Guides for patients

Written for the questions patients actually ask

By Dr. Sam Khoury, Optometrist22 guides

Plain explanations of what is going on, what helps at home, and when to come in. Each guide ends with the studies and guidelines it draws on. Nothing here replaces an examination; if something is happening to your eye now, call (609) 246-0236 and same-day slots are held.

Urgent: when to be seen the same day

Flashes and floaters: when to be seen the same dayNew flashes or floaters need a same-day dilated exam. Symptoms alone cannot tell a harmless change from a tear.8 min read Red eye: pink eye, allergy, a stye, or something that cannot waitMost red eyes are harmless and short-lived. A few are not, and the difference is in the details: pain, light sensitivity, vision, one eye or both, and whether you wear contact lenses.6 min read Higher risk of retinal detachment: what to watch forNearsighted, lattice, cataract surgery, or a detachment in the other eye? The warning signs, and when to call.4 min read Giant cell arteritis: the headache over 50 that can take your sightA new headache, jaw pain when chewing, or a brief blackout of vision in one eye after 50 can be an inflamed artery. Treated the same day, sight is usually saved.7 min read Ocular migraine: the shimmering zigzag that fades within the hourA shimmering zigzag that spreads over minutes and fades within the hour is usually a migraine aura. How to tell it from a retinal tear or a stroke warning.4 min read

Common conditions

Dry eye: what it is, and what helpsWhat the tear film does, why artificial tears often disappoint, what to try at home, and what an exam measures.13 min read Eyelash mites: the crust at the base of your lashesItchy lid edges and waxy sleeves around the lashes. What helps at home, and the six-week prescription drop.7 min read Cataracts: what they are, when to act, and what surgery involvesAlmost everyone gets one. How a cataract changes vision, why the decision is about your life rather than the cloudiness, and what happens before, during and after surgery.6 min read Glaucoma: the eye disease you cannot feelWhy half the people who have it do not know, what the tests measure, who is at higher risk, and what treatment involves when it is needed.7 min read Macular degeneration: what it is, what to watch for, and what helpsThe dry and wet forms, the weekly home check, who should take eye vitamins, and the treatments available now.5 min read Diabetic eye exams: what is checked, and why every yearDiabetes damages the small vessels of the retina silently for years. What the yearly exam looks for, how blood sugar and pressure change the odds, and what happens if something is found.6 min read Keratoconus: when the cornea changes shapeGlasses that never seem quite right, the shape map that finds it, cross-linking to stop it getting worse, and the habit that matters most.10 min read Astigmatism: what it is, and the ways to correct itA shape, not a disease. What it does to vision, what cylinder and axis mean on your prescription, and glasses, toric contact lenses and surgery.6 min read Presbyopia: why reading gets harder after forty, and what helpsReading glasses, progressives and multifocal contact lenses, and what to know before trying Vizz or another presbyopia eye drop.7 min read

Children

Children's eye exams: what happens, and why a school screening is not enoughWhat a first exam at five involves, how children are tested before they can read letters, the signs that are worth a visit, and the two childhood problems that are best caught early.6 min read Myopia management: slowing a child's nearsightednessStellest lenses, MiSight contact lenses and low-dose atropine, tracked by axial length.10 min read Lazy eye (amblyopia): what helps in childhood, and laterWhy one eye can see less clearly even with glasses, how it is treated in children, and what teens and adults can still do.9 min read

Medications and your eyes

Plaquenil eye exams: why the screening mattersWho needs hydroxychloroquine screening, how often, and what the two tests involve.7 min read GLP-1 medications and your eyes: when to have an examOn Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound? Who should come in, when, and the warning signs that need a same-day call.6 min read

Practical

How your eyes focus, and how to look after themNearsighted, farsighted, astigmatism and reading glasses explained, how to read your prescription, and everyday eye care.10 min read Contact lenses: what a fitting is, the kinds of lenses, and who they suitWhy a contact lens prescription is not a glasses prescription, the lens types from daily disposables to sclerals, what a fitting involves, and the habits that keep lenses safe.6 min read Vision plan or medical insurance: which one covers your visitMany patients have both and are not sure which applies. The rule payers use, what each kind covers, what Medicare does and does not pay for, and how to avoid a surprise.5 min read

After your visit

Patients seen in this office are also sent a short page written for their particular finding, from a stye to a referral to a retina specialist, with the instructions from the visit and the signs to call about. Those pages are sent by text after the visit rather than listed here.