Is it time for a change?

Are you’re like most contact lens wearers who forget to change their contact lenses on time? Then it may be time to find a solution. Over wearing or extending the life of your contact lenses can lead to increased contact lens intolerance, dry eye sensation, and blurry vision. Waiting to change your contact lenses when they feel dirty or get uncomfortable is an eye infection waiting to happen.

If you wear a 2-week disposable contact lens like Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus, then change them with every paycheck. If you wear a 1-month disposable contact lens like Air Optix Aqua Comfort Plus, then change them on the 1^st day of every month. You can also consider switching into a 1-day disposable contact lens like Dailies Aqua Comfort Plus or Acuvue TruEyes and enjoy a clean new contact lens every day.

If technology is more your thing, consider joining Acuminder by the makers of Acuvue Brand contact lenses. This online tool allows you to schedule text message or email reminders on when to change your contact lenses, reorder contact lenses, and schedule your next eye exam.

Don't forget, anyone who wears contact lenses should see their eye doctor at least once a year for a complete eye health examination.

Summer is almost here!

With the sun now rising and setting a little earlier each day in Edmonton, our thoughts have once again gone back to the topic of sun protection. Sunglasses provide 2 key benefits to patients: reduced exposure to harmful ultra-violet rays and improved visual comfort in bright sunlight. So what is the best option?

Basic Sunglasses

Basic sunglasses simply decrease the intensity of the light around us equally. They help to protect the eyes from the suns harmful ultra-violet rays, and are really one of the best choices for athletes looking for consistent vision during dynamic sporting activities.  Basic sunglasses will typically cost less then polarized lenses and can be found the seasons trendiest new frame styles.

Polarized Sunglasses

Polarized sunglasses decrease the intensity of the light around us, and they reduce or eliminate the reflections or glare that come off flat surfaces like snow, water and roads. By eliminating glare, polarized sunglasses improve visual contrast and help to reduce fatigue and eye strain.  Polarized lenses are best suited for less dynamic activities or flat surfaces like in driving, fishing, boating, etc.

What lens colour is the best?

Lens colour seems to come down to personal choice and fashion for a lot of people. It is a myth however, that darker sunglasses provide more ultra-violet light protection then lighter tints. Darker tints help to reduce more of the suns overall intensity, but quality sunglasses regardless of tint should all block at least 99% of UV-A and UV-B rays. Your eye doctor may recommend darker tints like grey and black during the summer months when the suns rays are far more intense. But during the winter months they may recommend brown tints, as they can add a sense of brightness to a dull flat light day. Light and dark tints are available in polarized and non-polarized sunglass styles, as well as in prescription and non-prescription style sunglasses.

Itchy Eyes?

Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? Do you fear going outside in the summer because of ocular irritation, nasal congestion and sneezing? Red, burning, watery, itchy eyes are just some of the typical ocular symptoms experienced by allergy sufferers in our clinic. Patients with allergies can also experience contact lens intolerance, blurred vision and pain. Not a great combination when all you want to do is get outside and play.

Trying to treat and manage ocular allergies can be a difficult chronic battle. If you have mild allergy signs and symptoms, consider trying some of these non-pharmaceutical treatment options for seasonal allergies first.

• Shower and wash your hair every night before going to bed and after being outside. Allergens can stick to your hair and eyelashes further increasing ocular symptoms.
• Make sure you thoroughly remove your makeup at night and regular change your mascara brushes.
• Change your pillowcases, bed linens and bath towels regularly.
• Consider switching into a 1-day disposable contact lens. Inserting a fresh, clean contact lens into your eye each day guarantees that you will not be inserting any old allergens back into your eyes.
• Try to reduce your contact lens wearing time as much as possible. Only insert your contact lenses prior to leaving the house, and remove them when you get home.
• Use contact lens approved lubricating eye drops to help flush your eyes free from allergens throughout the day. This same rule also applies to non-contact lens wearers.
• Consider removing the carpets from your bedroom and house, and switching to a hard surface flooring option such as tile or hardwood. If this is not an option, have your carpets professionally cleaned.
• Consider adding a humidifier to your furnace to help reduce the amount of dust and allergens in the air. A portable option can also work for smaller areas or in your office at work.
• Change your furnace filters regularly, and have your furnace cleaned annually. Also consider adding an air purifier to help clean the air.
• If you have a pet, keep them out of your bedroom and limit the areas of the house their allowed to go.

