Q: How do I know if I have Dry Eye?
A: Dry eye syndrome can only be diagnosed by an eye doctor. We take your symptoms into account, including the eyes feeling dry, burning, itchy or irritated. Watery eyes and blurry vision are also common because the tears, which protect the outermost surface of the eye, can be unstable.
Q: What causes myopia?
A: Myopia is caused by a combination of environmental factors and heredity. Studies show that if we can move the focal point in front of the mid peripheral retina we can slow the progression of myopia. The increased use of cell phones and computers, as well as less time outdoors is probably a contributing factor.
Q: What is diabetic retinopathy?
A: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is an eye disease that can occur at any stage and with any type of diabetes. In fact, sometimes diabetes is identified during an eye exam in a person who never suspected it. It is caused by damage to the very delicate blood vessels within the retina at the back of the eye. As DR progresses, these blood vessels may start to leak blood and fluid into the retina or other areas of the eye, and new vessels may begin to grow within the retina, which can cause vision loss, and sudden complications including internal bleeds and retinal detachment.
Q: My child is struggling in school. Does he / she need an eye exam?
A: A comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist can often determine if there are visual issues interfering with a child’s ability to perform well in school. Many visual symptoms, some obvious, others less so, can contribute to a child’s poor academic achievement. The most common symptoms to watch out for: blur at distance or near, skipping or re-reading lines or words, reduced reading comprehension, difficulty shifting focus from near to far or far to near, difficulty copying from the smart board, double vision, closing or covering an eye when working at near, headaches -- especially in the forehead, temple, or eyebrow regions, difficulty attending to near work or an avoidance of reading, poor spelling, misaligning numbers in math, unusual head or body posture when working at near. Some of these issues can be alleviated with a good pair of eyeglasses while others may require vision therapy. Vision therapy, like occupational therapy or physical therapy, is a systematic program where the body, in this case the visual system, can be retrained and strengthened to improve it’s ability to function.
Q: My child saw 20/20 at their school physical. That's perfect vision for back to school, right?
A: Maybe! 20/20 only tells us what size letter can be seen 20 feet away. People with significant farsightedness or eye muscle imbalances may see "20/20", but experience enough visual strain to make reading difficult. Eighty percent of learning is visual so include a thorough eye exam in your child's Back-to-School list.
Q: Why is my child having trouble reading and concentrating on schoolwork?
A: Your child may have an underlying refractive issue, such as farsightedness, nearsightedness or an astigmatism that maybe be causing blurred vision, making it hard for your child to concentrate and focus. There may also binocularity issues, which is how well the two eyes work together, or focusing issues that can affect a child's schoolwork. When working with your child, we will evaluate the visual system including binocular and accommodative systems to determine if his/her vision may be interfering with academic success.
Q: One of the greatest tasks of a school-aged child is learning to read and in older children, the amount of reading required. What should parents be on the lookout for concerning their child’s reading and potential vision problems?
A: We often discuss vision problems as they relate to sitting in a classroom, but what about the playground or vision acuity’s effect on socialization and play?
Q: Today it seems that many children are very quickly diagnosed as learning disabled or dyslexic. Does vision play a role?
A: In some cases a large undetected prescription (farsightedness or astigmatism) or an eye muscle imbalance (binocular vision problem) can make reading and learning a challenge. Once properly diagnosed and treated, reading and learning tasks can become much more comfortable, visually.
Q: My child says it gets blurry when looking from his paper to the board at school, and getting him to read is difficult. Is there anything I can do to help?
A: Your child is not alone. While we have been seeing children with focusing problems for many years, there is a huge increase in accommodative (focusing) problems with children today. Our eye doctor works with children to make reading easier and more enjoyable. Words shouldn’t move in and out of focus or move around when you are reading. For example, spec lenses with extra power for reading or multifocal contacts, can make reading more comfortable for many children. School is challenging enough as it is, without the added difficulty of eyestrain and the eyes working hard just to see.
Q: How can a child's learning in school be affected by their vision?
A: A child's ability to learn is strongly dependent on having a normal visual system. Visual acuity (being able to see the letters on the chart with the big E) is only one aspect of about 17 visual skills that are required for reading and learning. Vision therapy is a treatment program that can remediate mal-developed visual skills and certain vision disorders, helping children reach their maximum learning and reading potential.
Q: My child is struggling in school. Should I have his/her eyes examined?
A: A comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist can often determine if there are visual issues interfering with a child's ability to perform in school. Many visual symptoms, some obvious, others less so, can contribute to a child's poor academic achievement. Some of these issues can be alleviated with a good pair of eyeglasses while others may require vision therapy. The doctors at our eye clinic are trained in the diagnosis of vision related learning problems.
