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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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Feb 17

What are the symptoms of a corneal abrasion?

You may experience the following symptoms with corneal abrasion: The feeling of having something in your eye Pain and soreness of the eye Redness of the eye Sensitivity to light Tearing Blurred vision
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Dr. Gary S. Hirshfield, MD of American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Feb 17

How often should I be examined by an ophthalmologist if I take Plaquenil?

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommendations for screening of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) retinal damage were recently updated in 2011. Plaquenil is more commonly used and the risk for damage increases after a total cumulative dose of 1000 gm or 5 or more years of use....
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Dr. Aaron P. Weingeist, MD of American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Feb 15

When should I have dilated eye exams?

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 the last few years, consider getting one. Complaints of decreased near vision and the need to use reading
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Feb 15

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, leave the protective uterus before blood vessels of the eye have had a chance to fully develop. The infant
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Feb 10

How does smoking affect fetal and infant eye health?

Studies have also shown a strong association between smoking during pregnancy and the risk of invasive meningitis during early childhood. The risk of bacterial meningitis is five times higher among children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy. In addition to other severe health problems, childhood
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Dr. Tamara Fountain of American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Feb 10

How should an eye injury from paintball be treated?

It is important to call for medical help immediately and have an ophthalmologist or other medical doctor examine the eye as soon as possible, even if the injury seems minor at first. In the meantime, while waiting for medical help, if your eye has been cut or punctured, gently place a shield over...
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Dr. Louis B. Cantor, MD of American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Feb 09

Does aging cause poor night vision?

Both men and women may experience difficulties with night vision associated with aging. Often times these symptoms can be lessened by appropriate glasses or by just using good lighting for certain tasks. It is important to have a complete eye exam to rule out cataracts, glaucoma, and macular dege...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Feb 09

How does an ophthalmologist become certified?

After four years of college and eight additional years of medical education and training, an ophthalmologist must pass a rigorous two-part examination given by the American Board of Ophthalmology.
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Feb 02

How should I care for my vision as I grow older?

Many eye diseases and disorders become more common as we age. Advances in ophthalmology allow most people to maintain good vision as they grow older. Many eye problems can be prevented or corrected if detected in their early stages. Most older people have good vision. If you do develop a vision p...
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Dr. Aaron P. Weingeist, MD of American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Jan 30

How often do I need an eye exam as I grow older?

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 the last few years, consider getting one.
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart was mentioned in an article
On Jan 27

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 serious vision risks, especially for folks who don’t read the fine print on how to care for lenses
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Dr. Wayne Bizer of American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Jan 26

Why would my doctor want an angiogram of my eye before cataract surgery?

An angiogram of the eye is an excellent method of studying the health of the back of the eye (retina). It is a test that is performed very frequently in ophthalmology as part of the care for retinal disorders, but performing it to qualify a patient for cataract surgery is not common, unless the
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Dr. Michael X. Repka of American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Jan 26

How is a blocked tear duct treated?

The ophthalmological community approaches this problem in a number of ways. In some cases, particularly with frequent infections, parents do have a probing (a surgical procedure) done at six to 12 months. Others decide to wait because there is about a 75% chance of spontaneous resolution of the c...
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Dec 13

Should people with weak eyes avoid reading fine print?

It is said that people with weak eyes or people who wear glasses will “wear out” their eyes sooner if they read fine print or do a lot of detail work. The concept of the eye as a muscle is incorrect. The eye more closely resembles a camera. A camera will not wear out sooner just because it is used..
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American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered
On Dec 13

What are the symptoms of retinal detachment?

These early symptoms may indicate the presence of a retinal detachment: Flashing lights New floaters A shadow in the periphery (side) of your field of vision A gray curtain moving across your field of vision These symptoms do not always mean a retinal detachment is present; however, you should
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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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