Some contact lenses are approved for over-night wear, but not everyone is a candidate for this wearing schedule. Studies show the risk for infections and complications is greater in patients who sleep in their contacts. Never sleep in your contact lenses unless the doctor has approved it.

"Computer Vision Syndrome"- It's real and it's a diagnosis used by eye care providers and insurance companies to explain what happens to the focusing system and the health of your eyes as a result of computer and video game use. Symptoms include eyestrain, fatigue, burning and watering eyes, headaches, and blurred vision. Prolonged reading and computer use may cause worsening of your eyeglass prescription and focusing problems in adults and children. Ask the doctor what you can do to minimize the impact the computer has on your eye health.

Newborns are evaluated for eye disease before leaving the hospital. If you have a family history of congenital eye disease or if you notice an eye that is turned in or out, or anything that appears abnormal, it's best to make an appointment with a pediatric specialist. Otherwise all children should have their first eye exam with an eye doctor before starting kindergarten (Age 4 or 5). Our staff is great with children and we look forward to making your child's first eye exam a fun experience.

Drops that promise red eye relief can be used occasionally when needed, but regular, daily use may pose a health risk to your eyes. There are other drops that are safe to use on a daily basis that do not have the side effects that red eye relief drops have. Just remember, if your eye is red, there is a reason, something is wrong. A red eye relief drop simply masks the problem, it does not solve it. Make an appointment to see the doctor to determine the cause of your red eye so that the appropriate treatment can be prescribed.

Not necessarily, but we can do better. You may be inducing extra strain on your eyes by using over-the-counter glasses that are not measured for you. When the doctor examines you, an exact prescription is determined, which may be different for each eye. Your vision is clearer and more comfortable with both eyes working together. If you are using glasses that are the same for each eye, but each of your eyes requires a different prescription, your brain is probably only using one eye to read. Additionally, there are other measurements that are taken when you are fitted with optical quality glasses, which may not be accurate with over-the-counter glasses. Let our doctor determine what prescription works best for you so that you can surf the web and read a great book without eyestrain or discomfort.

Wearing glasses that are your correct prescription does not make your vision worse. Once you see how clear your vision is with your glasses, removing the glasses makes it obvious that you were seeing a lot better with them! As far as losing your ability to focus up close in your 40's and 50's, unfortunately, your vision is going to get worse for reading, regardless of whether you wear your glasses or not. So wear them and enjoy your clear, comfortable vision! And no, eye exercises for losing your ability to focus up close in your 40's and 50's do not work.

Absolutely! Everyone, at every age, should wear sunglasses when outdoors. Sunglasses protect your eyes from cataracts, macular degeneration, pingueculae and pterygiums, and skin cancer. The eyelids are unfortunately a common place to develop skin cancer, and most of us do not apply sunscreen here because it burns when you get it in your eyes. Transition lenses that darken outdoors are a great way to protect children's eyes without having to remind them to wear their sunglasses. Look for sunglasses that block 100% of UV light.

Reading letters on an eye chart for a fraction of a second is not equivalent to maintaining clear focus in the classroom or reading a book for an hour. Children have very adaptive focusing abilities and may be able to focus to compensate for a large prescription, hiding the need for glasses. If your child is complaining of headaches or blurred vision, or if you observe poor performance in school, reduced attention span when it comes to near tasks such as homework, poor reading comprehension, holding a book close or sitting close to the television, or the use of finger tracking to keep place while reading, these may all be signs of poor focusing abilities or eye muscle problems which may require correction. This is why despite a perfect report from the vision screening conducted by your pediatrician, a complete eye exam is recommended for all children before starting school.

It's quite possible! Every year contact lens manufacturers introduce new lenses to the market. Today there are many contact lens options for astigmatism, bifocal correction, large prescriptions, and those with dry eyes. When you schedule an appointment in our office for contact lenses, you will receive sample contact lenses at no cost to try before ever purchasing a supply of lenses. Make an appointment with our office if you're ready to enjoy the freedom from glasses on the soccer field, at the gym, at the beach, or for everyday life.