July 2020

Eyeball Licking: A Dangerous New Trend?

Image of girl wearing glasses and sticking tongue out.

In the summer of 2013, news spread quickly about a dangerous new trend, called “worming” or oculolinctus, and a serious outbreak of disease among Japanese youth. Upon further investigation, many news sources retracted or amended previously published stories, saying the stories of a sudden increase in illness were only a hoax. In popular culture and […]

Vision Charities to Help You Give Back This Holiday Season

Image of young girls wearing glasses.

  Imagine trying to succeed at work at school if you could not see clearly. Unfortunately, that’s the reality for far too many people in the world. Whether they cannot afford eye care, are blind or have a vision disability, poor eyesight makes life much more difficult. You can make a difference this holiday season […]

Teaching Kids About Pink Eye

Conjunctivitis is by no means limited only to children. An infection or inflammation of the conjunctiva — the membrane within the eyelid and protecting the white aspect of our eyes — can occur in individuals of any age secondary to an infection, an allergic reaction or chemical irritation. Infectious conjunctivitis can be the result of […]

What the Eyes Tell Us About Overall Health

Image of an open window looking out to a landscape.

Eyes are your window to the world. Everything you experience is enhanced by what you see. By the same token, eyes can be a window into your body. When it comes to your overall health, your eyes act like an open book shedding light on your condition. A thorough eye exam with your ophthalmologist or […]

How Vision Problems Affect Learning

Reading is an instrumental part of your child’s ability to learn. In order to write complete sentences or do mathematical problems, a child must first be able to understand what is on the page in front of them. If your child is suffering from vision problems, it may be drastically interfering with their ability to […]

How Can You Prevent an Eye Infection?

Image of hand holding a contact lens.

Do your eyes feel swollen, itchy or watery? If so, you might want to book an appointment with your eye doctor to have your eyes examined. Although many people automatically attribute their discomfort to allergies, it’s important to leave the diagnosis to a trained professional that is knowledgeable about eye health. Often, the true cause […]

How Did I Get a Stye?

Image of woman touching her eye.

A stye, medically known as a hordeolum, appears in the eyelid area as a red pimple-like bump, and is usually tender or painful. Styes typically occur near the lash line (external hordeolum), but can also appear on the underside of the eyelid (internal hordeolum). In addition to the telltale lump, a stye can cause swelling, […]

Getting Kids to Wear Glasses

In most of North America, optometrists are known as Doctors of Optometry (D.O.). As physicians, they are able to diagnose eye disease and prescribe medications or corrective lenses. Licensure as a DO requires a Bachelor’s Degree and successful completion of a four-year school of optometrics. Educational specialists, Allen and Virginia Crane, point out in their […]

Nutrition and Your Eyes

As you’ve probably heard, carrots are good for your eyes. Technically, they can’t give you superhero-quality eyesight like you may have been told when you were young, but they do contain ingredients that are instrumental in protecting your vision and overall health. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene (which the body converts into vitamin A) and […]

Stop Rubbing Your Eyes

It feels like a natural thing to rub your eyes when they are itchy, watery, or otherwise irritated. Keeping your hands away from your eyes, however, is a smart choice for promoting better eye health. Rubbing your eyes can lead to everything from eye injuries to damaged vision. Rubbing your eyes offers only short-term relief […]