Our Patients' Top Five Frequently Asked Questions!

Want to know what our patients have been asking us?

Here are the top five frequently asked questions our Vision Source® members get at their practices!

FAQ #1: “How often do I need to visit the optometrist?”

For those of you who do not need glasses or contacts, we encourage you to get an eye exam every two years. If you require vision correction or are over 60, we recommend coming in on a yearly basis. Every patient is unique, however, and some patients may need to have more frequent checkups.

It’s important to remember that regular eye exams are crucial for both vision correction and your health! Prescriptions can change over the course of a year, even without you realizing it. What’s more, eye care professionals are often the first medical providers to identify chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. We want to help you see and feel your best, and good, healthy vision is a large part of that. So come in today!

FAQ #2: “Why can’t I sleep in my contacts?”

Those who sleep in their contacts are six to eight times more likely to get a serious type of corneal infection. Even those who use extended wear lenses have an increased risk of infection when they sleep in their contacts.

Because contact lenses rest directly on the eye, they decrease the amount of oxygen that reaches your eyes from the environment. When they are left on longer than recommended, or overnight, your eyes are deprived of much-needed oxygen, making you more prone to infection. Do your eyes a favor–give them a break at night!

FAQ #3: “What’s the difference between soft contact lenses and gas permeable (GP) lenses?”

While soft contact lenses are made of softer flexible plastics, gas permeable lenses are made of rigid plastics and can be used for up to a year or more. Gas permeable lenses may take a while to get used to but they have many advantages. No matter what you choose, we’re here to help you find the lenses that work for you and your lifestyle!

FAQ #4: “What does 20/20 vision mean?”

“20/20” is a fraction that describes visual acuity, or sharpness of vision. The top number in the fraction refers to the viewing distance between the patient and the eye chart–typically 20 feet. The bottom number in the fraction corresponds to a line on the chart. 20/20 vision isn’t “perfect” vision, but rather a measurement of what, on average, most people are able to read 20 feet away from the eye chart.

FAQ #5: “What are those cobwebs floating around in my field of vision?”

Floaters may look like tiny worms or cobwebs floating in the air in front of you, but they’re actually inside your eye! As we age, protein fibers in our eyes start clumping together. When light enters the eye, these clumped fibers cast a shadow on the retina, causing us to see floaters. Although bothersome, they’re usually no cause for concern!

Check out the video to learn more about those floaters!

We Love It When Our Patients Ask Questions!

We hope these questions and answers have been eye opening for you! The more educated you are about your eyes, the better you will feel about making decisions for your vision health. Have any more questions? Call or visit us at www.visionsourcenw.com.

Prevention Information

Good vision is about making good choices. Your best choice is to see your doctor of optometry for a routine eye exam to ensure good vision and eye health. Early diagnosis and treatment are keys to preventing vision loss. Don’t assume that red eyes, pain or unusual visual symptoms will go away on their own. You can never be sure: some eye diseases only show symptoms when the condition is advanced and difficult, or even impossible to treat.

It’s about making smart decisions at home. Everything from sitting at a distance equivalent to at least five times the width of your TV screen; eating the right foods to help deter the onset of certain eye conditions; taking a 20 second break from your computer screen every 20 minutes and focusing your eyes on something at least 20 feet away; wearing proper protective eyewear when undertaking most major indoor or outdoor work; to the simple habit of having your child wear sunglasses outside when the sun is shining. Good vision and eye health means making smart choices at work, too. At the office, being farsighted, nearsighted, or having astigmatism can all make computer use less comfortable.

Depending on your condition, your eyes could be exerting extra focusing effort or be forced to work harder to maintain a clear image on the screen. We provide expert eye health and leading prescription safety eyewear to industries as diverse as forestry and IT, offering comprehensive eye examinations, professional consultation and individually tailored programs to help employees work safely and effectively. Through comprehensive eye health services, such as visual field assessments and vision training, your doctor of optometry can detect, manage and treat conditions such as job-related eyestrain, age-related vision change and disease. Talk to one of our doctor of optometry to ensure you are making the right choices.

