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People are always touting the benefits and the risks of social media, videogames, television, and other screen activities. It’s common to hear about someone giving up social media for a period of time just to see if they are able to kick what they consider an ‘addiction.’ New Year’s resolutions are often to read more and spend less time at a computer or on a smartphone. These may seem like grown-up problems, but adults and teens aren’t the only demographics spending a large part of their daily routine behind a screen. Children barely old enough to move a mouse are using computers and devices for recreation and learning every day.

In 2009, kids in grades 7–12 reported spending an average of more than 90 minutes a day just sending or receiving texts on cell phones. In 2011, 50% of children under eight-years-old reported having access to a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet. Children under two watch 53 minutes a day of television.

Should all screen time and computer usage be cause for concern? Not quite. Consider this: studies have found that children who use a computer at school and at home perform better on tests of school readiness, visual motor skills, gross motor, and cognitive development. This positive effect seems to diminish if you look at children’s screen time beyond physician-recommended daily limits, however. Excessive screen time does not help children learn, and overuse has been shown to put children at risk for vision problems.

Children aged 8–18 reported in 2009 that they spent more than seven hours a day devoted to “entertainment media” including computers and videogames. That makes screen time a full-time job! Pediatric eye doctors are warning parents that this sort of heavy screen time is putting children at risk for early nearsightedness, among other possible issues.

According to the National Eye Institute, over the past 30 years the prevalence of nearsightedness has increased from 25 percent to over 41 percent. This is an increase of more than 66 percent. No one can be certain if this increase is caused by screen time, but many professionals are concerned that there may be a connection.

The longer children are exposed to a computer screen, the greater their risk is for developing computer vision syndrome. Computer vision syndrome is the term used to describe problems associated with focusing on an electronic display for excessive, uninterrupted amounts of time. The risk is increased because children’s eyes are not as well-developed as adults. It’s easier for children to experience these problems because they often lose track of time, are assigned lots of homework to do on the computer, or may not realize that they should be taking frequent breaks. Additionally, children are notorious for sitting very close to screens even if they have perfect vision—a position that strains the eyes and the rest of the body.

Parents should pay careful attention to how long a child spends with electronics. Set limits and help them develop good habits for how to use their devices. Talk to your eye care professional to discuss your child’s media habits and determine if you should change how they interact with electronics for optimal eye health.

Most people pick either one pair of glasses or one set of contacts, but often find situations where they wish they had an alternative option to their main eyewear. After all, why dress your face in the same outfit every day? Just like having a few pairs of shoes for different uses, or a special purse for evenings out, having multiple pairs of eyewear can be very fun and superbly functional.

There are many reasons why owning multiple pairs of eyeglasses is beneficial. Clumsy or not, you never know what could happen that would cause you to break or lose a pair. Unlike ripping a pair of pants or losing a shoelace, not being unable to see is quite a problem! Although some eye care providers may be able to create glasses in a very short amount of time, you don’t want to be stuck either unable to see, or in an old prescription that will hurt your eyes while you wait for your new eyewear to be created.

Maybe you know in advance that you’ll need a different type of eyewear for a specific activity and want to get fit for your specialty eyewear. Eyeglass wearers need at least one pair of regular glasses, but many also have a backup pair of glasses and may opt for a pair of sunglasses, too. Contacts tend to be the go-to for sporting enthusiasts who need varied functionality for their sport, but there are also prescription options for eyewear used in watersports, winter sports, driving, outdoors, and other activities.

Other specialty types of glasses that you may need are computer glasses or specialty eyewear for work or hobbies. Those that work long hours on a computer could benefit from investing in a pair of computer glasses. These glasses aid in preventing eyestrain, as they are designed specifically for the distance at which you view a computer monitor. They can cut down on glare and blue light, too. There are many options available for safety prescription glasses for work, and your employer may cover them if you need them for your job.

Occupational lenses can be helpful for those who wear bifocals because holding your reading material out far away from your face is not exactly practical nor comfortable. For those whose hobbies include close up work, reading glasses may be helpful for magnification.

Of course, the fashion-forward will also enjoy having multiple pairs of glasses to go with different looks. It is tempting to pick up a very colorful pair of funky frames to give yourself a signature look, but you may wonder if the bold look would feel awkward in other settings, like a serious family function or job interview. If you get more than one pair, you can be more creative with one of the frames and a little more conservative with the second pair. Unless you have a certain kind of prescription, the option of contacts is also great. They’re very practical and versatile. Some contact lenses even offer color-changing ability to give your eyes a totally new look.

