Sure, our eyes are the windows to our souls, but they can also cause extreme discomfort and irritation for many of us, not to mention serious health issues if left unchecked.

We asked Dr. Jason Hershorn of St. Clair Optometry how to prevent some of the most common eye ailments, what he suggests for those of us glued to our computer screens all day long and what the risks of laser eye surgery really are.

Find out his response after the jump.

Q: Is it necessary to get my eyes checked even if I've never worn glasses?

A: Your eyes are a window of your overall health and your optometrist will check carefully for signs of many eye and systemic diseases during your eye examination.

It is necessary to see an optometrist regularly even if you are seeing well since many eye diseases can progress without warnings or symptoms.

Many people do not realize that optometrists do much more than simply determine your prescription for eyeglasses – they are doctors that specialize in your primary eye health care.

People who avoid regular eye examinations could end up losing vision due to the development of a serious eye disease which was detected too late.

Q: What are some of the most common eye ailments that you see? How can they be prevented?

A: The most common eye ailments that I see include dry eye, allergic conjunctivitis as well as blepharitis (dry-skin or dandruff of the eyelashes), and meibomitis (excess oils and bacteria of the eyelid margin) all of which result in significant discomfort of the eyes.

One of the most common eye diseases that I see is Diabetic Retinopathy. For adults, diabetes is the number one cause of blindness in North America. Optometrists can detect when the retinal blood vessels in the eye become damaged and refer for treatment when necessary.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the number one cause of blindness in senior citizens. This disease causes a loss of centre vision which makes reading, recognizing people's faces and many activities of daily living very difficult.

Vitamins and good nutrition is thought to help slow down the dry form of AMD. The wet form now has a new injection treatment available, however the earlier this condition is diagnosed and treated the better the prognosis for visual improvement.

Q: How can people who work at a computer all day avoid eye irritation?

A: Eyestrain, irritation, headaches, double vision, dry eyes and blurred vision are all common symptoms for many people who use the computer for several hours a day.

Most importantly people need to visit their optometrist to determine whether or not a prescription for eyeglasses will help relieve the eyestrain or focusing difficulties.

Also, the chair and computer screen both need to be positioned ergonomically to increase comfort and reduce glare.

Most people do not blink enough when using a computer so your optometrist may review the 20/20/20 rule with you: every 20 minutes look 20 feet away for 20 seconds in order to allow yourself to blink and your eye muscles to relax.

Artificial tear lubricants may also be recommended depending on the severity of symptoms.

Q: What do you normally suggest for dry eyes?

A: Artificial tear lubricants are a great starting point to relieve the dry eye symptoms.

Daily lid hygiene such as hot compresses, lid massage and diluted baby shampoo scrubs can restore the proper chemistry to the tear film and relieve the symptoms of dry eyes in some people.

Omega-3 supplements have also been demonstrated to benefit some dry eye sufferers.

Q: Is it safe to wear contacts during a workout or while swimming?

A: Contact lenses great for active lifestyles and are very safe to wear at the gym and for sports. Of course you should use eye protection as needed.

There is some danger and risk of infection with the use of contact lenses while swimming but the risk decreases with the use of a good pair of goggles that do not leak.

I usually recommend daily disposable contact lenses so that just in case the goggles do leak the lenses are disposed of immediately after swimming.

Prescription goggles are also available to help decrease the need for contact lenses while swimming.

Contact lenses are not safe in public hot tubs and saunas since the heat can harbour bacteria and parasites and thus increase the risk of infection.

Q: Can disposable contact lenses be worn past the recommended replacement date if they are still comfortable?

A: Your eye doctor will help you determine which contact lens replacement schedule is right for you based on your lifestyle and the chemistry of your tear film.

The most common modalities available today include daily disposable, two-week disposable and monthly disposable contact lenses.

Proteins and lipids from the tear film deposit on the surface of the contact lens which harbour bacteria and increase the risk of painful eye infections which may lead to corneal ulcers and vision loss.

Replacing your contact lenses regularly will help to ensure healthy and comfortable contact lens wear.

Q: Are there any risks with laser eye surgery?

A: Optometrists work closely with eye surgeons to co-manage the laser eye surgery procedure. Ask your optometrist which eye surgeons in your area have the most current laser technology and which surgeons have the best safety record.

Most patients are very pleased with the results of laser eye surgery. This is because the optometrist and eye surgeon work together to make sure that someone considering laser treatment is a good candidate for the procedure.

The cornea thickness is one of the important measurements that will be used to determine the right candidate for the procedure since some vision may be lost if the cornea becomes too thin after the laser is applied.

Some patients, especially those with large pupils, have developed glare, halos and poor night vision. More current lasers have addressed this problem and the risk of these visual symptoms has decreased significantly with the improved laser technology.

It is also possible to develop dry eye after laser eye surgery but new technologies are available which appear to decrease the likelihood of this happening.

Q: At what age do children need to start getting their eyes examined?

A: Babies as young as six months should have their eyes examined.

Lazy or weak eyes and turned eyes must be corrected as early as possible to ensure proper visual development.

If the eyes are properly aligned, and there is no sign of a lazy eye, your optometrist will recommend the next eye examination at age three, five, and then every year thereafter.

Parents must realize that a child will not complain about their vision since they do not know what they should be seeing.

Statistics show that approximately one in six children has a problem with vision and yet almost half of all parents admit that they have not taken their child for an eye examination!

Q: How often do you suggest eye exams? Does that change as we get older?

A: Eye examinations for healthy adults are recommended every one to two years.

Adults with certain eye or medical conditions require more frequent examinations. Seniors 65 years and over should have an annual eye examination since aging does increase the risk of developing an eye disease.

Q: What is the most dangerous thing people can do in terms of their eye health?

A: Just because you have 20/20 vision does not mean that your eyes are healthy.

The most dangerous thing people can do is to have an eye disease such as glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy progress undetected.

This leaves the eye susceptible to irreversible damage and vision loss which could have been prevented with a regular eye examination.