Interested in Supercross Racing? Take a Course

Supercross Racing Take a Course

Supercross motorcycle racing is known as a popular sport. In fact, when it comes to racing, it closely follows NASCAR in terms of popularity.  For that reason, a large number of individuals, including children, have decided that they want to participate in the sport. This means becoming involved in supercross motorcycle racing, often at an amateur level. 

If you have made the decision to participate in supercross motorcycle racing; congratulations.  It is a fun and exciting sport, one that you will be sure to love.  Perhaps, the first step in getting involved in the sport is to purchase the right equipment. This equipment often includes an off-road motorcycle.  You may assume that the rest is easy, after you have purchased the motorcycle, but you may be wrong. If you have never had the opportunity to ride an off-road motorcycle, you may find that it is a little bit harder than you imagined. 

When it comes to things that are harder than you may have imagined, such as off-road racing, it is important that you do not give up. A lot of things in life are hard to do, but that does not mean that you should go ahead and throw in the towel.  Instead, it means that you may have a little bit of practice and hard work ahead of you.  However, it is important to remember that just about any sport, including supercross motorcycle racing, requires a little bit of practice and hard work.

When it comes to practicing, you will find that you have a number of different options. Depending on where you live, you may have access to an indoor supercross racing track or an outdoor motocross racing track.  If you do, you will want to see if you are able to use the track. You may have to pay to use it, but you will find that the small fees are worth the experience.  In addition to use of a local track, you may also find that your local track offers training courses.  If these courses are offered, you are encouraged to take one.  Not only should you be able to get the feel of a real off-road racing track, but you may also be able to learn valuable tips.

Perhaps, the off-road training courses offered directly at supercross or motocross tracks are the best, but you may not have access to those courses, if they even do exist in your area.  If that is the case, you may still want to take a motorcycle class or course.  In the United States, including small towns and big cities, a number of motorcycle classes should be offered, many on a weekly basis.  Even if you are not being taught how to drive a motorcycle off-road, you will still learn valuable information; information that likely pertains to motorcycle safety and maneuvering. 

Of course, in addition to taking a motorcycle training course, you have the ability to practice on your riding. There is a good chance that this practice will take place right in your own backyard. If you are interested in doing this, it is okay, but you need to make sure that you proceed with caution. First-time riders are always encouraged to practice around others.  In the event that an accident does occur, you will want someone there to assist you.  It may also be a good idea to deck yourself out in safety equipment. This equipment should include a helmet, as well as protective padding. After you gain more experience, you may be able to eliminate some of the equipment, such as large amount of protective padding; however, it is always advised that you wear a helmet. 

By keeping the above mentioned points in mind, you should be able to find the safest way to participate in supercross motorcycle racing. As previously mentioned, the best way may be to take an off-road motorcycle course, but, as you can see, there are a number of other easy and affordable alternatives.

Maryjane Angelo

Beginner Mountain Bike Skills

 Beginner Mountain Bike Skills

Mountain biking is an exciting sport that can be
enjoyed by anyone who knows how to ride a bike.  
Compared to the average bike ride, it does present
some danger.  Therefore, you should master these
basic skills before you hit the trails or the 
dirt. 

You can practice these beginning skills at a local
park, school, bike path, or simply around your 
house. If you can, try to find a location with
a steep hill.

Get a feel for your pedals
Practice moving your foot away from the pedal, 
first while sitting on your bike with one foot on
the ground.  Next, move on to releasing and 
replacing your foot while pedaling around for a 
bit.  Those with toe clip and clipless type foot
pedals will want to spend a bit more time 
practicing.

Sit and spin for position
Simply sit on your bike and pedal around.  You 
should keep your arms slightly bent.  You should
also adjust your seat height so your leg is 70 to
90 percent extended at the bottom of every stroke
on the pedal.  Keep your body relaxed, as there 
will never be a position where you should have 
either your knees or your elbows locked.

Shifting gears
Get a feel for shifting gears with your bike.  The
higher gears are harder to pedal and will go 
faster while the lower gears are easier to pedal
and will help you ascend hills.  As you get to 
steeper hills, its best to shift before you get 
to the hill rather than while your on it.

Coasting
You should spend a bit of time coasting while 
standing on your pedals, without actually sitting
on the seat.  Keep your arms bent but don't lock
your knees.  Now, try experimenting with shifting
your body towards the rear end of the bike.

