There are a small number of different professionals that deal with our eyes, but the traditional eye doctor that carries out diagnoses and treatments is called an ophthalmologist. He or she can provide treatment for a range of diseases of the eye, which include glaucoma, wet and dry AMD treatment and cataracts. These eye doctors are also licensed to carry out corrective laser vision surgery.

From about the age of 50 our eyes can start to deteriorate. Cataracts are more likely to form and a range of other conditions can materialise, such as needing to wear glasses to read. Like any other medical problem, it is always better to catch a condition quickly because the sooner you start treating something the more can normally be done to help it. For this reason, making regular appointments with the eye doctor will enable them to spot a problem early which will allow them to begin treatment. In some cases catching a condition early means that there may well be eye drops or small injections available that mean you don’t have to undergo surgery at a later date.

An optician is often the first line of contact when we have anything wrong with our eyes or is normally more likely to receive a visit from us than the eye doctor. This is simply due to fact that no one likes to see doctors, or waste their time when we feel that there is nothing really wrong with us. Although they are not trained in the same way as doctors nor have attended medical school, they are still professionals who have to maintain standards of training and they can spot conditions that are developing such as glaucoma and will refer you to see an eye doctor If they do notice additional problems with the eyes when carrying out eye tests, but are not qualified to make a diagnosis or give you any sort of treatment; they will suggest that you go for a check up with an ophthalmologist.

It is important that you have do have regular eye tests. Ideally, once you reach 50; the time when many of these conditions surface. Catching a problem early can make the difference between having very good vision or having sight that deteriorates very quickly, and may eventually need eye surgery to rectify.

Eye doctors can be expensive so it is very important that you consult your insurance to see to what degree you are covered. It is also a good idea to take advantage of any check ups that your insurance may allow, even if you are convinced that you eyes and your families eyes are fine. It is also important to note that a condition such as glaucoma can be hereditary and that if it is in the family then you may be prone to the condition

Having an insurance package that will allow eye doctor appointments at a young age can save your children from many problems in the future. It can often be the case that young children can wear a patch over one strong eye in the hope to correct and strengthen the one that has became weak or lazy.

It is especially important to protect your eyes when you are working in front of the computer.  It is not uncommon for us to spend at least 8 hours in front of the computer a day.  Consequently, we need to protect our eyes.  Take a break for 5 minutes every hour.  Try closing your eyes for a few minutes.  Adjust the size of the font on your computer so that you do not need to tax your eyes straining at the computer.  Adjust the position of the monitor.  Place it at least 16 to 20 inches away from you.  Adjust the height of the monitor to the top of your head.  Adjust the level of brightness and contrast to a comfortable level.  Consider visiting the eye doctor to get special computer glasses to make it easier for you to work on the computer.  All of these tips will help protect your eyes.

Started to get a blurred vision, had no idea why. Went to the doctors to find out I have diabetes. Some of the symptoms are

Distortion or blurring of images at all distances.
Headache and fatigue.
Squinting and eye discomfort or irritation.

Some people experience blurred vision particularly at night.
There are a number of reasons why your eyes may go blurry at night like mine were.
1.You are tired and your visual system is fatigued
2.You have a refractive error such as long sightedness or astigmatism. During the day you may be able to   compensate for these, but when your eyes are tired your vision can go blurry.
3.You could be mildly short-sighted. This may not bother you in normal light but you notice it at lower light   levels.
4.The tears on the front of your eyes may be drying out if you have been around heaters and air conditioners all day. This may cause your eyes to go a little blurry, but should clear when you blink.

You can help prevent dry eyes and minimize the risk of tired or sore eyes while reading or using a computer. Tips include:

Take regular breaks
Look around at objects that are at different distances
Try to blink often.

Eye color is inherited from our genes.  Brown eyes are far more common than blue since it is the dominant gene.  But now there’s a new method that might help you beat the odds.

In early November, Stroma Medical Corporation announced a laser technology that change your brown eyes blue within 20 seconds.  The laser works by disrupting pigment in the iris so that your body flushes away the brown pigment.
Since all brown-eyed people have blue eyes underneath, pigment removal is the secret to the process.   Within 2-4 weeks of the laser eye color treatment, you have permanently altered your brown eyes blue.   The procedure is not available to the public yet and is estimated to cost over $7,000.  Concerns about its safety and the long-term implications have yet to be confirmed.  If you desperately want to change your eye color, you can order colored contact lenses from your local eye doctor here in Chicago.