Carrots - Myth or Fact?

Question:

Does eating carrots really improve your vision?

Answer:

Yes and No. Eating copious quantities of carrots will not prevent or reverse your need for eyeglasses. Carrots however are high in beta-carotene, which gets converted to Vitamin-A in the liver and is an important nutrient with regards to proper eye health. Vitamin-A is an antioxidant and has been shown to slow the formation and progression of degenerative eye diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts. Vitamin-A deficiency can lead to night blindness a condition known as nyctalopia.

Carrots also contain the antioxidant lutein. Lutein is highly concentrated in the central macula area of the eye and helps to protect the eye from age-related macular degeneration, which is currently the leading cause of blindness in patients over the age of 50.

Like all good things, there is a limit. Excessive beta-carotene intake can cause a persons skin to turn orange, and chronic ingestion has been linked with an increase risk of lung cancer in smokers and recent ex-smokers.

Note: Always consult with your health care provider prior to starting any new supplements.

Welcome to Winter!

Cold temperatures are not only tough on your car, but they can also be tough on your eyes. Cold weather increases dry eye symptoms for many patients, and can increase contact lens intolerance. Freezing temperatures and heaters dry out the air around us, causing your contact lenses and your eyes to loose their moisture quicker.

Try to reduce your contact lens usage during very cold periods and ensure that you remove your contact lenses when you get home at night. You can also consider using a quality lubricating eye drop that is approved for contact lenses or one that was recommended by your eye doctor.

Multifocal Contact Lenses Exist!

A common condition in people over 40, presbyopia affects the eyes' ability to focus on objects at near and intermediate distances. Fortunately, there's a brand new solution: AIR OPTIX AQUA MULTIFOCAL contact lenses.

• Designed for crisp, clear vision at all distances
• Superior comfort vs other leading multifocal lenses
• Advance combination of oxygen and moisture for a healthy natural feeling

Ask your eye doctor about trying monthly disposable AIR OPTIX AQUA MULTIFOCAL contact lenses at your next eye exam.

To learn more, visit airoptix.com To try them, vist  Kingsway Optometry.

Image and text via: Ciba Vision Canada

Ophthalmology Referrals

If it’s determined during a routine or emergency eye examination that you require the care of an ophthalmologist, our eye doctors will help take care of the rest. The eye doctors at Kingsway Optometry work closely with many Edmonton based ophthalmologists to ensure that you have access to the appropriate health care provider.

Ophthalmology specialties available in Edmonton include:

• Retina Specialists
• Cornea Specialists
• Glaucoma Specialists
• Genetic Specialists
• Oculoplastic Specialists
• Pediatric Specialists
• Strabismus Specialists
• General Specialists

Ophthalmology Referral Process

1. All referrals start off with a comprehensive eye health examination by one of our optometrists.
2. Your optometrist will write a referral letter and call the ophthalmologists office to schedule your appointment.
3. Depending on your eye condition and the urgency, patients will be seen right away, or up to 6 month. Most patients though are usually seen within 2-6 weeks.
4. Our office will call you with your appointment information.
5. Our office will also mail you a letter outlining your appointment information.  
6. The ophthalmologists office will usually send a follow-up letter outlining the diagnosis, chosen treatment plan, and any follow-up care that may be required.

Holiday Clinic Hours - Kingsway Optometry

• December 23, 2011 - Closed at 4:00 pm
• December 24, 2011 - Closed
• December 25, 2011 - Closed
• December 26, 2011 - Closed
• December 27, 2011 - 9:00 am to 7:30 pm
• December 28, 2011 - 9:00 am to 7:30 pm
• December 29, 2011 - 9:00 am to 7:30 pm
• December 30, 2011 - 9:00 am to 5:30 pm
• December 31, 2011 - 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
• January 1, 2012 - Closed
• January 2, 2012 - Normal business hours

NOTE: If you have an ocular emergency which requires immediate attention, please proceed direction to the Royal Alexandra Hospital. For more information, please click here.

Need Contact Lenses?

If you are almost out of contact lenses or interested in trying contact lenses for the first time, then please stop by our clinic in Kingsway Mall. Kingsway Optometry carries an extensive range of brand name contact lenses brands to choose from, including: Bausch & Lomb, Ciba Vision, Johnson & Johnson, Cooper Vision, FreshLook and Logics. We also carry a large number of the most popular contact lens brands in stock for same day service.

