Archives for Eye Health

Polarised sunglasses for skiing

Why buy polarised sunglasses? With snow falling in the South Island and the ski season underway, it’s time to make sure you’ve got a pair of polarised sunglasses for skiing and snowboarding to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays before you hit the slopes this winter. Eye protection from sun and glare while on the snow is crucial. Without proper glasses, it can only take a few seconds to feel the pain and strain when eyes are exposed to the bright light reflected off snow and ice. We’re exposed to UV and scattered blue light whenever we go
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Categories: Eye Health and Sunglasses.

Glasses after cataract surgery?

Cataracts are the most common cause of blindness A cataract is a clouding of the lens in your eye that, sadly, is an inevitable consequence of getting older. If your vision is a bit cloudy when you’re watching television, your eyes are sensitive to light and glare, colours are a bit odd, or oncoming headlights have a “halo” around them, it is possible you have cataracts on your eyes. Cataracts cause a progressive, painless loss of vision and are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. 5,000 out of 100,000 people aged 52–62 are affected by cataracts. 46% of people aged
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Categories: Eye Health.

Children’s eye care

Most babies begin life with healthy eyes and as children grow, their eyes change quickly and vision develops without difficulty. Good vision is key to a child’s physical development, success in school, and overall well-being. Focussing on children’s eye care can help catch problems early, while kids’ eyes are still developing. Spotting eye issues Eye health and vision problems can occasionally develop and may be difficult to notice, which is why regular eye tests with our optometrists are so important. Research has shown that in New Zealand around 15% of children have problems with their vision. Experts also say that
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Categories: Eye Health.

Retinal Detachment

What is retinal detachment? Retinal detachment occurs when the vitreous jelly pulls away from the retina and the retina moves. This can be a medical emergency so early detection is crucial. What does the retina do and where is it? Very simply, the retina is a light-sensitive area at the back of the eye. It senses light and sends signals to the brain so you can see. The vitreous is the clear gel that fills the space between the lens and the retina. There is a place where that vitreous is tightly stuck to the retina and as we age,
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Categories: Eye Conditions and Eye Health.

Keeping An Eye On Age-related Macular Degeneration

What is ARMD? Age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss for people over 50, making it an extremely common eye condition. Basically, the macula is tiny and the most sensitive part of the retina and its job is to keep our central vision sharp and accurate. The retina is a thin layer of tissue that lines the back of the inside of the eye, near the optic nerve. The optic nerve connects the eye to the brain. The retina turns light into electrical signals and then sends these electrical signals through the optic nerve, where the brain
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Categories: Eye Conditions and Eye Health.

UV eye protection

Summer is here and whether you’re fishing, boating, at the beach or just out for a walk, we all know that when living in New Zealand, the first thing we put on over summer is a high SPF sunscreen that protects our skin against UVA and UVB rays. But what about eye protection? Prolonged periods of exposure to sunlight can cause serious damage to your eyes: not only to the cornea, but also the lens of the eye itself. Sun protection for our eyes is extremely important – not only in the summer months, but all year round. At John
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Categories: Eye Health and Sunglasses.

Dry Eye Syndrome

Frequently asked questions about dry eye Do your eyes feel sore or watery? Does reading or computer work make your eyes feel gritty and scratchy? If so, you may have dry eye syndrome. Ever suffer from symptoms such as: Eyes feeling gritty Sensitivity to light Sore, stingy or burning eyes Blurred vision Eye redness Watery eyes Tired eyes? Eyes that are not properly protected by tears are vulnerable to dust, debris, and bacteria, leading to eye infections. Dry eye syndrome affects many people, and although it can develop at any age, it is more common amongst older people. Up to
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Categories: Eye Conditions and Eye Health.

Sun protection & polarised sunglasses

I think it’s fair to say that most us know that long-term overexposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun can lead to eye damage and that sunglasses are an effective method of UV protection, but what do we know about sunglasses? Sunglasses vs. sunglasses In New Zealand particularly, we know how important sunscreen and hats are for UV protection, but good sunglasses are just as critical. Wearing a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses that meet the Australian and New Zealand Sunglass Standards can reduce UV radiation exposure to the eyes by up to 98 percent. However, not all sunglasses are
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Categories: Eye Health and Sunglasses.

Itchy eyes – again?

Hay fever horrors Rising sea levels, horrendous storms: climate change is hammering the world – yeah right. You can believe it or not, but one thing that about 20% of the New Zealand population can attest to is that the increase in temperatures means longer growing seasons, and higher pollen counts for allergy-causing plants, such as trees, grass, outdoor moulds and weeds. Hay fever brings with it red, watery, itchy eyes. Pollen power Climate change could contribute to longer – and harsher – hay fever seasons. Pollen season, which typically runs from late winter until the end of summer, is
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Categories: Eye Health.

Photochromic lenses

Sick of playing musical glasses? Do you get tired of having to carry around both prescription glasses and sunglasses and then switching between the two every time the sun comes out? Then you will definitely benefit from wearing Transition Sensity photochromic lenses. Designed for people on the go, these are smart lenses that seamlessly change when you move from indoors to outdoors, ensuring maximum visual comfort in all settings. By helping your eyes adjust to shifting light conditions, photochromic lenses let you discern objects of different size, contrast and brightness. You will see better in all light conditions. Good for
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Categories: Eye Health, Prescription Glasses, and Sunglasses.