What is nearsightedness and how is it corrected?

Myopia or nearsightedness is a common vision disorder where by people can see objects up close, but are unable to focus clearly on objects in the distance. 

Nearsightedness is the result of two things, either a person's eye grows too long, or the outside of the eye is too steep or round, causing images to focus in front of the retina.

Symptoms of Nearsightedness

Typically, people will start to notice problems with their distance vision in their school years, but nearsightedness can develop at any age. It may also be a sign of a more serious medical problem, such as diabetes or cataracts, especially if the onset of nearsightedness is very sudden and dramatic.

Initial symptoms of nearsightedness include problems focusing on small objects far away like road signs or the channel guide on TV. People can find themselves squinting or developing frontal headaches from having to squint. Children often complain about being unable to see the board at school, while adults often complain about poor night vision or increased glare. Symptoms almost always worsen in low light level situations.

What Causes Nearsightedness?

There has been increased research in the area of nearsightedness in recent years, as the world has seen a sudden surge in the number of people requiring eyeglasses for distance vision correction. 

Early research studies suggest that nearsightedness may be related to near point stress, and numerous studies show that myopia increases along with a person’s level of education. 

Newer studies out of China also point towards dietary factors and excessive indoor time may play a significant role in the development of nearsightedness. However, these studies are far from complete. 

A study out of the UK at the St. Thomas Hospital also showed the genetics probably plays a significant role in the development of nearsightedness while environmental factors may only play a small or limited role.

Treatment options for nearsightedness

Treatment options for people affected by myopia or nearsightedness are numerous. Traditionally, eyeglasses have been the primary treatment option. However, patients also have access to contact lenses, laser vision correction, and intra-ocular lens implants. It is important to always discuss lifestyle and your work situation with your optometrist or ophthalmologist when determining your best treatment option or options.  It is also recommended that patients with nearsightedness receive regular eye health examinations by an optometrist or ophthalmologist every one to two years to ensure the health of their retina's. 

Meibominitis & Dry Eye

Meibomianitis is an inflammation of the oil glands or meibomian glands along your upper and lower eyelid margins. These oil glands produce the lipid or fat layer of your tear film, which coats the surface of your eye. The purpose of this lipid layer is to help prevent the water layer below from evaporating. When these meibomian glands or oil glands become inflamed, they no longer produce nice smooth clean oil. The oil can come out bubbly or thick, thus improperly coating the front of the eye.

Meibomianitis typically does not cause serious visual problems, but it can cause numerous comfort and cosmetic issues. Meibomianitis can cause your eyes to dry out, burn, itch, and water. All of which can lead to reduced vision, blurred vision, vision that fluctuates or vision that clears up with strong blinks. Meibomianitis can also cause your eyelids to swell or thicken and turn red, which can eventually lead to madarosis (eyelashes falling out). It can also lead to external hordeolums more commonly known as styes, which are simply clogged oil glands that have become inflamed.

TREATMENT OR PREVENTION:

The treatment for meibomianitis is fairly straight forward, and we encourage all of our patients to perform this treatment on a daily basis, regardless of whether or not they have meibomianitis.

Steps:

• Prior to getting in the shower in the morning, take a washcloth and heat it up under the tap with warmwater. Close your eyes, and lightly hold the warm washcloth over your eyes. Hold the cloth there until it cools off. Repeat this process for approximately 2 minutes.
• Than, lightly rub your eyelids with the wash cloth to force out all the old oil
• If you eyelids are really swollen than in the shower, take your washcloth and apply a small amount of baby shampoo to it (baby shampoo is used so that you eyes won’t burn, if they actually come in contact with the soap). Foam it up. Than lightly scrub you eyelid margins to remove any oil build up. Ensure that you thoroughly rinse away any soap residue.

Occasionally meibomianitis can get very bad, and medical therapy may be required. If this is the case, your optometrist or ophthalmologist may provide you with a topical antibiotic ointment. In some situations, oral antibiotics may also be used. 

To learn more about meibomianitis or to find out if meibomianitis is the cause of your vision problems, please contact one of our eye doctors and book and eye exam. 

Routine Eye Health Exams

Routine eye health exams are an important part of a person's overall well-being. Eye health exams should be part of your annual complete physical and booked alongside visits to both your family physician and dentist.

Routine eye health examinations by an optometrist are important for people who wear eyeglasses, contact lenses, or who have had laser eye surgery to ensure that their visual acuity is stable. Eye health exams are also important, however, for people who have various medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or arthritis. All of these medical conditions can directly impact your overall eye health and may put you at increased risk of developing certain eye care conditions such as glaucoma or macular degeneration. People with a family history of eye diseases such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, or cataracts should also schedule an annual eye health examination by an optometrist. Early detection of these conditions by your eye doctor allows them to provide better treatment options and produces better visual outcomes.

The risk of developing eye conditions does increase with age, making annual eye health examinations more crucial. 

In our 40’s presbyopia(loss of focusing) sets in, and people find themselves transitioning into the world of reading glasses, bifocals or progressive lenses. 

In our 50-60 we often see the onset of cataracts or other age-related or lifestyle-related illnesses such as heart disease and type-2 diabetes. 

In our 70’s we start to see the beginning of macular degeneration. It is important to remember that these conditions are simply more prevalent with age, but can occur at any stage of our life.

