Dr Andy Hepworth, who is an optician at lens supplier, Essilor, explains why it is so important to have an eye examination at least every two years.

Often, people don’t realise the impact that poor vision can have but, even if you think you have perfect vision, an eye exam can be one of the best things you can do to for your health, wellness and safety.

Many people first learn they have a serious health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even cancer from a routine eye exam.

An eye exam can be an excellent indicator of your overall health

Many people first learn they have a serious health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even cancer from a routine eye exam.

During an optical appointment, an eye expert will evaluate the health and condition of the blood vessels in your retina, which are a useful indicator of the health of blood vessels throughout your body.

Back to school

As children head back to school, so much of what they are expected to learn – in and outside of the classroom – requires good vision. An eye exam is the only way to ensure your child is seeing clearly and comfortably to succeed.

It is also the only way to know for sure if children are seeing their best for sports and other extra-curricular activities.

Winter driving with poor eyesight can be highly dangerous

As the nights draw in and the sun shines lower in the sky, it is more important than ever to stay safe on the roads – looking after your eyesight has a key role to play in this.

Eyes send signals though the optic nerve to the brain, which is what allows us to see objects. Light plays a key part in these signals by reflecting off objects. When it is darker, there is less light to reflect off the objects and, therefore, fewer signals are sent to the brain, so we don’t see as clearly.

Eyesight can change over time and, ideally, we should get our eyes checked to make sure we meet the legal standards for driving. We should all be able to read a number plate at a distance of approximately 20 metres, roughly five car lengths.

Your local independent optician can provide all the advice and guidance you need.

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55 is the new 40, but our eyes don’t seem to know this! While you may be fitter than your parents were at your age, you may still struggle to see your Fitbit without reaching for your reading glasses. Presbyond can help.

If you are reading this through a pair of reading glasses then, like most people, you’re probably wishing you didn’t need to do so. Maybe you can remember when you were younger everything was always in focus. Today we are all staying healthier longer, 55 is the new 40. But nobody has told our eyes this!

Most of us are fitter than our parents were at our age but the age of onset of reading glasses hasn’t changed. Unless that is, you have had Presbyond. It is one of the most common vision correction procedures that eye surgeons perform on themselves.

After Presbyond, people can see near, intermediate and far without glasses. Imagine being able to drive to a restaurant, read the menu in your hand and also being able to read the specials on the wall across the room, all without the need for glasses. If you’re someone who has had the experience of going out for a night and realising you’ve forgotten your glasses, Presbyond must seem enticing.

Presbyopia is the need for reading glasses as the eyes begin to age due to the gradual degeneration of the autofocus mechanism in the eye.

But first, what is presbyopia?

Presbyopia is the need for reading glasses as the eyes begin to age due to the gradual degeneration of the autofocus mechanism in the eye. Presbyopia starts sometime after 40 and is fully developed by 50.

The normal, youthful eye has the ability to easily switch between reading distant car number plates and reading smaller text on a mobile device. However, as presbyopia occurs, the text on the mobile phone begins to appear blurry up close and therefore will need to be held at a distance in order to be seen clearly.

In the past the only solution to this problem was for the eye to bring the near vision into focus using reading glasses. Then, monofocal contact lenses came into play, which meant that one eye could be focused for distance and the other for near vision. However, the two eyes never work together as well as they would if both eyes were identically focussed, but, thanks to modern technology, this no longer has to be the case.

How does Presbyond rejuvenate your sight?

Presbyond vision correction is performed on the outer surface of the eye, the cornea. A protective flap is raised from the surface and a laser reshapes the cornea and the protective flap is replaced. Using an optical phenomenon called spherical aberration the brain is then able to see all distances clearly without glasses by blending the images from the eyes.

It takes less than 10 minutes and is safer than wearing soft contact lenses. If you needed distance glasses (or contacts) before, Presbyond gets rid of the need for them too.

Save your vision while saving your money

Reading glasses need to be updated annually. Even if your prescription doesn’t change, the lenses get scratched and the coatings deteriorate, causing a degradation in their optical performance. Plus, the average wearer of reading glasses can easily lose a pair every couple of years. Over a lifetime, that can amount to over £5,000 worth of glasses every eight years. Presbyond is cheaper!

