Eye Health Archive

The most common questions people ask eye doctors focus on common eye symptoms such as burning and redness; choosing reading glasses; using tinted glasses for night driving; and ways to preserve eye health.

A bright red patch on the white of your eye can be scary, even when it doesn’t hurt. Find out what might have caused it and when to call a doctor.

In middle and older age, dry eyes and poor close-up vision can make it harder to wear contact lenses. Multifocal or monovision lenses, eye drops, and certain lens materials can help keep contacts comfortable and reduce the need for reading glasses.

For many eye emergencies, it’s best to call an ophthalmologist for an initial assessment and instructions about next steps. It is better to go to an emergency department for significant eye injuries or sudden vision loss.

Bifocals have two vision zones: the top helps with distance and the bottom for close viewing. Trifocals add a third zone in the middle for middle-distance tasks, such as computer work. Progressive lenses cover all distances, but with no lines in the lenses.

Adjusting to bifocals, trifocals, or progressive lenses can be challenging. Unlike traditional glasses, these versions include two or more vision zones. Because people use different parts of the lens for different tasks, objects can seem slightly distorted when they move their eyes.

Colorful produce, leafy greens, eggs, and fatty fish all contain eye‑friendly nutrients. Learn whether an antioxidant‑ and omega‑3‑rich diet can help prevent macular degeneration.

Poor night vision could be caused by an outdated eyeglass prescription or an eye condition, such as dry eye, cataracts, or age-related macular degeneration. People should see an eye care specialist for a complete eye exam to check for these issues.

Many activities, such as reading small print or doing needlework, contribute to eye strain. To avoid or reduce eye strain, it helps to keep eye surfaces moist and take breaks when doing anything that requires focused close-up vision.

Prescription eye drops, such as pilocarpine hydrochloride (Vuity, Qlosi) and aceclidine (VIZZ), can ease blurry close-up vision that occurs in middle and older age. The eye drops temporarily shrink the eye's pupil, which focuses light and makes near vision sharper. The eye drops are considered generally safe to use daily or occasionally, depending on preference. However, they can have side effects, such as dim vision and headaches. In rare cases, they might cause retinal problems.