Just like the way different accessories make you feel fancy, professional, or casual, glasses and contacts can do the same. Check your vision benefits to see what coverage is offered for additional eyewear, or ask your eye care professional about price breaks on ordering multiple glasses and contact lenses.

Probably everyone has had that feeling: ahh, my eye is twitching. You never know how to make it stop, how long it will keep going, or why it’s happening. The truth is that eyelid and eye twitching and spasms are pretty common, and no cause for alarm, but still somewhat of a mystery!

Usually it’s the bottom lid of your eye that twitches when you get that weird feeling. Most people report that a random eye twitch will come and go, but some cases have been reported as lasting weeks or even months! The medical term for it is myokymia.

What triggers eye twitches?

• Stress
• Being tired
• Strained eyes
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Dry eyes
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Allergies

Generally the condition is not serious, and is not an indication of any greater issues. The problem is that it’s not easy to treat when you don’t know the cause. The afflicted person usually needs to investigate their habits and get to the root cause so that they can avoid that trigger.

If you find that your trigger is strained eyes, make sure to see an eye care professional as soon as possible so that you can update your prescription. If your prescription is up to date or you don’t need one, it could be strain from looking at a computer screen for extended periods. In this case, you can still benefit from seeing an eye care professional and discussing special computer glasses to help you relieve the stress on your eyes.

Of course, if you’re stressed or tired in general, an eye care professional probably can’t do much for you. Make sure that you’re getting enough restful sleep, take an afternoon nap if you find that you hit the afternoon slump hard, and go to bed early to get more sleep. Talk to your physician if you’re getting enough sleep on a good bed and still feeling fatigued.

Drinking too much caffeine every day? It might be another facet of your stressed-out life that can exacerbate your eye-twitching problem. It’s tempting to partake in another caffeinated beverage mid-afternoon when you’re busy and can’t nap to perk back up. Building up more and more caffeine, however, can be a real problem and can lead to eye spasms that will hurt your productivity and be a big annoyance.

How can allergies make your eyes twitchy? Well, some experts think that the histamine that is released into your eye tissues when you rub your eyes can actually cause the lid to twitch. Since allergies make your eyes itchy and you rub them, that might be causing your eyelids to twitch as well.

Cramping and muscle spasms in all parts of your body can be caused by electrolyte imbalances. It’s one of the reasons that athletes opt for sports drinks over water. Sweat carries electrolytes out of your body, so they need to be replaced to make sure your brain and muscles function properly. If you have been sweating heavily or have a nutritional or other health issue, you may be low on electrolytes. See your physician if you think you may have a condition causing you to have low electrolytes.

The takeaway from this is that there’s no cause for concern, but that doesn’t mean it’s not annoying! The occasional eye twitch is nothing to investigate, but persistent twitches will certainly be irritating enough to warrant a look at your habits and possibly making some healthy changes.

Although it’s unlikely that demand for traditional glasses will ever disappear altogether (after all, they’re stylish, comfortable, and convenient), contact lenses have been popular for decades and continue to be a great choice for eyewear. From typical prescription options, to ones that change the color of the eye, to futuristic “smart” lenses—contacts have come a long way since 1888!

Contact lenses are a great alternative to wearing glasses for many people because they offer a lot of flexibility. You can wear your non-prescription sunglasses, goggles, helmets, headbands, or other kinds of eyewear over your contacts. People with contact lenses don’t have to worry about glasses slipping off or getting knocked off with physical activity. Plus, contacts don’t fog up and won’t produce a glare in photos. Unless you’re up close to someone, you can’t even tell they’re wearing them.

There is a wide variety of contact lenses available to fit most people. Advances in recent years have created many options with cool features perfectly suited to a range of prescription types and eyewear needs.

Toric lenses are used for people with astigmatism (irregular curvature of the eye). The way that toric contacts work is they have different powers at various places on the lens and they stay in place on the eye with a weighted section so that they don’t rotate. Unlike a regular prescription contact lens that can rotate and give consistently clear vision, the toric lenses have to stay in one position. Most wearers will never notice the weighted section. Usually the “weight” is just a tiny line in the lens, adding a small amount of material to orient the lens. With the lens on your fingertip up to the light, you may be able to see the line, but it is imperceptible when the contact lens is in place on your eye.