Rise in Detergent Eye Injuries

An increase in the number of toddlers sustaining chemical burns from laundry detergent pods has been revealed in a new study.

A 30-fold increase in ocular chemical burns from laundry detergent pods has prompted calls for closer scrutiny of the household products.

Researchers at the John Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention in Baltimore found that the number of eye injuries related to laundry detergent pods among young children in the United States skyrocketed between 2012 - 2015.

Over the period, there were 1201 ocular chemical burns caused by laundry detergent pods among three and four-year-olds.

The number of eye injuries caused by the pods increased from 12 in 2012, to 480 in 2015.

The pods contain concentrated alkaline detergents, with the potential to penetrate deep into the cornea and ocular tissues and cause significant damage.

Study author, Dr Richard Sterling Haring, told OT that many of the injuries occurred when children were handling the pods and the contents squirted into one or both of their eyes.

Children were also injured when the pod contents leaked onto their hands and a burn resulted from subsequent hand-eye contact, Dr Haring added.

“In addition to proper storage and use of these devices, prevention strategies might include re-designing packaging to reduce the attractiveness of these products to young children and improving their strength and durability,” he highlighted.

Dr Haring explained that, while he did not have any data on injury levels related to laundry detergent pods in the UK, he would expect numbers to be similar depending on market penetration.

“Over the past few years, they have become quite common in American households, which I believe has been the major contributor to the upward trend of associated injuries.”

He emphasised that eye health professionals should be aware of the risk posed by laundry detergent pods.

“Toddlers are the highest-risk group for chemical ocular burns and laundry detergent pods represent an especially notable threat,” he added.

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New solutions to treat dry eye disease are progressing successfully

Dry eye specialty optometrists may soon be able to add new tools to their treatment arsenal, as

international research progresses on new therapies.

Researchers at the University of Virginia hope that a natural protein found in tears may one day offer relief to dry eye patients.

University of Virginia cell biologist, Professor Gordon Laurie, was part of the team that discovered the protein – which was named lacritin – using biochemical screening. Later studies showed that its active form, which lubricates the cornea, is frequently missing in dry eye patients.

Professor Laurie and his fellow researchers have now created an eye drop called Lacripep that replaces lacritin in the eye.

Working as part of the new spin-out company TearSolutions, Professor Laurie told OT that he will launch a four-week, early stage clinical trial for 201 patients with Sjögren’s syndrome. Patients will receive a placebo or Lacripep, in either a low or a high dose.

“This is a small step in our mission to provide…dry eye sufferers with a truly effective treatment,” Professor Laurie highlighted.

Closer to market are Seciera eye drops, a new formation using the immunosuppressant cyclosporine A enclosed in spheres of molecules at the nanometre scale.

After the medication demonstrated quick and effective action on 455 patients over 12 weeks of treatment, its owner Sun Pharma is planning to launch the eye drop in Europe, the US and Japan.

Sun Pharma managing director, Dilip Shanghvi, emphasised that: “These results are highly encouraging for millions of dry eye patients across the globe that have yet to find relief for their condition.”

Image credit: Jesse Vislisel, Brice Critser

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Retinal Migraine: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

A retinal migraine is one of many types of migraine. A retinal migraine is rare, and it is different from a migraine headache or a migraine with aura. Those conditions usually affect the vision in both eyes. A retinal migraine affects vision in one eye only.

Around 1 in every 200 people who get migraines will have a retinal migraine.

The condition is also sometimes called an ophthalmic migraine, visual migraine, or an ocular migraine, although symptoms for these are slightly different.

A retinal migraine can cause temporary blindness or visual problems in one eye. Retinal migraines usually last for up to 1 hour and are followed by the return of normal vision.

Causes of a retinal migraine

A retinal migraine is caused by a reduction in blood flow to the eye when blood vessels narrow suddenly. There are several reasons why this might happen.

Factors that might trigger blood vessel narrowing and retinal migraines include:

• Bending over
• Birth control pills
• Dehydration
• Excessive heat
• Exercise
• High altitude
• High blood pressure
• Low blood sugar
• Stress
• Smoking

As the blood vessels relax and blood flow returns to normal, the symptoms usually disappear and vision comes back.

