Outdoor Movies in New Westminster

Grab a blanket, your loved ones and get ready to snuggle up under the stars – New Westminster’s summer movie series is back.

Hosted by New Westminster Parks and Recreation, G&F Financial and Park Georgie Realty realtor Derrick Thornhill, the annual free outdoor movie series kicked off on July 11 with the super popular Frozen.

The series of outdoor films is a project brought to fruition by Sandon Fraser, youth services coordinator for the City of New Westminster, who felt the city needed to offer more free family-friendly events.

“A while ago there was discussion around more opportunities for families, more free opportunities for families in the city,” Fraser said.

This is the third year for the summer series and this year, as a way to get more people out to the screenings, Fraser and city staff sent out a questionnaire asking residents what movies they wanted to see on the big screen.

“It was good. We had close to 300 people respond and everyone got to vote on the movies they wanted to see and we used that list to guide what movies we would show,” he said.

Unlike past years, this year’s series is more balanced in terms of target audience. While all the movies are family-friendly, they aren’t simply the same old Disney flicks parents have seen over and over again (except maybe Frozen– but come on, it is a pretty entertaining flick).

This year’s lineup includes such classics as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Grease, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark and Top Gun (“Take My Breath Away,” anyone?). There’s also a handful of kid favourites including Muppets Most Wanted, Up, and Despicable Me 2.

“We tried to balance it between the older fan-favourites and newer movies that families and children would love,” Fraser said. “When you have such a wide age range, trying to please everyone can be hard to do but we thought we picked a good variety of movies.”

Attendance for the screenings has been well received so far, especially for Frozen, which saw one of the largest crowds in three years, Fraser said.

Attendance really depends on several factors including what other events are going on that evening, the weather and what type of movie is playing, he added.

“Cartoons and the family-oriented cartoons tend to be the busiest because all ages love it but parents will also bring their families and their children to it, while they might not necessarily bring them to a movie that’s geared to an older crowd,” he said.

Fraser also noted that this year’s series has garnered attention from residents of neighbouring communities and a consistent group of people from outside New Westminster has been coming out to enjoy the free events. This doesn’t mean the series will be expanded, however; Fraser said he’s happy with where it’s at now and is pleased to see the community jumping on the bandwagon.

“We’re starting to see other organizations come in and find ways they can contribute and support the event as well,” he said.

This year, the Hyack football team is running the concession with all proceeds going directly to the association, and Stage New West is offering free face painting before the films.

Same as previous years, the stadium doors open at 7 p.m. and the movie gets started at about 8:30 p.m. depending on the sunset that evening. The film could be cancelled due to poor weather so on dreary days be sure to call 604-527-4634 to confirm the screening is still on.

For the full schedule of remaining movies visit tinyurl.com/MovieSeries or call 604-515-3775.

Cosmetic Contact Lenses

Variety is the spice of life, which is why Doctors of Optometry offer tinted cosmetic contact lenses to enhance your eye colour or change it altogether! They also have the training and qualifications to properly fit contact lenses specifically for your eyes, so make sure you schedule an appointment instead of ordering them online.

Your Doctor of Optometry has the training and qualifications to specify the proper contact lens material, fitting design, and care regime that works best for your eyes. Although contact lenses are mainly used for seeing better, tinted cosmetic lenses allow you to enhance your natural eye colour — making the blue bluer or the green greener — or change it altogether.

Three categories of cosmetic (or coloured) contact lenses are available:

• Cosmetic enhancement tints are translucent and are designed to enhance your natural eye colour. They are best for light-coloured eyes (blue, green, light hazel or gray). When wearing these tints, the colour of your eye becomes a blend of the lens tint and your natural eye colour and iris pattern.
• Opaque or “cosmetic” tints change the apparent colour of your eyes whether they are dark or light. The pattern on the lens, which is coloured, overlies the coloured part of your eye, the iris, resulting in an eye colour with a natural look.
• Visibility or handling tints are very pale, coloured just enough to make the contact lens visible while you are handling it. They usually have no effect on eye colour and are often a pale blue or green.

With tinted lenses you accomplish two goals at once: Seeing better and looking better.

For more information, please call us at 604.553.3900 or visit us online at www.visionsourcenw.com!

