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Relax Your Eyes with These Soothing Exercises

Do your eyes hurt when you spend too much time reading, playing digital games, or working on your computer? Headaches, blurry vision, and neck pain can be signs of eyestrain, as can light sensitivity, trouble concentrating, burning, sore, or itchy eyes. Fortunately, preventing uncomfortable eyestrain symptoms can be as simple as trying a few of these exercises.

The Clock Exercise

The clock exercise relieves strain on overworked eye muscles and can help you avoid headaches, eye pain, and other eyestrain symptoms. Start the exercising by imagining a large analog clock a few feet in front of you. Keep your head still and move your eyes to nine, then to three.

Keep moving your eyes to the opposite pairs on the clock - ten and four, twelve and six, etc. Hold your gaze for a second or two on each number before moving on to the next one.

Figure Eight Tracing

Picture an eight on its side. Use your eyes to trace the figure without moving your head and neck. After performing five cycles in the same direction, reverse direction, and try the exercise five more times. This exercise will also keep your eye muscles loose and flexible.

Focus Changes

Hold a pen about a foot away from your nose. Focus on the pen for a few seconds, then switch your focus to an object in the distance for a few seconds. Perform the exercise five or ten times.

If your vision tends to become blurry when you look at close objects, add a few extra steps to this exercise. Extend the arm holding the pen as far as you can, then slowly move the pen toward your face. Stop when you can no longer see the pen clearly or you see more than one pen. Return to the starting position and start again. If you perform this exercise regularly, you may discover that your ability to focus on near objects improves.

Palming

Close your eyes and place your palms against your eyes. Apply gentle pressure for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Palming helps tight eye muscles relax and may also improve eye lubrication.

Exercises Offer an Effective Way to Relax Your Eyes

Eye exercises improved eye fatigue in a group of nursing students in a study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science. The 40 students were divided into two groups. The first group performed yogic eye exercises two days a week for eight weeks while the second group did not. The exercises included palming, blinking, sideways viewing, rotational viewing, and near and distant viewing.

At the end of the eight weeks, the exercise group noticed a significant decrease in eye fatigue compared to the control group.

Other Things You Can Do to Improve Eye Comfort

Do you follow the 20-20-20 rule when you view digital screens? The rule helps you avoid dry eye and eyestrain by giving your eyes frequent breaks. After working or playing for 20 minutes, focus on an object 20 feet in the distance for 20 seconds.

Viewing screens for hours tends to dry out the eyes. The problem is related to a decrease in blinking when looking at digital screens. If your eyes tend to feel dry when you're texting or watching videos online, remind yourself to blink more often. If your eyes continue to bother you, use over-the-counter lubricating drops to improve your comfort.

The American Optometric Association recommends placing computer monitors 20 to 28 inches from your eyes and 4 to 5 inches below eye level for optimum eye comfort. Glare filters can reduce the amount of glare produced by digital devices and improve your viewing experience.

If dry eyes, headaches, and other eyestrain symptoms continue, you may benefit from wearing computer glasses. The prescription glasses reduce glare, block blue light, and provide the optimum focusing power for viewing your screen.

Are your eyes painful, dry, or uncomfortable? Has your vision become a little blurry lately? It may be time to pay a visit to the optometrist. Call our office to schedule a convenient appointment.

Sources:

Healthline: Eye Exercises: How-to, Efficacy, Eye Health, and More

Journal of Physical Therapy Science: Effects of Yogic Eye Exercise on Eye Fatigue in Undergraduate Nursing Students, 6/16

American Academy of Ophthalmology: Eye Strain: How to Prevent Tired Eyes, 2/26/20

Yoga Journal: The Benefits of Yoga for the Eyes

American Optometric Association: Most Americans Experience Digital Eyestrain from Overexposure to Computers According to Survey, 10/23/16

Bothered by Eyelid Spasms? Here's How You Can Stop the Twitching

Twitching eyelids are incredibly annoying, whether the problem only lasts an hour or continues for much longer. Determining the cause of your eyelid spasms can help you make a few changes that may prevent the twitching from happening again.

