We know that alcohol can damage our health, if consumed in excess, but did you know that alcohol can affect your eyesight? Here, we’ll take a look at the links between alcohol and eyesight, examining whether drinking alcohol can actually lead to long-term damage. What happens to our eyes when we drink alcohol If you’ve…
Six Things to Consider Everyone knows sunglasses make it easier to see on a sunny day, whether out on the road or the water. However, wearing the right sunglasses is also a great defense against ultraviolet (UV) rays that can cause short- and long-term eye damage. 1. Make it 100 percent. The single most important…
Inside our eyes, we have a natural lens. The lens bends (refracts) light rays that come into the eye to help us see. The lens should be clear, like the top lens in the illustration. Vision Problems with Cataracts If you have a cataract, your lens has become cloudy, like the bottom lens in the…
What are learning disabilities? Learning disabilities are problems a child has when doing certain tasks. These tasks include reading, writing, math, listening, speaking or concentrating. Learning disabilities are not caused by eye problems. Children with learning disabilities do not have more vision problems than children without learning disabilities. Instead, a learning disability is caused by…
It’s no surprise that most people don’t see well in the dark. However, some people have considerable difficulty seeing at night or in poor light. This is called night blindness (or nyctalopia). Night blindness doesn’t mean you are completely unable to see at night, but that your vision is poorer then. It is not a…
It’s become second nature to wear protective clothing like a hat, or lather up in sunscreen to protect our skin from the sun’s harmful rays, unfortunately the same can’t be said for our eyes. Year round, our eyes are exposed to invisible ultraviolet radiation (UV), which causes cumulative damage as we age. Overexposure to UVA…
A 30 year old patient recently experienced a sudden decline in his ability to see from a distance. Otherwise, he told me he felt completely fine and reported no other symptoms. We referred the patient for further testing, because drastic vision changes in a short period of time, at that age, can often be a sign…
Now that the school year is back in full swing, it’s important to be on the watch for signs that suggest your child may be struggling to see. Some of the more common signs to look for include: Blurry vision or double vision Squinting or holding objects close to the eyes Headaches or eye strain…
As optometrists we are seeing large numbers of patients suffering from “computer vision syndrome”. This syndrome is a modern day phenomenon, which occurs as a result of spending an inordinate number of hours per day in front of light emitting displays like computers, iPADs and tablets. Adults and children are equally at risk since even…
Research shows that a wide variety of plant-based nutrients may stave off debilitating eye diseases (like macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy) and improve quality of life and longevity. The very nutrients that can reduce the risk of vision loss also help protect against other degenerative diseases of aging, such as Alzheimer’s, heart diseases,…