Jason Randall Smith, OD,MS

FYI, I answered this question for someone 2 weeks ago, so I copied and pasted my answer. I hope that this information helps.

I must answer your question with a few of my questions. Eye infections can be very different and are treated differently. How do you know that you have an eye infection? If your eye is red, it can be red from a variety of problems. Yes, it can be a bacterial infection which is treated with an antibiotic prescribed by a medical doctor or an eye doctor. If your eye is red from an allergy, there are anti-allergy drops and anti-itch drops that can be used. If you are sick, you can have a viral red eye problem that decongestants or artificial tears may help with the problem. Red eyes can also be a result of an in-turned eye lash. Red eyes can be caused by a scratched cornea or a conjunctivitis. And sometimes, internal eye problems, such as an iritis or uveitis can result in the eyes being red. This needs to be treated by an eye doctor. So, my best advice to you is to find out exactly what your problem is so that it can be properly treated. Please make an appointment with your family doctor or an eye doctor. Good luck and best wishes.

Depending upon how much myopia you have and if you have any associated astigmatism, this answer can vary. For low amounts of myopia, many patients wear their glasses as needed, but always being very careful to be safe, like when driving, driving at night, or driving in bad weather. For higher amounts of myopia, it should have been recommended to wear your glasses all of the time especially when driving or looking a distance objects. But, there are many myopic people who are also able to take their glasses off to read. But being able to do this should only be done when the vision looks the same out of each eye when looking at your phone or when reading. This is close work that can be clear without glasses, but when looking at the computer screen, does that also look clear? Remember there are 3 primary distances that the eyes need to focus at clearly; distance like driving or viewing the TV, middle like your computer screen, and close like the keyboard, looking at your phone, or reading a book. These 3 distances must be clear all of the time so that you do not experience eye fatigue, blurriness, or headaches. If you have any questions concerning what you need to do exactly, please speak to your eye doctor who prescribed your glasses. Theye have all of your vision information, age-related needs, professional and hobby visual needs, etc. Good luck and best wishes.

NO!! Viral and bacterial forms of conjunctivitis (pink eye") are highly contagious, spread quickly and are uncomfortable for all who experience them. If you have pink eye, it’s important to prevent the condition from worsening and keep it from spreading to other people. There are several complications that can arise if you swim while you have pink eye. From worsening symptoms to an increased risk of spreading your infection with other swimmers, it is usually best to avoid swimming until your infection has resolved. And any chlorine that gets into your eye can only make things worse.
And the big question is; if you have a conjunctivitis or "pink eye", is it viral, bacterial, or allergic? And if your eyes are red and it is not a conjunctivitis, what actually is the problem? There are many reasons for red eyes. I would suggest that you please see an eye doctor in order to fully know exactly what your eye problem is. Good luck and best wishes.

Laser eye surgery will reduce or eliminate your need for glasses or contact lenses. Depending upon your amount of nearsightedness and/or astigmatism, your corrected vision should make you safe and less reliant upon those same glasses or contact lenses. If you are applying for any job where visual problems are a disqualifier, having laser corrected surgery will eliminate that issue. But there are some jobs in the military or police forces where you must check to see if laser vision correction is acceptable on-the-job. If you are interested in this process, I would make an appointment with an ophthalmologist/refractive surgeon in order to determine if you are a candidate and what your options, costs, risks, and benefits are in the short term and in the long term.
Good luck and best wishes.

Glasses should not cause headaches. If your glasses are older, it may be time to have your prescription re-evaluated because your eyes will definitely change as you get older. If this is a new prescription, I would check back with your eye doctor and let them know about the headaches. If your headaches still continue, please check with your family doctor to find out the reason for the headaches if they are not visually related.
Any prescription for glasses or contact lenses should provide you clear and comfortable vision at every distance including the distance (driving or TV), middle (your computer screen), or close (reading, your phone, or a computer keyboard). A correct prescription should correct your myopia (nearsightedness) and or any astigmatism that is present, always. Good luck and best wishes.

