Important News

Spring is in the air.........unfortunately so is the pollen that cause allergy symptoms in many of us.  Think early to help keep your allergy symptoms under control this allergy season.

One of the saddest situations we see in our office is vision loss from glaucoma.  Why?  Because vision loss from glaucoma is preventable.  Unfortunately there are no symptoms until late in the disease.  During Glaucoma awareness month we hope you can learn more about preventing vision loss in yourself and your loved ones from this "Sneak Thief of Sight."

This is one of our favorite community events and we are sad that due to Mother Natures poor cooperation the City of Buchanan is cancelling this years event.....but the Snowcones for Sight is  only 7 months away!!   Smoke Vision Care's 5th Annual Snowman Building Contest and S'mores for Sight Fundraiser is schedule during Buchanan's Thrill on the Hill; January 27th, 2018. Join us for fun, win prizes and raise money for your Non-Profit Organization!!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and let’s aim to keep it that way with tips to prevent common eye injuries in the holiday season. As everyone is in a hustle to finish his or her holiday shopping, decorating, and traveling it is easy to bypass safety as a first priority.  And the holiday season unfortunately brings us too  many risk factors for eye injuries.

You may not have thought about how eyewear and eyecare can make your Christmas gift giving unique, useful and valuable!  Read more to learn how you can show your love this Christmas with these great gift ideas to help your loved one see better, look better and keep their gift of sight healthy.

The benefits of sharing Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends extends beyond the warmth and happiness when it comes to considering your eye health.  So don't be shy when it comes to digging into the most famous feast of the year.

Solar eclipse viewing glasses are nearly impossible to come by right now but that doesn't mean you can't watch the spectacular event indirectly.  You can make your own safe pinhole viewer quickly and inexpensively.  Here's how:

Do you know how to protect your eyes by watching the first solar eclipse since 1979? On Monday, August 21, 2017 the US mainland will experience its first total solar eclipse since 1979 and the first to cross from coast to coast since 1918.  The next US total eclipse will not occur again until April 8th, 2024. This is an exciting event but, make sure to protect your eyes as you watch this spectacular event.

Smoke Vision Care will be hosting "Snowcones for Sight" during the city of Buchanan's Thrill on the Hill Event.  Join us Saturday, August 3rd for the fun and enjoy a refreshing snow cone for a good cause.

One week only, June 26-June 30th,  in celebration of National Sunglasses Day we are offering 20% off all of our sunwear.  It's a great time to update your sunwear or purchase a quality pair to protect your eyes from the harmful effects of UV rays that can cause skin cancer on the eyelids, premature cataracts and macular degeneration by wearing sunglasses that filter out 99% of the UVA an UVB rays.

Mother's Day is just around the corner and it is a perfect opportunity to do something special to show you mom just how much you love her.  Surprise her with a chance to win a makeover in our contest, purchase a gift certificate or something to protect her eyes for a lifetime of healthy vision!  Click the link to enter your mom now !

March is nationally recognized as Save Your Vision Month.  At Smoke Vision Care we are all about saving vision!  We want to help our patients learn how to protect their gift of sight rather than having to treat them for vision loss.  Here are some top tips to help you "Save Your Vision"

One of the saddest situations we see in our office is vision loss from glaucoma.  Why?  Because vision loss from glaucoma is preventable.  Unfortunately there are no symptoms until late in the disease.  During Glaucoma awareness month we hope you can learn more about preventing vision loss in yourself and your loved ones from this "Sneak Thief of Sight."

We don't want you to have an ocular emergency during the Christmas season.  What is the number one injury we treat?  Someone getting poked in the eye by a Christmas tree branch.....read more to become aware and protect your eyes from holiday injuries!

You may not have thought about how eyewear and eyecare can make your Christmas gift giving unique, useful and valuable!  Read more to learn how you can show your love this Christmas with these great gift ideas to help your loved one see better, look better and keep their gift of sight healthy.

Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness.  Smoke Vision Care has the technology and expertise to help diagnose diabetic eye changes in the earliest stage which can help prevent vision loss.All people with diabetes–both type 1 and type 2–are at risk for diabetic retinopathy. Everyone with diabetes should get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. The longer someone has diabetes, the more likely he or she will get diabetic retinopathy. Between 40 to 45 percent of Americans diagnosed with diabetes have some stage of diabetic retinopathy.

Did you know that nearly half of all eye injuries occur in the home? Statistics indicate that nearly 2.5 million people suffer eye injuries each year in the United States, and nearly one million people have lost some degree of vision as a result. Most could have been prevented with protective eyewear. These are some of the most common places that eye injuries happen and prevention tips for both indoor and outdoor activities:

For the second year in a row we have received the Gold award as Best Eye Care Provider. We strive to provide the best in care and service. We thank you for taking time to vote for us in the Leader Publications Best of the Best contest ! We also received the bronze award for Best Place to Work!  We thank our entire team for that honor as well.

