What Eye Conditions Does a Visual Field Test Detect?

What Eye Conditions Does a Visual Field Test Detect?

A visual field or perimetry test is an important exam that optometrists at Vision Care Centre Langley commonly perform. This test evaluates your peripheral or side vision for visual field defects or abnormalities. It can help detect various eye diseases and conditions in their early stages, allowing for prompt treatment. In a visual field test, you are seated in front of specialized testing equipment with one eye covered. The machine projects flashes of light into different areas of your visual field while you keep your other eye focused straight ahead. You press a button each time you see a light flash. This assessment maps out the boundaries of your visual field and checks for any blind spots or areas of reduced sensitivity. Some common eye conditions that a visual field test can detect include: Glaucoma This group of eye diseases slowly damages the optic nerve, resulting in irreversible vision loss over time. Early glaucoma often has no symptoms, so a visual field test is crucial for detection. It can identify subtle losses in peripheral vision long before noticeable vision changes arise. Timely treatment from the eye doctors at Vision Care Centre Langley can help prevent further damage. Optic nerve damage The optic nerve transmits visual signals from the eye to the brain. Any injury, inflammation, infection, tumour or other condition affecting this nerve can impair vision. A visual field test can uncover defects caused by optic nerve damage and help doctors determine the underlying cause. Retinal problems Diseases like age-related macular degeneration and diabetes can impact the retina – the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A...
8 Tips for Keeping Your Eyes Healthy

8 Tips for Keeping Your Eyes Healthy

Our eyes are important yet delicate organs that allow us to see the beautiful world. However, it’s easy to take our eyesight for granted and not focus on keeping them as healthy as possible. But worry not; we’ve got you covered! The following tips will keep your eyes fresh and allow you to see clearly.  1. Maintain a healthy and balanced diet.  What you eat significantly affects your overall well-being, including your eye health. Your eyes need certain nutrients to function correctly, and eating various healthy foods helps nourish them. Your eyes rely on essential vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C is vital – it acts as an antioxidant to protect your peepers from damage over time. Citrus fruits like oranges are a tasty source, as are tomatoes and broccoli. Zinc also supports clear vision. Adding pumpkin seeds, nuts or beans to meals provides a boost in this mineral. Your eyes also need vitamin E, which, along with zinc, safeguards them from harmful sunlight. Almonds are a crunchy snack packed with vitamin E. Avocados and sunflower seeds are added to dishes. Omega-3 fatty acids benefit many parts of the body, including the eyes. Fatty fish like salmon, flaxseed oil and walnuts are excellent sources of these healthy fats. Focusing on colour, variety and balance in your diet supplies your precious peepers with what they require to see well. Feed your eyes nutritious whole foods for vibrant vision naturally. 2. Schedule routine eye exams Getting your eyes examined once a year is highly recommended. An optometrist can detect changes in your eyes and spot eye diseases early. They can provide the...
Eye Health and Eye Exams for People with Diabetes

Eye Health and Eye Exams for People with Diabetes

Diabetes is a complex condition that has many less familiar side effects than the body’s inability to produce insulin (type 1) or the body’s inability to respond to insulin or produce enough (type 2). One of the most significant health risks of diabetes outside diabetic comas caused by too high or too low blood sugar is the damage done to large blood vessels that are inside your heart, brain, and legs, and damage done to small blood vessels in the feet, nerves, kidneys, and eyes. Patients with diabetes need to see optometrists who understand the complex issues diabetes can cause on eye health regularly, at least every year because there are differences between a standard eye exam and an eye exam for someone who has diabetes.  What are some eye problems that can affect people with diabetes?  Glaucoma  People who have diabetes are more susceptible than the general population to both glaucoma, blurry vision, and cataracts. Glaucoma is the build-up of pressure inside of the eyeball, and it can lead to loss of sight over time. There are many treatments for glaucoma, including medication, eye drops, traditional surgery, or laser surgery. Glaucoma can be treated very successfully, but once you begin to lose vision because of glaucoma, that vision loss is irreversible, which is why it is so essential for people with diabetes to get regular eye exams so that if they develop glaucoma, it can be caught in the early stage before vision loss occurs.  Cataracts  A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s natural lens. Cataracts usually only affect people over the age of 40, but for...
The Importance of Having Eye Exams on a Regular Basis

