Author: Sokada

If you’re currently suffering from inadequate vision you might be asking the question – can vision be improved, or at least maintained? Unfortunately, vision cannot be improved without the assistance of professionals. However, there are steps you can take to prevent additional damage. Here are some potential steps for improving and maintaining your eyesight.

Your vision is one of the most critical factors in the quality of your day-to-day life. Good vision allows us to engage and connect with our surroundings. More importantly, however, they help keep us safe. Having clear and accurate vision holds a huge amount of significance in your day-to-day life. The world is full of colour, patterns and shapes; many of us take it for granted!

Regular vision examinations

Particularly as you get older, the significance of regular eye examinations cannot be overlooked. In order to keep on top of changes in your vision, you should ideally be visiting your optometrist every two years. This allows for potential issues to be flagged as well as treated before they develop and cause more serious long-term damage. Two years is the general rule of thumb however if you know of any family member that suffers from hereditary eye conditions, please inform your optician. They will likely recommend that you visit on a more frequent basis.

You may be under the impression that your glasses are only good for amending your prescription glasses. However, you may be surprised to know that there are a number of eye conditions your optician can identify with a regular examination. These include, but are not limited to, glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and certain types of cancer.

Protect your eyes from UV rays

One of the most effective things you can do to maintain your vision and prevent additional damage is to protect your eyes from the UV (ultraviolet) rays produced by the sun. UV light essentially ages all the structures in your eye. Corneal damage, cataracts and macular degeneration are all possible chronic effects of overexposure to UV rays. In order to protect your eyes from the damage caused by UV rays we recommend you wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays when you’re outside. This is even more critical during times of peak UV rays, 10 am – 4 pm.

This applies all year round as there is no correlation between the damage the sun’s UV rays cause to how hot or cold the temperature is. UV radiation is invisible and cannot be felt during exposure.

Diet

A healthy diet is a necessity for good overall health. To improve the health of your eyes a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids are key. Additionally, foods high in vitamin A help to maintain accurate vision, the functioning of the immune system, growth as well as development. Additionally, vitamin A also helps your heart, lungs, and other vital organs function properly.

Specifically for your eyes, vitamin A is excellent at preventing the formation of cataracts and macula degeneration. This is important as these are the two leading cases of blindness. For example, kale, spinach, liver and sweet potatoes are all foods jam-packed with goodness. Unfortunately, a diet high in vitamin A won’t cure blindness, nor will it grant a person 20-20 vision. However, a severe lack of vitamin A can cause blindness and deterioration of the eye.

Lifestyle

A person’s lifestyle can have a significant impact on their vision. For example, abuse of alcohol or smoking has been linked to an increased risk of certain eye diseases. Smoking for example increases the likelihood of you developing age-related macular degeneration by three to four times! Age-related macular degeneration is a common condition that affects the middle part of your vision. It does not cause total blindness but it can make everyday activities extremely challenging. Imagine blots of darkness in the centre of your vision.

Need to book an eye test?

Can vision be improved? It is important to note that without professional guidance and help, there is no way to improve vision significantly. If you are suffering from poor vision or are in need of a general appointment feel free to get in touch with us here at Focus Eye Centre. By booking in with your local optometrist you can arrange for an evaluation of your eyes and vision to be carried out. This can help to diagnose any underlying conditions and bring light to some potential treatment options. Call us today on 0800 980 34 64 or email us atinfo@focuseyecentre.co.uk.

Have you noticed that this time of the year, you start to feel tired and your eyes become a little more irritable? Let’s get into the simple way to care for your eyes this autumn. These autumnal conditions will sometimes be harsh for our eyes and can increase the evaporation of the eye’s tear layer. This leads to irritation and for the front of the eye to become drier.

What Causes Irritated Eyes In Autumn

In the autumn months, the environment is completely different to that of summer. The days are shorter and the temperature drops. This causes all of us to fire up our central heating as well as blowing warmer air from the climate control in the car. We spend much more time indoors and avoid the slightly colder weather. When we do venture outdoors it tends to be windier than in previous months. All of this can have a huge effect on our eyes.