It is with great pleasure that we welcome Dr. Adam Urbanski to the Smoke Vision Care team !! Dr. Urbanksi is a skilled optometrist who will bring added expertise and expanded patient care hours to our patients.  He will care for patients in each of our locations.

Smoke Vision Care, founded by Drs. Steven and Brenda Smoke in 1991, is proud to be celebrating 25 years in practice this June.    Join us for our Anniversary Celebration and Eyewear Sale on June 22nd to kick off a year long celebration!!  All Frames 50% off, with the purchase of a complete pair......more than $5,000.00 in prizes!  Visit our Facebook event page for full details and to RSVP for a chance to win $25.00.

85% of skin cancer occurs on the head and neck and of that 10-15% will occur on the eyelids margins.  Learn how to protect and detect early!  The best protection is to wear sunglasses that cover the entire eye area and have enough wrap to keep the UV rays from entering behind the lenses.  Since UV damage is cumulative, the best time to start protecting your eyes is when you are a child.  Encourage your children and grandchildren to wear their sunglasses to prevent them from the sometimes devastating effects of cancer on the eye lid margin.  Removal of cancer on the lid margins is necessary but can lead to changes in lid anatomy that will impact proper blinking and tear production and sometimes cosmetically unappealing scars.  We have had many patients suffer the consequences.   Visit The Skin Cancer Foundation to learn more.

There is nothing more beautiful than the love we see in the eyes of our Mother's.   Smoke Vision Care is proud to be hosting their 3rd Annual Mother's Day Eyewear Makeover Contest .

Our vision is precious. March is a great time to think about ways that you protect your eyes and save your vision from sight threatening conditions.  Here are just a few tips on how you can protect your gift of sight. 1)  Always wear UV protection when outdoors to reduce...

With life expectancy figures continuing to climb, managing eye disease is essential for people to maintain healthy, happy and productive lives. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in people over age 50. The Centers for Disease Control and prevention estimate that 1.8 million people have the disease and another 7.3 million are at risk for vision loss from AMD. Taking action can help prevent your risk of vision loss from this sight-threatening condition.

Smoke Vision Care's 4th Annual Snowman Building Contest and S'mores for Sight Fundraiser is schedule during Buchanan's Thrill on the Hill; January 29th and 30th 2016. Join us for fun, win prizes and raise money for your Non-Profit Organization!!

This year, make healthy eyes and vision your resolution. Find out if you or a loved one is at risk for glaucoma, and take steps for prevention. Glaucoma is a leading cause of preventable vision loss and blindness in adults in the United States and Canada and the second leading...

‘Tis the season for giving, and parents, grandparents, family and friends need to know how to choose toys and games that protect children’s health and eyesight.

Not sure what to give your loved one for Christmas?  Gift certificates make a perfect gift. From December 7th-December 12th our gift certificates are available at 20% off.  Need some inspiring ideas on how these gift certificates could be used?  Follow this link for a useful giving guide.

Have you ever thought about how vision works? It's an incredible system and process!

Prevention and treatment for eye complications associated with Diabetes

Beware this Halloween and think before you blink (in decorative contact lenses that is)! Sure, decorative contact lenses can enhance any Halloween costume, but if not taken seriously, they can also cost you your vision. Whether they are sold as cosmetic lenses, colored lenses or fashion lenses, they are anything...

Home Eye Injury Awareness and Prevention

Over the centuries there have been a lot of old-wives tales circulating about eyes and vision. You know, like the one that if someone hits you on the back while your eyes are crossed they will stay that way. Unlike this example, some of these myths do have roots in...

One lucky Dad will win a pair of Nike Sunglass frames with prescription Drivewear Lenses!
Enter through our Facebook Page---it's simple--just like, comment and share the post! 
Follow the link to the  Official Rules.
Prize Value up to $800.00 !!

Thanks to all who participated in our Mother's Day Makeover.  We are happy to announce our winner!!
See the before and after photos---it is amazing what a beautiful pair of eyewear and exceptional qualtiy lenses can do!

Does your Mom deserve and eyewear makeover?  Nominate her by sharing her photo and story with us and she could win an eyewear makeover including OGI frame and Essilor Lenses with a retail value of up to $850.00!!

March is National Save Your Vision Month and a perfect time to reflect on our precious Gift of sight.  Save Your Vision Week was started by Doctors of Optometry in 1927 and is proclaimed nationally by the President of the United States.  The celebration has been expanded into a month long focus by the American Optometric Association to emphasize the importance of  professional eye health and vision examinations in preserving vision.

