Optometry Archives – Bay College Lockwood Clinic

The Role of Optometry in Maintaining Healthy Vision: Eye Exams and Vision Care

June 1, 2023May 29, 2023 by Mark

Maintaining healthy vision is key to your overall well-being and quality of life. Our eyes allow us to experience life around us, and any impairment can significantly limit daily activities.

Therefore, it makes sense to take advantage of the benefits of regular optometry care for maintaining eye health. Optometry plays a key role through comprehensive eye exams, early detection of eye conditions, and vision care services.

Here’s how optometrists play an integral part in protecting and improving eyesight.

Regular Eye Exams as the Foundation of Vision Care

Optometrists recommend that individuals of all ages attend comprehensive eye examinations at least every two years or as directed by their eye care provider.

This comprehensive eye examination serves multiple purposes, including early detection of eye conditions, monitoring vision changes and overall assessment of overall eye health.

Through regular eye exams, your Toronto optometrist will assess various aspects of your vision, such as visual acuity, peripheral vision and depth perception.

Using advanced diagnostic eye care equipment and techniques, they will also evaluate structures within the eye, including the cornea, iris, lens and retina. This lets your optometrist spot potential issues quickly and facilitates prompt intervention and treatment plans.

Early Detection and Prevention of Eye Conditions

One of the primary advantages of regular eye exams is the early detection and prevention of eye conditions, including glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration.

Many eye diseases progress slowly without manifesting noticeable symptoms in their early stages. But optometrists are trained to recognize these diseases through thorough exams that allow early intervention and treatment options.

Optometrists also play a vital role in maintaining healthy eye vision through individualized eye care information. For instance, your optometrist can tell you how to take preventive steps for healthy vision based on your day-to-day.

They’ll provide advice regarding lifestyle choices such as wearing sunglasses to shield against harmful UV rays, eating a well-balanced diet with eye-healthy nutrients, and practicing good eye hygiene. These preventive measures can empower you to actively work toward protecting your vision.

Prescribing Corrective Lenses to Achieve Vision Enhancement

Many individuals suffer from refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism or presbyopia (age-related vision changes).

Optometrists specialize in diagnosing such conditions and prescribing corrective lenses accordingly — whether glasses or contact lenses. One-to-one sessions with your optometrist will help identify which is most suited to address your eye defects based on visual needs and lifestyle considerations.

An optometrist helps you maintain healthy vision while prioritizing comfort and usability of corrective measures. Optometrists go far beyond simply offering corrective lenses; they can also guide you in selecting the best lens options.

For instance, optometrists consider factors like lens materials, coatings and designs, which enhance visual clarity while simultaneously reducing glare and providing UV protection.

Managing Common Eye Conditions

Beyond prescribing corrective lenses, optometrists are equipped to manage various common eye conditions. For example, dry eye syndrome affects thousands of people across Ontario and may lead to discomfort, redness and blurred vision.

Optometrists can diagnose the source of dry eye syndrome and suggest effective solutions such as artificial tears, lifestyle modifications or advanced therapies as treatments for this common ailment.

Optometrists are experts at diagnosing and managing eye allergies, conjunctivitis (pink eye), and other ocular surface conditions. They offer targeted treatments, suggest environmental modifications, and provide advice about eye care products to address them effectively.

By treating such common issues, an optometrist can ensure you enjoy comfortable and healthy eyes.

Final Thoughts

Optometry plays an invaluable role in maintaining healthy vision through the early detection of eye conditions and the prescription of corrective lenses for those suffering from common conditions.

Lockwood Clinic provides professional optometric care in Toronto and beyond, including vision care services to preserve and enhance your vision.

Let our skilled optometrists take the stress out of optometry with comprehensive eye exams designed to promote eye health and visual wellness. Book one now to begin a journey toward optimal eye health and visual well-being!

What is the Difference Between an Optometrist, Ophthalmologist, and an Optician?

