At Apple Opticians we provide a wide range of eye care services.
EYE EXAMINATION
All patients in Scotland are eligible for a free sight test every two years from the National Health Service. If you are under 16, over 60, diabetic or have glaucoma or family history of glaucoma the examination is recommended every year. Also if you are under 16 or receive income support, working family tax credits, income based job seekers allowance or pension credit guarantee then you also qualify for glasses if needed at no extra charge which are also supplied by the National Health Service.
The eye examination can take from as little as 20 minutes. Everyday another 100 people start to lose there sight, so we can not stress enough the importance of having you eyes tested. While in the test room there will be several tests completed to not only check you vision but the health of your eyes also using the most up to date technology. By doing this the optometrists can check for such things like:
- DRY EYE
- CATARACTS
- AGE RELATED MACULAR DE-GENERATION
- GLAUCOMA
- DIABETIC EYE DISEASES
- MYOPIA
- PRESBYOPIA
- ASTIGMATISM
DRY EYES
Usually eyes feel irritated, scratchy, dry and uncomfortable. Eyes may be red and there may be a burning sensation, or it may feel as if there is something in the eye like grit or an eyelash. Sometimes there may be periods of blurred vision but these normally go away after a short while or on blinking. Dry eye has a number of causes. It happens mostly as a part of the natural ageing process but can also be caused by problems with blinking or problems with the glands which produce the tears. Contact lenses carry an increased risk if you have dry eye. Tears are important as they form a layer on the very front of the eye. Called the tear film, this layer does a number of things. The tear film takes a part in the focusing of light into the eye but it mainly lubricates the eye keeping it moist and smooth. Tear film stability tests are easily and frequently carried out in the practice and depending upon the findings a suitable form of treatment can be recommended.
CATARACTS
A cataract is a clouding of part of your eye called the lens. Your vision becomes blurred because the cataract is like a frosted glass, interfering with your sight. It is not a layer of skin that grows over your eye, despite what you may have heard.
If you have been told you that you have a cataract, don’t be alarmed. Many people over 60 have some cataract and the vast majority can be treated successfully. Early cataracts may not affect your sight and do not need treatment. Cataracts can form at any age. The most common type of cataracts is age-related cataract. These develop as people get older. In younger people cataracts can result from conditions such as diabetes, certain medications and other longstanding eye problems. Cataracts can also be present at birth.
Although researchers are learning more about cataracts, no one knows for sure what causes them. There may be several causes and some studies have linked smoking, excessive exposure to sunlight and poor diet with cataract development. Sometimes cataracts are caused by other health problems such as diabetes. The most effective treatment for cataract is an operation to remove the cloudy lens. However, a good diet may help to slow the growth of age-related cataract.
Nowadays, with modern surgery the operation is usually done as soon as your eyesight interferes with your daily life. This includes having any difficulties with looking after yourself or others, cooking, driving, getting out and about, being able to read, work or do the things you enjoy. At Apple Opticians we like to know that you are getting the best out of life, so call today to make an appointment.
age related macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) causes a gradually loss of central vision, but not peripheral vision. Central vision is needed for reading, driving, recognising faces and doing detailed work. The decline to severe loss of vision can vary from months to years – depending on the type and severity of ARMD. Visual loss caused by ARMD cannot normally be reversed. However, in some cases, treatment may halt or delay the progression of visual loss.
ARMD is the most common form of macular degeneration and develops in older people. (There are other rare types of macular degeneration which occur in younger people.) ARMD can affect anyone. It is the most common cause of severe sight problems (’visual impairment’) in the UK. It becomes more common with increasing age. If you develop ARMD in one eye, you have a high chance that it will also develop in the other eye. About 1 in 100 people aged 65-75, and about 1 in 8 people aged over 85 have ARMD severe enough to cause serious visual loss. About twice as many women over the age of 75 have ARMD compared to men of the same age.
An internal check of the eyes is conducted during each eye exam to check for Macular Degeneration and further supplementary tests can also be conducted to check progression or onset. At Apple opticians we like to make sure that your examinations are regular and thorough.
glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye condition where the nerve at the back of the eye (the optic nerve) is damaged. This can lead to loss of vision. In most cases, the damage to the optic nerve is due to an increased pressure within the eye. Treatment to reduce eye pressure can prevent, or delay, glaucoma from getting worse. All adults over 35-40 should have regular eye checks to detect early glaucoma.
