READING IN DIM LIGHT IS HARMFUL TO YOUR EYES

FALSE

Using your eyes in dim light does not damage them. For centuries, all nighttime reading and sewing was done by candlelight or with gas or kerosene lamps. However, good lighting does make reading easier and can prevent eye fatigue.

USING COMPUTERS CAN DAMAGE YOUR EYES

FALSE

Working on computers or video display terminals (VDTs) will not harm your eyes. Often, when using a VDT for long periods of time, just as when reading or doing other close work, you blink less often than normal. This reduced rate of blinking makes your eyes dry, which may lead to the feeling of eyestrain or fatigue. Try to take regular breaks to look up or across the room. Looking at objects farther away often relieves the feeling of strain on your eyes.

Keep the monitor between 18 to 24 inches from your face and at a slight downward angle. Also consider the use of artificial tears. If your vision blurs or your eyes tire easily, you should have your eyes examined by an ophthalmologist.

WEARING THE WRONG KIND OF EYEGLASSES DAMAGES YOUR EYES

FALSE

Eyeglasses are devices used to sharpen your vision. Although correct eyeglasses or contacts help you to see clearly, wearing a pair with the wrong lenses, or not wearing glasses at all, will not physically damage your eyes. However, children less than eight years old who need eyeglasses should wear their own prescription to prevent the possibility of developing amblyopia or “lazy eye.”

LEARNING DISABILITIES ARE CAUSED BY EYE PROBLEMS

FALSE

Difficulties with reading, mathematics, and other learning problems in children are often referred to as learning disabilities. There is no strong evidence that vision problems cause learning disabilities or that eye exercises cure learning problems.

Children with learning difficulties often need help from teachers and people with special training. Before such treatment begins, it is important for the child to have a complete medical eye examination to make certain he or she is seeing as well as possible.

EYES CAN BE TRANSPLANTED

FALSE

Medical science has no way to transplant whole eyes. Our eyes are connected to the brain by the optic nerve. Much like a fiber optic cable, the optic nerve is made up of more than one million tiny nerve fibers. This nerve cannot be reconnected once it has been severed.

Because of this, the eye is never removed from its socket during surgery. The cornea, the clear front part of the eye, has been successfully transplanted for many years. Corneal transplant is sometimes confused with an eye transplant.

SITTING CLOSE TO THE TV CAN DAMAGE CHILDREN’S EYES

FALSE

Children can focus at close distance without eyestrain better than adults. They often develop the habit of holding reading materials close to their eyes or sitting right in front of the television. There is no evidence that this damages their eyes, and the habit usually diminishes as children grow older. Children with nearsightedness (myopia) sometimes sit close to the television in order to see the images more clearly.

EATING CARROTS IMPROVES YOUR VISION

FALSE

Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which is essential for sight, but many other foods also contain this vitamin. A well-balanced diet, with or without carrots, provides all the vitamin A necessary for good vision.

PEOPLE WITH WEAK EYES SHOULD AVOID READING FINE PRINT

FALSE

It is said that people with weak eyes or people who wear glasses will “wear out” their eyes sooner if they read fine print or do a lot of detail work.

A CATARACT MUST BE ‘RIPE’ BEFORE IT IS REMOVED

FALSE

With older surgical techniques, it was thought to be safer to remove a cataract when it was “ripe.” With today’s modern surgical procedures, a cataract can be removed whenever it begins to interfere with a person’s lifestyle. If you are unable to see well enough to do the things you like or need to do, you should consider cataract surgery. Surgery is the only way to remove a cataract.

CONTACT LENSES CAN PREVENT NEARSIGHTEDNESS FROM

GETTING WORSE

FALSE

Some people have been led to believe that wearing contact lenses will permanently correct nearsightedness so that eventually they won’t need either contacts or eyeglasses. There is no evidence that wearing contact lenses produces a permanent improvement in vision or prevents nearsightedness from getting worse.

ALL EYE DOCTORS ARE THE SAME

FALSE

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor (M.D. or D.O.) with special training to diagnose and treat all diseases of the eye. To become an ophthalmologist requires a minimum of eight years of medical school and hospital training after college. An ophthalmologist is qualified to provide all aspects of eye care, including cataract, laser, and other eye surgery.

Optometrists (O.D.) and opticians are other types of eye care professionals. They are trained and licensed to provide some aspects of eye care, but they are not medical doctors and have not attended medical school and residency training. In most states, they cannot prescribe all medications or perform surgery.

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By accepting CareCredit®, you no longer have to wait to get the attention you deserve, we invite you to apply online, over the phone, or come into our office and we will be glad to help you. We want to make your appointment as pleasant as possible, so to help us best accommodate you, please bring your most recent insurance card(s) and any required referrals. It is the policy of this office to expect payment for services as they are rendered.

We will be happy to file a claim to your insurance, provided we participate with your plan. We participate with many medical plans and are Medicare providers. For additional information concerning accepted health care insurance plans, please refer to the list on the right side of this page. Should you have any questions regarding your plan, please contact us.

We also accept many vision plans for your routine eye care. In addition, we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and are members of CareCredit®.