Parents understand the need for eyeglasses in nearsighted children who have problems seeing the board. However confusion still exists in farsighted children, who appear to have no problems seeing at all. Farsighted children may seem to lack focus and concentration when reading and writing. This is because their eye muscles must work harder to sustain concentration on near tasks. This increased focusing demand can cause general fatigue and may occasionally lead to frontal headaches. Child often compensate for this by trying to limit or avoid near point tasks for extended periods of time.

So please don’t be shy in talking to your optometrist about any classroom or learning problems that your child may be having. A new pair of eyeglasses may not provide all the answers, but it may help to eliminate vision problems from your list of concerns.

With the sun now rising and setting a little earlier each day in Edmonton, our thoughts have once again gone back to the topic of sun protection. Sunglasses provide 2 key benefits to patients: reduced exposure to harmful ultra-violet rays and improved visual comfort in bright sunlight. So what is the best option?

Basic Sunglasses

Basic sunglasses simply decrease the intensity of the light around us equally. They help to protect the eyes from the suns harmful ultra-violet rays, and are really one of the best choices for athletes looking for consistent vision during dynamic sporting activities.  Basic sunglasses will typically cost less then polarized lenses and can be found the seasons trendiest new frame styles.

Polarized Sunglasses

Polarized sunglasses decrease the intensity of the light around us, and they reduce or eliminate the reflections or glare that come off flat surfaces like snow, water and roads. By eliminating glare, polarized sunglasses improve visual contrast and help to reduce fatigue and eye strain.  Polarized lenses are best suited for less dynamic activities or flat surfaces like in driving, fishing, boating, etc.

What lens colour is the best?

Lens colour seems to come down to personal choice and fashion for a lot of people. It is a myth however, that darker sunglasses provide more ultra-violet light protection then lighter tints. Darker tints help to reduce more of the suns overall intensity, but quality sunglasses regardless of tint should all block at least 99% of UV-A and UV-B rays. Your eye doctor may recommend darker tints like grey and black during the summer months when the suns rays are far more intense. But during the winter months they may recommend brown tints, as they can add a sense of brightness to a dull flat light day. Light and dark tints are available in polarized and non-polarized sunglass styles, as well as in prescription and non-prescription style sunglasses.

Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? Do you fear going outside in the summer because of ocular irritation, nasal congestion and sneezing? Red, burning, watery, itchy eyes are just some of the typical ocular symptoms experienced by allergy sufferers in our clinic. Patients with allergies can also experience contact lens intolerance, blurred vision and pain. Not a great combination when all you want to do is get outside and play.

Trying to treat and manage ocular allergies can be a difficult chronic battle. If you have mild allergy signs and symptoms, consider trying some of these non-pharmaceutical treatment options for seasonal allergies first.

• Shower and wash your hair every night before going to bed and after being outside. Allergens can stick to your hair and eyelashes further increasing ocular symptoms.
• Make sure you thoroughly remove your makeup at night and regular change your mascara brushes.
• Change your pillowcases, bed linens and bath towels regularly.
• Consider switching into a 1-day disposable contact lens. Inserting a fresh, clean contact lens into your eye each day guarantees that you will not be inserting any old allergens back into your eyes.
• Try to reduce your contact lens wearing time as much as possible. Only insert your contact lenses prior to leaving the house, and remove them when you get home.
• Use contact lens approved lubricating eye drops to help flush your eyes free from allergens throughout the day. This same rule also applies to non-contact lens wearers.
• Consider removing the carpets from your bedroom and house, and switching to a hard surface flooring option such as tile or hardwood. If this is not an option, have your carpets professionally cleaned.
• Consider adding a humidifier to your furnace to help reduce the amount of dust and allergens in the air. A portable option can also work for smaller areas or in your office at work.
• Change your furnace filters regularly, and have your furnace cleaned annually. Also consider adding an air purifier to help clean the air.
• If you have a pet, keep them out of your bedroom and limit the areas of the house their allowed to go.

If you still find that your seasonal allergy symptoms are unmanageable, please stop by our eye clinic for a complete eye health examination by one of our optometrists. Our eye doctors may be able to prescribe some prescription and non-prescription eye drops that can provide added relief. They can also confirm that what you have is in fact ocular allergies and not another underlying problem instead.

January is glaucoma awareness month across North America. Glaucoma is a painless eye condition that usually develops slowly over time and is often related to elevated eye pressure.

Did you know?

1. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness and accounts for approximately 10% of all cases of vision loss.
2. There is presently no cure for glaucoma, but there are numerous treatment options available to help slow the progression. These include medicated eye drops and various surgical procedures.
3. Everyone is at risk of developing glaucoma, including children. However, patients with a family history of glaucoma or patients of African American decent are at a higher risk.
4. African Americans are 5 times more likely to develop glaucoma and 15 times more likely to loose their vision. Glaucoma is currently the leading cause of vision loss amongst African Americans.

