FAQs
How often should I have an eye test?
How can I improve my eyesight?
Will wearing glasses make my eyes worse?
Will using a computer damage or harm my eyes?
Is laser refractive surgery safe?
Are contact lenses safe?
When should my child have their eyes tested?
What is myopia or shortsight?
What is hyperopia/hypermetropia/longsight?
What is astigmatism?
What is glaucoma?
What is cataract?
Ask your own question to our optometrist
How often should I have an eye test?
Guidelines recommend an eye examination at least once every two years. However, some patients will require more frequent testing for example children and diabetics. Your optometrist will recommend how often you should have an eye examination.
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How can I improve my eyesight?
There are some exercises designed to help the coordination of the eyes and improve reaction times - these are usually suggested by specialist optometrists for professional sports people. Having regular examinations will ensure you will have the optimum prescription to enable the best vision that you can achieve. Regular tests will also help to detect early signs of potential eye disease, which can permanently result in loss of vision, without any symptoms.
Studies are ongoing to help slow the progression of myopia ('shortsightedness'), as yet there is no proven universal method to achieve this. A good balanced diet can help maintain good eyesight and slow the ageing of the eyes. There are some particular nutrients the eyes require to function correctly that are only obtainable through the diet. Good sources of such nutrients are spinach, kale, kiwi fruit and yellow peppers.
Good UV protection can help maintain healthy eyes, such as sunglasses or photochromatic lenses (lenses that go darker and lighter depending on the sunlight). Smoking accelerates the ageing of the eyes, and can ultimately lead to earlier cataracts and age related macular degeneration. Stopping smoking will help to maintain good eyesight for longer. If stopping smoking is not possible, reducing the amount smoked may be of some benefit.
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Will wearing glasses make my eyes worse?
There is no current evidence to support the theory that wearing glasses makes the eyes worse. Having spectacles prescribed means that they are required, and thus vision without the spectacles will not be quite as good. As time goes by, individuals will often prefer to have clearer vision and so end up wearing the spectacles more. Changes in one's prscription is determined by natural changes in the eyes, which are independent of spectacle wear.
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Will using a computer damage my eyes?
There is no current evidence to support the theory that computer use can damage your eyes. It is true that prolonged computer use can result in the eyes feeling sore and tired. Often the detailed work involved in computer work can reveal a pre-existing small prescriptions. Experts recommend regular breaks and regular eye examinations.
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Is laser refractive surgery safe?
This is all a matter of opinion. Largely speaking, the safety profile of refractive eye surgery is quite good. However, the consequences of adverse complications can be profound, and permanent. If the procedure is 98% safe, for example, this will be of little comfort if you fall into the 2% category. It boils down to the candidate's attitude to risk and surgeon's recommendation. Informed consent is important, so don't be afraid to ask lots of questions. It is particularly important to enquire about the surgical experience of your surgeon, and their personal complication rate.
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Are contact lenses safe?
Contact lenses have an excellent safety profile, so long the eyecare professional's recommendations are followed. Many contact lens complications are a consequence of overwear, misuse or poor hygiene. It is vital the optician's recommendations are followed, and regular contact lens aftercares are attended.
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When should my child have their eyes tested?
A child should have an examination whenever there is some concern about the eyes or vision, whatever the age. In the absence of any apparent problems, a child should have their first eye examination before or around the time school is commenced.
Eye tests are then recommeded normally every year, although this can be more, or less frequent depending on the individual case.
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What is myopia or shortsight?
Myopia is a focusing error (‘refractive error’), and not an eye disease. A myopic eye can be thought of as an eye that is too large for it’s focusing power. People with myopia will tend to have blurred distance vision, but some clear near vision. There is currently no ‘cure’ to stop myopia occurring.
Current thinking on myopia is that it is partly genetic, and partly environmental. There is a school of thought that believes myopia can be induced in certain susceptible individuals, by a predominantly near-work environment. Namely, that urbanisation increases myopia. Countries and tribes with a large amount of outdoor living such as Australia, seem to have lower rates of myopia. Conversely, in Far East Asia, myopia is reaching epidemic levels.