Strategies for Preventing Eyelid Spasms

Eyelid spasms aren't usually a cause for concern. They last just long enough to be a nuisance and then disappear for weeks or months. In some cases, twitching eyelids can be a sign of a neurological condition, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. If the spasms last longer than a week, affect your vision, cause drooping eyelids, or other muscles in your face begin to twitch, call your optometrist.

These tactics may help you stop and prevent spasms:

• Get More Sleep. Twitching is more likely to occur if you've been suffering from insomnia or recently pulled an all-nighter. Taking a nap, treating insomnia, or increasing the number of hours you sleep at night may end the spasms.

• Find a Stress Relief Outlet. Have you noticed that your spasms tend to appear when you feel particularly anxious or stressed? Twitches are a common effect of stress and tend to go away when you relax. When you're feeling stressed, exercise, meditate, practice yoga, read a book, watch a movie, talk to a friend, or do anything else you find calming.

• Keep Your Eyes Moist. Lack of moisture caused by aging, medication side effects, contact lens wear, and other factors can trigger eye spasms. If you suffer from dry eyes, use over-the-counter drops and wear wraparound sunglasses to prevent the wind from drying out your eyes when you venture out. If these measures don't help, talk to your eye doctor.

• Reduce Eyestrain. Eyestrain is an increasingly common problem, due in large part to our reliance on digital devices. The condition can cause your eyes to burn and feel sore or tired. Eyestrain may also be responsible for twitching eyelids, headaches, and dry eyes. Taking frequent breaks from digital devices, reading, or close work can help you avoid eyestrain and dry eye.

• Limit Alcohol and Caffeine. Overindulging in beverages that contain alcohol or caffeine may be the cause of your twitches. Reducing your intake of alcohol, coffee, tea, and caffeinated soft drinks may end your spasms.

• Treat Your Allergy Symptoms. Allergies not only cause sneezing, runny nose, and nasal congestion but can also make your eyes twitch, burn, tear, redden, or feel sore. Oral allergy medication may help as can allergy eye drops. Drops can reduce inflammation, redness, itching, and other symptoms. If over-the-counter drops aren't helpful, your optometrist may prescribe more effective prescription drops.

• Wear Sunglasses. Spending too much time in the sun without protection could also trigger the spasms. Wearing sunglasses every time you step outside may reduce the twitching and also protects your eyes from the harmful effects of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) light. Long-term exposure to UVA and UVB can increase your risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, and cancer of the eye.

• Improve Your Diet. Eyelid spasms might occur if you don't receive enough magnesium or other nutrients. Magnesium helps your body regulate muscle and nerve function. If it's too low, twitching, muscle spasms, fatigue, nausea, numbness, and tingling can occur. Eating whole grains, dairy products, nuts, tofu, dark chocolate, spinach, and leafy greens, and bananas can help you increase your magnesium level naturally. If your symptoms continue, let your doctor know.
   

Are you concerned about your twitching eyes? Try to practice these helpful tips to stop the spasms.

Sources:

Cleveland Clinic: Feeling Fatigued? Could It Be a Magnesium Deficiency, 2/6/19

All About Vision: Eye Twitching: 8 Causes and Treatments

American Academy of Ophthalmology: How to Stop Eye Twitching, 7/27/17

WebMD: Why Does My Eye Twitch, 1/21/18

The Dos and Don'ts of Contact Lens Wear

Do you know how to avoid common contact lens problems? Understanding how to properly use and care for your lenses will help you protect your eyes and ensure that your lenses remain clear and comfortable.

DO Wash Your Hands Before Handling Your Contacts

"Wash your hands" sounds like very obvious advice, yet many people fail to wash their hands thoroughly. In fact, Michigan State University researchers discovered that only five percent of people wash their hands long enough to kill germs after using the restroom. Many of the people they observed only spent an average of 6 seconds washing their hands, rather than the recommended 15-20 seconds.

Failing to wash your hands vigorously can increase your risk of developing inflammation, corneal infections, pink eye or corneal ulcers. When you wash your hands, avoid soaps that may leave an oily residue on your fingers. The residue can transfer to your lenses and cloud your vision.

DON'T Change Your Routine When Inserting and Taking Out Your Lenses

Have you ever accidentally inserted both of your lenses in the same eye or discovered that your vision was blurry because you switched the right and left lenses? These errors are much less likely to happen if you don't deviate from your usual routine. Insert the same lens first every time to prevent confusion.

