Have you been surfing the web on your smartphone?  Recent study shows 2 causes of increased eyestrain.

Chances are you or someone you know uses a smartphone.  And, if you’re like most you find yourself using these little technology gadgets to do a majority of your online reading.  However, a note worthy study was published in July’s “Optometry and Visual Science,” stating that the visual demands created by viewing websites on your phone and found two surprising conditions that set the stage for eye strain.

The study first found that the average font size of a website viewed on a smartphone was about 30% smaller than newspaper print, but could also range as small as 70% compared to your local newspaper.

The second finding was that patients held their smartphones much closer than the recommended reading distance of 16 inches.  They found the average reading distance on a smartphone was about 12 inches, and with many patients viewing them as close as 8 inches away from their eyes.

Regrettably, both of these conditions cause a much higher focusing demand on the visual system and commonly can cause headaches, blurry or fluctuating vision, and significant eyestrain.

Although smartphones apparently are causing harm to our eyes, this doesn’t mean you have to throw away your iPhone or Android.  Instead, here are some tips for reducing these eyestrain conditions:

• Use the pinch-zoom function to magnify the text
• Try to magnify it enough, at a comfortable reading distance, to be able to hold it at least 16 inches away from your eyes
• Try to save heavy web surfing for a larger screen, such as a tablet or home-computer
• Always be sure to give your eyes a break no matter what size screen you use

Adapting your eyes to technology doesn’t have to be difficult if you are just aware of how much time to spend in front of the screen and away from the screen.  The physicians here a Valuvision care about your eyes and certainly hope these tips help you adapt more easily.

It is one question you should always be expected to answer when you visit an eye care professional for the first time, “Do you have any history of head trauma?”

Ever wonder why? Well, the fragile condition of the eyes makes trauma related with any amount of shock to the head. The incident in question could be as simple as a slip and fall or being involved in a serious car collision.

In terms of the visual effect of a head injury, there are numerous parts of the eye that could be effected by what you thought was a simple bump on the head.

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Acuvue Contacts for Presbyopia
Presbyopia is defined as a condition where the eye exhibits a progressively diminished ability to focus on near objects as we age. When we hit that magic age of 40, most of us begin to notice a difficulty focusing on our computer or reading. Read more »

Do you wish you could wear contacts without the hassle of taking them out every time you go to sleep?

If you answered yes, you might just be a right fit for Jacksonville’s Valuvision’s AIR OPTIX Night and Day brand contacts. AIR OPTIX provides an FDA-approved contact lens to allow you to leave your contacts in for 30 days, night and day. AIR OPTIX provides a variety of benefits for anyone with an active lifestyle. Read more »

Benefits of Contact Lenses
As a contact lens wearer for almost 20 years and an optometrist for almost 12 years, let’s just say I love contacts! After wearing glasses for years, contact lenses can liberate you from the feeling of heavy and thick glasses. Contact lenses provide greater peripheral view. This is important especially when driving. Choosing the color of your eyes is a cosmetic benefit that many people will not go without. For those who play sports and live active lifestyles, contact lenses are an excellent option which provide more freedom of motion and remove the risk of losing or breaking a pair of glasses during activity. Read more »

Contacts for Astigmatism
At ValuVision, we strive to find you the best vision correction for your vision needs. Sometimes, the better option is contact lenses over glasses, although we always recommend having a back up pair of glasses. Instances where this is the case includes keratoconus (a cone-shaped cornea), a large degree of difference in prescription between the eyes, and for sports. Specially designed contact lenses are usually needed in these cases. Also, for cosmetic or corrective reasons, a special contact lens may need to be designed for a patient. Read more »

Order Contact Lenses Online
When soft contact lenses do not correct a patient’s vision to an acceptable point and they have a moderate degree of astigmatism, rigid gas permeable(or RGP) lenses are a much better option. First and foremost, any patient suspected of having keratoconus, and not simply astigmatism, should have a mapping of the corneal surface done, which is a corneal topography. This locates all of the irregular areas on the front of the eye which would prevent a contact lens from fitting well. Knowing where these areas are is crucial for the doctor to design a contact lens to properly fit the patient’s eyes. Read more »

One of the most common complaints we hear as optometrists is a history of flashes and floaters.  Floaters, or as some people describe them as spots, are small, semi-transparent particles that float within the vitreous.  The vitreous is the jelly-like fluid that fills your eyes.  Floaters are usually harmless and are seen by many of us at one time or another. If you see a floater consistently, it is always a good idea to schedule an eye exam with you optometrist.

Visual floaters are usually more visible when you look at plain, lighted backgrounds and move as your eye moves. Read more »

Bifocals are glasses or contact lenses that have two prescriptions in each lens that help people see objects both near and far. People with conditions such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism (all over blurry vision) and more commonly presbyopia (vision problems caused by aging) are typically prescribed bifocals or multifocals.

At one time, anyone requiring the use of bifocals had no choice but to wear glasses. It wasn’t until the last couple decades that people who needed bifocals had the option of choosing bifocal contact lenses. Read more »

Many patients become confused about the different types of eye doctors and which one they should see. The eye doctors here at Val-u-Vision are optometrists. Think of them as the primary care doctors of your eyes. They each have undergraduate degrees and have attended four years of optometry school.

Eye doctors or optometrists are trained to not only perform comprehensive eye exams but to also identify and treat diseases and disorders of the eye. Read more »