Pedal while standing
You should get as comfortable as you can with 
pedaling while standing on your bike.  Try lifting
yourself off the seat while standing on the pedals,
then crank them around.  You should try this in 
higher gears on flat ground then again in lower 
gears while on a hill.

Dropping down a curb
Try finding a curb where you can easily get to the
upper portion of it.  Practice at a moderate speed,
standing and coasting right off the curb from the
upper level to the lower level.  Try this at 
different speeds until it becomes second nature.

Once you practice these techniques and get the 
hang of them, you'll be able to hit the trails feeling
comfortable on your mountain bike.  Even though it
may take some getting used to, it'll become second
nature before you know it.

Maryjane Angelo

Buying A Mountain Bike

Buying A Mountain Bike

It can be a bit frustrating as well as time consuming
when you buy a mountain bike.  Below, you'll find 
some tips and things to be aware of before you lay
down the cash and buy a mountain bike.

Determining your price
There is really no limit as to how much money you can
spend on a new mountain bike.  To help you keep your 
spending under control, you should figure out what 
your price range is and how much your willing to pay
for a new bike.  When you buy, you shouldn't buy from
mass merchant stores such as Target.  You should 
instead support your local bike shop and get a much
better bike and much better service.

Finding your style
All mountain bikes are designed with several different
riding styles and terrain types in mind.  You'll need
to figure out what type of riding you will be doing
the most.  Smooth riding, cross country racing, 
mountain cruising, or lift accessed downhill is 
something you need to figure out.  Make sure that 
the bike you select fits your personal style and not
that of the sale's staff.

Full suspension or hard tail
If you can afford it, a full suspension mountain 
bike is always worth the purchase.  A hard tail, 
without rear suspension, is much lighter weight
and pedal more efficiently, although full suspensions
offer more comfort and overall better control.  You'll
want to make that decision based on your price range, 
riding style, and the type of terrain you'll be 
riding on the most.

Finding your favorites
Comparing mountain bikes component to component is 
nearly impossible, as there are far too many combinations
available.  The best way to go about doing this is 
finding a few components that are the most important 
to you and making sure the rest or the minimums fall 
within your price range.  You can start with the fork
then look at the wheels and rear derailleur.

Sales and seasons
During the year, the prices of mountain bikes can 
fluctuate quite a bit.  Spring through summer is the
main buying season.  If you can wait until the right 
price pops up, normally in the fall and winter, you can
save a couple hundred dollars.  Many bike shops will 
also offer discounts or other accessories if you buy
from them. 

Finding a good dealer
Finding a good bike dealer is more important than finding
the best price.  You should always find a dealer that 
cares more about selling you a great bike than selling you
a high priced one. A great dealer will have a clean repair
shop and give you the impression that you can really 
trust them.

Test ride
You should test ride as many bikes as you can within 
your price range and riding style.  You'll find that
some bikes will feel right, while others won't.  The more
bikes you can test drive, you better you'll understand
what works and what doesn't.

Doing the research
Product reviews and bike reviews are some of the best
ways to find out about a mountain bikes reliability and
overall performance.  You should always look at what 
other owners and reviews think about a bike before you
make that final purchase.

Maryjane Angelo

Cross Country Mountain Biking

  
Cross country mountain biking is cross country at
its finest.  Where free riders and downhill bikers
use four wheel bikes and ski lifts to get them to
their destination, cross country bikers get to 
the top of the mountain by the ride.  Though free
riding is very popular, the life vein of the sport
has always been cross country biking.

Just as cross country riders are a different breed,
the bikes they ride are as well.  The cross country
bike is completely different in many ways from other
types of mountain riding bikes.  The premise for 
cross country riders is speed.  Everything about
their bikes revolve with the idea of making the
bikes faster and faster.

Bikes used in cross country mountain biking can
be fully rigid frame, hardtails, or even full
suspension frames.  Through the years, the cross
over to full suspension has become very popular.

The weight difference between free ride bikes and
cross country bikes are considerable.  You'll be
extremely hard pressed to find a bike that weighs 
more than 24 pounds, and even that weight can be
heavy.  Free ride bkes weigh close to 40 pounds,
which makes the difference in weight pretty close.