Recipe: Crunchy Broccoli Walnut Salad

Sure, salads are good for you, but it’s easy to get tired of having the same garden salad every day. Try this colorful recipe to mix things up; it showcases omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, which support good eye health. 

The orange juice dressing lends sweetness to the salad, while the broccoli and sunflower seeds create texture for a recipe sure to please the whole family. 

Ingredients

Salad

1 cup broccoli florets
¼ cup chopped red onion
1 cup shredded carrot
¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
3 Tbsp sunflower seeds (unsalted)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
½ cup mandarin oranges, canned in juice

Dressing

1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup orange juice
Black pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Combine carrot, broccoli, onion, bell pepper, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and oranges in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients.
3. Pour dressing into salad. Mix well. Let chill for at least 1 hour to let flavors combine. Serve chilled.

Nutritional information

Makes 4 servings; Each serving is ¾ cup

Calories: 170
Protein: 4 g
Carbohydrate: 13 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 6 g
Total Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 60 mg

Children’s eyes and sun damage

Make sure to sun screen your kids’ eyes this summer because children’s vision is at greater risk of damage from UV rays.

Just as the sun causes sunburn, UV light is also absorbed by the tissue of the eye and can cause serious eye damage. Children are more vulnerable to UV in the summer than adults, in fact the World Health Organization estimates 50% of lifetime exposure to UV happens before the age of 18.

Why are kids at a greater risk? The crystalline lens in children’s eyes is less capable of filtering UV than in adult eyes, resulting in greater risk for internal eye damage later in life. This is particularly concerning as children spend more time outdoors than the average adult. It’s estimated children receive approximately three times the annual adult dose of UV.

All kids should wear sunglasses with 100% UV protection. Teens already wearing corrective contact lenses can also consider adding an extra layer of protection with UV-blocking contact lenses.

Protecting your child now will decrease the potential for serious eye problems later in life. And remember, sun glasses aren’t just for summer months. Doctors of Optometry recommend wearing sun glasses to reduce the glare from snow and the winter sunshine.

To help you determine what is appropriate for your child, book an eye examination for them with a Doctor of Optometry. For more information or to book an appointment, please call us at 604.553.3900 or visit us online at www.visionsourcenw.com.

Rolling Into Summer Event

Last week the New Westminster Chamber of Commerce was gracious enough to host a fun filled event sponsored by the New Westminster Lawn Bowling Club and Save On Foods.

Vision Source New Westminster is always happy to attend these great events to meet other members of this wonderful community! Here are some pictures from last week's event.

At Vision Source New Westminster We are committed to improving and managing the ocular and visual health of our patients. Our attention to customer service is further enhanced by state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment. We offer consultations as well as pre and post-operative management services for a variety of medical procedures and we work closely with the finest ophthalmologists to ensure the best quality of overall patient care. Our patients are our top priority.

Vision Source New Westminster offers excellence in full service eyecare, including:

• Comprehensive Eye Exams
• Advanced Vision Care Technology
• Emergency Eye Care• Pediatric and Diabetic Ocular Assessments
• Glasses - Sunglasses - Contact Lenses

For more information please call 604.553.3900 or visit www.visionsourcenw.com.

Eye exam gave mom different outlook on life

An interior designer and busy mother of two, Sharlene Hayek’s life took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with glaucoma during an impromptu eye exam.

Hayek’s two boys, Conner and Devon, are both active athletes. When Devon complained of vision problems affecting his performance, she booked eye exams for both boys. On the spur of the moment, she decided to go along and have an eye exam as well, to be a “role model” for her kids.

“I had never been to a Doctor of Optometry. I honestly thought I could always see fine and didn’t give much thought to it,” says Hayek.

It was during the exam that her Doctor of Optometry detected glaucoma, an eye disease with no obvious symptoms and that, if left untreated, can lead to blindness. Hayek had no family history of the disease or any symptoms. She was left in shock, the word “blindness” resonating during her exam consultation.

“Initially, you just sort of panic. You realize you take things for granted, from the basics of being able to live independently to watching your kids grow up,” recalls Hayek.

Hayek was fortunate, says Doctor of Optometry Kevin Woodard. With glaucoma, like many other diseases or conditions, there are usually no symptoms until the individual experiences unrecoverable vision loss.

