10 Tips on How to Prevent Eye Problems

1. If you use electronics and/or computers for long periods of time, take frequent, short breaks to rest your eyes.

2. Eat a healthy, varied diet. Fruits and vegetables are very important for your eye health.

3. Go to your local optometry office for a routine eye exam. Getting exams on a regular basis will help to decrease your chances of developing significant eye problems.

4. When exposed to sunlight, wear sunglasses that block UV rays and wide-brimmed hats.

5. Quit smoking.

6. Prevent eye injuries by wearing safety glasses when needed.

7. Keep your contact lenses clean and replace them when needed.

8. Know your family's eye health history.

9. Exercise daily.

10. Seek treatment for dry, itchy, teary, red eyes right away.


If you have any questions, or if you'd like to schedule your routine eye exam, call Kirman Eye today at 717-566-3216.

Suffering From Red, Itchy Eyes? Our Eye Doctors Can Help!

Many people unfortunately suffer from red, itchy eyes. It's actually more common than you would think!

Well, what are you supposed to do for red eyes? How do you treat itchy eyes? And why do you even have red, itchy eyes in the first place? These are all great questions that our optometrists are about to answer!

What Causes Red, Itchy Eyes in Kids & Adults?

There are several reasons why some people experience this often annoying, uncomfortable symptom, including:

• • Seasonal allergies
• • Perennial allergies
• • Eye infections
• • Allergic reaction to food, makeup, perfume, etc
• • Indoor allergens
• • Allergy to contact lenses

How to Get Rid of Red, Itchy Eyes

Over-the-counter antihistamines and eye drops are the most common methods to decrease the discomfort. You'll most likely find relief using either of these methods, but consult with your eye doctor or physician before taking any type of medication.

If you have any questions, call Kirman Eye today at 717-566-3216.

Astigmatism: Definition, Types, and Care

Astigmatism is incorrectly labeled as “stigmatism” by many people. This common eye condition is actually quite misunderstood.

What is Astigmatism?

Astigmatism is not an eye health problem. Rather, it's when the eye has trouble focusing light. Instead of being able to focus clearly, there are multiple focus points that occur. These multiple focus points typically occur in front of or behind the retina (or both).

Types of Astigmatism

There are 3 types of astigmatism, including:
1. Myopic astigmatism
2. Hyperopic astigmatism
3. Mixed astigmatism

At Kirman Eye, we will screen you for this common eye condition using innovative technology and testing procedures.

Correcting Astigmatism

Once we perform our testing procedures, and if you have astigmatism, there are common methods of correction, including:

• • Contact lenses
• • Eyeglasses
• • Refractive surgery

One of our experienced optometrists will help you determine which is the best corrective action for your eye health.

Top 3 Reasons to Get Your Regular Eye Examinations

1. To make sure your visual acuity is in check! You want to make sure that your eyes are functioning at their peak level. If you have nearsightedness, farsightedness or other visual issues, we can help you get relief. Also, if you suffer from common ailments, such as red eyes, itchy eyes, sensitive eyes, and such eye problems, we can help you find relief.

2. To screen, diagnose, and receive treatment for eye diseases, if necessary. There are several eye diseases that we treat at our office. There are quite a few patients who don't realize they have symptoms since some diseases do not always cause major symptoms. During your regular optometry appointments, we can perform routine screenings for such diseases. If it turns out that you or a loved one has an eye disease, we can provide treatment right here at our office.

3. To receive corrective lenses or eyeglasses for developmental problems. This is especially important if you have children. To detect and get treatment for common eye development problems, it's important to get routine eye exams. Just remember that it's best to catch and stop a minor problem BEFORE it turns into a major problem!

If you'd like to schedule your routine eye exams, call Kirman Eye today at 717-566-3216!

“Why Does My Eye Twitch?” Our Optometrists Explain!

Ever wonder why your twitches one minute but the next minute it's fine? Or have you ever had eye twitches that

last for weeks or months at a time? Actually, a lot of our patients ask those same questions, too!

