Dunes Eye Consultants

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Invest in your vision!

Although a more expensive alternative to generic or online knockoffs, spending the additional money to get authentic designer eyewear is well worth it. When dealing with something as important as your eyesight it is always better to prefer quality to cost and knowing you’re getting the protection you’re paying for!

In this HuffPost article, experts give tips on what you should look for in a new pair of sunglasses:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/difference-between-cheap-expensive-sunglasses_l_60086f44c5b6df63a91c22e6

We have styles – and prices! – for any budget! Stop by The River’s Edge Optical today to find the perfect shades to protect your eyes!

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Save Your Vision Month

Since 1927, vision health professionals have celebrated Save Your Vision during the month of March. The celebration of awareness started as a week-long event from the American Optometric Association, which evolved into a month-long national observance to vision and eye health.

A recent report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found that 142 million Americans over the age of 40 will experience vision problems. Over 15 million of these vision problems can be avoided, and up to 80% can be corrected with proper screening and early detection. It is essential that you take proper steps to preserve your vision.

So as we begin to celebrate the Save Your Vision month let's take a moment to listen to our eye docs and schedule your comprehensive well-vision exam.

After all, you may detect early signs of conditions or diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, glaucoma, macular degeneration, Graves’ disease, autoimmune disorders, cancer and tumors at a well-vision exam. In fact, a comprehensive eye exam is the only way to visualize the blood vessels behind the eye without an x-ray, CT scan or invasive surgery.

Schedule your eye appointment with Dunes Eye Consultants today! This is the perfect month to get you, your children, your husband, your wife, your mom, your dad, your brother, your sister, your cousin, you get the picture.... Ensure your good eye health by calling us at  605.232.6900 to schedule your comprehensive exam.

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Myopia Management for Your Child

High myopia has been tied to serious vision issues later in life, like glaucoma, macular degeneration ... even blindness as adults.  

We hosted a live event, explaining the condition, detailing the risks and reviewing myopia management options. In case you missed it, check it out below.

Learn how you can slow or even stop the progression of myopia in your kids at the Dunes Eye Consultants Myopia Management Center. You can help protect their future vision!

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Early and Successful Myopia Management

As eye care professionals learn more and more, the importance of early and successful myopia management is becoming a critical aspect of early childhood vision care.

https://www.healio.com/news/optometry/20201110/study-early-intervention-important-to-slow-myopia-progression

Dr. O’Neal and the team at the Myopia Management Center have years’ of experience working to slow – and even stop – the progression of nearsightedness in kids.

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Myopia in Student Athletes

Is your student athlete struggling on the field or court? Missing goals, passes, striking out and misjudging distances are all common signs of a competitor up against a possible lifelong opponent - myopia.

If your child is failing to make plays he or she typically has no problem with, it’s time to visit Dunes Eye Consultants – nearsightedness, or myopia, may be to blame. Athletic performance and vision acuity are closely tied together. In fact, motor performance, eye-hand coordination and cognitive ability all rely heavily on the gift of sight and clear vision.

Contact lenses are the natural and favored option for enhancing vision in sports. Unlike glasses, contacts are less cumbersome and therefore less likely to cause injury while on the field, court or course. They also allow for protective eyewear to be worn.

Specially developed and prescribed FDA-approved contact lenses are also used to slow or even stop the progress of myopia in kids. We understand the importance of excellent eyesight, and we can help your student athlete rise above the rest. Visit www.duneseye.com, and ask about Brilliant Futures Myopia Management Program and MiSight 1 day Contact Lenses for student athletes ages 8-12. Let’s get your all-star get back on their A-Game.

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Myopia in Kids

Many kids don’t even realize they are being affected by myopia – that’s why scheduling annual eye exams prior to school starting is so crucial for optimal academic performance. If you notice a sudden spike in your child’s desire to take naps, more frequent headaches, emotional outbursts or lack of motivation for schoolwork, your child could have undiagnosed myopia.

