If you have astigmatism, dry eyes, or keratoconus, you may have a harder time finding contact lenses work for you. Specialty contact lenses may be the answer.

Specialty contact lenses for keratoconus

This condition occurs when your cornea thins and forms into a cone-like shape, causing your vision to become distorted and your eyes more sensitive to light. If you have this condition, you may see better with contact lenses that replace the irregular shape of the cornea with a smooth surface, allowing light to focus better on the retina.

Gas permeable contact lenses

For those with mild to moderate keratoconus, gas-permeable contact lenses may help. They are made with an oxygen-permeable material and keep their shape instead of fitting the cornea. These lenses reduce blur and help provide sharper vision than glasses.

Piggybacking contact lenses

People who use gas permeable lenses may find the rigid lenses uncomfortable to wear at length. In this case, “piggybacking”- wearing a soft contact lens under the gas permeable lens – may be an alternative. The two lenses work together for vision and comfort.

Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a difference in the shape of the cornea that makes it harder for the eyes to focus on light, which results in blurred vision.

Toric contact lenses

These lenses provide comfort without a period of having to break in the lenses. This option is more complicated because it takes more time to fit than the traditional soft lenses. They are designed specifically for your eyes, and can be pricey.

Contact lenses for dry eyes

Dry eyes are a common issue, and they make it uncomfortable to wear contact lenses. If you have dry eyes and still want to wear contacts, soft contacts help hold in the moisture in your eyes.

Specialty lenses and giant papillary conjunctivitis

This eye condition causes inflammation in the mucous membrane that covers the white part of your eye. Known as pink eye, this condition is caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.

Your eye doctor may take different routes with contacts if you have GPC. They may recommend soft and disposable contact lenses that are worn throughout the day and then thrown away.

Lenses for presbyopia

Presbyopia occurs when you lose the ability to focus on objects up close, and your eye doctor may recommend bifocal or monovision contact lenses. These lenses are challenging to fit and require more time and money to get it right. If fit correctly, bifocal or monovision lenses can provide many benefits.

Do you have more questions about the specialty contact lenses you can use for your lifestyle? Contact our office today and ask us your vision questions!

Your day-to-day tasks change, so the glasses you need will vary. Below are five types of eyewear everyone needs!

Computer Eyewear

The average person spends about eight hours looking at their computer a day, and this often results in tired and strained eyes. Computer eyewear helps alleviate the eye strain that is associated with staring at a computer screen for extended periods. There are three options when it comes to this type of eyewear:

Single Vision Computer Eyewear: used to reduce blurred vision and help alleviate eye strain and poor posture

Occupational Progressive Lenses: a multifocal lens that corrects near, intermediate, and distance vision

Occupational Bifocal Lenses: higher zone and improved vision for intermediate and near vision

Computer eyewear comes with many benefits, including clearer vision and a reduction in the need to strain your eyes and back.

Photochromic Lenses

It’s essential to protect your eyes outside, but it can be inconvenient to switch between eyeglasses and sunglasses. With photochromic lenses, you can protect your eyes without having to switch between frames. They are clear while you are inside but darken when exposed to ultraviolet light. Even on an overcast day, your photochromic lenses will protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays.

Polarized Eyewear

With polarized lenses, you can prevent the glare from sunlight reflecting off of surfaces and into your eyes. These lenses can be helpful in many situations which boating, fishing, going to the beach, and even driving.

Safety Glasses

It might be worth looking into glasses strictly meant for protecting your eyes. This eyewear–often in the form of safety glasses, sports goggles, or shooting glasses–is durable and useful for protecting your eyes and providing more coverage than typical lenses.

Fashion Eyewear

Depending on the look you are going for, you may find it necessary to have a pair of glasses complementing the look. A night out on the town is going to require a more stylish frame than what you need for work. Having different styles of glasses can help remove the dilemma of having a pair that doesn’t match the occasion by giving you situation-specific options.

Do you want to take the next steps in getting eyewear for all occasions? Contact our office today to ask our staff any questions you have about these types of eyewear.

Non-Glare Lenses: A Necessity

If you wear glasses, you might notice the difference between lenses that have an anti-reflective coating from those that don’t. Anti-reflective coating, or non-glare lenses not only improve your vision but help reduce eye strain and makes your eyeglasses look more attractive.

What exactly are non-glare lenses?

Anti-reflective, or non-glare glasses work to eliminate the reflections from the front and back surface of your eyeglass lenses, which allows more light to pass through. This increase in light improves your vision’s clarity and minimizes the glare from objects, especially at night or while staring at a screen.

What benefits do non-glare lenses have?