DO Follow Safe Handling and Cleaning Recommendations

Using anything other than the solutions recommended by your eye doctor can increase your risk of infection. Don't rinse your lenses with tap water or clean them with saliva.

Do you dump out the old solution in your lens case and refill the wells without cleaning them? Although the case might look perfectly clean, fungi or bacteria may lurk in the wells.

After you empty the case, rub the wells for a few seconds with clean fingers to remove biofilm. Biofilm is a slimy film that may contain bacteria, fungi, algae, and other microorganisms. After rubbing the wells, rinse the cases with fresh solution and let them air dry.

The American Optometric Association recommends replacing your case every three months. Replace it sooner if it's noticeably dirty or damaged.

DON'T Apply Makeup Before Inserting Your Lenses

Creams and oils may transfer to your contact lenses from your fingertips if you apply makeup before you insert your contacts. At the end of the day, carefully remove your lenses first, then remove makeup.

Eye makeup can also become contaminated with bacteria. Replace it every three months to prevent infections.

Does eye makeup seem to migrate into your eye and cause irritation? You can reduce the risk of irritation by:

• Choosing Cream Eye Shadow Rather Than Powder

• Wearing Hypoallergenic Makeup

• Applying Eyeliner to the Base of Your Lashes Only
   

DO Follow the Recommended Wear Time

Wearing contact lenses longer than suggested by your eye doctor can irritate your eyes and increase the likelihood that you'll develop a corneal ulcer or abnormal blood vessel growth in your corneas.

It's also important to replace contacts as recommended by the manufacturer. If you continue to use lenses for weeks or months after you should have tossed them, they may warp, change shape or dry out.

Your eye doctor will explain the optimal wearing schedule for your daily wear, disposable or extended wear lenses. No matter what type of lenses you wear, you'll need a backup pair of eyeglasses for days when you don't want to wear your lenses or your eyes need a break.

DON'T Expose Your Lenses to Water

Take your contact lenses out before you take a shower or swim. If you keep the lenses in, you may develop microbial keratitis, a serious eye infection that affects the cornea and can lead to blindness in severe cases.

DO Visit Your Eye Doctor Regularly

Yearly checkups are a must if you wear contact lenses. During your appointments, your optometrist will examine your eyes and determine if your prescription has changed. The visit is the perfect time to discuss any issues you may be having with your eyes or contact lenses.

Let your eye doctor know if your vision suddenly seems blurry when wearing your contact lenses or glasses, or if you notice any signs of infection or injury, which may include:

• Eye Pain

• Redness

• Difficulty Opening or Keeping Your Eye Open

• Constant Tearing

• Foreign Body Sensation in Your Eyes

• Discharge

• Sensitivity to Light
   

Is it time for your next checkup? Call our office to schedule a convenient appointment.

Sources:

Michigan State University: EWW! Only Five Percent Wash Hands Correctly, 6/10/13

American Optometric Association: Contact Lens Case Care

All About Vision: Tips for Contact Lens Wearers

American Academy of Ophthalmology: How to Take Care of Contact Lenses, 5/23/19

CDC: Safety Tips Every Contact Lens Wearer Should Know

Red, Itchy Eyes? You Might Have Eye Allergies

Sneezing, congestion, post-nasal drip, and hives aren't the only symptoms of allergies. Your allergies can also affect your eyes, causing a range of uncomfortable symptoms.

Eye Allergy Symptoms

Eye allergy symptoms can vary from person to person but often include:

• A Change in Appearance. Have you noticed that your eyes are red and irritated or that your eyelids look a little puffy or swollen? Eye allergies often cause very noticeable symptoms and may even be responsible for the dark circles under your eyes. Commonly called "allergic shiners," the circles form when blood backs up in the small blood vessels under your eyes due to nasal congestion.

• Sensitivity. Your eyes may become more sensitive to both sunlight and natural light if you have eye allergies. In fact, you may even be tempted to wear sunglasses indoors.

• Discomfort. Burning, itching, pain, and tearing can be quite uncomfortable and make reading, driving or watching TV a little challenging.
   