How to Treat Dry Eyes in Autumn

A pair of high-quality distance vision glasses or sunglasses can go a long way in protecting your eyes this autumn. Not only will they protect you from the low sun but also offer assistance against the blustery winds that evaporates the eye’s tear layer. If you hate the feel of glasses on your face and have instead chosen to wear contact lenses, then you may need to lubricate them a little more at this time of the year. It is common for the change in season to make your eyes feel dry. Speak to your optometrist and see what they recommend for your specific pair of contacts. You might find that there are better options available to treat a more continuous issue you’re experiencing. Eye drops for lens wearers are common place and give you an effective solution for dryness.

One of the biggest things people ignore when it comes to keeping their eyes lubricated is hydration. Drinking water prevents you from becoming dehydrated. When your body becomes dehydrated it begins preserving fluid. This leads to various symptoms of dehydration including thirst and dry mouth, decreased urine output, muscle cramps, headache, lightheadedness, sleepiness as well as a lack of tear production. When the eyes stop producing tears, they are no longer properly lubricated, which can lead to dry eye, eye strain and vision problems.

Are Blinking Exercises Effective?

Blinking and eye exercises are other great ways to keep eyes comfortable, especially when working on a screen in a dry office environment. When we use a computer or digital screen our blinking rate decreases by around 60%, meaning our eyes dry out at an accelerated rate. When you become conscious of this you really start to notice how long periods of time go by without you blinking. We like to encourage the 20-20-20 rule for our customers. In summary, the 20-20-20 rule refers to when you take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away after 20 minutes of screen time. There isn’t any research that shows the screens we spend hours looking at each day are necessarily damaging our eyesight, but it can cause an unpleasant feeling of strain and tiredness.

Looking for Expert Advice

Are you suffering from a long-term dry eye condition or have noticed some changes in your vision? It’s always best to seek some professional advice. Here at Focus Eye Centre, we are always willing to offer guidance where possible. Whether it is for a new pair of spectacles, sunglasses, lenses or just some drops to calm and lubricate your eyes. Give us a call today on 0800 980 34 64 or email us at info@focuseyecentre.co.uk.

Vision is a major part of everyone’s life, so maintaining it should be incredibly important. Having poor or uncomfortable vision and not being proactive usually means the condition worsens. Not only that, but it’s also likely to affect your life in other ways. Blurred vision can cause severe headaches and can sometimes affect a person’s ability to concentrate. It’s critical you know how frequently you need to visit your opticians, for your own health.

How frequently should you take an eye test?

In order to keep on top of any changes in your vision, you should ideally be visiting every 2 years. Coming in within this time frame will allow for any possible issues to be treated and it will also inform your optometrist of what appropriate steps need to be taken. Any longer than 2 years could allow conditions to progress to a point where permanent damage may be caused. If any of your family members suffer from hereditary eye conditions, please inform your optician and you will likely be recommended to visit more frequently.

How often should an adult get their eyes tested?

In general, taking a visit to see your optometrist every 2 years is sufficient. This is unless a serious issue has been discovered and you have been recommended to visit more frequently. If this is the case, we will likely suggest an annual visit. In rare cases, you might be instructed to visit every six months. The rule of thumb is unless told otherwise, you should stick to the two-year figure.

How often should children get their eyes tested?

Children, under the age of 16, should ideally get their vision tested once every year. Despite young people’s vision usually being exceptional, having frequent eye tests allows optometrists to spot early signs of visual issues. This could assist the optometrist in treating the issue before it becomes more pronounced later on in life.

We also sometimes recommend that children visit us for a back to school eye test. This ensures that the child has a clear and comfortable vision, allowing them to reach their full academic potential.

How often should an elderly adults get their eyes tested?

For the elderly, a similar rule applies. It’s recommended that your vision is still tested every two years. However, as you get older you are at a higher risk of experiencing at least some degree of macular degeneration, or a range of other issues related to the eyes. So we are happy to see you sooner to remain on top of these issues and get the necessary help, early in the development of any possible issue. Many customers will have an eye test every two years but may come back annually for an Optomap or OCT.