Gas permeable lenses are not soft and flexible like the ones most people imagine when they think of contact lenses. The rigid lenses still have breathability for air to reach your eye, but they are rigid. By keeping their perfectly rounded shape, the lenses can help give clear vision to people with astigmatism. The downside is that some people find them hard to become accustomed to wearing because they feel the lens more than they feel soft lenses.

People who need reading glasses or progressive lenses can benefit from bifocal and multifocal lenses. These are designed for those who require more than one prescription in the same lens—a common need among people over forty due to common age-related vision loss known as presbyopia.

Hybrid lenses are made of a rigid middle zone and a soft outer rim. They are specially designed for high astigmatism, certain irregular corneas, and people with early stage keratoconus. People with these conditions used to be limited to glasses, but hybrid lenses make it possible for them to wear contact lenses.

Conditions such as keratoconus, dry eyes, giant papillary conjunctivitis, post-refractive surgery (such as LASIK), and presbyopia can make contact lens fitting more difficult, but most people are able to find contact lenses to comfortably fit their eyes and needs. If you want to try contact lenses, talk to your eye care professional about which options are best for you!

The idea of digital lenses may conjure up futuristic, electronic eyewear that gives you heat-detecting vision and the ability to zoom in real life, but the truth is that digital lenses look exactly like traditional lenses in a side-by-side comparison. There are no batteries involved! Digital lenses, also called high-definition or free-form lenses, are much different when you see through them, however.

Every eye is different, so getting digital lenses vs. traditional lenses is like the difference between getting an outfit off the rack and getting something made especially for your body to fit all of your various measurements perfectly. With high-definition digital lenses, the creation process takes into account the position of your pupil, the angle of the lens in the frames, and the shape of your frames. Many wearers also benefit from the ability to create progressive lenses that give you a similar effect to bifocals, but without an obvious line. Wearers find that their eyes are much more comfortable and it’s easier to adapt to the high-definition vision they have using a more gradual transition.

High-definition digital lenses are made with an optimized computer-controlled scanning process which allows for much greater precision than how regular glasses are made. Conventional tools don’t allow for the same sort of control so they can lead to a perfect prescription for your eyes that still feels like it could be sharper. The way conventional lenses are made will sometimes create spots that aren’t as clear, or a bending effect toward the edges of your peripheral vision because of the shape of your glasses. This is not an issue with digital lenses. You will have better peripheral vision, less glare, and improved contrast sensitivity.

To further improve the creation process, your eye care professional will usually take some added measurements based on your frames. This will ensure an exact fit and tailoring to your eye and eyewear choice.

Further considerations for digital lenses include the question of who can benefit from them. The great thing about digital lenses is that everyone can benefit from them! People with difficult prescriptions, astigmatism, and presbyopia (farsightedness) will see the greatest change between traditionally manufactured lenses and their new, high-definition vision with digital lenses.

The next question is one we hear a lot: but how much extra do they cost? Unlike the price difference between a high-definition television and the old tube models, digital lenses are not too much extra. They are more labor-intensive to create, so typically you can expect to pay about 25–35% more for your lenses. Once you become accustomed to the high-definition lenses and sharper vision, you’ll be surprised how inadequate your old lenses seem!

Talk to your eye care professional if you’re interested in getting digital lenses for your eyewear.

Soft contact lenses were approved by the FDA in the 1970s, yet many myths about contact lenses persist. People have all kinds of incorrect ideas about the risks and even some interesting “benefits” to wearing contacts (no, wearing contact lenses won’t permanently correct your vision). Let’s bust the top contact lens myths right now.

First, many people don’t try contacts because they think they will be uncomfortable. After all, how could it be comfortable to have something in your eye? Well, the beauty of soft contact lenses is that they are very flexible, thin, and practically weightless. After a few minutes, you shouldn’t feel your contacts at all. People new to contacts should be careful because sometimes they’re so comfortable, you forget you’re wearing them and fall asleep. Sleeping with contact lenses in is not recommended!

Another contact lens myth is that they’re hard to put in. Not true! If you have a steady hand, a mirror, sink, and light, you’re in good shape. Ask your eye care professional to illustrate how to put in your contacts, then try taking them in and out a few times. Give yourself time to practice at home. If you are getting frustrated or finding that the method they showed you isn’t working, ask to watch a friend get their contacts in, or check out some videos online. There’s more than one way to put in and take out your contacts. As long as you’re washing and drying your hands, and following your eye doctor’s instructions for care, you can do it whichever way works for you.