If you've never tried cross country mountain biking,
you'll probably find it to be a break from the
ordinary.  Even though this type of biking involves
trails, it's normally the type of terrain that 
beginners wouldn't want to ride.  Involving hills
and rough terrain, cross country biking offers 
quite the rush.

For mountain bikers everywhere, cross country is
the way to go.  It offers you a new assortment of
bikes, new areas to bike, and a new twist to 
mountain biking as you know it.  If you've been
looking for a mountain biking rush, cross country 
mountain biking is what you need to be experiencing.

Maryjane Angelo

Maryjane: 9 Types Of Mountain Biking

Maryjane: 9 Types Of Mountain Biking: Mountain Biking As a sport or a hobby, mountain biking can be split into 9 different categories.  These categories are very versed ...

9 Types Of Mountain Biking

Mountain Biking

As a sport or a hobby, mountain biking can be split

into 9 different categories.  These categories are

very versed in what they offer.  They are:

1. BMX

BMX is a style where the bikes offer 20 inch wheels.

These bikes are commonly used at skate parks or

with dirt jumps.  Because of their smaller wheels

and shorter wheel bases, BMX bikes are much easier

to perform tricks and stunts with.

2. Cross country

This type of mountain biking involves riding your

bike up and down hills.  Although it's the least

extreme form of mountain biking, most cross country

riders are very fit and go on long rides. 

3. Cyclo cross

This is a cross between road and mountain biking.

These riders have to go over obstacles, cross through

rivers, and race on and off the course.

4. Dirt jumping

Dirt jumping involves jumping the bike over large

man made dirt jumps then doing tricks while they

are in the air.These jumps are normally close

together so riders can go over six or more jumps

in one run, gaining a flow to give them more 

speed for bigger jumps.

5. Downhill

Downhill mountain biking involves racing downhill

as fast as possible.This type of riding is very

intense and extreme, offering riders the chance 

for ultimate thrills and excitement.

6. Freeride

Free riding involves finding the perfect line down

the mountain using all of the terrain to express

yourself.These competitions are very popular, 

as riders can express themselves any way they see fit.

7. Single speed

No to be confused with fixed gears, this is a form

of cross country biking that's done using a bike

with only one gear and fewer components.The idea with single speed is simplicity.

The straight chain line will provide efficient pedaling, and the lack of components mean less

mechanical problems and a lighter bike.

8. Street and urban

This type of riding involves riding in urban areas,

ledges, and other types of man made obstacles.  

Riders of street and urban biking will do tricks

as well, such as stalls and grinds.

9. Trails 

Trials are considered an aspect of mountain biking, 

although the bikes used look nothing like mountain bikes. 

They use 20 or 26 inch wheels and sport 

small, low frames.  Trail riders will hop and 

jump their bikes over obstacles, which requires

an extreme amount of balance and concentration.

Maryjane Angelo

The 6 MAIN Causes of Tooth Discoloration

RED WINE: Red wine is notorious for staining teeth. The acids in wine eat away at tooth enamel, creating rough spots that make teeth more vulnerable to staining. And it also contains chromogens and tannins, which help the color stick to your teeth.

CHOICE #1: You can continue on as you are, hating your teeth, embarrassed by them and hiding them away for the rest of your life. And let's face it, that's not really an option is it?

TEA/COFFEE: Like wine, tea and coffee are rich in acidity and stain-promoting tannins. Pigments from these dark-colored drinks become embedded in the microscopic pits and ridges of your tooth enamel, causing permanent, yellowing stains on your teeth.

SOFT DRINKS: Acidic and chromogen-rich soft drinks can also cause significant staining. Recent research has found that highly acidic drinks - like sports or energy drinks - can erode tooth enamel, setting the stage for staining. In fact,the acidity in some carbonated drinks is so intense that it actually compares to the acidity in battery acid!

CHOICE #2: You can opt for a dental procedure to fix the problem. But remember, by choosing this option you're taking on a lot of risk, and you'll be expected to pay anything from $1,000 to $3,000. Plus, there's NO GUARANTEE it will even work!

CIGARETTES: Ingredients include ammonia, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide, as well as other poisonous chemicals like nicotine and tar. When a cigarette is lit, these substances start burning, which changes their chemical properties. When inhaled, smoke passes through the mouth, leaving a sticky residue on the teeth, and instant staining.