95% of people tested for Presbyond were found to be suitable. And it is adjustable. As you get older you might require adjustment, and it is relatively simple to lift up the protective flap and enhance or even reverse the procedure. Most people who have had Presbyond are able to start using it straightaway. One patient the other day, just minutes after the procedure was complete, went to phone their spouse and found that they could see the phone screen and the clock on the wall clearly without glasses. And it gets better with time as the brain learns the new vision.

In a nutshell, Presbyond is the closest thing to the vision you had when you were 20.

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Dry eye is an increasingly common condition, which gets worse with age and leads to considerable misery for many. Understanding what causes dry eye is necessary to appreciate how light therapy might help.

The vast majority (80%) of dry itchy, burning eyes is from a condition that affects meibomian glands, which are like keys of a piano, embedded in the eyelids¹. These should normally produce clear oils that mix with tears preventing evaporation.

Omega 3 deficiencies can cause dry eye

Abnormalities in oil production often from Omega 3 deficiency can lead to stagnation of oils and, in turn, infestation from parasites (Demodex folliculorum) and varieties of bacteria. This sets up a viscous cycle of inflammation, gland blockage and further problems.

Patients typically complain of tearing and irritation in air-conditioned rooms or when they are out in windy conditions. With no healthy oils, tears evaporate rapidly and the eyes dry out. This results in “reflex tearing” and the eyes start streaming – no wonder they look at us bewildered when we tell them the cause of their streaming eyes is dry eye!

Correcting the source of the problem with supplemental Omega 3 is one approach and can take months to years. To really kick-start recovery, a form of light therapy called Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is very effective. Multiple wavelengths of high energy light are delivered in short rapid pulses.

Light therapy stimulates oil production

The five-minute treatment involves covering the eyes with a light blocking sticker or goggles, application of a gel and delivery of treatment from one ear across the lower lid, nose and on the lid on the other side all the way across to the other ear. All one feels is a sense of warmth when the light is delivered.

The light delivers heat under the top layer of the skin. In doing so, the meibomian glands are stimulated to produce oils, inflamed vessels absorb the light and shrink, and offending bacteria and parasites are killed. While there are several IPL devices in use, in my experience the “Rolls Royce” device is the Optima IPL, from Lumenis, who invented the procedure and made considerable advancements in its protocols.

Intense pulsed light can also be used to treat rosacea, a skin condition that affects the nose, cheeks and forehead, which, in 30% of cases is associated with lid disease contributing to dry eye and known as ocular rosacea .

If you have dry eye, ask your surgeon about Optima IPL and, who knows, you might also benefit from treatment to your face too!

www.centreforsight.com

¹ https://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2126251

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I’m worried that I may have a serious problem with my eye. Where can I go for help?

You should contact your optometrist by phone, most optometrists are offering urgent and essential eye care and have remained open throughout the pandemic. They can help if:

• your vision has suddenly changed or become blurry;
• you have a painful or red eye;
• you have been advised to attend the practice by NHS 111 or another healthcare professional for urgent eye care;
• you have broken or lost your glasses and need a replacement pair to function;
• you have a problem with your contact lenses.

Phone the practice so they can assess how best to meet your needs.

How will I secure an appointment?

So that unnecessary contact is kept to a minimum, appointments will be scheduled over the phone or online during the recovery period. You will be asked to confirm whether you or anyone in your household has symptoms of COVID-19 (new, continuous cough; a high temperature and/or loss of or change in taste or smell), which would mean you need to self-isolate and postpone your eye care.

Currently, optometric practices will not be able to offer drop-in appointments, including for repairs and dispensing, so always call and book ahead.

Most optometrists are offering urgent and essential eye care and have remained open throughout the pandemic.

How will appointments work now?

You will be called on the day of your appointment to confirm that neither you nor anyone in your house have developed the symptoms of COVID-19.

You may be asked questions over the phone, which you would usually expect to be asked during an appointment, to help minimise the time spent in face-to-face conversation and to help your optometrist streamline your appointment to focus on your current needs. 

Where possible, please attend the practice alone. If you require a companion for support, please let the practice know in advance so they can plan for two people attending. It is recommended that a child should only be accompanied by one parent. 

Your optometrist will streamline the tests carried out, based on your needs, so it may be different to what you are used to. For the parts of the test that need to be performed within one metre, we ask that you do not speak. 

Your practice will also be encouraging contactless card payment to avoid unnecessary contact.

Is it safe to visit the optometrists?

Your local practice will have introduced measures to ensure strict hygiene standards within the practice, and there will be procedures in place to ensure the safety of patients and staff, as far as is possible.

