Healthy Aging for the Eyes

Healthy Aging for the Eyes

Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you need to surrender your vision health without a fight. Practicing proper eye care, especially early on, can make a big difference in making sure your eyes stay as strong and healthy as possible. Here are five easy ways you can take care of your ageing eyes. A Balanced Diet Eating healthy is more than just about losing weight, it’s about making sure your body is consistently getting the nutrients it needs to function properly and fight diseases. It’s never too late to start working towards implementing a balanced diet into your lifestyle. Eating sugar, unhealthy fats and processed foods can increase your risk of developing eye disease, on top of many other health issues. Eating lots of green leafy vegetables, foods high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants can reduce your risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration, common vision problems with ageing eyes. UV and Blue Light Exposure The exposure of both ultraviolet light and blue light have been connected to the increased occurrence of age-related eye diseases. To avoid harmful exposure, make sure to wear 100% UV blocking sunglasses whenever outdoors, whether it’s cloudy or sunny. If you’re staring at a screen for most of the day, then it may be worth it to invest in a pair of blue light blocking glasses. There are also filters and lighting settings available for many devices to reduce or get rid of blue light exposure altogether. Smoking Everyone knows smoking is bad for your health, as many studies have shown. Eye disease is just another way in which smoking can negatively...
5 Things Your Optometrist Wants You To Know

5 Things Your Optometrist Wants You To Know

If you’ve ever wondered whether or not staring at a computer can harm your eyes, or if you’ve ever slept with your contacts in, you’ll want to read this blog. An optometrist isn’t just there to check on your glasses prescription and have you read the tiny letters on the wall, but your eye doctor can learn a lot about the health of your eyes and your body with a quick visit. There’s also a lot your optometrist can teach you about your eyes and the habits and myths you may have picked up on. Computers Don’t Damage Your Eyes While sitting at your desk and working on a computer all day can cause your eyes to feel tired, strained, and even cause temporary blurriness, it doesn’t actually cause any damage or harm. This doesn’t mean you should work longer and push your chair up closer to the screen though. Any optometrist would recommend giving your eyes a break by looking away from the screen every 20 minutes for two to five minutes. Closing them regularly will also help them to stay moist with natural tears. Glasses Don’t Make Your Eyes Weaker If you’ve noticed that you, friends, or family get fitted with glasses and then need to regularly go back to get an updated prescription, it’s just a coincidence. Our eyes can change depending on our age and other circumstances, but it’s not because we got glasses. If you’re experiencing difficulty reading, a hard time reading street signs, or blurred vision, it’s time to visit the optometrist for another look at your prescription. Your Eyes Are Brown Even...

Things to do Before School Starts

It’s August! And that means summer is winding down and you’re trying to cram in a few last summer activities before it’s time to shop for school supplies, stay up late helping with homework, and days of chauffeuring around the kids. The final weeks before school opens back up can be hectic, but take a breath and try to enjoy these last days. If you need a final summer family fling, here are a few options and some tips to help you jump back into the school year, including the best school supplies and making a trip to your local Langley optometrist for a checkup. Hayward Lake Take the family to the beach at Hayward Lake, just under an hour away from Langley. This reservoir and recreation area has hiking trails, including a 10 km Reservoir Trail that connects to the 6 km Railway Trail. You can bring your bikes or hiking shoes for an enjoyable afternoon viewing the scenery and wildlife. Vancouver Zoo Close enough you can make a day trip of it, the Greater Vancouver Zoo is just 20 minutes away from Langley. You can visit with frogs, lions, cheetahs, ostrich, pythons, and more! A great introduction for kids interested in science, wildlife, and the earth. For younger children who need a break from walking, jump on the safari train to see the perimeter of the zoo. What Supplies Young Students Need Most Pencils: Teachers recommend Ticonderoga #2 pencils that are sturdy and won’t be destroyed by pencil sharpeners. Stay away from cheap options that break and snap in the sharpener. Eraser Caps: Because you know kids...
Optometrist Eye Exams Are Good For Your Health

Optometrist Eye Exams Are Good For Your Health

When was the last time you visited an optometrist for an eye exam? If you already wear glasses or contacts, chances are you’ve at least been in for a check-up in the past year. However, if you have had a healthy vision in the past, it is likely you haven’t been to the eye doctor for quite some time. During school, children are given eye exams at least once a year during an annual physical. However, once those children graduate into adulthood, the frequency of keeping up with those exams diminishes. This is bad timing because regular eye exams are more beneficial for your health than determining whether or not your vision is keeping up to par.     Regular Eye Exams Can Prevent: Glaucoma – The nerve that connects the eye to the brain is damaged, which causes a collection of eye conditions that can lead to blindness. Cataracts – Like looking through a fogged-up window, cataracts cause the lens on the eye to develop an opaque layer that leads to cloudy vision. Retinal detachments – This is an emergency-type of case when the retina pulls away from the tissue and blood vessels that nourish the eye. Macular degeneration – Fatty deposits accumulate under the retina, the middle of the retina deteriorates, or leaky blood vessels grow under the retina are all ways one can experience macular degeneration. The most common symptom is blurred vision, which can eventually lead to vision loss. Diabetes – The body has too much sugar in the blood, which causes many different diseases that are collectively known as diabetes. High blood pressure –...
All You Need to Know About Cataracts

All You Need to Know About Cataracts

Eye care, from a young age on, is important for the future of your eyes. The healthier lifestyle you lead, the less chance there is of developing eye illnesses. An illness that is more common as people get older is cataracts. However, seniors are not the only ones who develop cataracts. Learn more about cataracts and eye care by reading through this blog and contact your local optometrist at the eye clinic Vision Care Centre. Our opticians are passionate about the health of your eyes and want you to have a resource you can rely on when you need more information on eye care. Contact our eye clinic today for an eye exam. Cataracts Aren’t On Your Eyes Many may think that a cataract actually forms on the eye, that it is a coating on the surface of the lens that hinders eyesight. However, a cataract forms on the inside of the eye when proteins break down and can cause the distortion of your vision. With healthy eyes, these proteins are clear; but as a cataract forms, the proteins break down leaving behind a haze in your vision. When the cataract is forming, you can’t feel it and it may take years to develop enough to hinder your eyesight. This is why it’s important for people over a certain age to have regular eye tests at an eye clinic. Learn Why It’s Important to Have an Eye Exam! Cataracts Don’t Just Occur In Older People There are several risk factors that can cause people as young as 40 to develop cataracts. If you have sustained an injury, have had an...

Tips to Assist in Developing Your Child’s Eyes – Part Two

In the previous blog, we discussed tips on ways to help your child’s eyes develop properly from four months to two years old. Talking to your child as you walk around, hanging a mobile from his or her crib, giving them different objects to hold, and encouraging them to walk in order to perceive depth will help their eyes to grow strong and healthy. Taking your child to a pediatric optometrist will also ensure that any health problems are caught early. If glasses are needed, your child can grow accustomed to wearing glasses and are still able to learn everything they need to to have successful years in school. Pre-School Vision During toddler years, vision skills are strong but are still continuing to grow. Learning how to see can be challenging, but also fun with the correct tools and toys for your child to play with. At this age, children will continue to develop hand-eye and body-eye coordination and then visual motor skills necessary in order to learn how to read. There are things a parent can watch out for when a child is playing that can be related to vision problems. If you notice your toddler has difficulty with playing ball, riding a bike, or if they avoid playing with puzzles, coloring books, or other detailed and eyesight related activities; these could be signs they have a vision problem. There are also activities that can help your child continue to develop their vision. Read aloud to your child in order for them to follow along and see what you are reading. Let them play on a chalkboard, with finger...