What Does Eye Discharge Mean?

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No one wants to have eye discharge unless it’s happy tears. But eye discharge is something we all have to live with. When is eye discharge cause for concern or a trip to your eye doctor in Wellington, FL? Here’s a breakdown of what eye discharge can mean.

Normal Eye Discharge
The eyes normally discharge certain substances, which everyone can relate to. This includes the crusty discharge you sometimes find in the corner of your eyes after waking up. This discharge combines mucus, oil, skin cells, and other things. It’s completely harmless and nothing to worry about.

Abnormal Eye Discharge
The problems come with abnormal discharge. You may find that you have abnormal eye discharge if you become sick with a heavy cold, get conjunctivitis or another eye infection. Some common features of abnormal discharge are:

Excess Discharge
People sometimes get watery, runny eyes with a heavy cold. As the cold dissipates, the discharge should also wane. If it doesn’t, you may have picked up an eye infection, which needs to be treated by your eye doctor.

Odd Colors
Abnormal eye discharge is often oddly colored. You might find that it’s green, yellow or gray. This strongly indicates an infection that could be conjunctivitis or something else. Again, a visit to your eye doctor is warranted.

Heavy Consistency
Another sign of abnormal eye discharge is a heavy, thick consistency. If it’s thick, sticky, or excessively crusty, you may have an eye infection or a blocked tear duct.

Secondary Symptoms
When the eye discharge is problematic, you may have secondary symptoms that can include:

redness
puffy eyes
painful eyes
“scratchy” eyes
sensation of sand in the eyes
blurry vision
Don’t ignore eye discharge unless it fits the description of normal eye discharge as described above. Book an eye exam in Wellington, FL to diagnose and treat the reason for your eye discharge.

The Four Types of Myopia Control

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If you can see objects near you but not objects far away, you might need to see an optometrist in Wellington, FL to get a diagnosis. You might have myopia.

What Is Myopia?

Myopia is nearsightedness and it’s very common. Nearsightedness is when a person can see objects close to them but can’t clearly see objects far away.

What Is Myopia Control?

Myopia control in Wellington, FL is the process of and the steps taken to slow down the progression of myopia.

The Four Types of Myopia Control Explained

Here are the four most common types of myopia control. Your optometrist will recommend which solution is best suited for your particular situation.

1. Atropine Eye Drops

Altropine eye drops are generally used to help reduce the pain that sometimes accompanies different types of eye inflammation. Altropine eye drops also help relieve focus fatigue. They do this by dilating your pupil. This temporarily limits your eye’s ability to focus.

2. Multifocal Contact Lenses

Multifocal contacts help people with all types of vision issues such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism to see more clearly from any distance, specifically those experiencing normal age-related focusing issues called presbyopia. Additionally, multifocal contacts can help slow myopia progression in some kids as well.

3. Multifocal Eyeglasses

Multifocal eyeglasses can also help kids with myopia and adults with presbyopia. They work similarly to multifocal contact lenses. However, some studies show that multifocal eyeglasses only have a slight myopia slowing effect in kids.

4. Orthokeratology and Ortho-k Lenses

Orthokeratology is also known as corneal reshaping lenses. The contact lenses for this option are called Ortho-k. These lenses are specially designed gas permeable contacts and are only worn at night while you are sleeping. They are then removed in the morning. This nightly temporary correction is enough that no corrective lenses are needed during the day.

Contact an Optometrist in Wellington, FL Today

If you would like to make a vision appointment for yourself or your child, please Contact Vision Source Signature Eye Care today. We would love to discuss possible myopia control solutions with you. Together, we will find a myopia solution that best suits your needs.

Signs It’s Time to See An Eye Doctor

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Do you know when it’s time to see the eye doctor in Wellington, FL? Hopefully, you see the eye doctor on a regular basis. This is especially important if you have eyeglasses. Going to the eye doctor can help protect your eyes and vision. Here’s what you need to know.

It’s Been a Year Since Your Last Exam

If you need eyeglasses or corrective lenses to see properly, then you should see the eye doctor for a check-up at least once annually. Remember, prescriptions change. Seeing the eye doctor will help ensure that your prescription still meets your needs, and if your glasses aren’t working for you, then your doctor can prescribe new ones.

Even if you don’t have glasses, you should still see the eye doctor periodically. Some conditions, like glaucoma, present few or no symptoms before vision loss has occurred. Your eye doctor can catch glaucoma in its early (asymptomatic) stages, and can help slow the process to protect your vision.

You’re Exhibiting Symptoms

Some eye conditions have noticeable symptoms. See the eye doctor if you’re having any one of the following problems:

  • Red eyes
  • Blurry vision
  • Headaches
  • Eye fatigue
  • Eye pain

If you’re not sure whether you need to see the eye doctor, describe your symptoms to your eye doctor. He or she can let you know if you need to get help from a professional.

You Want New Eyeglasses

Before you can get new eyeglasses in Wellington FL, you’ll have to see the eye doctor first! Your eye doctor will check to be sure that your current prescription meets your needs – and if not, your eye doctor will update your prescription accordingly.

Is it time for you to see the eye doctor? Call Vision Source to make an appointment. Get started today!

