How to take care of your eyes

Good eyesight is vital to a full and happy life, imagine being without it, unable to see the face of a loved one, or a beautiful sunrise. So it makes sense that you want to keep your eyes in tip top condition, here at James Doyle, Opticians in Wilmslow, Cheshire we have complied this series of eye care tips, which we hope will help you keep your eyes in great shape.

Don’t take up smoking.

You probably already know that there are many serious dangers related to cigarette smoking. One of the less-known dangers is developing Age-related Macular Degeneration(AMD). Several scientific studies have shown that the patients who did smoke were much more likely to develop AMD than those who didn’t smoke. Just another reason not to start smoking or to quit today.

Are you already a smoker ?

If so, stop. Smoking increases the chance that you will have problems with your eyes, like cataracts and other degenerative eye conditions. It can be hard to quit, but never stop trying, the latest e-cigarettes have proved very effective for those who have tried and failed to quit in the past, so, even if you’ve failed before, you still have a good chance of being able to quit in the future.

Choosing the best eye Doctor

When selecting an eye care professional, do not skimp when it comes to doing your homework on each prospective doctor’s qualifications. Check their educational background, certifications and licenses to ensure that everything is as represented. Doing these things will help you feel confident when it comes to entrusting the health of your eyes to someone new.

Build healthy eyes from the inside

What you eat is very important to the health of your eyes. A diet that is rich in vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids is helpful in maintaining good eyesight. Many vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes and broccoli are rich in vitamin A. Fish and nuts can provide you with the omega-3 that you need.




Contact lens wearers

If you wear contacts, you must follow your eye doctor’s instruction carefully. If your eyes feel irritated when you put them in, it can mean that your contact lenses are damaged. Another reason could be that you are suffering from an eye problem that is just beginning to form. We would always recommend that you see your eyecare professional right away to prevent a more serious problem.

 


Stay hydrated

If you want your eyes to look and feel their best, drink lots of water. The more hydrated you are, the less you will suffer from dark circles. Hydrated skin doesn’t allow the blood vessels to show, ensuring that your raccoon eyes (dark circles) become a thing of the past.

Screen time

If you use a computer often, you should understand that it can impact your eye health. Try and build in 10 minutes in every hour when you come away from your screen.  If you feel your eyes becoming dry, blink more frequently and mention your screen usage to your Optician during your regular eye screening. You can also try to reduce the amount of glare on your monitor. You can also purchase an anti-glare computer screen. Keep the monitor at the same level as your eyes. Your eyes should look down the screen.


If you would like any further help with your eyes, please contact us on 01625 548848 to book an appointment, or visit our website.

Take great care of your eyes and they’ll last a lifetime!

Beating Blepharitis

You probably haven’t heard of Meibomian Gland Disfunction (MGD) but you are very likely to have suffered from it at some point in your life, particularly if you are over 40 !

It is also known as Blepharitis.

So what are Meibomian glands and what do they do ?

Meibomian glands are glands that are arranged vertically within the eyelid near the lashes.   They can become blocked, resulting in a “pimple” on the inner surface of the eyelid.

Meobiam is a fatty substance, which is spread across the surface of the eye with each blink.  Its main function is to prevent fluid in the eye from evaporating, so when these glands become blocked our eyes dry out leading to that gritty, scratchy feeling and a reddening of the eye.

To unblock these glands and thus restore the optimal balance of the fluids in the eye, a combination of treatments is used.

We provide detailed information  about how the treat this condition at our dry eye clinics at our Wilmslow Practice, as well as stocking a range of products to alleviate symptoms.

As the Meibom is a fat based substance, heat needs to be carefully applied to the eyelid using a specialist Eye Mask. This should be done in conjunction with the application of specific drops to maintain a healthy level of moisture in the eye whilst the Meibomian glands are not functioning optimally. 

It should also be noted that over the counter eye drops do not treat this condition effectively and can often make it worse in the long term.

For further information and advice please visit our Wilmslow Practice or our website at www.jamesdoyleopticians.co.uk/

A Sight for Sore Eyes

Do any of these painful eye conditions sound familiar to you?

• Grittiness
• Scratchiness
• Redness
• Excessive tear production
• Soreness or irritation
• Burning
• Tiredness
• Sensitivity to light
• Burning
• Changes in vision

These may be symptoms of an underlying condition called Dry Eye.

They can be varied both in nature and severity and can also vary between different environments and tasks.

Sometimes these symptoms only occur in warm, dry, air conditioned environments or when certain tasks such as reading, using a computer or driving have been undertaken to a significant degree, disappearing once the cause of the problem is removed.  However, sometimes these symptoms persist, even once the trigger has been removed.

Getting an accurate diagnosis can be difficult as many patients do not associate these symptoms with eye dryness.


The good news is that if these symptoms sound familiar, help is available.

Firstly the exact cause of the problem needs to be established.

There is more than one form of Dry Eye.

The eye may not be producing enough tears, or the quality of those tears being produced may be reduced, or a combination of both.

Factors that can affect your tears can include

• Diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and diabetes
• Hormonal Imbalances
• Skin conditions
• Medications
• Increasing age
• Eye and eyelid infections and inflammations

What should I do next ?

Arrange an appointment for a Dry Eye Assessment with you Optician.

Here at James Doyle Opticians, Wilmslow we offer a dedicated specialist evaluation of your Dry Eyes. Your

appointment will involve the following steps

• Taking down your health information and a medical history
• Details of your symptoms and occurrence
• Past treatments you have tried
• Your tear quantity and quality assessment
• Microscopic examination of the front of your eye
• Microscopic examination of your eye lids

At the end of this assessment a treatment plan will be drawn up and discussed with you.  You will be given full instruction on how to obtain the maximum benefit from the treatments being prescribed, which you can easily administer at home and finally a follow up appointment will be arranged to monitor the improvements in your condition.