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ASTIGMATISM

If the shape of the cornea or lens is oval like a rugby ball, it has two different curves, rays of light entering at different angles will therefore be brought to focus in two different positions, producing a distorted image. This condition is known as astigmatism.

However, if the shape of the cornea or crystalline lens is round like a football, it has the same shaped curve all the way round. Rays of light entering the eye from any angle will be brought to a focus at the same point.

Astigmatism is very common and is present in most people. It is corrected with a lens that has 2 different powers running 90% to each other. This is known as a toroidal or toric lens.

Cataracts

kat-uh-rakt: A clouding of the crystaline lens. It has the effect of looking through a dirty window i.e. reducing the quaility of vision.
Other effects include:

Halo’s around lightsÿ
Glare in sunlight
Increase in short sightedness / decrease in long sightedness.
Changes in colour vision

Cataracts progress at various speeds depending on the cause and type. When a cataract begins to impede your everyday lifestyle, it can be removed and replaced with a silicon intra-ocular lens. This is a relatively straight forward procedure with a high success rate.

CAUSES OF CATARACTS:

Age related changes are the main cause of cataracts but they can also occur at any age due to:

A serious injury to the eye
Mineral deficiencies
Secondary to diabetes
The side effect of certain medication
Smoking
UV light
Congenital causes

A regular eye test can help by monitoring the effect a cataract has on your vision. Discuss any questions you have with your Optometrist who will refer you to an Ophthalmologist for further management at the appropriate time.

DIABETES

dahy-uh-bee-tis: A condition that leads to high blood glucose levels due to defects in either insulin secretion or insulin action. Estimates suggest that nearly one person in twenty-five in the UK is affected by diabetes mellitus.

There are two different types of diabetes :

Type 1 diabetes (Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).
Commonly occurs before the age of 30 and is the result of the body producing little or no insulin. Type 1 is controlled by insulin injections.

Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).

Commonly occurs after the age of 40. In this type of diabetes the body does produce some insulin, although the amount is either not sufficient or the body is not able to make proper use of it. Type 2 diabetes is generally controlled by diet or tablets, although some people in this group will use insulin injections.
A diabetic person is at a higher risk of developing poor vision, especially if the diabetes is not well controlled.
Most sight loss due to diabetes can be prevented, but it is vital that it is diagnosed early. An annual eye examination is extremely important to allow for the early detection of the effects of diabetes on the eye and can help to prevent sight loss as a result of diabetes.

Effect on the lens: Diabetes causes water retention in the lens of the eye. This causes a deterioration in your distance vision.

Effect on blood vessels: Diabetes affects the smaller blood vessels first. They can start to leak or become blocked. A leaky vessel can cause new blood vessels to grow. Newly formed blood vessels are very fragile. If they leak, blood fills the eye (vitreous haemorrhage) thereby obstructing vision. They can also cause the retina to pull away from the back of they eye causing a detached retina. Blocked vessels cause the retina to swell.

PREVENT DIABETES

In order to prevent sight loss, it is very important to control diabetes. This can be done by the following means:
Control your diet & ensure medication is taken as directed by your GP
Take regular exercise, avoid smoking and drink alcohol in excess

If you think you may have some symptoms of diabetes, consult your GP immediately. Book an appointment for an eye examination if you feel your eye sight is deteriorating.

Glaucoma

glaw-koh-muh: A group of conditions in which the Optic Nerve (which carries visual information from the retinal cells to the visual centre in the brain) is damaged, initially resulting in loss of the peripheral visual field.
It is thought that this damage is caused by an increase in the pressure of the eye and / or a reduction in the blood supply, or other weakness to the optic nerve head.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF GLAUCOMA

Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG)
Where the glaucoma develops slowly in both eyes.Symptoms such as pain, red eye or vision changes do not occur and visual filed loss is also slow.

Closed Angle (Chronic) Glaucoma
Presents with a sudden increase in the pressure of one eye.
This causes Pain, redness and hazy vision.

Secondary Glaucoma
Glaucoma can also occur as a result of other conditions such as diabetes or Uveitis.

Congenital Glaucoma
Glaucoma can rarely be repsent at birth and causes the eye to distend.

WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR POAG?

Glaucoma occurs in 2% of the population over the age of 40. Groups that are known to be at a higher risk include:

Close relatives of someone who has glaucoma
People of Afro–Caribbean origin
People with high myopia (short –sightedness)
Diabetics

Although not preventable, damage caused to sight by glaucoma can be limited by early diagnoses and careful management. A regular eye test is the most effective way of detecting glaucoma at an early stage. During your eye test, the optic nerve head, eye pressure and visual field will be assessed to help decide if you are at risk of glaucoma.
If you have any concerns with regards to glaucoma, speak to an Optometrist today.
Further information concerning Glaucoma can be found at:
Royal College of Ophthalmologists
The International Glaucoma Association (IGA)

Hyperopia

Hyperopia is caused by an eyeball which is too short or a lens that is weaker than necessary. As a result, the rays of light entering the eye do not focus on the retina but behind it. As your eye has some degree of control (accommodation) it is usually able to focus objects far away, hence you can see clearly in the distance. Closer objects require a lot more effort and if this is not possible, appear blurry.

Hyperopes need a convex or positive powered lens to bring the focal point of the rays of light forward and onto the retina. Positive lenses can be used to correct both hyperopia and presbyopia.

A convex lens is thicker in the middle compared to its edge. For high prescriptions, a flatter, aspheric lens is recommended in order to avoid the lens appearing too bulbous.

Macular Degeneration

mak-yuh-luh:An oval yellow spot near the centre of the retina, responsible for our colour vision & central vision.
AMD is the greatest cause of vision loss in people aged over 60.

