American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart

Fireworks and Your Eyes

Remember, fireworks are not toys

Make this 4th of July memorable for the right reasons by protecting your family from potentially blinding fireworks eye injuries.

Keep Your Family Safe This 4th of July

Fireworks: The Blinding Truth

Suzy the Sparkler and Freddie the Firecracker sure are a blast. But is that always a good thing?

Get more fireworks safety information

Sports Eye Safety

Do you have the proper protection?

Some sports require more eye protection than others. Is your family taking the right precautions?

Eye Health in Sports and Recreation

Protect Your Eyes from UV Rays

Sunglasses aren’t just for fashion!

UV light from the sun increases the risk of some eye diseases, including cataract, growths and cancer.

Learn how to keep your eyes safe

Losing Sight: Julian’s Story

Costume contacts blind man in one eye

Julian wanted to look different. Now he does after an infection from non-prescription contact lenses cost him his vision.

Learn more

Eye Diseases and Conditions

Learn about eye diseases and conditions, their impact on your vision and treatments.

Eye Diseases A – Z

Got symptoms?

Use this comprehensive list to learn about what is serious, and what isn’t.

Eye symptoms

Our Mission

The EyeSmart® website (at www.geteyesmart.org) provides public education about eye health from the American Academy of Ophthalmology – the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons. A trusted source for accurate, timely and relevant eye health information, EyeSmart educates the public about risk factors for eye diseases, infections and injuries. The website contains comprehensive ophthalmologist-reviewed information, including videos and interactive vision simulators to help people understand how ophthalmologists can help prevent, diagnose and treat eye conditions.

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San Francisco, CA
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has written an article
On Sep 03

Are Your Contact Lenses Swimming in Bacteria?

Contact lenses are so popular, even grade-school children with fuzzy vision are skipping the specs and choosing contacts. The trend makes it easy to forget that contacts can expose users to some se...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Jan 20, 2021

What is a stye?

A stye — also called a hordeolum (pronounced hordee-OH-lum) — often appears as a red, sore lump near the edge of the eyelid. It is usually caused by a bacterial infection. A stye will d...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Dec 03, 2020

What causes retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)?

Doctors do not know for certain what causes retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Blood vessels in the eye normally finish developing in the last few weeks before birth. Premature infants, however, lea...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Dec 03, 2020

How is retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) detected?

Premature babies should be screened for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and all other at-risk illnesses shortly following birth. An ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) can diagnose ROP during an examinatio...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Dec 03, 2020

What is macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration is a disease of the macula — a small area in the retina at the back of the eye. The macula allows you to see fine details clearly and do things such as read and drive. Wh...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Jun 11, 2020

What is retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)?

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an eye disease that occurs in a small percentage of premature babies.In ROP, abnormal blood vessels grow on the retina — the light-sensitive layer of cells...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Nov 07, 2019

What are the symptoms of migraine headaches?

The most common sign of migraine is headache lasting for hours. Symptoms generally include: Pounding pain on one side of your head (or steady pain on both sides of your head); Sensitivity to li...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Jun 03, 2019

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. It is a disease of the optic nerve, which is the part of the eye that carries the images we see from the eye to the brain. G...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On May 20, 2019

What happens when the carotid artery is blocked?

A narrowing, hardening, or irregularity of the carotid artery can cause a blood clot or accumulation of debris to form in the artery. This is known as carotid artery disease. The debris may break o...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Apr 05, 2019

How does Graves' disease affect the eyes?

Graves’ disease can affect your eyes in many different ways. The symptoms may vary from person to person and may fluctuate or clear up suddenly without any treatment. Following are several co...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Feb 25, 2019

What is a dilated eye exam?

The American Academy of Ophthalmology now recommends a complete dilated exam by the time you are 40 (if you are not already getting regular eye exams). If you have not had a complete eye exam in th...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Jan 30, 2019

How is carotid artery disease treated?

Treatment of carotid artery disease may involve one or more of the following: Blood-thinning medications, such as aspirin, to help prevent blood clots Medication to lower blood pressure Surger...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Jan 11, 2019

What is laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery?

Laser in situ keratomileusis, or LASIK, is an outpatient surgical procedure used to treat myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. With LASIK, your ophthalmologist (Eye...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Sep 26, 2018

Why is it important for people with diabetes to see an eye specialist?

Every individual with diabetes should have an eye exam at least once a year and at any time that they note any unusual symptoms in their vision to reduce risk of permanent vision loss.
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart has answered a question
On Sep 19, 2018

What medications help treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)?

Certain medications known as alpha-blockers are commonly used to improve urination in men with a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or enlarged prostate. These alpha-blocker drugs ...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart

Fireworks and Your Eyes

Remember, fireworks are not toys

Fireworks: The Blinding Truth

Sports Eye Safety

Do you have the proper protection?

Protect Your Eyes from UV Rays

Sunglasses aren’t just for fashion!

Losing Sight: Julian’s Story

Costume contacts blind man in one eye

Our Mission

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Are Your Contact Lenses Swimming in Bacteria?

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