Healthy Eyes
FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO HELP YOUR EYES STAY HEALTHY
Regular Sight Tests – Eye diseases can start to develop with no pain or obvious visual distortions. Get regular checks (at least every 2 years).
Wear Glasses – Up to date prescription glasses help your eyes work efficiently and comfortably.
Family History – Glaucoma and AMD run in families, research your history and get conditions detected early.
Stay Safe – A sudden change in vision can in rare cases indicate a serious problem. Get emergency care as soon
as possible.
Sunglasses – Protect from UV light with sunglasses marked BS EN 1836 to reduce the risk of cataracts and AMD. UV does most harm to the young, protect your children with sunhats, sunglasses and sun block.
Stop Smoking – Smokers are at greater risk of cataracts and age related macular degeneration (AMD). Quit now.
Eat Healthy – Reduce the risk of AMD and cataracts with a healthy diet including antioxidants (vitamins A and C)
and omega-3 (from oily fish).
Dry Eyes – If your eyes are dry and sore, artificial tears like Systane can help soothe them. Flaxseed or evening primrose oil may also help.
Have Breaks – our eyes need to relax. Look away from the screen or desk at least every hour to prevent tiredness and
headaches.
Please contact us if you have any question about your eyes.
The process doesn’t hurt at all, there is a bright flash of light as the photograph is taken and it appears on a computer screen.
Eye Drops
You may need to have drops in your eyes to enlarge your pupils if necessary. Your vision will become temporarily blurred and sensitive to bright light, due to this you would not be safe to drive for at least 4-6 hours after the appointment.
Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to book a retinal imaging.
Eye Diseases
This is a brief overview of the most common eye conditions. We have a range of information leaflets at our practice which provide much more detail on the causes and treatments.
- Glaucoma – A progressive eye disease which damages the optic nerve. It runs in families and can result in blindness. Although it cannot be cured, early detection means treatment can be arranged to slow the progress.
- Cataracts – As we age the lens in our eye can become cloudy affecting vision. In most cases cataracts can be treated with excellent results by inserting a new artificial lens into the eye.
- Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) – The result of progressive damage to the retina in the eye. It usually affects older adults and causes reduced vision which can lead to blindness. It cannot be cured but treatment and diet can slow the progress.
- Diabetic Retinopathy – Causes retina damage and can affect anyone with diabetes. Annual diabetic eye screening checks for any signs so treatment can be arranged.
- Dry Eye – Itchy sore eyes are a problem for many people. We can supply eye drops that create an artificial tear layer over the eye to help sooth the pain.
Regular sight tests can help detect these and many other conditions such as nystagmus and retinitis pigmentosa. Please contact us if you have any questions or for more details.