The eye examination will detect early signs of glaucoma before any significant vision loss occurs. The eye test will include:
- measuring the eye pressure
- a look at the back of the eye with a special torch
- checking the field of vision
If the eye pressure is lowered, further damage to the optic nerve is likely to be prevented or delayed. At Apple Opticians we have the latest equipment to detect and monitor glaucoma.
diabetic eye disease
If you have diabetes, it is vital that you have your eyes checked regularly. Retinopathy (damage to the retina at the back of the eye) is a common complication of diabetes. If left untreated, it can get worse and cause some loss of vision, or blindness in severe cases. Good control of blood glucose and blood pressure slows down the progression of retinopathy. Treatment with a laser, before the retinopathy gets severe, can often prevent loss of vision. Glaucoma and cataracts are more common in people with diabetes.
Treatment can prevent loss of vision and blindness in most cases. Therefore, if you have diabetes it is vital that you have regular eye checks to detect retinopathy before your vision becomes badly affected. You should have at least an annual eye check. In the UK, the NHS offers a free detailed eye check each year to all people with diabetes over the age of 11. Make sure that you get your appointment at Apple Opticians each year and tell your doctor if you do not. The test includes:
- Testing your vision.
- Looking at the back of the eye with a light to examine the retina.
- Taking photographs of your retina (to compare with previous examinations).
Apple Opticians have the latest technology to help detect eye diseases.
myopia
Myopia also known as short-sightedness and is the most common visual defect of all and occurs when the eyeball is too long thus making it difficult for patients to see in the distance. Difficulty with vision tends to start in the early teenage years – sometimes earlier. The earlier it starts the more severe it is likely to become. In early adulthood when growth stops, vision has usually become as bad as it is going to get and stabilises.
Some children do not realise at first that their vision is affected. They may be able to read books and do close work well. However, seeing distant objects such as the blackboard at school may become difficult. They may think this is ‘normal’ and not tell anyone. Schoolwork may suffer for a while before the condition is identified and treatment provided. The vast majority of people with short sight have no other associated problems. However, people with severe short sight have a slightly increased chance of developing glaucoma, detached retina and macular degeneration. These are serious eye conditions. So regular eye checks are advisable and report any new changing eye symptoms promptly at Apple Opticians.
presbyopia
Presbyopia usually occur’s beginning at around age 40, when people experience blurred near vision when reading, sewing or working at the computer. You can’t escape presbyopia, even if you’ve never had a vision problem before. Even people who are nearsighted will notice that their near vision blurs when they wear their usual eyeglasses or contact lenses to correct distance vision. When people develop presbyopia, they find they need to hold books, magazines, newspapers, menus and other reading materials at arm’s length in order to focus properly. When they perform near work, such as embroidery or handwriting, they may develop headaches, eye strain or feel fatigued.
Presbyopia can be corrected by wearing reading glasses or contact lenses. If you already wear glasses, you may be prescribed bifocal or varifocal lenses. These lenses will contain different strengths in different parts of the lens. For example, in bifocal lenses, the top half of the lens corrects for viewing distant objects whereas the bottom half corrects for near vision. If you already wear contact lenses, you may be prescribed bifocal contact lenses or reading glasses (as well as your contact lenses). Another option is monovison lenses, where one contact lens corrects for near vision and the other for distance vision. It’s important to have check-ups at Apple Opticians every two years. This will ensure that your glasses or contact lenses stay the correct strength for you.
astigmatism
Astigmatism is a condition of the human eye which causes either blurred vision or a sense that each eye is seeing objects slightly differently. Astigmatism is not a vision problem, but a structural problem with the eye. The human eye is usually shaped in a sphere, like a ball, but with astigmatism, the cornea of the eye is curved instead into an oval shape, more like a rugby ball. When the eye is not curved properly, or has uneven curves like a rugby ball, light will not travel in and out of the eye normally. Astigmatism causes light to bounce unevenly off the flat and steep curves of the oval shaped eye, thus allowing light to more than one point in the eye. This impairs focusing ability, causing blurred vision.
The optician will diagnose your astigmatism. He or she will carry out several tests on your vision. This will include:
- a visual acuity test, which will tests the focusing power of your eyes at different distances
- a measure of the refractive error correction needed in your eyes using a process called refraction
These tests will determine the best treatment for your astigmatism, and the prescription for contact lenses or glasses. Depending on how severe your astigmatism is, you may only need to wear your glasses when you’re doing specific tasks or you may need them all the time. It’s important to have eye tests with your optometrist every two years. They routinely diagnose problems with vision, like astigmatism, but can also help in diagnosing serious health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. So call for an appointment today at Apple Opticians.
