Patients Education

YOUR VISION IS OUR FOCUS

Caring for your NEW Spectacles

Cleaning

To avoid scratching your lenses, correct cleaning is important. All lenses should be “wet cleaned”. Use a lens cleaner solution or tap water with any soap (hand soap, dishwater etc.) and clean the lenses with your fingers. Rinse off with water and gently streak the lens dry using a soft, clean cloth. Avoid excessive rubbing or polishing. Remember that tissue products can scratch, especially if they are used to “polish” a lens.

Your Optometrists cloth can be used to clean your lenses in a dry condition, but avoid heavy rubbing actions.

Plastic Lenses

Plastic lenses are made from a resin which is softer than glass and tends to scratch a little more easily. Our lenses of choice are all hard coated with a surface treatment which makes them more scratch resistant (unfortunately not scratch proof – yet). The abovementioned wet cleaning procedure is most important for plastic and polycarbonate lenses.

Anti-Reflection Coated Lenses

If your lenses have been coated with an anti-reflex surface coating, careful cleaning is also required. As the lens is so very clear, you will notice any imperfections on the lens, and more regular cleaning will be required. Always “wet” clean these lenses or use the special anti-reflex lens cloths that are available from our practices. These cloths allow the lenses to be cleaned safely in a dry state.

Excessive rubbing or incorrect cleaning may cause irrepairable damage to the lens coating.

Frame Adjustment

Your frame must be well adjusted to fit you comfortably and give you optimal vision. With normal use, your frame will flex and loosen and will require further adjustment. Please call in to any of our branches for a free frame adjustment service bi-annually or whenever needed.

A regular cleaning of the frame will ensure it looks like new. Cleaning with a soft brush and soap and water is recommended. Better still, is to bring it in to one of our branches and let us clean it in our ultra-sound cleaning units.

Regular tightening of the screws may be required. We will do this routinely when you visit our branch, however, please do inspect the screws yourself to check for any loosening.

 

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SOFT LENS CARE ROUTINE

It is very important to care for your soft lenses so as to maintain eye health. By replacing your lenses regularly (as instructed by your optometrist) the incidence of eye infections or problems are reduced to a minimum. However, proper cleaning is still necessary.

On Removal at Night

• Remove one lens at a time and surface clean for 30 seconds using Renu solution. Do this by rubbing the lenses between finger and palm.
• Rinse the lens off with Renu.
• Place the lens into the container and cover with fresh Renu
solution (never re-use solution).
• Repeat with the other lens.

Upon Insertion

• Remove one lens from the container and rinse with Renu solution.
  
  
• Insert the lens as instructed.
  
  
• Repeat for the other eye.
  

Rinse the case with water and leave open to air dry.

If you need to carry the case with you, dry it first and then fill with fresh Renu.

Helpful Hints

• Clean your case with soap and water regularly. The case is a common source of bacteria which can cause infections.
  
  
• Always wash your hands prior to handling your lenses.
  
  
• Use lubricants to wet your lens if it dries out while in your eye. This can be done with the lens in the eye using drops such as Renu, Lens lubricant or Refresh.
  
  
• Do not allow any cosmetics, lotions, soaps etc. to come into contact with your lenses.
  
  
• Before inserting, ensure the lens is not inside out.
  
  
• If our lens should dry out it will become very brittle. Place a drop of solution on the lens to hydrate it and then handle it very carefully. Allow it to soak in solution for another hour and inspect it carefully for any damage prior to inserting.
  
  
• Do not use tap water or saliva or distilled water on the lens. Only use the solutions prescribed by your optometrist.
  
  
• If the lens folds in the eye, it will lodge under the top lid, which may be difficult to remove. Do not panic as the lens cannot disappear behind the eye.
  

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DRY EYE

What is “Dry Eye”

The tears that your eyes normally produce are necessary for overall eye health and clear vision. Dry Eye occurs when your eyes do not produce enough tears or produce tears which do not have the proper chemical composition.

What Causes “Dry Eye”?

Dry Eye symptoms can result from the normal aging process, exposure to environmental conditions, problems with normal blinking or from medication such as antihistamines, oral contraceptives or anti-depressants. Dry Eye can also be symptomatic of general health problems, other eye diseases or can result from chemical or thermal burns to the eye. Contact lens wear can exaggerate symptoms.

What are Signs/Symptoms of “Dry Eye”?

The most common signs/symptoms include stinging, scratchy and uncomfortable eyes; and sometimes having a burning feeling of something foreign within the eye. You may experience increased Dry Eye symptoms upon awakening. People sometimes experience an intermittent overly watery eye. This is a natural reflex to try to comfort the eyes that do not produce enough of the basic secretions to protect the eye.

How is “Dry Eye” Diagnosed?

Special tests, using instruments which allow a highly magnified view of your eyes, are done in conjunction with special dyes. These tests allow evaluation of the quality, the amount and the distribution of tears to detect signs of dry eyes.

Can “Dry Eye” be Cured?

Dry Eye cannot be cured, but your eyes sensitivity can be lessened and measures taken so your eyes remain healthy. This most frequent initial treatment is the use of artificial tears or substitutes. For more severe Dry Eye, ointment can be used, especially at bedtime.

In some cases, small plugs may be inserted in the drainage duct of the eyelids to slow tear drainage from the eye. Surgery may be used in more extreme cases to occlude these drainage ducts.

