“Carrots give you super-hero eyes.” Countless children have been told to eat their carrots for super-powered vision. If you’ve been told this common myth, you likely also know that healthy vision isn’t as simple as eating a carrot a day. Carrots do contain valuable nutrients that promote eye health, but they aren’t a magic cure for nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. While nutrition may impact your vision, there are other factors at play too, including genetics and your lifestyle.

Here’s what you need to know about diet, vitamins, and eye health.

Nutrients with Proven Eye Health Benefits

Diet has been shown to have a link in preventing some eye diseases, including cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It may impact other eye health conditions, too. More research is needed to fully understand the link between diet and your vision, but researchers have shown that some nutrients offer supportive benefits to eye health.

What nutrients are best for healthy eyes? Scientific studies suggest that the following nutrients, and foods that contain them, may offer eye health benefits.

• Lutein and Zeaxanthin- Winter squash, corn, leafy greens, egg yolks, sweet potatoes, and carrots
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids- Salmon, sardines, tuna, walnuts, flaxseed, and chia seed
• Vitamin A- Sweet potato, red peppers, collard greens, butternut squash, and mango
• Vitamin C- Citrus fruits, kale, guava, kiwi, strawberries, and broccoli
• Vitamin E- Almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, broccoli, and spinach
• Zinc- Pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, chickpeas, lentils, and yogurt

When it comes to eye health and diet, the same principles that apply to overall health seem to apply. Enjoy a varied diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables. Leafy greens, including kale, spinach, and collard greens, and yellow/orange fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that are especially optimal for eye health.
Studies have found that diets high in simple carbohydrates, like white bread, can spike blood sugar and may contribute to the development of diseases like AMD and cataracts. Limiting sugars and high-glycemic carbohydrates is an important part of a healthy diet that will benefit not only your eyes, but the rest of your body as well.

Should I Take a Multi-Vitamin for My Eyes?

You may be wondering if a multi-vitamin could supplement your nutritional needs and provide the beneficial nutrients needed for optimal eye health. The decision to supplement or not is an individual decision, one that you should make in partnership with your primary care physician and eye doctor.

Remember, supplements are intended to add to a healthy diet, not replace it. Ideally, you should be receiving the bulk of the nutrition you need from whole food sources. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables will naturally contain many of the nutrients recommended for eye health. Supplements, if used, can act as an insurance policy, but aren’t intended to replace the healthy foods that your body needs.

Always talk with your eye doctor about the supplements you take. It is important for your doctor to know what you’re taking to ensure that these supplements don’t interact with the prescriptions you’re using or otherwise negatively impact your vision.

Diet isn’t a magical cure for better vision, but that doesn’t mean you should disregard the importance of eating well. Fill your plate with healthy foods, not only for your eyes but for your overall health. If you want to improve your vision, carrots aren’t the solution, but LASIK may be. LASIK surgery is proven to dramatically improve vision for most patients that receive the surgery. Contact Will Vision and Laser Centers to learn more.

The post How Do Diet and Vitamins Support Eye Health? appeared first on Will Vision.

Skip the ugly sweater and give a holiday gift that will be appreciated for years to come. LASIK surgery tops many holiday wish lists. When you give the gift of LASIK, you’re giving the gift of clear vision. 

Gifting a medical procedure can be a bit more difficult than simply buying a box of chocolates. You’ll need to put in a little extra effort to make sure this gift is needed and wanted. Here are our best tips for giving LASIK to friends or family this holiday season. If you have questions or need advice, call Will Vision and Laser Centers, one of the top providers of LASIK surgery in the Pacific Northwest.

1. Find Out if LASIK Is on Their Wish List

LASIK surgery is an eye surgery that reshapes the cornea and improves vision. It can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. When performed by a skilled LASIK surgeon, this procedure can dramatically improve vision, often eliminating the need for glasses or contacts. 