In-Stock Contact Lenses Inventory Includes:

• 1-Day Disposable: Dailies Aqua Comfort Plus
• 1-Day Disposable: Dailies
• 2-Week Disposable: Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus
• 2-Week Disposable: Acuvue Advance Plus
• 2-Week Disposable: O2Optix
• 1-Month Disposable: Air Optix Night & Day
• 1-Month Disposable: Air Optix Aqua

Stop by our clinic in Kingsway Mall to re-stock your annual supply of contact lenses. Outside prescriptions are always welcomed and walk-in appointments are available.

Think Thin!

Do you hate the thought of having to wear thick heavy looking eyeglasses? If so, maybe it’s time you started thinking thin.

Thin or hi-index eyeglasses lenses are not only more visually appealing, but they can also provide superior vision if you have a higher prescription. These lenses are usually lighter then conventional lenses, making your eyeglasses more comfortable to wear.

There are a few things to consider though when you purchase a thin high index lens. One of which is, internal reflections. Internal reflections can result in excessive halos and glare and reduced cosmetic appeal. As such, it is crucial to have an anti-reflective coating applied to both the front and back surface of the lens to help control or minimize this effect.

To learn more about thin or hi-index lenses, talk to your optician.

CALL 780.474.6377        BOOK ON-LINE        WALK-INS WELCOME

EYE EXAMS – CONTACT LENSES – EMERGENCY VISITS – OPHTHALMOLOGY REFERRALS

Why I Love Edmonton

Edmonton 

From a fort to fur trading and pioneers

Our city of Edmonton grew from toil and tears,

A beautiful city with fresh air and tall green trees.

Our river valley is a beautiful place to be,

With parks, hiking and biking.

What a wonderful place to see,

Our downtown is clean with tall buildings, libraries,

And City Hall with its pyramid standing tall,

Our stadium with its football games,

And crowds cheering one for all,

West Edmonton Mall is an exciting place to see,

And Rexall Place for hockey, is the place to be,

Our Valley Zoo with animal galore,

We have everything in store,

Fort Edmonton Park with its golden olden days,

Is the place to explore,

This is why I love my city Edmonton,

And I will tell one and all.

Poem & Illustration By

Bernice C.

Coming Soon to Kingsway Mall

Over the past few years Kingsway Mall has gone through a dramatic renovation to produce a cleaner brighter shopping experience. As a result, the mall continues to attract great new stores each year providing shoppers with even more reason beside their annual eye exam to stop by.

Victoria’s Secret will open its doors to their second Edmonton location on October 20, 2011. Stop by Kingsway Mall to check out the new store on the upper level and take part in the celebrations.

Kingsway Mall has also announced the addition of Boston Pizza to the restaurant line up, providing more lunchtime options for employees and shoppers. A new Flight Centre location will also be opening up directly above our store, providing a convenient location to book a winter getaway.

With all of this, plus the addition of the new LRT station at Kingsway Mall next year, the mall should once again be in position to regain its fame as a true ‘shoppers’ mall. 

Kingsway Mall - Back to School Fan Club

Kingsway Mall is running a ' Back to School Fan Club' event this year. If you stop by Kingsway Mall you can enter yourself into a chance to be 1 of 3 people to win $500.00 and an additional $1,000.00 for your school. Winners can also receive an additional $500.00 for just being friends on Facebook! This could be the easiest summer job you had all year.

Join Kingsway Mall Back to School Fan Club on Facebook

To learn more about the Back to School Fan Club prize giveaway at Kingsway Mall, visit their website or stop by Kingsway Mall guest services for more details.

Image Via: Kingsway Mall Facebook

School Vision Screenings

School vision screenings are a critical component of our health care system and help to detect gross visual problems in children that may otherwise go undetected. School vision screenings however are not a substitute for a comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist. All children, 3 years of age or older, should receive a complete eye examination at least once a year.

An optometrist can examine your child to ensure that they have the adequate visual skills needed to succeed at school. With almost 80% of all learning being visual, it is critical that your child’s visual system be operating perfectly.

An eye examination by an optometrist is more then about 20/20 vision, it’s also about having proper visual skills. Some of these skills include colour vision, depth perception, focusing, eye teaming, and eye tracking.

Did you know?

Children are covered under Alberta Health Care for a comprehensive eye examination once a year. There is no cost to you as a parent to have your child’s eyes examined.

Children are also covered under Alberta Health Care for emergency eye exam appointments for things such as: pink eye, eye infections, allergies, injuries, etc.

Book your child in today for their back to school eye examination at Kingsway Optometry in Kingsway Mall and protect their ability to learn.

Kingsway Optometry and its eye doctors are proud to be members of the Alberta Association of Optometrists and to participate in the Eye See…Eye Learn program. A partnership between optometrists, private business and the Alberta Government with a focus on ensuring that every child receives an eye exam before starting kindergarten. To learn more about the Eye See…Eye Learn program please refer to the Alberta Association of Optometrists website.

