Facts and Myths about the Eyes: Your most common chairside questions!

At Emer Eye Care, we get a variety of patient questions and concerns everyday. Many are very important to your longterm eye health and visual development, and some are common misconceptions. Below, we’ll answer some of the questions we get on a daily basis to better inform you for your next trip to your local eye doctor!

“My kids eyes seem fine, plus the pediatrician checks their eyes. When should they start seeing you?”

Your child should have their first eye exam after their second birthday. We can check your child’s vision, binocular function, eye movements and alignment, pupils, eye health, etc. For children it’s crucial to have early intervention if eye glasses or vision therapy are needed, to ensure proper development of their functional vision. Our local pediatricians do a fantastic job caring for our children’s overall health, but the eye health part of their exam is only a fraction of what needs to be done on children two years and older. Healthy functional vision for children is imperative in their growth and success not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well!

“Will glasses make my eyes weaker??”

No! You might notice your vision isn’t as clear without your glasses, but an accurate glasses prescription will not make your eyes weaker. Even more importantly, while your eyes are still developing as a child it’s crucial to be wearing the proper correction full time as this can negatively impact a child’s eye’s development and visual potential long term.

“I had pink eye so I went to the emergency room to have it looked at.”

The dreaded “pink eye” can have many different causes and should be looked at by an optometrist with the necessary equipment and experience in treating the many modalities of “pink eye.” A red or irritated eye can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection, a foreign body in the eye, an inflammatory condition, dryness, and the list goes on and on! Getting the right diagnosis and treatment is crucial for a timely resolution to whatever is causing your “pink eye.”

“My eye aren’t dry…they water all the time!”

To the contrary…your eyes water because they’re dry or irritated! Dry eye is extremely prevalent these days, especially with a majority of our work being on computers or personal devices. There are a wide variety of treatments that need to be specifically tailored per patient to be the most effective. Dry eye can become a cyclical and longterm ailment for many patients and can significantly affect their daily lives. Treatment geared towards not only the ocular surface but also the lids can range from eye drops to nutrition and supplements to heat and light, amongst many other options!

“I have diabetes, so I had to go to a specialist for my eye exams.”

Optometrists see patients with a wide range of systemic and ocular conditions every day – from diabetes to glaucoma to macular degeneration. If the time comes when you may need treatment for any progression in ocular disease due to these conditions, your optometrist will refer you to one of the many fantastic ophthalmologists in your area for timely treatment.

“Oh no, I have cataracts?!”

No need to worry! Cataracts are normal changes to the lens in your eyes. You can have them for many years and they won’t necessarily have a large affect on your vision. Once the time comes to have cataract surgery, your optometrist will refer you to an ophthalmologist who will perform the routine surgical procedure. Your optometrist will then see you for your post op visits as your eye quickly heals.

…and of course, the many questions our front office gets about the ever complicated insurance! Most eye exams can be billed to your medical insurance if you don’t have a vision discount plan. Many offices have deals for cash pay regarding either the exam or contact lenses and glasses.

Any other questions?? Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone or email our office or your local optometrist…we’re happy to help, that’s what we’re here for and that’s what we love to do! Care for your eye health and vision by coming in for your yearly exams or any other issues/emergencies that may pop up! Live healthy and be well!