If you need to attend the practice for a face-to-face consultation, the measures that they have put in place ensures that a sight test is both safe and sufficient to ensure your eye care needs are met. If you have concerns or consider yourself shielded, let them know: much can be done by phone or video consultation, and the optometrist will be able to post your glasses or contact lenses to you if you need them.

If you, or anyone you live with, has a persistent cough and/or high temperature and/or loss of, or change in taste or smell (anosmia), do not enter the practice. Do not go to a GP, pharmacy or hospital. Return home and stay there for 14 days.

For more information, visit the college’s patient website: www.lookafteryoureyes.org

The post Your questions about visiting the optometrist answered! appeared first on Health Awareness.

Lifestyle counts when it comes to looking after your eyes. Here, David Cartwright, optometrist and chairman of the charity Eye Health UK, shares his ten top tips to help you keep your eyes and vision healthy.

Be eye aware:

Call your local optician if you notice a change in your vision or have any concerns about your eye health.

Eat right for good sight:

Eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, fish, nuts and oils can all help protect your sight.

Watch your weight:

Maintaining a healthy weight can help protect against conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – the UK’s leading cause of sight loss and glaucoma.

Be active:

Being physically active has been shown to reduce your risk of visual impairment by 58% versus somebody with a sedentary lifestyle.

Quit smoking:

Smokers are up to four times more likely to lose their sight than someone who has never smoked.

For help to quit smoking visit: www.nhs.uk/smokefree

Cover up:

Slip on a pair of sunglasses whenever the UV Index rises to three or more to minimise your risk of developing conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

Look out for a CE or British Standard or UV 400 mark to ensure your shades provide adequate UV protection.

Go outdoors:

Spending time outdoors can give your eyes a boost and actually reduce your risk of short-sightedness (myopia). Two hours outdoor play is thought to be beneficial for children.

Be screen smart:

A staggering 90% of us say we experience screen fatigue – tired or irritated eyes, blurred vision, headaches and poor colour perception.

Avoid eye strain by following the 20-20-20 rule, especially if you’re using a computer for long periods of time. Look 20 feet in front of you, every 20 minutes, for 20 seconds.

Wear safety glasses:

Every year in the UK 30,000 people suffer a DIY-related injury. Always wear good quality safety glasses when doing jobs around the house.

Make-up bag makeover:

Germs can build up on your make-up palettes and brushes and cause eye infections and irritation. Make sure your regularly wash all brushes and sponges and adhere to the ‘period after opening’ (POA) time on your cosmetic products.

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To mark the start of National Eye Health Week, 21- 27 September, Minister for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care, Jo Churchill, explains why looking after your eye health and vision matters. Below, she discusses the importance of regular sight tests and the role that eye care practitioners play in helping to keep us healthy.

Our eyesight is precious. You only have to imagine day to day life without sight for a moment to appreciate just how important your vision is, and why eye health matters.

Routine sight tests are often viewed as less important than health checks with your dentist or GP, however, they are just as vital. 

Regardless of whether you wear glasses or contact lenses, or believe your eyesight is fine, I would urge everyone to have their sight tested regularly.^[1] Your optometrist will recommend how often this should be depending on your age and other risk factors such as having a close relative with eye disease.

Important health check

During a sight test, your optometrist will test your vision and check the health of your eyes for any issues that may otherwise go undetected. These could include sight-threatening conditions such as age-related macular degeneration or glaucoma. They may also be able to identify other underlying health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or raised cholesterol.

The reasons you may develop any of these conditions vary, but can often be linked to your lifestyle,^[2] other medical conditions and age. We know that prevention and early detection are key to reducing your risk of avoidable sight loss. 

I would encourage anyone with concerns about their eye health to seek help as soon as possible by contacting their high street optician. 

Many people^[3] are eligible for free NHS sight tests, including children, anyone aged 60 and over, those on certain income-related benefits and other adults with certain risk factors. You can check your entitlement on the NHS.uk website.

Here to help you

I understand that thinking about your eye care needs during these unsettling times may seem like a low priority, and you might feel anxious about having face-to-face care. However, eye care services provided by high street opticians, hospital eye departments and other healthcare settings meet strict safety standards. Across the country, specialist teams are ready to help you get the right eye care for you and your family.  