Single Best Eyeglass Upgrade

Anti-reflective coatings are by far the single best eyeglass upgrade a person can purchase. Eyeglass lenses that do not have an anti-reflective coating can actually reduce your overall vision and can lead to eyestrain and visual fatigue. In fact, basic non-coated eyeglass lenses can reflect up to 10% of the light. High index lenses can further increase this amount because of internal reflections, making anti-reflective applications absolutely crucial for optimal vision in these thinner lighter lenses.

Anti-reflective eyeglass lenses allow up to 99% of the light to pass directly through the lens. This produces a brighter, sharper more natural feeling image to the wearer. Reduced internal and surface reflections also helps with improved cosmetic appeal during both work and social situations. Anti-reflective coatings allow for better eye-to-eye contact and are a must have for anyone who works with the public. 

Night driving can be dramatically improved by using anti-reflective lenses. These eyeglass lenses help to reduce glare from on coming headlights as well as from auxiliary sources within the vehicle such as the instrument panel or navigation systems. These same principles also apply to working on the computer or playing video games. By reducing unwanted glare from computer monitors and overhead lights, anti-reflective lenses can actually help to reduce end of day visual fatigue.

Anti-reflective lenses have evolved immensely over the past few decades since they were first introduced. Today, high quality anti-reflective lenses offer the best resistance against scratching, as they must be applied over an ultra-tough base coat. Some anti-reflective coatings also help to repel dust and oil from the lens surface and make cleaning your eyeglasses faster and easier.

Review: 5 Reasons to purchase anti-reflective coatings

1.     Improved light transmission    

2.     Improved cosmetic appeal   

3.     Improved night time vision  

4.     Improved computer vision  

5.     Improved scratch resistance  

Edmonton Indy at Kingsway Mall

The Edmonton Indy is back for another year and Kingsway Mall wants you to get into the action and festivities surrounding this years race.  On Thursday July 21, IZOD Indy Car drivers Ryan Briscoe and Oriol Servia will be signing autographs for race fans in front of PINK. There will also be two IZOD Indy show cars on display along with Indy girls who will be handing out free Indy tattoos and stickers.

You can also enter for a chance to win The Kingsway Ultimate Indy Experience, which includes:

• 1 ‘pit crew’ access pass
• 2 grand stand passes
• 2 paddock passes
• 2 pit passes
• 1 parking pass
• 2 Edmonton Indy hats  

So stop by Kingsway Mall to get out of the heat and enjoy some Indy weekend excitement.

Less Expensive Contact Lenses

Kingsway Optometry patients can now receive up to $125.00 off their next annual supply purchase of CIBA VISION contact lenses. Products that are eligible for these additional mail-in rebates include: DAILIES Aqua Comfort Plus, Focus DAILIES Toric, Focus DAILIES Progressives, AIR OPTIX NIGHT & DAY AQUA, AIR OPTIX AQUA, AIR OPTIX for ASTIGMATISM, AIR OPTIX AQUA MULTIFOCAL, FreshLook ColorBlends, FreshLook Colors, and Freshlook Dimensions. CIBA VISION contact lens products must be purchased from your optometrists office between July 1, 2011 - December 31, 2011, to be eligible for these additional discounts.

Submitting your contact lens rebate is extremely easy with CIBA VISIONS new online rebate system. This new online system allows patients to upload the required information and track the process of their claim through every step.

Book your next eye exam and contact lens fitting at Kingsway Optometry today.

Do you suffer from seasonal allergies?

Thousands of Edmontonians suffer from seasonal allergies every year. With spring comes dust, mold, pollen and the inevitable sneezing, runny noses, and breathing problems that follow. For some Edmontonians seasonal allergies may affect their eyesight causing swollen, itchy, watery eyes. Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis may even prevent some people from being able to wear their contact lenses all summer long.

Non-prescription allergy treatments have traditionally proven relatively ineffective at resolving seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Ocular decongestants like Visine can provide some cosmetic relief, but do not target the underlying cause. Older mast cell stabilizer medications like Cromolyn must be administered 4 times per day for 2-3 weeks before symptoms improve.

Approximately 10 years ago Alcon pharmaceuticals introduced a topical allergy eye medication called Patanol.  Patanol offered fast relief from ocular allergy symptoms, offered a simple twice per day dosing and was approved for contact lens wearers. Patients could instill Patanol before and after wearing their contact lenses.

Today, Alcon is proud to announce that Canadians will now have access to the all new Pataday. Pataday offers the same proven, safe, effective results of Patanol but provides patients with a convenient once a day dosing. Pataday is also approved in contact lens wearers.

