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CARING FOR MY EYES

Below you will find helpful information for your eye health

Vision Disorders

From Normal Vision to Myopia, Hyperopia and Astigmatism.

Normal Vision

Myopia

Hyperopia

Astigmatism

Dry eye symptoms

  • Do you suffer from any systemic diseases, use any medications, wear contact lenses or work on a computer?
  • Do your eyes feel gritty, sore or sensitive to light or do you experience blurry vision? You might suffer from dry eyes…

Dry eyes can occur at any age. Symptoms can range from mild to severe discomfort and light sensitivity, eyes can also become red, dry and inflamed. Our tears consist of 3 layers, mucin, aqueous and lipids, if any of these layers become deficient, it leads to dry eyes. Different types of dry eyes exist, you can either have aqueous deficient dry eyes and/or evaporative dry eyes. In the global pandemic, more and more people are using computers, and this also affects the occurrence of dry eyes. 

When you visit us for your comprehensive eye examination, you will be screened for any signs of dry eyes, and if necessary we will do a follow up dry eye assessment to determine the cause of your dryness and provide you with a treatment plan specific to your needs.

A look at some general eye conditions

  • Myopia or nearsightedness is when an object near to you are clear, but objects far from you are blurry. This happens either because the cornea is steeper, or the eye is longer. Light entering the eye will focus in front of the retina and not on it. Myopia tends to run in the family, therefore if you as a parent is myopic make sure to have your children’s eyes tested at a young age. Myopia can be either familial or induced. To help prevent myopia when children are young, don’t let them play on devices for more than 1 hour a day. Instead, let them play outdoors as natural light is more beneficial for healthy eye development compared to artificial light and make sure they don’t hold reading material too close.
  • Macular degeneration usually occurs after the age of 60, it causes permanent central vision loss and may get worse over time. You can have partial vision loss, distorted or blurry vision, lines will appear wavy instead of straight and inability to see in low light. Yearly examinations are important to look for any signs of macular degeneration. Ways to keep your eyes healthy are to adopt a healthy lifestyle, BMI and diet, do regular physical activity, stress management, stop smoking and protect your eyes against the sun. Some studies indicate blue light might lead to macular degeneration, blue control coated lenses can help to block the harmful blue light.

  •  Hyperopia or farsightedness is when an object near to you are more blurry and distant objects are clear, but distant objects can also become blurry. This happens either because the cornea is flatter, or the eye is shorter. Light entering the eye will focus behind the retina and not on it.

  • Computer vision syndrome (CVS) solutions – In the times we are living in, kids and adults spend so much more time on computers or devices. CVS occurs if we spend extended periods on a device without taking a break. Our eyes need to constantly focus on the near object, creating tension on our muscles resulting in accommodative spasms, headaches, fatigue, dry, irritated eyes and even double vision.
  • Accommodation is the ability of the eye to see different objects clearly at different distances. Children are supposed to have excellent accommodative ability, but they can have multiple accommodative dysfunctions that can cause blurred vision, poor concentration, headaches, ocular discomfort or even interfere with their school performance. Children should have a comprehensive eye examination to rule out any accommodative dysfunctions.
  • Presbyopia usually occurs after the age of 40. A person’s natural lens loses its elasticity making it more difficult to accommodate (focus). As we get older accommodation is gradually lost and near objects will be blurry, everyone will eventually experience this loss of accommodation. If you notice your arms are getting a bit shorter book your comprehensive eye examination to find out how we can assist you
  • Cataracts usually develop slowly over the course of years. The natural lens will become cloudy or dense and light will not be able to pass through the lens to the retina. Vision will be impaired.
  • Astigmatism is when the cornea or the lens of the eye has an irregular curve. This results in light focusing on different points in the eye, causing blurred, distorted vision at near or far.
  • Glaucoma is damage to the eye’s optic nerve, leading to tunnel vision, if untreated it can cause blindness. The most common type of glaucoma, open-angle glaucoma, is due to high intraocular pressure and often the only symptom is slow vision loss. Angle-closure glaucoma is not common, but it is seen as a medical emergency, symptoms include eye pain, nausea and sudden visual disturbance. Intraocular pressure will be tested with every comprehensive eye examination. If you have a family history of glaucoma, always mention it and make sure to see your Optometrist on a yearly basis. With our fundus photography, we can look for any change on the optic nerve possibly due to glaucoma.
  • Nutrition and optometry: Healthy diet and lifestyle promote the prevention and reversal of chronic diseases. Eat right and protect your eyesight and maintain a healthy weight. Omega 3 rich diets have neuroprotective effects, it helps with tear osmolarity, improves tear quality and reduces Meibomian gland dysfunction. Dietary antioxidants and anti-inflammatories help decrease the risk of age-related eye disease and deter the progression of other chronic eye diseases. Being overweight or obese increase the risk of developing diabetes and other systemic conditions, which can lead to vision loss, such as diabetic eye disease and glaucoma.

Contact lens care

  • If you are tired of having spectacle lenses that fog up due to wearing your mask, ask us about all our contact lens options from daily to monthly disposable lenses
  • Do not sleep with your contact lenses
  • Always wash and dry your hands before inserting or taking your lenses out
  • Only use daily disposable lenses once and throw away after use
  • Don’t over wear your monthly disposable lenses, it is made to last for a specific period, thereafter the quality of vision and oxygen is less than optimum
  • Always wash, rinse and store your lenses in the suggested solution after use and discard the solution when you use the lens again
  • See your Optometrist at least once a year for a check-up to make sure your eyes are not experiencing any complications due to contact lens wear
  • Make sure you have an adequate supply of replacement lenses and solution, so you don’t overuse your lenses or run out of solution, never use water to store your lenses in
  • Have an up to date pair of spectacles and alternate between contact lenses and spectacles. In the unfortunate event of an eye infection, you cannot use your contact lenses and therefore need to have spectacles as back up
  • Your eyes need oxygen to stay healthy, by over wearing your contact lenses, either using for too many hours a day or longer than the recommended replacement schedule you reduce the amount of oxygen going to your cornea. Longer wear times can translate to a higher risk of complications
  • If you have any signs of an eye infection, do not use your contact lenses
  • When you swim or use the hot tub, either use goggles or remove your lenses
  • Consult your eye care practitioner about using eye drops with contact lenses

 

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