Eye Care Tips #28 | Kid Friendly Eye Care

Attention all parents!

If you're looking for a kid-friendly optometry clinic, Stonewire Optometry in Kingsway Mall is the perfect place for you and your little ones!

Our team of friendly and experienced optometrists understands the importance of making your child's eye exam a positive and stress-free experience. We take the time to explain the exam process in a kid-friendly manner to ensure their comfort throughout the entire appointment.

At Stonewire Optometry, we believe that every child deserves the best vision care possible. So book your family's eye exams with us today and see why we're the go-to choice for families in Kingsway Mall.

Disclaimer: The information in this Eye Care Tip of the Week is for general informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read in this blog post. Reliance on any information in this blog post is solely at your own risk.

#20 | Know Your Family History

Eye Care Tip of the Week | #20

Know Your Family History 

Knowing your family history as it relates to eye disease or medical conditions can help to focus your optometrist's attention on areas of potential risk. 

Conditions such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration have been shown to have a high familial history link. Both of these eye conditions are also better managed when discovered in their early phases.

By knowing your familial history, your optometrist may screen for these eye conditions more aggressively by performing dilated retinal exams, visual field tests and OCT imaging of the nerves and macula. 

It's important to remember though, that just because you have a family history of an eye condition, it by no means guarantees that you will also develop it. Always talk to your optometrist about lifestyle improvements that you can make to help reduce your risks.  

This Eye Care Tip of the Week was brought to you by optometrist Dr. Ross McKenzie

#17 | Always Tell Your Optometrist Your Complete Medical History

Eye Care Tip of the Week | #17

Always tell your optometrist your complete medical history. 

Patients may often provide auxiliary health care providers like optometrists with an edited version of their healthcare history. They may unintentionally omit details, or they may feel that it's irrelevant, or they don't think it has anything to do with eyes. 

The truth of the matter is though, your body is a complete system, everything is connected. Health conditions can manifest in various ways, and the medications used to treat them may have visual side effects. Your visual symptoms may merely be revealing a more significant underlying health care problem that may be overlooked if your complete medical history isn't known. 

Every day doctors are put to the test; They make the best diagnosis and treatment plan they can, based on the facts available at the time. Failure to provide all the information they might require, really only affects you.

This Eye Care Tip of the Week is brought to you by Dr. Ross McKenzie 

Eye Care Tip #15: Newborn Eye Exams

Many parents ask us when they should bring their newborns in for their first eye exam. 

We want to see your newborn for their first eye exam sometime between 6-months & 1-year of age. 

In general, we would like to see all newborns for their first eye exam sometime between 6-months and one-year of age. Having said that, if you have any concerns never hesitate to bring your newborn in sooner. 

Remember, all children in Alberta are covered under Alberta Health Care for an eye exam once a year, and for any eye health concerns, so please don't let cost be a barrier.

To Learn more about children's eye exams, check out our Eye Exams for Children web page. 

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This Tip of the Week is brought to you by optometrist Dr. Ross McKenzie 

Eye Care Tip #1: Alberta Health Care Billing Cycle for Optometrist

Why does that matter? Alberta Health Care covers children 0-18 and seniors 65 and over for one routine eye exam with an optometrist every year. The billing cycle for these eye exams begins every July 1st again. 

The Alberta Health Care billing cycle for eye exams is July 1st to June 30th.

So even if you're kids had their eyes examined back in November 2016, or in January 2017 they're once again covered. 

You can learn more about booking these types of appointments by visiting our eye exams for children page, or eye exams for seniors page. 

Please use your Alberta Health Care card for prevention, not just urgent treatment. Either way, we're happy to see you. 

Not covered by Alberta Health Care for your next eye exam? Check out our insurance page to see which companies we can direct bill. 

This eye care tip of the week was brought to you by our office manager: Liz