So if you suffer from ocular allergies, talk to your optometrist about Pataday.

Closed for Victoria Day

Kingsway Mall is open for Victoria Day this May 23, 2011 from 11am to 5pm. However, Kingsway Optometry will be closed, so that our optometrists and staff can enjoy the long weekend with their families and friends. Our office will also be closed on Sunday May 22, 2011. Kingsway Optometry will re-open for business on Tuesday, May 24, 2011 @ 9:00am.

Pearle Vision located next door to us at Kingsway Mall will be open all weekend long, including Victoria Day and will be observing normal Kingsway Mall hours.  Pearle Vision would be happy to assist you in selecting new eyeglasses or sunglasses.

If you would like to book an eye exam with one of our eye doctors, please try our new online booking system. It’s fast, easy and secure. If online booking is not your thing, you can also stop by the Pearle Vision location at Kingsway Mall and they can also assist you with booking your appointment.

If you have an ocular emergency this long weekend, please proceed to the Royal Alexandria Hospital, or call Health Link for assistance.

Have a great Victoria Day Long Weekend

The Carnival is at Kingsway Mall

To kick off another fabulous Edmonton summer, the traveling Carnival Show has once again arrived at Kingsway Mall (May 18-22, 2011). This family friendly Carnival Show has gigantic slides, exhibition style games and amusement park style rides. So take a ride on the gravitron, stuff your face with mini donuts and enjoy some cotton candy this May long weekend.  

The Carnival is located in the parking lot next to The Bay at Kingsway Mall and can give you and your kids a nice break from shopping.

Carnival Show Hours

Wednesday May 18, 2011 - 3pm - 9pm

Thursday May 19, 2011 -  3pm - 9pm

Friday May 20, 2011 - 3pm - 9pm

Saturday May 21, 2011 - 11am - 9pm

Sunday May 22, 2011 - noon - 6pm

Evening Eye Exams Available

Kingsway Optometry now offers evening eye exam appointments. So if you need to see an optometrist, but you can’t manage traditional doctor hours, then Kingsway Optometry is right for you. Our optometry clinic is now open late until 8pm every Tuesday evening.

Kingsway Optometry also has Saturday and Sunday eye exam appointments available. So to schedule an eye exam at your convenience with one of our optometrist you can either book online, call us, or simply stop by.

Whether you require a routine eye health exam, new eyeglasses or contact lenses, or you have an ocular emergency, Kingsway Optometry has you covered.

Doctor Hours: Mon 9am-6pm / Tues 9am-8pm / Wed 9am-6pm / Thurs 9am-6pm / Fri 9am-5pm / Sat 9am-4pm / Sun 11am-3pm

1-Day Contact Lenses Offer a Clean, Clear, Comfortable Option

1-Day disposable contact lenses offer patients a great alternative to conventional 2-Week or 1-Month disposable lenses. For years now research has shown that the more often you can dispose of your contact lenses, the healthier your eyes will be, the better they will feel and the better your vision will be. Wearing contact lenses until they irritate your eyes, results in contact lens discomfort and patients looking for more expensive alternatives such as laser eye surgery.

To combat contact lens discomfort, manufacturers set out to create a 1-Day disposable product so that patients no longer had to remember when to change their 2-Week or 1-Month contact lenses. As a side benefit, 1-Day contact lenses turned out to be a savings grace for allergy sufferers, patients with contact lens solution allergies, and a hygienic alternative for young kids.

Yes 1-Day contact lenses cost slightly more then 2-Week or 1-Month disposable lenses, but you will also never have to purchase contact lens solution again. An annual supply of 1-Day contact lenses is also only about 1/10 the price of some laser eye surgery procedures. 

To learn more about 1-Day disposable contact lenses, book a comprehensive eye health examination and a professional contact lens fitting with your optometrist at Kingsway Optometry. 

1-Day Disposable Trial Lenses Include:

• Dailies Aqua Comfort Plus by Ciba Vision

• Focus Dailies by Ciba Vision

• 1-Day Acuvue TruEye by Johnson & Johnson

• Softlens 1-Day by Bausch and Lomb

 

Warning Signs of Serious Eye Disease

If you should ever experience any of the following symptoms, please call or walk-in to our office as soon as possible.

• Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes
• Seeing flashes of light in one or both of your eyes
• Seeing large spots or “floaters” in your eyes, especially if the number has increased dramatically recently
• Double vision
• Pain in or around the eyes
• Headaches that progressively worsen over time.

If you should ever experience any of those symptoms outside of normal office hours please proceed directly to the Royal Alexandra Hospital or call Health Link Alberta @ 780.408.5465 or 1.866.408.5465 for further assistance.