As a child, annual eye health exams are required to determine how our eyes are developing along with determining any visual problems that may hold a child back in school. Children live in an increasingly visual world, and the ability to see clearly is vital to a child's academic success.

High Blood Pressure and Your Eyes!

Having high blood pressure or hypertension (HTN) can have a serious impact on a persons overall well being along with the overall health of their eyes. It is estimated that approximately 22% of Canadians have hight blood pressure, but that only about half actually receive treatment for it. High blood pressure is considered to be a silent killer, as it often has no symptoms at all.

Elevated blood pressure is defined as having a systolic pressure of greater than 140mmHg or a diastolic pressure of more than 90mmHg. In the vast majority of people, there is no specific cause for their elevated blood pressure, but studies show that high blood pressure is more common in African Americans than in Caucasians and more common in the elderly. High blood pressure is also more likely to develop in people suffering from obesity or diabetes.

If blood pressure is aloud to remain elevated for any length of time, it can start to impact your health

The heart may become larger or weaker, which may lead to heart failure. Heart failure is when the heart cannot pump enough blood throughout the body

Aneurysms can form in blood vessels. Aneurysms are abnormal bulges or ballooning of an artery wall. Common locations are the brain, legs, stomach and spleen

Blood vessels in the kidneys can start to narrow, leading to kidney failure

Blood vessels can start to narrow throughout the body, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, or kidney failure.

In men, high blood pressure can also cause erectile dysfunction

Blood vessels in the eyes can burst or bleed, which can lead to vision changes or blindness.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS:

• No symptoms
• Headaches or Morning Headaches
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Dizziness
• Nose Bleeds
• Chest Pain
• Flushed or Pale Skin
• Nausea/Vomiting

EYE SYMPTOMS:

• Papilloedema (swelling of the optic nerve- can cause pain with eye movements or loss of colour vision)
• Blurred Vision
• Double Vision

TREATMENTS:

• Lifestyle 
• Lose Weigh
• Quit Smoking
• Eat a healthy diet
• Reduce Salt intake
• Reduce alcohol consumption
• Medications

**There are numerous types of high blood pressure medications on the market today. Only your family physician and yourself can determine the best type of medication for you.

For more information on High Blood Pressure or Hypertension, please visit the Heart and Stroke Foundation. If you are concerned that High Blood Pressure may be affecting your vision, please see your optometrist. Your optometrist has the knowledge and skill to work along with your family physician when managing your blood pressure. 

ACUVUE Brand Contact Lenses

Up to $150.00 OFF

on ACUVUE brand contact lenses when you purchase a 1-year supply. Thanks to manufacturer mail-in rebates from ACUVUE and in-office volume discounts from Kingsway Optometry you may be able to save significantly on your next contact lens. We also offer FREE home delivery on any one-year supply of ACUVUE Brand contact lenses

Additional savings over our already low contact lens prices:

ACUVUE OASYS, ACUVUE OASYS for ASTIGMATISM, and ACUVUE OASYS for PRESBYOPIA*
1-Year supply – Save $50
6-Month supply – Save $20
 
1-DAY ACUVUE TruEye Brand  or 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST*
1-Year supply – Save $150 – 2 X $75.00 rebates per year
6-Month supply – Save $75
 3-Month supply – Save $25

Purchase any other one- year supply of ACUVUE Brand contact lenses such as Original ACUVUE, ACUVUE 2, ACUVUE 2 COLOURS and ACUVUE BIFOCAL and save at least $25.00 over our already everyday low prices.

See, it’s a myth that you’re eye doctors office is more expensive! Start saving your money today! To quote Johnson & Johnson, the makers of ACUVUE Brand contact lenses "Switch to an exceptional contact lens experience and SAVE”.

Talk to one of the optometrists at Kingsway Optometry on how you can join the evolution of ACUVUE Brand contact Lenses. 

Book an Eye Exam with an Eye Doctor Today!

*Ask one of our associates for details and a mail in rebate certificate at time of purchase.  See rebate for details. Rebates expire December 31, 2010. A valid contact lens prescription is required. Fitting fee’s not included for new wearers or people looking to try a new brand. 

Smoking is a Real Problem

Smoking always seems to get a bad rap for causing numerous medical problems, and probably for good reason. Smoking has been linked to atherosclerosis and heart disease, two conditions that can directly impact your overall health not to mention your overall ocular health. Most people don’t realize that your eyes require more blood than your heart to survive, and are directly impacted by heart disease.

Smoking has been shown to increase one's risk of developing glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), and cataracts. In fact, studies show that individuals who smoke are five times more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), which is the leading cause of vision loss amongst North Americans.

Studies by the Canadian government show that approximately 15-22% of Canadians age 15 and older smoke on a regular basis. A small non-scientific analysis of our clinic revealed that about 32% of our patients were regular smokers.  This means that our patient base is nearly two times more likely to develop severe eye disease like macular degeneration.

We firmly urge all of our patients to look closely at their lifestyle choices and re-evaluate the long-term consequences. If you’ve determined that it is now time to quit, please talk to your family physician about ways to help kick the habit.

Book Your Next Eye Exam with Stonewire Optometry
Kingsway Mall | Edmonton | Alberta