How often should I have a comprehensive exam?
We recommend you have a routine eye exam once a year whether or not you wear glasses. The purpose is not only to check vision, but also check the general health of the eye. In addition, the exam can provide early detection of other health issues.

When should a child get thier first comprehensive exam?
Any child, between three and five, should have a routine eye exam. Learning and school work are very dependent on vision, and we feel any child who is having difficulty with their vision is placed at a disdvantage.

Does my computer harm my eyesight?
Computers do not emit any radiation harmful to your eyes. However, it can cause additional eye strain and fatigue. Annandale EyeCare can fit you with glasses designed for the computer to reduce stress and fatigue.

Why do I need reading glasses? (Presbyopia)
Presbyopia is a vision condition in which the crystalline lens of your eye loses its flexibility, which makes it difficult for you to focus on close objects. Presbyopia may seem to occur suddenly, but the actual loss of flexibility takes place over a number of years. Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable in the early to mid-forties. Presbyopia is a natural part of the aging process of the eye. It is not a disease and it cannot be prevented.

What can LASIK surgery correct?
Laser vision correction (LASIK) is the latest refractive surgery procedure designed to reduce or eliminate your need for glasses and contacts. LASIK is used to treat refractive errors such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism.

Nearsightedness:
When you are nearsighted (myopic), you are able to see clearly up close but everything in the distance is blurred.

Farsightedness:
When you are hyperopic (farsighted), your eyes have to work overtime to keep things in focus. Whenever that effort becomes too great, it can cause symptoms of blurred vision, usually with close work, but distance can also be affected. This can be easily corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

Astigmatism:
Astigmatism is the most common vision condition. It means the cornea, or the clear window at the front of the eye is improperly shaped -- more oblong like a football rather than spherical like a baseball. As a result, people with astigmatism may have distorted or blurry vision.

Cataract:
A Cataract is a clouding or darkening that develops in the normally clear lens of the eye. This prevents the lens from properly focusing light on the retina, at the back of the eye, resulting in a loss of vision. It is not a film that grows over the surface of the eye.

Glaucoma:
Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the passage way that allows fluid in the eye to drain becomes clogged or blocked, or the fluid in the eye is produced too quickly. This results in eye pressure building up damaging the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain. Damage to it results in less information sent to the brain and loss of vision.

What is "lazy eye"?
Amblyopia is the loss or lack of development of vision in one eye that is unrelated to any eye health problem. It is not correctable with lenses and there is no apparent cause for the poor vision. The brain, for some reason, does not acknowledge the images seen by the amblyopic eye.

What are "flashes and floaters"?
Floaters, also referred to as spots, are small cloudy particles within the vitreous, the gel-like fluid that fills the inside of your eyes. They appear as small specks, clouds or thread-like strands in your field of vision, and are frequently visible when you look at bright even background such as white papers or blue sky. While they can be normal they can also be an indication of retinal tears or detachments. Sudden onset of flashes and/or floaters should be examined by your eye doctor.