Common Reasons for Eye Twitching

Sometimes both the upper eyelid and the bottom lid can twitch, even though the latter one is more common. Here are some reasons why this happens:

• • Allergies
• • Caffeine (too much of it)
• • Dry eyes
• • Fatigue
• • Stress
• • Eye strain
• • Alcohol
• • Nutritional imbalances
• • Light sensitivity
• • Pinkeye
• • Incorrect contact lens prescription

Treatment for Eye Spasms

Usually eye spasms are not something serious. However, if they are interrupting your daily life, or if you're experiencing spams for an extended period of time, call your eye doctor.

To lessen the occurrence of this sometimes annoying eye problem, take care of your health. Be aware of the reasons why people get eye spasms in the first place, and try to avoid them!

Also, try to figure out what is causing your eye to twitch, then try solving that underlying problem.

As always, if you have any other questions, give Kirman Eye a call, or contact us using our website!

Age-Related Macular Degeneration: What You Need to Know

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the developed world.

What is Age-related Macular Degeneration?

AMD is a deterioration or the breakdown of the eye's macula. What is the eye's macula? It is the small area in the retina-- the light-sensitive tissue which lines the back of the eye. The macula is responsible for your central vision--- which allows you to view fine details with clarity.

AMD is the late stage of age-related macular disease.

The early stages involve hyper-pigmentation or hypo-pigmentation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the development of drusen (yellow deposits under the retina). People who experience AMD in the late stages of the disease typically have:

• • Severe vision loss
• • Signs of choroidal neovascularization (growth of new blood vessels within the choroid layer of the eye)
• • sub-retinal hemorrhage
• • Geographic atrophy

What Causes Age-related Macular Degeneration?

The primary cause is said to be the premature dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The RPE is a monolayer that is responsible for the majority of maintenance functions for the neurosensory retina.

If you or someone you know is suffering from symptoms of this common medical eye disease, we encourage you to call us.

At Kirman Eye, we can test your condition with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT). Get the eye care you deserve from our experienced doctors!

Gentle & Compassionate Children's Eye Care in Hummelstown!

We all want what's best for our kids, and that includes great care for their health and well-being. Taking excellent care of their vision should be a high priority, along with routine pediatric doctor visits!

When your child gets his or her routine eye exam, we are able to pinpoint any symptoms, make a diagnosis, and start treatment....before any issue turns into something serious. The routine eye exam is also a great way to get reassurance that your son or daughter is taking proper care of their eye health!

When Should a Child's First Eye Exam Be?

Actually, at Kirman Eye, we recommend kids getting their first eye exam between 6 and 12 months of age. After this visit, we then suggest exams at age 3 and age 5 (or yearly if needed).

Furthermore, Kirman Eye actively participates in the InfantSEE Program, which allows babies from 6 months to 12 months old obtain a free eye exam. Contact us at 717-566-3216 to learn more!

Eye Exams & Eyewear for Kids

It is always best to catch problems before they become something serious. During the exam, if we find an area of concern, we commonly detect and diagnose eye problems using the Optomap Retinal Exam for Kids.

As a result of the eye exam, if your son or daughter needs corrective lenses, prescription lenses, sunglasses, or safety eyewear, we have several kid's eyewear selections in our optical boutique! One of our trained optical boutique team members can help you and your child determine eye care needs and eyewear styles.

To take care of your kid's vision the best way possible, be sure to schedule regular optometry exams. Our friendly, caring doctors are passionate about eye care...call us today!

Symptoms and Care for People with Cataracts

Many people suffer from cataracts, which is a clouding of the eye's natural lens. This can significantly impair your vision and cause other problems, too.

