Ask the Optician Our Eyes and How They Work

How does the eye work?

The human eye works a lot like a camera. When you take a picture, the lens in the front of the camera allows light through and focuses that light on the film that covers the back inside wall of the camera. When the light hits the film, a picture is taken. When we “see something” with our eyes the clear, front parts of the eye (the cornea, pupil and lens) allow light to pass through. The cornea and the lens then focuses that light onto a thin layer of tissue called the retina, which covers the back inside wall of the eye. The retina is like the film in a camera. It is the seeing tissue of the eye. When the focused light hits the retina, a picture is taken. Messages about this picture are sent to the brain through the optic nerve. This is how we see.

What Is legal blindness?

You are legally blind when the best corrected central acuity is less than 20/200 in your better eye (perfect visual acuity is 20/20) or your side vision is narrowed to 20 degrees or less in your better eye. If you are legally blind, you could possibly still have some useful vision.

What Is low vision?

Low vision is not the same as blindness. Low vision is a term describing a level of vision of 20/70 or worse that cannot be corrected with conventional glasses. Low vision, in many cases, can be improved with specialty lenses or magnifiers. Your Optician, along with a Low Vision Specialist, can supply you with the proper tools to best address your individual needs. Our office has a low vision specialist come in on a regular basis to see our low vision patients. Low vision may interfere with the performance of daily activities, such as reading or driving.

What is near sighted?

A nearsighted (myopic) person sees close up objects clearly, but objects in the distance are blurred when not wearing glasses. Nearsightedness (medically termed myopia) affects males and females equally. People who have a family history of nearsightedness are more likely to develop it. People who are nearsighted need to change glasses or contact lenses often during their growing years. It usually stops progressing as a person reaches full physical maturity. Nearsightedness is corrected easily with either eyeglasses or contact lenses.

What is far sighted?

Farsightedness (medically termed hyperopia) is when objects nearby appear blurry and distant objects are seen clearly. Farsightedness usually is present at birth and tends to run in families. You can easily correct this condition with eyeglasses or contact lenses.

As always I hope I have enlightened a few of you and addressed some interesting topics. Please email all your optical questions to Joel at VillageOpticians@hotmail.com.