 If you have thought about purchasing your next pair of prescription eyeglasses online, there are a few things you need to know. Ordering eyeglasses online may seem easy, but it is very different than ordering your average consumer item. It is important to know that your optometrist is trained in the proper fitting, measuring, manufacturing and dispensing of eyewear. When ordering online, the consumer is, in essence, taking on the role of a trained optical dispenser. This includes taking critical measurements and making critical decisions with respect to frame, lens and material selection. There is an inherent risk associated with making these determinations without the proper skills and education. Your prescription given to you by your doctor of optometry is only one piece of information that will determine how well you see with your new eyewear. During the normal process of selecting and getting properly fit for your new eyeglasses, your doctor of optometry is determining a number of things to make sure your new purchase is custom made to give you clear and comfortable vision, while making sure you look great, including: Accurately measuring the distance between your pupils so that your new lenses will be properly located in the new frames relative to your eyes
As a consumer, you have a number of choices when it comes to purchasing eyewear. Working with your optometrist from the initial optometric eye exam to the final fitting will ensure you receive accurate, quality manufactured eyewear that is best suited for your eyes and your lifestyle. Source: Canadian Association Of Optometrists A University of Edinburgh study has found intelligent people are 30% more likely to have genes related to poor eyesight
In the study, the largest of its kind ever conducted, researchers from the University of Edinburgh analyzed cognitive and genetic data from over 300,000 people aged between 16 and 102 that had been gathered by the UK Biobank and the Charge and Cogent consortia. Their analysis found “significant genetic overlap between general cognitive function, reaction time, and many health variables including eyesight, hypertension, and longevity”. Specifically, people who were more intelligent were almost 30% more likely to have genes which might indicate they’d need to wear glasses. Pink eye, medically known as conjunctivitis, is a common childhood ailment. Unfortunately, misinformation about this condition often increases the risk of disease transmission, complicates diagnosis, and discourages patients from seeking treatment.
It’s important for adults, especially parents, to be able to distinguish between the facts and fiction of conjunctivitis to prevent the spread of common myths. 1. ALL TYPES OF PINK EYE ARE CONTAGIOUS One of the most common and most harmful misconceptions about pink eye is that there’s only one, highly contagious type. Pink eye actually has numerous causes, including allergies, exposure to chemical fumes, advanced dry eye, and infections. Pink eye caused by an infection may result from a virus, usually an adenovirus or herpes virus, or from bacteria. Only bacterial pink eye is contagious. An eye doctor can determine the cause of the condition and let you know whether or not you’re contagious. Even with bacterial pink eye, patients can usually return to school or work one day after starting antibiotic treatment. 2. ANY PINKNESS POINTS TO PINK EYE Many individuals believe that any pink or red discoloration in the eye area indicates the presence of pink eye. However, the term “pink eye” applies only to coloration changes of the eyeball itself. Redness around the eye, which may be referred to as “red eye,” is not necessarily related to pink eye. Often, red eye results from eyeball injuries, like corneal abrasions. In certain serious cases, redness around the eye comes from an infection in the eye socket or the progression of glaucoma. If you experience both pink and red eye simultaneously or experience persistent red eye, consult with an optometrist. 3. CONJUNCTIVITIS ONLY AFFECTS CHILDREN Pink eye is particularly common among children. However, pink eye can affect anyone. The high rate of infection among children usually results from kids not taking the same precautions against the condition as adults. To protect yourself and your children against pink eye, always wash up before handling anything that comes close to your eyes, like contact lenses. Additionally, avoid sharing eyeliner, contact lenses, and contact solution to reduce the risk of infection. 