Have you had your eye pressures checked lately? If not, call our office and book an eye health examination with one of our optometrists. .

To learn more about glaucoma, please visit the glaucoma research foundation at www.glaucoma.org

Question:

Does eating carrots really improve your vision?

Answer:

Yes and No. Eating copious quantities of carrots will not prevent or reverse your need for eyeglasses. Carrots however are high in beta-carotene, which gets converted to Vitamin-A in the liver and is an important nutrient with regards to proper eye health. Vitamin-A is an antioxidant and has been shown to slow the formation and progression of degenerative eye diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts. Vitamin-A deficiency can lead to night blindness a condition known as nyctalopia.

Carrots also contain the antioxidant lutein. Lutein is highly concentrated in the central macula area of the eye and helps to protect the eye from age-related macular degeneration, which is currently the leading cause of blindness in patients over the age of 50.

Like all good things, there is a limit. Excessive beta-carotene intake can cause a persons skin to turn orange, and chronic ingestion has been linked with an increase risk of lung cancer in smokers and recent ex-smokers.

Note: Always consult with your health care provider prior to starting any new supplements.

Cold temperatures are not only tough on your car, but they can also be tough on your eyes. Cold weather increases dry eye symptoms for many patients, and can increase contact lens intolerance. Freezing temperatures and heaters dry out the air around us, causing your contact lenses and your eyes to loose their moisture quicker.

Try to reduce your contact lens usage during very cold periods and ensure that you remove your contact lenses when you get home at night. You can also consider using a quality lubricating eye drop that is approved for contact lenses or one that was recommended by your eye doctor.

Total Focus Kingsway Optometry along with Pearle Vision Canada teamed up to offer a truly convenient and secure online booking system.

Other optometry clinics ask you to email them with a general date and time for when you want to be seen and then they call you back with an appointment. The problem with this system is that if you actually wanted to talk to someone, you probably would have just picked up the phone in the first place.

Our online booking system provides you with complete control and flexibility over booking your own eye exam. You can choose the day, the time, the service and even the doctor you wish to see. A confirmation email is immediately sent to you showing that an appointment has been booked and a reminder email is sent to you on the day of your appointment.

If a last minute emergency pops up forcing you to cancel or change your appointment, no problem! Simply log back in and make the changes on your own. No more hassles or excuses required.

One Exception:

Certain provincial government programs like Social Services (SS), Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) and federal government programs like Indian Affairs (IA) will require prior authorization. If you have one of these insurance benefit plans we ask that you call our staff or stop by the clinic to book so that we can confirm your eligibility.

Book your next eye exam online today! Book Now

A common condition in people over 40, presbyopia affects the eyes' ability to focus on objects at near and intermediate distances. Fortunately, there's a brand new solution: AIR OPTIX AQUA MULTIFOCAL contact lenses.

• Designed for crisp, clear vision at all distances
• Superior comfort vs other leading multifocal lenses
• Advance combination of oxygen and moisture for a healthy natural feeling

Ask your eye doctor about trying monthly disposable AIR OPTIX AQUA MULTIFOCAL contact lenses at your next eye exam.

To learn more, visit airoptix.com To try them, vist Total Focus Kingsway Optometry.

Image and text via: Ciba Vision Canada

Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries are some of natures most powerful and delicious foods.  These anti-oxidant rich fruits have been showed to have powerful health benefits. High in Vitamin-A, Vitamin-C and Vitamin-E, these berries help boost a person’s immune system and fight against common colds during the winter months.

A diet rich in berries ensure adequate soluble fiber in your diet, which helps to reduce cholesterol levels and improve overall heart function. Blueberries have been specifically linked to reducing vision problems by slowing down the progression of conditions such as macular degeneration and cataracts.

Although vitamin supplements are great and can help to top up your daily requirements, we always recommend that people try to eat natural whole foods whenever possible.

You can eat more berries by adding them to:

• Salads
• Yogurt
• Muffins
• Deserts & Ice Cream

Ophthalmology specialties available in Edmonton include:

• Retina Specialists
• Cornea Specialists
• Glaucoma Specialists
• Genetic Specialists
• Oculoplastic Specialists
• Pediatric Specialists
• Strabismus Specialists
• General Specialists

Ophthalmology Referral Process

1. All referrals start off with a comprehensive eye health examination by one of our optometrists.
2. Your optometrist will write a referral letter and call the ophthalmologists office to schedule your appointment.
3. Depending on your eye condition and the urgency, patients will be seen right away, or up to 6 month. Most patients though are usually seen within 2-6 weeks.
4. Our office will call you with your appointment information.
5. Our office will also mail you a letter outlining your appointment information.  
6. The ophthalmologists office will usually send a follow-up letter outlining the diagnosis, chosen treatment plan, and any follow-up care that may be required.