Category: Optometry blog

Optometrist Sydney CBD

We are the first generation to carry digital devices on our person. And we spend a considerable amount of time looking at smartphones, computer monitor, TVs and other equipment. The long effects of this are still not fully understood, but we do know that the blue light emitted by digital screens does have some effect on our eyes.

Blue light is similar to the ultraviolet light (UV) that causes sunburn. Both UV and blue light are known to penetrate to the back of the eye and cause long term damage to our vision, though UV light is the far more harmful of the two. In the past, before the invention of computers and tv monitors, blue light exposure was fairly mild, so that damage was minimal, often only showing up in extreme old age. Today, with constant exposure to digital screens, there is serious concern that blue light will cause permanent vision problems by middle age.

Another more immediate problem with blue light is its effect on circadian rhythms, our sleeping pattern. Exposure to blue light (and UV) will keep us awake. This can be a serious problem when we use a computer device late at night. We will have trouble sleeping after using a smartphone or similar device.

Blue Light will:

• Cause eye strain over time, perhaps a few hours.
• Blue light will keep us awake, even if we are tired.
• Blue light will slowly damage the photo receptor cells at the back of our eyes, causing vision loss as we reach old or even middle age.
• Blue light will cause the skin, mostly our face, to age more quickly.

The symptoms of Digital eye stain include:

• Fatigue, or just a feeling of stain.
• Dry eyes, itchy, red eyes.
• Blurred vision
• Poor Concentration
• Headaches
• Insomnia, despite being tired
• Neck, shoulder or back pain

Optometrist Sydney CBD

There are a few effective methods to remove or greatly reduce our exposure to blue light. One is to alter the colour display on computers, smartphones and devices. Many of these have a night viewing mode, which turns down the blue element in the display. Else, is it often possible to manually turn down the blue on the monitor. In some cases people will attach a thin transparent film to the monitor screen that filters out most blue light.

Optometrists can provide a coating to most glasses that block UV light. This works rather like high quality sunglasses. The Blue light is blocked by the lenses in the glasses and the eyes are protected. Best of all, this has no disenable side effects; the glasses work normally, and our vision with the glasses is clear.

Blue light coating on glasses will protect the eyes from damage, and reduce eye strain, though the skin on our face will still be exposed to blue light.

Optometrist Sydney CBD

Talk to the optometrist about anti-blue light coating for your glasses, or for other ways to protect your eyes from UV and blue light.

Optometrist Sydney CBD

Many discount stores and online sites sell cheap glasses. As with many cheap alternatives these are often poor quality. Most cheap glasses are unsuitable or even harmful, though we do occasionally find a decent quality bargain.

Online Eyewear

Research in overseas countries has found that most glasses purchased online were a poor fit. This is a problem that only really started to exist in the age of the internet because glasses purchased in stores could be tried and fitted before purchase. This is obviously not possible with online website stores, and nobody wants poor fitting, uncomfortable glasses. So, this is reason enough to avoid future online eyewear purchases.

There are online sites for prescription lenses, but their services are often poor. This is a serious issue as eyesight prescriptions must be exact. Even factors such as the measurement between the centre of the two pupils need to be exact, and this is something that online services get wrong. Professional optometrists work with far more precise measurements than general online suppliers, and this is vital for getting the right glasses to correct your eyesight. And there is the obvious matter of needing to have a prescription before you place your online order. You need to get this from visiting an optometrist. Last year’s prescription will almost always be out of date.

Regular eye exams, which we recommend once per year, are important. Online services do not provide this. it is especially important to get follow-up exams whenever you have new glasses, to make sure that your eyes and glasses are working together properly.

Some online optometrists had a two-for-one offer on cheap glasses. Clients complained that the two glasses did not last as long as one better quality pair of glasses from other sources.
Cheap Reading Glasses – Optometrist Sydney CBD

This is one of the few exceptions to the cheapness rule. Many stores sell a small range of inexpensive reading glasses. These come with an apparently accurate prescription rating of anything from +3.00 to +1.00.