Suffering From Dry Eye This Winter? What You Can Do

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Dry eye can be a pain – literally! Dry eye can make your eyes itchy and uncomfortable. When you’re fighting dry eye, it’s important to see the eye doctor in Wellington, FL. It’s also important to know what you can do at home to keep the dry eye at bay. Here’s how we suggest you manage dry eye.

Use Over-the-Counter Saline Products

Over-the-counter saline products can help prevent dry eyes. Saline mimics the effects of normal tears to keep your eyes moist. When using saline products, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to get best results.

Humidify Your Home

Sometimes dry eyes occur because of a dry environment. One way that you can add moisture to your environment is by humidifying your home. Buy a portable humidifier to place in the parts of your house where you spend the most time. The bedroom, living room and dining room are often some of the best places to place a humidifier.

Avoid Using Blow Dryers

Blow dryers can dry the eyes through blasts of hot air. It’s best to avoid using blow dryers all together, but if you must use a blow dryer, aim it away from your eyes. Use a low setting and keep the temperature of the air on “cool”.

See Your Eye Doctor

Sometimes dry eye occurs because of a condition. Other times, dry eye occurs because of a medication or because of conditions in the environment. Your eye doctor can help you determine the cause of your dry eye, and which treatment is best. For dry eye services in Wellington, FL, call today to make an appointment.

Your Little One Is Nervous About the Eye Doctor? How to Help

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It’s not so unusual for your little one to be nervous about seeing a new doctor. If your child is nervous about seeing the eye doctor in Wellington FL, there are many things you can do to make the experience less scary. By saying positive things about seeing the eye doctor, describing what to expect during the eye appointment, and using other strategies, you can make the experience of going to the eye doctor better for your child.

Say Positive Things About the Eye Doctor

You know that going to the eye doctor isn’t a scary experience, but your child may not be aware. One of the ways that you can help your child develop a positive attitude about the eye doctor is to show your child that you have a positive experience when you go for your own appointments.

Start talking about how you enjoy your visits to the eye doctor because you enjoy getting new glasses when the time comes. Even if you don’t have eyeglasses, you can also talk about how your eye doctor is a nice person, and share qualities about the eye doctor that you appreciate.

Describe What to Expect

Many children are afraid of what they don’t know. You can quell your child’s fears by talking about what happens when you go to the eye doctor. Talk to your child about reading the eye chart, and about how the eye doctor looks into your eyes to check for diseases. None of these things hurts, so be sure to tell them that!

Get Them Excited About Choosing Glasses

The most exciting thing about going to the eye doctor is getting new glasses! If your child will be getting new glasses when they go to the eye doctor, ask them about the type of glasses they hope to get, what color, and so on. Get them excited!

Choose an eye doctor who offers pediatric eye services in Wellington FL. To make an appointment, call Vision Source today.

Can Myopia be Reversed?

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For the last 30 years, the rate of people being diagnosed with myopia has skyrocketed in the United States. This disease occurs when the eyeball is malformed, causing blurry distance vision. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with myopia in Wellington, FL, the question you might have is if this condition is permanent. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t that simple.

Myopia is Not Reversable

First, you might just want to know if the disease is reversible. The simple answer to this is no. However, you do have some options to slow down or manage some of the symptoms of myopia.

Managing Myopia With Contacts

If you’re an adult, you’re likely looking at getting contact lens or glasses that will improve issues with blurry distant vision. Since adult eyes have already fully grown, slowing down the progression of myopia is usually not possible.

Managing Myopia in Children

There are some possibilities to help slow down the progression of myopia in children. Children may have a custom set of contact lenses called KIDS, standing for Keratometric Induced Dioptric Steepening, that are placed in their eyes overnight. These contact lenses send a signal to their eyes that they need to slow down growth, causing the effects of myopia to slow down. Your Wellington, FL optometrist can offer details about this.

Atropine, prescription eye drops, are also sometimes used for children with myopia. For those already wearing custom contact lenses, these can be used to add to enhance the effectiveness of the lenses. Smaller children also use these eye drops when they aren’t quite mature enough to wear contact lenses.

Whether you have myopia or your children do, there are options to help with vision or slow progression of the condition. Schedule regular appointments with an eye doctor to learn more about all of your options.

Is My Child Too Young For Eyeglasses?

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Poor vision can afflict young children just as it can adults. When a child’s vision is bad, it can negatively impact learning, development, eye-hand coordination and even self-confidence. Most experts agree that children should be screened for vision problems as early as six months of age. But can a child be too young for eyeglasses?

The Development of the Eyes

When a newborn comes into the world, they are not able to focus correctly. The muscles in the eyes are still learning to work together. It may be eight weeks or more before a baby is fully able to focus. Good color detection may not come along until around five months of age.

Give Children a Chance

Your Wellington, FL optometrist for children will want to wait until your child’s eyes have had a chance to develop fully on their own before prescribing eyeglasses. This is because wearing eyeglasses changes the way the eyes focus. You wouldn’t want to prevent eyes from being able to focus naturally without first giving an opportunity to do so without the use of corrective lenses.

