Dr Andrew Sokolik Od (Hartford, CT 06114-1849)

• What is the difference between pterygium and pinguecula?

  In most cases, pingueculae and pterygia do not have obvious symptoms. However, they have different signs in some cases. Irritation-caused pinguecula make people feel something in the eye and some pingueculae may become swollen and inflamed, a condition named pingueculitis. Differently, some pterygia become red, large or thick. Large and advanced pterygia may cause corneal distortion and astigmatism.

• Is there any way to have eye muscles relaxed?

  Eye muscle exercises are generally beneficial to the eyes and eyesight by relaxing eye muscles. A person can train the eyes targeting the ocular muscles. Some sports can help you relax eye muscles such as badminton and pingpong. You need to shift your focus from near to far and in this way the eye muscles can get enough relax.

• Does children with slight astigmatism need to wear corrective eyeglasses?

  If your child has slight astigmatism without myopia or hypermetropia, he don't need to get corrective lenses. If your child often gets headache, eyestrain, or distortion of vision while tilting of their heads to see clearly, then the corrective lenses for astigmatism are needed to make the vision clear and comfortable.

• What are the early signs of cataracts?

  Cataracts are usually very small at the beginning and gradually grow larger over time. Early signs of cataracts include blurry vision and night halos and glare. In people with refractive visual errors, cataracts always cause a rapid prescription change because the lens is deteriorating. Only when daily lives are disrupted, cataracts require external removal. In some cases, tiny small cataracts in infants or youngsters do not draw serious concern.

• Why does my vision go completely black for a few seconds?

  I often have such problem. It usually happens when I wake up or stand up suddenly. My doctor said it was because Low blood pressure or Low blood sugar. You may see the doctor to find the real cause.

• Can wearing other people's glasses damage my eyes?

  If you wear other's glasses for only several times, it doesn't matter a lot. But it is not suggested to wear other's glasses because everyone's prescription is different such as the sphere number and PD number. You will feel dizzy and even get a headache when you wear it for a long time.

• Why is there dark spot on the back of eye?

  If you have got an eye injury before, the dark spot could be extravasated blood. If the dark spot seems to move when you move your eyes, it could be eye floater. It won't damage your vision.

• Are non prescription colored contacts safe for eyes?

  They are just as safe as prescription contacts. As long as you wear them in a correct way, there won't be any problem. But you must have the contact lenses fitted an eye doctor because they are in different sizes.

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