Ask An Expert: Shelby Brogdon, OD, McFarland Eye Care

 

What does it mean to have 20/20 Vision? 

20/20 vision is a term used to express normal visual acuity, the clarity or sharpness of vision, measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance. If you have 20/100 vision, it means that you must be as close as 20 feet to see what a person with normal vision can see at 100 feet.

 

Vision is more than just seeing 20/20. Other important vision skills include peripheral awareness, eye coordination, depth perception, focusing ability and color vision. These all contribute to your overall visual ability. Also, having 20/20 vision does not mean the eyes are free of any ocular disease. Many eye diseases can cause damage to the eye before affecting your vision.  

 

Why do I need a yearly eye exam? 

A yearly eye exam is important for people of all ages. For children, we evaluate the visual skills needed to be successful in school along with determining if glasses or contacts are needed and checking the health of their eyes. In adults, visual needs change over time including using reading glasses or bifocals for near work. 

 

As we age, looking into the health of  the eyes can detect early signs of ocular disease like glaucoma or macular degeneration. The sooner we can detect and treat these diseases the better we can protect against permanent vision loss. 

 

The eyes are also a window to our body, so a yearly dilated eye exam that is looking at the blood vessels inside your eyes can detect diabetes and high blood pressure before other signs are noted. So be sure to get the whole family scheduled for annual eye exams!  

 

What is causing my eyelid to twitch and what can I do about it? 

Eyelid twitches are really common and can be quite annoying. The main causes include fatigue, stress, increased caffeine intake, eye strain, dry eyes and electrolyte imbalances. Personally, I have found stress to be the number one factor for myself and my patients. 

 

These eyelid twitches sometimes come and go but can also persist for weeks. There are a few things you can do to try to get some relief. The first thing is reducing stress, which is a lot easier said than done. You can also try to get some extra rest and hold off on getting that extra cup of coffee. If you are working long hours on digital devices, give yourself plenty of breaks throughout the day to avoid eye strain. Be sure to lubricate your eyes with artificial tears and try to stay hydrated. If symptoms still persist, visit your local optometrist for an evaluation.  

 

What can I do to prevent eye strain from working long hours on the computer? 

Headaches, eye fatigue and blurry vision on the computer that all get worse at the end of the day? If this sounds familiar to you, then you are probably suffering from eye strain. This is very common in both children and adults and has become increasingly problematic as we have moved more work to our digital devices over the last few years. 

 

When discussing eye strain with my patients, we sometimes discuss computer glasses and/or  adding a bifocal or anti-reflective coating to their lenses. This all depends on the patient’s prescription, age, and work environment. I definitely recommend following up with your eye doctor to discuss what options might benefit you.

 

One thing that could work for most people and something I always mention is called the 20/20/20 Rule. It states that every 20 minutes on a digital device, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This helps relax your eyes and prevent excessive eye strain. You can stand up and stretch, look out a window, or take a little stroll, just be sure to look away from any devices. I challenge you to give it a try this week. 

 

How do I know if I am a good candidate for LASIK?  

The first step toward LASIK actually begins by seeing if you’re a candidate for the procedure. We make this as easy as possible by offering free LASIK evaluations at McFarland Eye Care. We will perform various tests and measurements to determine if you are a good candidate for LASIK surgery. We will let you know during this appointment if we think LASIK is right for you. Once you have all the information, you can decide if you want to move forward with LASIK. We understand that this is a big decision and we are here for you — to answer questions and provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision that’s right for you.

 

Little Rock, Bryant, Hot Springs, Pine Bluff • 501-830-2020 • McFarlandEye.com