THERE ARE 2 TYPES OF MACULA DEGENERATION

DRY AMD: This is the most common form of the condition, where the macula gradually deteriorates due to the ageing process. Degeneration is gradual and slow. Although there is no cure for this type of AMD, recent research suggests minerals such as Zinc, Leutin and anti-Oxidants can help keep the macula healthy. These minerals are available in vegetables such as Spinach, Brocolli and Green Peppers as well as supplement form.

WET AMD: This is a rarer form of AMD where delicate new blood vessels start to grow from under the macula and leak, causing a build up of fluid. Wet AMD can progress quickly and results in sudden vision loss. Early detection and medical treatment is vital in order to offer any chance of controlling the effects of wet AMD.

Effects of AMD AMD results in the loss of central vision. Peripheral vision usually remains unaffected and therefore does not lead to total blindness.
In the beginning with only mild degeneration in one eye, symptoms may go unnoticed as the good eye makes up for the weaker eye.
Symptoms experienced with AMD include:
Reduced central vision
Wavy / distorted straight lines
Problems judging distances
Deterioration in colour vision
Poor vision in poor light

CAUSES OF AMD

The following factors can increase the risk of AMD :

Age : AMD is more prevalent in the older population.

Gender : AMD is more common in Women than Men.

Genetics : Variations & deficiencies in certain genes have been found in many cases of ARMD patients.

Smoking : Smoking can increase the risk of AMD and quitting smoking can reduce the risk of AMD.

Sunlight : Some researchers have shown a link between UV light and AMD.

Nutrition : As mentioned above, some minerals play an important role in maintaining the health of the macula.

If spectacles are no longer adequate in correcting vision, low vision aids such as magnifying glasses and telescopes may provide more benefit in helping to use remaining vision for certain tasks. Your Optometrist can suggest other techniques and aids which are designed to help you continue with your day to day activities as much as is possible.

If you notice any changes in your vision it is very important that you speak to an Optometrist or your GP immediately.

Myopia

If you can’t see distant objects clearly, you are said to be short sighted or Myopic.Myopia occurs when your eye is unable to focus the incoming rays of light on the retina despite the lens being as flat as possible.

Most myopes can see close objects clearly and thats why they may remove their spectacles to read. Myopia can be caused by an eyeball that is too long or a lens with a very high power and often has a genetic link.

The onset of myopia usually occurs in the early years. It tends to stabilise towards 30 – 40 years, after which it commonly reduces so that you become less myopic.

Myopia can be corrected by using concave (minus powered) lenses in front of the eye. These have the ability of bending the light forward until it focuses on the retina.

A concave lens is thicker on the edge compared with its centre. High index (thinner lenses) are therefore recommended for high myopic prescriptions to reduce thickness and weight and to improve appearance.

Presbyopia

You may have noticed children holding books very close to their eyes and still being able to read the words without any problem. Throughout life, we tend to hold objects further away from our eyes as this feels more comfortable.

Presbyopia tends to occur in the mid to late forties. The reason for this is that over time the lens becomes harder and therefore less elastic. As a result, its ability to focus close objects reduces (loss of accommodation). A prescription for close work (eg reading, computer etc) is given in order to help relax the eyes and improve close vision.

Retinal Detachment

ret-n-uh: A light sensitive part inside the inner layer of the eye. Some of the cells of the retina receive light and transform it into image-forming signals which are transmitted through the optic nerve to the brain.

A retinal detachment occurs when the retina separates from the actual wall of the eye. The detached area will not work properly and this affects the quality of the picture produced by the brain.

SYMPTOMS SUCH AS:

Flashing Lights (short flickers of light)

The feeling of a cobweb in the eye.

A curtain covering some of the visual field – this may cause a shadow or a total black out of part of your vision.

All need urgent examination to rule out the presence of a retinal detachment.

Retinal detachment affects approximately 1 in 10,000 people. It is rarely seen in young adults but more so in short sighted or middle aged people.

There are several different treatment methods for retinal detachment depending on the cause and the state of the retina.

Protecting your Eyes during Sports

Protection and Comfort are the two key elements of modern sports eyewear solutions, allowing you to enjoy your game for longer without discomfort or fatigue, whilst ensuring your eyes are protected.

The use of eye protection is increasingly a requirement in organised club or league sports and should form part of a child’s sports kit at all times.

Ocular Damage can occur by trauma or by Ultra-Violet Radiation. Examples of this include:

A ball hitting the eye e.g in golf, squash or cricket
Cricket bats or hockey sticks striking the eye
Being hit in the face by other player’s limbs
Flying gravel, ejected shell casings, low hanging branches
Abrasion caused by grit, eye rubbing

Certain factors can contribute to accidents, especially in sports undertaken at speed.

Glare or snow blindness
Flying insects
Wind
Spray — water or mud

And of course, damage to the eyes can also build up over a long period.
A serious eye injury can put a stop to your game for a significant length of time and may also be irreversible. Let us help you to understand the plethora of options now widely available so that your sports eyewear can help to enhance your vision whilst protecting you from the worst.
You have two for a reason… don’t risk the loss.

Children Myopia Prevention

Research indicates that children who are genetically predisposed to myopia (children with short-sighted parents) can reduce their chances of developing the condition by increasing the amount of time they spend outdoors.

It is believed that natural, outdoor light on the retina protects the eye from lengthening and therefore becoming myopic. Around 14 hours a week spent outdoors has been shown to reduce the chance of a person becoming myopic — even in overcast weather.

Unfortunately, once a child becomes short-sighted, the amount of time spent outdoors ceases to impact on the eye, so exposure to natural light is only preventative. It should however, be considered from as early in a child’s life as possible.