Maybe it’s because humans think mystery and danger lurk around every corner, but another popular contact lens myth is that your contacts can disappear behind your eyes. Unlike a plastic dolly with eyeballs floating around in her head, your eyes are firmly rooted to your brain and it is impossible for your contact to roll back behind your eye and into your head somewhere. The wonderful thing about the anatomy of your eyes is that there’s a thin membrane called the conjunctiva that lines the inside of the lids and then folds back and covers the white part of your eyeball. There’s no way a contact lens could slip between your eyeball and eye socket because the conjunctiva simply wouldn’t allow it.

Popular culture can be blamed for this next myth: contacts fall out easily. Romantic comedies depict people with contacts falling out of their eyes all the time. We can put your worries at ease and let you know that it’s very rare for contacts to fall out. If they’ve been properly fit and you’re not rubbing your eye, there’s almost no instance where your contact would slip off of your cornea. Don’t count on your contact to fall out as a way for you to meet someone interesting. Sorry!

People also sometimes think that wearing contact lenses causes eye problems and worsens your prescription. While misuse and wearing your contacts for far longer than prescribed can cause issues, as long as you take care of your lenses and change them when instructed to do so, wearing contact lenses is totally safe and won’t worsen your prescription.

Another common concern is that the contact lens can get permanently stuck in your eye. Although they can stick if your eye is dry, it is impossible for a contact to get permanently stuck. Even if your eyes become excessively dry, you can moisten your eye and remove the contact lens. Don’t lose sleep worrying if your contacts will become a permanent part of your eye!

Finally, people with difficult prescriptions sometimes believe that they can’t wear contact lenses. While it is true that some people are unable to wear them, some unusual and extreme prescriptions can comfortably wear contact lenses. Due to advances in lens technology, there are many different types of contact lenses for a wide variety of eyes and people. Just ask your eye care professional if you have questions or are interested in getting contact lenses.

Insurance benefits and healthcare coverage can be very confusing. The language isn’t always clear, and sometimes you need to speak with a benefits specialist or human resources representative through your employer just to navigate what is covered and what isn’t. In general, there are a few things you should know about vision benefits vs. health insurance and how they may help cover your eye care needs.

There are many options for vision insurance providers including EyeMed, Humana, VSP and more. Of course they all have their own specific coverage benefits and amounts, but in general they cover routine care like getting an annual exam and getting glasses or contact lenses. They will pay all or part of the cost of your exam and eyewear and give you a timeline of how often you are allowed to get a covered exam or eyewear allowance. You are certainly allowed to order additional contact lenses or glasses, or to get exams more frequently, but the insurance provider will only cover a predetermined amount based on their annual or bi-annual timeline. Usually covered individuals pay a co-pay or a percentage of the cost of an exam and any associated eyewear.

The difference between this and health insurance is that health insurance generally covers only eye care in relation to a medical condition. For instance, if you need an eye exam because of cataracts, dry eyes, complications from diabetes, or in relation to diagnosed high blood pressure, then your health insurance will usually cover the eye care. You don’t need vision insurance for this coverage, but you may be able to use your health insurance to cover your medical eye condition or eye care needs and then use your vision insurance to cover your glasses or contact lenses.

In addition to covering eye care for medical conditions, health insurance will typically cover care if you experience an eye injury or develop an eye disease.

The benefits of having optional vision insurance are that you can save a lot on eye care, and the plans are usually pretty inexpensive—typically just $12–$30 per month. Even if your employer doesn’t help cover part of your premium, many people like to buy the coverage to use for annual exams and new eyewear at a greatly reduced cost. Also, if you find that you’re not visiting your eye doctor regularly, paying for coverage is a nice way to make yourself accountable and schedule your visit to use your vision benefits.

Talk to your employer if you have questions about any employer-provided health care coverage or vision benefits. See an eye care professional to find out if your vision benefits are accepted, and how you can use benefits to save on your next eye exam or eyewear purchase.

Non-glare (or anti-reflective) coating is a common and cost-effective feature that many eyeglass wearers elect to have put on their lenses. It’s one of those things that you usually don’t notice or think about when you have it, but you notice when it’s not there!

Non-glare lenses are simply lenses that have this anti-reflective coating applied to the lens. Anti-reflective coating works by eliminating the reflections of light from the front and back the lens. Typical anti-reflective coating allows 99.5 percent of light to pass through, meaning that there is only a very faint hint of light on the lens even in the brightest conditions. The anti-glare protection allows more light to come through, and results in better vision for you as well as a better view for others. When people look at you, they won’t see a glare off of the lenses of your glasses. Glares off of your glasses can ruin pictures and be distracting to people speaking with you because the glare obscures the view of your eyes.