Myopia will normally increase with time in growing children and teenagers. Normally, during puberty, when the child’s rate of growth is the fastest, myopia will tend to progress fastest. In an eye with myopia, rays of light are focused in front of the retina (instead of on the retina). A convex lens (one that has edges thicker than the centre of the lens), corrects this focusing error by focusing the light rays onto the retina.
Myopia can be corrected by spectacles, contact lenses or refractive surgery.
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What is hyperopia/hypermetropia/longsight?
Hyperopia (also known as hypermetopia or longsight) is a focusing error (‘refractive error’), and not a eye disease. A hyperopic eye can be thought of as an eye that is too small for it’s focusing power. People with hyperopia can have blurred near vision, but often hyperopia can be masked by the eye’s own focusing, called accommodation. There is currently no ‘cure’ to stop hyperopia occurring.
The eye’s own focusing can often correct the blur associated with hyperopia, so sometimes a partial correction of the total hyperopia is sufficient to relieve any eyestrain. Correcting the hyperopia does not in itself make the eyes weaker. As the eye’s own focusing naturally becomes weaker with age, more hyperopia is often revealed, so that the strength of the correcting lens increases. Similarly, those with hyperopia will often find glasses need to be worn more frequently as they get older too.
Hyperopia is often confused with presbyopia, since the latter also affects the near vision. Presbyopia is the loss of near vision focusing that will typically affect everyone over the age of 45 or so. Presbyopia can be present as well as hyperopia or myopia.
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What is astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a focusing error (refractive error), and can be found in combination with myopia, hyperopia, or on its own. Astigmatism is very common, and not an eye disease. Astigmatism can be present from a young age or can develop later on. Astigmatism can sometimes be in the family or sometimes caused by a poor diet during childhood. It is usually present due to an irregular curvature of the cornea, whereby it’s curvature is not perfectly spherical, but more oval shaped – like a rugby ball, or back of a spoon – so that it’s curvature is steeper in one direction compared to another.
Astigmatism can cause blurred vision both in the distance and near vision, and will usually affect the ability to see words and letters.
Correction of astigmatism is usually with spectacles or contact lenses.
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What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve. Normally in glaucoma there is slow damage to the optic nerve, whereby nerve fibres are lost, resulting in loss in the field of vision (blind spots). The loss of nerve fibres is so slow and small, there normally aren’t any symptoms. Therefore regular eye tests are important to help diagnose glaucoma early.
Glaucoma is more common with advancing age. It has been estimated that around 1.4% of the population in England and Wales has glaucoma. Family history also plays a part in glaucoma: having a first degree relative with it, increases its likelihood. Those over 40 years old, with a first degree relative with glaucoma, are entitled to a free annual NHS Sight Test. Glaucoma can be linked to a high eye pressure (intraocular pressure), but not always. Conversely, having a high eye pressure does not mean you have glaucoma. Other risk factors for glaucoma include having an African Caribbean background, myopia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and migraine.
Glaucoma cannot be cured (similar to hypertension), however treatment is designed to stop further progression. Treatment is usually in form of eye drops, although surgery may be indicated in some cases. back to the top
What is cataract?
Cataract is any clouding of the crystalline lens inside the eye. There are many causes and types of cataract. The most common cause is old age – normally over the age of 65 years. It is more likely as you get older. Age related cataract can occur earlier, particularly when there higher than normal exposure to UV radiation (UVA and UVB), or cigarette smoke, since both these environmental factors can accelerate the ageing of the eyes. Maintaining a balanced diet, reducing exposure to UV radiation and cigarette smoke can help delay the onset of cataract.
Cataract may not be noticed at all in the early stages, but as it develops, it usually results in blurred vision and problems with glare.
In the UK, if the cataract is judged to be having a significant affect on the quality of life, surgery is usually considered. Normally cataract is performed as a day case surgery, without the need for stitches, although it is not carried out with a laser.
Less commonly, cataracts can be caused by injury, diabetes, inflammation or eye surgery. Babies can be born with cataract (congenital cataract).
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