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  • Glasses & Contacts

  • Glasses on a stack of books with classroom chalkboard in background

    A healthy eye contains a clear, smooth dome called a cornea. The cornea is a clear window that allows light rays to pass through unobstructed and focus sharply on the retina.

    If the cornea is not as smooth, clear or round as it should be, or if the eyeball is too long or too short, light rays will bend (or refract) at odd angles. This leads to blurry or distorted vision. The inability to achieve sharp focus is called refractive error — this is the most common eye problem.

    Refractive errors include nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) or astigmatism. Similarly, the eye will have focusing problems if the naturally clear lens is cloudy due to cataract, if it isn’t as flexible as it should be (causing presbyopia) or if there are other problems with the way the eye functions.

  • Eye Exams

    • Eye Exam and Vision Testing Basics
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    Your Blue Eyes Aren’t Really Blue
    MAR 08, 2021 By Dan T. Gudgel
    Brown eyes get their color from melanin, the same pigment that colors your skin. But blue eyes don’t have any blue pigment in them. Blue eyes get their color the same way water and the sky get their blue color. They scatter light so that more blue light reflects back out.
    Workplace Eye Wellness: Printable Infographics
    DEC 21, 2021
    Workplace eye injuries are surprisingly common. Find out how to protect your eyes in the office, factory or outdoors.
    Workplace Eye Injuries by the Numbers - Infographic
    FEB 28, 2014 By Shirley Dang
    About 300,000 Americans visit the emergency room each year due to workplace eye injury. Out of all eye injuries sustained on the job, 40 percent happen in the fields of manufacturing, construction and mining, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Winter UV Eye Safety: Prevent Snow Blindness and Other Conditions
    JUN 08, 2021 By David Turbert
    Sun exposure increases your risk for snow blindness, cataracts, and growths on the eye, including cancer. But the damage to the front of the eye that causes snow blindness is unique because it can happen quickly.
    Why You Should Never Sleep in Your Contact Lenses
    SEP 28, 2018 By Jennifer Churchill
    Sleeping in contact lenses increases your risk for nasty eye infections six- to eightfold. It’s one of the most common and risky things teen and adult contact lens wearers do.
    Why Is Dry Eye So Difficult to Treat?
    SEP 15, 2021 By Reena Mukamal
    Many people with dry eye feel misunderstood and unsatisfied with their treatment, a new survey shows. Here's why treating the disease is so difficult and what ophthalmologists say could help.
    Why Get an Eye Exam? To Spot the Signs You Can't See
    OCT 11, 2016 By Beatrice Shelton
    As adults age, many will develop eye diseases that could become debilitating if not treated in time. But people can protect themselves by having eye exams that can spot early and often-hidden signs of eye disease.
    Why Do Humans Have Eyebrows and Eyelashes?
    MAR 23, 2017 By Reena Mukamal
    The area of curved, delicate hairs above our eyes are believed to channel unwanted moisture—sweat and rain in particular—away from the eye to help keep vision clear. Experts also believe that eyebrows play an important role in human communication and facial expression.
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