I must answer your question with a few of my questions. Eye infections can be very different and are treated differently. How do you know that you have an eye infection? If your eye is red, it can be red from a variety of problems. Yes, it can be a bacterial infection which is treated with an antibiotic. If your eye is red from an allergy, there are anti-allergy drops and anti-itch drops that can be used. If you are sick, you can have a viral red eye problem that decongestants or artificial tears may help the problem. Red eyes can also be a result of an in-turned eye lash. Red eyes can be caused by a scratched cornea or a conjunctivitis. And sometimes, internal eye problems, such as an iritis can result in the eyes being red. This needs to be treated by an eye doctor. So, my best advice to you is to find out exactly what your problem is so that it can be properly treated. Please make an appointment with your family doctor or an eye doctor. Good luck and best wishes.

There are certainly over-the-counter artificial tears for dry eyes, and there are prescription medications that require a doctor's advice, consent, and written prescription. Warm compresses and eye lid scrubs may help dry eye conditions. And some of the dry eye medications include restasis, Xiidra, cequa, eysuvis, lacrisert, and OTC dry eye drops such as Visine Red Eye Comfort and Clear Eyes Red Eye Comfort drops.
If your eyes are itchy, eye drops such as Pataday or Zatidor can relieve the itchiness. But what needs to be determined is do you have a dry eye problem or an allergy problem that can be causing the itchiness? Only an eye doctor or your family doctor should determine that fact.
A few studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acid supplements may improve symptoms of dry eye. But these should only be taken with the consultation with your family doctor or your eye doctor, always. Punctal plugs can be inserted into the eye's puncta in order to keep the tears within the eye for longer periods of time, again, under the care of an eye doctor.
So, if you know that you have dry eyes, was this diagnosed by a doctor? My best recommendation is to see that doctor or any eye doctor. Some of the anti-redness or decongestants can cause a glaucoma problem in those people who have narrow angles, so I would not self-medicate until you know exactly what the problem is, and how to effectively and to properly treat it. Good luck and best wishes.

I can answer this question for you by also asking a few questions and providing you some answers. If you then can be more specific concerning your "tired eyes", then resubmit your question. Do you wear glasses and for what reason? When was the last time you had your eyes checked by an eye doctor? When you say "tired eyes", are things that you are looking at blurry after looking at them for a period of time? And if things are blurry, are they blurry in the distance like when driving or watching TV, in the middle like looking at a computer, or blurry up-close like when reading or looking at a computer keyboard? If things are blurry, are they blurry all of the time, occasionally, or do things get blurry then clear up? And how long has this been going on for? If you are over 40 years of age, depending upon your actual eyeglass prescription, things can become blurry up close. Do you have headaches? Do you have any medical conditions like diabetes that can definitely affect your vision? Do you have any other eye conditions that should be checked by an eye doctor on a regular basis?
If your "tired eyes" are from a dry eye condition, there are lubricating eye drops that can help this condition. I hope some of these questions can lead to an appropriate answer for you, once there are some more specifics. Please let me know. Good luck and best wishes.

Hormonal changes, metabolism changes, cardiovascular changes, and fluid changes can affect your eyes. In order to go through any laser eye surgery or refractive surgery, you need to have a stable and consistent prescription. So, being pregnant or while breastfeeding, your prescription will not be consistent.
Corneal changes while breastfeeding can affect any astigmatism present and fluid changes can affect nearsightedness or farsightedness. Breastfeeding mothers should be told that any eye surgery, especially refractive eye surgery should not be done anywhere from 3-6 months after breastfeeding has ended. So, I would discuss your concerns with a refractive surgeon/ophthalmologist in order to receive a proper timeline when it would be best to undergo any type of eye surgery. Good luck and best wishes.

Since every patient is different and surgeons have their own specific protocol to perform successful cataract surgery, you should discuss this specifically with your surgeon. But under most circumstances, cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure which lasts from 15 minutes to an hour. You will remain awake and receive local anesthesia in the form of eye drops or an injection most of the time. Your surgeon may also provide you a sedative or other medications to help you relax. Patients are usually awake, eliminating the risks associated with general anesthesia. This conscious state enables effective communication between the patient and the surgeon throughout the procedure. Please discuss all of your questions with your surgeon and your experience should prove positive and beneficial with your new eyesight. Good luck and best wishes.

