August is back-to-school time for kids in East Tennessee, and it’s also National Children’s Vision and Learning Month. The goal of this month-long observance is to raise awareness among parents and educators about the prevalence of undiagnosed or misdiagnosed vision problems among children. Many children struggle with myopia, or nearsightedness, and it’s estimated that as … Continue reading
It’s summertime in East Tennessee, which has many residents and visitors heading to lakes and rivers to cool off, and there are certainly plenty to choose from. In fact, East Tennessee has been called the Great Lakes of the South, with seven large lakes and many rivers enhancing our region. Water covers more than 220,000 … Continue reading
Diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to produce or use insulin effectively to control blood sugar, or glucose, levels. Although glucose is an important source of energy for the cells in the body, too much glucose in the blood for a prolonged period of time can cause damage to multiple parts of … Continue reading
Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness in the U.S, just behind diabetic eye disease. It affects an estimated 3 million Americans, and the National Eye Institute estimates that this number will increase 4.2 million Americans by 2030 because of the aging population. Glaucoma is highly correlated with eye pressure, so having a … Continue reading
True story: A young man came to our office with a raging eye infection. After examining him, the ophthalmologist asked him how long he’d been wearing his contact lens in that eye. The patient said he hadn’t worn contacts in many months, but the doctor showed him that he did indeed have a contact lens … Continue reading
The eyes may be the proverbial “window to your soul,” but it’s also true that your eyes are a window to your overall health. The eyes are the only place on the human body where ophthalmologists can visually observe blood vessels. The health of your eyes’ blood vessels can indicate how the rest of your … Continue reading
If you have cataracts and are considering surgery to correct the condition, you may not realize that you also have options to correct other vision impairments during the cataract surgery. If you are nearsighted or farsighted, or have an astigmatism or presbyopia, refractive cataract surgery can correct or improve your vision. Standard cataract surgery removes … Continue reading
For people who are unable to tolerate contact lenses or have severe dry eye syndrome, there’s a different type of contact lens that can be life-changing when it comes to improved vision and comfort. Scleral lenses are larger than typical contact lenses, ranging from 14 mm to over 20 mm in diameter. They are called … Continue reading
Almost everyone experiences the uncomfortable gritty feeling of dry eyes from time to time, but for many people having dry eyes is a chronic condition. Dry eye syndrome, also known as ocular surface disease, is an increasingly common disorder that happens when the eyes don’t produce the right amount or quality of tears. Tears are … Continue reading
All those beautiful spring blooms we’re seeing everywhere also mean that pollens and allergens are making their comeback, too. Tree pollens have kicked into gear, with grass and weed pollens ramping up. We all know that East Tennessee is a hotbed for seasonal allergies. In fact, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation ranked Knoxville as #9 … Continue reading