The Importance of Having Eye Exams on a Regular Basis

Your eyes can be very important indicators of potential diseases that may be present in your body. Having regular eye exams are not only a good idea to keep your eyes and vision healthy, your optometrist can also detect other problems you may not have noticed before. In fact, there are more than 30 different conditions that show symptoms in your eyes.  Eye doctors and optometrists are usually the first to spot certain problems and advise you to seek further medical diagnosis. A recent study of 120,000 patients done by the insurance company VSP Vision Care showed that an eye exam was the first to indicate 34% of diabetes cases, 39% of high blood pressure cases, and 62% of high cholesterol cases.  If you have been avoiding getting regular eye exams because you think your vision is fine, it’s time to rethink how you view eye exams. Here are a few reasons why you need to call your optometrist to set up your eye exam and get on a schedule to get them regularly. Can spot early diabetes If you have red spots in your eyes, this could be a sign of diabetes. When your blood sugar builds up too high, blood vessels will begin to block and swell up, which can burst into tiny blood vessels that travel to your retina. If this isn’t treated soon enough, it may lead to impaired vision or even blindness.  Causes of bloodshot, swollen, red, or dry eyes If you are susceptible to swollen, red, dry, or bloodshot eyes, your optometrist will be able to determine what the root cause is. If...
The Adverse Effects of Diabetes on Our Eyes

The Adverse Effects of Diabetes on Our Eyes

It is recommended that people with diabetes must visit an eye doctor regularly. High blood sugar levels can lead to conditions such as blurry vision, cataracts, glaucoma and retinopathy. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness.  Blurry Vision Blurry vision can’t always be treated with new glasses and contact lenses. Chances are that the problem is being caused by high blood sugar levels. Diabetes can result in lens swelling up and changing our ability to see. Blood sugar needs to be brought back into the target range, which can take up to three months.  Cataracts The lens in our eyes allows us to focus on an image. Cataracts cloud our lens with debris. While anybody can suffer from cataracts, it worsens faster among people with diabetes. Cloudy lenses will make you experience difficulty in focusing, and symptoms include glare and blurred vision. Surgery is required to cure cataracts, which entails replacing the lens with artificial ones.  Glaucoma  The condition of glaucoma takes place when pressure increases inside the eyes as a result of built up fluid that is not draining out as it should. The disease can lead to damaged blood vessels and nerves. Open-angle glaucoma is the common form of the condition and can be treated with medications, which lower eye pressure, fasten up the drainage and decrease the amount of liquid the eyes make.  Open-Angle Glaucoma Apparent symptoms may not show up during open-angle glaucoma until it’s too late and significant vision loss has occurred, which is why it’s essential to visit an eye doctor regularly. Symptoms of more severe forms of glaucoma include eyes aches, blurred...
Best Foods to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Best Foods to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Many people think that deteriorating eyesight is an inevitable result of ageing but, the truth is, a healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce the chances of eye health issues. Studies have shown that certain nutrients may reduce the risk of age-related eye degeneration. The following are the best nutrient-rich foods that boost eye health: Fish Fish contain rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Oily fish have oil in their tissue, which means consuming them gives you higher levels of omega-3 fish oil. The most beneficial fish are anchovies, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and tuna. Some studies have shown that fish oil can reverse dry eye, including conditions caused by staring at screens for too long. Nuts and Legumes Also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, nuts and legumes can help protect against age-related damage and have high levels of vitamin E. Brazil nuts, cashews, lentils, peanuts and walnuts all are excellent for maintaining eye health. Seeds Similar to nuts and legumes, seeds are also a rich source of vitamin E and high in omega-3s. Seeds that have the highest content of omega-3 are chia, flax and hemp seeds. Citrus Fruits Rich in vitamin C, citrus fruits are an antioxidant that helps fight against age-related eye damage. Grapefruit, lemons and oranges are all vitamin C-rich fruits you should consume regularly. Leafy Green Vegetables Rich in both zeaxanthin and lutein, leafy green vegetables such as collards, kale and spinach are excellent sources of vitamin C. Carrots Beta carotene gives carrots its orange colour, and your body also needs this nutrient to produce vitamin A, which plays a vital role in vision health. It...