Does eating carrots help to improve vision?
No. Vision is definitely affected by one's diet. A well rounded, healthy diet helps the entire body to function better, including the eyes. Although carrots are a good vegetable source and good for you in general, they have no magic qualities which impact the eyes in any special way.

Can sitting too close to a television set or computer terminal or reading in dim light or wearing someone else's glasses hurt my eyes?
No. All of these tasks will cause your eyes to get tired, but they won't cause permanent damage.

Can eye problems cause headaches, light-headedness or dizziness?
Rarely. These are usually caused by some other, underlying, systemic problem.

Does wearing glasses cause your vision to deteriorate faster?
No, not at all.

How often should a person have their eyes examined?
It depends entirely on your age and the health of your eyes. Once you have your eyes examined for the first time, your doctor will recommend to you how often you should be examined.

If I'm a diabetic, should I be concerned about my eyes?
Yes, very much so. Diabetes can cause bleeding in the back of the eye which can lead to blindness. All diabetics are strongly encouraged to visit their eye doctor on a regular basis.

At what age should a child receive their first eye exam?
All children should be examined for the first time at around age 4. If a parent suspects problems prior to that time (e.g. crossed eye, redness, or discharge), the child should obviously be brought in for a complete evaluation. There are congenital eye conditions that must be treated at a young age. Otherwise, the damage cannot be reversed. That's why it's important to have all children examined before they start nursery school. In actuality, an eye exam can be performed on a newborn, but this isn't usually necessary.

I see a lot of people who always have red eyelids and what looks like dandruff on their eyelids. What is that?
This is a common condition known as "blepharitis" which is a chronic inflammation of the eyelids. Treatment of this condition requires keeping the eyelid margins very clean. There are special cleaning regimens recommended for this condition which can be explained to you by any eyecare professional.

What is the difference between an ophthalmologist and an optometrist?
An ophthalmologist and an optometrist are both "eye doctors". They can both do eye exams and diagnose eye disease. Optometrists (O.D.’s) went to school specifically to become eye doctors. They have been trained and licensed to do eye exams and to treat routine eye disease. They are not allowed to do lasers or eye surgery. Ophthalmologists are "medical doctors" (M.D.'s). That means they went to medical school (just like any other M.D.) and were trained and licensed to diagnose and treat all bodily diseases (not just the eyes). However, they then took additional training in eyecare alone and thus became "eye specialists". They can treat very complicated eye disease and can perform lasers and eye surgery. On a day-to-day basis in this practice, you will receive the same quality eye exam from either an M.D. or an O.D. If you require special care or surgery, you will of course be referred to the appropriate specialist.

What is an optician?
An optician is a licensed individual who can fabricate and dispense eyeglasses. He/she is an expert in "optics" which has to do with how lenses work and how they interact with your eyes.

What are the specialties in eyecare?
There are some doctors who choose to become specialists (experts) in certain aspects of eyecare. Most progressive practices have several sub-specialists on staff in order to provide the patients with the best care available. These would include specialists in cataracts, glaucoma, cornea/anterior segment, refractive surgery, oculplastics, lids, lacrimal system, pediatrics, diabetes/retina, and low vision.

What is Macular Degeneration?
Macular Degeneration is damage or breakdown of the macula of the eye, usually as a result of the aging process.  The macula is the small area at the back of the eye that allows us to see fine details clearly.   Macular  degeneration makes close work (like threading a needle or reading) difficult or impossible.

What is Dry Eye?
Dry Eye occurs when a person cannot produce enough tears to keep the eye properly lubricated. Symptoms of Dry Eye include stinging or burning, scratchiness, stringy mucus in or around the eye, eye irritation from smoke or wind, excess tearing, and difficulty wearing contact lenses.

What is "Lazy Eye"?
Lazy Eye is poor vision in an eye that did not develop normal sight during early childhood.  The medical term for this condition is "amblyopia".  When one eye develops good vision and the other does not, the eye with the poorer vision is called "amblyopic".  Usually, only one eye is affected.  Amblyopia has three major causes:  strabismus (misaligned eyes), unequal focus (refractive error), or cloudiness in the normally clear eye tissues.   To correct lazy eye, a child must be made to use the weak eye.  This is usually accomplished by patching or otherwise covering the stronger eye, often for weeks or months.  Glasses may also be prescribed to improve focusing.