Symptoms of Cataracts

Typically, those suffering from this eye disease experience a few symptoms at the onset. As symptoms progress, he or she will notice that light gets blocked on a daily basis. He or she can also experience:

• • Double vision
• • Vision becomes foggy, cloudy, and/or blurry
• • Dramatic, sudden, and significant changes in eyeglass prescription
• • Distinct changes with the way you see colors
• • Sensitivity to light
• • Halos or rings around every light
• • Noticeable problems with glare when exposed to sunlight and/or bright lights
• • Nearsightedness in older individuals

There are a few types of cataracts, including: age-related cataracts, secondary cataracts, congenital cataracts, and traumatic cataracts.

In order to find out if you have cataracts, one of our doctors will perform a thorough eye exam. We will also examine the condition of the lens, along with other parts of your eye.

Get the Care You Deserve

If you or a loved one experiences symptoms of this common medical eye disease, we recommend scheduling an appointment today.
You can request an appointment on our website or call us at 717-566-3216. We are conveniently located in downtown Hummelstown, PA (not far from Harrisburg and Hershey)!

Suffering from Sensitive Eyes? Learn More!

Light sensitivity is also referred to as “photophobia.” Some of us might experience this a few times throughout

our lives, whereas others suffer from this condition on a daily basis. Regardless of whether you have slight discomfort from bright lights or if you can't stand any type of light, it is a good idea to get an eye exam from your optometrist.

What Causes Sensitive Eyes in Children or Adults?

Sensitive eyes is not a disease, condition, or a disorder on its own. Rather, photophobia is a symptom or a side effect of an underlying cause or reason. Some common underlying causes or reasons why adults or children can suffer from photophobia:

• • An eye infection
• • Eye inflammation
• • Viral illness
• • Severe headache or migraine
• • Too much time spent focusing on electronics (cell phones, smartphones, video games, laptops, etc)
• • A person's eye color (people with lighter colored eyes sometimes have greater eye sensitivity issues)
• • Sunburn
• • Medications
• • Eye surgeries
• • Contact lens irritation

Symptoms of Sensitive Eyes

• • Excessive tearing of the eyes
• • Burning eyes
• • Feeling the need to squint when exposed to light
• • Feeling the need to close your eyes completely when exposed to light
• • Discomfort

Each person's symptoms will vary. Actually, some of our patients tell us they have sensitive eyes one day, but then their eyes are fine during other days throughout the week!

So it all depends on the individual patient and the underlying cause.

Our doctors will speak with you about your symptoms to determine the underlying cause. Then we can provide treatment as needed. The type of treatment for sensitive eyes heavily depends on the underlying cause.

So if you're experiencing sensitivity, come talk to one of our doctors about your symptoms. We want to take care of your symptoms so you have healthy eyes all year long!

Looking For Eyeglasses or Sunglasses Near Hummelstown, Hershey, or Harrisburg? Shop Our Optical Boutique!

Have you been searching for that perfect pair of sunglasses?

Need eyeglasses to suit your everyday style? Shopping for a gift for that special someone?

These are just some of the MANY reasons to come shop at our optical boutique at Kirman Eye! We are a close drive from Palmyra, Elizabethtown, and even Lemoyne!

We also offer a 2nd pair discount after you buy your first pair. With over 900 designer frames, you might just need to take advantage of this eyewear discount!

If you have any questions at all, feel free to call our office. Don't forget....you do NOT need an appointment to shop around our optical boutique...just walk in!!

Eye Exams for Contact Lenses From Our Technician

Do you know that almost anyone can wear contact lenses?

Regardless of whether you're diagnosed with near sightedness, far sightedness, astigmatism, presbyopia (requiring bifocals) or even keratoconus — Kirman Eye can help you make the transition to contact lenses.

Meet Angie Shireman, Our Knowledgeable Contact Lens Technician!

Angie is here to assist you with all of your contact lens needs! She advises patients on how to best take care of their lenses.

If needed, she provides thorough instructions for proper lens care and handling. Angie also performs new contact lens fittings.

