OPTX Optometry - Los Angeles & Valencia

Why is it more difficult for me to see at night?

When it gets dark, our pupils dilate and this makes everyone more short-sighted. This is usually why night-time vision is worse than during the day even if you are wearing your up-to-date prescription. Should you be driving at night, more care should be taken on the roads, as oncoming headlamp glare can be quite distracting. Any prescription found for general use should obviously be worn in these conditions. Some inherited conditions of the eye like retinitis pigmentosa also cause problems with night vision.

What is the difference between an ophthalmologist and an optometrist?

Ophthalmologists are sometimes known as eye surgeons or eye specialists as they concentrate on diagnosing and treating eye diseases. They are essentially medical doctors that specialize in eyes and may perform surgery and prescribe medication as they see fit. Some also undertake the prescription of spectacles, contact lenses and recommend eye exercises, although this is quite rare. Optometrists will screen the eyes for diseases and refer to ophthalmologists if necessary. However, optometrists concentrate on spectacle and contact lens prescriptions. Some specialize in eye exercises to improve eye muscle conditions.

I see black spots floating around in my vision especially when the sun is out - what are they?

These are called floaters. As the eye ages, more of these are seen and they are due to the changes in the vitreous jelly of the eye. The vitreous is simply a clear jelly that fills up the internal space of the eyeball between the lens and the retina. Changes may occur which cause the very fine fibrils contained in the jelly to clump together and become visible as floaters. As long as these are longstanding and not associated with any flashing lights, they are generally okay and all you would need to do is notify your Optometrist and keep a watchful eye on them. If however you have not seen them before and they have only recently appeared, a thorough check with your optometrist or better still, an ophthalmologist (eye doctor), is advised. Floaters are most easily seen against a white or bright background. This is why they are more visible in the sunshine, against white walls or whilst flying and looking out at the clouds. Sometimes floaters are an indication of retinal tears and possible detachment of the retina. Although this does not happen all that often it is wiser to be safe rather than sorry so if in doubt, please find out!

At the start of spring I can't wear my contact lenses comfortably as my eyes itch - why is this?

You are probably suffering from an eye allergy. Spring often brings about more sneezing and increased pollen counts along with all the daffodils. Certain susceptible individuals will experience a reaction in the eyes and an allergic conjunctivitis results. The itching is usually confined to the upper and/or lower lids and possibly the corner of the eye closest to your nose. If you wear contact lenses, the best thing to do is switch to spectacles for the duration of the allergy and buy a small supply of daily disposable lenses so that you can use them for a few hours out in the evening if you are desperate. Daily disposables would be the best lens type if your allergies are fairly chronic and you refuse to wear glasses. For relief from the itching certain anti-histamine containing drops can be bought from your local pharmacy. Most cannot be used in conjunction with contact lenses. Other types of drops can be used over a sustained period of time to strengthen the membranes of the cells that cause the symptoms of allergy. These drops have a longer-term effect and are called mast-cell stabilizers. The active ingredient is usually sodium cromoglycate. Ask your Optometrist or pharmacist for more information.

Will my sight worsen if I start wearing specs or contact lenses?

Wearing a prescription does not make your vision worse. Often when someone gets spectacles for the first time the visual improvement is so amazing that vision without them seems much worse, especially as time goes by. However, this is simply because the brain can now compare two images directly: one with specs and one without.