Q: What are some of the learning difficulties a child may encounter if they have vision issues?
A: Children may have difficulty reading if their near vision is blurry or the words jump around the page. Older children may have difficulty copying from the board at the front of the class or may struggle with math homework that has multiple questions on the page.
Q: My child passed the screening test at school, isn’t that enough?
A: Distance and reading are two different things. Someone with perfect distance vision can still have focusing problems up close. Eye doctors check for both. Many children have undiagnosed accommodative (focusing) problems because no one ever looked for it before. We always check the distance and near vision of our patients of all ages because it is so important. Other areas that need to be checked include: eye muscle alignment, color vision, depth perception, and overall health of the eyes.
Q: What exactly is pink eye?
A: Pink eye is really anything that makes the eye pink. The official term is conjunctivitis, meaning an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the mostly transparent, skinnish like covering over the white of the eye. When the eye is irritated, the conjunctiva swells and blood vessels in it dilate, giving the eye a pink or reddish appearance. Many different agents can lead to this, including bacteria, viruses, allergens, and toxic or mechanical irritants. Treatment and contagion protection depend on the specific cause. Often the cause can be determined based on history, eye appearance with specialized instruments, and symptoms. Viral pinkeye, for example, is typically associated with increased light sensitivity, whereas itching is a key sign in allergic pink eye. There is a good deal of overlap with all kinds, however. Bacterial and viral pinkeye are both contagious, and fairly common. With any pink eye, particularly if it is getting worse, or not getting any better within a day, it’s best to be seen by an eye care practitioner. She or he will have the experience, knowledge and instrumentation to provide the most efficient treatment and recommendations.
Q: I see fine. Why do I need to see an Eye Doctor?
A: Regular eye exams are the only way to catch “silent” diseases such as diabetes, glaucoma and other conditions in their early stages, when they’re more easily managed or treated. Considering mass-produced, over-the-counter reading glasses? You are truly doing yourself a disservice, both financially and medically. One-size-fits-all reading glasses not only do not work well for most people who have a different prescription in each eye, and/or astigmatism, or whose lens and frame parameters are not measured correctly. Moreover, they bypass the opportunity to have their eyes checked for early detection of many manageable diseases or conditions. For those insisting on selecting glasses not measured specifically for their eyes, headache and eye fatigue are common symptoms.
Q: My eye is suddenly red and irritated/painful, what should I do?
A: Some red eyes will go away with rest, but some are vision threatening and could cause blindness within 24 hours (ie. If the cause was a microorganism from contact lens wear). Whenever you get a red eye, it is very important to make an emergency eye appointment immediately with our eye doctor to see what the cause is. If you wear contact lenses, remove them immediately and do not wear until the redness subsides. Our doctor uses a high magnification slit lamp to examine your eyes to determine the exact cause of the problem and will treat accordingly. A family doctor usually does not have the necessary equipment and will treat based on your symptoms only.If your eyes need antibiotic eye drops, our eye doctor can prescribe the proper ones for your condition.
Q: Why do I have to have my eyes dilated?
A: A thorough, dilated exam allows your optometrist to do a complete exam of the retina, and that is important to do throughout your life, as several eye diseases and conditions are detected at their earliest stages during a thorough eye exam: diabetes, eye tumors, high blood pressure, infectious diseases, macular degeneration, retinal detachment, glaucoma
Q: What can I do to prevent eye fatigue?
A: Eye health issues can all lead to difficulty with near related visual tasks. Here are 5 Simple Tips for Avoiding Eye Strain from Near Vision Tasks. 1. Good posture: Whether you’re lying or sitting as you perform near tasks, having good posture can dramatically help with eye strain. If not, then you may be reading where one eye is farther away from the reading material than the other eye. If the head is angled away from the material, one eye’s view of the near task can often be completely blocked by the nose. Sit up straight, and face the reading material where both eyes appear equidistant from the reading material. Children are often the biggest culprits of poor posture when performing near tasks. 2. Incline of the reading material: If a page is lying on a flat surface like a table when you read it, the top part of the page is typically farther from the eye than the bottom part of the page. Then when you read across, line by line, from top to bottom, the distance between the reading material and your eyes is constantly changing. This causes the eyes to work harder. By propping the reading material up at an angle, it makes the top and bottom of the reading material more equidistant, thus making the eyes work less than when the material is on a flat surface. 3. Good lighting and contrast on your book/near task: With tablets, computers, and smart phones, we can usually have decent contrast. If the material is a book, or paper, it’s very important to have plenty of direct lighting on the reading material. This sounds simple, but too many people take this for granted, and then wonder why they get eye fatigue after reading for short periods of time. 4. Move your reading material a little bit farther away from your eyes: This can be especially effective for those approaching 40 and beyond! This doesn’t mean that you have to hold the near task as far from you as possible. Just be sure that it’s not too close to your face, and if you do get eye strain, try moving the near task a few inches farther from your eyes than you normally do. Children may lie on the floor or bed, and read or use hand-held devices positioned way too close to their faces, and often need to be reminded to adjust it, especially when they’re “in the zone” playing on a device. 5. If you have more than one simultaneous near task, try to make the multiple near tasks more equidistant: Many of my patients work on more than one monitor, or have a computer and also near-work beneath the monitor. If they have eye strain, I’ll often recommend that they try to make the monitors and multiple near tasks more equidistant, to reduce eye strain. Be sure that you and your family members have annual eye health examinations. These tips do not replace having an annual eye health examination, updating your glasses/contacts if necessary, and visiting your optometrist if you have any visual or eye health problems in between routine eye doctor's appointments.