Types of Contact Lenses

There are several types of lenses to match your eye care needs. After receiving a thorough eye exam, Angie will be able to determine which contact lens is best for you.

Here are a few of the contact lenses offered at our optometry office:

• • Soft lenses
• • Hard lenses
• • Speciality lenses
• • Paragon CRT® (Corneal Refractive Therapy)
• • Continuous wear contact lenses (an alternative to LASIK surgery)
• • Special prescriptions: Bifocals & torics

If you have any questions about contact lenses, or you'd like to schedule your appointment, call Kirman Eye today at 717-566-3216!

7 Reasons to Shop at Our Optical Boutique-- Near Hershey & Harrisburg!

Looking for designer eyewear or sunglasses in the Hummelstown area (near Hershey and Harrisburg)? Look no further....the Kirman Eye optical boutique has what you need!

Why Shop at Our Optical Boutique?

1. Our year-round special offer/discount: Buy 1 pair of frames and get the 2nd pair at a discounted price! We also offer additional discounts and specials throughout the year...check out our Facebook page often!

2. You can shop for your ENTIRE family. We offer eyeglasses and sunglasses for children and adults.

3. Choose among our selection of eyewear accessories and eye care products.

4. HUGE selection of designer frames....over 900 frames!! We also carry fit overs, protective eyewear, sports glasses, and sunglasses.

5. Our friendly, knowledgeable optical staff will assist you in your selection!

6. Our optical lab that produces ALL of our glasses is on site---this cuts down significantly on turnaround time and wait time for you!

7. If you need your glasses repaired OR you need to replace the nose pads, we can do that, too-- no appointment necessary.


If you're in the Hummelstown area, stop by and browse our selections. There's no need for an appointment if you'd like to shop at the boutique!

4 Tips to Choose the Best Safety Eyewear

Every year approximately 75 million pairs of safety glasses are sold throughout the United States alone. Here at our optometry office, we provide safety eyewear to patients of all ages who need to protect their eyes.

When deciding the type that's right for you, we take into account many variables. Actually, here are 4 out of many tips for choosing the best safety eyewear:

1. 1. Choose the diopter strength that's right for you (i.e. +2.50, +2.00, +1.50, +1.00). Our trained optometrists and opticians will help you understand this important component. We will perform a diagnosis to determine what's best for you.


2. 2. Order prescription safety glasses if you need to! We carry 3M/AO Safety and Workforce/On Guard safety glasses for optimal protection.


3. 3. Determine the reason why you need safety eyeglasses. This is considered a hazard assessment. Once you determine why you need safety eyewear, we can help you determine the type of eyeglass needed. Some tasks that require safety glasses include: woodworking, welding, soldering, chemical handling, dusty conditions, masonry work, furnace operations, etc.


4. 4. Choose a lens color that fits your needs. There are several types of lens colors to choose from. Each colored lens has a different functionality. We can help you choose the best color based on the application and environment you'll be exposed to.

If you need prescription or non-prescription safety glasses, contact Kirman Eye today--- your optometry office near Hershey, PA! Contact us with any questions you may have!

Glaucoma: Facts, Care, and Prevention

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) estimates that 2.2 million people across the United States suffer from primary open-angle glaucoma (this is the most common type of glaucoma).

Furthermore, they expect this will increase to 3.3 million people affected by 2020 since the U.S. population will continue to increase.

Glaucoma Care and Treatment

It's always best to seek treatment early on before glaucoma worsens. Many times patients have glaucoma but they don't notice it until they experience vision loss to some extent. At this point of vision loss, the optic nerve has already been irreversibly damaged (sometimes leading to permanent vision loss).

If a person does not seek treatment for glaucoma at any point, he or she can suffer from peripheral vision loss (also called “tunnel vision”), which can in turn lead to blindness.

We recommend seeking treatment and getting screened for glaucoma at your local optometry office.