With clearer vision through your lenses, you won’t need to squint or strain your eyes as much, minimizing eye strain and fatigue. These lenses also provide you with more durability and typically last longer.

Anti-reflective glasses are also more visually attractive. Since light will not reflect through your lenses, your eyes will be more visible and allow you to make better eye contact – important in both social and professional settings.

Non-glare on RX eyewear and Sunwear

Anti-reflective coating is useful for sunglasses because it protects you and your eyes from the glare of the sunlight. Usually, an AR coating is only put on the backside of sunglass lenses because there aren’t any benefits from eliminating the glare from the front of your glasses.

Who could benefit?

You see clearer while wearing them, enhance your appearance, extend the life of your lenses, and reduce blue light exposure. With all of the benefits non-glare glasses offer, anyone could benefit from investing in anti-reflective glasses.

Other Questions?

Contact our office today with questions you have about the possibility of adding an anti-reflective coating on your glasses.

Many people with medical eye diseases don’t show symptoms immediately, but with an underlying disease, the damage is already underway. Regular comprehensive eye exams are essential in diagnosing eye diseases early.

Comprehensive Eye Exams Diagnose Medical Eye Disease

By not getting a comprehensive eye exam on a regular basis, you’re putting your eyes at risk because once symptoms show, it might be too late for effective treatment. If detected early, your eye doctor can help treat and improve your vision.

An eye exam can reveal health conditions unrelated to your eyes. During an eye exam, your eye doctor can evaluate the health of the blood vessels in your retina and help predict the overall health of the blood throughout your body. Diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia can all appear during a routine eye exam

Common Eye Diseases

Refractive Errors

Refractive errors are the most commonly diagnosed eye disorder in the United States. Myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism (distorted vision), and presbyopia (loss of the ability to focus up close) are all refractive errors that can be corrected if diagnosed early. Early symptoms of a refractive error include seeing a glare around bright lights, having to squint, and having double vision.

Age-related Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is typically associated with aging. The results are a loss of the clear central vision needed for many day-to-day tasks.

Wet age-related macular degeneration: abnormal blood vessels form under your retina. They may eventually bleed and leak fluid, and cause the macula to rise and distort your central vision.

Dry age-related macular degeneration: more commonly diagnosed than wet age-related macular degeneration, this eye condition presents fewer symptoms in the early stages. By the time symptoms appear, vision is likely already impaired.

Cataracts

A cataract is a clouding of your eye’s lens. A cataract makes it challenging to read, drive a car, and perform day-to-day activities. Cataracts can strengthen over time and interfere with your vision. Symptoms usually include clouded or blurred vision, sensitivity to bright light, a halo effect around bright lights.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy causes damage to the blood vessels in your retina. As the disease progresses, common symptoms include floating dark spots, blurred vision, impaired color vision, or vision loss. It usually shows no symptoms in the early stages, but can eventually lead to blindness.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma causes damage to the optic nerves and doesn’t typically show symptoms in the early stages. Signs in the later stages include eye pain, blurred vision, red eyes, and seeing halos around bright light. There is no cure for vision loss caused by glaucoma, so it’s essential to have annual vision exams before it’s too late.

Contact our office today and ask our staff any questions you might have about scheduling your eye exam and treating medical eye diseases.

Your look might change depending on the day, so shouldn’t your eyewear change, as well? These days, it’s uncommon for one pair of eyeglasses to satisfy all of your needs. Specialty eyewear can help you optimize your vision for any occasion!

Below are a few occasions where specialty eyewear can improve your vision.

Computer Glasses

If you spend a lot of time looking at a computer, you are at an increased risk of developing eye strain. While you look at a screen, your eyes try to stay focused and aligned – that’s where computer glasses come into play. These glasses are for close-up distances, and they can reduce strain while staring at screens.

Golf Sunglasses

If you’re an avid golfer, you know that the proper eyewear is an essential item for your golf bag. Some sunglasses utilize colors in the lenses to enhance the green of the grass. Brown and amber lenses can help because it creates contrast against the golf ball. Rose-colored lenses can help during cloudy days and increase the contrast between light and dark colors, and green tints help in sunny conditions, reducing glare.

Boating or Fishing Eyewear

When on the water, the sunlight can reflect and create a glare that makes it hard to see. Polarized lenses can block the light reflected, reducing glare and discomfort. Glasses made for boating and fishing are also thinner and can fit snugly to your face so that the sun can’t enter on the side, top, or bottom of your face.

Driving or Cycling Eyewear

If you find that your lifestyle takes you on the road, driving glasses can provide a benefit. These glasses–either sunglasses or prescription lenses–can help get rid of the glare that makes it hard to focus on the road.