Q: Is wearing makeup or eye mascara harmful to my eyes?
A: Wearing makeup is not harmful to your eyes, if it's done properly. Eyeliner should be worn on the outer eyelid margin, not the inner margin where it can cause issues with infections and dry eyes if it blocks the openings of the meibomian glands, which secrete oil to keep your tears on your eyes longer. Additionally, all eye makeup should be removed every night before bed. We all have bacteria that lives on our skin, which is normal. However, the bacteria and mites that live in and around our lashes like to feed on the dried mascara and eyeliner overnight, which can cause bacterial overgrowth and infections. Replace your mascara every 3-4 months: that bacteria gets in the tube, too!
Q: Can I borrow someone else's glasses?
A: Eyeglasses are specifically customized for a particular patient. If you are wearing someone else's glasses, while it could improve your vision somewhat, it will not give you the crisp clear vision that a personalized pair of glasses does. And, it may even do more harm than good. Not recommended!
Q: How often should I have my glasses prescription checked?
A: The American Optometric Association recommends yearly eye-health examinations. As part of a comprehensive eye exam your optometrist will not only check your glasses prescription for changes, but he/she will also evaluate your eye health. Every patient needs to be regularly monitored for glaucoma and other eye conditions. For adults, it’s important to screen for age-related ocular diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration. Certain medical conditions, like diabetes, require annual eye-health exams, to monitor the potential side-effects they can have on the eyes. For children, visual dysfunction conditions like “lazy eye” and “crossed eyes,” can be missed with school vision screenings alone, so yearly eye exams are recommended for kids too. A regular complete eye examination is an integral part of routine health care.
Q: Can I borrow and use someone else's glasses?
A: Wearing someone else's glasses will not cause permanent damage to your eyes, however it will likely give you a serious headache. Don't use your friend's lenses; treat yourself to clear vision by getting your very own eyeglasses!
Q: When I close my eyes, I see flashes of light in my vision. Is that bad?
A: Flashes of light in your vision could be a very dangerous sign! Something is tugging at your retina and eliciting these flashes of light. Sometimes it could be the vitreous humor pulling at the retina in aging vitreous degeneration, but sometimes it could mean a dangerous retinal tear or detachment. Detachments need to be treated within 24 hours for the best prognosis in preventing permanent vision loss. Emergency minor evaluations are often covered by medical insurance.
Q: What are floaters and are they dangerous?
A: Older individuals sometimes notice spots and specks floating across their fields of vision, particularly when looking up at the sky or other solid-hued backgrounds. While these “floaters” may initially arouse concern, they are generally nothing to worry about. These floating thread- like fragments are actually strands of collagen (a protein) that commonly occur as a result of shrinkage of the “vitreous humor” (the gel-like substance inside the eye). As we age, the vitreous humor shrinks and the fine collagen fibers it contains become thread-like. Like clouds in the sky, they can block the light hitting the retina, thereby creating shadows that we see as floaters. No treatment is required, but sudden increases or sudden flashes of light should prompt immediate treatment. Although seeing “floaters” typically does not signal a problem, there are some instances where a retinal detachment may occur. Just as you routinely have your teeth cleaned and blood pressure checked, you should also have your eyes examined. Floaters most often occur among people between the ages of 50 and 75, especially in very nearsighted individuals and cataract patients.
Q: What exactly is glaucoma?
A: Glaucoma is a condition in which the eye's intraocular pressure (IOP) is too high. This means that your eye has too much aqueous humor in it, either because it produced too much, or because it's not draining properly. Other symptoms are optic nerve damage and vision loss. Glaucoma is a silent disease that robs the patient of their peripheral vision. Early detection is very important.
Q: How do I tell that I am developing glaucoma?