This question would be best answered by your surgeon because he/she will know the actual amount of astigmatism that you have in each eye as well as any associated nearsightedness, farsightedness, or presbyopia that you have. This will then allow you and your surgeon to determine what are your best options. These will include:

1. Laser vision correction: With LASIK and PRK, both refractive surgeries reshape your cornea to improve your visual acuity.

2. Cataract surgery: For those with astigmatism, a toric replacement lens implanted during cataract surgery may help reduce or eliminate astigmatism.

3. Refractive lens exchange: People may elect to have refractive lens exchange to address a high degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness, or presbyopia, a natural, age-related decrease in reading vision. As with cataract surgery, a toric replacement lens implanted during the procedure may help reduce or eliminate astigmatism.

4. Limbal relaxing incisions: During this procedure, your surgeon makes tiny incisions in the cornea that help to reshape it and address your astigmatism. Depending on the individual, this may be performed as part of cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange.

Please discuss all options so that you are totally aware of the costs, risks, benefits, and long-term implications. And yes, surgery is an option, so are glasses or toric contact lenses. Good luck and best wishes.

Is your blurriness up close, in the distance, in middle ranges, is it of recent onset, did you lose any vision are all questions that you need answered. Are you an eyeglass or contact lens wearer and is it time to have your prescription checked? If you are over 40, it can be quite normal for your close vision to get blurry, called presbyopia. The causes of blurry vision can be many including the normal changes in the eyes creating more nearsightedness, farsightedness, presbyopia, or astigmatism. Depending upon your age, anormal aging process called cataract development can cause your vision to change and to become blurry. Uncorrected dry eyes can cause blurry vision as well as any internal eye infections, uveitis, or retinal conditions including macular degeneration. My best suggestion would be for you to have your blurriness properly evaluated by an eye doctor so that you know exactly what the problem is and what your options are to treat your condition. Good luck and best wishes.

Under most circumstances, floaters are found in the vitreous, a jelly-like part of the eye that can be caused by vitreous tears, vitreous detachments, retinal tears, or retinal detachments. Sometimes these floaters (debris) are a normal part of the vitreous. But, if you have been noticing new floaters and flashes, I would strongly suggest that you see an eye doctor in order to have your eyes checked and to have them dilated. The flashes of light are a neurological sensation where the retina or vitreous are affected. As we age the vitreous changes from a more jelly-like material to a more "watery" substance. As a result, the vitreous can pull, tug, or tear. And sometimes, this pulling, tugging, or tearing can involve your retina, what I call the film of your eye, (camera). This involvement can occur to anyone at any time, but people who are nearsighted, especially highly nearsighted are more at risk. So again, make an appointment with an eye doctor ASAP. Good luck and best wishes.

Yes, wear sunglasses always for multiple reasons. Sunglasses will provide protection your eyes from any impact that may affect your eyes. And UV protection reduces UV light that goes into the eye and can create cataracts over time. Also, UV sunglass protection will reduce the UV light that can affect the skin around the eyes potentially causing skin cancers. UV light can affect the conjunctiva of the eyes causing pingueculas or pterygiums. Also, wearing sunglasses will reduce the possibility that you will directly rub your eyes, something that you should not do, especially after LASIK surgery. So, YES wear your sunglasses in sunny skies or cloudy skies. Good luck and best wishes.

If you have an eye infection, how do you know? Having red eyes, a mucous discharge, pain, vision loss or other minor or serious problems can be caused by multiple factors. If in fact you do have a bacterial infection, this should be evaluated by an eye doctor in order to receive the proper antibiotic, antibiotic/steroid combination, or oral medication. Red eyes can be caused by a conjunctivitis which can be bacterial, viral, or allergic. A red eye can also be caused by a foreign body that is in your eye or from a developing stye. Red eyes can sometimes occur from a problem that is developing within the eye like an iritis. Red eyes can be caused by turned-in eyelashes that are rubbing against the cornea or the conjunctiva. Red eyes can also be caused by dry eyes.
And contact lens wearers can get red eyes or infected eyes from overwearing their contact lenses, placing a ripped or damaged lens in their eye, or from using incorrect or expired contact lens solutions. I would strongly suggest to you to make an appointment with your family doctor or an eye doctor to know exactly what the problem is. Good luck and best wishes.