LASIK is a popular procedure, but it isn’t always the right fit. Before giving this treatment as a holiday gift, make sure the recipient is interested in surgery. 

Some patients want LASIK but have been told they aren’t good candidates. With our advanced refractive surgery techniques and technologies, Dr. Will can offer laser vision correction to many patients that have been told they aren’t candidates for LASIK elsewhere. Before giving up on a LASIK dream, come meet with Dr. Will and explore the possibilities.

2. A Little Goes a Long Way

Laser vision correction is an investment. Depending on your holiday budget, the full cost of the procedure may be more than you’re able to spend. If you’re not able to pay for the full procedure yourself, offer what you can and remember that every penny helps. 

One way to give LASIK without paying the full bill yourself is to make the surgery a group gift. By pooling money together, you can make clear vision possible without spending more than you’re able. Recruit friends, family, and relatives to help you pay for the surgery.

3. Leave the Medical Decisions to the Patient and Their Doctor

Medical decisions are best made by patient and doctor together. If you want to gift a medical procedure, give the gift and then give space. 

After a consultation and exam, the patient and surgeon may decide to go ahead with LASIK. They may choose a different vision-enhancing procedure like PRK. They may find that surgery isn’t the right fit.

4. Offer Support During Recovery

Giving the gift of LASIK doesn’t end on surgery day. Give support during the recovery process. Act quickly, LASIK recovery often takes just a few days. If you wait around, help won’t be needed when you’re ready to give it. 

How can you support your loved one through recovery? Here are a few ideas:

Offer a Ride- Patients need a ride to and from LASIK surgery. After the procedure, vision can be cloudy or blurry. Patients should avoid driving until they are cleared by their LASIK surgeon. Offering rides to surgery and follow up visits can make the recovery process easier. 

Feed Them- No one wants to cook dinner right after LASIK surgery. Offer to bring over a home-cooked meal or two during the first few days after surgery. Dinner always tastes better when you don’t have to cook it yourself. If you live too far to bring dinner, ordering delivery from a local restaurant is a thoughtful and appreciated alternative. 

Buy Some Shades- Sunglasses are a LASIK recovery essential. If you want to give a loved one a special gift before surgery, buy them a pair of sunglasses. They don’t have to be expensive but should offer 100% UV protection. 

Overall, LASIK recovery is minimal and most patients are back to work and other activities in a few days.

5. Treat Yourself to LASIK This Holiday Season

Who says you can’t give yourself a gift this holiday season? If you’re wanting LASIK surgery, treat yourself to clear vision. Call our office and schedule a consultation with Dr. Will to learn more. 

What holiday gifts are you giving this year? Consider the gift of vision-enhancing surgery; Call Will Vision and Laser Centers to learn more.

The post 5 Tips for Giving the Gift of LASIK this Holiday appeared first on Will Vision.

To keep your body at its best, you exercise. Why should the eyes be any different? We’re sharing five of our favorite exercises to keep your eyes healthy and support your vision.

Intentional Blinking- May Help Dry Eye

Are you in a staring contest with your computer screen? Electronic devices tend to slow the blink rate, and with regular screen use, this can lead to dry eyes. Intentional blinking exercises can resolve dry eye symptoms for some patients. 

How do you intentionally blink? The process is simple. Close your eyes, rest for a few seconds, squeeze your eyelids together, and open. Do this sequence one or two times and try to do several sequences each day. 

Make it a habit! Set an hourly alarm on your phone and perform this exercise every time your phone beeps. Other patients choose a regularly performed task, like answering the phone, and try intentional blinking each time this task is completed.

Eye-Roll- Not Just for Sarcasm

One of our favorite eye exercises is one you probably mastered during your teenage years. The eye-roll is an easy way to stretch the muscles that control the eyes. 

To perform this exercise, simply roll your eyes. Go slowly, moving the eyes in one direction for several rolls and then move in the other direction. 

