expert type icon EXPERT

Dr. Thai-Binh Nguyen

Optometrist

Dr. Thai-Binh Nguyen is a top Optometrist in South El Monte, . With a passion for the field and an unwavering commitment to their specialty, Dr. Thai-Binh Nguyen is an expert in changing the lives of their patients for the better. Through their designated cause and expertise in the field, Dr. Thai-Binh Nguyen is a prime example of a true leader in healthcare. As a leader and expert in their field, Dr. Thai-Binh Nguyen is passionate about enhancing patient quality of life. They embody the values of communication, safety, and trust when dealing directly with patients. In South El Monte, California, Dr. Thai-Binh Nguyen is a true asset to their field and dedicated to the profession of medicine.
Dr. Thai-Binh Nguyen
  • South El Monte, California
  • OD at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry
  • Accepting new patients

My dr said my old glasses were two numbers two strong

Your eye doctor only reduced your new prescription by a small amount (+0.25 D) in both eyes. Just wear the new prescription for a couple of days and if you feel your vision is READ MORE
Your eye doctor only reduced your new prescription by a small amount (+0.25 D) in both eyes. Just wear the new prescription for a couple of days and if you feel your vision is NOT as clear as before then tell your eye doctor and maybe he/she will decide to give you your previous prescription. The main reason why your eye doctor didn't want to over-prescribe your new prescription is because this may cause you eyestrain and possibly headaches while wearing glasses with a stronger prescription than you really need. Did your eye doctor trial frame the new prescription before your eyes were dilated to see if the new weaker prescription was clear and comfortable for you?

Eye floater after traveling?

You need to see an eye care professional immediately to have a dilated fundus exam (DFE) to determine if your retina is intact and to see if there's any bleeding in the area that READ MORE
You need to see an eye care professional immediately to have a dilated fundus exam (DFE) to determine if your retina is intact and to see if there's any bleeding in the area that controls the central vision (macular area). It may just be an ordinary floater that just developed and is non-emergent; however, you won't know until you get a DFE by an eye care professional.

What should I do?

Correction: Please use "preservative-free artificial tears" It seems like you have what we medically call a "subconjunctival hemorrhage" or a broken blood vessel in layman terms. READ MORE
Correction: Please use "preservative-free artificial tears"

It seems like you have what we medically call a "subconjunctival hemorrhage" or a broken blood vessel in layman terms. Please don't rub your eyes, but instead use any over the counter preservative-free artificial tears at least 4-5 times per day to keep the area moist and your eyes more comfortable. I usually recommend using Refresh Relieva PF. The bloody area where the broken blood vessel occurred will resolve in about a week or so.

Detached retina?

I would recommend visiting your eye care professional so that he/she can perform a dilated fundus exam to check to see if you have a tear or possibly detached retina in your left READ MORE
I would recommend visiting your eye care professional so that he/she can perform a dilated fundus exam to check to see if you have a tear or possibly detached retina in your left eye. Are the flashes of light constant? Are you experiencing an increase in the number of floaters? Do you see a black curtain of vision where the bottom part of your vision is dark when you cover your right eye? Also, is your diabetes under control? Uncontrolled diabetes can cause bleeding in the back of the eye (retina), which can lead to black spots in your vision. Again, please visit your eye care professional immediately to get the proper evaluation and possible treatment if needed.

Is it ok to wear reading glasses all the time?

Yes if you do required reading glasses to read near material, then it is recommended that you wear prescription reading glasses that are appropriate for your working distance at READ MORE
Yes if you do required reading glasses to read near material, then it is recommended that you wear prescription reading glasses that are appropriate for your working distance at near when you are reading a book to give you clear and comfortable vision.

Why was one eye bloodshot when I woke up?

Sometimes the tiny blood vessels in your eye can break for unknown reasons and cause your eyes to be bloodshot. It usually takes about 1 or 2 weeks for the blood in your eye to READ MORE
Sometimes the tiny blood vessels in your eye can break for unknown reasons and cause your eyes to be bloodshot. It usually takes about 1 or 2 weeks for the blood in your eye to drain back into your body. The medical term for this condition is called a "subconjunctival hemorrhage" and it is usually harmless and doesn't affect your vision.

Can I wear contacts with dry eyes?

