Professionals for Quality Eye Care in Greater Sudbury

Astigmatism is not a disease but a common vision condition that causes blurred vision. Most people have some degree of astigmatism. Astigmatism occurs when the front surface of the eye (the cornea) or the lens inside the eye is more oval or cylindrical than round. Click for More Info

Presbyopia is a normal aging change in which the crystalline lens of your eye loses its elasticity and flexibility. This results in an inability to focus on close objects. Presbyopia usually becomes apparent to people in their early to mid-forties, initially resulting in difficulty seeing very fine print up close or in poor lighting. To compensate for presbyopia, Doctors of Optometry prescribe reading glasses, bifocals, trifocals, progressives or contact lenses. Click for More Info

Dry eye occurs when your eyes do not produce enough tears or produce tears that do not have the proper chemical composition. The common signs and symptoms of dry eye include stinging, gritty, scratchy and uncomfortable eyes, fluctuating vision, and sometimes having a burning feeling or a feeling of something foreign within the eye. Dry eye is usually chronic and cannot be cured, but your comfort can be improved and eye health maintained through use of artificial tears. For more severe dry eye, gels and ointments can be used, especially at bedtime. Your Doctor of Optometry is the best source to advise on the best drops for you. Click for More Info

Cataracts are the result of the normally clear lens in your eye becoming cloudy. They can vary from extremely small areas of cloudiness to large opaque areas that cause a noticeable reduction in vision. Cataracts happen to almost everyone as they age, and are most often found in those over 60. When the cataracts start to interfere with your daily activities and glasses cannot improve this vision, your optometrist will refer you to an ophthalmologist (eye surgeon) who may recommend the surgical removal of the cataracts. During cataract surgery, the old cloudy lens is removed and an intraocular lens implant is inserted in your eye that serves as a new lens. Sometimes the lens implant can give you good enough distance vision that you may not need glasses. However, your near vision will still be blurred, so you will likely still require glasses to read. Your optometrist will prescribe new lenses for your glasses about four weeks after surgery to maximize your distance and near vision. Click for More Info

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases which lead to progressive degeneration of the optic nerve. This in turn can lead to loss of nerve tissue that results in gradual irreversible vision loss and potential blindness if not detected and treated early. Glaucoma is generally associated with increased fluid pressure in the eye, however, damage can also occur when eye pressure is normal. A comprehensive eye examination is often the only way to detect glaucoma. Your doctor of optometry will perform a simple and painless procedure called tonometry during your routine eye exam, which measures the internal pressure of your eye. Your optometrist will also look into your eye to observe the health of the optic nerve and retina. Click for More Info

The macula is the central most part of the retina, the inner layer at the back of the eye responsible for detailed central vision. It is used for reading, driving and recognizing people’s faces. Macular degeneration is a condition that causes the center of your vision to blur while the side or peripheral vision remains unaffected. It is generally related to the aging process, and is also commonly referred to as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In the earliest stages,macular degeneration is entirely symptom free but can be detected during routine eye health examinations. Early diagnosis and treatment can limit vision loss. Click for More Info

Blepharitis Is a common condition that causes inflammation of the eyelids. It is a chronic external eye disorder resulting in red, burning, and irritated eyes. The cause of blepharitis is the inflammation of the oil glands that are located behind the eyelashes. These oil glands are responsible for producing the outermost layer of tears. With blepharitis, the oils from these glands do not flow freely and the gland openings become plugged. Since blepharitis is a chronic condition, there is no cure. While over-the-counter treatments for blepharitis are available, it is advisable you consult your Doctor of Optometry if you experience these symptoms to diagnose the condition. Click for More Info

A small area of redness and pain or a bump on the margin of your eyelid may indicate that you have a stye, known in medical terms as an external hordeolum. A stye is a blocked gland at the edge of the lid that has become infected. Click for More Info

The retina is a thin layer of tissue that lines the inner posterior portion of the eye. It consists of fine cells called photoreceptors, or rods and cones. These cells transmit light from the eye to the brain where it is perceived as vision. During a retinal detachment, the retina partially or completely peels away from the back of the eye. Once it is detached, the retina stops working and light signals cannot get back to the brain to be processed. To the patient, some degree of vision loss occurs. Depending on the severity of the detachment, vision loss can be severe and permanent. Symptoms of retinal detachment usually consist of seeing flashing lights or floating spots in the vision, or an overall decrease in vision. Patients sometimes describe the decrease in vision as a “curtain” or veil coming down into their field of vision. If a Doctor of Optometry detects a retinal detachment during their examination, they will refer the patient to an ophthalmologist. Treating a retinal detachment involves surgery. The longer a patient waits to have a retinal detachment repaired, the lower the success rate of the surgery. Click for More Info