A balanced diet including plenty of fruit, vegetables and water may be helpful.

Will “Dry Eye” Harm my Eyes?

If Dry Eye is untreated, it can harm your eyes. Excessive Dry Eye can damage tissue and possibly scar the cornea of your eye, impairing vision. Dry Eye can make contact lens wear difficult due to increased irritation.

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PRESBYOPIA

Almost all of us will notice a decrease in our reading vision (near vision) after age 40. This is a very normal occurrence and should be of no surprise, it is called Presbyopia. The ability to focus our eyes from a distance object (such as reading a book) involves the lens inside the eye changing shape. A muscle inside the eye physically reshapes the lens every time we change our focus.

As a young child the lens is very elastic and changes shape relatively easy. Over time the lens loses this flexibility and a careful observer will note that year after year their closest possible focus distance moves further and further away from their eyes. Eventually the eyes are no longer able to focus at normal reading distance (40cm) leading to the adage of “my arms have become too short”.

If you have myopia (nearsightedness) the need for reading lenses/bifocals may be delayed or avoided by simply reading without glasses. It depends on the degree of myopia and the convenience of removing your glasses for reading. Conversely, if you have hyperopia (farsighted) the need for reading lenses/bifocals can occur earlier if your hyperopia is uncorrected.

The corrections for presbyopia include reading glasses, multifocal glasses and contact lenses (multifocal or monovision). There are no current surgical procedures to correct presbyopia.

The typical considerations in correcting presbyopia is to establish a correct balance between your distance prescription and your reading prescription (which are different). If you look through distance glasses the reading will be blurred. It is for this reason the majority of people use multifocal design glasses which incorporate the distance and the reading prescription into one set of lenses. These are available in a huge variety of styles from the obvious executive (entire bottom is for reading) to the invisible progressive designs. Your optometrist and dispenser will help advise which design will suit you the best.

The loss of focusing ability will continue throughout life, thus reading prescriptions will need to be updated every year or two.

Wearing reading glasses will not weaken your eyes or speed up the deterioration. As your eyes naturally lose focusing ability, you will however, become more dependant on the reading prescription.

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ASTIGMATISM

What is Astigmatism?

Astigmatism occurs when the front surface of your eye (cornea) is slightly irregular in shape. This affects the way light is focused onto the retina resulting in vision being blurred at all distances. Astigmatism is not a disease. It is a vision condition that is quite common.

What Causes Astigmatism?

When the cornea of your eye is not perfectly round in shape, light does not focus properly on the back surface of your eye (retina) causing blurry vision. The causes of this irregular shape of the cornea are varied. In some cases, it may be hereditary or it may result from such factors as pressure of the eyelids on the cornea, or from inherent weakness of the corneal structure.

How Common is Astigmatism?

Most people have some degree of astigmatism. However, only moderate to highly astigmatic eyes may need corrective lenses.

People who do extended close detailed work, such as computer operators, may need corrections for small amounts of astigmatism as it is often a cause of eyestrain and headaches.

How is Astigmatism Diagnosed?

A comprehensive eye examination will include tests for astigmatism. A keratometer can measure the exact shape of the front of the eye.

Can Astigmatism be Corrected?

Almost of all levels of astigmatism can be optically corrected with properly prescribed and fitted eyeglasses or contact lenses. If your astigmatism is too high for contact lenses, refractive surgery may be another option.

Does Astigmatism get Progressively Worse?

You may have to adjust to wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses if you do not wear them now. Other than that, astigmatism probably will not significantly affect your lifestyle at all.

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MYOPIA – Short Sightedness

When you are nearsighted (myopia) objects nearby are clear, but everything in the distance is blurred. (The more nearsighted you are, the greater the distance blur). When a child cannot see the blackboard clearly from the back of the classroom or when an adult cannot read road signs, chances are that he or she is nearsighted. Myopia is more apparent in the dark, so that street signs you see easily during the day may appear blurred at night.

Approximately 40 percent of the population has myopia or will develop it at some time in their lives. Myopia usually begins gradually between the ages of 8 and 12 though it can exist at birth or start as late as age 80. Continued use of the eyes will not damage them. Nearsighted children should be checked for glasses every year or so, nearsighted adults every 2 years – more frequently if any symptoms occur that are related to the eyes. Myopia may be a nuisance but it is certainly not a disease, it is possible (even likely) to be very nearsighted and still have perfectly healthy eyes. In fact, some “myopes” think that seeing things so close-up is a real advantage.

Most myopia is the result of a normal physical variation in length of the eye (like tallness or shortness). The elongated myopic eyeball has more optical power than the eye needs. Research suggests that typical, run-of-the-mill myopia and its rate of progression is inherited and tends to run in families.

A very small proportion may be related to using the eyes for close work over many years. There are a few less common causes. Myopia that starts in middle age may be a sign of a beginning cataract. In uncontrolled cases of diabetes, myopia may occur suddenly and then change erratically from day to day.

Is there a Correction for Myopia?

Fortunately, optical correction for ordinary myopia is simple and effective. Eyeglasses or contact lenses can be custom-made to perfectly compensate for the excess optical power. Once you have corrective glasses or contacts, it is up to you how much time you wear them. The decision will be based on your own need for clear distance vision.