What do lightning rods, swimming fins, and bifocals all have in common? Ben Franklin invented all three! When Franklin’s eyesight deteriorated with age, he became both nearsighted and farsighted. He didn’t like the trouble of switching between two different pairs of eyeglasses, so he came up with an invention that he called double spectacles. He simply took the lenses from both of his glasses, sliced them horizontally, and combined them on a single pair of frames. When he wanted to see up close to read, he looked down. When he wanted to see far away, he looked up. Since then, other inventors have enhanced Franklin’s work. Now there are different types of bifocal lenses to choose from.
What Happens During an Eye Exam
Your eyes contain some of the hardest-working muscles in your body. You might take your eye health for granted, but keeping those muscles in good shape is key to maintaining your quality of life. That’s why regular eye examinations are an important part of your annual health routine. If you’ve never had an eye exam before, the idea can be intimidating – after all, no one wants a doctor poking around in the sensitive area around their eyes. However, eye exams typically make for a quick, completely painless, and very informative visit. If you’ve never had your eyes examined – or it’s been a few years since your last appointment – learn more about what happens during an eye exam so that you can go into your check-up with peace of mind.
What Causes Eye Floaters?
Have you ever seen small dark spots floating along in your vision? What you’re seeing could be eye floaters. Like Mona Lisa’s eyes, eye floaters seem to follow your eye movements. However, these small dots dart away when you try to look directly at them. What causes eye floaters? While the cause can be harmless, like the natural aging process, in some instances the situation is more serious. Keep reading to learn more about the common causes of eye floaters, and be sure to contact your eye doctor if you’re experiencing this vision problem.
Myopia vs. Hyperopia
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 94 percent of Americans age 12 and older have good vision, but the remaining six percent, or 14 million, are visually impaired. Are you one of those 14 million? When you go to your optometrist’s office for the first time to receive an eye exam, you might hear words like myopia and hyperopia. Keep reading to learn more about myopia vs. hyperopia so you can better understand your eyes.
How to Treat Glaucoma
Whether you love to read, watch your children play, go for a drive, or simply walk around the block, vision plays a vital role in how you experience the world. That makes glaucoma scary. This sight-stealing condition can develop so slowly that you don’t even realize you’re experiencing changes to your vision until the damage is done. Exploring options for how to treat glaucoma can bring some peace of mind.
Saline Solution vs. Contact Solution
Whether you have been wearing contacts for a few days or a few years, you probably realize how wonderful clear vision is. Protecting the health of your eyes is an obvious priority. But that doesn’t make it easy. Sorting out exactly what you’re supposed to do can be downright confusing at times, especially when manufacturers ply you with so many brightly colored options. The case of saline solution vs. contact solution is a perfect example. These two fluids are often critical components of a contact-care regimen, but you must use them correctly. What do you need to know?
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How Long Does It Take to Get Used to New Glasses?
Many people expect eyeglasses to be a miraculous, instantaneous fix for their vision problems. They imagine that their eyesight will be absolutely perfect once they slide the frames over their ears. And while that’s sometimes true, it’s important to keep in mind that our eyes often need a little time to adjust to a new prescription, lens type, or lens coating. How long does it take to get used to new glasses?
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The Difference Between Progressives and Bifocals
To see your best at every distance, you want eyeglasses that multitask. That makes understanding the difference between progressives and bifocals a must.
Why Sunglasses Are Important
How often do you wear sunglasses? According to the Vision Council, one in four Americans rarely or never wears sunglasses. If you’re shrugging at that statistic, you clearly don’t understand why sunglasses are important for the health of our eyes. Although they’re often categorized as fashion accessories, sunglasses play an important role in protecting our eyes from dangerous UV rays. Whether you’re driving, sunbathing, picnicking, or going for a walk, you should be wearing sunglasses if you’re out during daylight hours.
Why Do Pupils Dilate?
If the eyes are the windows to the soul, what do the pupils reveal? The pupils are the black circles centered in the iris, which is the colored part of the eye. The small black discs may seem boring when compared to their more colorful peers, but they catch the eye because they have a surprisingly active life. They are continually expanding, dilating, shrinking, or constricting. Why do pupils dilate and constrict? Could your pupils have important implications for your eye health? What about your overall health?
