expert type icon EXPERT

Jason Randall Smith, OD,MS

Optometrist

Retired June, 2019. No longer in business.
31 years Experience
Jason Randall Smith, OD,MS
  • NewEnglandCollegeofOptometry
  • Accepting new patients

Should I take my contacts out if I have pink eye?

I would say YES, if you actually have a conjunctivitis of which there are at least 3 types including bacterial, viral, and allergic and the treatments are all different. To be READ MORE
I would say YES, if you actually have a conjunctivitis of which there are at least 3 types including bacterial, viral, and allergic and the treatments are all different. To be safe and to be sure that you actually have a form of conjunctivitis, please see an eye doctor in order to diagnose your problem and to have an appropriate treatment. Good luck and best wishes.

How long does it take to go blind from glaucoma?

This is a great question which you should be optimistic about. There are many types of glaucoma, with many different treatments including eyedrops and surgery. The ultimate goal READ MORE
This is a great question which you should be optimistic about. There are many types of glaucoma, with many different treatments including eyedrops and surgery. The ultimate goal of your eye doctor is to preserve your vision and your visual fields (side vision) by utilizing all of the options available. Your age, medical conditions, medications, your current visual status, your corneal thickness, your optic nerve cup to disc ratio, and the type of glaucoma that you have will determine your current and future options in order to maintain
what vision that you have. You should always keep your appointments with your glaucoma specialist because your eye pressures must be measured regularly, your eyes will need to be dilated in order to check your optic nerves,
and visual field tests will be done in order to determine if you actually are losing any vision. And a test called pachymetry will be done in order to check your corneal thickness. You should be confident that with all of the tools available including new medications and modern technology advances, that your vision should be OK. But this factor should always be discussed with your doctor because if your vision does change, other treatments may be necessary. Good luck and best wishes.

What helps eye pain after cataract surgery?

If you are having any type of eye pain after cataract surgery, you should IMMEDIATELY contact your eye doctor and see him/her ASAP. Do not treat this, in any way on your own. READ MORE
If you are having any type of eye pain after cataract surgery, you should IMMEDIATELY contact your eye doctor and see him/her ASAP. Do not treat this, in any way on your own. I cannot know what level of pain that you are experiencing or what the cause is, but this is something that must be discussed and evaluated with your eye doctor. Good luck and best wishes.

Can you wear glasses for farsightedness all the time?

This question must be answered by your eye doctor who prescribed your glasses and I hope that you were informed as to what you should do with your eyeglass prescription. Factors READ MORE
This question must be answered by your eye doctor who prescribed your glasses and I hope that you were informed as to what you should do with your eyeglass prescription. Factors such as your age, visual needs for distance, close, computer work, or health conditions will determine what you should do with your wearing glasses and when. Since your eye doctor has all of this information, please contact them in order to have your answer to this important question. Good luck and best wishes.

How long does computer vision syndrome last?

Have you been diagnosed with "computer vision syndrome" by an eye doctor? Treatment includes creating a better work environment. Rest your eyes at least fifteen minutes after READ MORE
Have you been diagnosed with "computer vision syndrome" by an eye doctor?
Treatment includes creating a better work environment. Rest your eyes at least fifteen minutes after each two hours of computer or digital device use. Every twenty minutes, look into the distance at least twenty feet away from the computer or digital device. Do this for at least twenty seconds. Adjust your screen coloration to be clear and comfortable. Be sure your chair is comfortable at all times.
Often, reducing your amount of screen time can help symptoms go away. But if you need to keep using digital devices every day, symptoms may keep returning. Or they may get worse.
If you have not seen an eye doctor, please do so, and be sure to have an accurate measurement of how far your eyes are located to the front of your screen and your keyboard. And take a picture of your working environment. Sometimes, tinted eyeglass lenses can help, and at the time you see an eye doctor, they will check your prescription to see if there is something that can help "relax" your eyes and to maintain clear vision without the problems that you may be encountering. Good luck and best wishes.

A good website: https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/computer-vision-syndrome

Can an eye infection last for months?

If you do have an eye infection, the classic signs of most infections will include redness, tenderness, swelling, pain, eye discharge, and possible blurry vision. I would strongly READ MORE
If you do have an eye infection, the classic signs of most infections will include redness, tenderness, swelling, pain, eye discharge, and possible blurry vision.
I would strongly suggest that you see an eye doctor ASAP in order to determine exactly what your problem is. Any infection that "lasts for months" is an immediate red flag. Treatment sooner than later is always the best option and to not wait until this can become worse and may take longer to treat.
Another question that I have for you is related to what part of your eye do you think is infected? Something like a conjunctivitis can be a viral, allergic, or bacterial problem and they are all treated differently. If you have a corneal infection that is bacterial, this would need to be looked at by an eye doctor in order to prescribe an antibiotic drop to treat it. And if you have an internal eye infection, this would be something serious that would need to be seen, again, ASAP by an eye doctor. If you have had or still currently have any blurry vision,
please call an eye doctor. Good luck and best wishes.

