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FAQ
Why is an Eye Examination important to my health?
Your eyes are irreplaceable and integral to your quality of life and overall health. Determine your current vision status but also identify opportunities for improvement. The examination may also uncover underlying health issues.
Children’s academic performance is closely tied to the normal functionality of their eyes. If they are accustomed to less clarity, they may not realize their vision is abnormal.
Beyond vision enhancement, an eye examination can uncover underlying health issues you might be unaware of, ranging from diabetes and high blood pressure to certain brain tumors and multiple sclerosis. Early detection leads to more effective treatment.
How often should I have my eyes checked?
Generally, every 2 years, as part of a regular health check. Your Optometrist will normally advise you when you should return for your next eye examination.
Even if you are not aware of any problems (as you may not necessarily have any symptoms or pain) a regular check can detect underlying health problems as well as changes in your vision. It may need to be more frequent depending on your age and medical history.
If everything is fine, do I need my eyes checked every 2 years?
Eyes don’t usually let you know that something is wrong. Any change is usually very gradual, so you become accustomed to the change in your vision.
Therefore, it is important to conduct regular checks to detect any change as soon as possible, ensuring prompt treatment before it impacts vision. The examination can pick up underlying health problems such as diabetes and glaucoma.
Why do I need my eyes checked every year if I have diabetes?
Your Optometrist can detect early signs of diabetic retinopathy by looking inside your eyes. The earlier any changes are detected, the more likely it is they can be monitored and treated to prevent loss of sight. Early treatment is essential so an annual eye examination is the best step you can take to protect your eyes.
At what age can my child undergo an Eye Examination?
Children can be tested from about 2 years old. It is recommended that an optometrist sees them before they start learning to read and begin at school.
Often, vision problems can be the reason why a child does not perform well at school, for example, because they cannot see the board. The earlier a problem is detected the more chance there is of successful treatment.
What is Behavioural Optometry?
Behavioural Optometry involves understanding vision and how it is different from eyesight. Patients who will particularly benefit from this more holistic approach, are those with eye motor control problems, lazy eyes, developmental delays, neurological damage, or learning difficulties.
Most of how and what we see happens in our brains, not our eyes. A Behavioural Optometrist can change how your brain interprets what you see, through a vision therapy program.
What is Visual Therapy?
Vision therapy (VT) is the application of exercises or activities that allow one to develop important skills that will assist with focusing, eye alignment, eye movements, eye teaming, and interpretation of visual information.
Further Information
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Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, is damaged by the pressure of the fluid inside the eye. This is a sight-threatening disease.
Glaucoma can be controlled by using eye drops to reduce the pressure in the eye. It is important to have regular eye examinations so that eye problems, such as glaucoma, can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
Diabetes
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common causes of sight loss among people of working age. A range of ocular diseases is associated with diabetes, which may lead to vision loss. Eye screenings are an important part of diabetes care.
The most damaging condition is known as diabetic retinopathy. This condition can lead to sight loss if it is not treated.
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when diabetes affects small blood vessels, damaging the part of the eye, called the retina.
Diabetic retinopathy does not usually cause any noticeable symptoms in the early stages.
Screening for diabetic retinopathy is a way of detecting the condition early, before you notice any changes to your vision.
If retinopathy is detected early enough, treatment can stop it getting worse. When symptoms become noticeable, it can be much more difficult to treat the condition.
Child Vision Care
Signs to look out for:
- One eye turns in or out – this may be easier to spot when the child is tired
- They rub their eyes a lot (except when they are tired, this is normal)
- They have watery eyes
- They are clumsy or have poor hand and eye coordination
- Your child avoids reading, writing or drawing
- They screw up their eyes or frown when they read or watch TV
- They sit very close to the TV or hold books or objects close to their face
- They have behaviour or concentration problems at school
- They don’t do as well as they should at school
- They complain about blurred or double vision or they have unexplained headaches
You should have your child’s eyes tested if:
- Your child has special needs – children with special needs often have eye problems.