Myopia is commonly discovered in childhood and can worsen severely over time, leading to significant vision issues later in life like retinal detachment, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Unmanaged myopia can even lead to vision loss. Children with myopia can benefit from less screen time and more green time. Get them outside and into natural light – give those eyes a break!

Dunes Eye Consultants Myopia Management Center can help prevent further myopia-related eye damage and aid with learning and development by focusing on eye health, and in turn, improving academic performance. Visit www.duneseye.com, and ask about Brilliant Futures Management Program and MiSight 1 day Contact Lenses for children ages 8-12. Dunes Eye Consultants is here to help your child be the best student they can be. Give us a call today – seeing is believing.

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Losing Glasses

If your child wears glasses, it is inevitable that at least once in your lifetime you will hear the words, “I lost my glasses!” Myopia – or nearsightedness – affects approximately 40% of the US population. (That’s a lot of kids lost glasses!) From fast food restaurant garbage receptacles, to bottoms of lakes – the log ride at the local amusement park, to the far corner of the local library tent – the places parents have gone to find their kids’ glasses can be both exhausting and comical. (Comical, that is, until it is you and your child.)

If you are the proud parent of a nearsighted youngster with a habitual glasses misplacement problem, visit Dunes Eye Consultants today to discuss Brilliant Futures Management Program and MiSight 1 day Contact Lenses for children ages 8-12. This FDA-approved program can slow and even stop the progression of myopia in kids.

We understand your pain, and we are here to help. If you’re concerned about starting your child on contacts, rest assured that usage is both safe, effective and FDA-approved. Contact lenses can be successfully worn by children as young as 6 years-old, and the average age of children wearing overnight contacts is 10. We see a lot fewer hours spent searching in your future.

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Myopia: What Should Parents Look For?

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common vision problem among adults and kids alike. And today it’s on the rise, especially in children. Many eye health professionals call it an epidemic. Worst of all, unmanaged myopia as a child can increase risk of serious eye health issues, even vision loss, as adults.

Myopia is also hereditary - if one parent is myopic, their kids are twice as likely to be. If both parents are myopic, their kids are four times as likely. Parents may not even realize their child is myopic until they start school, when the condition becomes more evident. The student can see up close but struggles to see the board or read things from a distance.

Parents should be on the lookout for other signs pointing to their child’s possible myopia - such as holding personal electronic devices close to the face, squinting or closing one eye when trying to read, frequent headaches or eyes that appear to be constantly watery.

You can help your child win the lifelong battle with myopia by getting them the eyecare they need early on. Being diligent with routine eye exams is a great way to start your kids on the path to a lifetime of good choices and healthy eyes. Schedule your child’s back-to-school eye exams along with their physicals.

If your child’s well-vision exam shows myopia or the potential for myopia to develop, you should expect to discuss myopia management with their doctor. Call the Myopia Management Center at Dunes Eye Consultants today at 605.232.6900 and help start your child on the path to a lifetime of healthy eyecare.

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Vaping May Damage Your Vision

With multiple deaths and more than 1,000 cases of a mysterious lung disease linked to vaping, the damaging health effects of e-cigarettes are in the news nearly every day. With the added concern of COVID-19, it’s important to be aware of the added risks poses not only to your vision, but overall health.

Eye care professionals are sounding the alarm: Vaping may damage your vision.

What is vaping?

Vaping involves inhaling the aerosol, or vapor, from e-cigarettes as well as vape pens and similar devices, according to the Center on Addiction.

Vaping liquid contains nicotine, flavoring and other chemicals, but not tobacco. Some users also vape synthetic drugs or THC, the high-inducing ingredient in marijuana.

How does vaping affect vision?

A small-scale study published in September 2019 in the journal Optometry and Vision Science suggests vaping is not kind to our eyes.

In the study, researchers found moderate to severe cases of dry eye and lower-quality tear film among 21 vapers compared with 21 healthy non-vapers.

