Know the Signs and Symptoms of Retinal Detachment

Know the Signs and Symptoms of Retinal Detachment

Retinal detachment is a very serious condition, and the symptoms that come along with it should not be ignored or taken lightly. This is simply a reminder that they can lead to blindness or the permanent alteration of your sight. Therefore, you should always remain vigilant should you believe that you are suffering from it. Today, we will go over some of the signs of retinal detachment, who is at risk of getting this disorder, and the signs that you should go see your doctor right away. What is the Retina? To understand why retinal detachment is very serious, you will need to understand what part of the eye the retina actually is. In plain words, the retina is made up of a small layer of nerves that are located behind the eye. The nerves help you feel, and they also have an important job to do. They are able to tell when your eye sees light; they then send the information to your optic nerve, which your brain can process what you are looking at. This process is complex, and scientists are still studying it. They have yet to understand how it works completely. It is a vital part of the vision. Therefore, if your retina becomes detached, it can permanently alter vision or cause complete loss of vision completely. What is Retinal Detachment? So now that you understand what the retina is, what does it mean when it detaches, and how does that happen? The retina is secured to the back of the eye by a clear gel known as the vitreous. This gel is what is...
The Future of Contact Lenses, Part 1

The Future of Contact Lenses, Part 1

Contact lenses have basically remained unchanged for the last 50 years. Sure, there have been some improvements, but the idea remains the same: a plastic lens fits over your cornea to correct your sight. Contact lenses aren’t going to be that simple for much longer, though, and soon you could have some lenses that are internet enabled among other tricks. There are a lot of exciting things happening in the world of contact lenses and our Langley team loves to read about all of them. Before we take a look at where we’re going, though, let’s take a look at where contact lenses began. A Brief History of Contact Lenses 1508 Yes, the idea for contact lenses came from clear back in the 16th Century. From a very famous inventor, no less: Leonardo DaVinci. DaVinci sketched out some ideas for the concept of contact lenses. It would take a few hundred years for anyone to give it a try, though. 1887 A Swiss doctor made the first contact lens out of glass, perhaps inspired by DaVinci’s sketches. It wasn’t the small lens that we know and love today, though; this one fit over the entire eye and was extremely uncomfortable. 1938 It took doctors more than 50 years to make the change from glass to plastic, which is probably why contact lenses didn’t catch on sooner. This was the year the lenses were finally made from more comfortable plastic materials. 1948 Just ten years later, eye doctors scaled down the size of contact lenses and developed a set that only covered the cornea instead of the entire eye. This...
Alternatives to Sleeping in Your Contact Lenses

Alternatives to Sleeping in Your Contact Lenses

After hours on a plane and a panicked trek through an unfamiliar airport, you’ve finally arrived on your beach vacation. You arrive at your hotel and begin to unpack your things when your heart sinks. You packed your contact lens case and solution, right? Oh no. They’re not here! If you’re a contact lens wearer, then you’ve likely experienced something like this before, that is being stuck somewhere without your contact lens case, solution, or even both. Your first thought when this happens may be to simply sleep in your contacts, but this is never a good idea. Keep reading to learn why and to discover some alternative methods for temporary emergency contact lens storage. Do NOT Sleep in Your Contact Lenses Your corneas are very needy in that they need oxygen to stay healthy but are not vascular themselves, meaning no blood vessels run through them. During the day, your coreas get oxygen via the diffusion of the surrounding air, but this is not possible at night while your eyelids are closed. To get oxygen while you’re sleeping, your corneas must rely on the blood vessels in your eyelids, which diffuse oxygen over your corneas via your tears. When you sleep with your contacts in, you’re creating a barrier between your cornea and your eyelid, disrupting this process and potentially causing a number of eye health issues next page. Corneal Neovascularization   When your corneas are deprived of oxygen, your eyes may grow new blood vessels, which are meant to compensate for the oxygen deprivation. These new vessels grow around the cornea and are often misshapen, unusually sized,...
Don’t Believe These Contact Lens Myths Part 2