Glaucoma Symptoms

Before glaucoma-related vision loss occurs, there are a few symptoms to be aware of:

• • nausea
• • vomiting
• • blurry vision
• • seeing halos around lights
• • significant eye pain

If you or a loved one suffers from these symptoms, we highly recommend visiting the nearest emergency room or scheduling your appointment with Dr. Gary Kirman or Dr. Stephen Baer at Kirman Eye. Doing so can help to prevent permanent vision loss.

Since some individuals may not notice initial symptoms (or they may not have symptoms at all), it is very important to get a routine eye exam. During your optical appointment, we can screen for glaucoma-related symptoms, along with other eye-related problems.

Tips for Preventing Glaucoma

There are several ways that you can help minimize your risk for glaucoma, including:

• • eating a healthy diet, including fruits and vegetables
• • eating a varied diet
• • not smoking
• • maintaining a healthy weight

At Kirman Eye, we use the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT) to detect and manage glaucoma. Our doctors also recommended the RHA scan (routine eye health screening) for patients over age 50.

3 Common Eye Problems

There are many types of problems you can experience with your eyesight as you get older. Here are just 3 of the many visual problems that we diagnose and successfully treat at Kirman Eye:

1. Myopia
2. Hyperopia
3. Presbyopia

What is Myopia?

When a person experiences difficulty focusing on objects at a distance. The way we most commonly treat nearsightedness is with the use of corrective lenses (i.e. contact lenses and eyeglasses). Our optometrists have many years of experience diagnosing and treating those suffering from myopia.

What is Hyperopia?

This eye condition is most commonly known as "farsighted." When patients have difficulty focusing their eyes on near objects, this is commonly diagnosed as hyperopia. If the condition worsens without seeking treatment, he or she may also have great difficulty focusing on objects at any distance.

What is Presbyopia?

As patients get older, some may experience difficulty focusing on objects near to them. This is usually a classic symptom when someone ages, just like gray hair and wrinkles. If you are between the ages of 40 and 50, and you start to experience any of the following symptoms, we recommend calling our optometry office (located near Hershey & Harrisburg) for an appointment: problems focusing on small print; problems focusing on small objects; eyestrain; and/or difficulty with eyesight in the dark (or dim lighting).

If you haven't visited your optometrist lately, we recommend scheduling an appointment very soon. You don't want to wait until it's too late!

Year-round Tips for Healthy Eyes!

Wondering how to take care of your eyes on a year-round basis? Have you ever wondered how the change of seasons impact your eyes and your eye health?

Depending on the different seasons (fall, winter, spring, summer), there are certain tips for taking great care of your eyes....no matter if you're an adult or a child!

A Few Specific Tips For Smart, Healthy Eye Care!

• -- Don't forget to schedule a routine eye exam for yourself (and if you have children). Getting a comprehensive exam can help detect eye problems early on.
• -- Wear your sunglasses...even if it's cloudy! Teach your children to start wearing sunglasses from an early age, too.
• -- Work on the computer a lot? Use your mobile device a lot? Practice healthy care to avoid digital eye strain!

If you'd like to read more, feel free to visit this informative page!

Suffer from Digital Eye Strain? You're Not the Only One!

Digital Eye Strain

Are you one of the 70% suffering from this condition?? You might be suffering from this condition, but our optometry professionals can help you!

If you're one of the many thousands and thousands of people who are constantly on their iPads, iPhones, tablets, computers, cell phones (and on, and on!), you need to take frequent breaks. This will give your eyes a break so you don't end up suffering from dry eyes, burning eyes, itching eyes, etc.

If you're interested in learning more, read NBC's article here!

If you're interested in speaking to one of our experienced optometrists, call Kirman Eye today at 717-566-3216.

We are more than happy to schedule an appointment to make sure you practice healthy eye care on a daily basis!

January: Glaucoma Awareness Month!

Glaucoma Awareness Month! Please read below and share with your loved ones. Don't forget...your yearly eye exam is so important!

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month!

Call Kirman Eye today to schedule your routine eye exam!