The researchers recommended additional studies “to gain a deeper understanding” of the relationship between e-cigarettes and eye health.

A previous study, published in 2017 in the journal Frontiers in Physiology, noted that some flavor additives in e-cigarettes contained chemicals that could produce oxidative stress (a key factor in the development of chronic diseases) and inflammation.

Both oxidative stress and inflammation could harm the eyes, the American Optometric Association says.

Vaping, smoking and vision

Dr. Rohit Varma, director of the Southern California Eye Institute at CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles, believes the vapor from e-cigarettes is just as dangerous to your eyes as the smoke from regular cigarettes.

Why? The substances inhaled are toxins that have systemic effects.

Research shows cigarette smoking heightens the risk of several eye conditions: age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and dry eye syndrome. At this point, it’s unclear whether those same risks are connected to vaping.

Varma says the eye health risks tied to vaping stem from the chemicals that are emitted, including formaldehyde, nicotine and diacetyl (which is found in some e-cigarette flavoring).

Because some of these chemicals are also found in cigarettes, they could cause the same types of vision problems as cigarette smoking.

In fact, Varma observes that the overall risk of vision loss might be up to four times greater for vapers than non-vapers, based on the American Optometric Association’s declaration that cigarette smokers face much greater odds of developing macular degeneration — a sight-threatening disease — than nonsmokers.

“Although there have been no long-term studies to assess the effects of vaping on the eyes, it can be safely presumed that vaping creates noxious fumes that irritate the surface of the eye,” says Dr. Tanya Khan, an ophthalmologist in Austin, Texas.

Khan recommends that people avoid vaping to safeguard their vision and their overall health.  

CDC: Avoid vaping and e-cigarettes

Until all the health effects of vaping are fully explored, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises against using e-cigarettes and other vaping devices.

“If someone persists with vaping, I would consider wearing protective eyewear to help block some of the vapor absorption, as well as using artificial tears and ointment to help lubricate the surface of the eye,” Khan says.

Health risks from smoking, e-cigs

Dr. Barbara Horn, president of the American Optometric Association, says optometrists nationwide are reinforcing the health dangers posed by smoking by directing patients to quit-smoking resources.

She adds that optometrists also are advising patients seeking to quit smoking that “e-cigarettes are not the answer.”

The primary agent in traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes is nicotine, a highly addictive substance, regardless of the delivery vessel. Vaping exposes the user to many toxic chemicals. The negative effects of these chemicals on systemic and visual health is not yet fully understood.

NEED TO GET YOUR EYES CHECKED?  Schedule an appointment today.

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Avenova demonstrates success for multiple vision-health conditions

Since we have a bit more time these days, I wanted to take some time to share some information that, honestly, we don’t have the time to get out there normally. Although we are still working with reduced staff for urgent eye care, the as-needed clinic schedule frees up some of the day to get valuable info to our patients.

Everybody brushes their teeth. It’s just part of your daily routine. There are some vision health behaviors that, at Dunes Eye Consultants, we think are just as important. The first one we want to discuss is @avenova.

Avenova is a recommended to keep the eyelids and eyelashes clean. It’s designed to remove microorganisms, bacteria and debris, which can prevent vision-health problems like MGD, dry eye disease, styes and blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids). We believe it’s part of good vision hygiene.

I was a recent presenter at the ASCRS in Los Angeles that was sponsored by NovaBay, where I discussed the importance of managing lid margin disease, which we’ve discovered is one of the first dominos in the progression of meibomian gland dysfunction and, ultimately, ocular surface disease. It’s also instrumental in the treatment of ulcerative blepharitis. Avenova is also an excellent post-LipiFlow treatment by reducing the bacterial overload along lid margins. (Avenova has a kill rate of over 99% of most skin bacteria and may have some antiviral protections as well.)

