Optomap is a fantastic piece of technology that lets us take an ultra-wide image of the back of your eye. It helps us pick up many eye problems quickly and easily. However, it’s important to know that Optomap isn’t perfect and doesn’t replace a full eye examination.
Here’s why:

Introduction

Choosing the right myopia management option for your child can be challenging, given the variety of treatments available. Understanding the differences between these options and considering your child's needs will help you make an informed decision.

Introduction

Myopia, also known as short-sightedness, is a common vision condition where distant objects appear blurry while close objects can be seen clearly. With the increasing prevalence of myopia, especially among children, understanding its causes, symptoms, and available treatments is crucial for parents.

Our eyes are one of the most essential organs in our bodies because they allow us to see what is going on around us. Unfortunately, we frequently take them for granted, failing to take the required precautions to preserve excellent eye health. Simple routines can help us maintain our eyes healthy and avoid visual disorders. These are ten basic routines for healthy eye health:

Get Frequent Eye Exams: It is essential to have regular eye exams in order to maintain excellent eye health. Early detection of eye disorders and visual impairments through eye examinations allows for prompt treatment.

Blue light glasses have grown in popularity in recent years as more people become aware of the possible harm blue light exposure may do to our eyes and general health. So what exactly are blue light lenses, and how do they function?

Blue light is emitted by electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops, as well as LED and fluorescent lights. While blue light is not intrinsically dangerous, studies have shown that excessive exposure can induce eye strain, headaches, and sleep disturbance.

Regular eye exams are necessary for good eye health and should be part of everyone's regular healthcare routine. Eye exams are not just for people who wear glasses or contact lenses; they are essential for everyone, regardless of age or apparent vision problems.

Some of the reasons why regular eye exams are necessary for good eye health are :

Eye Exams Can Detect Eye Diseases Early: Eye exams can detect eye diseases and conditions early, before they cause significant damage to your vision. Many eye diseases, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy, have no noticeable symptoms in their early stages, and the only way to detect them is with a regular eye exam.

Correction of Vision Issues: Many people suffer from vision issues such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and/or astigmatism, which can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Eye exams can help you get the right prescription which will improve your vision and reduce eye strain.

Skiing is a popular winter sport that millions of people around the world participate in. While skiing is exciting and enjoyable, it can also be hazardous to your eyes. Snow and direct sunlight can cause both short-term and long-term vision problems. Here are some tips for skiing eye protection:

Wear Goggles: The most important piece of eye protection for skiers is goggles. They shield your eyes from the elements such as wind, snow, and UV rays. Choose goggles with 100% UV protection and lenses that are suited to the lighting conditions you will be skiing in.

As well as being windows onto the soul, our eyes provide a reflection of our lifestyles. Being healthy and making the right choices can have a significant impact on our vision, and these top tips will help to ensure everyone enjoys the best possible eye health:
 
Have regular eye tests
Our specialist equipment provides a detailed eye health check, allowing us to start treating problems at the first possible opportunity. Regular eye tests are particularly vital for monitoring sight levels and eye health in children, and we stock specialist spectacle lenses designed for office work.

We are proud to be an independent local optician, and according to the experts at consumer body Which?, our pride is well-founded. In a comprehensive survey of UK opticians, independents topped the table with an average customer score of 87 per cent – significantly outperforming every national chain of opticians.

Which? surveyed over 4,000 practices and independent opticians achieved the maximum 5-star rating in five of the seven chosen categories.

Customer service: The Which? survey investigated seven key categories, including store environments and the thoroughness of eye tests. Local independents were the only opticians to achieve five stars in customer service, product quality and aftersales. While independent opticians received a five-star rating for their store environment and customer service, some of the national chains were awarded just two stars.

Overall ratings: There was little distinction between high-street chain opticians and retailer spin-off brands, whereas independent opticians achieved top ratings in five of the seven categories Which? assessed. The independents’ industry-leading 87 per cent customer score was calculated according to satisfaction levels during each respondent’s most recent visit.

The bigger picture: This survey of almost 8,500 Which? members bears a striking resemblance to a similar report in 2014. The previous survey also concluded that local independent practices led the way for quality and service, recording similarly large rating gaps between independents and high street chains. It seems the benefits of using independent opticians remain as compelling as ever...

It is a fact we live in an increasingly technological society. We are slowly moving away from paper based literature and using innovative media such as laptops, tablets, phones and wearable devices. This change not only affects us but also children.

