01 Frequently asked questions
Learn.
Got questions? We’ve got answers. Here are some of the most common ones we hear from patients.
-
- pediatric eye care
- kids glasses
- school vision screening
Quiet signs your child might need glasses
The behavioral signs kids never report — squinting, head tilts, sitting too close — and why school vision screenings so often miss them.
-
- screen time
- eye strain
- computer vision
20-20-20: the rule that fixes most digital eye strain
The 20-20-20 rule, explained: why your blink rate collapses at a screen, and the small, cheap fixes that actually relieve digital eye strain.
-
- dry eye
- meibomian glands
- mountain weather
Dry eye in the mountains: why Blue Ridge weather makes it worse
Wind, elevation, wood-stove heat, and ragweed make dry eye worse in the Blue Ridge. What actually helps — and when it's time to look deeper.
-
- dilated eye exam
- dilation
- Optomap
Dilated eye exams: what they're for, and what to expect
A plain-English guide to dilated eye exams — what the drops actually do, the few hours afterward, and when Optomap imaging is a fair alternative.
-
- diabetic retinopathy
- diabetes
- annual eye exam
Why your endocrinologist sends diabetic patients to the eye doctor
Why diabetes means a yearly eye exam: what Optomap and OCT imaging reveal about diabetic retinopathy, and how your results get back to your primary doctor.
-
- macular degeneration
- AMD
- family history
Macular degeneration: what every family with history should ask their optometrist
If macular degeneration runs in your family, here's what to ask your eye doctor — the imaging that catches early changes, the vitamin formula that can slow it, and why annual exams matter.
-
- contact lenses
- daily disposables
- monthly lenses
Daily, monthly, or extended-wear: which contact lens schedule fits your life?
Daily, monthly, or extended-wear? An honest look at the pros, cons, and real cost-per-day of each contact lens schedule — so you can pick what fits your life.
-
- vision discount plans
- medical insurance
- VSP
Vision plans vs. medical insurance: which one pays for what
Vision plans (VSP, EyeMed) vs. medical insurance (Medicare, BCBS): a plain-English primer on which one pays for what — and what to ask before your visit.
-
- glaucoma
- eye pressure
- optic nerve
Glaucoma: The Eye Disease With No Warning Signs
What glaucoma is, why it usually has no early symptoms, and how routine testing catches it before you'd ever notice a problem.
-
- cataracts
- cataract surgery
- aging eyes
Cataracts: What They Are, and What Surgery Actually Looks Like
A plain-English look at what cataracts are, the symptoms to watch for, and what cataract surgery generally involves.
-
- floaters
- vitreous
- flashes of light
Floaters: Harmless Nuisance, or Something to Call About?
What eye floaters actually are, why most are harmless, and the specific warning signs that mean you should call the same day.
-
- presbyopia
- near vision
- reading glasses
Why Your Arms Suddenly Aren't Long Enough to Read the Menu
Why near vision fades in your 40s, what presbyopia actually is, and the simple options that fix it.
-
- eyeglasses
- frame fitting
- lens coatings
What to Know Before You Buy Your Next Pair of Glasses
What actually matters when you buy new eyeglasses — fit, lenses, and why it pays to have them fitted by someone in person.
-
- progressive lenses
- bifocals
- presbyopia
Progressive Lenses, Explained (and Why the Fitting Matters)
How progressive lenses work, how they differ from old-style bifocals, and why a precise, in-person fitting makes or breaks them.
Reading only gets you so far
Questions? Bring them in.
Every article above ends the same honest way: the answer for your eyes comes from an exam. Book online in under a minute, or call and talk to a person.