 2, 2019 by Flushing Hospital

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet – the colors of the rainbow; most of us can identify and distinguish each of these colors from the rest, but for those who are color blind, telling these colors apart is not so easy.

As much as 8% of men are color blind, (compared to only 0.5 % of women). Why are men so much more prone to color blindness? Well, the reason for colorblindness is a dysfunction in the x chromosome. Men only have one X chromosome, but women have two – and all someone needs is one working x chromosome to compensate for the loss of function of the other.

Being color blind doesn’t really mean that a person can’t see color though. Complete color blindness is actually very rare. What is much more common is a visionary deficiency, which means a person isn’t aware of the differences among colors. Some deficiencies are profound while others are mild. In fact, some people who don’t have a severe form of color blindness are not even aware they have the condition.

The most common type of color blindness is an inability to distinguish between red and green. While there is no cure for color blindness, those who are red-green colorblind can actually use a special set of lenses to help them perceive colors more accurately. There are even apps now available on smartphones to help people differentiate colors.

While some people go their entire lives unaware they are color blind, most are diagnosed as children. This is because educational material is often color-coded, so when a child has trouble processing information, color blindness can be identified as the reason.

Eye care professionals can use a variety of tests to diagnose color blindness. The most common tests use a series of colored circles with overlapping color shapes inside of them. These shapes are easily identifiable to people who have normal color vision but are difficult to see for people who are color blind.

To have yourself, or your child tested for color blindness, please consult with your primary care doctor or ophthalmologist.

Sunglasses – Strength and Protection

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Andrew Rubin

At this time of year we spend more time outdoors and for that reason it is important to protect our eyes from the potentially harmful rays of the sun. One of the ways we can do this is by wearing the right sunglasses.

Don’t be fooled by the price tag when purchasing sunglasses. Just because sunglasses are expensive doesn’t always mean that they are the best at blocking the UV rays. Always check the label first.

For sunglasses to be completely effective they should:

Block out as close to 100% of the UVA and UVB rays as possible
Block out 75 to 90 percent of the visible light
Have gray lenses for proper color recognition

If we are exposed to too much UV rays, over time, it can cause cataracts and can also harm the cornea and the retina. Short term exposure to UV radiation can cause photokeratitis, an inflammation of the cornea. It is temporary in the short term but can have serious consequences long term.

It is also important that sunglasses fit properly. They shouldn’t be worn so close that they touch the eyelids yet not too far off that they let sun get in around them.

A good rule to follow is if you are wearing sunscreen you should also be wearing sunglasses.