September 24, 2021September 23, 2021 by Bay College Medical and Lockwood Diagnostics

While most people are familiar with an ophthalmologist being an eye doctor, some may not realize that an optometrist is also a doctor. If you have ever asked “is an optometrist a real doctor?” there is a good chance you may be thinking of an optician, who is also an eye care professional but not a doctor.

So, what is the difference between these three important members of your eye care team? What kind of training does an optometrist have and when should you see an optometrist? We will answer all these questions here.

What is an Optometrist and What Kind of Training Does an Optometrist Have?

An optometrist is an eye care professional who has received extensive schooling and training to earn a doctor of optometry (OD) degree. This training includes a 4-year Bachelor of Science degree, followed by four years of optometry school. They will have also completed clinical training and licensing. In short, yes, this qualifies an optometrist as a doctor. A doctor who, specifically, is trained to specialize in diagnosing and treating a wide range of eye conditions.

However, this is not the same as a medical doctor (MD) who will typically earn a Bachelor degree followed by four years of medical school and an additional three to seven years of residency. An OD should also not be confused by a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine). A DO also attends medical school like an MD but, instead of focusing on a particular part of the body or condition, a DO takes a whole body approach to treatment.

What Can an Optometrist Treat?

An optometrist can treat and diagnose a wide range of eye health concerns. They can also perform a complete eye exam which can reveal other health concerns such as diabetes, certain cancers, and high blood pressure. Often eye exams performed by an optometrist are critical measures in diagnosing these conditions early on. Various changes in the eyes can indicate the presence of these conditions before any other symptoms make themselves known.

Other services, treatments, and diagnostics that an optometrist provides include:

Eye Exam: an eye exam is more than a vision test which reveals your ability to see. Instead, an exam includes an assessment of your physical eye including the retina, blood vessels, and cornea. This can reveal problems such as cataracts, macular degeneration, and other health problems.
Prescribe Eyewear and Contacts: While an optician can fit you for glasses, an optometrist is needed to prescribe lenses. This includes determining if you need reading glasses, glasses for near or farsightedness or other vision issues.
Treat Mild to Moderate Eye Trauma: This includes removing foreign bodies and treating scratches to the eye. As long as you do not require surgery, an optometrist is often able to treat your eye trauma.
Provide Referrals: While there are many diseases and conditions that an optometrist can treat, you may need another kind of specialist or an ophthalmologist to continue your care. An optometrist can provide referrals to other doctors who can help.
Pre and Post Operative Care: If you require eye surgery from an opthamologist, an optometrist can help with follow-up care. This can often be more convenient as an optometrist can typically provide appointment times more quickly.
Advance Research: Optometrists are often at the forefront of research into optical care. They may work in the area of research and promotion of eye health.

What is the Difference Between an Optometrist, Ophthalmologist, and an Optician?

In short, an ophthalmologist can do everything an optometrist can with the addition of providing surgical eye care solutions. Your optometrist will typically refer you to an ophthalmologist if you need laser vision correction, cataract removal and other surgical procedures.

An optician is an eye care professional who will have completed a certificate program that qualifies them to provide eyeglasses and contact lenses. They are not doctors and cannot write prescriptions for lenses. However, they are the best professionals to help you find the eyewear that is best for you including the styles that will suit your lifestyle and preferences best.

When Should I See an Optometrist?

An optometrist is often the first line of defense in diagnosing and treating eye health concerns. While everyone should strive to get regular eye exams, there are several instances where you should make an appointment immediately.

When You Are Behind in Exams: Typically, those under the age of 40 should be fine with one eye exam every 10 years. Those over 40 should go every two years, while those over 64 should have a yearly eye exam. While once every 10 years may not seem significant, keeping up with this schedule can help to catch various health conditions early on. This includes both eye health issues and other health issues such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Eye Strain: With our increasing screen time, many of us are also likely to experience increased eye strain. While this can often be resolved by taking regular breaks from the screen, if this does not help or you are experiencing increased headaches, an optometrist visit is advised. A simple eyeglass prescription could alleviate your eye strain symptoms.