The trouble starts when your immune system overreacts to the presence of allergens, harmless substances that your body mistakenly decides are dangerous to your health. Once an allergen enters your body, your immune system produces histamines, natural chemicals that help eliminate allergens. As the histamines flood your body, they trigger sneezing, tearing, and other symptoms to rid your body of the allergens.

Common Eye Allergy Triggers

The same allergens that cause nasal allergies can also cause eye allergies. Your symptoms may happen due to exposure to:

• Pollen

• Pet Dander

• Mold

• Dust

• Perfume

• Cosmetics

• Smoke

• Foods

• Insect Bites or Stings
   

Eye allergies can occur in conjunction with nasal allergies or may happen without any nasal symptoms. You may also develop allergy symptoms if you become allergic to eye drops or other eye preparations, or your eyes become irritated by your contact lenses or deposits that form on the lenses. Wearing contact lenses can also worsen your allergy symptoms, as the lenses may trap allergens.

Ways to Reduce Eye Allergy Symptoms

Minimizing your exposure to allergens offers a simple way to decrease allergy symptoms, no matter what the cause. Check the local allergy forecast every day if you suffer from eye allergies. If you notice high levels of the allergens that trigger your symptoms, minimize the amount of time you spend outdoors. When you do venture outside, wear glasses rather than contact lenses. Glasses provide a barrier that helps prevent allergens from reaching your eyes.

Other ways to minimize exposure to allergens include:

• Keeping the Windows Closed. Prevent airborne allergens from settling on to your furniture and floors by shutting the windows and using your air-conditioner instead.

• More Frequent Cleaning. Vacuuming and mopping often reduce the number of allergens that enter your home on your clothing or your pet's fur. In addition to cleaning more often, encase your mattress and pillows in special protectors to reduce your exposure to dust mites and wash your bedding often.

• Replacing Carpeting. Vacuuming will help reduce allergens but it won't remove them entirely. If you suffer from severe allergies, you may want to consider removing rugs and carpeting and replacing it with hardwood or tile floors instead.

• Limiting Nighttime Visits from Pets. There's nothing cozier than snuggling up to your cat or dog at night - until you begin to experience eye allergies. Keeping your pet out of your bedroom may help ease your symptoms if you're allergic to pet dander.

• Using Over-the-Counter Eye Drops or Artificial Tears. Eye drops and artificial tears offer short-term relief by washing away allergens from your eyes.

• Visiting Your Eye Doctor. If making a few changes to your home and using eye drops don't improve your eye allergies, make an appointment with your eye doctor. Depending on the cause of your eye allergies, your doctor can recommend a variety of treatment options, including oral antihistamines or antihistamine drops, allergy shots, a change in the type of contact lenses you wear, or prescription eye drops to prevent the release of histamine or reduce redness, itching or swelling.
   

Relieve your eye allergy symptoms with a visit to the eye doctor. Contact us to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

American Academy of Ophthalmology: What Are Eye Allergies?, 9/10/19

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Eye Allergy

All About Vision: Eye Allergies: Get Relief from Itchy, Watery Eyes

Caused by the same irritants as hay fever, runny nose, coughing, and sneezing, eye allergies commonly affect those who suffer from other allergy symptoms. Not only do eye allergies cause discomfort, but they can also interfere with daily activities.
 

Eye Allergy Causes

Medically referred to as allergic conjunctivitis, individuals who are predisposed to allergic reaction experience eye allergies when they come into contact with allergens (substances which prove harmless to others, like pollen, mold, dust, and pet dander). In addition to these allergens, some eye allergy sufferers also experience reactions to perfumes, smoke, cosmetics, insect bites/stings, foods, and the preservatives found in eye drops.

When an allergy sufferer's eyes come into contact with an allergen, his or her immune system reacts, and cells known as mast cells release histamine to try to combat the allergen. Histamine causes the symptoms associated with eye allergies.
 

Eye Allergy Symptoms

When mast cells in the eyes release histamine to fight off allergens, the eye lids, conjunctiva (membrane covering the underside of the eyelid), and sclera (white of the eye) become irritated. This leads to swelling, redness, watering, burning, and itching. Severe eye allergies can also cause light sensitivity. Though it appears similar, unlike pink eye (bacterial or viral conjunctivitis), allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious.
 

Who Is at Risk?