Some people are more at risk of a retinal migraine than others. These people include:

• People aged 40 years and under
• Individuals with a family history of migraines
• People with another condition, such as atherosclerosis, epilepsy, lupus, and sickle cell disease

It affects women more often than men.

Symptoms

Retinal migraines involve repeated attacks of certain visual disturbances. These usually happen before the headache phase of a migraine. The visual disturbances are often collectively referred to as "aura."

Symptoms occur in one eye. The characteristics of an aura may include:

• Seeing flashing, sparkling, or twinkling lights
• A blind spot or partial loss of vision
• Temporary blindness

The aura may spread gradually over 5 minutes or more and last for 6-60 minutes. Within 60 minutes of visual symptoms, the headache phase of a retinal migraine may begin.

The headache phase of a retinal migraine has symptoms like a migraine without aura. These symptoms include a headache that lasts 4 to 72 hours on one side of the head.

The headache may be:

• Pulsing or throbbing
• Moderate to severe in pain intensity
• Made worse by activities such as walking or climbing stairs

A migraine headache may also cause:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Increased sensitivity to sound

A migraine with aura is a different condition to a retinal migraine, although some of the symptoms are similar.

Migraines with aura also cause visual disturbances such as flashes of light, blind spots, and other visual changes. However, a retinal migraine differs from a migraine with aura for two main reasons:

• The visual symptoms only occur in one eye and not both
• Complete but temporary blindness may occur in one eye only

Diagnosis

There are no diagnostic tests that detect a retinal migraine. A doctor may diagnose a retinal migraine by examining personal and family medical history, asking about symptoms, and conducting an examination.

Other possible causes for the symptoms will be ruled out before a retinal migraine is diagnosed. It is important to investigate and rule out other causes of temporary blindness.

A specialist doctor might need to ensure that the symptoms are not caused by a serious eye disease or stroke.

Some people that have visual disturbances in one eye might have hemianopia. Hemianopia is the loss of vision on the same side in both eyes. This condition often happens in stroke and traumatic brain injuries.

Treatments

The medication that a doctor prescribes to treat retinal migraines may change depending on a person's age and how frequently they have retinal migraine attacks.

Prescribed medication might include:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen, to relieve pain and inflammation
• Antinausea medications to prevent nausea and vomiting
• Ergotamines to narrow blood vessels in the brain to relieve a headache
• Triptans to narrow blood vessels in the brain and reduce swelling
• Beta-blockers to relax blood vessels in the brain
• Calcium channel blockers to prevent blood vessels constricting
• Antidepressants to help prevent a migraine
• Anticonvulsants to help prevent a migraine

There is currently a lack of research into the best way to treat a retinal migraine. However, most treatments focus on pain relief for headaches and reducing exposure to potential retinal migraine triggers.

Outlook

Most people that have retinal migraines will usually experience an attack every few months. The visual disturbance phase tends to last no more than an hour, and the subsequent headache can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days.

A retinal migraine is difficult to diagnose. It is often misdiagnosed as another condition or as a common migraine. While there is no cure for the condition, it can be managed and prevented through medication and avoiding triggers.

Currently, retinal migraines are not fully understood, but research is ongoing. The investigation into migraine prevention is in progress, but, as yet, there is no proven cure.

If you are experiencing headaches, please make an appointment with one of our Doctors of Optometry here.

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UV damage doesn’t end when summer does

by Dr. Riaz Ahmed, past-president of the Alberta Association of Optometrists

During a recent ski trip to Banff, I was surprised to witness the number of people on the mountain without any type of protective eyewear. While most skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers on the mountain had the proper gear to protect their head, body, hands and feet, they fell short on protecting one of their bodies’ most valuable assets – their eyes.

I was reminded that many people think that protecting their eyes from the sun is only necessary when it’s warm outside. During the summer months, the mental checklist for sun protection includes sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. However, it’s easy to forget to take these same protective measures once the snow starts to fall.

