Eye Care Archives - Looking Glass Optical

Do Blue Light Glasses Really Work? What Science Says

On December 9, 2025 / Eye Care, Eye Strain, Facts About Your Sight, Pediatric Eye Care, Protective Eyewear / Leave a comment

It’s 11 PM. Your eyes feel like sandpaper, your head aches, and sleep seems impossible. Those trendy blue light glasses promise relief—your coworker swears by them, and ads follow you everywhere. Before you spend $30 to $300, here’s what science actually says. Spoiler: Save your money.Blue light spans 400-500 nanometers (nm), with 415-455 nm being the highest energy visible light. Your screen emits less than 1% of what you get from the sun—about 100,000 times less blue light than stepping outside. During daytime, blue light is beneficial. It activates intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) in your retina, which suppress melatonin, boost alertness, and regulate your circadian rhythm. The problem: these ipRGCs can’t distinguish between your phone at 10 PM and actual dawn, potentially disrupting sleep signals. But here’s where marketing diverges from science.

Holiday Eye Injuries: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Vision

On November 19, 2025 / Dry Eye, Eye Care, Pediatric Eye Care, Protective Eyewear, UV Protection

The pattern in all these holiday eye injuries is clear: most of them are entirely preventable. A moment of caution, the proper protective equipment, and awareness of risks can mean the difference between a joyful holiday season and one spent recovering from a serious injury. As you prepare for your holiday celebrations, keep eye safety in mind. An accident can happen in just seconds, but the consequences can last a lifetime.

When Do You Need Reading Glasses? Understanding Presbyopia

On November 5, 2025 / Eye Care, Eye Strain, Facts About Your Sight

You’re out to dinner, the server hands you the menu, and suddenly you’re holding it at arm’s length trying to make out the small print. Or maybe you’ve noticed that reading text messages requires more effort than it used to, and you find yourself adjusting the distance between your phone and your eyes more often. If this sounds familiar, you’re likely experiencing presbyopia, a natural part of aging that affects nearly everyone. Welcome to presbyopia. It’s not a disease. It’s not “going blind.” It’s just your eyes reminding you that turning 40 comes with some assembly required—and apparently, those assemblies are reading glasses.

How Dehydration Affects Your Vision

On October 23, 2025 / Contact Lenses, Dry Eye, Eye Care, Eye Strain, Facts About Your Sight, Protective Eyewear

You know that feeling when you realize you haven’t had a glass of water in hours? Maybe you’ve got a headache coming on, or you’re feeling a bit sluggish. But here’s something you might not have considered: your eyes are feeling it too.

At Looking Glass Optical in Pasadena, Maryland, Dr. Teles and Dr. Maner see patients every day who don’t realize that their eye discomfort is connected to something as simple as dehydration. Your body is about 60% water, and your eyes depend on proper hydration to function comfortably. When you don’t drink enough water, your vision can suffer in ways you might not expect.

Why You See Halos Around Lights at Night (and When to Worry)

On October 9, 2025 / Dry Eye, Eye Care, Eyeglass frames, Facts About Your Sight, Glaucoma

You’re driving home after dark, and suddenly the streetlights seem to have glowing rings around them. Or maybe you’ve noticed that oncoming headlights look like they’re surrounded by starbursts. If you’ve experienced halos around lights at night, you’re not alone—and you’re right to wonder what’s causing them.

At Looking Glass Optical in Pasadena, Maryland, Dr. Teles and Dr. Maner understand that changes in your night vision can be unsettling. The good news is that halos around lights aren’t always a sign of something serious. But they can be your eyes’ way of telling you that something needs attention. Let’s talk about what causes these halos, when they’re normal, and when it’s time to schedule an appointment.

How Changing Seasons Affect Your Eyes (Besides Allergies)

On September 23, 2025 / Dry Eye, Eye Care, Eye Strain

As the leaves begin to change color here in Maryland and we prepare for cooler weather, you might notice your eyes feeling different, too. While most people are aware that seasonal allergies can affect their vision, Dr. Teles and Dr. Maner want you to know that the changing seasons also impact your eyes in several other important ways that often go unnoticed.

What to Know About Depth Perception and 3D Vision

On September 9, 2025 / Eye Care, Eye Strain, Facts About Your Sight, Lazy Eye, Protective Eyewear

Have you ever wondered how your eyes work together to help you catch a baseball, park your car, or walk down stairs without stumbling? The answer lies in your remarkable depth perception, which enables you to see the world in three dimensions. At Looking Glass Optical in Pasadena, Maryland, Dr. Teles and Dr. Maner aim to help you understand this fascinating aspect of vision and why depth perception is important for your daily life.

How Gaming Affects Eye-Health: What Parents and Players Should Know

On August 6, 2025 / Dry Eye, Eye Care, Eye Strain, Lazy Eye, Pediatric Eye Care

Video games are a common pastime for children and adults alike. They’re a fun way to de-stress and can even build helpful cognitive skills in young people before they enter the world. Unfortunately, gaming isn’t all positive. The gaming eye-health relationship has become clearer with recent research, and the signs point to frequent screen use causing vision problems. Here are the facts to consider as a parent or player before picking up the controller or mouse.

What Is Visual Acuity? Understanding the Sharpness of Your Sight

On July 9, 2025 / 20/20 Vision, Eye Care, Eye Strain, Facts About Your Sight

About 35% of people have 20/20 vision. However, this isn’t exactly the same thing as perfect sight. You might be surprised to learn that even people with 20/20 vision can struggle with certain visual issues. So what does having 20/20 vision really mean? This ratio is actually a measurement of visual acuity. It offers insight into how clearly and sharply you see items at a certain distance. It doesn’t mean, however, that you have perfect vision. Learn more about visual acuity and why it’s only one part of establishing eye health.

What Is Contrast Sensitivity and Why Does It Matter for Your Vision?

On June 24, 2025 / 20/20 Vision, Eye Care, Facts About Your Sight, Glaucoma

How clearly you see objects depends in great part on your visual system’s contrast sensitivity level. It’s not something you learn about during regular eye exams, so you might not realize that some of the vision problems you may be experiencing are the result of contrast sensitivity issues. Contrast sensitivity is a crucial aspect of visual function and is invaluable in low vision conditions, such as when driving at night. If you have 20/20 vision but you’re still struggling to see clearly in certain situations, it may be time to turn to your vision care specialist for help. Learn more about contrast sensitivity and how it impacts your sight.