What is the purpose of an eye test?

You may be under the impression that an eye test is only good for amending your prescription for glasses. However, an eye test can help diagnose a number of eye problems. These include, but are not limited to, glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and certain types of cancer. It will likely come as a surprise to learn that all of these issues can be uncovered during a regular eye test. This is why it’s critical that you are proactive and keep to your regular appointments.

You need to remember that your optometrist is a professional. They have an expert level of understanding and always have your health as their main priority.

Get in Touch

If you would like to find out more, or you wish to book an eye test, get in touch. Give us a call today at 0800 980 34 64 or email us at info@focuseyecentre.co.uk.

It’s back to school season! You’ve got the new uniform and new shoes but have you forgotten about the potentially most important back to school essential? Ensuring that your child has clear and comfortable when in the classroom. Good vision is critical if you want them to achieve their full potential in and around their school surroundings.

Why Regular Children’s  Eye Tests are so Important

Approximately 20% of children, under the age of 18 have a diagnosed eye condition. What’s even more staggering is, that an estimated further 20% have an eye condition that is not yet diagnosed. This has a huge impact on a child’s ability to focus and absorb information. This, if left untreated, could potentially lead to a child not reaching their full academic potential; which makes perfect sense. Being able to see and learn from the world around them is one of the key ways in which a child’s brain develops. Removing this ability will likely affect the amount a child is willing to engage with learning!

This also has an effect on their eye health in general. It’s always best to treat a condition as soon as you start noticing signs. Finding conditions when a person is younger often means it has little to no time to develop into more serious issues. For the majority of children, this will not be the case and they will have exceptional vision. In some cases, however, there are problems and if not picked up at an early age could lead to permanent damage.

Suffering from an untreated eye condition will also have the potential to affect the child’s social development. Facial expressions are a key means of communicating mood or intent. If a child has a poor level of vision they may struggle with recognising minor, fine detail movements that we don’t consciously notice; yet are incredibly important. This could lead to them missing important social cues or struggling with establishing the social context.

Additionally, it makes participating in outdoor activities or sports that much more challenging. Anyone who has grown up with poor eyesight can testify how much more difficult sports become when you can’t see what’s happening. It can be incredibly frustrating for the child as they could fall behind their peers due to them having an unfair disadvantage. The majority of recreational activities are not designed with low vision in mind. Despite this, sports such as wrestling, swimming or judo are all great options.

Signs to Look Out For:

6 weeks +

• Inability to follow something with their eyes
• Lack of focus on you
• Wandering eyes

Toddlers

• Clumsiness
• One eye that turns in or out
• Squinting whilst reading or watching TV
• Eye rubbing
• Watery eyes

School-age

• Avoidance of reading, writing or drawing
• Lack of concentration
• Complaints of pain, tired eyes or blurry vision
• Holding books or objects close to the face.
• Sitting excessively close to the TV

What we Offer

As well as our standard eye tests, we offer a specialised service called ‘School Vision Assessment.’ This is an assessment to explore possible sight reasons, if a child is having difficulties at school. More specifically, it looks at reading difficulties and dyslexia, allowing practitioners to dramatically alter learning outcomes for those affected. Muscle balance, eye dominancy, tracking, reading speed and colour preferences are all assessed. Along with our children’s eye tests and the need for spectacles to aid clear focus when reading.

We recommend that children with healthy and normal vision should have eye tests every two years. Those with refractive errors should visit more regularly, once every year. Eye tests are critical for treating correctable errors and diagnosing disease.

Looking to Book a Children’s Eye Test

Children do not have the ability to communicate any issues or pain they are suffering with. It’s the responsibility of the parents to book their children’s eye test and ensure their children’s eyes are healthy. It’s never too early to have a sight test, visiting an optometrist will mean you can spot and manage vision problems that may affect your child’s development.

They also don’t have to be at reading age – we have picture tests as well!

If you’re curious about why children’s eye tests are so important, feel free to get in touch with us if you have any further questions. Give us a call on 01323 442 062 or email us info@focuseyecentre.co.uk and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.