In my experience some parents are very anti-technology and actively prevent their children from using devices. Personally I think this is a shame as it can put children on a 'back foot' when it comes to learning to use technology and learning how to control their personal usage.

As a father of a three year old girl I do let my daughter use my tablet or laptop, and I have since she was about 18 months old. Now to some that is way too early but Ava now has the dexterity and hand eye co-ordination to use a track-pad, she can scroll through photos or watch an episode of Peppa Pig without too much effort. At the same time I have instilled (hopefully) good habits so that she can continue to use technology in the correct way, and I will reinforce these habits regularly.

Habit 1. Control the duration of use - Device use should be limited to reduce fatigue to the ciliary muscle in the eye. The duration of time is a matter of contention. Personally 30 mins is more than enough in one sitting.

Habit 2. Control viewing distances - Most children will want to immerse themselves into their programme of choice. To do that they will move closer and closer to the screen. That way peripheral distractions are reduced to allow full concentration on the entertainment in front of them. Of course, sometimes it is a genuine visual problem so if the child is unhappy when you push the device further away from them it is wise to have their eyes examined to check for an uncorrected prescription.

Habit 3. Stop use at a fixed time before bed - Most devices emit blue light of wavelengths that are thought to reduce the melatonin levels in the brain and in doing so altering the  natural body clock (circadian rhythm). Think about how you can stay awake for longer when you are looking at your phone/tablet when in bed. I recommend cessation of all device use 1 hour before bed to encourage a good nights sleep.

These are just a few pointers I practice at home/work but I also think regular eye examinations are important and for children under 16 it is free.

So this is a question I am asked many times over in the day and the answer as always is a bit more difficult to answer.

There are a few types of vision deficiency:
Long - sightedness (Hyperopia)
Short - sightedness (Myopia)
Astigmatism
and Presbyopia.

A few of these can combine to produce a complex prescription.

I will break them down simply:

Long-sightedness -

Hayfever seems to be more common now then in the past. The number of patients I see with hayfever related eye symptoms is increasing, and as it is not just an eye related I can only assume it is increasing in the population. The College of Optometrists have released the following infographic to help reduce the symptoms of hayfever.

New research, jointly funded by the College of Optometrists and Ulster University, has shown that myopia is more than twice as prevalent among children in the UK now than in the 1960s. 
The Northern Ireland Childhood Errors of Refraction (NICER) study, conducted by researchers at Ulster University and published in PLOS ONE, is the largest longitudinal research undertaken in the UK to examine changes in children’s vision and cycloplegic refractive error over time. The latest findings, using data gathered from more than 1,000 children over six years, provides vital information on how children’s eyes grow and change in the 21st century.

Of all the luxury fashion brands in the world, Chanel is perhaps the most famous. It is able to strike a powerful balance between the past and the present — something which eludes many luxury competitors — working with punky models like Alice Dellal or soon to be stars like Lily-Rose Depp while simultaneously maintaining a timeless, prim and proper image.

Chanel has an incredibly rich heritage, but somehow still feels very modern and contemporary. This is conveyed in its eyewear collections.

Pearl Collection
Coco Chanel loved pearls, she was famous quoted to say ''a women needs ropes and ropes of pearls.'' In this latest collection the Chanel pieces feature metal arms embellished with mother of pearl.

Essilor’s Crizal® Prevencia™ is the first preventive lens offering selective protection from harmful blue light and UV rays now available at Martin Reynolds Opticians.

• UV Light is not only a major risk factor for many skin diseases, but is also a risk factor for eye diseases, including cataract.
• Blue-Violet Light is harmful to retinal cells and is one of the risk factors for the onset of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

• AMD is a major cause of severe vision loss and legal blindness in adults over 60—having a family history can increase your chances of developing AMD.

It's true... at Martin Reynolds Opticians we have been using Crizal UV lenses for several years. This coating comes in a few different types but the key features are the same: -

Summer is just around the corner and if you haven't thought about sunglasses yet then its not too late to start thinking about the pair you will be rocking this year. The only thing is what style? Aviator, Wayfarer, D-frame, 60's, 70's are all now but to add something special add a bit of flash with a mirror finish to the lenses.

If you have a prescription and want to see to be seen then we can do this too! With Essilor's new e-mirror UV coatings you can look good and protect your eyes from harmful UV radiation.

Call us on 01279 757767 for more info or call into the practice and we will be happy to help.