- There is a history of squint or lazy eye in your (child’s) family.
- People in the family needed to wear glasses when they were young
See also Visual Therapy
Understanding Your Lens Options
Single Vision Lenses
These are the simplest and most common type of lens, designed to correct vision for one specific distance, either near (reading) or far (distance). They are suitable for individuals with nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism who only need correction at one distance.
Bifocals
Imagine these lenses as having two different windows built into one. They have distinct zones, separated by a visible line, for both close-up (typically reading) and distance vision. This makes them a good option for individuals who primarily need correction for both reading and distance viewing, like switching between a book and watching TV.
Multifocal/Progressive Lenses
Unlike bifocals with their dividing line, these lenses offer a smooth and seamless transition of corrective power from top to bottom. This means they can correct near, intermediate, and distance vision, eliminating the need for separate reading glasses. They are ideal for individuals with presbyopia, an age-related condition affecting near focusing, who need correction for various distances throughout the day.
Anti-fatigue/Accommodative Support Lenses
Designed for the digital age, these lenses aim to reduce eye strain, especially for people who spend extended periods using devices like computers and smartphones. They may have a slightly increased power in the lower portion of the lens to help your eyes focus on near objects for extended periods. These can be beneficial even for those who don’t yet require full multifocal correction but experience digital eye strain.
Office / Progressive Reading Lenses
Think of these as a specific type of multifocal lens tailored for near and intermediate vision tasks. They offer a wider zone for these specific distances compared to a full progressive lens, making them ideal for activities like reading, computer work, and other close-up tasks. This can be a good option for individuals who primarily need clear vision for tasks within arm’s reach and don’t require full-range distance correction.
Tints, Coatings and Polarization
Integrated into lenses, Polarization technology serves as a powerful shield against harmful UV rays. By considering this option, you enhance visual comfort by reducing glare but also provide a substantial layer of protection for your eyes, minimizing the risk of long-term damage.
Fixed tints, such as in sunglasses, maintain a constant shade. In contrast, chargeable tints adapt by darkening when exposed to direct sunlight and seamlessly transitioning back to clarity when you move indoors.
Anti-reflection coatings offer notable advantages, particularly beneficial for night driving, computer use, and enhanced transmittance to improve visibility in low-light conditions. Additionally, these coatings effectively reduce glare from electronic devices, contributing to a more comfortable and visually optimized experience.
Contact Lenses
Contact lenses are a great option for most people. Contact lenses can broadly be divided into
two sub groups: hard lenses and soft lenses. The overwhelming majority of people will be
able to wear soft lenses.
Modern soft contact lenses are a great option for most refractive errors. They are effective at
treating myopia (near sightedness), hyperopia (shortsightedness), astigmatism, presbyopia
and combinations of these. They are comfortable and safe if handled correctly.
Hard contact lenses are a bit more complicated than soft lenses and are normally used for
irregular eye conditions such as keratoconus. Despite the lenses being physically hard,
modern hard lenses are relatively comfortable and give excellent vision.
Visual Therapy
Vision therapy underscores the difference between sight – the ability to see – and vision – the ability to interpret and understand information that comes through the eyes. VT is especially good for children.
Children who struggle to read and complete assignments, or who become disinterested in and avoid reading, often have vision disorders, which underlay these problems. Eyestrain, blurring, headaches, double vision, “words moving on the page”, loss of place, failure to recognize letters or simple words. When these vision disorders are detected, they are usually treatable, often with significant gains in classroom performance.
Current research indicates that approximately one out of four children have vision disorders that interfere with their ability to learn. Even if a child passes the standard basic vision exam with 20/20 visual acuity, it is still possible to have inefficient visual function, which affects learning. Many visual skills and abilities are vital to the learning process yet are not tested for in routine eye exams.
In vision therapy programs, optometrists look at the neurological control system and thus are treating the whole visual-motor system and altering reflexive behaviour, which results in a lasting cure. Also, most optometrists rely on office-based therapy, which they believe is more accurately performed and monitored.