Smoke Vision Care 3rd Annual Snowman Building Contest and S'mores for Sight Fundraiser is schedule during Buchanan's 2015 Thrill on the Hill.
Join us for fun, win prizes and raise money for your Non-Profit Organization!!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and let’s aim to keep it that way with tips to prevent common eye injuries in the holiday season. As everyone is in a hustle to finish his or her holiday shopping, decorating, and traveling it is easy to bypass safety as a first priority.  It's no fun being treated for an eye emergency during the holiday!

Did you know that these decorative contact lenses are actually medical devices? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration oversees their safety and effectiveness, just like regular contact lenses.

 

We are celebrating two wonderful milestones!  Remodeling of our New Buffalo location and 20 years in New Buffalo!  Please join us for and open house and eyewear trunk show on Thursday, May 29th from 12:00pm-7:00pm. 

Click on the You're Invited icon  to view the invitation details!!

In honor of Mother's Day we are sponsoring and eyewear makeover -- including frame and lenses for a lucky MOM--Value up to $850.00.

After nearly 16 years we have many updates to the environment that are planned.  We hope you love the new look and layout of the office including a completely revised optical department.

Calling young artists! Smoke Vision Care is sponsoring an art contest where local, young artists in grades Kindergarten through Fifth could win a $100.00 cash prize for themselves and an additional $100.00 cash prize to support the arts in their school.
 

More than 28,000 people per year suffer from sports related eye injuries.....almost all could be prevented with proper eye protection! Want to learn interesting statistics of which sports have the highest incidence of injury?  Get the PDF report  Read the information below to learn how to select proper eye protection or visit http://www.preventblindness.org/sports-eye-safety for even more information.

Protecting your childs eyes from UV exposure can't start early enough

We have beautifully designed Mother's Day gift certificates you will be proud to give your Mother on her special day.

Help Style Tracy and you could win a pair of non-prescription Coach Sunwear!!

We now are an administration site for the Macula Risk Genetic Testing. 

While it is common to think of winter as the wet season because of the rain and snow, the atmosphere is actually a lot dryer during the winter, which often causes your eyes to become more sensitive. Our eye care staff is here to help you find the best ways...

January is glaucoma awareness month.  Glaucoma is the number one cause of preventable vision loss.  Read the story and follow links to learn more about how to protect your vision.

On June 16th we will kick of our celebration of our 20 years of serving the eye care needs of the community with an open house. 

  Can carrots really improve your eyesight? While eye doctors affirm that carrots are made up of large amounts of a beta-carotene which is known to be beneficial for your eyes, carrots can not substitute for proper corrective eye care. Beta-carotene is an orange pigment (carotenoid) that changes into vitamin...

  By now, most Americans are aware of the dangers of Ultraviolet (UV) exposure to your skin, (particularly sunburn and skin cancer) and the necessity of using sunscreen and avoiding direct contact with the sun particularly during the blazing summer months. What is less known is that UV and other...

  Contact lens wearers need to be careful to treat their contacts properly. Improper care can lead to damaged contacts, or or even serious eye infections or scratches, which occasionally can lead to vision loss. People of all ages that are not responsible enough to take care of their contact...

  While soft contact lenses are most often used, another less familiar brand of contact lens materials exists: gas permeable (GP) lenses, sometimes known as oxygen permeable lenses. In reality, RGP lenses are a newer technology than soft lenses, and they last longer, can be more successful in improving eyesight,...

If you are experiencing red eyes, itchy eyes or watery eyes it could be due to pollen-induced eye allergies. For some of us, March is the start of pollen season, which means uncomfortable symptoms such as red eyes, itchy eyes, stinging, burning and watery eyes. Seasonal eye allergies are caused...

Though many people have become used to shopping for anything and everything online, eyeglasses are an item that you should consider purchasing in person. Why? Even though Internet optical dealers often advertise cheap rates, the benefits of choosing an optical store far outweigh the ''deals'' you might find on the...

Fill in your patient history online, before your next appointment. Find out how...

Useful Christmas gifts and certificates are available

Fireworks and sparklers cause many injuries and trips to the emergency room each year.  40% of those injured are children.  Here are some festive ideas to celebrate a safely. 

May is Healthy Vision Month, a national eye health observance designed to elevate vision as a health priority for the Nation.  Click here to learn more about this initiative and how we can help you retain your healthy sight for life with dilated retinal exams.

 

In recognition of professional excellence, the American Optometric Association's Commission on Paraoptometric Certification announces that Angela Pflug and Allyson Marcussen have successfully completed the first level of AOA's national paraoptometric certification program and have earned the title of Certified Paraoptometric (CPO).

New Options to Look Good and See Better