The number of Canadians affected by glaucoma is quite startling – are you affected by this group of eye diseases that cause progressive damage to the optic nerve?
Over 400,000 Canadians suffer from Glaucoma
2019 Holiday Hours for Both Clinics
In order to help you plan for the upcoming holiday period, we’re sharing our holiday hours for both clinics. We wish you a very happy holiday season!
Gloucester Hours
24 – 26 Dec CLOSED
27 Dec REGULAR HOURS
28 – 29 Dec CLOSED
30 Dec REGULAR HOURS
31 Dec 8:30 – 2pm
1 Jan CLOSED
2 – 3 Jan REGULAR HOURS
Almonte Hours
24 – 26 Dec CLOSED
27 Dec REGULAR HOURS
28 – 29 Dec CLOSED
30 Dec REGULAR HOURS
31 Dec 8am – 2pm
1 Jan CLOSED
2 – 3 Jan REGULAR HOURS
2020 Saturday Openings in Almonte
Jan 4, 18 | Feb 1, 22 | Mar 7, 21 | Apr 4, 18 | May 2, 23 | June 20, 27
Contact our Gloucester clinic or Almonte clinic to make your appointments, or book online.
Picture by Annie Spratt, Unsplash
Fall Prevention: Your Optometrist is here to help
Building our awareness of risk factors as we age is a natural process, though we sometimes forget simple things that might help us.
November is actually Fall Prevention Month, and it’s a great time for seniors to book an eye exam. Sudden or gradual vision loss can greatly compromise independence as we age, including through the risk of frequent falls.
“By age 65, one in three Ontarians will have an eye disease that leads to changes in vision, and one in nine seniors experience irreversible vision loss.”
Source: The Ontario Association of Optometrists
For many seniors, a complicating factor comes in the form of medications, many of which can cause dry eye which in turn can lead to impaired vision. Advancing vision problems can intensify the difficulty of common daily tasks, increase the risk of depression, increase medication errors, and lead to double the risk of falls as well as quadruple the risk of hip fractures.
While changes in vision are a very natural part of aging, loss of vision can be avoided through regular eye exams and care under a qualified optometrist. If you or an aging parent has been putting off that eye exam, here’s an important reminder for sticking to regular appointments.
You can schedule a visit with one of our eye doctors either in Gloucester or Almonte. We look forward to seeing you.
Related Links
November is also Diabetes Awareness Month
Photo by Atanas Dzhingarov on Unsplash
Hallowe’en eye safety
Hallowe’en is fast approaching and it’s a good time to remember some key eye safety points.
Cosmetic Contact Lenses – Be Safe, Not Sorry!
Cosmetic contact lenses are particularly popular at Halloween. Like contact lenses for visual correction, cosmetic contact lenses are classified as medical devices and can pose a risk of harm due to improper fit, use, or care. Complications can be serious, including vision loss.
If you can’t resist the allure of colourful contact lenses, be sure to purchase them from a licensed eye care professional. A prescription and proper instructions will help to minimize the risks associated with these medical devices. A licensed eye care professional can also ensure that the lenses are obtained from a licensed manufacturer.
If blurred vision, redness, discomfort, swelling or discharge occurs, stop using the lenses immediately and see your doctor of optometry. (You can contact our Almonte clinic or our Gloucester clinic if you are in the Ottawa area.)
Ensure Make-up Is Safe
Use products that are hypo-allergenic and make sure that any additives to the face paint are approved (check the recalls list at Health Canada if you are unsure).
When applying make-up near or around the eye, stay away from the lid, or lash line—the area where you would normally apply eye liner. If you are applying make-up very close to the eye, use only products approved for use in that area such as an eye-liner or eye shadow.
Don’t use blush or lip-liner to create a “red” effect, as some ingredients may not be approved for use in the eye and bacteria from the mouth can be transmitted to the eye.
Keep Costumes Safe
Avoid sharp or pointy objects such as swords in costumes. If your child must carry a sword, makes sure it is secured to the outfit. If your child does get poked in the eye, thoroughly inspect it for any signs of redness, decreased vision or pain.
Eye injuries may be more serious than they appear. If your child reports pain or blurred vision in the eye or if the eye is discoloured or bloodshot, you should take your child to see a doctor of optometry as soon as possible. Ensure masks don’t obstruct vision.
Be Seen After Dark
Use reflective tape and stickers on costumes and treat bags to increase visibility. Take a flashlight or wearable LED light so you can see and been seen.
October is Children’s Vision Month
Many vision problems can be treated if caught early, but not all parents realize that regular exams at an early age are important. This October, remember that undiagnosed vision problems can impact a child’s learning and development.