I would recommend taking care of your dry eye problem before attempting to wear contact lenses. It really depends on the severity of your dry eyes to be an ideal candidate for READ MORE
I would recommend taking care of your dry eye problem before attempting to wear contact lenses. It really depends on the severity of your dry eyes to be an ideal candidate for wearing contact lenses comfortably. If you have a severe dry eye problem, then it really does not matter which brand of contacts you attempt to wear because your eyes will be even more dry than without the contacts. I would recommend visiting your local eye care professional to determine if you are an ideal contact lens candidate, and perhaps have him/her perform a dry eye evaluation.

Is there a surgery to remove eye floaters?

Yes, vitrectomy is a surgical procedure that removes floaters by removing the gel-like substance (vitreous) in your eye. This procedure is performed for patients who suffer from READ MORE
Yes, vitrectomy is a surgical procedure that removes floaters by removing the gel-like substance (vitreous) in your eye. This procedure is performed for patients who suffer from very severe symptoms of floaters that are adversely affecting their vision.

Can high blood pressure cause blurry vision?

Yes, high blood pressure can cause damage to the blood vessels that supply blood to your eyes, which can cause damage to the retina (area in the back of your eye that collects READ MORE
Yes, high blood pressure can cause damage to the blood vessels that supply blood to your eyes, which can cause damage to the retina (area in the back of your eye that collects light) which leads to blurred vision and sometimes vision loss.

What happens if you rub your eye with contacts in?

Do NOT rub your eyes with or without contacts, since it may cause the following eye issues: eye getting more irritated and red, corneal abrasion (scratch on your eyes) due to a READ MORE
Do NOT rub your eyes with or without contacts, since it may cause the following eye issues: eye getting more irritated and red, corneal abrasion (scratch on your eyes) due to a torn contact lens while scratching your eyes, change in your prescription (change in astigmatism) due to trauma to cornea, or may cause development of keratoconus (a condition where the cornea becomes progressively thinner and cause distorted and blurry vision).

Which contact lens is best for dry eyes?

Depending on the severity of your dry eyes, you may or may not be an ideal candidate for contact lens wear. However, patients with mild to moderate dry eyes can still wear contact READ MORE
Depending on the severity of your dry eyes, you may or may not be an ideal candidate for contact lens wear. However, patients with mild to moderate dry eyes can still wear contact lenses. I usually prescribe daily disposable contact lenses for my dry eye patients who are able to wear contacts, since you don't have to clean the contact lenses daily (protein deposits on the contact lens can occur if you incorrectly clean the contacts, which can worsen your dry eyes). There's many different brands of daily wear contacts in the market with different levels of effectiveness, so it would be up to you and your eye care professional to decide which daily brand would best fit your visual needs.

Does an eye pressure test hurt?

No, an eye pressure test should NOT hurt your eyes. There are several methods to measure eye pressure such as non-contact method where an air puff (where you will feel a gentle READ MORE
No, an eye pressure test should NOT hurt your eyes. There are several methods to measure eye pressure such as non-contact method where an air puff (where you will feel a gentle puff of air on your eyes) is used to measure eye pressure, or contact method where a probe, dye, and anesthesia are used to measure the eye pressure. There's also another contact method that uses a portable instrument with a lightweight probe without the use of anesthesia.

How often should contacts be replaced?

It depends on the type of contact lens you are currently wearing. Is it soft contact lens or a rigid/hard contact lens? There's daily disposable soft contacts where you would wear READ MORE
It depends on the type of contact lens you are currently wearing. Is it soft contact lens or a rigid/hard contact lens? There's daily disposable soft contacts where you would wear for the entire day, and then dispose them. There's 2 week disposable contacts where you would clean daily with a multipurpose solution and store your contacts in a contact lens case daily, but would need to dispose the contacts at the end of the 2 week period. There's monthly soft contacts where you clean and store your contacts like the 2 week soft contacts but you would dispose of them at the end of the 30 day period. For rigid/hard contacts, you will usually need to clean them with a multipurpose solution and store them in a lens case daily, but these lenses usually can be used for several months. Be sure to follow your eye care professional's recommendations on your specific contact lens wear regimen and maintenance.

How do I know if my contacts are old?

If you are wearing contact lenses, it's really important that you follow your eye care professional's recommendation on both contact lens maintenance and wearing schedule. If you READ MORE
If you are wearing contact lenses, it's really important that you follow your eye care professional's recommendation on both contact lens maintenance and wearing schedule. If you wear monthly soft contacts over the recommended 30 days, then you may feel irritated and blurry vision due to protein deposits on the contact lenses. You may also notice that the soft contact lenses are more rigid/harder than normal when you wear them, which may indicate an older soft contact lens.