Avenova is also very effective in the prevention and treatment styes. Our marketing partner is a strong recommender of the product; after experiencing chronic styes for over two years, after adding Avenova to his daily routine, has been stye-free for almost three years.

If you feel like you could benefit from Avenova use or would like more information, please contact the clinic to learn if this amazing product is right for you! -- Dr. Ferguson

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Diet Can Affect Vision Health

Steve Ferguson, O.D., medical director with Dunes Eye Consultants and Dunes LASIK Center, says people should consider their diet when discussing vision health. He recommends eating more foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids, including cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel and halibut; and avoiding saturated fats. Instead, they should use monounsaturated fats like olive oil.

“Inflammation is a concern with a lot of diseases, including vision problems like dry eye disease or meibomian gland dysfunction, ocular surface disease and macular degeneration. Eating anti-inflammatory foods and watching your dietary intake of antioxidants (substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals) are important and do seem to help prevent some of the age-related disease processes like macular degeneration and cataracts,” Ferguson says.

“Eat lots of green, leafy veggies,” says Michael O’Neal, O.D., another optometrist who practices in Dakota Dunes at Dunes Eye Consultants. “These include kale, collard greens and spinach, which are rich in lutein, an antioxidant that research shows may help preserve eye health and deter the risk of macular degeneration. Wolfberries, which are rich in zeaxanthin, also may be beneficial.”

Ferguson also recommends taking flaxseed, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and avoiding artificial fats in low-fat baked goods. Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acid foods might also help with dry eyes, he says.

 “A well-vision exam can also uncover other problems,” says Ferguson. “High blood pressure has been linked to a multitude of eye problems, including macular degeneration and hypertensive retinopathy. Diabetes can cause severe problems in the eyes. High cholesterol can cause problems in the blood supply of the eyes. That all comes down to diet.”

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Oakley Fives Save Lives!

A student had a close call with a grinder, but was luckily wearing his Oakleys!

To whom it may concern:

I have a pair of Oakley Fives and I have a great success story about how the quality of Oakley sunglasses saved my eyesight and very well may have saved my life. I am a junior in high

school, I just bought my own Ford F250 VlO and am working with my dad in construct ion to pay for the huge gas expense while training to be a welder. I will be a certified welder next week (thanks to Oakley).

I was grinding a hot piece of metal in class when it popped and shot an inch and a half long piece of metal directly at my right eye. The particular grinder I was using spins at about 12,000 rpm so the piece of metal was flying over 100 mph when it hit my sunglasses. I talked to my instructor and he said that if I wasn't wearing my Oakley sunglasses I would have been blind and possibly even killed. My instructor then used my glasses as a demonstration to the class on how important safety glasses are. Thanks to Oakley I have my complete eyesight and can

continue working towards making welding my career. I am extremely grateful for the quality Oakley puts into its sunglasses because if they didn't I might not be alive to type this letter. So Thank You Oakley for your quality workmanship.

I am more than happy to send the glasses in if you want them to display as a physical

demonstration of the quality workmanship of Oakley glasses. I give permission to Oakley to use my name, photos, and story, to help promote the quality Oakley represents. Contact me with any questions or are interested in my sending in the glasses. THANKS SO MUCH!

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Proper Diet Critical for Vision Health

Did you know the American Optometric Association recommends certain nutrients in your diet on a regular basis for the sake of your eyes? Your diet is important for your eye health!

Include lutein and zeaxanthin, which are found in foods like spinach, kale, and eggs, and may reduce your risk of chronic eye diseases. Vitamin C, which is in tons of fruits and vegetables (including ones other than oranges), might slow the progression of age-related vision loss. Then there’s vitamin E, which you can get from vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and green veggies like spinach and broccoli, and which can potentially help protect cells in your eyes from tissue breakdown. Omega-3 fatty acids from sources like flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and fish are important for your tear film and oil production in the meibomian glands. There’s also zinc (found in oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, crab, lobster, and more), which helps your body produce melanin, a protective pigment in the eyes.