Eye allergies affect up to 30 percent of adults and 40 percent of children. While anyone can be born with or develop allergies, people whose parents suffer from allergies are more likely to have allergies.
 

Diagnosis and Treatment

If you suffer from eye allergy symptoms, an eye care professional can provide you with a proper diagnosis, ruling out bacterial or viral conjunctivitis. Often over the counter eye drops formulated for allergy relief are often sufficient treatment. If they do not provide enough relief, an eye care professional can recommend or prescribe other methods of treatment such as decongestants, oral antihistamines, eye drops with antihistamine and mast stabilizer, corticosteroids, or immune therapy shots.
 

Eye Allergy Prevention

The best way to prevent eye allergies is to avoid eye allergens. Keep windows closed and stay indoors as much as possible during allergy season, replace air conditioning filters with high quality filters that trap allergens, reduce exposure to animals, wash bedding in hot water to remove allergens, and reduce humidity in the home to prevent mold growth.

Somewhere around the age of 40, most people’s eyes lose the ability to focus on close-up objects. This condition is called presbyopia. You may start holding reading material farther away, because it is blurry up close. Reading suddenly gives you eyestrain. You might wonder when manufacturers started putting such small print on everything. Symptoms of presbyopia may worsen if the light is dim, you are tired or you have been drinking alcohol.

Causes and Risk factors

Presbyopia is one of the common refraction-related vision disorders. The shape and condition of your cornea and lens affects refraction, or the way light bends as it enters your eye. With presbyopia, an age-hardened lens is no longer flexible enough to change shape to focus on nearer images. This causes light to focus behind your retina, causing near images to appear out of focus.

Some people notice this difficulty focusing on up-close objects when they are as young as 35, but the onset of presbyopia typically occurs as individuals enter their 40s. The condition can worsen until individuals are about 65 years old.

Nonsurgical Treatment for Presbyopia

For people who previously had good vision, the solution may be as simple as buying over-the-counter reading glasses. If you have a more complicated vision situation — such as being nearsighted while also developing presbyopia — you may need prescription bifocals. These allow you to read up-close text by looking through the lower portion of your eyeglass lenses as well as see far things clearly by looking through the upper portion of the lenses.

Contact lenses are an option for some patients. However, bifocal contact lenses are more difficult to fit than regular contact lenses. Monovision contacts are another choice. This means one of your contacts is used for distance while the other is used for close work. Successfully using monovision contacts can require time and practice.

Surgical Treatment for Presbyopia

Several types of surgery may also improve presbyopia. Most of these involve tiny lasers that are used to reshape the cornea. In another surgical procedure called refractive lens exchange (RLE), the ophthalmologist removes the lens in each eye, replacing them with synthetic lenses.

If you want to be able to enjoy reading again without headache or eyestrain, call our office so we can help you see your best.

Do Your Eyes Have Trouble Adjusting to the Dark or Light? These Tips Will Help

Stepping into the bright sunshine or entering a dimly lit room can temporarily affect your vision, whether you have 20/20 vision or wear corrective lenses. Fortunately, following a few simple guidelines can help you avoid scrapes, bruises, or even broken bones while your eyes adjust.

How Can I See Better in the Dark?

Photoreceptor cells in your retina, called rods and cones, help you adjust to bright and dark conditions. The retina is the light-sensitive layer that lines the back of your eye. Cones work best in bright light and help you see colors and fine details, while rods are very sensitive to low light.

It can take several hours for your rods to fully adapt to dimly lit conditions, although your vision will gradually begin to improve soon after you enter a dark room or go outside at night. Full adjustment to bright conditions occurs in just a few minutes.

Seeing in the dark becomes more difficult as you age, due to several reasons.

• Smaller pupils. Aging causes the pupils to shrink, which allows less light to enter your eyes in dark conditions.

• Not as many rods. The number of rods in your retina decreases as you get older. Aging can also slow regeneration of rhodopsin, a photopigment necessary for good night vision. The photopigment decomposes in bright light, then regenerates in the dark.

• Eye conditions. Seeing in the dark and at night can be more difficult if you have cataracts or macular degeneration.
   

No matter what your age, you can help your eyes adjust to the dark by:

• Closing your eyes. Before you move into a dark area, close your eyes for a few minutes to speed dark adaptation.