4. CRUDE PRANKS CAN CAUSE PINK EYE Bacterial pink eye can occur due to exposure to a number of different bacteria, including staph. Some types of bacteria that can lead to pink eye are found naturally in the human body. For example, staph can live in the nose, so a child who picks his or her nose could unwittingly transfer the bacteria to the eye area. These bacteria can also be found in fecal matter, and this fact has led to the myth that if someone were to release gas onto a pillowcase, a person who uses the pillowcase later will contract pink eye. However, flatulence is primarily methane gas and does not contain bacteria. Additionally, bacteria die quickly outside the body, so unless someone laid down on the pillowcase immediately after it had been exposed to bacteria, the sleeper would be at no risk for pink eye. 5. INFECTION CAN HAPPEN AT FIRST SIGHT One of the most persistent myths about pink eye is that an infected individual can transmit the disease with a single glance. However, no disease can be passed via eye contact, including pink eye. This myth can also include the idea that being in a large group of people makes it easier for pink eye to spread. However, because no type of pink eye is airborne, being in a crowd does not significantly raise the risk of contracting pink eye. 6. OBJECTS THAT COME IN CLOSE CONTACT MUST GO When you notice discoloration of your eye, your first response may be to get rid of anything that came close to the eye area, including bed linens, beauty tools, and clothing items. This drastic measure is rarely necessary. Your eye doctor may recommend getting rid of your contact lenses and any contaminated contact solution, as well as eyeliner and mascara used while your eye was affected. He or she may also suggest that you wash the linens and clothes you’ve used recently to kill any lingering bacteria. However, if your pink eye is caused by allergies or exposure to irritants, you may simply need to stop wearing contact lenses and eye makeup until the inflammation subsides. 7. PINK EYE CAN CAUSE BLINDNESS While pink eye can be embarrassing and uncomfortable, the condition is not dangerous on its own. In fact, many cases of pink eye go away without treatment in one to two weeks. If you experience unusual symptoms, consult with an eye health professional to determine whether the pink eye is related to or contributing to a more serious condition. These serious symptoms may include fever, rash, persistent headache, nausea, or changes in eye discharge. It started as an impulsive buy from a souvenir shop, but 10 hours after she first put in a pair of coloured contact lenses, Laura Butler, had "extreme pain in both eyes." It's because she had not been properly fitted by an eye care professional, the lenses are shaped to stick to your eye like a suction cup. Ouch!
Halloween is a popular time for people to use coloured contact lenses to enhance their costumes. From blood-drenched vampire eyes to glow-in-the-dark lizard lenses, costume contacts can certainly add a spooky, eye-popping touch. Few know the risks associated with costume lenses. Most people believe that decorative lenses do not require the same level of care or consideration as a standard contact lens because they can be purchased over-the-counter or on the Internet. That's far from the truth. In fact, it is illegal to sell coloured contact lenses without a prescription in the Canada. As of July 15 2016, cosmetic and colour contact lenses can only be purchased at registered ophthalmic clinics. All contact lenses are medical devices that require a prescription and proper fitting by an eye-care professional. Retailers that sell contacts without a prescription are breaking the law, and may be fined. Never buy coloured contact lenses from a retailer that does not ask for a prescription. There is no such thing as a "one size fits all" contact lens. Lenses that are not properly fitted may scratch the eye or cause blood vessels to grow into the cornea. Even if you have perfect vision, you need to get an eye exam and a prescription from an eye-care professional in order to wear any kind of contact lens. In Butler's case (above), the lenses caused an infection and left her with a corneal abrasion. "I was in severe pain and on medication for four weeks, and couldn't see well enough to drive for eight weeks," she said. "I now live with a corneal scar, vision damage and a drooping eyelid."  We've all done it. When our glasses are smudged up we reach for the corner of our shirt and clean them off. You probably even know that's the wrong way to clean glasses, but you do it anyway. The reason your shirt is terrible for cleaning glasses is because it's likely filled with dust, and that scratches the lenses. You also shouldn't use anything with ammonia, bleach, vinegar, or window cleaner because those chemicals strip away the coatings on your glasses. Eyeglasses are prone to buildup of natural oils from your hands, face, and eyelashes, creating a sticky layer of dirt and grime. This tends to give you a blurry vision through the lenses. So what if you're microfiber cloth is AWOL and you don't have the lense spray we gave you on hand? A gengle soap, warm water and clean cotton cloth will do. “If the eye does not want to see, neither light nor glasses will help.”
– German Proverb Do you know the difference between the three types of eye care professionals?
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors (MDs or DOs) who specialize in eye care. Not only do they prescribe eyeglasses and contacts, they also perform eye surgery and treat medical conditions of the eye. Optometrists have a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree. They diagnose vision problems and treat medical conditions of the eye, prescribe glasses and contacts, etc. With a few exceptions, optometrists typically are not trained or licensed to perform eye surgery. Opticians are eye care professionals who fit, adjust and repair glasses and teach patients how to apply and care for contact lenses. ‘Floaters’ are the little dots and shadows that float across your vision.
