FAQ

Q: What is LASIK?
Q: What is Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT)?
Q: What is 20/20 vision?
Q: Do I need my eyes examined?
Q: Does wearing glasses make my eyes worse?
Q: What are cataracts?
Q: Will wearing eyeglasses make me dependent on them?
Q: What is astigmatism?
Q: What is nearsightedness?
Q: What is farsightedness?
Q: What is Presbyopia?
Q: What are bifocals? Who needs to wear them?
Q: Can I wear contact lenses?
Q: I've worn contacts for years but now I can't wear them for as long as I used to. Why?
Q: What is a Retinal Detachment?
Q: What is Glaucoma?
Q: At what age should children have their first eye exam?
Q: Can eye exercises (vision therapy) improve my vision?
Q: Can my eyes get sunburned?
Q: How do I schedule an exam?

Q: What is LASIK?

A: Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is a procedure used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. During this procedure, patients are given numbing drops and a flap is created on the superficial layer of the cornea with an instrument called a microkeratome. The excimer laser then uses a cool beam of laser light to gently sculpt your spectacle correction onto the front surface of the eye. The flap is then returned to its original position. The laser spends a matter of seconds reshaping the eye and many patients notice an improvement in their vision as they exit the surgical suite. Read More...

Q: What is Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT)?

A: Correct your vision while you sleep with Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT): Imagine you just woke up from a restful night's sleep. As you open your eyes, you can see clearly and you're not wearing your glasses or contacts...and you haven't had surgery. If you want freedom from the hassles of daytime contact lenses and glasses, Paragon CRT is right for you. Paragon CRT is a specially designed therapeutic contact lens that gently and temporarily reshapes the cornea while you sleep. The staff at Ada Vision Center is excited to provide this safe, effective, new technology to our patients. Dr. Noble and Dr. Simonson are two of only a handful of doctors in the state of Idaho that has been officially certified to design and fit the Paragon CRT therapeutic lens. Read More...

Q: What is 20/20 vision?

A: 20/20 vision is a measurement of "normal" sight. Some people have better than 20/20 vision (e.g.. 20/15, or 20/10), and some people have vision worse than 20/20. For example, someone with 20/40 vision sees an object at 20 feet that a 20/20 person can see at 40 feet. A person with 20/10 vision sees an object at 20 feet that a 20/20 person would have to be 10 feet away to see.

Q: Do I need my eyes examined?

A: You can tell a lot about the rest of your body's health by looking inside the eye. In addition to checking your vision, an eye exam can often reveal important information about your overall general health. With a complete eye exam, our doctors may detect an eye disease or other health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, brain disease, cancer, and even high cholesterol. It is recommended that everyone (including children) have a complete dilated eye exam every one to two years. We recommend that children have their first eye exam between 10-12 months of age.  Patients with contact lenses, diabetes, glaucoma, and other conditions require more frequent eye exams, as recommended by your doctor.

Q: Does wearing glasses make my eyes worse?

A: On the contrary, a comprehensive eye exam and proper prescription glasses may actually improve your eyes' performance.

Q: What are cataracts?

A: Cataracts are a cloudiness of the crystalline lens on the inside of the eye. A clouded lens interferes with light reaching the retina, and this causes blurred vision. Much like the lens of a camera focusing light on film, the lens of your eye focuses light on the back of your eye (the retina). If this lens becomes dirty or fogged, then the picture taken by the camera will be hazy or blurred. A cataract has a similar affect when it forms in a person's eye. Since a cataract is the clouding of the natural clear lens of the eye, it blurs the light images sent to the back of the eye (the retina).

Q: Will wearing eyeglasses make me dependent on them?

A: No. Glasses and contact lenses allow you to see comfortably. When you remove them, you see less comfortably. This contrast makes some people believe that wearing their glasses has made their vision worse. In reality, lenses do not make your vision problems go away, nor do they worsen them. Lenses simply correct the symptoms of less than perfect vision.

Q: What is astigmatism?

A: Astigmatism refers to a condition where the front surface of the eye, or cornea, is irregularly shaped. With astigmatism, the cornea has a shape like that of a football or the back of a spoon rather than having the smooth curvature of a basketball. Astigmatism causes both near and far objects to be blurry because light focuses on two different places on the back of the eye (the retina).

Q: What is nearsightedness?

A: Nearsightedness (or myopia) refers to a visual condition of the eye in which close up images appear clearly, but far away images appear blurred. Nearsightedness is normally caused by the curvature of the front surface of the eye (the cornea) being too steep for the length of the eye. Instead of light rays focusing directly on the retina in the back of the eye, they focus in front of the retina. This causes a blurry distance image. Nearsightedness can also be caused by the eye actually being too long. Again, this causes light rays to focus in front of the retina, causing a blurry distance image.