If you still find that your seasonal allergy symptoms are unmanageable, please stop by our eye clinic for a complete eye health examination by one of our optometrists. Our eye doctors may be able to prescribe some prescription and non-prescription eye drops that can provide added relief. They can also confirm that what you have is in fact ocular allergies and not another underlying problem instead.

Pressure

 

January is glaucoma awareness month across North America. Glaucoma is a painless eye condition that usually develops slowly over time and is often related to elevated eye pressure.

Did you know?

1. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness and accounts for approximately 10% of all cases of vision loss.
2. There is presently no cure for glaucoma, but there are numerous treatment options available to help slow the progression. These include medicated eye drops and various surgical procedures.
3. Everyone is at risk of developing glaucoma, including children. However, patients with a family history of glaucoma or patients of African American decent are at a higher risk.
4. African Americans are 5 times more likely to develop glaucoma and 15 times more likely to loose their vision. Glaucoma is currently the leading cause of vision loss amongst African Americans.

Have you had your eye pressures checked lately? If not, call our office and book an eye health examination with one of our optometrists. .

To learn more about glaucoma, please visit the glaucoma research foundation at www.glaucoma.org

Carrots - Myth or Fact?

Question:

Does eating carrots really improve your vision?

Answer:

Yes and No. Eating copious quantities of carrots will not prevent or reverse your need for eyeglasses. Carrots however are high in beta-carotene, which gets converted to Vitamin-A in the liver and is an important nutrient with regards to proper eye health. Vitamin-A is an antioxidant and has been shown to slow the formation and progression of degenerative eye diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts. Vitamin-A deficiency can lead to night blindness a condition known as nyctalopia.

Carrots also contain the antioxidant lutein. Lutein is highly concentrated in the central macula area of the eye and helps to protect the eye from age-related macular degeneration, which is currently the leading cause of blindness in patients over the age of 50.

Like all good things, there is a limit. Excessive beta-carotene intake can cause a persons skin to turn orange, and chronic ingestion has been linked with an increase risk of lung cancer in smokers and recent ex-smokers.

Note: Always consult with your health care provider prior to starting any new supplements.

Welcome to Winter!

Cold temperatures are not only tough on your car, but they can also be tough on your eyes. Cold weather increases dry eye symptoms for many patients, and can increase contact lens intolerance. Freezing temperatures and heaters dry out the air around us, causing your contact lenses and your eyes to loose their moisture quicker.

Try to reduce your contact lens usage during very cold periods and ensure that you remove your contact lenses when you get home at night. You can also consider using a quality lubricating eye drop that is approved for contact lenses or one that was recommended by your eye doctor.

School Vision Screenings

School vision screenings are a critical component of our health care system and help to detect gross visual problems in children that may otherwise go undetected. School vision screenings however are not a substitute for a comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist. All children, 3 years of age or older, should receive a complete eye examination at least once a year.

An optometrist can examine your child to ensure that they have the adequate visual skills needed to succeed at school. With almost 80% of all learning being visual, it is critical that your child’s visual system be operating perfectly.

An eye examination by an optometrist is more then about 20/20 vision, it’s also about having proper visual skills. Some of these skills include colour vision, depth perception, focusing, eye teaming, and eye tracking.

Did you know?

Children are covered under Alberta Health Care for a comprehensive eye examination once a year. There is no cost to you as a parent to have your child’s eyes examined.

Children are also covered under Alberta Health Care for emergency eye exam appointments for things such as: pink eye, eye infections, allergies, injuries, etc.

Book your child in today for their back to school eye examination at Kingsway Optometry in Kingsway Mall and protect their ability to learn.

Kingsway Optometry and its eye doctors are proud to be members of the Alberta Association of Optometrists and to participate in the Eye See…Eye Learn program. A partnership between optometrists, private business and the Alberta Government with a focus on ensuring that every child receives an eye exam before starting kindergarten. To learn more about the Eye See…Eye Learn program please refer to the Alberta Association of Optometrists website.

Do you suffer from seasonal allergies?