Vision Changes: Vision changes can mean many things. While many temporary vision issues are nothing to concern yourself over, some should be taken very seriously. Vision changes that are likely not a concern include occasional floaters, or spots that go away quickly. Temporary blurriness when you first wake up or if you have been staring at a screen too long is also likely not an issue.

However, if you experience double vision, loss of peripheral vision, clusters of spots that do not go away or flashes of light, this is something you should have checked immediately. Double vision can be an indication that you have a detached retina which will require surgery to prevent permanent damage. Other vision loss issues can indicate anything from macular degeneration to stroke or even brain tumors.

Make Your Optometrist Appointment Today

Are you overdue for an eye doctor appointment? If so, you are not alone. Often, those who do not have vision concerns will forgo an appointment for many years. However, regular appointments can help to prevent eye problems from worsening and provide relief if you have eye strain.

At BCML, we provide a full range of vision health diagnostics and treatment. Get started with better eye health today by scheduling an appointment at (416) 929-1900.

Is it Safe to Wear Contact Lenses During COVID-19?

May 13, 2020May 13, 2020 by Bay College Medical and Lockwood Diagnostics

As we navigate our way through a world with COVID-19, even the most mundane tasks like wearing contact lenses have taken on a new meaning. Up until a few months ago, wearing contacts would not have raised any major concerns about safety. However, as we seek to minimize the spread of the disease, anything that forces us to touch our faces is being questioned.

So, is it safe to wear contact lenses with the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing? Is wearing glasses automatically better? In short, most specialist optometrists in Canada agree that wearing contact lenses is safe and no, wearing glasses is not necessarily safer. There are some exceptions to this and ways to reduce risks when wearing either. In this blog, we’ll explore everything you need to know to wear your contact lenses safely.

How to Safely Wear Contact Lenses

The rules for wearing contact lenses during the pandemic are similar to the precautions you should be taking normally. The difference now is that there are additional COVID-19 related risks if you do not follow these precautions. Also, if you tend to be forgetful about taking out your contact lenses at night or disinfecting them properly, now is the time to get into better habits. In this section, we will answer the most answered questions relating to contact lens usage and the novel virus.

Why take out your contact lenses at night?

Even contact lenses that are approved for multi-day use really should not be kept in continuously. Not only do your eyes benefit from the time to breathe without the lenses, leaving them in increases the risk of infection. This holds true at all times, not just because of COVID-19.

With the risk of catching the virus, it is even more important to be mindful of taking care of your eyes and properly disinfecting contact lenses. While removing and disinfecting your contacts will not directly impact your risk of getting the virus, it can reduce the possibility of irritation.

Keeping your contact lenses clean means you are less likely to experience dry or itchy eyes. This condition causes people to rub their eyes more. Remember, to stay safe from the virus, anything that reduces the chances of you accidentally touching your face or eyes should be practiced.

What about contact lenses approved for overnight wear?

Advancements in contact lens technology have given us breathable contacts that can be kept in overnight. However, even these are best if they are removed before sleeping. Your eyes will always feel better if they are given this time without a contact lens. Healthy eyes equal less irritation and a commensurate reduction in the risk of touching your face.

How to properly remove and insert contact lenses

Proper hand washing is critical to the safe insertion and removal of contact lenses. Ideally, you should wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds making sure you get every inch of your hands. Then, dry your hands with a clean towel.

After thoroughly drying your hands, you can then safely remove or insert your contact lenses. It is very important that you avoid touching any other surface before touching your eyes. To avoid recontaminating your hands, even the water faucet should be turned off with a paper towel.

Hand sanitizer products with a minimum alcohol content of 60% can be used to cleanse your hands before inserting or removing your lenses. To do this properly, you must thoroughly coat your hands in the sanitizer gel and rub it in until it fully evaporates.

