Blurred vision occurs when there is a lack of clarity in what you see. Objects do not appear to be sharp and it can be difficult to figure out what you’re seeing or reading. Very often this is caused due to a refractive error, which either means that you need glasses or contact lenses, but you haven’t been fit for them yet, or it could be a result of wearing an optical correction that is not suitable for you. There are other possibilities of conditions that can cause blurry vision, such as:

• Macular Degeneration
• Side effect of medication
• Macular edema
• Central Serous Chorioretinopathy
• Keratoconus
• Retinal detachment
• Migraine
• Papilledema

If you have blurry vision, you may in fact be seeing double. You can take the Double Vision Symptom Assessment to have a better sense if you might have double vision. If you are experiencing blurry vision, please contact us today, we’ll be happy to help you achieve and enjoy clear vision.

Our visual system is a complex one, which involves our eyes, the brain and many different stations along the way including the cornea, eye muscles, and the nerves that transfer the visual information to your brain. If there is an issue at any point along the way, it can result in double vision. Some causes of double vision include, but are not limited to:

• Convergence or divergence insufficiency
• Corneal infection
• Corneal scar
• Refractive surgery
• Cataract
• Cranial nerve palsies
• Myasthenia gravis
• Grave’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Diabetes
• Stroke
• Aneurysm
• Headaches/ migraine
• Head injury
• Brain tumor 

If you are unsure if you are experiencing double vision, we advise you to take the Double Vision Symptom Assessment which can help you zone in on the issue. Please contact our office today so we can help correct your double vision.

Our eyes have a drainage system which allows for an efficient and comfortable supply and flow of tears. There are times when our eyes feel very dry or too watery and there could be a variety of reasons for that, such as:

• Allergic reaction
• Hormonal changes
• Autoimmune disease
• Side effects from certain medications
• Something preventing the eyelid from closing properly, such as Bell’s palsy
• Sjorgen’s syndrome
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Conjunctivitis/eye infection 
• Dry eye disease
• Blocked tear ducts
• Foreign body in your eye
• Corneal scratch
• Eyelid problem such as entropion or ectropion
• Issue with the eyelashes such as trichiasis
• Stye in the eye
• Meibomian gland dysfunction

To learn more about dry eyes, you can take the Dry Eyes Symptom Assessment. If you are experiencing dry or watery eyes, there is no reason to leave it untreated. Our staff is well experienced with providing treatment and solutions to relieve these symptoms.

Do you have what people refer to as bloodshot eyes? If your eyes are red, with what appears to be unusual blood vessels there could be a variety of reasons why. If you are experiencing discomfort and irritation in your eyes which leads you to excessively rub your eyes, it can cause redness. Other causes include, but are not limited to:

• Contact lenses that have been overused
• Allergies
• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
• Corneal ulcers
• Dry eye
• Stye in the eye
• Subconjunctival hemorrhage 
• Acute glaucoma
• Scleritis 

Due to the possibility that you may be experiencing redness of your eyes because of dry eyes, you can take the Dry Eyes Symptom Assessment to find out more about it. If your eyes are red, it is advisable to have your eyes checked by an optometrist. We are here to help you.

If you or a loved one are having difficulty reading, it could be attributed to a learning disability or a variety of other reasons, but one cause that must not be overlooked is that it could be due to an issue that is related to your vision. The good news is that if you are having difficulty reading and the cause is related to a visual problem, there are very effective and non-invasive ways to treat these issues so that reading can become an enjoyable activity. There are many different visual challenges that could lead to difficulty with reading, including:

• Amblyopia
• Strabismus
• Accommodative dysfunction
• Convergence insufficiency
• Oculomotor dysfunction
• Visual processing disorder
• Post-concussion vision syndrome

If you are struggling with reading, it is recommended to seek professional help from an optometrist who can assess if the challenge is due to a vision issue which can effectively be corrected. You can take the Vision Symptoms Assessment and the Double Vision Symptoms Assessment to get a better sense if you might have an underlying issue related to your vision. We would be happy to help you with any questions you have.

Someone suffering from vertigo or balance issues would be likely to check a vast range of potential causes for these symptoms, but may overlook the possibility that there is a vision issue at the root of all of this. Any type of problem involving the visual pathway between the eyes and the brain can cause dizziness which can lead to vertigo. Additionally, the visual system helps synchronize the various systems involved with balance. If someone is not seeing well, it can cause them to fall and have problems with balancing. Some specific visual issues that can lead to vertigo and/ or balance issues, include, but are not limited to:

• Incorrect prescription for glasses or contact lenses
• Blurred vision
• Double vision
• Eye strain 
• Visual field loss
• Post-concussion vision syndrome

You can use the Double Vision Symptom Assessment  to see if you might have double vision which could be one of the potential causes for the balance issues or vertigo. If you have vertigo or balance issues, it’s very important to get to the root problem and make sure you have the proper professional help. It is possible that there are vision problems that are causing these symptoms and in order to check, it is essential to be checked by an optometrist. We are here to help you.