Thousands of Edmontonians suffer from seasonal allergies every year. With spring comes dust, mold, pollen and the inevitable sneezing, runny noses, and breathing problems that follow. For some Edmontonians seasonal allergies may affect their eyesight causing swollen, itchy, watery eyes. Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis may even prevent some people from being able to wear their contact lenses all summer long.

Non-prescription allergy treatments have traditionally proven relatively ineffective at resolving seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Ocular decongestants like Visine can provide some cosmetic relief, but do not target the underlying cause. Older mast cell stabilizer medications like Cromolyn must be administered 4 times per day for 2-3 weeks before symptoms improve.

Approximately 10 years ago Alcon pharmaceuticals introduced a topical allergy eye medication called Patanol.  Patanol offered fast relief from ocular allergy symptoms, offered a simple twice per day dosing and was approved for contact lens wearers. Patients could instill Patanol before and after wearing their contact lenses.

Today, Alcon is proud to announce that Canadians will now have access to the all new Pataday. Pataday offers the same proven, safe, effective results of Patanol but provides patients with a convenient once a day dosing. Pataday is also approved in contact lens wearers.

So if you suffer from ocular allergies, talk to your optometrist about Pataday.

Evening Eye Exams Available

Kingsway Optometry now offers evening eye exam appointments. So if you need to see an optometrist, but you can’t manage traditional doctor hours, then Kingsway Optometry is right for you. Our optometry clinic is now open late until 8pm every Tuesday evening.

Kingsway Optometry also has Saturday and Sunday eye exam appointments available. So to schedule an eye exam at your convenience with one of our optometrist you can either book online, call us, or simply stop by.

Whether you require a routine eye health exam, new eyeglasses or contact lenses, or you have an ocular emergency, Kingsway Optometry has you covered.

Doctor Hours: Mon 9am-6pm / Tues 9am-8pm / Wed 9am-6pm / Thurs 9am-6pm / Fri 9am-5pm / Sat 9am-4pm / Sun 11am-3pm

1-Day Contact Lenses Offer a Clean, Clear, Comfortable Option

1-Day disposable contact lenses offer patients a great alternative to conventional 2-Week or 1-Month disposable lenses. For years now research has shown that the more often you can dispose of your contact lenses, the healthier your eyes will be, the better they will feel and the better your vision will be. Wearing contact lenses until they irritate your eyes, results in contact lens discomfort and patients looking for more expensive alternatives such as laser eye surgery.

To combat contact lens discomfort, manufacturers set out to create a 1-Day disposable product so that patients no longer had to remember when to change their 2-Week or 1-Month contact lenses. As a side benefit, 1-Day contact lenses turned out to be a savings grace for allergy sufferers, patients with contact lens solution allergies, and a hygienic alternative for young kids.

Yes 1-Day contact lenses cost slightly more then 2-Week or 1-Month disposable lenses, but you will also never have to purchase contact lens solution again. An annual supply of 1-Day contact lenses is also only about 1/10 the price of some laser eye surgery procedures. 

To learn more about 1-Day disposable contact lenses, book a comprehensive eye health examination and a professional contact lens fitting with your optometrist at Kingsway Optometry. 

1-Day Disposable Trial Lenses Include:

• Dailies Aqua Comfort Plus by Ciba Vision

• Focus Dailies by Ciba Vision

• 1-Day Acuvue TruEye by Johnson & Johnson

• Softlens 1-Day by Bausch and Lomb

 

What Does a Comprehensive Eye Exam Involve?

A comprehensive eye health examination performed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist should involve an assessment of two main areas: a visual assessment and an ocular health assessment. A visual assessment evaluates how well you are presently seeing and checks for any need for spectacles, contact lenses or laser eye surgery. The visual assessment would involve the following types of tests:

• Visual Acuity Testing – Your eye doctor will ask you to read an eye chart. Usually this test is done one eye at a time, and can be performed with or without your eyeglasses. For small children or people with difficulty reading an eye chart, pictures or numbers may be substituted.

• Refraction – Your eye doctor will assess your need for visual correction using a machine called a phoropter, which is really just a large pair of eyeglasses filled with thousands of lens combinations.

• Binocular Testing – Your eye doctor will do various tests to see how well your eyes work together as a team.

