Dr. Charles Garcia, MD

Great Question! Depending on the type of conjunctivitis, bacterial or viral it can worsen before it improves; and without treatment can spread to others in your home, work, and if you work out, your gym. Generally it's considered contagious but without treatment most of the time will eventually resolve itself after 2 or 3 weeks. It can last longer if you keep touching things in your house and reinfecting your eyes - so really, it's best to get to an eye doctor MD or OD, or if you are insured, you probably have a feature like TeleDoc and they can call you in an RX for the infection.

Great Question! If you're new to contacts, it can take anywhere from 1-2 weeks of wear time for 3-4 hours per day to become comfortable wearing, inserting and removing the lenses on a daily basis. This should be done with clean, washed hands, in a quiet, calm environment, free of distractions until you are more familiar with how to insert and remove on the go. Once you are a professional, you can quickly wash and go with those lenses, case in hand and take a kit with you on vacation, to the office, gym, or quick change for a night on the town from glasses to contacts at a moment's notice. Always have a pair of prescription eyewear as a back up in case you lose a lens, scratch your eye, or on the off chance you get an infection, or you tear a lens which though rare, can happen with soft contacts. With hard lenses, they wont tear, but they can chip and it's never safe to wear a chipped lens, it can cause cuts, scrape the corne, or scratch the surface of the eye or eye lid.

Great question! Your eyecare provider should give you a detailed list of "*DO's and DON'T's*" preoperatively but generally speaking your eye shield is worn for the first 6-7 days postoperatively to protect you after surgery while you are sleeping to ensure if you roll over in your sleep you don't roll

Great question! It's not uncommon for children to be prescribed glasses for various reasons, such as far-sightedness, especially after experiencing symptoms like blurry vision and headaches. While it may come as a surprise, it's important to know that wearing glasses can greatly improve your daughter's vision and overall eye health. Plus 2 prescription for far-sightedness is not unusual in children her age. As for whether she will outgrow her glasses, every child is different, and it's difficult to predict with certainty. However, many children's vision stabilizes as they grow older, and some may eventually need less correction or even no glasses at all. In the meantime, it's crucial for your daughter to wear her glasses as prescribed by her eye care professional. This will help her vision develop properly and prevent potential complications in the future. It's understandable that adjusting to wearing glasses may take some time, but with patience, encouragement, and positive reinforcement, most children adapt well. Additionally, regular follow-up appointments with her eye care provider will ensure that her vision is monitored closely and any necessary adjustments to her prescription are made as needed. If you have any further concerns or questions, don't hesitate to discuss them with your daughter's eye care provider. They are there to support you and your daughter every step of the way in her vision journey.

Cataract surgery is generally not painful and can usually be treated with a local anesthesia or even eye drops during surgery these days. Post operatively most ophthalmologists will suggest over the counter pain relief if needed like acetaminophen or motrin to relieve pain. Otherwise, it's a common procedure that patients recover from in a matter of days. Consult your ophthalmologist for more information as it pertains to you.

Generally your vision doesn't tend to improve with cataracts. If anything it's the opposite, over time all of the general population develops cataracts much like grey hair as part of the aging process. The only way to improve the vision is to have the cataract removed and have an intraocular lens replace the cloudy lens with a clear lens. Your ophthalmologist can help you with this when you are ready.

Strabismus surgery loosens or tightens eye muscles, changing the alignment of the eyes.
It’s often performed in children under the age of 10 when the opportunity for vision correction is optimal and prevent more serious problems in the future. You can find additional information through the American Academy of Ophthalmology https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/lazy-eye-surgery-facts and the American Academy of pediatric ophthalmology.

Any eye infections should be treated immediately to prevent worsening of the condition or infection traveling to other parts of the eye or vitreous. If you’ve been prescribed medication, you should take that medication as directed by your doctor and follow up. Do not ignore the directions of your ophthalmologist and do not try over counter medication’s or home remedies fungal infections are very serious and can lead to other problems including blindness seek the attention of an ophthalmologist in your area

Fastest way to cure and eye infection is to make an appointment with an eye doctor!

Vitamins can be a worthwhile option if you do not maintain a healthy lifestyle, incorporate a diet of fruits, dark leafy greens, and mixed vegetables, etc. There is no "magic bullet" for good vision, but rather ways to preserve your vision. Doing things like limiting alcohol, not smoking, and avoiding eating excessively fatty and greasy foods can contribute to illnesses like diabetes and hypertension. Those common problems which I see in the clinic all the time make a difference in your vision. Long story short, a healthy lifestyle helps much more significantly than vitamins alone.

This can vary - sometimes 2 weeks, sometimes 1 month - it can depend on the type of infection you were diagnosed with by your ophthalmologist. Generally it is safer to wait than go by feeling or combine your contacts with your eye medication. When in doubt, contact your provider. Ultimately, the longer you wait and ensure all medications are taken as directed, the better your outcome. Be sure to have a back up pair of glasses - even a budget pair for emergencies for times just like this are a must. Your eyes will thank you!

The question is what type of pink eye did you have and what drops are you taking?