Frequently Asked Questions in Cordova TN

You should have a Comprehensive Eye Exam once a year. It is very important for the health of your eyes, checking for Glaucoma, Cataracts, Macular Degeneration, and Dry Eye Disease, etc., as well as having your most current and accurate prescription for a comfortable and stress free visual system and lifestyle.

There are many signs that you need a change in prescription. Some of the most common are Blurry Vision, Tired Eyes, Headaches, Red Eyes, and Watery Eyes.

Contact lenses are safe for your eyes if fit and managed properly by an Eyecare Professional who has been trained to be an expert in Contact Lense Fittings.

There are many reasons why eyes can be dry and irritated. Some patients may have an improper prescription, some may have dry eyes naturally due to aging, some may be due to allergies, some may be due to medications a patient is taking or their lifestyle, smoking, alcohol, or too much circulating air in their life due to ceiling fans or other types of fans, or vents in their automobile that may be blowing directly at their face and eyes.

Your pupil is like a window that allows the Doctor to look inside your eye to check the health of your eye. When you dilate, you make the pupil opening larger, which makes the window larger and allows the Doctor to better evaluate the health of your eye. This is especially important for patients with Diabetes, poorly controlled High Blood Pressure, Connective Tissue Disorders and other systemic conditions that have side effects related to the retina of patient's eyes.

You can help your vision by taking numerous breaks from close up activities (computer, cell phone, books, etc.). About every 20 minutes, take a break where you close your eyes and rest or look far away only for 2-3 minutes. Also, a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle will help.

Blurry vision in the morning is usually caused by dryness. Ceiling fans or any fans blowing while you are sleeping will contribute to dryness which will cause blurry vision when you awake in the morning. Some medications taken before bedtime may also cause dryness which will cause blurry vision upon waking. There are many ways that you can help Dry Eye problems.

You should call our office and describe to the office staff what happened and they will set you up with the appropriate appointment for your situation.

The difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist is similar to the difference between a family practitioner/internal medicine doctor and any medical doctor specialist. An optometrist is your primary care eye doctor, just like a family practitioner or internal medicine doctor is your primary care doctor for your general health. If your primary care doctor (optometrist/family practitioner/internist) finds a condition that needs to be referred to a specialist, they refer you to a cardiologist, oncologist, etc., and a primary care optometrist will refer you to an ophthalmologist specialist (retina specialist, cataract surgeon, corneal specialist, etc.).

Digital eye strain is too much time spent on devices (cell phones, tablets, computers) and to reduce it you need to reduce the time you spend on these devices and take more breaks when you are using them, every 20 minutes take a break for 2-3 minutes.

The most common symptoms of cataracts are blurry vision that cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses to the point where you can perform your normal daily activities for your lifestyle, and glare at night is another common symptom.

There are many factors that should be considered when a patient is considering LASIK surgery. The best way to determine if it is right for you is to discuss all options to be considered and possible outcomes with your eye doctor.

Red or bloodshot eyes are usually caused by eye infections due to bacteria, viruses, and allergies. They can also be caused by Dry Eye Syndrome and incorrect eyeglass prescriptions or lack of an eyeglass prescription.

The appropriate age depends on any symptoms that a child is having. If they are not presenting with any symptoms, they should have an eye exam before they start school, usually about 4-5 years old. You want to make sure that they have their best vision for school and that a lack of an appropriate and needed prescription is not hindering their learning ability.

Your child should have an eye exam once a year at the minimum, sometimes every 6 months if they are experiencing changes in their vision.

Eye twitching is usually a sign of stress. Sometimes it will be from lifestyle stress and other times it will be caused from eye stress or strain due to the need for a new prescription.

If your child is having trouble seeing far away like the board or overhead projector at school, they will likely need glasses. They may need glasses if they are not performing well in school, as they could be having trouble focusing up close. That would cause reading difficulties and decreased performance in school. Many times prescription reading glasses will solve the problems and school performance will greatly improve.

Only choose sunglasses that have protection in the lenses for UV rays.

Nearsightedness means you see better at near distances and blurry at far distances. Farsightedness means you see better at far distances and blurrier at near distances. An easy way to remember it, is wherever you see the best is what you are.

• Better Near Vision - Nearsighted
• Better Far Vision - Farsighted

Presbyopia is a natural aging process where patients lose their ability to focus up close. It usually occurs after 40 years of age, but can start in a patients' late 30's or as late as the mid 40's. This is the cause of patients needing bifocals or reading glasses at this time.