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet also reduces your risk of developing or exacerbating hypertension and type 2 diabetes, all of which can lead to eye complications.

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Join Dr. Steve Ferguson for the first in a series of podcasts discussing dry eye disease, its causes and treatments. Learn about the condition and the misconceptions surrounding this very common problem.

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Ex-Gateway space in North Sioux City provides venue for youth sports

NORTH SIOUX CITY -- During the winter months and basketball season, Don Craig settles for any time he can get on a court for his club volleyball teams.

Dunes Eye Consultants and LASIK Center is proud to be a sponsor of the United Sports Academy. We can’t wait to hit the court! 

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Dry Eye Sufferers Find Relief With LipiFlow at Dakota Dunes Clinic

Dry eye symptoms are some of the most common complaints heard by eye doctors. Tear film abnormalities and dry eye are the most frequently encountered medical eye problem by doctors during well-vision exams worldwide. Factors like lifestyle, environment and digital device use may mean that doctors will see more and more patients suffering from these symptoms.

The Dry Eye and Tear Film Center of Excellence at Dunes Eye Consultants even notices that patients are experiencing dry eye conditions at a younger age.

“Many patients who suffer from chronic red or itchy eyes, watery eyes, contact lens intolerance and other symptoms are under the impression that these are irritations and inconveniences that they have to live with,” says Dr. Ryan Rudloff, optometrist with Dunes Eye Consultants in Dakota Dunes. “It’s a play on words, but relief from these symptoms really is in sight.”

Doctors with the Dry Eye and Tear Film Center of Excellence recognize that successful treatment for these symptoms must focus on the foundational cause of the abnormal tears or tear film.

For years, the standard of care was to treat dry eye symptoms with artificial tears or other bridge therapies. Dr. Steve Ferguson, vision-medical director of the Dry Eye and Tear Film Center of Excellence at Dunes Eye Consultants, stresses the importance of treating the underlying cause of the problem instead of the symptoms.

“Artificial tears and other therapies are a ‘band-aid’ fix for dry eye disease,” says Dr. Ferguson. “We work to diagnose the root cause of the condition and develop a treatment plan that can offer long-term relief.”

“Lack of overall tear production is the most basic form of dry eye disease,” says Dr. Rudloff. “The patient’s tears are normal, but inadequate in volume, which can lead to irritation and inflammation.”

Rudloff says there is a straightforward treatment process for these issues, relying on tear retention and punctal plugs that can help relieve symptoms and improve overall eye health.

Allergies can also disrupt the stability of tears and can cause itching, redness and inflammation. Certain medications can affect tear production, as well as conditions including diabetes and auto-immune disorders. However, the majority of patients seen at Dunes Eye Consultants for dry eye complaints can be traced to meibomian gland dysfunction, or MGD.

“Most patients who show symptoms of dry eye disease need their meibomian glands treated,” says Dr. Rudloff. “Obstruction of these glands that distribute oil to the surface of the eyes will limit the glands’ flow and disrupt the oil’s normal consistency.”

The lack of oil or abnormal distribution of the tear film can cause the tears to evaporate too quickly, resulting in dry eye symptoms and, in some cases, swelling and inflammation of the eyelids known as blepharitis.

The best treatment approach in this situation is LipiFlow®, and Dunes Eye Consultants was one of the first clinics to widely use this treatment.

“LipiFlow is a gentle, thermal pulsation treatment that’s quick, painless and can be completed in an office visit,” says Dr. Rudloff. “The treatment is designed to remove blockages in the glands and express stagnant oil, which allows for a more complete distribution of healthy oil to the eyes’ surface.”

The doctors at Dunes Eye Consultants have seen tremendous success with LipiFlow in stabilizing the tear film and treating this progressive and degenerative disease. There are additional forms of treatment for MGD, but none that offer the long-term benefits and results seen with LipiFlow.