The danger in this situation is ultraviolet (UV) radiation — invisible rays of energy emitted from the sun 365 days a year. There are two main types of UV rays that reach the earth’s surface, known as UVA and UVB, both of which can have damaging effects on eyes and skin. When eyes absorb too much UV light, it can lead to serious eye conditions such as cataracts, retinal damage, growths on the front of the eye and eye cancers, especially on the delicate skin surrounding the eyes. People with lighter coloured eyes and skin are even more at risk for damage as they have less of the protective pigment that helps absorb these rays.

Unfortunately, many simply don’t understand the long-term damage UV rays can have. According to the Canadian National Institute For the Blind (CNIB), only nine per cent of Canadians are aware that sun can cause permanent harm to their eyes. While UV rays are undoubtedly stronger during the spring and summer months, people shouldn’t ignore these harmful effects as soon as fall arrives. Those who are keen to get on the mountain after the first snow fall should be particularly mindful since UV exposure increases on reflective surfaces, such as snow.

There are several proactive measures you can take to ensure your eyes remain in good health. The first step is to be cautious year-round while exposing your eyes to the sun. Wearing proper protective gear is important, which includes UV-blocking sunglasses with wrap-around frames to keep the sun out from the sides, and broad-brimmed hats.

Second, maintain regular visits with your optometrist who will assess your individual eye health and discuss the best options for protecting your eyes year-round. The Alberta Association of Optometrists recommends that adults have an eye exam every one to two years, and at least annually for those over 65 depending on the presence of eye disease. Children should have their first eye exam at six months, again at age three, and every year while they are in school.

Comprehensive eye exams with a doctor of optometry can also reveal insight about your overall health. These visits not only allow an optometrist to detect eye diseases, but also uncover serious health conditions which often have early warning signs present in the eye.

For example, optometrists often identify nevi (similar to skin moles or freckles) in the pigmented layer at the back of the eye. If exposed to UV rays over a lifetime, these can develop into a rare form of cancer called choroidal melanoma, which can be deadly if not treated. Also, as mentioned earlier, the eyelid area is one of the areas of the body where skin cancer is first diagnosed. The most common form is invasive lesions called basal cell carcinomas that grow deep into the surrounding tissue.

Perhaps the most important lesson to be learned about the eyes is this: good vision and good eye health are often unrelated. You may have 20/20 vision but you may also have risk factors for UV related eye disease. For this reason, it’s important to remember eye protection year-round.

Whether you’re skiing on top of a mountain or sitting on a beach chair on your well-deserved winter vacation, remember to protect your most precious sense against the harmful effects of UV rays.

Five eye health approved foods for your holiday feast

It’s officially the holiday season! In just over a week many of us will be sitting down at our dining room tables and feasting on traditional holiday dishes, but you might be surprised to learn that several of your favourite dishes are also good for your eye health.

We’ve compiled a list of five foods that you can feel a little less guilty overindulging on this holiday season knowing that you’re doing your eyes a favour.

Here are five eye health approved choices:

1. Turkey: It wouldn’t be a holiday feast without a little turkey on our plate. Turkey is rich in zinc and vitamins B3 (niacin), which can protect your eyes against cataracts. Better yet, turkey is great for leftovers which can keep the source of eye-healthy vitamins coming for days.
2. Carrots: Don’t bypass the carrot dish at the table this year! Carrots are filled with the important antioxidant, beta-carotene which can reduce the risk of cataracts and protect the surface of the eye.
3. Sweet Potatoes: Who could say not to sweet potatoes? Like carrots, bright orange vegetables are always a good idea to overindulge on. The Vitamin A and C found in sweet potatoes can help improve your night vision, and can also help the body form and maintain the collagen found in the eyes cornea.
4. Salad: Between all the turkey and stuffing on your plate, make sure to leave room for salad. All types of leafy greens are packed with antioxidants, including lutein and zeaxanthin, which can help lower the risk of developing macular degeneration.
5. Broccoli and Brussel Sprouts: Load your plates with these two B’s without a second thought. Both broccoli and brussel sprouts have Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Lutein, which relate to strengthening eyesight and can help prevent retinal damage.

Maintaining a healthy diet is only one important factor to maintain healthy eyes. To ensure your eyes are reaching their fullest potential, make sure to book regular eye examinations with one of our Doctors of Optometry.