While this will disinfect your hands, soap and water will do a more thorough job. There is also a chance that there may still be residue from the sanitizer on your fingers that could irritate your eyes. Sanitizers with scents and lotion added can be especially problematic for this task. Therefore, be mindful of the kind you are using.

Can you wear contacts when you’re sick?

It is not recommended for you to wear contacts when you are sick. Any virus you have can be found in the mucous membrane of your eyes. Consequently, the increased touching of the eye can spread the virus further.

Moreover, symptoms of the common cold or flu are likely to cause some eye and sinus irritation. Watery eyes, itchy eyes, dry eyes can all be further irritated by contact lenses. If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or any other illness, you should discontinue the use of your contacts and also limit any contact with others.

Eye irritation is not a common symptom of COVID-19. However, the coughing associated with the illness can create watery eyes for some.

What’s Better: Disposable or Reusable Contact Lenses?

There are two primary types of contact lenses when it comes to durability; single-use disposable contacts and ones that can be reused for a week or month. With proper handling, both of these contact lenses are safe to wear during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, because reusable contact lenses need to be disinfected immediately after use, you need to be especially diligent in cleaning them. Having a fresh pair that you can change daily will reduce the chances of eye irritation and the urge to rub your eyes throughout the day.

No matter what kind you wear, follow the guidelines for proper use. Disposable contacts should only be worn once and removed at night. Equally, reusable contacts should only be used for the length of time they are approved for by an optometrist near you.

When Should You Wear Glasses?

Those suffering from dry eyes or any condition that prevents them from wearing contacts comfortably for long periods should consider glasses. For people like this, this condition may mean that contact lenses are not safe to use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The discomfort is likely to give you the immediate urge to rub your eyes. Remembering to wash your hands before doing this can prove difficult.

However, glasses also require adjustment throughout the day. As a result, proper handwashing practices should be exercised. In practice, this is likely to be more manageable than itching or pain from contacts. In a pinch, you can adjust your glasses by using the back of your wrist which is less likely to have touched any contaminated surface. This is not an option with contacts, giving glasses a slight edge in this debate.

Do Glasses offer Protection Against COVID-19?

One myth floating around is that glasses offer protection against the virus entering through the eyes. There is no existing evidence that proves this theory. While a pair of glasses may prevent some droplets from a cough or sneeze from entering your eyes, there is still space around your glasses where the virus can enter.

Additionally, eyewear will not offer protection for your nose or mouth. If you are standing close enough for an infected person’s respiratory droplets to reach your eyes, those droplets can also reach your nose or mouth. If you are wearing a mask over your nose and mouth, this may provide some help. However, at such a close range, cloth masks will not guarantee that respiratory droplets will not reach your face.

In short, a combination of glasses and a cloth mask are not a substitute for practicing safe social distancing. Even with protective layers, you should strive to stay at least 2 meters apart from others and avoid going out into crowded places unless absolutely necessary.

The Advantages of Contact Lenses

Contact lenses may actually offer a safety advantage over glasses for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak. While taking extra precautions when inserting or removing the lenses can seem daunting, once they are in, most people can wear them for 14-16 hours without adjustment.

In contrast, glasses are likely to be taken on and off multiple times per day. This increases the likelihood that you will touch your face throughout the day. Unless you can wash your hands before each adjustment to your glasses, contacts may be a better choice.

Managing Your Eye Health During the Pandemic

With so many social distancing rules affecting our health and ability to be social, getting proper medical care can be daunting or seem unimportant in contrast. However, staying on top of preventive care and pre-existing conditions is one of the best ways to manage anxiety and avoid emergency situations.

BCML is offering telehealth appointments to ensure our patients can get the care they need without risk. We can help you manage and diagnose a range of conditions and refer you to specialists when needed. To manage your eye health and other concerns during this time, contact us at 416-929-1900. We’ve got you!