Macular Degeneration – What You Need To Know

A lot of vision loss cases are due to macular degeneration. This is an age related vision problem which is more commonly referred to as AMD or ARMD. What makes this a serious eye problem is the fact that our eyes rely big time on the health of the macula to be able to see clearly.

Macula is the small part in the middle of the retina. It plays a vital role in our vision because it is the one responsible in controlling visual acuity. If the macula degenerates, you will be limited in your everyday activity. You will not have the sharpness of vision to see small details even in everyday objects.

Ottawa eye exam to prevent macular degeneration

Dry And Wet Macular Degeneration

There are two types of macular degeneration. They are termed dry and wet. Dry macular degeneration, which is non-neovascular, is the atrophic type while the wet macular degeneration, which is neovascular, is the exudative type.

If you get checked by an optometrist or eye doctor and you are diagnosed with macular degeneration, chances are you get the dry type. This is because between these two types, the more common is the dry macular degeneration.

What Causes Macular Degeneration and Who Are At Risk?

While the causes are to be studied further, most macular degeneration cases are brought about by aging. There are also studies that point to heredity and environment as potential causes. As we age, the cells of the macula starts to degenerate thereby causing vision problem.

Because this eye problem is related to aging, older people are at greater risk. In most cases, this vision problem is experienced by people 55 years old and above.

Aside from age, other risk factors include genetics, race, and lifestyle. If someone in the family has AMD, other members of the family may be diagnosed with AMD as well. In terms of race, it seems that more Caucasians are diagnosed with AMD compared to other races. This may have something to do with the light colour of the eyes.

Lifestyle also affects the risk of getting AMD. It is observed that smokers are most likely to get macular degeneration than non-smokers. Furthermore, obesity is also said to affect AMD. In a study published in Archives of Ophthalmology (June 2003), it showed that obese people who are diagnosed with early AMD are more likely to develop a more advanced form of this eye problem.

Progression Of Macular Degeneration

This eye problem has different stages which can be divided into early, intermediate, and late. Some people discover they have this condition when it is already on the late stage. This is the reason why a regular eye exam is very important. A visit to your optometrist or eye doctor will help prevent this condition and if you are already diagnosed with early stage of AMD, the eye doctor will be able to help you slow the progression of the disease.

Little can be done to cure it as until now, there is no known cure for macular degeneration. However, there is something that the eye doctor can do to help you cope with it or slow its progression.

Before it’s too late, visit your Ottawa eye doctor today to get a comprehensive eye exam.

Should You Let Your Kids Wear Contact Lenses?

Having eye problems is not limited to adults only. Even kids can have vision difficulties. A lot of kids nowadays wear eyeglasses to help them see clearly.

Aside from eyeglasses, another option to improve and correct vision is contact lenses. Most adults wear contact lenses but is it safe for kids? What’s the right age to have kids wear contact lenses?

There comes a time when kids start asking about contact lenses especially if they have been wearing eyeglasses for some time already. Most parents are adamant in letting their kids wear contact lenses because they appear to be less safe compared to eyeglasses.

kids wearing contact lenses

Why Wear Contact Lenses?

 There are a number of reasons why your kids may need to wear contact lenses. Here are a few:

  1. If your kids are into sports, wearing eyeglasses can be limiting. Contact lenses will help them move freely. Unlike eyeglasses, contact lenses are clearer because they don’t fog up if your kids are already sweaty. When they run, as most outdoor sports include running, contact lenses can’t get knocked off.

kids wearing contact lenses playing outdoor

  1. Wearing ortho-K lenses can help correct nearsightedness in kids. Orthokeratology is the use of gas permeable contact lenses that aids in reshaping the cornea provisionally. This helps correct nearsighted vision. What happens is that your kids will wear the contact lenses at night and remove the next day. It makes vision clearer and sharper even without eyeglasses or contact lenses.
  1. Most kids don’t want to wear eyeglasses because they don’t want to appear different compared to their friends and classmates. Wearing eyeglasses sometimes lower their self-esteem as they feel their blurred vision is a weakness. Wearing contact lenses will make their so-called “weakness” invisible, thereby, increasing their self-esteem.

 Are Contact Lenses Safe For Kids?

Your kids’ eyes can actually handle contact lenses even at an early age. You might be surprised that they can actually apply or remove the contact lens even without their parent’s assistance.

Yes, they are safe as long as they are applied and removed correctly. Always follow the instructions for the application of contact lenses. It is best to consult your Ottawa optometrist to ensure you are doing the right thing. The optometrist will also decide whether your child is already capable of using contact lenses.

Another thing to consider is the maturity of your child. Make sure that when you decide to let your child wear contact lenses, he is already responsible enough. If your child is not that responsible yet, chances are he’ll forget that he’s wearing contact lenses and this can lead to serious eye problems. Contact lenses also need to be properly taken care of so make sure your child knows how to do this.

So should you let your kids wear contact lenses? Yes, if they need to.

Tips To Improve Your Vision Health

Don’t take your eyes for granted. No one wants to live with an impaired vision when it could have been prevented. Not to mention that poor eyesight could lead to expensive surgeries or even blindness. As they say, prevention is always better than cure. Here are ways to keep your eyes healthy from known Ottawa optometrist, Dr. Zahiri.

Follow these 6 tips to improve vision health. You will be surprised how easy it actually is to take of your eyes – all that you have to do is start a healthy lifestyle. Value your eyes and never ignore your eye problems.

Tips to improve vision health infographic

Signs It’s Time For An Eye Exam

To maintain perfect vision, you must have a regular eye exam. Most of the time, annual eye exam is recommended by optometrists. By doing so, you are able to stay informed regarding the status of your eye health.

During the visit to your eye doctor, your medical history will be reviewed. You will be asked about what you are currently experiencing with regards to your eyes. Visual acuity will be measured to see whether you need to wear graded eye glasses or contact lenses. This infographic will tell you if it’s already time to pay your eye doctor a visit.

signs its time for an eye exam

What Does It Mean To Be Nearsighted Or Farsighted?

How often have you heard someone saying they are either nearsighted or farsighted? What does it mean? These two conditions are opposites. Nearsightedness means that you can focus on items close to you while farsightedness means that your focus is only on far objects. These conditions can affect your lifestyle. Your activities will be limited only to what your eyes can focus on.

These condition can easily be corrected. The key is early detection. This can be done by a simple visit to an optometrist. Learn more about these eye conditions from this infographic prepared by Ottawa Optometrist, Dr. Zahiri.

definition of nearsightedness and farsightedness and their differences

 

Taking Care Of Your Eyes In The Digital Age

While technology has many advantages, there are also some disadvantages to it. It makes life easier but it can cause some serious health problems like vision issues. Research studies show that about 60 million school age children are already exposed to computers and other devices and the alarming truth is they are in front of these devices for hours a day. This can lead to Computer Vision Syndrome or CVS.

CVS is a serious eye problem that can potentially cause long term vision problems and other vision disorders. The good thing is that CVS can be prevented. Here are simple tips from Ottawa Eye Clinic on how to protect your eyes in the digital age.

Tips on how to take care of the eyes when using technology devices like computers and smart phones