Vision Archives

What is Astigmatism?

Written By Michael Healy

Let’s start by clearing up the semantics. The eye issue that commonly causes blurry vision is called “astigmatism.” You do not have “a stigmatism.”

Astigmatism occurs when light enters the eye, and the cornea, the front cover of the eye, cannot properly focus the light on the retina, or the back of the eye. This can occur when the cornea is misshapen. As a result, light focuses on multiple points around, in front of, and behind the retina, causing blurry vision.

Almost everyone has astigmatism, however, for many, it has no effect on their vision and they do not need any sort of treatment. For many others, astigmatism happens in tandem with near—or far-sightedness—also known as myopia and hyperopia, respectively. If gone untreated, the results of astigmatism could be a lazy eye, headaches, and fatigue.

Are Contacts Better Than Glasses? The Pros and Cons

Written By Barry Silver

The questions have been posed to optometrists since contact lenses came to be: Should I get contact lenses instead of eyeglasses? Are contacts better than glasses?

Of course, the question isn’t as simple as “Should I get blue jeans or black jeans?” So, a number of important questions follow… About vision. About costs. About lifestyle.

So here and now, we’ll dive into the questions and delve into the answers with a level of detail that should help “clarify” things for you.

Yes, you should buy contacts…

Of course, all kinds of “ifs” follow, but the reasons to consider and buy contacts are many:

Understanding Your Anti-Reflective Coating Options

Written By Oliver Torres

When you order prescription glasses, you’ll make some additional choices regarding upgrades and options. The purpose of most lens upgrades are self-explanatory, but selecting an anti-reflective (AR) coating isn’t always an easy choice to make due to the variety.

In this post, I’ll provide you the insights you need regarding your anti-reflective coating options so you can make an informed decision. There are differences in price, function and features, so we’ll look at those here.

Smart Shopping: Use Your HSA and FSA Funds to Buy Eyewear

Written By Oliver Torres

You have an HSA or FSA account. Were you aware it can be applied to buy prescription eyewear? The end of the year—or the tax year—may be the ideal time to look at spending your HSA or FSA funds on “qualified expenses.”

Remember, you don’t want to spend the funds on non-qualified items because you could be responsible for a 20% penalty. Here’s what does and doesn’t qualify.

Eyewear and services for correcting your vision are classified as a “medical product” and can therefore be purchased with an HSA or FSA:

Prescription eyeglasses
Prescription sunglasses
Contact lenses
Eye examinations and eye surgery
Reading glasses

You can’t use an HSA or FSA to buy:

Non-prescription eyeglasses (except reading glasses)
Non-prescription sunglasses
Insurance premiums
Non-prescription colored contact lenses