Beyond the cosmetic reasons, the largest benefits of anti-reflective coating are sharper vision when driving at night, and more comfort when using a computer for long periods of time. You won’t experience a glare from the computer screen, and the sharper vision will mean easier focusing for your eyes.

It’s also a good idea get the anti-reflective coating applied to the back surface of your sunglasses. This helps eliminate glare from sunlight when the sun is behind you. Most AR coatings now also include a layer that prevents water spots, thus making them much easier to clean. There are even coatings that help resist skin oils while also making smudges easier to wipe off.

Glasses that have anti-reflective coating should be given special care, as some lens cleaners contain chemicals that could damage the anti-reflective coating. With any eyewear, make sure you know how to care for your gear to give it a long and useful life. Ask your eye care professional if you have questions about care for your eye wear, or would like to know more about anti-glare options.

When it comes to pediatric care, parents are usually concerned with finding the best pediatrician and following their medical advice exactly, but what about pediatric eye care? Eye care for kids is sometimes an area parents overlook because they aren’t always aware of the importance of eye health for children. Many don’t seek eye exams for their children until either the child reports having difficulty seeing at school, or the child’s grades begin to slip and parents take a closer look at why their child isn’t developing academically.

Experts recommend that children receive several eye exams before starting school. Infants should receive their first comprehensive eye exam around six months of age. Children should have an eye exam around age three, and again when they reach age five or six. Before reaching first grade, parents are strongly encouraged to have their children receive a full eye exam to make sure the child has no visual problems as they start elementary school.

Eye exams for young children are important because vision problems can negatively affect a child’s performance in school long before you are aware of the issue. The American Optometric Association reports that 5 to 10 percent of preschoolers and 25 percent of school-age children are diagnosed with vision problems once they receive proper eye care. Experts are always stressing the significance of appropriate early education and full participation from youngsters in programs and learning that will become a foundation for critical skills. Children risk not being able to fully participate if they are experiencing undiagnosed visual impairments. An early eye exam and regular eye care for children can alleviate this potential problem.

Identifying eye problems early is crucial to the child’s learning and development in school. A child with poor vision may have difficulty with seeing text and comprehending words causing difficulty in reading. No parent wants their child to be frustrated with reading, especially when most vision problems are easily fixed with glasses. Unable to explain problems in a group, children may choose not to volunteer for reading in class out of embarrassment, or opt out of picking a library book because it’s hard to see. This will negatively affect academic achievement and the enjoyment that comes with reading for many children.

Other symptoms of learning-related vision problems include headaches or eyestrain, short attention span for visual tasks, difficulty identifying or reproducing shapes, poor hand-eye coordination, and developmental delay. Talk to your family eye care professional about scheduling eye care visits for your children. They will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about your child’s eye health, and let you know when is a good time to start doing regular check-ups.

Squinting into the sun and focusing in bright light is very hard on your eyes. Eye care professionals stress the importance of sunglasses and shading your eyes to protect your vision, but many people aren’t aware of the benefits that come from polarized lenses. They’re not just for fishermen to see into the water!

When you’re not on the dock or deck of your boat, you will continue to see the benefits of polarization. Polarized lenses can help cut glares off of surfaces like the road in front of you or the hood of your vehicle. Even bright light outdoors or through windows can be mellowed with polarized lenses.

The reason that polarized lenses work is that they cut out certain waves of light. Normal light tends to go in all directions, but light that bounces off of a surface tends to “polarize” and align itself horizontally. So sunlight beating down on the water doesn’t appear as ambient light once it bounces off the water, because it hits that reflective surface and bounces up, glaring into your eyes. Polarized lenses are specially made with a vertical polarization so that they cut out that intense reflected light and let you see more of the natural light you’d see if there was no glare. Pretty cool, right? You can even experiment with glasses to see if they’re polarized by holding them out and rotating the lens to see if the glare lessens or not.

Some people may notice instances where polarized lenses are not helpful, however. Cell phone screens, LCD and GPS displays can be more difficult to read. In some cases, much brighter light is something you need to see, like in downhill skiing. A bright patch alerts the skier to ice, and polarization would make it harder to see. But most everyday skiers and snowboarders would like to ease the bright light reflecting off of the snow if they’re not in icy conditions. Other than a few rare occasions, polarized lenses can do a lot to improve your vision for many applications. Ask your eye care professional for help deciding if polarization is right for your eyewear.