When you hear terms like 20/20 or 20/40 vision during an eye exam, you may wonder what they mean for your sight. In simple terms, 20/40 vision means you can see at 20 feet what someone with “normal” vision can see from 40 feet. While 20/40 vision isn’t a severe impairment, it does indicate that your vision is slightly less sharp than average. In this article, we’ll break down how 20/40 vision impacts your daily life and explore ways to improve your clarity.…
If you wear glasses and are considering switching to contact lenses, you might wonder: Can you use the same prescription for both? The short answer is no—contact lens prescriptions differ from glasses prescriptions, even though they both aim to correct your vision. That’s because contact lenses sit directly on your eyes, while glasses rest at a distance. The physical difference affects how light enters your eye, changing the prescription values needed for sharp, comfortable vision. Understanding why these prescriptions differ can help you make confident…
Millions of people experience myopia (nearsightedness), a common refractive error, but leaving it unmanaged can increase the risk of developing serious eye conditions later in life. While you can’t cure or reverse myopia, we can prevent it from getting worse through myopia control therapies and a holistic approach that includes lifestyle changes. Annual routine eye exams help detect myopia early, encouraging timely intervention for these therapies for more effective results. All About Myopia Management Myopia is an eye condition that makes distant objects appear blurry…
Waking up with dry, gritty eyes can be an uncomfortable way to start the day. Whether it’s a mild irritation or an ongoing struggle, morning dry eyes can disrupt sleep quality and impact your mood and productivity. Morning dry eye symptoms can be caused by several factors (or a combination of them), including environmental factors (like humidity levels, dry climate, and poor air quality), medications, allergies, contact lenses, or tear quality. The good news is that understanding the potential causes of dry eye symptoms…
When thinking about maintaining good eye health, it’s easy to focus solely on regular eye exams or wearing the right prescription glasses. But did you know that your diet plays a major role in protecting your vision? At ERC Optometry, we believe in a holistic approach to eye care, which includes understanding how what you eat can impact your eyes. While plenty of foods are celebrated for their eye health benefits—like leafy greens, fish rich in omega-3s, and citrus fruits—it’s just as important to…
Migraines are more than just a headache. They can be debilitating and accompanied by vision disturbances. While medication and lifestyle adjustments can help, did you know your eye doctor might have another solution? Avulux migraine glasses have lenses that are designed specifically to help those with migraines manage light sensitivity and reduce potential triggers. Your eye doctor can recommend these glasses for migraine-related vision symptoms. At ERC Optometry, we can add Avulux lenses to any frames that we carry in our extensive in-house collection. What…
Dry eye syndrome is a common condition. It can affect almost anyone at any point—if you’ve ever noticed a constant stinging sensation, you may have dealt with this. However, it isn’t just about temporary discomfort. Dry eye syndrome compromises the integrity of your tear film, but tears are essential for clear vision. When the tear film is unstable, it can lead to blurry vision, distortions, and more. If you’ve noticed these symptoms, visit your optometrist as soon as you can to discuss dry…
Dry eyes can be a persistent and uncomfortable condition that affects many people’s day-to-day eye health. Whether caused by environmental factors, prolonged screen time, or underlying health issues, dry eye is an eye condition that often impacts quality of life. While artificial tears and specific medications are commonly recommended as treatments for dry eye, there is growing interest in nutritional supplements as a natural approach to alleviating dry eye symptoms. In this blog, we’ll explore some supplements that may help manage dry eyes…
Eye pain when you blink can be a nuisance, interrupting your daily activities and causing discomfort. A few reasons why your eye might hurt when you blink include: Dry eye syndrome Conjunctivitis Corneal abrasion Whether it’s a sharp pain or a dull ache, understanding the causes of eye pain when blinking is crucial for maintaining your eye health. For instance, a condition like dry eye can often be relieved with over-the-counter (OTC) eye drops, while bacterial conjunctivitis may require prescription medication…
When you notice discomfort and visible redness in your eyes, it can be alarming—especially if you don’t know what it is or how to treat it. Pink eye and styes, 2 common eye conditions, can easily be mistaken for one another. Typically, pink eye is identified by inflammation of the whites of the eyes. Styes cause visible redness on the eyelids rather than the eye itself. Each of these conditions has a unique approach to treatment that often requires an optometrist’s help. What Is Pink…