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Your eyes can offer important insights into your overall health. At Connected Health, we help patients stay on track with routine eye exams as part of a whole-person approach to care. To provide trusted, expert guidance, we partnered with Dr. Eric Underwood of Wexford Eyecare to answer some of the most frequently asked eye health questions.
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At Connected Health, we believe preventive care extends far beyond an annual physical. True wellness includes every part of the body, including vision health.
Your eyes can reveal important information about your overall health, from diabetes and high blood pressure to autoimmune conditions and aging-related changes. That is why we encourage our patients to stay current with specialist care, screenings, and routine eye exams as part of their complete wellness journey.
As a concierge primary care practice, we help coordinate care beyond the walls of our office. Whether that means helping schedule specialist appointments, keeping preventive screenings on track, or supporting patients as they navigate their healthcare needs, our focus is always the whole person.
Many of our patients and staff members regularly ask questions about screen time, dry eyes, vision changes, and how to best protect long-term eye health. Because May is Healthy Vision Month, we were excited to bring in a local expert to help answer some of the most common topics we hear in our office.
Dr. Eric Underwood, lead doctor at Wexford Eyecare in Wexford, Pennsylvania, shared his insight on maintaining healthy vision and protecting eye health at every age. We compiled some of our patients’ and staff members’ most frequently asked questions and asked Dr. Underwood to weigh in.
Many people assume that if their vision feels “fine,” they don’t need an eye exam. But eye care isn’t just about how well you can see—it’s also an important part of preventive health.
Even patients without noticeable vision changes should prioritize regular comprehensive eye exams. As Dr. Underwood explains, adults without vision concerns should still have an exam every one to two years, in line with recommendations from the American Optometric Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
For those with conditions such as diabetes or hypertension, or a family history of glaucoma or macular degeneration, more frequent monitoring may be needed.
At Connected Health, this proactive, preventive approach is a key part of our care model. By helping patients stay up to date on routine exams and coordinating specialty care when needed, we support early detection and long-term health outcomes.
One of the most common concerns patients ask about today is the impact of screens on vision health. According to Dr. Underwood, it is important to distinguish between the effects screen time may have on adults versus children.
“In adults, there is no strong evidence that screen time causes permanent damage to the eyes,” Dr. Underwood explains. “However, prolonged screen use can contribute to digital eyestrain and visual fatigue. When using digital devices, our blink rate decreases by more than 50%, which can lead to dry eyes, irritation, and fatigue.”
Fortunately, he says there are several simple strategies that can help reduce symptoms:
Dr. Underwood emphasizes that children should follow these recommendations as well, but notes that the conversation around screen time becomes even more important for younger patients.
“I am a strong advocate for limiting recreational screen time in children,” he says. “Rates of myopia, or nearsightedness, are increasing rapidly, due in part to greater near-work demands and increased screen use.”
He also points to growing research showing broader health and developmental concerns associated with excessive screen exposure in children, including poorer sleep quality, reduced social-emotional development, and increased risks of anxiety and depression.
“Multiple studies have demonstrated the broader effects of excessive screen time on developing eyes and brains.”
Many serious eye conditions develop gradually and without noticeable symptoms in the early stages. However, Dr. Underwood says certain changes should always be evaluated promptly.
These include:
He also emphasizes that conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration can progress silently, making routine eye examinations especially important for long-term vision protection.
“Early detection is often key to achieving better outcomes and improving long-term prognosis.”
Dr. Underwood says there are many claims surrounding blue light glasses, but current evidence does not strongly support the idea that they prevent eye disease or significantly reduce digital eyestrain. That said, some patients do report subjective improvement in comfort during prolonged screen use.
Rather than relying solely on blue light lenses, Dr. Underwood recommends focusing on simple, proven habits:
He notes that blue light exposure from screens may interfere with melatonin production and circadian rhythms, which can contribute to poor sleep quality.
Modern contact lenses are generally very safe when worn properly, but healthy habits are essential.