CHOICE #3: You can try a DIY teeth whitening kit, and run the risk of buying one with DANGEROUS levels of toxic chemicals, which can leave you with anything from prolonged sensitivity, blistering, bleeding, receding gums and throbbing, to damaged tooth enamel, stomach pain, diarrhoea, vomiting and premature tooth decay.

SWEETS: Hard candies, chewing gum, popsicles and other sweets often contain teeth-staining coloring agents. If your tongue turns a funny color, there’s a good chance that your teeth will be affected, too.

ANTIBIOTICS: Tooth staining is also caused by antibiotics, such as tetracycline, which discolours the tooth enamel itself. So if you’ve been heavy on the antibiotics in recent years, there’s a good chance that it has contributed to any discoloration.

LEARN MORE HERE


Maryjane Angelo

Paintball Basics

 Paintball Basics

Paintball is a safe, simple yet challenging and strategic sport that is played usually by two teams, each with at least two players. Adults and kids alike enjoy this sport as they often refer to it as an advanced or improvised game of tag.

Tournaments attract many spectators of all ages, as it is a very exciting game to watch.

Paintball games are of various types, however, the most popular game often played is called "capture the flag". The object or the goal of this game is for teams to advance to the opponent’s base, move the other team’s flag to its destined location, at the same time guarding your own flag.

The paintball field has many obstacles such as tires, forts, old cars, hay and the newest are “inflatables” that are constructed as refuge for team players; making the game all the more exciting, as if participating in an actual game of war in videos. 

When one is hit, it can hurt briefly and at times give players bruises.  Players are typically required to be in long sleeves shirt and pants, making sure that the color is not be identical as that of the judge and complete paintball gear such as mask, helmet and goggles for safety.

The sport of paintball has a distinct and accurate set of rules that are strictly followed. The producer of the tournament is the absolute authority in regard to either an alteration or addition to the rules; marshals oversee the event, and their decision is always final. No dispute on the paintball field is accommodated or entertained.

A military approach to paintball is useless, as that knowledge is recognized and understood by the teams. A team’s tactic should be carefully planned; your team’s line of attack will not be known by the opposing team, and there should be a quick switch of plans in case something goes wrong.

There must be a lot of team work involved, as everyone moves through the field. As a team member moves, there should be others to guard and keep watch and give off covering shots when necessary.  A team that moves together with a common objective will have a great chance of succeeding in this game.

Communication in the field is also very important.  A team-mate can shout the position of the opponent. The moment that a player is seen, the game for that player is up; so there is no reason for you to keep quite; instead, inform the others the location of the enemy.

The excitement of this game concludes when you are seen and eliminated - a situation that all team players struggle to avoid.

Maryjane Angelo

Choosing a Paintball Gun

 5 Tips in Choosing a Paintball Gun

Today paintball is one of the most popular sports not only in the United States but around the world. It is a fun and exciting game that offers adventure to its players. When getting on the paintball field, it is very important to consider your one important friend - the paintball gun.

Paintball would not be paintball without the paintball gun. All paintball guns may look the same but it is important to remember that choosing the right paintball gun is not an easy task. Here are some tips that you may need to consider:

1. The very first thing that needs to be considered when buying a paintball gun is the price. It is important that the buyer determine his budget for the gun. There are many paintball guns in the market and prices may range from $100 to $900. The cost of the gun will depend on the brand and features that come with it.

2. It is recommended a person test all types of guns before buying one. He may want to try those that he has borrowed or rented which will give him the chance to choose which a gun that works for him. The paintball gun should provide ease of use and comfort for the user.

3. Before buying a paintball gun, it is important that he decide on the size of the gun, the paintball loader and the tank that he desires. Remember that the bigger the tanks and the paintball loaders the heavier the gun becomes. A good gun should be the right size for the user and should contain the amount of paintball needed to fire at the opponents.

4. The buyer should shop around first before deciding on a particular paintball gun. This will give him the chance to evaluate and compare prices. Some shops offer lower prices than other shops, so do some research and purchase the one that fits your needs and pocketbook.

5. Seek advice from friends who play paintball, instructors, and coaches of paintball games who will be able to provide some tips on what paintball guns they have used and have found effective. Paintball stores can also recommend some good paintball guns and/or those that they most often sell to their customers.

