Below is a list of services provided by both locations:
- Complete Eye Examinations
- Examinations for Patients with Diabetes
- Examinations for Children
- Emergency Eye Care Services
- Disease Detection & Treatment
- Digital Retinal Imaging
- Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
- Automated Perimetry (Visual Field Testing)
- Pachymetry
- Laser Eye Surgery Consultations
- Contact Lens Fitting
- Optical Services
Complete Eye Examinations
A complete examination will usually include the components listed below.
Please note that this list may vary according to the age of the patient, abilities, and general health and eye conditions:
- A history of your health with an emphasis placed on your eyes and visual needs
- Measurement of your visual acuity
- Measurement of your refractive error
- Determination of binocularity (how your eyes work together)
- Detection of colour vision defects
- A complete eye health check. An examination of the eyes for any disease or abnormality
- A diagnosis from the results of the examination and recommendations for any treatment, if required
- The provision of a prescription or treatment plan for vision correction, if required
- The provision of a prescription for eye drops or oral medications, if required
- Any counseling or advice that is necessary
Examinations for Patients with Diabetes
All patients with diabetes should have a comprehensive dilated eye examination with digital retinal imaging on an annual basis.
Depending on the results of your eye examination, optical coherence tomography (OCT) may also be recommended by your optometrist.
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the walls of the blood vessels are weakened due to prolonged high blood glucose. Patients with diabetes may notice decreased vision if bleeding or swelling occurs in the macula, the part of your retina responsible for your central vision.
Undiagnosed and untreated, diabetic retinopathy can result in permanent vision loss. Following your examination, a Diabetic Report will be sent to your family physician or endocrinologist to keep them informed of your eye health.
Examinations for Children
Children should have their first routine eye examination between two and three years of age.
However, if there are concerns such as an eye turn, frequent rubbing and blinking, infections or failure to meet developmental milestones, infants, as young as 6 months of age, can be examined by our doctors.
Emergency Eye Care Services
If you experience an ocular emergency during regular office hours, please call either the Gloucester or Almonte clinic and we will do our best to accommodate you. Depending on the situation, patients are usually examined on the same day or the next day.
Disease Detection & Treatment
Optometrists are specialized in examining, diagnosing, treating, managing and preventing diseases and disorders of the visual system, the eye and related structures, making Ontario’s optometrists your primary eye and vision health doctors. Read more about common eye diseases and conditions.
Optometrists are licensed to prescribe treatments for conditions ranging from bacterial eye infections to more serious diseases including glaucoma and anterior uveitis.
Only those optometrists who have demonstrated their compliance with the College’s Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Agents Policy: Educational Requirements for Members to Prescribe Drugs (TPA Education Policy) – which ensures an appropriate educational background, proof of competence and currency of knowledge – are authorized to prescribe the drugs listed in the regulation (Ontario Association of Optometrists).
All of our doctors at Gloucester and Almonte Family Optometrists are accredited to treat and manage eye diseases with the use of therapeutic agents.
Digital Retinal Imaging
A digital fundus camera takes high-resolution images of the back of the eye. This allows your optometrist to examine magnified views of the retina, blood vessels and optic nerve.
Retinal imaging is an invaluable tool in the screening, early detection and management of eye disease such as diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, optic nerve disease and glaucoma.
Digital retinal images provide an excellent reference point for future comparisons. Accordingly, we strongly recommend that retinal imaging be done at every comprehensive eye examination to create a detailed record of your ocular health.
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
OCT is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses light waves to give a detailed cross sectional view of the retina and optic nerve. The macula is the part of your retina responsible for central vision.
OCT is essential for the diagnosis and management of glaucoma, and the diagnosis of macular edema (swelling), age-related macular degeneration and other irregularities and abnormalities of the macula.
Your optometrist may order an OCT if any of the above conditions are suspected or if you have an unexplained decrease in vision which is not correctable by a new prescription for your glasses or contact lenses.
Automated Perimetry (Visual Field Testing)
The retina is the light sensitive tissue found inside the eye. The central area of the retina is the most sensitive to light (as it contains more densely packed photoreceptors). That is why we see best what is directly in front of us.
The more peripheral areas of the retina are less sensitive to light so our peripheral vision is not as clear as our central vision. However, our peripheral retina allows us to see objects to the side, above or below our central vision.
Visual field tests can detect the presence of decreased areas of sensitivity within the visual field as well as any constrictions of the visual field both horizontally and vertically. Visual field abnormalities can be associated with glaucoma or other optic nerve disorders, retinal disease, stroke or in rare cases, brain tumors.
Pachymetry
The cornea is the transparent front surface of the eye.
A pachymeter uses ultrasound technology to measure the thickness of the centre of the cornea.
Pachymetry is performed during a glaucoma screening, prior to laser vision correction and is also used in the diagnosis of keratoconus, a disease which causes progressive thinning of the cornea.
Laser Eye Surgery Consultations
Our optometrists provide co-management care for patients considering laser vision correction. This includes pre-operative examinations and counseling, referrals and post-operative care.
If you are considering laser vision correction, make an appointment to be assessed by one of our optometrists. You will have a comprehensive eye examination to determine if you are a good candidate for laser vision correction. If you are a good candidate, we will make a referral to a laser centre for surgery.
Gloucester Family Optometrists and Almonte Family Optometrists have enjoyed a long-standing co-management relationship with Focus Eye Centre, a premier laser vision centre in Ottawa.
Contact Lens Fitting
Our clinics provide a wide array of contact lens options. Contact lenses are available in spherical, astigmatic and multifocal designs, in both soft and rigid gas permeable materials.
During a contact lens examination, the curvature of your cornea will be measured, the fit of the contact lens on your eye will be assessed and your vision will be checked.
After your contact lens examination, your optometrist will recommend the best contact lens option for you. Some contact lenses are designed to be replaced daily, while other contact lenses are replaced on a two week or monthly basis. Your optometrist will always recommend the newest contact lens technology that makes sense for you. Contact lens fitting for tinted cosmetic lenses is also available.
If you are a first-time contact lens wearer, a teaching session with our highly trained staff will be booked for you. This will ensure that when you leave the office, you are comfortable in handling and taking care of your new contact lenses.
Optical Services
Our eyewear dispensaries offer a large selection of high quality frames and sunglasses, in a variety of styles with options to accommodate all ages.
We have designer brands such as Rayban, Adidas, BMW, Ferragamo, Marc Jacobs, Cole Haan, Kate Spade, Fysh, Hugo Boss, Nike and Oakley. We also have a wide variety of more budget friendly options.
All frames have a warranty for two years against manufacturing defects. Lens coatings are also warrantied for two years.
For children under 15 years, we offer an Essilor Junior Package that provides a second set of lenses at no charge for a period of 15 months from the date of purchase. There is no extra charge for this program. Please ask one of our staff members for details.
Our friendly and professional staff are Certified Ophthalmic Assistants and they are more than happy to help you with your frame selections and are trained in trouble-shooting with any issues that you may have with your glasses.
There is an on-site optical laboratory in our Gloucester Clinic run by our very knowledgeable lab technician, Wendy.