For more about National Eye Health Week visit www.visionmatters.org.uk

[1] We advise people to have their sight tested once every two years unless their optometrist advises otherwise.
[2] Smoking and obesity can place you at higher risk of developing these conditions.
[3] Children, those aged over 60 years old and those on income related benefits are all eligible for free eye tests.

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Routine eyecare was suspended for a few months in 2020, but optical practices continued to deliver essential and urgent/emergency care, and in many practices the DO was at the heart of this.

 A registered dispensing optician has studied for three years to develop the skills and knowledge they need to provide eye health care, to help when you when you have concerns or want advice. If you need new spectacles they can help you choose the best frames and lenses to suit your face, your employment, your lifestyle and of course, your prescription.

Children’s glasses must be dispensed by a registered practitioner – it’s the law

Did you know that, by law, children must have their spectacles dispensed by a registered practitioner, such as a DO? The DO can also provide you with tips on getting your child to wear their specs, and will adjust your child’s specs as many times as they need to stop them slipping. Children’s face shapes change as they grow, they are more active than adults, so their specs may need regular adjustment. The DO is the specialist in this and always happy to help.

If you are unsure if you need to visit an optical practice, take the first step, pick up the phone and speak to a DO.

Dispensing opticians can help with many minor eye conditions

Many DOs have further specialist skills such as those who have trained as a contact lens optician (CLO). As well as fitting contact lenses, and providing ongoing care for contact lens wearers, some accredited CLOs in England can work in minor eye conditions services, providing care and advice on sore, irritated or red eyes.

They can provide the right treatment, or refer you on for further investigation if needed. These accredited CLOs can also carry out monitoring checks for patients with raised eye pressures, which saves regular visits to the hospital.

All DOs can help people with low vision. There are many types of magnifying aids available, and technology is developing rapidly to help people with sight loss. Ask a DO to advise which technology, lighting and aids will help you or a family member who is struggling to see.

If you are unsure if you need to visit an optical practice, take the first step, pick up the phone and speak to a DO – they will be able to advise or signpost you to the help available. Whether you need your spectacles replaced or repaired, have a problem with your vision, a query about contact lenses or a sore eye, the DO will help.

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Stephen Epstein

Optometrist and Vice Chair, Glaucoma UK

Lots of our activity is now taking place on screens, from keeping in touch, through to collective worship and yoga sessions. Luckily, there’s no reason to be concerned about screen time if you have glaucoma or dry eye disease.

How does the use of screens affect your eyesight, if at all?

When you’re looking at a screen and concentrating, you blink less often and, sometimes, less completely. Your eyes constantly make a tear film, which nourishes the front surface of the eye. When you blink, the tear film is spread over your eye. If you’re not blinking enough, the front of your eye can start to feel uncomfortable.

Does having glaucoma affect how people use screens?

Most people with glaucoma will have no problems. If your glaucoma is very advanced, and your central vision is affected, increasing the font size or switching the colour settings on the screen (e.g. white on black) may make things easier to read.

Think blink! And rest your eyes frequently. The 20-20-20 rule is helpful – after 20 minutes of screen usage, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

What can people with glaucoma do to make using screens easier?

Glare can be a problem, so try using a glare-reducing screen or filter and position the screen away from bright sunlight or other strong light sources. This advice is helpful for everyone, not just people with glaucoma! Glaucoma eye drops can cause symptoms of dry eye disease (DED) so you may wish to ask your eye doctor whether different eye drops might help.

How does lots of time using screens affect dry eye disease?

DED occurs when your eyes don’t make enough tears or when the tears evaporate too quickly. It can make your eyes feel dry, gritty or scratchy, or even watery. Your eyes may also look red.

What can people with DED do to make using screens easier?

Think blink! And rest your eyes frequently. The 20-20-20 rule is helpful – after 20 minutes of screen usage, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Keep a good distance between your eyes and the screen. Finally, you may find lubricating eye drops (also known as artificial tears) helpful – put these in your eyes as often as you like. Heat pads for eyes can also be helpful and soothing.

Where can people go for more help if they’re struggling?

If you have a persistent problem with DED, our advice would be to go to an optometrist practice to buy some eye drops. You can buy these yourself, e.g. at a supermarket, where they may be cheaper. However, if you go to an optometrist, you can ask for advice about which eye drops are the best ones for your symptoms.

Finally, contact the Glaucoma UK helpline on 01233 64 81 70 or helpline@glaucoma.uk. You can also visit the website: glaucoma.uk

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