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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.

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.

Why Wear Contact Lenses?

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

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.

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.

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.

Treat Your Eyes Right, Ladies

It may come as a surprise but the fact is that gender is actually one of the determining factors for eye health. Yes, you’ve read that right! Research studies have shown than women are more prone to eye diseases such as cataract and macular degeneration compared to men. When it comes to the risk factors for these eye diseases, women beat men. So be careful ladies as you have higher rate of vision loss.

Just like everything else, preventive care is the most ideal thing to do when it comes to eye health. Know what are the risks involved and how to prevent them. This guideline from Ottawa Optometrist, Dr. Zahiri, shows how to keep your eyes healthy ladies.

Blepharitis: How To Get Rid of Sore Red Eyelids

One of the most common eye problems is red eyelids or medically termed as blepharitis. This is the condition wherein one or both eyelids become sore and red. This is caused by either fluid retention or eye infection. Although not sight threatening on its own, blepharitis can signal other health issues.

Blepharitis can be painful and it can cause complications so it should be diagnosed and treated immediately. When it happens, a visit to your eye doctor should be considered. Ottawa Eye Clinic presents more information on this eye condition:

Protect Your Sight As You Age

As we age, we become prone to many different health issues including eye problems. This is the reason why as early as possible, we should already think about our eye health. There is no better way for our vision to stay perfect as we age than prevent any eye disorder from happening in the first place.

Our eyes are not exempted from aging. It needs better care along with the other parts of our body. How do you keep your eyes healthy as you age? This infographic from Ottawa Eye Clinic presents useful information:

5 Types of Technology for Correcting Your Vision

Our eyes are vital for everyday activities. Without healthy vision, it is impossible to go about our daily activities with ease. The sad news is that many people today are suffering from vision problems ranging from simple blurred vision to total blindness.

With today’s technological advancements, there is always something that can be done to improve vision. Here are 5 types of technology that can help correct your vision. They will help ease the pain of eye problems and restore your perfect vision.

What is Glaucoma?

When the eye’s optic nerve is damaged, it can lead to impaired vision or blindness. This is called glaucoma. This eye problem can easily be detected during an eye examination. Diabetes patients are usually more prone to glaucoma. Because this eye problem may also be hereditary, some people already have this but don’t get diagnosed until later in life.

Glaucoma treatment can include medications and surgery. However, treatment will not totally remove glaucoma but prevent it from getting worst. Glaucoma can’t be cured but you can do something to prevent it from causing serious vision problem.

What Is A Refractive Error?

One of the common eye problems that most adults experience is refractive error. This eye problem affects children sometimes too. What is refractive error? It happens when the light that enters your eyes does not bend correctly. This results to a blurred vision of the image.

Refractive error is a treatable condition. An eye optometrist will be able to help correct this eye problem through eyeglasses, contact lenses, and sometimes, in rare cases, surgery. Ottawa eye optometrist, Dr. Zahiri, discusses refractive error in this infographic.

$Symptoms, causes, and treatment of Refractive Error$

5 Most Common Eye Problems

Most eye issues have no early indications. Symptoms of eye problems may not be noticeable on its initial stages, until it becomes quite advanced. This is the reason why most people only go for eye exam when they are already experiencing serious eye conditions.

We should realize that is our obligation to take great care of our eyes. This is the reason that it is recommended to have professional eye examinations. Moreover, to have healthy eyesight, you should eat foods that are high in vitamins and minerals that are known to be good for the eyes. The following are 5 eye issues with their symptoms and causes.

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