Don’t Believe These Contact Lens Myths Part 2

Do you fight with your glasses sliding down off of your nose during sports activities or while working? Do you find yourself stopping to clean your glasses every hour because that one smudge is simply going to drive you crazy? Do your tight-fitting glasses give you headaches after wearing them all day long? Well, it sounds like you could use an eyeglasses adjustment, but it also sounds like you could use a break from your eyeglasses. Have you ever considered giving contact lenses a try? Maybe common misconceptions, such as being unable to wear contact lenses with astigmatism, have stopped you. Stop believing common contact lens myths by visiting part one on this topic and reading on to learn some more common myths. Do you believe these contact lens myths? Contact lenses are too risky to wear every day. The contact lens horror stories are plentiful if you have the itch to look for them. Unfortunately, many of these fears people have about contact lenses are either false or no longer relevant with improved lens technology. For example, you cannot lose your contact lens behind your eye. A thin membrane prevents this from being possible. As another example, many people avoid trying contact lenses because they think they will cause eye infections, but proper lens care will prevent most eye problems. I can’t afford contact lenses. The amount your contacts will cost will depend on the type of lenses, the prescription requirements, and your insurance information, but lenses are by no means expensive. Speak with your optometrist to find out what your contact lens options are, or contact Vision...
Don’t Believe These Contact Lens Myths Part 1

Don’t Believe These Contact Lens Myths Part 1

Trevor has worn glasses since he was a kid, but his new Rugby obligations have brought contact lenses to the forefront of his mind. Many sports activities, even those which don’t include as much contact as Rugby, are much more enjoyable with a pair of contact lenses. Can you imagine being able to see without having to worry about keeping your glasses safe? Trevor can, but he has heard so many contact lens misconceptions and horror stories over the years that he’s hesitant to give them a try. Trevor just needs some contact lens education. Keep reading to find out the truth regarding three common contact lens myths. Do you believe these contact lens myths? I’ll never be able to put contact lenses in every day. Many people avoid contact lenses because they’ve convinced themselves they’ll never be able to get used to them well enough to put them in on a daily basis. Contact lenses have a reputation of being uncomfortable and difficult to put in, but many wearers get used to their lenses in as quickly as one day. Continuously advancing technology has made contact lenses much more comfortable than they once were. Why not give them a try? My presbyopia or astigmatism doesn’t allow contact lenses. Thanks to years of improvements and advancements, contact lenses can be made for nearly every type of prescription regardless of whatever eye problems you have. Whereas things like presbyopia and astigmatisms used to make contact lenses overly difficult, modern technology has made the creation of a variety of lenses possible. We can now craft varifocal, bifocal, and various other lenses....
Why Summer Is The Most Dangerous Season For Contact Lenses

Why Summer Is The Most Dangerous Season For Contact Lenses

If you wear contact lenses to correct your vision, you probably only think about them twice a day: In the morning when you’re putting them in, and at night when you’re taking them out. It’s important to realize that there are lots of environmental factors that put your lenses at risk, however, especially in the summer. As you prepare for warmer weather, keep these eyecare warnings in mind. Swimming Swimming in a chlorinated pool can dry your contacts significantly while keeping them on in an open body of water dramatically increases the risk for infection and contamination by waterborne organisms. If you don’t already wear disposable lenses, you may want to ask your Vision Care Centre doctor about purchasing a few pairs for the summer. Then, after you go swimming, just toss the lenses and put them in a clean pair! Air Conditioning When you’re hot and sweaty, air conditioning feels great on your skin, but it’s actually very hard on your contacts. Air-conditioned environments are extremely dry which can make contacts extremely uncomfortable. The solution is to carry around a bottle of contact-approved rewetting drops that will help your eyes maintain a healthy level of moisture. Seasonal Allergies Many people battle seasonal allergies, but did you know that your contacts could be making symptoms worse? Allergens and pollutants in the air can settle on the lenses. When allergies strike, we often run our itchy, watery eyes for relief. This only agitates the debris on the lenses and makes everything worse look at this now. Keep a pair of backup glasses handy and swap them for contacts on days...