The ocular health assessment part of your eye exam does just that – it tests to see how healthy your eyes are, inside and out. Here are some of the tests your eye doctor will perform:

• Slit Lamp Examination – Your eye doctor will examine the front part of your eyes using a special microscope known as a slit lamp. This instrument is used to evaluate the external health of your eyes while screening for eye conditions like cataracts. Most optometrists also use the slit lamp along with special high plus lenses to evaluate the internal health of the eye and the retina.

• Tonometry – Your eye doctor will use this test to measure the intraocular pressure or fluid pressure within your eye. An elevated intraocular pressure reading may be an indication of glaucoma. This eye test can be done using a number of different instruments. One of them is known as a non-contact tonometer or NCT test. Here you’ll focus on a light and then feel a gentle puff of air against your eye. While the sound and sensation may startle you, don’t be afraid – no harm is being done. Other tonometry tests may require the use of eye drops to numb the surface of the eye. These tests are done when more accurate readings are required.

• Ophthalmoscopy – Your eye doctor will use various lights to examine the internal structures of your eyes and your retina. These tests can either be done during the slit lamp examination (as noted above), with a separate hand held ophthalmoscope or with a head mounted binocular indirect ophthalmoscope. Your eye doctor may choose to use eye drops to dilate, or widen your pupils. This procedure allows for a much clearer view of the retina to make absolutely certain that everything is healthy. While the eye drops will tend to blur your vision and make your eyes slightly light sensitive for a few hours, it is the best way to detect any possible retinal eye disease. Kingsway Optometry highly recommends that patients have a dilated eye examination at least every 2 years. Learn more about a medical eye health examination.

• Visual Field Testing – Your eye doctor may wish to check the sensitivity of your peripheral, or side vision. This simple test can reveal any subtle loss of your peripheral vision that may be a sign of diseases more serious eye diseases like glaucoma, stroke, or neurological problems.

Schedule your comprehensive or medical eye exam with an eye doctor at Kingsway Optometry today.

 

Have Your Eyes Examined Regularly

Of course! It seems obvious on the surface that one of the best things you can do to prevent vision loss from eye disease is to have your eyes checked regularly. Many eye diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy can be easily controlled if detected early enough, thereby preventing or limiting any loss of vision. It just makes sense that regular eye examinations would be the number 1 thing you could do to prevent vision loss. And yet still, it’s astounding just how few people regularly have their eyes checked.

In a study by the College of Optometrists in Vision Development, it was found that up to 25 percent of school-age children have some form of vision problem that may affect learning, but only a small percentage of children ever receive a comprehensive eye exam. With the new Eye See Eye Learn program by the Alberta Association of Optometrist, our clinic is working to change this by improving patient education and public awareness.

Even people with known eye problems aren’t getting eye exams. A study conducted at Duke University showed that only 70 to 90 percent of patients with glaucoma had a yearly check-up. Glaucoma is an eye disease that can slowly and silently cause blindness over a period of time. These patients often need to be followed at least two to three times a year. And yet a full 10 to 30 percent of them aren’t even going to the eye doctor yearly.

Similar numbers were found in patients with macular degeneration and diabetes. Only 65 to 80 percent of patients with macular degeneration have yearly eye exams and only 50 to 60 percent of patients with diabetes have them. Many of these people will very likely become legally blind from their untreated conditions. With the new medically necessary vision testing under Alberta Health Care your optometrist is able to follow these conditions (glaucoma, diabetes, and macular degeneration) at no charge to yourself.
The evidence speaks for itself – the number one recommendation is to make sure you have your eyes examined regularly!

Who Should I Go to For My Eye Exam?

There is often much confusion regarding whom to see for an eye exam – after all there are three different “O’s” that care for eyes in various ways. Who should you choose? To answer this question, let’s first define who the three “O’s” are:

• Optometrists (O.D.’s) – A doctor of optometry receives his degree after four years of post graduate training in a college of optometry. Optometrists are licensed to perform comprehensive eye exams, prescribe glasses and contact lenses and to treat many types of eye disease including conjunctivitis (pink eye or red eye) and glaucoma. Optometrists typically do not perform surgery. Instead they receive additional training on understanding and treating the functional aspects of vision – how to help people see the best they can in their day to day lives.