Dr. Underwood recommends limiting contact lens wear to no more than 12 hours daily and stresses that lenses should never be worn while sleeping unless specifically prescribed for overnight use.
He also strongly advises against:
Water exposure can increase the risk of serious infections, including Acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare but severe corneal infection that can threaten vision.
If contact lens wearers experience redness, pain, irritation, or light sensitivity, they should remove their lenses immediately and contact their eye doctor.
Good nutrition plays an important role in long-term eye health. As Dr. Underwood puts it, “Your mother was right – carrots are good for your eyes!” While they won’t improve your vision or eliminate the need for glasses, carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. This nutrient is essential for healthy retinal function and plays an important role in maintaining vision, particularly in low-light conditions.
In general, maintaining a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle can help support overall eye health over time.
In addition to carrots, Dr. Underwood recommends incorporating dark leafy greens and vegetables such as kale, spinach, and broccoli into your diet. These foods are rich in the antioxidant carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which may help protect against age-related macular degeneration and support the eye’s natural ability to filter blue light.
The eye drop aisle can feel overwhelming, especially with recent recalls making headlines. As Dr. Underwood explains, “with so many options available…it can be difficult to know which products are safe and effective.”
One of his first recommendations is to avoid redness-relief drops. “I recommend avoiding ‘get the red out’ eye drops such as Visine, Clear Eyes, and Rohto,” he says. These products contain vasoconstrictors that may temporarily reduce redness but can lead to “rebound redness…often making the redness worse over time.”
One exception is Lumify, which Dr. Underwood notes is “safe and effective for temporary relief of eye redness when used as directed.”
For dry eye symptoms and computer-related dryness, he recommends trusted options such as iVizia, Refresh Relieva, and Systane Complete. For contact lens wearers, he emphasizes that “it is especially important to choose preservative-free artificial tears” or products specifically labeled as contact lens–safe.
He also advises patients to stick with well-established brands when possible, noting that caution is warranted with lesser-known alternatives.
Over-the-counter reading glasses can be a convenient and affordable option for many adults. However, as Dr. Underwood explains, “vision is typically clearest and most comfortable with prescription reading glasses made specifically for your eyes.”
That said, store-bought readers can work well in the right situations. “They are often a good option for individuals who have good distance vision, relatively equal vision in both eyes, and only need assistance with reading small print or other near tasks,” he notes.
They may also be helpful for certain groups, including those who have undergone vision correction procedures. “People who have had LASIK or cataract surgery may also do well using over-the-counter readers for near work,” Dr. Underwood adds.
In addition, these glasses can be especially useful for occasional or on-the-go needs, such as reading menus, price tags, or ingredient labels.
While over-the-counter options offer convenience, prescription readers are still the best choice for the most precise, comfortable vision, as they are tailored specifically to each patient’s eyes.
When it comes to long-term eye health, Dr. Underwood emphasizes that regular comprehensive eye exams are essential. In addition, one of the most important daily habits is consistent use of sunglasses.
UV exposure can contribute to cataracts, macular degeneration, skin cancers around the eyes, and premature aging of the delicate skin surrounding the eyes. As Dr. Underwood notes, “consistent UV protection may help slow the progression of age-related eye conditions.”
Sunglasses are important even on cloudy days, as UV light can still penetrate through clouds.
When choosing sunglasses, he recommends looking for:
Larger frames and wraparound styles often provide even better coverage by limiting UV exposure from the sides of the eyes.
Dr. Underwood is a licensed therapeutic optometrist and optometric glaucoma specialist with special interests in dry eye and ocular surface disease, specialty contact lenses, glaucoma, and pediatrics.
Dr. Underwood and his family recently moved back to the area after spending 15 years in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Underwood is currently accepting new patients.
Wexford Eyecare
6400 Brooktree Ct #200
Wexford, PA 15090
724-935-5761
wexfordeyecare.com
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