For extra protection, polarized sunglasses protect your eyes against sun glare on any occasion, and they can help increase the contrast, making objects easier and sharper to see.

Shop Work & Safety Glasses

Depending on your lifestyle, you may need glasses that provide extra protection. This eyewear–safety glasses, sports goggles, or shooting glasses–is durable and offers more coverage than typical designs. Some safety glasses add even more protection by having a frame with a wraparound design that has larger shields on the top or side of the glasses. These glasses, although sturdy, should still include a lightweight lens for comfort and superior eye protection.

Want to learn more about your specialty eyewear options? Give our office a call or ask our staff your questions at your next appointment. Our team is prepared to help you choose the right vision management options for your lifestyle.

Do you enjoy heading outdoors, but find changing from clear lenses to sunwear a hassle? It’s essential to protect your eyes both indoors and out, and we understand this hassle may hinder your eye protection in some cases. However, thanks to photochromic lenses, this doesn’t always have to be the case.

Photochromic Lenses Are Light Adaptive

Also referred to as “light-adaptive” or “variable tint” lenses, these prescription lenses adapt to your changing environment. These lenses are completely clear when you’re inside and automatically darken when exposed to UV light. Even on an overcast day, your light-adaptive lenses will protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Whatever environment or situation you find yourself in, photochromic lenses can keep your eyes protected with ease!

Even better, these lenses are available in many designs to fit your unique needs.

• High-index lenses
• Bifocals
• Progressive lenses

Adding An Anti-Reflective Coating

Adding an anti-reflective coating to your photochromic lenses can improve your lenses use even further. This coating allows more light to pass through your lenses for extra support in low-light conditions such as driving at night, and they rid yourself from the reflections of sunlight and other bright lights.

Blue Light Protection

Additionally, most photochromic lenses offer added protection from blue light. Many digital platforms such as TVs, smartphones, computers, and gaming systems emit harmful blue light and can cause strain on your eyes. Exposing your eyes to this light for an extended period has also been linked to an increased risk of developing macular degeneration and other eye health problems later in life. By adding photochromic lenses to your eyewear, you can take a simple, but preventative action that your eyes will love.

Do photochromic lenses sound like a good option for you and your lifestyle?

Contact our office today and ask our staff about photochromic lenses, or schedule an appointment to see how these lenses can help you with your individual needs. We are here to help you choose the right lenses for your lifestyle and financial needs.

Many people with medical eye diseases don’t show symptoms immediately, but with an underlying disease, the damage is already underway. Regular comprehensive eye exams are essential in diagnosing eye diseases early.

Comprehensive Eye Exams Diagnose Medical Eye Disease

By not getting a comprehensive eye exam on a regular basis, you’re putting your eyes at risk because once symptoms show, it might be too late for effective treatment. If detected early, your eye doctor can help treat and improve your vision.

An eye exam can reveal health conditions unrelated to your eyes. During an eye exam, your eye doctor can evaluate the health of the blood vessels in your retina and help predict the overall health of the blood throughout your body. Diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia can all appear during a routine eye exam

Common Eye Diseases

Refractive Errors

Refractive errors are the most commonly diagnosed eye disorder in, Let’s face it; with our busy lives, multiple hobbies, and everything in between, having multiple pairs of eyewear handy is a necessity. Have you ever gone to pick out new eyeglasses but were too overwhelmed by all of your options, though? Listed below are a few things to keep in mind when choosing eyewear that’s perfect for you.

Choosing Eyewear Style

Depending on your look, you may find it necessary to have a pair of glasses that are complementary. A night out on the town is going to require a more stylish frame than what you need for work. Having different styles of glasses can help remove the dilemma of having a pair that doesn’t match the occasion by giving you situation-specific options.

Choosing Eyewear Size

To see what size frame fits best with your face, you might have to try on multiple pairs. If the frames are too small, they may feel tight on your head and restrict your peripheral vision, or they may pinch your nose and leave red marks. But if they are too big, they may slide down your nose and slip off your face. To get the perfect fit, you can adjust the tightness around your ears.

Investing in Protection

Your standard eyeglass options may not adapt and darken in reaction to sunlight–unless you have photochromic lenses–so it may be smart to invest in a pair of prescription sunglasses to protect your eyes. Polarized lenses are a good option because the tint applies to your specific sport or hobby.

