Eye Health Blog
Our eye health blog answers your most pressing questions about eye care, vision and common eye ailments.
You might suffer from dry eye — and wonder how you can prevent it. Maybe you’re planning to get cataract surgery and want to know what to expect. Or you might just be looking to change up your diet to include more types of food that promote eye health.
Whatever your needs, our eye health blog can empower you with insights to inform your decisions.
The eye doctor is “in.”
Benefits of Refractive Lens Exchange Surgery vs. LASIK Eye Surgery
Vision is one of the many ways we experience the world. Sometimes, based on the natural shape of our eyeballs or corneas, that vision can become blurred. When it does, contact lenses or glasses can help to temporarily improve our visual clarity. However, if you’re looking for an option with greater potential for permanency, you might consider refractive lens exchange surgery or LASIK eye surgery. Here are the differences between the two types of eye surgeries and the benefits of each. Refractive lens exchange [...]
What are the Signs of Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the nerve in the back of your eye (called the “optic nerve”). This is often caused by extremely high eye pressure. Symptoms often occur gradually and may not be noticeable at first. That’s why glaucoma is often called “the sneak thief of sight,” according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation. You may not notice any symptoms until a significant vision loss has occurred. This makes it exceptionally important to get a dilatated eye exam at least once [...]
Is Blue Light Bad for Your Eyes?
You’ve probably heard a friend or newscast mention “blue light,” but maybe you’re not quite sure what it is. Simply put, the human eye can only see a small portion of the waves that surround us. That’s what we refer to as “visible light.” Blue light is part of the visible light spectrum. The reason a friend, newscast or article was likely talking about it is because our devices — TV screens, cell phones, laptops, etc. — all produce blue light. However, blue light isn’t [...]
Can Exercise Help to Protect Eyesight?
Lace up those walking shoes, sign up for that yoga class or put on that swimsuit. And don’t forget to have your favorite playlist ready. If activities like these are already part of your regular routine, then keep it up! If not, you may want to consider making regular exercise a habit, because it has countless benefits to our health. […]
Benefits of Cataract Surgery
You’ve almost made your decision. You’ve read up on when to have it, what to expect during it, and now you want to understand the benefits of cataract surgery. Of course, that can seem like a rather obvious answer. After surgery, you should expect better eyesight, right? While the answer to that is certainly a “yes,” there are other benefits of cataract surgery that are less frequently discussed. Here are some additional positives, in addition to better eyesight. […]
What to Expect During Cataract Surgery
As you age, you will become more susceptible to developing a cataract. In fact, half of us will have cataracts by our 80th birthday, according to Harvard Health. What exactly is a cataract? It’s a condition that causes your eye’s lens to slowly change from clear to cloudy and can begin to develop as early as your 40s or 50s — often starting out small and having a negative impact on your vision over time as it increases in size. […]
Are Polarized Sunglasses Better?
In South Florida, nearly every day is a beach day. We’re lucky to live in a place where snowbirds go on vacation. It also makes sun protection an important consideration though, especially when it comes to our vision. Many of us already own sunglasses with ultraviolet (UV) protection, which is great. If you spend a great deal of time outside, however, you may want to consider polarized sunglasses. Here are some of the benefits of polarized sunglasses: They block horizontal light waves. The sun’s rays [...]
What is a Pinguecula?
A pinguecula is a growth on the conjunctiva (the white part of your eye) that looks like a yellow spot or bump. Experts think it is caused by a combination of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays, wind, or dust and dry eyes. Pinguecula Symptoms How can you tell if you’re experiencing pinguecula? Your symptoms might include: Redness or swelling of the conjunctiva A yellow spot or bump on the conjunctiva Dry or itchy eyes, as though you have sand stuck in them Blurred vision Left [...]
Pink Eye Symptoms
Content is being used for illustrative purposes only. Stock photo. Posed by model. Your eyes are burning and you feel like something is stuck in one of them. You head to the bathroom mirror to check it out and notice they look red, puffy and have discharge coming from them. What’s going on? Pink eye (also known as “conjunctivitis”) occurs when the conjunctiva is irritated by an infection or allergies. You can get pink eye in just one eye or both and — [...]
Signs of Glaucoma
Content is being used for illustrative purposes only. Stock photo. Posed by model. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in people older than age 60, according to the Mayo Clinic. It’s a group of eye conditions that cause damage to the optic nerve, which is vital to your vision. The signs of glaucoma will differ, depending on the type. In some instances, there may be no signs at all, which is why glaucoma is often referred to as the “silent thief of [...]
Vision vs. Medical Insurance: What’s the Difference?
There are a few different types of insurance plans that may come into play at your next ophthalmologist visit — medical, vision, and Medicare / Medicaid. But the two that often cause the most confusion is vision vs. medical insurance. What’s the difference between the two? Essentially, medical insurance is for the health of your eyes, vision insurance is for your glasses and contact lenses. Read on to better understand what may be covered under vision vs. medical insurance. Vision Insurance Your annual eye exam, [...]
What is ‘Blepharoplasty’?
Blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid surgery, is typically done to either remove “bags” from underneath the eyes or to remove excess skin from the upper eye lid that’s blocking your field of vision. Here are some common questions patients have about the surgery — and the personal concerns that might lead up to it. What causes droopy eyelids? As you age, your skin begins to lose elasticity. Gravity is also constantly pulling us down. Both of these factors contribute to excessive skin collecting on the [...]