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Q?
My vision is fine, so why should I have my eyes examined?
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A.
Yes, your vision is very important but it is only part of why we examine your eyes. Your eye health is just as, or sometimes, more important. There are textbooks full of eye diseases that can be potentially vision-threatening, and some of these diseases don’t have any symptoms. Glaucoma is at the top of that list. The only way to detect these conditions is by performing a dilated eye exam to look at all of the structures in your eyes. Also, there are many diseases that affect your general health and can cause problems in your eyes. Diabetes and hypertension are good examples.
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Q?
What are cataracts? Will I get them? Can they be fixed?
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A.
Cataracts are a clouding of the lenses inside your eyes that occurs naturally with age. Cataracts usually start in the early 60’s and slowly become worse to the point where your vision becomes noticeably blurred. Fortunately though, cataract surgery can safely fix your vision. Surgery involves removing your cloudy lenses and replacing them with clear synthetic lenses. Once your cataracts are removed, they never recur. Please see our cataracts page for more information.
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Q?
Am I a candidate for LASIK (refractive surgery)?
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A.
To determine if you are a suitable candidate for LASIK, we would have to perform a complete eye exam with a refraction and dilated exam. Once we have this information and your medical history, we can further discuss if LASIK is right for you. By the way, most insurances do not cover LASIK, since it is considered an elective procedure. Please see our LASIK page for more information.
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Q?
At what age should I take my child for their first eye exam?
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A.
We typically recommend that an infant have their first eye exam by a pediatric ophthalmologist within the first six months of age. If all is deemed normal at that time, another exam should be performed at age 3 and then again prior to the child entering their first year of kindergarten or first grade. Eye health is too important to ignore and with a couple of appointments within the first few years of the child’s life, any potential issues can be recognized and your child can start life with the healthiest eyes possible. During a child’s school years, we recommend an eye exam every 1-2 years, depending on if the child wears glasses or contacts, or if they start to have eye issues.
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Q?
Is there anything that I should bring with me to my appointment?
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A.
Yes. It is important for you to bring a photo I.D. and your health insurance card(s). This information will help us identify you in our system; or, if you are a new patient, we will quickly verify your insurance (if necessary) and create a new account for you so you can receive the best care possible. Please bring your glasses and/or contact lens prescriptions, if you have them; and, please bring a list of your current medications. Finally, if you were referred to Hertzog Eye Care by another physician, please bring that doctor’s information so that we may follow up with them regarding your eye health, and to acquire any necessary paperwork with respect to your medical history.
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Q?
Will I have to fill out a bunch of paperwork?
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A.
For new patients at Hertzog Eye Care, of course we will require you to fill out a few forms (as you do at all doctors’ offices). The forms are available at our office and will be supplied to you when you check in at the front desk. Typically these forms do not take longer than 5 to 10 minutes to fill out, and if you have any questions while you are filling out the forms our friendly staff will be available to assist you.
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Q?
How long does an appointment take?
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A.
For a comprehensive eye exam at Hertzog Eye Care, you should expect to be at our office for about an hour from your appointment time. For other treatments or for a consultation regarding glasses or contact lenses, an appointment may only take 30 to 45 minutes to complete. We always strive to make our appointments as quick as possible for our patients, and to avoid having such a packed schedule each day that patients have to wait in our waiting area. Keep in mind that, unlike many ophthalmology offices, we do accept patients on an emergency basis. These patients include our current patients, new patients that find us online or through referrals, or patients referred from one of several local urgent care clinics. If it is a problem that has to be looked at on the same day, we will work that patient into our schedule, and that may set us behind in our schedule. Keep in mind that if it was your eye emergency, we wouldn’t hesitate to do the same for you. To schedule an appointment, click here.
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Q?
What is myopia (or nearsightedness)?
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A.
Nearsightedness, otherwise known as “myopia”, is a vision condition where an individual can see close objects, but struggles to see objects in the distance. Most people first notice that they are nearsighted when their distance vision is blurry when they drive at night. Typically, myopia can be corrected with glasses or contacts, and it can also often be corrected with LASIK surgery. If you believe you are nearsighted, please give us a call and we’ll give you some options on how to correct it.
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Q?
What is hyperopia (or farsightedness)?
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Farsightedness, otherwise known as, “hyperopia” is a vision condition where an individual can generally see distance vision well, but has difficulty with their near vision. Hyperopia can usually be corrected with glasses and contacts, and with LASIK within certain parameters. Contact Hertzog Eye Care to determine the best course of action if you believe you have hyperopia.
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Q?
What is presbyopia?
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Presbyopia is a normal aging condition of the eye in which the crystalline lens loses its flexibility. This, in turn, makes it difficult for you to perform near tasks, like reading, using your cell phone, and using the computer. Presbyopia may seem to occur overnight, but the actual loss of flexibility takes place slowly over several of years, starting around the age of 40. Presbyopia is correctable with glasses and contacts for most people, so please contact us if you feel that these near vision problems are happening to you.
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Q?
What is ‘pink eye’ or ‘red eye’?
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These terms refer to any condition that makes the eyes red and inflamed. The causes of pink eye are many, but the most common cause is generally a bacterial or viral infection. Other causes are allergies, dry eyes, and chemical irritants. To treat a pink eye, we must first determine the cause, so the sooner you have your eyes examined, the better. Bottom line: If you have a pink eye that doesn’t resolve within a couple of hours, call us at 562-597-3100. If you feel it is an emergency, and it is after hours, or on the weekend, we have a beeper service that will allow you to contact one of our doctors. Just call the office number and listen to the instructions on how to leave them a message, and they will call you back.
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Q?
What is dry eye syndrome?
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Dry Eye Syndrome is a condition where the eyes produce too few tears and/or the tears evaporate too quickly. Symptoms include, redness, scratchiness, burning/stinging, blurred or fluctuating vision, and excess tearing. Excess tearing seems couterintuitive, but it can be an overcompensating reflex to dryness. The tears that your eyes produce are made up of 3 layers that work together to protect your eyes. Causes of dry eyes include: autoimmune conditions, medications, aging, dry/hot weather, moving air, reading or using the computer, amongst many others. These can combine to throw off the balance of your tears, and cause your tears to evaporate more quickly than your eyes can produce tears, resulting in dry eye symptoms. Please see our dry eye syndrome page for more information.