Your face shape

Your eyewear should contrast your face shape but also be in scale with your face size. Below are common face shapes and recommended frame shape:

• Oval: wide or walnut-shaped frames
• Base-up triangle: frames with a wider bottom, light color or lightweight
• Oblong: frames with more depth than width
• Square: narrow frames and with more width than depth
• Diamond: cat-eye shaped frames or other detailing on the brow line
• Round: narrow frames which are wider and have a clear bridge
• Base-down triangle: frames with color or detailing on the top half

Weight and material

Eyeglasses are constructed from different materials: plastic, metal, or a combination of materials. Depending on the material you choose, the weight, flexibility, and cost of your eyeglasses will vary.

• Metal Frames: these frames have adjustable nose pads, can come in hypoallergenic
• materials and last longer
• Plastic Frames: these frames are lighter and are usually less expensive. Plastic frames also require less maintenance than metal frames

Do you have other questions about choosing eyewear? Schedule an appointment with us to find the perfect pair! The United States. Myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism (distorted vision), and presbyopia (loss of the ability to focus up close) are all refractive errors that can be corrected if diagnosed early. Early symptoms of a refractive error include seeing a glare around bright lights, having to squint, and having double vision.

Children today are developing myopia sooner than in the past. Myopia, or nearsightedness, results in prescription glasses or contact lenses. Many parents might prefer the traditional frame over having their child wear contact lenses. But, the same question crosses through a lot of minds: contact lenses for children – what is the right age?

The answer depends on the eye doctor.

The right age for contact lenses

In a recent study, 51% of eye doctors surveyed felt the earliest age to prescribe contact lenses is 10, while only 12% felt 8 is a good time to introduce them.

67% of eye doctors felt if your child is younger than eight years old, they should stick to a traditional frame. But as your child gets older, the introduction of contact lenses becomes more prevalent. 66% of eye doctors recommended contact lenses as the primary vision correction method for children between the ages of 15-17.

For eye doctors that prescribe contact lenses at an earlier age, most say they prescribe daily disposable lenses for ease of use and maintenance.

Reasons for contacts

Two out of five optometrists say that many parents request their child be fit to wear contact lenses because their child refuses to wear glasses, or the frames interfere with sports or even their daily activities.

Many young people feel more confident wearing contacts. Some kids feel self-conscious in glasses. For children active in sports, contact lenses offer added convenience and safety. If. Sport contact lenses can eliminate the chance that their glasses break or cause injury. They provide other benefits as well, such as better peripheral vision since there is no frame in the way.

Do you want to take the next steps in ensuring your child has options with his or her vision? Contact our office with any questions.

What is computer vision syndrome?

Computer vision syndrome, or CVS, is the discomfort or symptoms caused by focusing on a computer or technological device for a long and uninterrupted time.

Common symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Loss of Focus
• Burning Eyes
• Tired eyes
• Red Eyes
• Double Vision
• Eye Twitching
• Blurred Vision
• Neck and Shoulder Pain

Commonly Asked Questions

What causes Computer Vision Syndrome?

Characters, when read on a computer screen, don’t have the same level of contrast and definition as printed materials. This lack of contrast makes it harder for your eyes to focus. When your eyes and brain react differently to the various characters on a computer screen than on a print, you can develop symptoms of eye strain like blurred vision or headaches.

Who is affected?

Anyone working on a computer for extended periods has an increased risk of developing computer vision syndrome. When you stare at a screen, you are forcing your eyes to focus and refocus for long periods. As a result, your eyes are using more muscles, causing fatigue and tired eyes.

What can I do to reduce symptoms?

It’s easy! Talk to your eye doctor about their recommendations on how you can handle CVS. Your eye doctor may do a few tests to detect vision problems that may worsen your symptoms. Depending on the results, your doctor may recommend computer eyewear to protect your eyes or tips and tricks habits to reduce your symptoms.

For example, try practicing the 20/20/20 rule when using digital devices for an extended period. Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This exercise gives your eyes a break from the continued work of focusing on your computer screen.

Finding a Solution

What is Computer Eyewear?

Computer eyewear are prescription glasses specifically designed for work on a computer. Generally speaking, these lenses enable you to focus better on a computer screen, which is usually at about 20in from your eyes.

Are there Different Types of Computer Lenses?

Yes! When shopping for the right pair of computer eyewear, ask us about the different options. Computer lenses are available in both single vision and progressive lens options to fit your vision needs.

I don’t have Computer Vision Syndrome now. Should I still look into computer eyeglasses?

Yes. Even though you may not have computer vision syndrome now, you can still develop symptoms down the road. Many individuals experience reduced productivity and accuracy when working behind a screen, even without vision problems.

Do you have more questions about computer vision syndrome and the possible solutions that you can take? Contact our office today and ask us your vision questions!