Can cheap sunglasses ruin my vision?

Sunglasses without ultraviolet light (UV) protection can ruin your vision by causing the development of cataracts (cloudiness of your natural lens in your eye which can lead to READ MORE
Sunglasses without ultraviolet light (UV) protection can ruin your vision by causing the development of cataracts (cloudiness of your natural lens in your eye which can lead to blurry and double vision), degeneration of the macula (cause blindness of your central vision), and even rare eye related cancers. Just be sure that your sunglasses have UV protection embedded in the lens, which will prevent UVA and UVB from entering your eye and causing possible damage to your eye. Definitely look for sunglasses with labels that say "100% protection against UVA and UVB."

What helps red eyes fast?

There's a eye drop called 'Lumify" which is designed to relieve red eyes due to minor eye irritations in adults. It usually works in 1 minute or less, and lasts up to 8 hours (you READ MORE
There's a eye drop called 'Lumify" which is designed to relieve red eyes due to minor eye irritations in adults. It usually works in 1 minute or less, and lasts up to 8 hours (you can use it up to 4 times per day). You should definitely stop using the product if you experience any increased redness, eye pain, or visual changes, and consult an eye care professional for help.
NOTE: Red eyes can be caused by many factors, and if you are currently experiencing red eyes that last for a longer time than normal, then it's recommended that you seek/visit your eye care professional for a thorough eye exam to determine what the underlying factor(s) that may be causing the long term red eye effects.

What are the best foods for healthy eyes?

The best way to improve your eyesight naturally is to consume foods rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants such as lutein can be found in green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach. READ MORE
The best way to improve your eyesight naturally is to consume foods rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants such as lutein can be found in green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach. Vitamin A from carrots also helps to improve our vision at night. My immediate concern for your 7-year-old daughter is that she is watching too much TV and tablet use, which can cause increased myopic (nearsightedness) progression, which in turn may cause vision loss. I would high recommend you monitor and reduce the amount of usage of near devices such as tablets (iPads, cell phones, etc).

Should I wear glasses all the time for myopia?

Depending on your myopic prescription, it is advisable to wear your glasses full-time to experience clear and comfortable vision. However, there are exceptions, such as some myopic READ MORE
Depending on your myopic prescription, it is advisable to wear your glasses full-time to experience clear and comfortable vision. However, there are exceptions, such as some myopic individuals who are able to read at near without the use of his/her prescription glasses. At your age, you shouldn't expect too much a change in your distance prescription, but you can expect that your near/up close vision will begin to gradually change (it may start to fluctuate or get blurry when you read up close) due your lens in your eye weakening as you age.

Is it worth getting Lasik after 40?

Most LASIK candidates will correct both eyes so that you can improve your distance vision; however, your near/up close vision will not change. So if you are currently wearing reading READ MORE
Most LASIK candidates will correct both eyes so that you can improve your distance vision; however, your near/up close vision will not change. So if you are currently wearing reading glasses to help you see better at near, having LASIK will still require to wear reading glasses at near. There's also monovision LASIK where one eye is corrected to see far while the other eye is corrected to see at near; however, your depth perception would be severely affected. If you are interested in LASIK, I would recommend seeking a qualified eye care professional to see if you are an ideal candidate for LASIK and what your options are. Personally, I don't recommend my patients who are over 40 years old and require reading glasses to have LASIK procedure, since they will still need to wear glasses up close.

What are the best eye drops for dry eye?

It really depends on what type of dry eye (evaporative or aqueous deficient) you have and the severity of the dry eye condition. If you are unsure on what type of dry eye you have, READ MORE
It really depends on what type of dry eye (evaporative or aqueous deficient) you have and the severity of the dry eye condition. If you are unsure on what type of dry eye you have, then I would highly recommend you visit your local eye care professional to have a dry eye evaluation. I usually recommend 'Systane Complete' drops to my dry eye patients with a mixed form (both evaporative and aqueous deficient) of dry eyes. If my patient has evaporative dry eye then I usually recommend either 'Soothe XP' or 'Refresh Optive Mega 3' eye drops. If they have aqueous deficient dry eyes, then I usually recommend 'Systane Hydrate PF' or 'Refresh Relieva PF' (both are preservative free). Most people who have dry eye have some form of both types of dry eye, so using 'Systane Complete' may help to relieve your dry eye symptoms. Again, seeking the help of your eyecare professional is your best bet, since he/she will be able to properly evaluate and treat your dry eye condition appropriately.