School in Georgia is back in full swing. We have had the rush of kids needing glasses, wanting to be fit with contacts, and getting their rec specs for sports. There is also the group of kids that never notices a problem, but has either given their parents a reason for concern, or the teachers or school nurses have found an issue and have referred them in for a complete eye exam.

During a recent vacation in Maine, I was reminded that Mainers view bats – the funny looking, furry, flying kind – rather fondly. Two iron bats adorn the gates outside author Stephen King’s home in Bangor. An entrepreneur in Searsport makes “bat houses” for sale. They are a protected species in Maine, unless they find their way into your attic or eaves. In many visits to that beautiful state, I never found Mainers to be anything but pleasant and practical. So why the apparently odd affinity for creatures most of us view as creepy? Because Maine bat species feed on huge numbers of mosquitoes (the bane of Maine summers) and other pesky flying insects.

We are in the middle of summer and vacations are in full swing. The first place most people head is the beach. There is a ton of fun to be had with swimming, surfing, fishing, and boating. Of course, the sunscreen and bathing suits are packed. Hopefully everyone has a great, protective pair of sunglasses. Not only does a pair of sunglasses protect the eyes from the direct sun rays and make seeing in the brightness more comfortable, but they can also help protect the eyes from reflections.