There are a few variations on this technique including an exercise called Figure 8. To perform this exercise, roll the eyes around in a figure 8 movement. Look to the left, up, down, to the right, up, down, etc.

Palming- A 30 Second Relaxation Retreat for the Eyes

Do your eyes need a spa day? This quick and easy eye exercise provides the eyes with much-needed relaxation, no trip to the spa necessary. All you need is your palms and 30 seconds. 

Start by rubbing the palms together to warm them up. Place the palms of your hands gently over the eyes with your fingers extending upward toward the forehead. Close your eyes and relax. We like to count to 30, but you’re welcome to go longer. Don’t press on the eye sockets or cheekbones. 

Some patients like to perform this exercise in complete darkness, but on a busy day, sitting at your desk works well too.

20-20-20 Helps with Computer Vision Syndrome

If you use computers regularly, learn the 20-20-20 exercise and perform it throughout the day. This exercise is designed to reduce symptoms of computer vision syndrome. 

Every 20 minutes look up from your screen and focus on an object that is at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Thumbs Up for Better Vision

You don’t need any special tools for this simple focusing exercise, just your thumb. Hold your thumb out at arms distance and focus your gaze on it. Move the thumb closer to your eyes and side-to-side, refocusing with each movement.

Can Eye Exercises Improve My Vision So I Won’t Need Glasses?

Eye exercises are a valuable tool for keeping the eyes rested and working at their best. These exercises relieve eye strain and improve comfort, especially for patients that work in an office environment or use a computer regularly.But, there are limits to what these exercises can achieve. Scientific evidence doesn’t support the rumor that exercising the eyes can improve vision. 

If you want to improve vision and ditch your glasses, exercise likely won’t work, but LASIK will. When the procedure is performed by a highly-skilled refractive surgeon like Dr. Will, LASIK has a high success rate. Most of our patients achieve 20/20 vision or greater. Results can last a lifetime. 

Learn more about LASIK surgery in the Pacific Northwest at Will Vision and Laser Centers. Contact us to schedule your consultation or to learn more about the procedures we offer. 877-542-3937

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Are you searching for the perfect gift for your college student? Traditional choices include a pen, a watch, or a paperweight, but take our word for it, your student doesn’t want these gifts. 

Step outside of traditional and give a gift your student actually wants, LASIK surgery. Learn more about LASIK in the Pacific Northwest by calling Will Vision and Laser Centers at 877-542-3937. 

LASIK Surgery and the Eyes- How This Procedure Transforms Vision

To learn how LASIK improves your vision, let’s take a mental field trip to Math 101. You’re sitting in the back of the class as the teacher writes equations on the board. Thanks to your eyes, you can see the professor far away and your textbook, sitting right in front of you. The images pass through the cornea, are focused by the lens, and transmitted to the brain through the retina. 

The shape of the cornea affects the quality of the image that you’ll see. Ideally, the cornea is perfectly round. Most of the time, the actual shape of the cornea is some variation of oblong. When your eye isn’t round, the images you see will have distortion, also called a refractive error. If your professor and his equations are blurry, odds are, your cornea isn’t perfectly shaped. 

LASIK reshapes the eye, bringing vision into focus. The advanced technology we use at Will Vision and Laser Centers allows us to create some of the best LASIK results in Oregon and Washington. 

Give the Gift of LASIK to Your College Student

Why give one gift when you can give 50? When you give LASIK, you give your student the gift of:

• Sight- morning, noon, and night
• Freedom from foggy, rain-spattered glasses
• Seeing the alarm clock in the middle of the night
• Extra money- glasses and contacts are expensive
• Unencumbered outdoor adventures
• The ability to run, jump, and swim with sight
• Cheap sunglasses (or expensive ones), the important thing is finally being able to choose
• No more glasses or contacts
• The potential for better than 20/20 vision
• Reduced seasonal allergies

And so much more. LASIK is a gift with endless possibilities. 

School Starts Soon- Does My Student Have Time for LASIK?

