Hans Christian Andersen wrote some of the most beloved fairy tales of all time. His stories have been translated into more than 125 languages and have inspired films, ballets and plays.

To mark Andersen’s birthday in 1805, April 2 has been named Children’s Book Day. It’s an observation meant to encourage children to read. What better way to pass on the love of reading than by picking up one of Andersen’s stories and reading it to your child…stories such as:

• The Princess and the Pea

• The Little Mermaid

• The Ugly Duckling

• The Snow Queen

If you are farsighted, you may need glasses to focus on printed items close-up. The constant need to locate your glasses before you read may be discouraging – and even cause you to forego reading for some other form of entertainment.

If you have dealt with farsightedness for years, Dr. Boozalis at Victoria Eye Center may be able to help. Dr. Boozalis has performed thousands of LASIK procedures in Victoria, and many of his farsighted patients have achieved 20/20 vision so no glasses are required.

However, if you are over age 40 and have started experiencing difficulty reading, it probably isn’t farsightedness. Most likely it is a completely different vision condition called presbyopia. Unlike farsightedness (which is a refractive error), presbyopia is caused when the eye lens begins to lose flexibility. It happens to most people as they age and results in trouble focusing on close-up objects, including books. Reading glasses are often needed to see more clearly.

Traditional LASIK does not correct presbyopia. However, there is a form of LASIK called monovision LASIK that can help minimize the effects of presbyopia by correcting one eye for up-close vision and one eye for distance vision.

To find out if you qualify for LASIK in Victoria, contact Victoria Eye Center at 800-833-0234 to schedule a free LASIK Consultation. You might even achieve clear vision the day after the procedure…just in time for Children’s Book Day!