Stewart Family Eye Care

12/30/2025

Winter dehydration kills more wildlife than most people realize.
When water sources freeze, small animals face a silent crisis.

• Birds and mammals lose moisture through breathing in cold, dry air
• Snow requires energy to melt internally, which drains their reserves
• Frozen ground means no access to puddles or soil moisture
• A single shallow dish can support dozens of species through harsh weeks

One small action creates a ripple of survival across your backyard ecosystem.

12/25/2025

The star on top of the tree got replaced, and it wasn’t by a decoration.

A barred owl flew down a family’s chimney in Arlington, Virginia, right before Christmas.

It swooped through the house like it owned the place. Then it landed on top of their Christmas tree and pushed the topper aside.

For a second, it looked unreal, like someone set up a prank. But it was a very real, very calm owl sitting proudly at the top.

The family called for help, and Animal Welfare League of Arlington officers came out to handle it.

An officer carefully captured the owl without hurting it. Soon after, the owl was carried outside and released back into the night.

It’s a funny story, but it has a serious takeaway. Wildlife can slip into chimneys to escape the cold, so a chimney cap can prevent surprises like this.

And if an animal shows up in your home, it’s safer for everyone to call trained help. Even a “Christmas miracle” owl still has sharp talons.

References:

An owl came down a family's chimney and perched on their Christmas tree. See the video. - CBS News
Barred Owl Perches on Top of a NoVA Homeowner’s Christmas Tree - Northern Virginia Magazine

Note: The images used in this post have been created using AI for illustration purposes only.

12/25/2025

Moose dive nearly 6 meters underwater and hold their breath for about 30 seconds to reach sodium rich aquatic plants other animals cannot access.

The lake floor becomes a feeding ground that fuels their size and survival.

12/25/2025

Christmas Day 2025 offers a rare calendar coincidence worth noticing. The date will appear as 12/25/25, a clean numerical alignment that occurs only once every 100 years. The last time this pattern appeared was in 1925, and the next time it will return won’t be until 2125.

Even familiar dates can carry a bit of mathematical wonder.

12/24/2025

🚨 NASA FOUND A CHRISTMAS TREE IN SPACE!🌲

As Christmas approaches, astronomers are spotlighting one of the universe’s most festive — and scientifically fascinating — regions: the Christmas Tree Nebula.

Known officially as NGC 2264, this vast star-forming complex is located about 2,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Monoceros. The nebula spans dozens of light-years and contains a dense cluster of very young stars, many less than a few million years old.

The iconic tree-like shape is formed by clouds of cold gas and dust sculpted by gravity and intense stellar radiation. The bright points that resemble ornaments are not decorations — they are newborn stars emitting powerful X-rays and ultraviolet light. This radiation excites surrounding hydrogen gas, causing it to glow and revealing the structure of the nebula.
At the base of the “tree” lies the Cone Nebula, a dark pillar of dense material where stars are still forming deep inside, hidden from visible light.

This Christmas, the Christmas Tree Nebula is a reminder that while we celebrate on Earth, the universe is busy creating stars quietly, continuously, and beautifully.

12/24/2025

Named for winter wolves whose howls carried across frozen nights, signaling pack bonds and survival, not hunger.

In 2026 it shines among the year’s brightest full moons, a quiet marker of resilience as winter turns.

12/24/2025

Blog Update: Eye Jokes--Our Holiday Gift to You

In light of the holiday season, here are our top 10 eye care jokes. 1) What do you call a blind deer? No Eye Deer! 2) What do you call a blind deer with no legs? Still No Eye Deer! 3) Why do eye doctors live long lives? Because they...

12/20/2025

Continuing the snowy theme with today's image - I have no shortage of polar bears in snow, but I went with this one because it feels particularly wintery, thanks to the presence of trees, which is not something that you regularly see bears with! It's also pretty cute! This was taken in Canada many years ago now when I specifically targeted new mothers with small cubs. Hope you like it!

12/20/2025

😲😁Mama Lynx shows up with her 7 fluffy kittens to visit an Alaskan man, and amazingly, they Come BACK again!
2 months later, the owner could hardly believe who came back to their porch on a snowy day...
❤️𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼: https://exgenus.com/mama-lynx-brings-7-kittens-to-visit-alaskan-man-they-even-return-later/