You want to set your student up for success, not start the school year with downtime and missed classes. When school starts in just a few weeks, is there still time for LASIK surgery? 

We are happy to report that the answer to this question is a resounding yes. There is almost always time for LASIK. 

When you receive refractive surgery from a highly skilled provider, like Dr. Will, recovery times are quick. Our patients are usually back to work and other activities in a few days. The eyes will still need a little TLC after the initial recovery period, but as long you pack your student a large bottle of eye drops and a new pair of shades, they should be ready to return to school and hit the books shortly after LASIK surgery. Dr. Will provides each patient with detailed recovery information at the time of surgery. 

Learn more about LASIK Surgery at Will Vision and Laser Centers, located in Salem, OR and Vancouver, WA. 

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Do I really need to wear sunglasses? Which sunglasses are best for protecting my eyes? Take care of your eyes by learning more about eyes and sun protection. We’ll answer some of your top questions below. Contact us for personalized advice or to schedule your bladeless LASIKconsultation. Call today!

Do I Really Need to Wear Sunglasses?

Just as UV rays damage the skin, they can take a toll on your eye health. Sunglasses aren’t just for keeping your eyes comfortable on a sunny day; they provide valuable UV protection to the eyes, reducing damage caused by the sun.

Ideally, you should wear sunglasses any time you’re outdoors during the daytime. UV rays can penetrate through the clouds. They are present in the summer and in the winter. Children need sunglasses too.

Regular sunglasses use can reduce your risk for these common eye problems:

• Cataracts
• Eye growths and cancers

 Which Sunglasses Are Best for Protecting My Eyes?

Choosing sunglasses can be difficult if you don’t know what protections are needed. This guide from the American Academy of Ophthalmologycan help you navigate the many options available. The most important feature to look for is the ability of the sunglasses to block UV light. Ideally, your sunglasses should block 99-100% of UV light. This is generally mentioned on the packaging. Sunglasses don’t have to be expensive to be effective.

I Wear Glasses. What Are My Options for Sun Protection?

Sun protection can be difficult when you wear glasses. One of the best options is to explore LASIK surgery. Many patients no longer need glasses after LASIK and can wear any sunglasses they choose. Other options include prescription sunglasses, clip on sun protection, and larger sunglasses, designed for use over glasses.

LASIK Surgery and Sunglasses- Do I Still Need Sunglasses After LASIK?

LASIK surgery can dramatically improve your vision by reshaping the eye. The surgery is an effective vision correction solution, but doesn’t provide sun protection. Right after surgery, you’ll need to wear sunglasses any time you’re outside. This protects the eyes while they heal from surgery. Once you’ve healed, keep up the sunglasses habit to protect your eyes and reduce your risk of sun damage to the eyes. Everyone, LASIK or not, should be wearing sunglasses.

Call us today and schedule your LASIK consultation with Dr. Will, a top refractive surgeon.

The post Sunglasses 101: FAQs About Protecting Your Eyes from the Sun appeared first on Will Vision.

Are you considering the life-changing LASIK procedure in order to see clearly for the first time without the help of glasses or contacts? Are you also a smoker, and wondering if this will affect your LASIK outcome? Dr. Brian Will of Will Vision & Laser Centers explains the effect that smoking has on LASIK recovery, and how you can enjoy the best results possible from surgery.

Smoking and the Healing Process

Smoking affects the entire body adversely, including constricting blood vessels and depressing a person’s immune system — both of which impair the body’s ability to heal itself after LASIK and other surgeries. Not only does this delay the healing process after LASIK, it also increases a person’s risk of developing a serious eye infection during recovery. This is due to the corneal incision not being able to repair itself successfully after LASIK as a result of the tissue damage caused by smoking. To minimize these risks and ensure that eye health and LASIK results are not compromised, it is recommended that a person quits smoking at least three weeks before having LASIK and continue to abstain for at least two weeks after surgery.