“It’s frustrating knowing that most permanent vision loss is preventable,” says Dr. Woodard. “Telling someone they have permanent vision loss is a horrible experience. This is magnified when you know a comprehensive eye exam would have diagnosed the problem, allowing it to be treated and the vision preserved.”

Hayek had laser surgery on her eyes, which has slowed the progression of the disease significantly. Her glaucoma has left a lasting legacy: the entire family routinely gets full eye exams at intervals recommended by their Doctor of Optometry, and Hayek encourages friends to do the same. She also no longer takes her vision or eye health for granted.

“I enjoy everything more now. I joke with my friends and kids that I take little pictures in my brain of special moments: a sunset or a beautiful flower. I look at things a little bit longer now.”

5 eye health issues your Doctor of Optometry can diagnose:

In addition to glaucoma, many serious eye diseases have no symptoms, and can only be detected through a comprehensive eye exam. Even someone with 20/20 vision may be at risk.

CATARACTS: An eye condition that results in blurred vision, due to clouding of the lens over time.

MACULAR DEGENERATION: An eye disease in which the central part of the retina becomes damaged, leading to irreversible vision loss.

RETINAL DETACHMENT: A painless eye condition in which the retina detaches from its supporting layers, which can lead to vision loss.

BASAL CELL CARCINOMA: A type of skin cancer, it may appear on the sensitive skin of the eyelid.

DIABETIC RETINOPATHY: A condition caused by damage to the retina due to weakened blood vessels in the eyes; it can lead to permanent vision loss.

How often should I get an eye exam?

Regular eye exams are essential, even if your vision appears to be good. In addition to testing your vision, an eye exam looks at the health of the eye and the visual system – the part of the nervous system which allows you to see.

CHILDREN: Vision is a key component of a child’s learning and development. Children should have their first complete eye exam between six and nine months of age, another exam between the ages of two and five, and yearly exams after starting school.

ADULTS: Adults should have their eyes examined every two years. Diabetics and those over age 65, or with a history of eye disease in their family, should have annual checkups by a Doctor of Optometry.

“The only way to ensure good vision and eye health is to include a complete eye examination as a routine part of your life,” says Dr. Woodard.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call us at 604.553.3900 or visit www.visionsourcenw.com.

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See Into the Future

Our eyesight is something we all treasure. It’s hard to imagine life without being able to see the world around us. Like so many other health issues, the majority of vision problems rise exponentially as we age. By age 75, a surprising one in four Canadians has developed irreversible vision loss, and the majority of blindness is caused by age-related conditions like macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma.

“The majority of the most common causes of serious vision loss occur later in life, yet 75 per cent of vision loss can be prevented or treated.” – Nathan Stolch, Doctor of Optometry, Ottawa, ON

The financial toll of visual impairment is staggering: a 2009 study by CNIB(the Canadian National Institute for the Blind) found that the annual cost of vision loss in Canada is $15.9 billion, and the projected annual cost by 2032 is $30.3 billion. The human cost – the impact on quality of life – is also significant: those with visual impairment experience high unemployment, social isolation, poverty and emotional distress, and require greater use of health and social services.

“CNIB was there to assist my mother so she could live independently with AMD. My sister and I have now been diagnosed, and I know CNIB will be there for me.” – Gary Foster, Calgary, AB

Most vision loss is caused by five treatable conditions:

• Age-related macular degeneration
• Cataracts
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Glaucoma
• Refractive error

Early detection is key to treating and managing these conditions to prevent vision loss, so encourage your aging family members to have regular eye exams by a doctor of optometry – and be sure to book one for yourself. To find a doctor near you, visit doctorsofoptometry.ca.

Did You Know? Vision loss has the highest direct health care costs of any disease, costing Canadians more than diabetes, cancer or cardiovascular disease.
For Those Experiencing Vision Loss

CNIB can provide support every step of the way. Dedicated specialists work with people of all ages in their homes, communities or local CNIB offices. They provide:

• Emotional support and personalized rehabilitation services in everyday skills
• Counseling services and recreation programs

Help for those who experience vision loss to connect with others who understand its impact on everyday life.

For more information please call us at 604.553.3900 or visit us online at www.visionsourcenw.com.

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