Eye Care — Smith & Varley Opticians

Eye examinations don’t just let your optician know which is the right prescription for your glasses or contact lenses, they can help provide early detection of serious but treatable problems. One study found that almost 100,000 new cases of blindness per year would have been preventable or curable had they been detected and treated earlier *.

Many eye diseases, such as glaucoma and diabetic eye disease, have no symptoms in the early stages but can be easily detected during an eye examination. What’s more an eye examination can detect early signs and symptoms of serious medical conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and other health conditions.

* Reference: . Casser L, Carmiencke K, Goss DA Comprehensive Adult Eye and Vision Examination. Optometric Clinical Practice Guidelines. 2nd Ed American Optometric Association St. Louis, Missouri

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Eye Care

More about Eye Care

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a condition caused by too much pressure inside the eye. Because there is no pain and the condition worsens very slowly you probably won’t realise that you have glaucoma until it is well developed. Glaucoma can cause tunnel vision and, ultimately, blindness if left untreated. Glaucoma mainly affects people over the age of 40. You are also more at risk if you have a close relative with glaucoma, if you are of Afro-Caribbean origin or if you suffer from diabetes. Glaucoma can be detected in its very early stages and can usually be treated by special eye drops although sometimes laser surgery may be required. Caught early, glaucoma will not normally stop you from enjoying good eyesight. More Information.

Diabetes

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common causes of blindness in the UK. Retinopathy means damage to the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that nourish the retina, the tissues in the back of the eye that deal with light. More Information.

Cataract

A cataract is not a disease but simply the clouding over of the lens inside your eye. This is mainly the result of the ageing process, with cataracts affecting over half of the population over 65. Cataracts usually develop slowly and are completely painless. A simple operation under local anaesthetic will normally solve the problem before it gets too bad. In the operation the cloudy lens is removed and a new clear plastic lens is put in to replace it. More Information.

Macula Degeneration

The macula is the very central part of the retina which is used to see things in detail. Sometimes the macula stops working properly and this usually occurs as you get older. There are two types of Macula Degeneration, wet and dry. It is important to assess which type is present as there is treatment available for the wet type, if it is detected early. Our routine examination includes this assessment. However the vast majority of cases are of the dry type for which there is currently no treatment. More Information.

What is OCT?

OCT stands for Optical Coherence Tomography and is a laser based scan that allows us to see beneath the surface of the retina, so that we can assess retinal health in greater detail. The scan produces a 3D image of the retina, at the back of the eye, and the different layers within it.

Here at Smith & Varley we can perform an OCT scan as part of every eye test. We keep the images on your record so we can track any changes that occur when you visit us again. This means that it can help our Optometrists detect any underlying eye health conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration much earlier than we would have been able to previously.

How does an OCT scan work?

The OCT scan uses light waves to build an image of the eye, similar to the way that an ultrasound scan uses sound waves. It is completely painless and will only take a few moments, so you don't need to worry, and the results are available to our Optometrist straight away.

Who needs an OCT?

Even if your vision and eye health seem perfectly fine, an OCT scan is always beneficial. We recommend taking an OCT if you are aged 25 or older. It will help keep track of your health and safeguard it.

An OCT allows Opticians to identify eye conditions including Glaucoma, Diabetic retinopathy and Age-related macular degeneration and other retinal abnormalities.

Screen Fatigue

Spending long periods staring at a computer screen may lead to a condition known as ‘Screen Fatigue’ causing sore itchy, irritated eyes or temporary blurring of your vision. Some people may experience headaches. These symptoms do not normally lead to permanent damage to your sight but can be uncomfortable and affect your work. Should symptons persist please make an appointment for a check up. Some simple steps can help to prevent or reduce 'Screen Fatigue'.

Take frequent breaks
Give your eyes a rest every 20 minutes or so with frequent breaks.
Exercise your eyes frequently by looking far away, mid and close distance.
Keep blinking as when you concentrate on the screen for long periods your blink rate slows.

Customise your screen settings
Locate your monitor 35cm – 70cm from your eyes.
The centre of your screen should be 10cm – 15cm below your natural eye level.
Adjust the font for size and clarity.
Keep your screen clean.

Create an eye-friendly environment
Place documents at roughly the same distance from your eyes as the screen to avoid re-focusing.
Minimise too much glare and bright lights.
Avoid reflections in your computer screen.

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