“LipiFlow is the only FDA-approved treatment for the disease and has over 30 peer-reviewed studies demonstrating the remarkable results,” says Dr. Ferguson. “Some patients are prescribed warm compresses, which can provide short-term symptomatic relief, but they do not provide the therapeutic benefit of modifying the disease state, stabilize the tear film or affect the progression of this chronic condition.”

Ferguson and the clinical team at the Dry Eye and Tear Film Center of Excellence believe the best long-term approach is to remove the meibomian gland obstruction, and the most effective treatment for this is LipiFlow.

“With LipiFlow, we can dramatically improve the health of the eye and avoid the problems and damage caused by dry eye and tear film abnormality,” says Dr. Ferguson.

For any dry eye or tear film abnormality questions, or to learn more about LipiFlow treatment, contact Marcie Rich at Dunes Eye Consultants at 605.232.6900.

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Untreated Dry Eye May Cause Serious Eye Health Problems

Everyone is familiar with the old saying “blood is thicker than water,” and anyone who’s had an injury – from a paper cut to one requiring stitches – knows this is quite true. Carrying oxygen through the body is an important job and a complicated job, but Steve Ferguson, OD, vision-medical director of the Dry Eye and Tear Film Center of Excellence at Dunes Eye Consultants in Dakota Dunes, says blood isn’t the most complex fluid in our body.

“The biochemistry behind tears is actually more complex than blood,” says Dr. Ferguson. “Not only are healthy tears important to the overall health and structure of the eye, tears affect how well we see.”

Tears are the very first refractory surface of the eye and are instrumental for clear, sharp, consistent vision. Abnormalities in the tear film can cause vision inconsistencies in bright light, at night and, particularly, when using digital devices like laptops and phones. Ferguson says tears also function as the “blood” for the surface of the eye.

“As many as one in three patients in the U.S. have some form of abnormality to the normal, healthy tears of the eye,” says Dr. Ferguson. “In about 85% of patients who complain of dry eye symptoms, meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is present.”

MGD is a disease process affecting the oil glands of the eyelid. When MGD develops, it can create inconsistent oil expression, often affecting the natural tear film. The protection a healthy tear film provides the eye surface is affected, and environmental factors like wind, humidity, smoke and allergies can make symptoms worse.

“Patients complain of symptoms like grittiness, itchiness, dryness and even excessive watering,” says Michael O’Neal, OD, an optometrist with the Dry Eye and Tear Film Center of Excellence. “Unfortunately, discomfort and cosmetic problems can be the start of more serious eye health complications.”

Dr. O’Neal says unhealthy tears and dry eye disease can lead to multiple problems, including chronic red eyes, fluctuating vision, contact lens intolerance, inflammation and difficulty with sustained use of digital devices like computers, tablets and phones.

O’Neal says it was once accepted to treat symptoms, usually with drops, instead of the underlying cause of the symptoms, which is frequently MGD. However, the Dunes Eye Consultants’ physicians are seeing exceptional patient outcomes by addressing the root cause with breakthrough technology like LipiFlow® and other treatments.

Like any disease, early detection and intervention is key to effective and successful treatment. MGD and dry eye disease are chronic and progressive, and left untreated, can become debilitating in later years.

“Our goal is to create the most stable tear film possible, reduce the discomfort and irritation, and slow down the progress of this chronic condition,” says Dr. O’Neal. “Patients’ eyes can look vibrant again, they wear contacts with fewer issues and experience better outcomes with laser vision correction and cataract surgeries.”

To learn more about treatments available or for questions about dry eye or tear film abnormalities, contact Marcie Rich with the Dry Eye and Tear Film Center of Excellence at 605.232.6900.

Do you suffer from dry eye symptoms?

Chronic red, itchy eyes

Fluctuating vision

Excessive tearing or watery eyes

Burning or grittiness in eyes

Contact lens intolerance

Eye fatigue or heavy eyelids