• Ophthalmologists – Ophthalmologists are medical doctors (M.D.’s) or osteopaths (D.O.’s) who take a three to five year residency in eye care after they receive their medical degree. In addition to providing comprehensive eye examinations, ophthalmologists are able to prescribe eye medications and perform surgery. Some ophthalmologists go on for additional training and become specialists in certain areas such as retinal, corneal, cataract and glaucoma treatment.

• Opticians – Opticians are professionals specially trained to fit, fabricate and dispense eyeglasses. Many states also allow opticians to dispense contact lenses. Opticians do not perform comprehensive eye health examinations.

Which one should you choose for your routine comprehensive eye exams – an ophthalmologist or an optometrist? Obviously I may be biased, but I know today’s optometrists are well trained and skilled at detecting eye disease. If specialized medical or surgical treatment is ever needed, we will quickly arrange for you to see the right ophthalmologist who specializes in your particular eye care problem.

What contact lens solution are you using?

Patients and eye doctors often took contact lens solution for granted, or at least we all did in the past. Contact lens solutions have been shown to be a vital component of your overall contact lens comfort and ocular health. They can lead to or contribute to ocular irritation, blurred vision, allergic reactions and dry eye symptoms. Patients often present to our clinic looking for newer or different contact lens brands that provide more moisture, when the problem may be in the contact lens solution they use to store them in at home.

In 2007, Bausch and Lomb’s initiated a voluntary recall of their Renu Multi-purpose solution, after concerns that it may have been related to an increase in fungal eye infections. Other companies soon followed, with voluntary recalls of their own. The positive side of this story though is that new more stringent guidelines have been developed, and solutions most finally underwent rigorous eye care testing to ensure their efficacy and safety.

There are three categories of contact lens solutions: Multi-Purpose, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Saline Solution.

Multi-Purpose Solutions

Brand Name - Multi-Purpose solutions

Brand name multi-purpose products are used for cleaning, disinfecting and storing your contact lenses overnight. All of these branded solutions use the latest in medical technology and disinfecting techniques to ensure optimal contact lens performance. They are all FDA approved and have undergone rigorous trial processes and lab testing. 

• Optifree-Replenish by Alcon
• Optifree-Express by Alcon
• Renu by Bausch and Lomb
• Solo Care Aqua by Ciba Vision
• Complete by Advanced Medical Optics
• Sensitive Eyes by Bausch and Lomb

Private Label - Multi-Purpose solutions

Private label multi-purpose products are used for cleaning, disinfecting and storing your contact lenses. In most cases private label or no-name products tend to be older versions of contact lens solutions, which offer fewer added benefits to consumers. Products within these bottles can change, as manufacturers bid for contracts. So, really patients and doctors have no idea what they are using, which can lead to solution sensitivities and reactions over time.  These products are FDA approved, and have gone through rigorous FDA approvals in the past. 

• Equate by Wal-Mart
• Lens Care Multi-Purpose Solution by Life Brand
• Eye Assist by Rexall

 

Brand Name -Hydrogen Peroxide Solutions

Brand name hydrogen peroxide solutions are used to clean, disinfect and store your contact lenses over night. Hydrogen peroxide cleaning systems are great for patients with preservative allergies or dry eye. However, these products have very specific instructions that need to be followed. Talk to your eye care professional prior to using them. 

• Clear Care by Ciba Vision
• AoSept Plus by Ciba Vision
• OxySept by Advanced Medical Optics

 

Saline Solutions

These products are only designed for rinsing contact lenses. These products are not designed to clean or disinfect your contact lenses. 

• Sensitive Eyes Saline Plus by Bausch and Lomb
• Softwear by Ciba Vision
• Saline Solution by Life Brand

Still confused? Talk to your optometrist at your next annual contact lens examination.

What is nearsightedness and how is it corrected?

Myopia or nearsightedness is a common vision disorder where by people can see objects up close, but are unable to focus clearly on objects in the distance. 

Nearsightedness is the result of two things, either a person's eye grows too long, or the outside of the eye is too steep or round, causing images to focus in front of the retina.