Smoking and Dry Eye Problems

Smoking causes changes in tear protein, which causes many smokers to have problems with dry eyes, including stinging or burning eyes and eye redness. Since one common, though temporary, side effect of LASIK surgery is dry eyes, this condition is made worse for smokers, who already have problems with little or poor-quality tear production. And since your eyes will be more sensitive to smoke, wind and other irritants after LASIK, it is important to avoid first- and secondhand smoke during recovery.

Tips for a Healthy LASIK Recovery

• Quit smoking 3-8 weeks before having LASIK
• Wear sunglasses with full UV-protection when outside
• Use artificial tears to relieve dry eye symptoms
• Eat foods rich in omega-3s (salmon, soy beans, etc.) to assist with corneal healing and help with dry eyes
• Take baths instead of showers to avoid eye contact with water for the first week
• Do not apply lotions, creams or cosmetics to the eye area for the first week

Schedule Your LASIK Consultation

Do you have more questions about LASIK and LASIK recovery? Schedule your free LASIK consultation with Dr. Will by contacting Will Vision & Laser Centers at (877) 542-EYES (3937).

The post Can Smoking Affect Your LASIK Results? appeared first on Will Vision.

If a healthier you is one of your resolutions this year, Dr. Brian of Will of Will Vision & Laser Centers would like to help. Your eye health is directly linked to your overall health, so taking steps to maintaining strong vision has numerous benefits. In this blog post, Dr. Will shares five New Year’s resolutions to make for healthier, stronger eyes.

Eat More Eye-Friendly Foods

You have probably heard of the saying, “you are what you eat,” and the saying holds true for your eyes. Cold-water fish such as salmon and tuna are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient that can help protect against dry eyes, macular degeneration and cataracts. Leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which can also help reduce your risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.

Exercise Regularly

Several studies have found a correlation between lack of exercise and an increased risk for glaucoma. Other studies have found that exercising regularly can reduce the risk of macular degeneration. Additionally, many eye diseases are linked to other health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol levels. Because exercise helps control these health conditions, it only makes sense that it also helps maintain your eye health.

Wear Protective Eyewear

Each year, thousands of eye-related injuries occur in the United States, many of which could have been prevented by wearing protective eyewear. Wear protective goggles when working on home projects that require the use of power tools. If you go out for a swim, don’t forget to wear swimming goggles.

Protecting your eyes also means wearing sunglasses whenever outside. Look for sunglasses that offer 100 percent protection from both UVA and UVB rays. If you plan on spending a lot of time in the snow this winter, look for polarized sunglasses to protect from glare caused by the sun’s rays reflecting off of snow.

Take More Breaks from Electronics

As the use of laptops, tablets and smartphones rises, so does the number of people who experience digital eye strain. Symptoms of digital eye strain include blurry vision, trouble focusing and headaches. To prevent this, be more aware of your digital habits and limit the amount of hours you spend using digital devices. Do not stare too closely at the screen and lower the brightness on your screen when appropriate.

Consider Laser Vision Correction

If your vision is cloudy or blurry, make 2016 the year you finally achieve clearer, crisp vision. LASIK surgery corrects several refractive errors such as farsightedness, nearsightedness and astigmatism for clearer vision. The procedure is safe and the results are long-lasting. To learn more about LASIK, contact Will Vision & Laser Center. Schedule a personal consultation by calling (877) 542-EYES (3937) today.

The post Five New Year’s Resolutions for Healthier Eyes appeared first on Will Vision.

With increasing age comes an inevitable decline in vision, a reality that presents challenges specifically for senior citizens, or those upwards of 60 years old. For those in this age bracket, and for their loved ones, there may be increasing concerns as to their safety when driving with eyes that are more prone to vision disturbances like blurry distance vision or light sensitivity. Dr. Brian Will, board-certified ophthalmologist and director and chief surgeon of Will Vision and Laser Centers, shares these safe driving tips for older adults.