These reading glasses are actually fine for many people. If both eyes have the same prescription, it is not too difficult to find a pair of inexpensive reading glasses that work, with a little trial and error. But there will be problems if our eyes are different. That will require a pair of prescription glasses from the optometrist.

Cheap Sunglasses

This is where cheap products actually become harmful. Cheap sunglasses often do not filter out UV light. And it is UV light that damages our eyes. The situation is made worse because the dark tint of the cheap sunglasses causes the pupils of our eyes to open, taking in more light, so they take in more UV light and suffer permanent damage.
Either buy decent sunglasses from the Cancer Counsel shop, look for established name brands, or get the sunglasses from the optometrist.

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Our eyes are important. Get the best care and the best quality glasses or contacts from our optometrists.

Optometrist Sydney CBD

In this age of the internet we have all grown accustomed to questioning the supposed facts and opinions that we encounter. We all realize that there are some honestly mistaken and plain dishonest ideas online. But really, there have always been mistaken dishonest ideas around, it’s just that we are more inclined to believe something when we see it on print; articles on the internet look convincing, even when they are inaccurate or just plain wrong.

There are a quite few myths about eyesight, either told as old wives’ tales or spread on internet chat sites. It helps to separate the facts from the fiction.

Reading in a Dim Light

Many of us were told by our parents that reading in dim light, perhaps reading with a flashlight under the bed covers at night, would ruin our eyes. This is greatly exaggerated. Dim light will not cause any real damage, even as it may cause the eyes some temporary strain. Though it should be pointed out that dim light apparently hinders memory, so it is a bad idea to study with a dim light.

Carrots will improve eyesight

A myth. A lack of good nutrition will compromise our eyesight. A healthy diet, including a few carrots, will help us keep the eyesight we have. But nothing we eat will improve eyesight.

The British military in World War two spread this myth about carrots benefiting eyesight to hide the fact that they secretly developed and used radar. The myth probably never did any harm.

Sunlight on a Cloudy Day

The Sun will radiate UV light at all times. Over time this will steadily damage our eyes. Cloudy days are not quite as intense as a sunny days, but they will still cause damage. In fact they may cause more damage because we don’t expect a threat.

Avoid looking at the Sun, even if you feel no discomfort the UV light is causing harmful. Wear UV proof sunglasses during the day. Only the early morning and late evening are safe from UV.

You Need the right prescription Glasses.

This one is true. If the prescription of our glasses is wrong it will lead to eyestrain, and steadily cause damage. Even slight error in the prescription have an effect. So do not rely on last year’s glasses, have them updated every year.

Glasses that are slightly too strong or weak will help exercise the eye, and improve our eyesight.

Unfortunately, this is a myth, even if it sounds reasonable. A slightly incorrect prescription on the glasses will strain our eyes, and steadily compromise our eyesight. Good glasses and contacts help maintain the eyesight we have.

Sitting to close to the TV causes damage

Not quite, but there is cause for concern. Computer monitors and devices will put out blue light that is harmful for our eyes.

Either use glasses with a Blue light filter, or set the computer to night vision to remove most of the UV light.

Focusing on anything too close to the eyes is harmful.

Cause and effect may be confused here. If we need to hold a book too close to our eyes then we probably have an eyesight problem. Have the eyes tested – you may need reading glasses.

That being said, if you need to do any fine work, from examining stamps to checking PC boards, you can try a magnifying glass, or glasses designed for seeing close up, very fine detail.

Washing eyes.

Tap water is not completely pure. If we try to wash our eyes with tap water we can end up putting bacteria or other contaminants in our eyes. Purified water from the chemist is cheap and far safer.

Optometrist Sydney CBD

Eyesight is important. Have your sight checked to correct any problems before they become too serious. Optometrists Sydney can help us get the best vision possible.

Optometrist Sydney – Colour Blindness

Colour Blindness is a vision condition where different colours look the same, or look very similar. There are several variations on this, with one of the most common being individuals unable to tell the difference between red and green. Colour blindness is almost always a genetically inherited condition, but on rare occasions it can be the result of damage to the eye. There is no known cure, but there are some ways to at least partially compensate for milder forms of colour blindness.