After choosing the right paintball gun, you must familiarize yourself with the machine. Practicing with the paintball gun will help you move with the gun as well as apply some strategies for using the gun. 

Maryjane Angelo

Keeping Healthy With Sports

 Popular Paintball Games

As paintball improved and became popular, many individuals tried their abilities at it; giving rise to the assortment and diversity of paintball tournaments and games.

Recreational or Capture the Flag   

Played by two teams, where each team has a flag and the objective of both teams is to capture or seize the opponent’s flag and carry it to your team’s starting point. This is one way for your team to win and another way is by eliminating the opposing team entirely.

Each team has to defend their base and simultaneously dispatch team players to eliminate the opponent and capture their flag. 

These games are usually played in the forest; bunkers and structures can be put up throughout the area.

Scenario Paintball

This is a paintball game with a theme set up behind it: there are an endless number of themes that can be created making the game feel and look very realistic.  There are a number of players; in many cases as many as a hundred are involved in each team.

Each team gets the theme (storyline) a day before the start of the game. There are usually two teams participating, having the “general” as a team’s leader. 

Each player is given a role and they should work together as a team in order to carry out and win an assigned mission. Props in accordance with the theme are introduced and distributed throughout the field. There are questions asked in connection with the theme and points are awarded for correct answers.

These points are totaled at the conclusion of the game and the team having the most number of points wins.

Backyard

This can be played right at your own backyard, a friend’s empty property or at times any property but you must as you get permission first.  You gather your friends to form a group and then conceptualize your own game which typically is “capture the flag”.

Speedball

Also called “Center Flag”, the speedball field is designed with many huge bunkers; usually “inflatables” filled with air that are shaped similar to big snakes, soda cans, water tanks etc.

Here, a team can be composed of between three to ten players in a game. There is only one flag that is involved and it is located at the center of a field.  The two teams start at each end of the field and attempt to gain possession of the flag at the center and carry it to their bunker. The team that does this successfully wins. 

Paintball can surely challenge the “soldier” in you.  Give it a shot!

Maryjane Angelo

6 Exercise Tips That Really Work

Sorry, there's just no way around it, if you want to get in shape you have to eat well and get a lot of regular exercise. A pill isn't going to do it all for you. Of course, you want to optimize the results you get from your exercise routine and these exercise tips will help you do just that.

Before you start an exercise program make sure that you talk to your doctor. This is particularly important if you're really overweight and haven't spent much time working out or if you have some underlying health problems. Ask your doctor what you need to do to modify an exercise routine so you can work around those issues.

Here are some exercise tips that you should keep in mind and you will get more out of your workouts:

1. If possible, work out with a friend. It is much easier to stick with a workout routine if you and your friend are doing it together. There is a certain amount of peer pressure, neither of you wants to be the undisciplined one and neither of you wants to let the other one down.

2. If you are new to working out try to find a trainer to work with at least until you get a good routine worked out. After you've gotten the basics mastered you can either continue to work out with the trainer (this can be another great motivator) or, if your budget is tight you can give up the personal trainer and do it yourself.

3. Do not go nuts on the cardio aspect of your workout. Many people make this mistake. They think that spending a lot of time on the treadmill or the elliptical is good, and it is, but the problem is that your body gets used to that level of exertion and eventually your results will actually go down.

4. This one goes along with number 3, do several types of cardio exercises. Don't allow your body to get too used to a certain routine. You should change your workout routine at least every 6 weeks or so. This will really maximize your results. Another benefit of changing things up regularly is that you will lessen repetitive motion injuries that occur, you guessed it, when you do the same movements over and over again.

5. When you do weight training (and everyone should, yes, even women) don't make the mistake of going too fast when you do a repetition.  Many people go so fast that they are actually allowing momentum to do most of the work for them. This greatly decreases the effectiveness of the exercise. You want a very slow and controlled movement. Not only will you get the most out of the exercise you will also lessen the chances of injuring yourself.

6. You may not hear this one too often, but if you are in a time crunch and you can't really do a full workout (some cardio and weight training) and you have to pick one or the other, choose the weight portion of your workout. Weight training will also have a cardiovascular benefit and the boost in metabolism you get by weight training will last you long after your workout is over.