Responsibility and Eyeglasses

Children’s maturity should also be taken into when determining if they are old enough for eyeglasses. A pre-schooler will not be able to independently care for their lenses. But with the guidance of the optometrist in Wellington, FL and the parents, the child can learn to keep the eyeglasses on while doing activities, and learn to put them in a designated cases when not wearing them. This is easily-learned behavior that is akin to taking care of their prized toys.

You and your child’s eye doctor will need to determine if and when your child should get eyeglasses. If glasses are prescribed, you can rest easy, knowing that your child’s vision is being well-treated.

contact-lenses

How Contact Wearers Can Prevent Eye Infections

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Contact lens wearers touch their eyes and the area around the eyes much more than eyeglass wearers, and in fact more than other people in general. Because of this, there is a higher risk for eye infections in those who wear contacts. If you wear contact lenses in Wellington, Florida, here are some tips for preventing eye infections.

Wash Hands Before Handling

Any time you touch contacts with your hands, there’s a risk of transmitting germs from your fingertips to the lens. Avoid this by washing hands with soap before handling your contact lenses. D

Use Lint-Free Hand Towels

After washing hands, dry with a lint-free hand towel. This will prevent bits of fluff from the towel from getting onto the lens, which could irritate the eye.

Use Branded Contact Lens Solution

There are many generic and store brands of contact lens solution now. However, branded contact lens solutions are more likely to be completely sterile and safe, since the company is protecting their brand. To be on the safe side, invest in branded solutions only. They cost only pennies more and are worth it.

Replace Contact Lenses

Be sure to replace your contact lenses with new ones according to the advice from your Wellington, Fl optometrist and the manufacturer’s instructions. If you have one-day lenses, don’t try to stretch their use into a week, for example. Old contact lenses disintegrate and you don’t want that material to possibly infect your eye.

Never Wear a Torn Lens

When you’re late for work or school and discover a torn lens, you may be tempted to wear it anyway, just for the day. Never wear a torn lens as this could cause an eye infection. Instead, keep a pair of prescription eyeglasses on hand and wear those until you can get new lenses.

For contact lenses in Wellington, FL, contact us to book an exam or to have your lenses checked for quality.

What is Lazy Eye?

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When it comes to pediatric eye doctor in Wellington, FL, your family eye care doctor wants you to know about a condition called “lazy eye.” Lazy eye is commonly diagnosed in children as early as their first eye appointment. The earlier the condition is diagnosed, the better the outcome.

What is Lazy Eye?

Put simply, lazy eye is a condition where the muscles in one eye are weaker than the muscles in the other eye. The official term is amblyopia, but it’s called lazy eye because one eye seems to be “lazy,” and not doing the work involved in seeing. That’s an oversimplification, but it helps to explain what’s actually going on with lazy eye.

Eye muscles start to develop very early on. However, since the process is so complex, problems commonly occur in childhood. With lazy eye, the nerve pathways that are responsible for eyesight are not operating equally; in one eye, the signals that go to the brain may be weaker. Over time—and left undiagnosed and untreated—the brain eventually “learns” to ignore or suppress the weaker signals. This is why it’s so important to bring your child to your pediatric eye doctor in Wellington, FL as early as three years old, or younger if eye problems are evident.

Symptoms of Lazy Eye

The outward symptoms of lazy eye can be apparent if you know what to look for:

  • Tilting of the head
  • Turning the head slightly when reading or looking at objects
  • Clumsiness/dropping things
  • Eyes that appear to not be working in tandem
  • Abnormal vision screening results

If your child has any of the above symptoms, or seems to have any kind of trouble seeing, a vision exam should be scheduled.

At Vision Source, we routinely screen for lazy eye and other problems with your child’s vision. Book your appointment today.

How Long Do Scleral Contacts Last?

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Scleral contacts are a type of hard lens that arch over the cornea. However, unlike traditional hard lenses from several decades ago, they tend to be more comfortable for the wearer and healthier for people with certain ocular conditions. If you’re considering scleral contacts in Wellington, FL, we’ll look at how these contacts work and how long you can expect them to last.

How Long Can I Keep My Scleral Contacts?

When properly cared for, scleral contacts can last up to 2 years, making them a practical decision for many people. During this time, you can wear them for up to 16 hours a day. The contact lens gets its name because it only touches the sclera, also known as the white portion of your eye. By leaving the cornea alone, it can make for a better experience for the wearer.

Why Do People Choose Scleral Contacts?

We’ve already mentioned that scleral contacts are more comfortable than hard contact lenses, but this isn’t the only reason they’re a popular option. These contacts can fit nearly anyone and they’re often recommended for those with eye disorders or corneal irregularities. In fact, they can actually provide clearer focus than standard soft lenses or glasses for people with irregularities. Scleral lenses are stable and don’t interfere with the eye’s natural processes.

Find an Optometrist in Wellington, FL

If you’re looking for an optometrist in Wellington, FL who can tell you more about whether scleral contacts are right for you, look no further than Vision Source Signature Eye Care. Whether your contacts are irritating your eyes or you just want to see if they’re a better fit, we’re here to help our patients find everything they need to take care of their vision.