Q: What is farsightedness?

A: Farsightedness (or hyperopia) refers to a visual condition which far away images appear clear, but near images appear blurred. Nearsightedness is normally caused by the curvature of the eye's surface (the cornea) being too flat for the length of the eye. Instead of light rays focusing directly on the retina in the back of the eye, they focus behind the back of the retina. This causes a blurry near image. Farsightedness can also be caused by the eye actually being too short. When this is the case, light rays that would normally focus on the retina focus behind the retina, causing blurry near images.

Q: What is Presbyopia?

A: Presbyopia generally begins around age 40 as the lens inside our eye loses its ability to change shape. Because of this elasticity loss, the lens is not able to focus as well on near objects. This condition is usually associated with aging and gets worse with time. This may first become noticeable with the need to hold reading material further and further from the eye in order to maintain focus. Presbyopia can be compensated for with a bifocal or progressive lens. However, a computer user may need special "computer glasses" which put the near correction higher to compensate for the computer screen being fairly high in our line of sight.

Q: What are bifocals? Who needs to wear them?

A: Bifocals use two different lens powers in one lens. Typically, the upper portion of the lens is used for distance vision and the lower portion is used for near vision. It is likely that most people will need bifocals or progressive lenses (no line bifocals) at some point in their lives. There are many different types of bifocals and progressive lenses.

Q: Can I wear contact lenses?

A: Consult with one of our doctors to see if contact lenses are suitable for you. We offer many different types of contact lenses and can find the type that will individually suit you the best. If you work in a dusty environment or are exposed to bright, windy conditions much of the time, eyeglasses may be safer and more comfortable for you to wear than contact lenses.

Q: I have worn contact lenses for years but now I cannot wear them for as long as I used to. Why?

A: The more you wear contacts, the less tolerant your eyes become to the protein deposits that naturally collect on the lenses. Your eyes can actually become allergic to those deposits. In fact, with contact lens overwear, those deposits can actually lead to an eye infection. Therefore, fresh contact lenses are essential to eye health. New contact lens technology has significantly improved the comfort and wearing time of contact lenses. Many people whose eyes become intolerant to their contacts can benefit from the latest advances in contact lens technology.

Q: What is a Retinal Detachment?

A: Retinal detachment is the separation of the retina (the light sensing portion of the back of the eye) from the back of the eye, causing loss of vision. Detachment may occur following a trauma, a hemorrhage, or a tumor. Retinal detachments can also occur in a relatively normal eye. Those people who are highly nearsighted are more prone to a detachment, especially as they age. Therefore, it is important to be aware of common symptoms of a retinal detachment such as: flashes of light, floaters in vision, a curtain or shadow moving over the field of vision, and/or peripheral or central vision loss.

Q: What is Glaucoma?

A: Glaucoma is a condition of elevated fluid pressure within the eyeball which can destroy the sensitive nerve fibers responsible for vision. A person with glaucoma is usually asymptomatic until the late stages of the disease, at which point decreased peripheral or central vision may be noted. By that time, the damage is usually extensive. Since glaucoma runs in families, it is important to get a yearly eye exam if glaucoma runs in your family. Also, we are more susceptible to glaucoma changes as we age; therefore, an annual eye exam is important for the more mature patient. Our doctors will be able to tell you if you are in a high risk group for glaucoma.

Q: At what age should children have their first eye exam?

A: It is recommended that your child have his or her first vision exam as early as six months old. Always have a child's vision checked if there is any doubt about how well he or she sees. Early detection of eye problems can sometimes prevent significant damage to the eye or to vision. We recommend first eye exam at the age of 10-12 months of age, the yearly starting at the age of 3.  At the very least, a child should have his or her eyes examined before they enter kindergarten.

Q: Can eye exercises (vision therapy) improve my vision?

A: YES! You can train your eye muscles to work better together and improve problems like fatigue, poor reading, and strabismus (crossed eyes).

Q: Can my eyes get sunburned?

A: Yes! "Snow blindness" and a welder's flash are examples of "sun burned" eyes. People who work or play outdoors and people with sensitive eyes should invest in sunglasses with an ultraviolet filter to block the sun's harmful UV radiation. Those who weld at work or at home should find out about the type of protective eye wear that is best suited for that particular activity.

Q: How do I schedule an exam?

A: Call us today at 208-336-2020 to speak with our staff or schedule an exam.