Our Patients' Top Five Frequently Asked Questions!

Want to know what our patients have been asking us?

Here are the top five frequently asked questions our Vision Source® members get at their practices!

FAQ #1: “How often do I need to visit the optometrist?”

For those of you who do not need glasses or contacts, we encourage you to get an eye exam every two years. If you require vision correction or are over 60, we recommend coming in on a yearly basis. Every patient is unique, however, and some patients may need to have more frequent checkups.

It’s important to remember that regular eye exams are crucial for both vision correction and your health! Prescriptions can change over the course of a year, even without you realizing it. What’s more, eye care professionals are often the first medical providers to identify chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. We want to help you see and feel your best, and good, healthy vision is a large part of that. So come in today!

FAQ #2: “Why can’t I sleep in my contacts?”

Those who sleep in their contacts are six to eight times more likely to get a serious type of corneal infection. Even those who use extended wear lenses have an increased risk of infection when they sleep in their contacts.

Because contact lenses rest directly on the eye, they decrease the amount of oxygen that reaches your eyes from the environment. When they are left on longer than recommended, or overnight, your eyes are deprived of much-needed oxygen, making you more prone to infection. Do your eyes a favor–give them a break at night!

FAQ #3: “What’s the difference between soft contact lenses and gas permeable (GP) lenses?”

While soft contact lenses are made of softer flexible plastics, gas permeable lenses are made of rigid plastics and can be used for up to a year or more. Gas permeable lenses may take a while to get used to but they have many advantages. No matter what you choose, we’re here to help you find the lenses that work for you and your lifestyle!

FAQ #4: “What does 20/20 vision mean?”

“20/20” is a fraction that describes visual acuity, or sharpness of vision. The top number in the fraction refers to the viewing distance between the patient and the eye chart–typically 20 feet. The bottom number in the fraction corresponds to a line on the chart. 20/20 vision isn’t “perfect” vision, but rather a measurement of what, on average, most people are able to read 20 feet away from the eye chart.

FAQ #5: “What are those cobwebs floating around in my field of vision?”

Floaters may look like tiny worms or cobwebs floating in the air in front of you, but they’re actually inside your eye! As we age, protein fibers in our eyes start clumping together. When light enters the eye, these clumped fibers cast a shadow on the retina, causing us to see floaters. Although bothersome, they’re usually no cause for concern!

Check out the video to learn more about those floaters!

We Love It When Our Patients Ask Questions!

We hope these questions and answers have been eye opening for you! The more educated you are about your eyes, the better you will feel about making decisions for your vision health. Have any more questions? Call or visit us at www.visionsourcenw.com.

Prevention Information

Good vision is about making good choices. Your best choice is to see your doctor of optometry for a routine eye exam to ensure good vision and eye health. Early diagnosis and treatment are keys to preventing vision loss. Don’t assume that red eyes, pain or unusual visual symptoms will go away on their own. You can never be sure: some eye diseases only show symptoms when the condition is advanced and difficult, or even impossible to treat.

It’s about making smart decisions at home. Everything from sitting at a distance equivalent to at least five times the width of your TV screen; eating the right foods to help deter the onset of certain eye conditions; taking a 20 second break from your computer screen every 20 minutes and focusing your eyes on something at least 20 feet away; wearing proper protective eyewear when undertaking most major indoor or outdoor work; to the simple habit of having your child wear sunglasses outside when the sun is shining. Good vision and eye health means making smart choices at work, too. At the office, being farsighted, nearsighted, or having astigmatism can all make computer use less comfortable.

Depending on your condition, your eyes could be exerting extra focusing effort or be forced to work harder to maintain a clear image on the screen. We provide expert eye health and leading prescription safety eyewear to industries as diverse as forestry and IT, offering comprehensive eye examinations, professional consultation and individually tailored programs to help employees work safely and effectively. Through comprehensive eye health services, such as visual field assessments and vision training, your doctor of optometry can detect, manage and treat conditions such as job-related eyestrain, age-related vision change and disease. Talk to one of our doctor of optometry to ensure you are making the right choices.

Rise in Detergent Eye Injuries

An increase in the number of toddlers sustaining chemical burns from laundry detergent pods has been revealed in a new study.

A 30-fold increase in ocular chemical burns from laundry detergent pods has prompted calls for closer scrutiny of the household products.

Researchers at the John Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention in Baltimore found that the number of eye injuries related to laundry detergent pods among young children in the United States skyrocketed between 2012 - 2015.

Over the period, there were 1201 ocular chemical burns caused by laundry detergent pods among three and four-year-olds.

The number of eye injuries caused by the pods increased from 12 in 2012, to 480 in 2015.

The pods contain concentrated alkaline detergents, with the potential to penetrate deep into the cornea and ocular tissues and cause significant damage.

Study author, Dr Richard Sterling Haring, told OT that many of the injuries occurred when children were handling the pods and the contents squirted into one or both of their eyes.

Children were also injured when the pod contents leaked onto their hands and a burn resulted from subsequent hand-eye contact, Dr Haring added.

“In addition to proper storage and use of these devices, prevention strategies might include re-designing packaging to reduce the attractiveness of these products to young children and improving their strength and durability,” he highlighted.

Dr Haring explained that, while he did not have any data on injury levels related to laundry detergent pods in the UK, he would expect numbers to be similar depending on market penetration.

“Over the past few years, they have become quite common in American households, which I believe has been the major contributor to the upward trend of associated injuries.”

He emphasised that eye health professionals should be aware of the risk posed by laundry detergent pods.

“Toddlers are the highest-risk group for chemical ocular burns and laundry detergent pods represent an especially notable threat,” he added.

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