Optometrist Sydney – The Physiological Causes

Humans have 3 different colour receptors in their eyes, as well as receptors that see in black and white. These three colour receptors correspond to red, green and blue, though there is some slight overlap. All the various colours we can see are a different combination of these three colours sensed by the corresponding receptors in our eyes.

In many colour-blind people the overlap between the different receptors is larger than normal, so perhaps a green object will simultaneously activate both the red and green receptor in the eye. This will cause red and green colours to look similar, sometimes even identical.

Alternately, in some colour-blind people a receptor is missing, so they cannot see a certain primary colour at all. In a few extreme cases of colour blindness the receptors do not work at all, and the individual sees in black and white.

Some type of colour blindness:

Deuteranomaly – Green colours look more red. This is the most common type of colour blindness, and has minimal impact on lifestyle.
Protanomaly – Red looks more green. This has minimal impact on lifestyle.
Tritanomaly– Blue and green look similar. Yellow and red look similar. This is fairly rare.
Protanopia – Red receptor is missing. Red and green look the same.
Deuteranopia – Green receptor is missing. Red and green look the same.
Tritanopia – Hard to distinguish blue and green, purple and red, or yellow and pink. Colours also look less bright.
Achromatopsia – All vision is black and white. No colour receptors.

Glasses for the Colour Blind – Optometrist Sydney

While colour blindness cannot be cured with present technology it is possible to partially compensate for some types of colour blindness. This is achieved with glasses that filter out some narrow bands of coloured light. The principle is to filter out the area where the receptors overlap. If we filter out the overlap between red and green light then the receptors will not be simultaneously activated. Red light will activate the red receptor only, and green will activate the green receptor only. This means red and green will now appear to be different colours, though unfortunately the eyesight of a colour-blind individual will still not be the eyesight of a person with normal vision.

Optometrist Sydney

Eyesight is important. Have your eyesight checked to correct any problems before they become too serious.

Optometrist Sydney

UltraViolet Light (UV) it is the invisible energy that radiates from the Sun. We all know of the effects of UV on our skin, where several hours of exposure can cause sunburn, and long-term daily exposure causes premature aging of the skin. This same UV can also damage our eyes, often quite quickly. In fact, our eyes are 10 times more sensitive to UV than our skin, it’s just that we tend to not notice the eye damage, until it is too late.

We are exposed to UV light whenever we are outside. Over the course of several decades this will cause long term harm to our eyes, usually not apparent till we are past middle age. About half of all pterygium cases and about a quarter of all cataracts are causes by UV light. This is especially bad in Australia, where UV light is strong.

We can provide good UV protection for our eyes with quality Sunglasses. This means Sunglasses with UV blocking lenses. Dark tinted lenses are not enough. The Sunglasses must be 100% UV proof.

Direct sun exposure is not the only source of UV. We are still exposed to UV light if we are under shade. An umbrella, tree or open building will block direct Sunlight, but we still receive some UV light that is reflected off surfaces like water or snow. We should continue to wear UV sunglasses even in the shade.

While UV is strongest on hot Summer days there is still a significant amount of UV during Winter months and overcast days. We should wear UV proof sunglasses during daylight hours all year long.

Clear glasses can be coated with a transparent film to remove most UV light. This is very helpful as it greatly reduces the UV light we experience while wearing glasses. It is worth having your regular glasses UV coated.

Our bodies do need some UV light. This is needed for making Vitamin D and regulating Sleep cycles. We suggest getting about 15 minutes of Sun exposure in the early morning, and wearing Sunglasses and sunscreen for the rest of the day. People with darker skin may need more sun exposure to receive any benefit.

UV glasses do not last forever. Most will lose their effectiveness after about two years, with some more expensive glasses that have dual UV layers lasting perhaps 4 years. So after two years make sure the glasses or the UV coating are replaced.

A broad brim hat adds some extra protection for your eyes. Wear both a hat and sunglasses when outside.

Computers, smartphones and personal devices may emit some UV along with blue light, which is similar to UV. We should uses glasses that filter this light whenever possible, or active the ‘night view’ setting on the computer.