Can I drive with myopia?

Is your myopia in one eye or both? Depending upon how clear or how blurry your vision is, this now becomes a safety issue for you, your passengers, and other drivers. And also, READ MORE
Is your myopia in one eye or both? Depending upon how clear or how blurry your vision is, this now becomes a safety issue for you, your passengers, and other drivers. And also, how is your daytime vision compared to your night time vision?
Every state has a visual acuity standard that must be met in order to receive a driver's license. If you were diagnosed with myopia, your eye doctor must have provided you with some visual options including glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery? I would strongly discuss these options again with your eye doctor and err on the side of safety first, ALWAYS. Good luck and best wishes.

Can nearsightedness be fixed?

If your daughter has nearsightedness (myopia), this can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery, depending upon her age. If there is any associated astigmatism, READ MORE
If your daughter has nearsightedness (myopia), this can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery, depending upon her age. If there is any associated astigmatism, this can be treated similarly depending upon the amount of astigmatism present.
I would suggest seeing an eye doctor in order to determine the amount of nearsightedness and/or astigmatism that is present and to discuss the options to correct the problem. Good luck and best wishes.

What is the treatment for childhood myopia?

Depending upon the age of your daughter, glasses or contact lenses can correct myopia. After age 18, and in some cases age 21, there are refractive surgery options depending upon READ MORE
Depending upon the age of your daughter, glasses or contact lenses can correct myopia. After age 18, and in some cases age 21, there are refractive surgery options depending upon the amount of myopia present. If there is myopia present, is there also some astigmatism present which still can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses? Since you do know that your daughter has been diagnosed with myopia by an eye doctor, please have a list of all questions that you should ask so you have a full understanding of current options. Good luck and best wishes.

Is cataracts surgery safe?

Cataract surgery is definitely safe but there are always factors that can affect any surgical outcome including age, health problems such as diabetes, medications, and any other READ MORE
Cataract surgery is definitely safe but there are always factors that can affect any surgical outcome including age, health problems such as diabetes, medications, and any other eye conditions present such as high myopia, glaucoma, or macular degeneration. If you already know that you have a cataract, please have a thorough discussion with an eye surgeon so that you are well informed. If you do proceed with any surgery, you will have to sign an "informed consent" form which states that you are aware of all pros, cons, risks, and complications of any surgery. Good luck and best wishes.

Are contacts for astigmatism safe?

Contact lenses for astigmatism are called toric contact lenses and they are safe when prescribed properly and the user follows all rules concerning wearing time, cleaning, storing READ MORE
Contact lenses for astigmatism are called toric contact lenses and they are safe when prescribed properly and the user follows all rules concerning wearing time, cleaning, storing and disinfection, not sleeping in the lenses unless approved by your eye doctor, using the correct solutions, and following all rules and maintaining a good follow up schedule with your eye doctor. Good luck and best wishes.

Can myopia glasses cause any damage?

I have never heard of glasses causing any damage to anyone or to your eyes. They are prescribed because your eyes are out of focus and things are not clear or blurry in the distance. READ MORE
I have never heard of glasses causing any damage to anyone or to your eyes. They are prescribed because your eyes are out of focus and things are not clear or blurry in the distance. If you wear the glasses, this problem should be corrected for a period of time until your eyes change and a new prescription may need to be provided. Good luck and best wishes.

Can contacts cause an eye infection?

YES, contact lenses can cause an eye infection, especially for those people that sleep in their contact lenses, wear their lenses too long, those who do not clean and disinfect READ MORE
YES, contact lenses can cause an eye infection, especially for those people that sleep in their contact lenses, wear their lenses too long, those who do not clean and disinfect their lenses properly, those people who do not clean or replace their contact lens cases regularly, or when proper hygiene is not practiced 100%. If you want to wear contact lenses, follow all rules and listen to all instructions provided to you by your eye doctor. Good luck and best wishes.

Can cataracts be fixed without surgery?

The best way to improve your vision is to have the cloudy lens in your eyes removed which is a cataract and have a new implant placed in the eye. Cataract surgery is safe and READ MORE
The best way to improve your vision is to have the cloudy lens in your eyes removed which is a cataract and have a new implant placed in the eye. Cataract surgery is safe and you should have a thorough discussion with your eye surgeon so that you know all of your options and you are aware of all pros, cons, risks, and benefits of cataract surgery. Good luck and best wishes.