• Wearing sunglasses when you're outside. The longer you're exposed to bright light, the longer it will take for your eyes to adjust to the dark. Wear sunglasses year-round to make adjusting to the dark easier.

• Seeing Red. Glasses with red-tinted lenses make seeing in low lighting easier, as rods don't detect the color. Wearing the glasses for just 30 minutes before you venture outside or into a dark room can hasten the adjustment process.

• Limiting exposure to bright lights. Looking directly at bright lights can make it harder to see in the dark. If you have cataracts, glare from oncoming headlights can be a problem when you drive at night. Try to avoid looking directly at the lights to make driving more comfortable.

• Changing the settings on digital devices. Viewing brightly lit smartphones, iPads, TVs, laptops, and other digital devices may make it difficult to adjust to dim light. Decreasing the brightness on the devices offers a simple solution.

• Lubricating your eyes. Dry eyes can make it more difficult to see in the dark. Use lubricating drops throughout the day if your eyes are dry.
   

What Can I Do If I Have Trouble Adjusting to Bright Light?

Some of the same tips that help you adjust to the dark can also be useful if you have a problem with bright light. You may find it easier to tolerate bright light if you:

• Wear sunglasses. Sunglasses are a must if you'll be outside but can also be helpful if bright lights indoors bother you. Put the glasses on before you go outside. Choose wraparound styles that cover the sides, tops, and bottoms of the eyes. Transition lenses that darken when you go outside and gradually lighten indoors are a good choice if you don't want to constantly take your sunglasses on and off. Sensitivity to light is more likely to be an issue if you have blue, gray, or green eyes.

• Add an anti-reflective coating to your glasses. An anti-reflective coating added to eyeglass lenses decreases glare and may be well worth the additional cost. If you spend hours working on a computer every day, ask your eye doctor about lenses that block blue light. Blue-blocking lenses reduce eyestrain and headaches and may even lower your risk of macular degeneration.

• Turn down the lights. Installing dimmer switches on your lights at home, adding filters to digital devices that decrease glare, and lowering the brightness level on your phone, computer, or TV can be helpful. Fluorescent lights can be very irritating if you're sensitive to bright light. Desk lamps offer a more comfortable lighting choice, although you may not be able to turn off fluorescent lights if you don't have a private office. Wearing tinted lenses may improve your comfort.
   

Are you concerned about your ability to see well in dim or bright conditions? Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

All About Vision: Photophobia

https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/lightsensitive.htm

Harvard Health Publishing: Blinded by the Night, 6/07

https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/blinded-by-the-night

EveryDay Health: How to Relieve Light Sensitivity

https://www.everydayhealth.com/visioncenter/healthyeye/specialist/behrens/how-to-relieve-light-sensitivity.aspx

Vision therapy, which is also known as vision training or visual training, is an individualized treatment program that can help identify and correct perceptual-cognitive deficiencies that are impacting visual learning, focus, and concentration.

Vision Therapy for Children: Checklist

While individuals of all ages can benefit from vision therapy, it may be especially helpful for young children with learning disabilities. Vision deficits can cause eyestrain, blurred or double vision, and headaches that make it difficult to stay focused while reading, maintain attention in the classroom or focus on close work. Vision therapy can help correct these visual deficits. With vision therapy, children are better positioned to achieve their full academic potential in the classroom.

Could your child benefit from vision therapy? Use this checklist as a guide.

• Your child turns or tilts his head to see

• Your child’s head is frequently tilted to one side or one shoulder is noticeably higher

• Your child has poor hand-eye coordination, which may be evident in poor handwriting, motor coordination, etc.

• Your child has problems moving through space and frequently drops objects or bumps into things

• Your child holds a book or object unusually close

• Your child closes one eye or covers the eye with his/her hand

• Your child omits or confuses small words when reading

• Your child reverses words when reading (e.g., “no” for “on”) or transposes numbers (e.g., “21” for “12”)

• Your child complains frequently of headaches, eyestrain, nausea, dizziness and/or motion sickness
   

If your child exhibits one or more of these behaviors, schedule them for a comprehensive vision exam.

