Back-to-school and the coming of Oregon’s rainy season present renewed challenges for us visually. Kids are moving from a year of intense computer work to in-classroom learning. It’s pretty easy for them to tell that they are having trouble trying to read the board in the classroom. Less obvious are problems that might interfere with their reading comprehension or ability to concentrate on near work. We recommend a yearly eye exam for school age kids, during which we check not only their distance vision, but their binocular function and focusing ability as well. This helps catch problems that might be interfering with their learning without them being aware of it!
For adults, especially older adults, the change in the weather and amount of daylight can cause problems while driving. Our rainy conditions make driving a challenge in several ways, but an out-of-date prescription can add to the difficulty of reading street signs or seeing the curve ahead. Developing cataracts are another source of decreased comfort with driving vision, especially the glare from oncoming headlights. As our days get shorter, we find ourselves unable to avoid driving in the dark, even in early evening. A routine eye exam may be able to help you feel safer and more confident in your driving vision as we enter the fall and winter season.