Tip #1: Avoid Difficult Driving Times and Conditions

If you’re a senior who has vision-related concerns, you can sidestep a lot of the risk, not to mention stress, of driving by limiting your amount of time on the road. Driving at night, at high-traffic times or in inclement weather should be avoided as much as possible. This is particularly helpful as many older adults have problems with night vision, where limited visibility may cause them to miss traffic signs or other cars in their peripheral vision. Light sensitivity may also make it difficult to focus with the blinding headlights of oncoming traffic. Instead, try sticking to a late-morning or early-afternoon store run, and try to stick to stores close by that you can access by local roads instead of freeways.

Tip #2: Check Your Medications

Regardless of age, people who are on medications that slow their reactive time or alter their physical or mental mobility should avoid driving while under their influence. Pain and sleep medications, muscle relaxants and antihistamines in particular can affect your safety behind the wheel, regardless of if you notice their effects or not. Read the labels on all of the medications you are taking, including the over-the-counter variety, to make sure that there are no driving precautions.

Tip #3: Learn to Drive Defensively

Defensive driving is a skill that benefits all ages, but one that is especially useful as we get older and our vision dims and our reaction times get slower. Here are some defensive driving tips that will help:

• Before driving, make sure that your seat, steering wheel and mirrors are properly adjusted for you. Your chest should be at least 10 inches from the seat and your eyes should be at least three inches higher than the steering wheel.
• Leave a wide gap between you and the car you are following.
• Break early when approaching a stop sign or light.
• Check your mirrors frequently, particularly before changing lanes.

Tip #4: Take Care of Your Vision Needs

Yearly eye exams are recommended for all adults, but particularly for those in the senior age group, as this is the time where people are most affected by presbyopia, or age-related vision loss. By this time, even those who previously had no need for glasses are have to rely on reading glasses to see their computer or phone screen, or perform other tasks that require seeing up close. If you are an older adult and have problems seeing up close or in the distance, or both, why not research a vision correction surgery? LASIK surgery, especially the bladeless procedure offered at Will Vision and Laser Centers, can be performed in less than 20 minutes and result in clearer distance vision, though most people still require reading glasses. If you would like to eliminate, or at least drastically reduce, your dependence on glasses or contacts, the versatile Life Style LASIK procedure offered by Dr. Will can provide 20/20 or better vision for both near and far distances.

If you’d like to learn more about the safe and effective vision correction procedures offered at Will Vision and Laser Centers, contact our office to schedule a complimentary LASIK evaluation. Call our Vancouver office at (877) 542-EYES (3937), our Beaverton office at (877) 542-3937 or our Salem office at (877) 542-3937.

The post Senior Vision: Tips for Safe Driving appeared first on Will Vision.

At Will Vision & Laser Centers, our patients usually want to know whether LASIK results are permanent. Since they are investing time and money into laser vision correction, it’s understandable that they are curious about what to expect.

The simple answer is that in most cases, LASIK results are considered permanent. Many of our LASIK patients can enjoy years (or decades!) of clear vision without the need for corrective lenses.

Understand that there are certain factors that can influence the quality of your vision after LASIK. Let’s explore these considerations in more detail.

Having Stable Vision Prior to LASIK Is Important

For the best and longest-lasting results, we encourage our LASIK candidates to have a stable vision prescription before undergoing surgery. Here’s why: if your vision isn’t stable, and you have LASIK, there’s a chance that your vision prescription will change and you will need to undergo the procedure again.

We recommend that you wait until your vision prescription has stabilized for at least a year before having LASIK surgery.

Typical Results

If you have a stable vision prescription, it is likely you will enjoy long-lasting results and freedom from glasses and contact lenses. LASIK changes the shape of your cornea so it can focus light properly on your retina. This involves re-shaping the corneal tissue with a sophisticated laser to correct an abnormal curvature. Once the corneal tissue has been re-shaped, it generally stays that way.