Vision Therapy for Adults: Checklist

Vision therapy is beneficial for adults who may have difficult focusing on work or reading due to untreated vision disorders. Vision therapy addresses vision problems that include amblyopia (“lazy eye”), strabismus, binocular vision problems, eye movement disorders, and accommodative (focusing) disorders.

Could you or a loved one benefit from vision therapy?

• One eye drifts or aims in a different direction than the other

• You frequently experience headaches or eyestrain while reading, writing or typing

• You skip lines or words when reading or copying

• You substitute words when reading or copying

• You need to use a finger or marker to keep place while reading or writing

• You squint, close or cover one eye while reading

• You tilt your head in an unusual posture while reading or writing

• Your eyes “hurt” or feel especially tired at the end of the work day

• You experience vision blurs at a distance when looking up from near work

• One eye sees more clearly, even with glasses on

• You struggle with hand-eye coordination activities, like playing softball
   

If you or an adult under your care exhibits one of more of the symptoms, schedule a comprehensive vision exam.

There are several types of refractive surgery available to correct vision problems caused by refractive errors, including:

• LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis)

• Custom or bladeless LASIK

• Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)

• Laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK)

• Epi-LASIK

• Conductive Keratoplasty (CK)

• Phakic Intraocular Lenses (IOLs)

• Refractive Lens Exchange (Clear Lens Extraction)
   

Most of these procedures involve reshaping the curvature of the cornea with laser or heat. Sometimes, a very thin flap is made in the cornea, so the ophthalmologist can access and reshape the cornea underneath. Afterwards, the flap is replaced and the cornea is allowed heal on its own, without the need for sutures.

Before deciding on a type of refractive surgery, talk to your ophthalmologist about the potential risks and side effects. Keep in mind that there is not a single best procedure for everyone. Your ophthalmologist can help you choose a procedure that fits your visual requirements and lifestyle.

Glaucoma is a condition characterized by excessive pressure in the eye, or intraocular pressure. This irregularly high pressure is due to a buildup of fluid in the eye. As intraocular pressure increases, it can compress the eye’s optic nerve, eventually leading to vision loss.

Around 3 million people in the United States have glaucoma; although only half are aware of it. For people over 60 years old, glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness. The loss of vision is often so gradual that by the time you notice any difference in your vision, the glaucoma is already at an advanced stage.
 

Symptoms of Glaucoma

Different types of glaucoma have different symptoms. The most common form of glaucoma is open-angle glaucoma. It usually has no symptoms in the early stages. Later on, though, as the optic nerve is increasingly damaged, the following symptoms appear:

• Blank spots in your field of vision, typically the peripheral vision

• Tunnel vision during the later stages
   

Another type of glaucoma, called acute angle-closure glaucoma, happens very quickly. This is a medical emergency and can lead to blindness if untreated. If you experience any of the following symptoms, contact an ophthalmologist or visit the emergency room immediately:

• Sudden blurry vision

• Severe eye pain

• Headache

• Nausea or vomiting

• Halos or rainbow-colored rings around lights

• Reddening of the eye
   

Risk Factors for Glaucoma

Certain factors may increase your risk of developing glaucoma, including:

• Already having increased intraocular eye pressure due to another reason

• Being older than 60 increases the risk of glaucoma in general; people who are over 40 years old may have an increased risk of acute angle-closure glaucoma.

• Being of certain ethnic descents, such as being of African-American, Japanese or other Asian descent

• Family history of glaucoma

• Medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, elevated blood pressure and underactive thyroid

• Other eye conditions such as eye inflammation, injury, lens dislocation, retinal detachment or tumor

• Use of corticosteroid medications over a long time
   

When to See an Eye Doctor

The most effective way to limit damage to your vision caused by glaucoma is with early diagnosis and treatment. This means having regular eye examinations that include measuring your intraocular pressure.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that people have a comprehensive eye exam at age 40. If you have no risk factors for glaucoma, you should have an exam every three to five years after that. If you are over age 60 or have other risk factors, you should have your eyes checked every one to two years. Ethnic groups with a greater risk of glaucoma may need to have an eye exam earlier.

If you experience gradual changes in vision, contact your eye doctor for an exam. If your vision changes suddenly, or if you have any other symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma, seek immediate care with an eye doctor or at the emergency room. Again, if left untreated, glaucoma can lead to blindness.