I hope you have found these exercise tips to be helpful. To really be successful in your workout routine, it's important that you find something that you really enjoy doing and then just stick with it.

Maryjane Angelo

Relieve Stress and Have Fun

Relieve Stress and Have Fun with Sports Recreation:

The world we live in is growing increasingly fast-paced, stressful, and filled with responsibility. Because of this, everyone needs some time to relax and have some recreation. Our modern way of life also tends to be sedentary, and the meals we eat are often not very healthy. Exercise is a very important component in renewing us. For these reasons, sports recreation activities are some of the best recreation we can choose.  There are many options for hobbies to provide sports recreation.You may even want to learn some new recreational sports skills.

Courses to learn new sports recreation skills can be found online and in larger cities. You can learn and participate in team sports through the local Y and other organizations. Team sports recreation activities you might like to participate in include softball, baseball, basketball, and sometimes soccer for younger people. Another team sport you might enjoy is bowling, regardless of your skill level you can find a bowling team to have fun with.

Individual sports recreation activities you can learn and participate in include golf, tennis, running, aerobic dance, gymnastics, and horseback riding. Don't overlook bicycling and weight training too. Many of these sports can be learned at the local Y as well. For some of these, you'll want to have a friend to play against or share the exerience with.  Many runners, for instance, like to run with a friend.  And games like tennis and handball really need cooperation for best results.

If you'd rather, you can learn about sports recreation skills online.  You can find courses to teach almost any sport or activity you can think of including underwater hockey, fly-fishing, and para-gliding in the Alps!  Of course, unless you can get some hands-on experience you'll only have the theories of the sport. Still, online courses are a good way to get a taste of different sports and recreational activities you might someday want to try out.

A really fun sports recreation game you might get a chance to play is ping pong. Ping pong, or table tennis as it is sometimes called, is played on a table with rubber coated paddles and extremely lightweight plastic balls.  You must hit the ball with your paddle so that it strikes the table and clears the net before your opponent strikes it and bounces it back to you.  One way to become more adept at ping pong and increase your chance of winning is to sometimes hit the ball harder than at other times. This keeps your opponent guessing what you will do next.

Sports recreation activities are a great way to get exercise and relieve stress. They are also a lot of fun.  Whether with friends or alone, everyone needs a favorite sports recreation to take part in.


Maryjane Angelo

Is Laser Surgery Right for You

While there are many options and possibilities for correcting your eyesight,laser surgery may be one that you have not considered. The word surgery tends to put many individuals off, without considering whether this type of vision correction is right for them or not.

There are several things you need to know about laser surgery before writing it off as not being an option.

There are three basic reasons to consider laser surgery:

* Near-sightedness
* Far-sightedness
* Astigmatism

Laser surgery is pretty common and popular these days. Most individuals find success after opting for laser surgery. Laser surgery works to correct the shape of the cornea so that light traveling through can successfully reach the retina.

There are many benefits to laser surgery:

* Since the eyes are made numb with drops, pain is not as much of a concern as other types of surgery
* Laser surgery corrects these visual issues at more than 90 percent success rate
* There is little to no recovery time for laser surgery
* You may get to wear your glasses less if you opt for laser surgery – this is huge for eyeglass wearers who find that this is a nuisance

While there are many benefits to laser surgery, there are some downsides that you need to be aware of as well:

* Any change made cannot be reversed after laser surgery
* As with any type of surgery, there is always a risk involved such as infection or problems that may adversely affect vision

There are also some possible side effects relating to vision that you may need to be aware of such as:

* Glare
* Halos of light
* Night differential
* Dry, irritated eyes

Of course, as with any surgery or procedure the best way to get all your information is to speak with a specialist in the area of vision. Speak to others who have had this type of surgery and ask around as to what the benefits and downsides were.

Being informed is the best way to make a decision about something as all-important as your vision. There are several factors to consider:

* Getting a recommendation from a friend or family member
* Getting a second opinion
* Doing your research
* Asking questions and asking some more questions

If you make the choice to have laser surgery done, make sure to follow your doctor’s instructions and more importantly make sure that you have a good support team of family and friends behind you.

Check with your doctor as well. He or she may change your medication a few days prior to surgery and may need to clear you for medical procedures such as this.

Once you have asked your questions, done your research, and spoken to friends, family members and other professionals as well as your family doctor, chances are that you are in a better position to make an informed decision.