Last month we underscored how vital vision is in the process of learning at school: 80% of classroom learning is visual. Vision problems can affect babies and children of all ages, making early and regular eye exams by a qualified optometrist essential.
Eye Rubbing
In the youngest children, eye rubbing can be a sign of a vision problem. If we see a young child rubbing their eyes we might assume an irritant is present, as with allergies, but it may be their vision is bothering them.
Common problems that can occur, sometimes together, include:
- strabismus (misaligned eyes)
- myopia (nearsightedness)
- hyperopia (farsightedness)
- astigmatism (causing distorted / blurred vision)
Glasses may be prescribed to treat these types of conditions successfully.
In addition, it’s possible that an eye disorder or disease may be present that needs to be addressed differently. One such example is Keratoconus, a progressive condition which causes thinning of the cornea at the front of the eye.
And not just any eye test will help to identify these conditions. Without the expertise of an optometrist and a comprehensive eye exam, your child’s vision problem could go undetected.
Regular Eye Exams
Children should have their first routine eye examination between two and three years of age. However, if there are concerns such as a misaligned eye, frequent rubbing and blinking, infections, or failure to meet developmental milestones, infants as young as 6 months of age can be examined by our eye doctors.
Your child does not need to be able to read or to identify letters to have an eye examination.
The good news is that OHIP covers an annual comprehensive eye exam up to and including the age of 19.
Start a great yearly tradition with a visit to have your child’s eyes checked.
Schedule a visit with one of our eye doctors either in Gloucester or Almonte. We look forward to seeing you.
Put eye exams on your back to school shopping list
Did you know that 80% of classroom learning is visual? That alone is a great reason to make sure an eye exam is top of your back to school shopping list. But there are other reasons to make regular eye exams a priority.
Back to Regular Friday Hours, Saturday Openings
As school gets back underway, both of our clinics will resume full Friday hours starting this Friday, 6 September. However, please note that on Friday September 13th, the Gloucester office will close at 2pm.
Our Almonte clinic will also resume Saturday openings from 8am to 2pm, and these dates are currently confirmed openings:
Fall 2019 Saturday Openings
September 7, 21
October 5, 19
November 9, 16
December 7, 21
Watch for scheduled 2020 Saturday openings later this fall.
Contact our Gloucester clinic or Almonte clinic to make your appointments, or book online.
Choosing the right sunglasses
It can often take a few weeks of bright sun exposure to realize that perhaps your current sunglasses aren’t really up to the job or in need of replacing. As we approach the midpoint of summer, it’s a good time to take stock.
Our Gloucester and Almonte offices carry an excellent and fashionable range of frames for men, women and children.
Your lenses must have 100 percent UVA and UVB protection
UV Protection
The most important thing to consider in choosing new sunglasses is UV protection. The damage incurred from too much UV exposure can lead to sunburn, age-related cataracts, macular degeneration, and growths on the surface of the eye.
These conditions present themselves through symptoms like irritation, blurry vision, redness, tearing, and even vision loss – both temporary and, in some cases, permanent. Don’t get caught without adequate protection.
Sunglasses for Men
Our clinics carry the following brands for men:
Oakley, Adidas, Nike, Champion, RayBan, Serengeti, Hugo Boss, Revo
Please note the frames pictured here are just for illustration; our stock is regularly changing.
Sunglasses for Women
We carry these brands for women:
Oakley, Adidas, Rayban, Fysh, Vera Wang, Champion, Ann Taylor, Kate Spade, BCBG, New Balance, Revo, Elle, Nicole Millar, Serengeti
Please note the frames pictured here are just for illustration; our stock is regularly changing.
Sunglasses and sun safety
Take this super quick quiz from the Canadian Association of Optometrists and see if you know how to protect your eyes this summer.
You might also be interested in these past articles:
Featured photo by Griffin Wooldridge on Unsplash
Summer Hours begin this week
Summer hours at both of our clinics mean early closures on Fridays (2pm) starting this Friday, 28 June and running throughout July and August. We wish you and yours a fun and safe Canada Day and a great summer ahead.
Tips for you and your family: Fireworks and eye safety | Summer fun & keeping safe
Statutory Holidays
We’re always closed for statutory holidays, including:
Canada Day (July 1st), the August Civic Holiday (August 5th) and Labour Day (September 2nd)
Almonte Saturday Openings
There are no Saturday openings in the summer. After a break in July and August, Saturday openings will resume on the following schedule in Almonte (8am to 2pm):
Sept 7, 21 | Oct 5, 19 | Nov 9, 16 | Dec 7, 21
Gloucester: Early Closure Fri June 14th
Please note that on Friday, June 14th the Gloucester office will be closing early at 2 pm.
The Almonte office will be open until 5 pm as usual.
We recently published information about our Summer Hours for both clinics.