Can I get Lasik on one eye?

A few questions to think about. There are many types of refractive surgeries including Lasik. Before you consider any eye surgery, you need to know what your refractive condition READ MORE
A few questions to think about. There are many types of refractive surgeries including Lasik. Before you consider any eye surgery, you need to know what your refractive condition and prescription is, and you need a procedure to check the thickness of your cornea called pachymetry. Thin corneas can be an issue with Lasik.
The health of your eyes must be fully evaluated. And you should be aware of an informed consent form where you will know all of the pros and cons of any surgical procedure.
Are you nearsighted, farsighted, or do you have any astigmatism? And why only 1 eye? There are minimum age standards for any refractive procedure, also. My suggestion to you is to see an ophthalmologist who is also a refractive surgeon to discuss your options. Good luck and best wishes,

Can optic nerve damage cause blurry vision?

If you have optic nerve damage, yes, this can definitely cause blurry vision. If you have optic nerve damage, my question to you is, "what caused the damage?" Are you under the READ MORE
If you have optic nerve damage, yes, this can definitely cause blurry vision. If you have optic nerve damage, my question to you is, "what caused the damage?" Are you under the care of a retinal specialist? Have you had your prescription checked in order to determine if your vision can be improved?
Keep any and all appointments with your current eye doctor, if you have one. If not, please make an appointment with a retinal specialist. Good luck and best wishes.

How safe is laser eye surgery?

I am going to assume that you are referring to refractive surgery done on the cornea in order to correct myopia (nearsightedness). If you have some associated astigmatism, that READ MORE
I am going to assume that you are referring to refractive surgery done on the cornea in order to correct myopia (nearsightedness). If you have some associated astigmatism, that can be corrected with an astigmatic keratectomy procedure. FYI, there are other reasons that lasers are used in the eye including to seal blood leakage from diabetes on the retina as well as creating better aqueous outflow in the trabecular meshwork for patients with glaucoma to name just two.
In order to determine if you are a candidate for any type of refractive surgery, you would need to have your eyes checked to be sure that all health issues are normal. And a refraction will be done in order to determine what your actual prescription is. This will allow the eye doctor to then provide you with all of your refractive surgery options. And a test called pachymetry would be done in order to check the thickness of your corneas. Refractive surgery, in my opinion is safe. But it is your job to be informed as to the risks, pros, cons, and to know what the long term issues can be.
I would "Google" a few websites in order to become more informed and here is one of many;

https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/pros-and-cons-lasik-are-risks-worth-cost

Good luck and best wishes.

Should I wear glasses with astigmatism?

My answer to you would be YES. If you have astigmatism, do you also have some associated nearsightedness or farsightedness? Depending upon how much astigmatism you have, do you READ MORE
My answer to you would be YES. If you have astigmatism, do you also have some associated nearsightedness or farsightedness? Depending upon how much astigmatism you have, do you feel safe to drive, especially at night? Are you seeing OK when working, when using a computer, or doing close work? Obviously, your safety on the road as well as the safety of other drivers cannot be understated. There are different vision requirements depending upon the state you live in, but safety should always be on everyone's mind. There are options as you mentioned including glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery. See your eye doctor in order to figure out what meets your personal, professional, and financial needs. Good luck and best wishes.

What is the success rate for cataract surgery?

Certainly, the success rate is extremely high especially with the skilled surgeons doing this procedure along with major improvements in surgical technology. There are always READ MORE
Certainly, the success rate is extremely high especially with the skilled surgeons doing this procedure along with major improvements in surgical technology. There are always risks with any surgery and eyes that are not healthy or are older, problems can exist. You will have to sign an informed consent form so that you are aware of every issue that can possibly occur. And I would discuss any concerns or questions that you have with your eye doctor. Good luck and best wishes.

How long does optic neuritis take to heal?

Most people start to recover within two weeks and recover as much as they are likely to within six to 12 months. Most people's vision improves, but there can be lingering issues READ MORE
Most people start to recover within two weeks and recover as much as they are likely to within six to 12 months. Most people's vision improves, but there can be lingering issues such as trouble with color vision for some people. The concern that I would have is, did you receive a diagnosis as to what the cause of the neuritis was? Has this problem been re-occurring or is this a first time situation? Are you still under the care of an eye doctor? Were you placed on steroid medications in order to reduce the inflammation, and have you properly used any medications prescribed? I would suggest that you follow up with your eye doctor, especially if you have any questions or you are concerned about anything related to your eyes or the neuritis. Good luck and best wishes.