Maryjane Angelo

Fashionable Contact Lenses

While some individuals are still trying to decide whether or not contact lenses as opposed to glasses are the right choice for them, others are already exploring the idea of fashionable contact lenses.

Fashionable contact lenses are pretty much exactly what they sound like – contact lenses that are merely used for fashionable statements.

You should consider many things before purchasing fashionable contact lenses. As with anything else you would put in or near your eyes, you need to gather as much information as possible to ensure your visual safety.

While the upside to fashionable contact lenses is that you can make a really cool statement or change your look to match your fashion, it is necessary to be aware of the downside as well.

Typically, fashion contact lenses do not have anything to do with corrective vision, rather they are a fashion statement.

Purchasing Fashionable Contact Lenses

The term “buyer beware” certainly does apply to anyone, anywhere who is selling fashionable contact lenses but is not a professional. An ophthalmologist or optometrist is your best and only safe bet to purchase these types of lenses.

There are some not-so-serious and some very serious side effects to purchasing them from let’s say a drug store or from a craft market.

* Pink eye
* Infection
* Scratched cornea

These are just to name a few. Improper use without a prescription and the knowledge on how to clean and place these fashionable lenses can cause serious damage to your eyes.

Safety Tips for Fashionable Contact Lenses

If you do decide to purchase fashionable contact lenses, make sure that you follow safety rules in doing so:

* Seek out the advice of a professional
* Make certain that you have a prescription
* Ask questions if you are unsure about the care and handling of your lenses
* Make sure to properly clean the lenses
* Take the time and trouble to go for an initial exam and follow-up exam with your eye practitioner

If there is any kind of problem, even if it seems mild at the onset, seek out the aid of your eye practitioner. Whether it is redness, irritation, or blurriness, your eyes could be at serious risk if you do not reach out and ask for help immediately. It is imperative to be diligent with eye care.

If you follow these safety tips and keep in close contact with your eye practitioner, fashionable contact lenses can be a fun and innovative way to change your look, give your self-esteem a little boost, or simply have fun while everyone asks you if you have done something different.

Maryjane Angelo

Are Contact Lenses Right for You?

If you are an eyeglass wearer, chances are that you have considered switching over to contact lenses. However, you may be concerned about the negative aspects of wearing contact lenses besides only the positives.

There are many good reasons to switch over to wearing contact lenses and they may be just the right choice for you.

As any eyeglass wearer knows, there are a few nuisance values to wearing eyeglasses. For example, eyeglasses are easily lost and can break. Eyeglasses, for the most part, are covered by insurance companies on a scale of something like one pair per year. If you damage or break or worse yet, lose your eyeglasses, you are at risk of having to tape them up or waiting until your next calendar year to purchase a new pair.

Looking for your eyeglasses may seem like an age-old joke, but it is not funny when you really need them the most and simply cannot remember where you have put them.

On the positive side, eyeglasses have come a long, long way as far as fashion is concerned. There are so many pretty, stylish types of frames, that eyeglass wearing has become somewhat more of a fashion statement besides being a necessity.

Contact lenses have many upsides and downsides as well.

On the obvious end, contact lenses offer support for the following:

* Near-sightedness
* Far-sightedness
* Astigmatism
* Presbyopia

Of course, there are also other benefits that are not only visually related. For example,

* You can wear contact lenses during sporting activities, which is not often possible with glasses. 

* Contact lenses allow you to see better without having to worry about how you look in glasses. They can be more of a fashion statement because they are not obvious.

* Self-esteem and image are also important factors to consider, especially for teens or pre-teens.

On the downside, contact lenses are something that needs time to get accustomed to, especially in the beginning. Contact lenses are easily dropped and lost and can sometimes cause difficulty if they move or shift. Sometimes debris can get underneath the lens and irritate the eye and the wearer.

In addition, contact lens wearing consists of traveling with extra lenses if available and eye solution, as well as a carrying pouch. If you forget this important factor while traveling, you are at a serious disadvantage.

In order to decide whether or not contact lenses are right for you or not, speak with your eye doctor. Moreover, speak to others who have tried the contact lens route and the eyeglass route and see overall who prefers what in your circle of friends and family.

It is always great to get some input from others, especially when it comes to matters as important as your eyesight.

Maryjane Angelo