In a small percentage of patients, the cornea may start to return to its original shape (this is more common in individuals with a higher pre-operative prescription). Or, although it is rare, certain patients’ eyes may not heal properly from the procedure, and their results may be compromised. In both of these scenarios, we can perform a secondary procedure to enhance the results of LASIK.

Factors that Can Affect Vision after LASIK

Certain health conditions, like diabetes, can affect visual acuity over time. An age-related vision condition called presbyopia can also threaten the clarity of your vision as you get older. Presbyopia typically occurs in middle-aged adults and is marked by the progressively diminished ability to focus on nearby objects. If you develop presbyopia, you will probably need to wear reading glasses to see up-close, or have an additional procedure to produce monovision.

Another age-related vision condition that could affect clear vision is the development of cataracts, a clouding of the eye’s lens. Cataracts generally affect adults in their 70s and 80s, and must be surgically removed.

Schedule a LASIK Consultation

To learn more about LASIK results and what you can expect after surgery, please schedule a LASIK consultation at Will Vision & Laser Center. Send us an email, or call our Vancouver office at (877) 542-EYES (3937), our Beaverton office at (877) 542-3937 or our Salem office at (877) 542-3937.

The post Do LASIK Results Last Forever? appeared first on Will Vision.

Now that you’ve achieved full-definition eyesight with LASIK, you may experience a renewed zest for life and a thirst for new activities. Portland offers a myriad of sights and attractions to enjoy with clearer vision. Here are some of Will Vision & Laser Centers’ favorites:

Marvel at the Portland Rose Garden

One of Portland’s must-see attractions is the rose garden in Washington Park. Home to more than 10,000 roses (650+ varieties!), the garden also offers beautiful views of downtown and Mount Hood, that you don’t need contacts or glasses to experience. The park is open daily and is free to the public. The best months to visit are typically May through September.

Root for the Trail Blazers

Drink in the excitement of a professional basketball game and cheer on the Portland Trail Blazers! They play at the Moda Center, located just across the beautiful Willamette River from downtown. Games are scheduled from October through April. Keep an eye out for their upcoming 2014-2015 schedule here.

Soak Up the Falls

Portland clearly has a very wet climate, and one of the advantages to this weather is the ubiquity of waterfalls in the area. The 80-mile Columbia River Gorge boasts more than 90 major falls, many of which are available year-round for hiking or simply observing in awe. The most popular spots include Latourell Falls, Bridal Veil and Multnomah Falls. Learn more about these falls here.

Explore the Pearl District

Window shopping never looked so good! Browse shops like Diesel, REI and Jonathan Adler, as well as the legendary Powell’s City of Books. Or, if you’re more of an art enthusiast, check out the interior design shops and art galleries. The charming Portland Streetcar will help you get where you need to be.

Join the Nike+ Run Club

If you’re an avid runner, imagine how the city will open up for you with 20/20 vision! Join other like-minded athletes during “the world’s largest run club,” which meets at the downtown Portland Nike store Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. for 3-, 5- or 7-mile routes. Afterward, you are invited to socialize with fellow runners at local bars and restaurants. Follow the @NikePortland Twitter feed or #WeRunPDX hashtag to get more information.

Take a Trip to the Theater

Portland is home to a thriving and diverse arts scene. There is truly something for everyone, whether your preference leans toward Broadway shows, smaller independent productions, music, ballet or comedy performances. Leave your opera glasses at home as you take in the vibrant theater culture. Check out Portland’5 Centers for the Arts to peruse upcoming shows.

For more information on how to achieve crystal-clear vision with LASIK, contact Will Vision & Laser Centers, serving Portland, Beaverton and Salem, Ore., as well as Vancouver, Wash., and all surrounding locations. Call or email us today. You can reach our Vancouver office by calling (877) 542-EYES (3937), our Beaverton office at (877) 542-3937 or our Salem office at (877) 542-3937.

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