An introduction to common eye problems and their management is given below. These are based on patient education pamphlets used in our hospital. Please click on the links to read the matter

Spectacles

What are the types of refractive errors?

There are three different focusing problems which may require the need for corrective glasses. These are: Myopia or shortsight

Myopia This is often discovered in children when they are 8 to 10 years old. A myopic eye is longer than normal and so light rays are focused in front of the retina causing a blurred image.

Hyperopia or long sight A hyperopic eye is shorter than normal and so light rays are focused behind the retina causing a blurred image. Most children are normally a little farsighted. Hyperopia needs to be corrected in young people if it causes decreased vision or is associated with crossed eyes.

Astigmatism In astigmatism light rays enter the eye and focus at different places on the retina. It distorts and blurs vision for both near and far objects.

Choosing a frame

The most important factor to consider is the fit of the frame. It doesn’t matter how good a frame looks if you always have to push it back up your nose. Make sure that the frame fits the bridge of your nose without slipping down, remembering that the finished spectacles will be heavier than the frame when you try it on.

The frame should not rest on your cheeks. Try smiling while you are trying on the frame – if it rides up, then it is sitting on your cheeks, not your nose.

A frame should also suit your lifestyle. If you are very active, or wear your spectacles while exercising, then a smaller frame may be better, since your spectacles will be less likely to fog up than if they have a large, close-fitting frame.

Ready-made spectacles

Ready-made spectacles are inexpensive spectacles which are sold without prescription in pharmacies and other outlets. Although ready-made spectacles are often sold as ‘magnifying spectacles’ they are designed to correct presbyopia. Presbyopia is a condition which affects practically all people over the age of approximately 45 years, in which the eye gradually loses the ability to adjust its focus to see near objects clearly.

Unfortunately people in this age group are also the most likely to suffer from eye diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts and are likely to neglect having their eyes examined for these diseases because they think that their problems will be fixed by the ready-made spectacles. Without a professional eye examination, many serious conditions can easily go unnoticed until vision has been irretrievably damaged.

Ready-made spectacles are also a poor consumer choice from an optical perspective. They have the same prescription in each lens but 75 per cent of people requiring a vision correction require lenses with different powers in each eye. They do not have any correction for astigmatism and 80 per cent of people require a correction for astigmatism.

Children with refractive errors

Modern research suggests that one in five school children have an undetected eye problem. A child’s vision is fully developed by the age of 8, and without early diagnosis and treatment vision defects such as “squints” or “lazy eyes” can become permanent disabilities.

• Typical warning signs are: Excessive blinking
• Squinting or screwing up the eyes to see
• Peering closely at books and TV
• Clumsiness
• Poor performance at school
• Reluctance in reading
• Headaches

Children lead very active lives, and therefore spectacles must be comfortable and safe to wear. To this end all of our children’s spectacles are supplied with Plastic lenses. Plastic lenses are lighter that tradition glass lenses and more importantly are much more resistant to breakage. This combination provides lightweight and safe spectacles

Contact Lens Practitioner has often prescribed for children of 10 years and above. The main criteria is to ensure that both children and parents are aware of the high level of care required to maintain contact lenses so that they are safe and comfortable to wear.

What to expect from new glasses…

If you are getting eyeglasses for the first time or changing your prescription, you should always allow 2-3 weeks for your eyes to adjust to the new lenses. In the beginning, you could experience mild dizziness, headaches, or even slight nausea. These symptoms are normal; however, if they persist, call your optician.

If you experience any problems with your new frames, including discomfort on the nose or ears, return to your optician for an adjustment. Also, your glasses should remain stationary on your face when you nod or turn your head quickly. If your glasses slide down your nose or tilt to one side we will be happy to adjust them for you.

Caring For your Glasses.

There are a number of things you can do to prolong the life of your glasses:-

Always keep your glasses in a case when not in use. This will protect your lenses from scratches and will also help to extend the life of your frame.

To avoid scratching, never lay your lenses directly on any type of hard or abrasive surface.

Be sure to use both hands when removing or putting on your glasses, to avoid bending the frame.

Do not allow anyone to “try on” your glasses. Your frame will have been custom fitted for you. Letting others wear your glasses, even for a moment, can cause stretching or other damage.

Clean your lenses and frame on a regular basis with warm water or an approved lens cleaner and wipe clean with a dry cloth. To avoid scratching, never wipe your lenses when they are completely dry.

Your glasses will last longer if you have them adjusted every 3-4 months. This allows us to check for loose screws or other possible problems. If your frame breaks, do not attempt to repair it with tape or glue. Take it to your optician, as we can repair it properly.

Don’t wire your lenses while they are dry; wash (or) blow off dust (or) grit instead never use paper products to wipe glasses as they can scratch the lens.

Re-Using Your Frames.

Re-Using your own frame can be a good alternative to searching for another frame that suits you, or spending a lot of money on a new frame when your budget is a little low. But before considering this there are a few things you should bare in mind.

Plastic frames must be heated and stretched to insert new lenses. Because the resins used in plastic frames tend to become hard and brittle with age, there is a high risk of breakage when you re-use an old frame, regardless of how much the frame cost when you bought it, or which manufacter made it.

How long before your next Eye Examination?

Many people equate the need for an aye examination with replacing their glasses. They feel as long as they’re seeing relatively well and their glasses are holding up, everything is okay. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Your eyes, like the rest of your body, undergo gradual changes as you grow older. However, unlike the rest of your body, your eyes rarely hurt when something is wrong. Undesirable changes in your eye health can occur which will not adversely affect vision in the early stages. Such is the case with glaucoma, cataracts and complications caused by high blood pressure and diabetes. Your optician will check for symptoms of these conditions to detect these problems before they worsen to the point where your vision could be affected adversely, and perhaps permanently affected.