UV Proof Glasses – Optometrist Sydney CBD

UV protection can be added to prescription glasses, giving long term protection for your eyes. This is especially good for quality sunglasses.

Mental Health and Optometrist Sydney

There is a correlation between eye health and various mental health problems. Sometimes these links, such as a person growing depressed because of vision loss, seem straightforward. But there may be several more links between mental health and eyesight, some of which are quite complex.

Many eye conditions are treatable if discovered in the early stages. These eye conditions may exacerbate mental health issues – it is harder to stay in touch with the world and keep a realistic mental map of what is going on if eyesight is poor, and poor comprehension of the world is correlated with mental illness. So keeping eyesight healthy is one contributing factor in maintaining mental health.

Detecting and treating age-related diseases like macular degeneration and glaucoma as early as possible is essential for slowing the progression of these conditions. This early detection and treatment of degenerating eyesight help reduce the associated risk of depression.

The link between eyesight and mental health can go both ways. Stress is a mental health issue. And longer-term stress will cause pressure on the eyes that lead to blurry vision, eye strain, twitching, poor concentration, fatigue, and dry or overly wet eyes. These vision problems in turn can cause further strain on mental health.

Children Optometrist Sydney CBD

Vision problems in childhood will often affect mental functioning, including mental health. Poor eyesight will prevent a child from studying and learning; it can also affect performance in many sports. A child with this disadvantage will understandably become discouraged, and possibly depressed. Their compromised eyesight may cause them to misunderstand the things they experience, leading to legitimate long-term misconceptions and frustration. Children with eyesight corrected by glasses or other means often have a rapid improvement in many daily tasks. But if this eyesight correction is delayed until later years the associated improvement in performance is less dramatic; the older child or adult has too many accumulated misconceptions caused by the compromised eyesight during their early education.

It is well known that poor eyesight can cause headaches, including debilitating migraines. What is less well known is that over time these migraines can lead to strokes and white lesions of the brain. Eyeglasses that fix vision issues can reduce almost all of these issues.

Vision problems can be a factor in poor mental health. While glasses that fix the eyesight may not completely solve the associated mental health issues, they often bring about a significant improvement. In some cases, the patients with glasses will be able to see and think clearly enough to solve other issues compromising their mental health.

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Make sure that your mental health is not compromised by poor eyesight. Having your vision checked by an optometrist can lead to treatment that reduces stress, headaches, the tendency to depression, poor concentration, mental confusion and which also leads to better eyesight.

Glasses are an investment. We start wearing prescription glasses to correct our eyesight. The lenses of these glasses are custom-made for our exact eye limitations. The frames are chosen as a matter of aesthetic taste, hopefully, to suit our face, and perhaps our personality. This will all cost us at least some money. So, we should look after our glasses so that they last the longest time possible.

Advice from Professional Optometrist

• Carry the glasses in their protective case. This will prevent almost all accident breakage when you are not wearing them
• Take off the glasses with both hands. This prevents repeated strain on the hinges, which otherwise causes the frames to lose shape.
• Never put the glasses on any open surface, as this can lead to scratches on the lenses. Put them in their case.
• Take note of the screws that hold the frame together. If they have started to come to lose it is an easy matter to fix them. But once they have fallen out it is all too easy to lose the tiny screw.
• Clean the lenses with a microfibre cloth and lens spray. Do not use this cloth for anything other than cleaning your glasses.
• Ask about blue light coatings for the lenses of glasses, especially if you often use a computer. Blue light keeps us awake in the short term and damages our eyes in the long term.

Sunglasses might be prescribed, or a generic pair. Their main purpose is to protect the eye from Ultraviolet light (UV) that will cause damage over time. It is best to wear sunglasses in all daytime weather conditions other than rain, not just on bright sunny days. There is always UV during the day, so sunglasses are always needed for protection. As a bonus, Sunglasses will prevent premature wrinkles around the eyes, especially when combined with a hat.

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Glasses or contact lenses can provide us with clear vision. Find the best option by consulting our optometrists.