Sometimes floaters will go through your eye and you won’t even notice, because your brain is hard-wired to adapt your vision to environmental changes. Other times, floaters can be quite alarming. Dots and lines going across your vision might make it difficult to concentrate and cause confusion, and the rest of your vision can become blurry if you’re worried and focusing on the floaters. Generally, floaters are nothing to worry about – even if they are a hassle. They are caused by debris floating into your eyeball. The eyeball is coated in a jelly-like substance which the debris floats on top of, so having floaters in your eye shouldn’t do you any harm. What they will do is cast a shadow on your retina by blocking out a section of the light that is going into your eye – this is what causes the dark spots. At an early age, we were taught mother knows best, and unwillingly listened to her when she would say, “eat your carrots; they help you see better.” While some of us still struggle to chomp down on a carrot, we may begin to wonder if there’s any truth to this saying. In the new video, “Do Carrots Help You See Better?” the American Chemical Society shows how the popular phrase is just a myth and actually traces back to wartime espionage. The rumor our grandmother and our mom have passed down from generation to generation actually started in World War II when the British Air Force said their pilots ate a lot of carrots to help them see the enemy better at night. In actuality, it wasn’t the carrots; it was their “top-secret” radar system. However, carrots do contain the chemical compound beta-carotene, which can contribute to improved eye health. "When you eat foods with beta-carotene, your body converts it into vitamin A. And that vitamin A gets turned into retinol,” says chemist Chad Jones, host of the award-winning Collapsed Wave Function podcast, in the video. The retinol can be found in the eyes inside vision cells called “rods.” It sits comfortably wrapped inside a protein that is twisted and compact just like a ball of yarn. When light hits the retinol it stretches out to a form called cis and then to a form called trans. This chain reaction that leads down to the rod cell, through the nerves, and to the brain lets us know it’s not dark anymore. This is how we are able to see light. Now, the belief that carrots help improve vision is a stretch, but the beta-carotene is good for our overall eye health. This carotenoid isn’t a match for antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, found mostly in leafy greens. These two work together to reverse your visual system losing sensitivity with age by protecting the eye’s macula, Medical Daily previously reported. The best way to attain good eye health is consuming foods with the highest concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin, such as spinach and kale. Great sources of vitamin A include carrots, spinach, mangoes, milk, cheese, cantaloupe, and peas. Remember, plenty of vitamin A won’t drastically improve your vision, but it will lead to better eye health. Source: Originally Posted on Medical Daily Most of us are aware that not getting enough shut eye can be harmful for your body; however, you may not know that a lack of rest can be hazardous for your eyesight. While lack of sleep is often blamed for dark circles under your eyes, not getting enough rest can interfere with your overall eye health.
Studies have shown that the eye needs at least five hours of sleep per night to properly replenish. Without that time, eyes cannot work at their full potential. One common side effect of lack of sleep is eye spasms. Eye spasms are defined as involuntary eye twitches that occur when you have a spasm in your eyelid. These involuntary spasms are known as myokymia. Eye spasms should not be painful or do damage to your vision; however, they can be very aggravating and disruptive. Avoid eye spasms by making sure you get an adequate amount of sleep per night. Over time, lack of sleep can lead to serious ramifications on your vision including popped blood vessels due to eye strain. Additionally, a shortage of sleep can cause dry eye, a condition when tears do not adequately lubricate your eyes. When dry eye sets in you can experience some pain, light sensitivity, itching, redness or even blurred vision. Have you ever been in a dark place, say a movie theatre or a room with all the blinds close, and walked outside into the daylight when, all of a sudden, you begin to sneeze uncontrollably?
You had no runny nose or desire to sneeze prior to this exposure to sunlight, but you just can't help that big achoo? If you answered yes, then you are part of the twenty to thirty five percent of the human population that are "victims" of this not highly understood phenomenon, known as the "photic sneeze reflex" or a "solar sneeze." Why do certain people have solar sneezes? How does it work? Only in the past few years have scientists begun to understand this rather odd trait. Read the full article from Gizmodo here : http://gizmodo.com/how-staring-at-the-sun-can-make-you-sneeze-1591341911/+jcondliffe |
Joe BusharaWith over 30 years experience licensed optician Joe Bushara and his highly experienced team, bring you the latest trends in frames and technologies in lenses from around the world. Categories
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