Symptoms of Nearsightedness

Typically, people will start to notice problems with their distance vision in their school years, but nearsightedness can develop at any age. It may also be a sign of a more serious medical problem, such as diabetes or cataracts, especially if the onset of nearsightedness is very sudden and dramatic.

Initial symptoms of nearsightedness include problems focusing on small objects far away like road signs or the channel guide on TV. People can find themselves squinting or developing frontal headaches from having to squint. Children often complain about being unable to see the board at school, while adults often complain about poor night vision or increased glare. Symptoms almost always worsen in low light level situations.

What Causes Nearsightedness?

There has been increased research in the area of nearsightedness in recent years, as the world has seen a sudden surge in the number of people requiring eyeglasses for distance vision correction. 

Early research studies suggest that nearsightedness may be related to near point stress, and numerous studies show that myopia increases along with a person’s level of education. 

Newer studies out of China also point towards dietary factors and excessive indoor time may play a significant role in the development of nearsightedness. However, these studies are far from complete. 

A study out of the UK at the St. Thomas Hospital also showed the genetics probably plays a significant role in the development of nearsightedness while environmental factors may only play a small or limited role.

Treatment options for nearsightedness

Treatment options for people affected by myopia or nearsightedness are numerous. Traditionally, eyeglasses have been the primary treatment option. However, patients also have access to contact lenses, laser vision correction, and intra-ocular lens implants. It is important to always discuss lifestyle and your work situation with your optometrist or ophthalmologist when determining your best treatment option or options.  It is also recommended that patients with nearsightedness receive regular eye health examinations by an optometrist or ophthalmologist every one to two years to ensure the health of their retina's. 

Meibominitis & Dry Eye

Meibomianitis is an inflammation of the oil glands or meibomian glands along your upper and lower eyelid margins. These oil glands produce the lipid or fat layer of your tear film, which coats the surface of your eye. The purpose of this lipid layer is to help prevent the water layer below from evaporating. When these meibomian glands or oil glands become inflamed, they no longer produce nice smooth clean oil. The oil can come out bubbly or thick, thus improperly coating the front of the eye.

Meibomianitis typically does not cause serious visual problems, but it can cause numerous comfort and cosmetic issues. Meibomianitis can cause your eyes to dry out, burn, itch, and water. All of which can lead to reduced vision, blurred vision, vision that fluctuates or vision that clears up with strong blinks. Meibomianitis can also cause your eyelids to swell or thicken and turn red, which can eventually lead to madarosis (eyelashes falling out). It can also lead to external hordeolums more commonly known as styes, which are simply clogged oil glands that have become inflamed.

TREATMENT OR PREVENTION:

The treatment for meibomianitis is fairly straight forward, and we encourage all of our patients to perform this treatment on a daily basis, regardless of whether or not they have meibomianitis.

Steps:

• Prior to getting in the shower in the morning, take a washcloth and heat it up under the tap with warmwater. Close your eyes, and lightly hold the warm washcloth over your eyes. Hold the cloth there until it cools off. Repeat this process for approximately 2 minutes.
• Than, lightly rub your eyelids with the wash cloth to force out all the old oil
• If you eyelids are really swollen than in the shower, take your washcloth and apply a small amount of baby shampoo to it (baby shampoo is used so that you eyes won’t burn, if they actually come in contact with the soap). Foam it up. Than lightly scrub you eyelid margins to remove any oil build up. Ensure that you thoroughly rinse away any soap residue.

Occasionally meibomianitis can get very bad, and medical therapy may be required. If this is the case, your optometrist or ophthalmologist may provide you with a topical antibiotic ointment. In some situations, oral antibiotics may also be used. 

To learn more about meibomianitis or to find out if meibomianitis is the cause of your vision problems, please contact one of our eye doctors and book and eye exam. 

Routine Eye Health Exams

Routine eye health exams are an important part of a person's overall well-being. Eye health exams should be part of your annual complete physical and booked alongside visits to both your family physician and dentist.

Routine eye health examinations by an optometrist are important for people who wear eyeglasses, contact lenses, or who have had laser eye surgery to ensure that their visual acuity is stable. Eye health exams are also important, however, for people who have various medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or arthritis. All of these medical conditions can directly impact your overall eye health and may put you at increased risk of developing certain eye care conditions such as glaucoma or macular degeneration. People with a family history of eye diseases such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, or cataracts should also schedule an annual eye health examination by an optometrist. Early detection of these conditions by your eye doctor allows them to provide better treatment options and produces better visual outcomes.

