Eye care
Don’t be short-sighted.
Most people would agree that getting a regular eye test is important, but how many realise that a check up is vital not just for assessing your sight, but in flagging up a number of potentially serious health problems which may otherwise go undetected?
For example, diabetes affects almost 2 million people in the UK and it is estimated that 1 million more people have the condition but don’t even realise it. Often the first indication that someone is suffering with diabetes is a sight problem.
More often than not your optometrist is the first person to suspect diabetes in a person because they can see the changes it causes in the eye or sight. Once diagnosed your optometrist is able to work with your GP to monitor the progress of the disease and its effects. This will be done by examining in detail changes in the appearance of the retina at the back of the eye.
Figures from Brain Tumour UK indicate that an estimated 16,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumours in Britain each year – and as many as 30 per cent of these could be spotted with an routine eye test, often at an early, and life-saving stage.
High blood cholesterol, which leads to coronary heart disease, stroke and heart attack, can also be detected, as well as high blood pressure.
Complex neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, thyroid disease and even cancer can also be revealed during an eye test.
Have fun in the sun.
But make sure you are taking good care of your eyes. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun can damage the skin of your eyelid, the cornea, lens and other parts of the eye., and exposure also contributes to the development of certain types of cataracts.
Choose sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays – speak to your optician to find out more about the protection on offer.
Being an independent opticians, we can offer a fantastic range of sunglasses, including many designer frames, and our standard prescription eyeglasses can be treated to provide UV protection, without a tint.
Some contact lenses also offer UV protection — but as they don’t cover the whole eye, you still need to wear sunglasses outdoors.
Children’s eye tests
JBOptician’s actively promotes NHS eye exams for children – which are FREE for under 16s and full time students up to the age of 19 – and recommends regular eye exams during their learning years.
A recently commissioned report highlights that undetected problems can seriously damage a child’s eye health, affect their social and academic development, and can lead to permanent visual problems in later life.
Our fully qualified optometrists are trained and experienced in recognising many potentially damaging conditions, and can regularly advise on your child’s visual health and standard of vision during these particularly important years.
Where once, children dreaded being told they needed to wear glasses, today’s high fashion awareness and celebrity endorsements have made wearing specs and sunglasses highly desirable, and the choice of frames is vast.
Many children’s glasses come free of charge with an NHS spectacle voucher and children can choose from a wide variety of funky frames both in plastic and metal all of which come in an exciting array of colours, and are as practical as they are fashionable.
The vast majority of children’s glasses have features such as adjustable soft pads, comfort bridges for their small noses, spring hinges for added resilience, and to ensure your child’s safety in those rough and tumble moments we recommend plastic lenses which can be treated with scratch resistant coatings for greater durability.
Computer use
Do you spend a number of hours in front of a computer screen? Many of us do, whether for work, or in our leisure time, and an increasing number of people unwittingly experience Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) with symptoms including headaches and eyestrain.
For both young and old, special eyewear can be prescribed for computer work – speak to your optician for more information.