FAQ

This may be due to the progressive loss of the ability to focus near, which on average begins at age 40. The process is called presbyopia and the solution is reading glasses.

As long as your eyes are found to be healthy enough for LASIK, past strabismus surgery will not prevent you from having LASIK.

The onset of crossing of the eyes, whether at distance or near, is cause for seeking a consultation with an ophthalmologist. It is possible the inward-turning at very near distance is normal because humans must turn their eyes toward each other when they look at something very near their face.

Yes, a person who has a lazy eye may wear contact lenses. Most ophthalmologists use the term “lazy eye” to denote a condition where an eye has not developed normal visual potential from childhood, while the fellow eye is usually normal sighted.

Astigmatism is when the front window of the eye, the cornea, is irregular. A small amount of astigmatism is generally found in most people. Moderate amounts cause unclear vision but are easily corrected with spectacle lenses. When the degree of astigmatism is low, simple soft contacts can neutralize it easily. Toric contact lenses are used for more moderate amounts of astigmatism.
Generally, hard lenses perform better than soft ones, but newer designs have greatly improved the comfort and vision achieved with soft lenses.

Large amounts of astigmatism, especially if progressive, may indicate an underlying condition such as keratoconus, and can be treated by special design contact lenses.

The over-the-counter eyeglasses you can buy in a drug store (also called readers or reading glasses) are designed to correct age-related loss of near vision (called presbyopia), which we all get, usually as we enter our 40s. Presbyopia is usually balanced, which means the prescription is the same for both eyes. But nearsightedness (myopia) is often unbalanced and can appear with astigmatism (abnormally shaped corneas), which complicates the prescription. So selling over the counter glasses for nearsightedness would be nearly impossible as prescriptions vary too widely from person to person.

Therefore, in order to properly correct nearsightedness, you need an eye exam and a personalized eyeglass prescription from your ophthalmologist

Keratoconus is a disease of the cornea (the clear front part of the eyeball) in which the cornea becomes abnormally thin and irregular in shape. This can result in myopia (nearsightedness) and/or astigmatism (optical irregularity.) Myopia and astigmatism are both refractive errors of the eye; but in many patients with keratoconus, it is not possible to correct these refractive errors adequately with eyeglasses, so many patients with keratoconus must wear contact lenses–usually hard, gas-permeable contact lenses–to achieve clear vision.

She may have a congenital ptosis (droopy eyelid since birth).It is critical that an ophthalmologist check her vision.

Please see an ophthalmologist. There are several reasons to have blurry vision in the perinatal time (the time when a mother is close to birth and shortly after), including hormone changes, fluid shifts and even gestational diabetes. It would be best to see an ophthalmologist now to find out what is causing the vision change.

Tearing in infancy is very common and affects almost 15 percent of normal newborns. Most resolve spontaneously (on their own) by about 4 to 6 months. If the blockage persists past 4 to 6 months, the chances that it will open on its own are less than 20 percent and falling every day the child gets older.

The main risks of tear duct surgery are recurrence of the blockage (in about 10 percent of cases), infection (which is extremely rare), and blood from the eye or the nose. The bleeding usually subsides in a few hours from surgery and is only a few drops of blood mixing with the tears.

If the ptosis is mild we recommend waiting until your 4-month-old is preschool age. If the ptosis is moderate or severe or causing a refractive error we recommend surgery as early as six months. Please consult your ophthalmologist to determine the correct treatment for your child.

Blepharitis (eyelid inflammation) should not prevent you from getting filler placement. You may wish to discuss blepharitis treatment with your ophthalmologist.

It is safe to a limited extent to use false eyelashes. We advise keeping the glues away from your eyes as much as possible. This could be tricky if the lashes are placed too close to the lid margin.

It is not only possible, but expected. There were incisions made into the eye and these often create a gritty feeling. Typically, the feeling lasts for days to weeks, but some people may feel these symptoms months after cataract surgery.

You may also have you may have dry eyes or eyelid inflammation, which can cause similar symptoms. You should let your surgeon know and they should be able to address your symptoms.

Sneezing and coughing can be very problematic during cataract surgery. You need to address this with your surgeon.

Most cataract surgery is done with some intravenous sedation (medication to help you relax given by injection) which can suppress sneezing and coughing. There are also systemic medications that can be given before surgery to suppress these reflexes. Rarely, if we think there is a likelihood that sneezing and coughing cannot be controlled, we may consider general anesthesia. I have not had a case of allergic rhinitis requiring general anesthesia.

Most individuals over age 50 to 60 technically have age-related changes in their lenses that might be termed “very early cataracts.”

In general, prevention is difficult; but the most helpful practice is to avoid ultraviolet light from the sun with sunglasses. Avoid using steroid eye drops unless absolutely necessary. Avoid the rare medications that may be associated with cataract progression.

There is no way to predict how rapidly a cataract will develop. There are many kinds of cataracts and they can develop very slowly or progress rapidly.

 Patients need to be out of contact lenses prior to their preoperative measurements for cataract surgery. The length of this time depends on what contact lenses are worn.

This is needed because contact lenses alter the shape of the cornea, on the outer surface of the eye. When measurements are taken for the intraocular lens (IOL), it is extremely important for the cornea to be in its natural, unaltered state.

The monofocal lens has one point of focus which is usually set for your distance vision but you would be blurred for near vision.

Multifocal lenses are considered “premium lenses” These lenses have both a near and a distance focus out of the same lens (much like bifocal glasses) so the need for reading glasses is reduced and both eyes see both far and near. There are advantages and potential disadvantages to either type of lens so you need to discuss your options with your surgeon.

Rubbing your eye gently two weeks after cataract surgery is unlikely to cause harm to the eye. Vigorous rubbing, however, could cause a corneal abrasion and even damage the surgical wound. If you have any pain or change in vision, please see your surgeon right away.

It is unlikely that something is wrong with the IOL. Many factors can decrease vision after cataract surgery. A common finding is a posterior capsule opacity which is essentially a build-up of various proteins on the back side of your new lens implant. This can be cleared in the office with a laser. Another common finding is refractive error that needs to be corrected with glasses. Dry eye syndrome is another common finding that can change vision after cataract surgery. Corneal and retinal diseases should also be ruled out as certain corneal conditions can worsen after cataract surgery and some retinal diseases can progress after cataract surgery such as macular degeneration or macular edema. An ophthalmologist should be able to determine whether any of these findings are present.