The risk of developing eye conditions does increase with age, making annual eye health examinations more crucial. 

In our 40’s presbyopia(loss of focusing) sets in, and people find themselves transitioning into the world of reading glasses, bifocals or progressive lenses. 

In our 50-60 we often see the onset of cataracts or other age-related or lifestyle-related illnesses such as heart disease and type-2 diabetes. 

In our 70’s we start to see the beginning of macular degeneration. It is important to remember that these conditions are simply more prevalent with age, but can occur at any stage of our life.

As a child, annual eye health exams are required to determine how our eyes are developing along with determining any visual problems that may hold a child back in school. Children live in an increasingly visual world, and the ability to see clearly is vital to a child's academic success.

High Blood Pressure and Your Eyes!

Having high blood pressure or hypertension (HTN) can have a serious impact on a persons overall well being along with the overall health of their eyes. It is estimated that approximately 22% of Canadians have hight blood pressure, but that only about half actually receive treatment for it. High blood pressure is considered to be a silent killer, as it often has no symptoms at all.

Elevated blood pressure is defined as having a systolic pressure of greater than 140mmHg or a diastolic pressure of more than 90mmHg. In the vast majority of people, there is no specific cause for their elevated blood pressure, but studies show that high blood pressure is more common in African Americans than in Caucasians and more common in the elderly. High blood pressure is also more likely to develop in people suffering from obesity or diabetes.

If blood pressure is aloud to remain elevated for any length of time, it can start to impact your health

The heart may become larger or weaker, which may lead to heart failure. Heart failure is when the heart cannot pump enough blood throughout the body

Aneurysms can form in blood vessels. Aneurysms are abnormal bulges or ballooning of an artery wall. Common locations are the brain, legs, stomach and spleen

Blood vessels in the kidneys can start to narrow, leading to kidney failure

Blood vessels can start to narrow throughout the body, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, or kidney failure.

In men, high blood pressure can also cause erectile dysfunction

Blood vessels in the eyes can burst or bleed, which can lead to vision changes or blindness.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS:

• No symptoms
• Headaches or Morning Headaches
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Dizziness
• Nose Bleeds
• Chest Pain
• Flushed or Pale Skin
• Nausea/Vomiting

EYE SYMPTOMS:

• Papilloedema (swelling of the optic nerve- can cause pain with eye movements or loss of colour vision)
• Blurred Vision
• Double Vision

TREATMENTS:

• Lifestyle 
• Lose Weigh
• Quit Smoking
• Eat a healthy diet
• Reduce Salt intake
• Reduce alcohol consumption
• Medications

**There are numerous types of high blood pressure medications on the market today. Only your family physician and yourself can determine the best type of medication for you.

For more information on High Blood Pressure or Hypertension, please visit the Heart and Stroke Foundation. If you are concerned that High Blood Pressure may be affecting your vision, please see your optometrist. Your optometrist has the knowledge and skill to work along with your family physician when managing your blood pressure. 

Smoking is a Real Problem

Smoking always seems to get a bad rap for causing numerous medical problems, and probably for good reason. Smoking has been linked to atherosclerosis and heart disease, two conditions that can directly impact your overall health not to mention your overall ocular health. Most people don’t realize that your eyes require more blood than your heart to survive, and are directly impacted by heart disease.

Smoking has been shown to increase one's risk of developing glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), and cataracts. In fact, studies show that individuals who smoke are five times more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), which is the leading cause of vision loss amongst North Americans.

Studies by the Canadian government show that approximately 15-22% of Canadians age 15 and older smoke on a regular basis. A small non-scientific analysis of our clinic revealed that about 32% of our patients were regular smokers.  This means that our patient base is nearly two times more likely to develop severe eye disease like macular degeneration.

We firmly urge all of our patients to look closely at their lifestyle choices and re-evaluate the long-term consequences. If you’ve determined that it is now time to quit, please talk to your family physician about ways to help kick the habit.

Book Your Next Eye Exam with Stonewire Optometry
Kingsway Mall | Edmonton | Alberta