You must not drive on the day of your surgery and you should have someone drive you on that day. Under most circumstances, you should be able to drive within a day or two after surgery. BUT, this totally depends upon the visual outcome of the LASIK surgery and what your doctor/refractive surgery recommends and allows. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT and it may take some time for your vision to be optimal to be able to drive legally and successfully.
Please discuss this and any other questions that you have with your doctor, always. Good luck and best wishes.

Astigmatism is a refractive condition sometimes associated with nearsightedness or farsightedness. It is a measurement issue based upon the amount of astigmatism present and the location of the astigmatism. It is detected by doing a refraction that checks your prescription or by the use of a keratometer. It can be corrected with glasses, toric contact lenses, or refractive surgery. And, astigmatism can change as our eyes age.
Discuss your options with your eye doctor who detected this. Good luck and best wishes.

Thank you for this great question......Vision therapy can work for a "lazy eye", but there are a few things that I need to mention. "Lazy eye" can cause an eye problem called amblyopia (decreased vision due to a developmental problem) and can be refractive, strabismic, or both. This usually occurs in 1 eye only. Refractive amblyopia occurs because the amount of hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism is so large that things that should be clear in the distance, middle range, or close are always blurry. As a result, the brain never gets a clear image and vision can be decreased forever if this is not found early enough to treat it. The strabismic amblyopia occurs from a turned eye that comes from nerve or muscle problems. This is sometimes found early enough due to the cosmetic nature of a turned eye and muscle surgery or lenses can help. And, you can have both forms of amblyopia occurring at the same time. So, to answer your question, what therapies and treatments may work? This definitely depends upon your age and how long your vision has been reduced. This is why we want children to have an early eye exam in order to detect any vision problems that can potentially be corrected at an early age. If you are 20 years of age or older, the vision problem has been there for some time. The use of eyeglass lenses, prisms, contact lenses, or eye surgery may not help. If your "lazy eye" is causing a minor vision loss without there being an eye turn present, then vision therapy or lens therapy may help. You would want to see an optometrist who does provide vision therapy. Not every optometrist provides vision therapy, FYI. So, please make an appointment with an eye doctor in order to diagnose what your actual problem is. An optometrist can determine if lens therapy or vision therapy will help you. And if the optometrist determines that eye surgery or muscle surgery may help, they will always refer you to an ophthalmologist who does this type of surgery. Good luck and best wishes.

Cataracts are found within the lens of the human eye and for most of us, develop as we get older. These are protein changes that can occur from steroid use, UV light exposure, and the aging process.
There are several types of cataracts that can be treated by changing an eyeglass prescription or contact lens prescription. If and when cataracts affect your ability to see or your quality of life, cataract surgery will be necessary which will remove the lens and the cataract and replace the lens with an IOL, an intraocular lens implant. Discuss all of your short-term and long-term options with your eye doctor. Good luck and best wishes.

There is no reason to "clean" your eyes before LASIK. Your tear film and normal blinking should provide you with any nutrients and any "cleansing action" that should occur normally unless you have a blinking problem or a tear film deficiency. It would be extremely important to be absolutely certain that you are using any and all drops that are prescribed by your eye surgeon before any procedure is done. This may include artificial tears, but this must be prescribed by your eye doctor. You do not want to do ANYTHING that can result in your surgery being cancelled because you did something that was not appropriate, recommended, or prescribed by your eye doctor.
As one example, AND THIS IS ONLY AN EXAMPLE, antibiotic eye drops such as Vigamox or Zymar are used 4X a day for 1 day prior to surgery. You should know exactly what your eye doctor will prescribe for you prior to, and after surgery, know what to do pre and post operatively, know the time of your surgery, have a driver, and be aware of all expectations, complications, pros and cons before you undergo any surgery. Remember, there is no eraser at the end of a laser or a scalpel. Good luck and best wishes.

Use Vigamox or Zymar antibiotic drops, 1 drop in the eye(s) to be treated 4 times a day for 1 day prior to surgery. The easiest schedule for most people to remember is to do one drop at breakfast, one at lunch, one at dinner, and one at bedtime.