Over time diabetes can cause changes in the retina. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when there is a weakening or swelling of the tiny blood vessels that feed the retina of your eye, resulting in blood leakage, the growth of new blood vessels and other changes. When retinopathy advances, the decreased circulation of the blood vessels deprives areas of the retina of oxygen. Blood vessels become blocked or closed, and parts of the retina die. New, abnormal, blood vessels grow to replace the old ones. If diabetic retinopathy is left untreated, blindness can result. In a routine eye examination, your optometrist can diagnose potential vision threatening changes in your eye that may be treated to prevent blindness. However, once damage has occurred, the effects are usually permanent. It is important to control your diabetes as much as possible to minimize your risk of developing retinopathy. Click for More Info

High blood pressure can cause secondary damage to the blood vessels of the retina. Maintaining a healthy weight by exercising and eating well greatly reduces the risk of diabetes and hypertension. It is also important to go for yearly comprehensive eye exams to monitor any changes. Click for More Info

Conjunctivitis – commonly known as Pink Eye – is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin, transparent layer that covers the inner eyelid and the white portion at the front of the eye (the sclera). An irritation will cause the blood vessels contained in the conjunctiva to dilate, which is what causes red or bloodshot eyes. It is important to note that some forms of conjunctivitis may develop into a more serious problem if not diagnosed and treated properly. Having a pink or red eye can be the symptom of many eye problems beyond conjunctivitis - some of which can damage your vision if not treated appropriately. If you or your child experiences this change of colour to the whites of their eyes (or pain, light sensitivity), see a Doctor of Optometry right away! Click for More Info

Keratoconus is a progressive disease affecting the front window of the eye and the cornea. It results in poor vision that cannot be corrected fully with glasses. Keratoconus usually begins in the late teenage years. However, it can start in the 20s or early 30s. Keratoconus causes the cornea at the front of the eye to become thin and bow outwards. Glasses and/or soft contact lenses may be used to successfully correct mild keratoconus. More moderate keratoconus is best corrected with rigid gas permeable contact lenses, which provide a smooth tear layer in front of the cornea, making clear vision possible. Click for More Info

Colour deficiency occurs when your ability to distinguish colours and shades is different than normal. The term “colour blind” is often used, but usually incorrectly. Only a very small number of people are completely unable to identify any colours, a condition called achromatopsia. Colour deficiency is usually an inherited condition, passed from mother to son, but it can also result from certain diseases, trauma or as a side effect of certain medications. There are three types of colour deficiency: two different kinds of red-green deficiency and one called blue-yellow deficiency. The red-green deficiencies are by far the most common and are usually inherited, resulting in the inability to distinguish between certain shades of reds, browns, pinks and oranges, or greens and blues. Blue-yellow deficiency is very rare and is usually acquired secondary to damage to the optic nerve and results in the inability to distinguish between certain shades of blue, as well as shades of yellow. Click for More Info

A crossed eye or out-turned eye is referred to clinically as strabismus. It is a muscle condition in which your eyes are not properly aligned with each other, resulting in double vision or the suppression of the image from the affected eye. For a variety of reasons, one or both of your eyes may turn in, out, up or down. Children under age six are most affected by strabismus, but it usually first appears between birth and age 21 months. Children with strabismus may initially have double vision. This occurs because both eyes are not focusing on the same object. In an attempt to avoid double vision, the brain will eventually disregard the image from one eye. This is referred to as suppression. In time, the ignored eye will become unable to function normally and will become largely unused. This may result in the development of lazy eye (amblyopia). Click for More Info

A drooping eyelid is called ptosis or blepharoptosis. In severe cases of ptosis, the drooping eyelid can cover part or all of the pupil. Click for More Info

Nearsightedness, or myopia, as it is medically termed, is a visual condition in which near objects are seen clearly, but distant objects do not come into proper focus. A recent study looked at the time children spent in outdoor activities in relation to myopia prevention and control. This study revealed that an increase in time spent outdoors was found to have a protective effect for the onset of myopia (helps to prevent myopia in children) but does not slow down the progression of myopia (children who may already have myopia). The study showed that an increase in around 76 minutes per day is needed to obtain a 50% reduction in myopia in children. Click for More Info

Amblyopia is described as weak vision or vision loss in one eye as a result of an uncorrected prescription during the early stages of development. It is important to treat amblyopia early – with vision therapy, eyeglasses, contact lenses, or patching – as treatment becomes very difficult later on. Untreated amblyopia can lead to blindness in the affected eye. It is estimated that two to four per cent of children under the age of six have amblyopia. A comprehensive optometric examination can determine the presence of amblyopia. The earlier it is diagnosed, the greater the chance for a complete recovery. Click for More Info