Are you at risk?

Do you know your risk factors when it comes to age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the leading cause of vision loss in Canadians over the age of 50? There are many known risk factors for developing age-related macular degeneration, some of which you can control. It’s especially important for patients with a family history to start considering lifestyle modifications early on, as they have a 4 times great risk of developing ARMD.

Non-Modifiable Risk Factors for age-related macular degeneration

• A Family History of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
• Age 50+
• Female > Males
• Light coloured eyes
• Ethnicity - Caucasians are at the greatest risk

Modifiable Risk Factors for age-related macular degeneration

• Smoking Cigarettes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Elevated cholesterol levels
• Being Overweight
• Eating fatty foods
• A diet low in fresh fruits & vegetables
• A diet low in omega-3
• Living a sedentary lifestyle
• Excessive sunlight exposure

Before you get caught, please talk to your optometrist about age-related macular degeneration and what you can do to reduce your overall risk. Annual eye exams by an optometrist may also help to detect the early warning signs of age-related macular degeneration and ensure timely intervention.

Is it time for a change?

Are you’re like most contact lens wearers who forget to change their contact lenses on time? Then it may be time to find a solution. Over wearing or extending the life of your contact lenses can lead to increased contact lens intolerance, dry eye sensation, and blurry vision. Waiting to change your contact lenses when they feel dirty or get uncomfortable is an eye infection waiting to happen.

If you wear a 2-week disposable contact lens like Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus, then change them with every paycheck. If you wear a 1-month disposable contact lens like Air Optix Aqua Comfort Plus, then change them on the 1^st day of every month. You can also consider switching into a 1-day disposable contact lens like Dailies Aqua Comfort Plus or Acuvue TruEyes and enjoy a clean new contact lens every day.

If technology is more your thing, consider joining Acuminder by the makers of Acuvue Brand contact lenses. This online tool allows you to schedule text message or email reminders on when to change your contact lenses, reorder contact lenses, and schedule your next eye exam.

Don't forget, anyone who wears contact lenses should see their eye doctor at least once a year for a complete eye health examination.

Better Vision = Better Grades?

Having better vision may equate to achieving better grades at school. The classroom environment challenges children to focus on distance and near objects throughout the school day. Ensuring that your child’s eyes work properly may help out with their academic performance.

Parents understand the need for eyeglasses in nearsighted children who have problems seeing the board. However confusion still exists in farsighted children, who appear to have no problems seeing at all. Farsighted children may seem to lack focus and concentration when reading and writing. This is because their eye muscles must work harder to sustain concentration on near tasks. This increased focusing demand can cause general fatigue and may occasionally lead to frontal headaches. Child often compensate for this by trying to limit or avoid near point tasks for extended periods of time.

So please don’t be shy in talking to your optometrist about any classroom or learning problems that your child may be having. A new pair of eyeglasses may not provide all the answers, but it may help to eliminate vision problems from your list of concerns.

Summer is almost here!

With the sun now rising and setting a little earlier each day in Edmonton, our thoughts have once again gone back to the topic of sun protection. Sunglasses provide 2 key benefits to patients: reduced exposure to harmful ultra-violet rays and improved visual comfort in bright sunlight. So what is the best option?

Basic Sunglasses

Basic sunglasses simply decrease the intensity of the light around us equally. They help to protect the eyes from the suns harmful ultra-violet rays, and are really one of the best choices for athletes looking for consistent vision during dynamic sporting activities.  Basic sunglasses will typically cost less then polarized lenses and can be found the seasons trendiest new frame styles.

Polarized Sunglasses

Polarized sunglasses decrease the intensity of the light around us, and they reduce or eliminate the reflections or glare that come off flat surfaces like snow, water and roads. By eliminating glare, polarized sunglasses improve visual contrast and help to reduce fatigue and eye strain.  Polarized lenses are best suited for less dynamic activities or flat surfaces like in driving, fishing, boating, etc.

What lens colour is the best?

Lens colour seems to come down to personal choice and fashion for a lot of people. It is a myth however, that darker sunglasses provide more ultra-violet light protection then lighter tints. Darker tints help to reduce more of the suns overall intensity, but quality sunglasses regardless of tint should all block at least 99% of UV-A and UV-B rays. Your eye doctor may recommend darker tints like grey and black during the summer months when the suns rays are far more intense. But during the winter months they may recommend brown tints, as they can add a sense of brightness to a dull flat light day. Light and dark tints are available in polarized and non-polarized sunglass styles, as well as in prescription and non-prescription style sunglasses.

Itchy Eyes?

Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? Do you fear going outside in the summer because of ocular irritation, nasal congestion and sneezing? Red, burning, watery, itchy eyes are just some of the typical ocular symptoms experienced by allergy sufferers in our clinic. Patients with allergies can also experience contact lens intolerance, blurred vision and pain. Not a great combination when all you want to do is get outside and play.

Trying to treat and manage ocular allergies can be a difficult chronic battle. If you have mild allergy signs and symptoms, consider trying some of these non-pharmaceutical treatment options for seasonal allergies first.

• Shower and wash your hair every night before going to bed and after being outside. Allergens can stick to your hair and eyelashes further increasing ocular symptoms.
• Make sure you thoroughly remove your makeup at night and regular change your mascara brushes.
• Change your pillowcases, bed linens and bath towels regularly.
• Consider switching into a 1-day disposable contact lens. Inserting a fresh, clean contact lens into your eye each day guarantees that you will not be inserting any old allergens back into your eyes.
• Try to reduce your contact lens wearing time as much as possible. Only insert your contact lenses prior to leaving the house, and remove them when you get home.
• Use contact lens approved lubricating eye drops to help flush your eyes free from allergens throughout the day. This same rule also applies to non-contact lens wearers.
• Consider removing the carpets from your bedroom and house, and switching to a hard surface flooring option such as tile or hardwood. If this is not an option, have your carpets professionally cleaned.
• Consider adding a humidifier to your furnace to help reduce the amount of dust and allergens in the air. A portable option can also work for smaller areas or in your office at work.
• Change your furnace filters regularly, and have your furnace cleaned annually. Also consider adding an air purifier to help clean the air.
• If you have a pet, keep them out of your bedroom and limit the areas of the house their allowed to go.

If you still find that your seasonal allergy symptoms are unmanageable, please stop by our eye clinic for a complete eye health examination by one of our optometrists. Our eye doctors may be able to prescribe some prescription and non-prescription eye drops that can provide added relief. They can also confirm that what you have is in fact ocular allergies and not another underlying problem instead.

Pressure

 

January is glaucoma awareness month across North America. Glaucoma is a painless eye condition that usually develops slowly over time and is often related to elevated eye pressure.

Did you know?

1. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness and accounts for approximately 10% of all cases of vision loss.
2. There is presently no cure for glaucoma, but there are numerous treatment options available to help slow the progression. These include medicated eye drops and various surgical procedures.
3. Everyone is at risk of developing glaucoma, including children. However, patients with a family history of glaucoma or patients of African American decent are at a higher risk.
4. African Americans are 5 times more likely to develop glaucoma and 15 times more likely to loose their vision. Glaucoma is currently the leading cause of vision loss amongst African Americans.

Have you had your eye pressures checked lately? If not, call our office and book an eye health examination with one of our optometrists. .

To learn more about glaucoma, please visit the glaucoma research foundation at www.glaucoma.org

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.