A: The real tragedy behind vision-stealing glaucoma is that most people afflicted with this eye disease do not even realize they have it. As a result, the condition goes undiagnosed and untreated, which too often leads to unnecessary blindness. Of the 2.7 million people in the United States with glaucoma, half are undiagnosed. Most are lulled into a false sense of confidence because glaucoma often displays no symptoms in its early stages. By the time it begins to affect vision, any lost sight is impossible to regain. The risk of developing glaucoma begins to increase dramatically at midlife, which is why everyone should have a baseline exam by age 40. The most important concern is protecting your sight. Doctors look at many factors before making decisions about your treatment. If your condition is particularly difficult to diagnose or treat, you may be referred to a glaucoma specialist. While glaucoma is most common in middle-aged individuals, the disease can strike at any age, with those having a family history of the disease being especially vulnerable.
Q: When should my child have their first eye examination?
A: Our office actually participates in InfantSee, a free program that allows for screening of infants between 6 to 12 months of age. It is a way of checking for the risk of lazy eye and the internal health of the eye. Obviously at this age, children cannot read an eyechart, but we have methods that allow us to check for any prescription and health issues. After that, it is recommended that children have a comprehensive exam at around age 3. At this age, they are able to respond more interactively and we are able to make sure their vision is developing properly. We can also begin testing for any developmental delays that may be eye or vision related and that may hinder their learning abilities in the future.
Q: How can I stop glare at night or at a computer?
A: There can be many causes for this condition. However, many times this problem can be alleviated, or even dismissed, with the use of non-glare lenses. First and foremost, however, annual or semi annual eye exams are the ONLY avenue to your eye health, and the ONLY resource to ascertain the correct reason or cause for any ailment! That being said, and once any medical or physical condition is removed as a possibility of cause, then the perfect solution for glare on computer screens, or glare from night driving would be CRIZAL® Advanced with Scotchguard. CRIZAL® has made astronomical advances with new non-glare technology. Most non-glare lenses have an non-glare coating applied to a finished lens. CRIZAL® has discovered how to manage a lens with new non-glare technology, so the lens is not non-glare coated, but the non-glare actually becomes a component of the lens. This is accomplished during the manufacturing of the lens, thereby giving superior resiliency, scratch protection, and durability.
Q: What is Orthokeratolgy (Ortho-K)?
A: Did you ever wish you could wake up in the morning being able to see perfectly? By wearing Ortho-K lenses nightly, you can correct your vision if you are nearsighted to close to perfect vision. Your eye doctor will fit you with GP lenses that gently correct the shape of the front of your eye when you sleep. The correction remains for a day or two, so you must continue to use the contacts nightly if you want to maintain good vision during the day. Interested in trying Ortho-K lenses? Book a consultation today.
Q: What results can a patient expect from being treated with Ortho-k?
A: While being treated with orthokeratology, patients can expect clear daytime vision without the need of daytime glasses or contact lenses.
Q: What are the benefits of Ortho-k for kids?
A: Ortho-k can be an excellent option for children. Does your child’s prescription for myopia worsen progressively each year? Corrective refractive therapy may offer a solution to constant deteriorating vision. Studies have demonstrated that when children wear ortho-k lenses, myopia progression slows down. In addition, laser surgery is not available for kids under 18, so ortho-k is a great alternative to eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Q: Who can wear ortho-k lenses?
A: People who suffer from nearsightedness will benefit the most from CRT, especially if your eye doctor does not recommend refractive surgery. Patients of any age can benefit from this treatment. Corneal reshaping lenses are especially useful for people who find eyeglasses and contact lenses inconvenient for various reasons. Some people find contacts hard to wear for an entire day, or don’t want to wear them while playing sports.People who suffer from dry eye syndrome or allergies have a hard time wearing contacts. Ortho-k is a perfect solution for anyone who can’t wear contact lenses, and don’t like the look or feel of eyeglasses.
Q: At what age should my child have his/her eyes examined?
A: Eye exams for children should start between 6mos-1 year old. There is a nation-wide program called InfantSee (http://www.infantsee.org/) where participating providers offer a FREE eye exam to children in this age group to make sure the eyes are developing properly. If there are no issues detected, an exam at 3 and 5 years old is sufficient to make sure the eyes are still developing properly for preschool and kindergarten. Since babies and toddlers have no way of knowing if what they see is “normal” and “clear” or not, having a comprehensive eye exam is the best way to ensure their eyes and vision is developing properly. Any ocular issues are best addressed sooner rather than later because 80% of learning takes place through vision in kids!
Q: Why is my vision going bad once I turned 50?
A: Your vision is good as long as you can see 20/20. That means you have a healthy eye and eye system. We lose the ability to focus after 40 because the lens in our eye continues to grow. The lens is like an onion that lays down layers of cells always getting thicker. At some point we can not make the lens thicker to focus which is how we focus. Thus we lose the ability to focus and need bifocals or reading glasses.