Dr. Tracie L. Sponseller, OD

Make sure the contact lenses are fitting properly by having a contact lens check. If they fit properly then it could be that your eyes are dry. Sometimes contact lenses make a dry eye condition more noticeable. There are over the counter lubricating eye drops or artificial tears designed for contact lens wearers. You can try this with your contact lenses in. If that doesn’t improve the comfort then I would ask your doctor to fit you in another brand or design of soft contact lens. Daily disposables are very comfortable and great for dry eye.

There are many types of headaches and many possible causes. If you have ruled out your vision as the cause because the glasses haven’t improved them, you should see your primary care physician or a neurologist to look into other causes.

Usually two possible causes of computer eye strain. One is dry eye. We blink on average 15 times a minute under normal circumstances. At a computer however, this is reduced to about 3-4 x per minute. Placing artificial tears in your eyes every 4 hours can help this. The other cause is eye strain, either glare, or focusing issues. Getting a pair of computer glasses can help reduce this. Usually they are a low power of readers (depending on your prescription) and you can get a anti-reflective and HRT coating to block the UV blue end of the spectrum. Your eye doctor should offer this at their office.

Cylindrical Power is Aldo called astigmatism. This is usually a hereditary condition . Some doctors prescribe gas permeable contact lenses to hold the front of the eye (cornea) in shape but this doesn’t prevent future changes permanently. At age 7 if he eyes are disease free, he should wear his glasses full time and have a yearly eye exam.

The only thing that comes to mind is that there may be bacteria in the air or steam that could lead to infection. I recommend that my patients don’t wear their contact lenses in a steam bath to avoid infection. The steam is actually a nice dry eye relief in some cases and may feel nice.

You should definitely be evaluated by your optometrist to see if the contact lenses are tightening at the end of the day, or if you are suffering from dry eye which can affect comfortable contact lens wear. Any time your eyes are red with contact lenses, you should stop wearing them and see your eye doctor immediately.

It is not uncommon to have a prescription change each year. Usually these changes are slight to fine tune your vision. At ages earlier than 20 years old you can have more changes, then usually it stabilizes between age 20-40. At around age 40 your near vision changes and this may also affect your distance vision. This does not mean there is an underlying problem. If you are seeing a professional optometrist, your eye exam includes a careful eye health assessment. Make sure to listen to the recommendations of your doctor and get exams at least yearly.

Floaters can be a benign occurrence, or a sign of a problem inside the eye with the retina. You should get a comprehensive examination with dilation to have this checked immediately. The eye is filled with a gel-like substance called the vitreous. As we age, the vitreous liquefies. As it liquefies, little pieces can break off and float around inside the vitreous and you see them as floaters. The vitreous as it liquefies can also separate from the back of the eye. If it pulls on the retina, you can have a detachment and this can be sight threatening and may not have symptoms. Sometimes, though you will see flashes of light. Any of these things are a reason to get an eye exam immediately.

It sounds like your focusing is adjusting when you look from near to far. This can be a sign of a prescription change needed in your glasses, or if you don't have glasses, you may need them. Usually, this is not due to a health concern within the eye, but you should have a comprehensive vision exam with dilation to evaluate your eye health and your need for glasses to improve this focus. This usually will not stop on its own.

Astigmatism does not usually cause your eye to "look different". Some eye diseases can cause this such as Keratoconus and this causes astigmatism to be greater than normal. See your optometrist and get an evaluation to rule out keratoconus or any corneal disease. They will also check the other structures of your eye to see if there is something else wrong that makes your eye "look different". If you do have keratoconus, you want it diagnosed asap because there are treatments that can slow the progression and you should be educated about this disease process.

Usually an allergy does not cause light sensitivity (photophobia). Some people who have light colored eyes and fair skin and hair have less pigment in the eye and are more light sensitive. There are some eye diseases that can cause light sensitivity, including inflammation in the eye or irregularities in the retina. You should have a comprehensive eye exam by your optometrist to have this photophobia checked.