Do you sometimes feel that your arms are not long enough or that the light is too poor for reading or that print is getting smaller ? Are you now over 40 ? Your eyes are the window to your body and unfortunately like the rings which age a tree, the progressive deterioration in the ability of our lens to focus is directly related to our age.
It is a natural consequence of the aging process and impacts you even if you never had a eye sight problem before. We often hear of people who claim that they never required reading glasses, even though they were well past 50. They often had an undiagnosed prescription for short sightedness (They could not see perfectly in the distance).
While symptoms such as fatigue while using computers or doing close work, headaches, eyestrain, inability to read small print, can present suddenly, it generally has developed over a period of time.
The lens prescription you will require will be determined by a combination of computerised readings and Optometric skill and experience. However you should look on this as the beginning of taking better care of yourself. Your body needs more care at is ages to ensure you can enjoy life to the fullest. Your sight exam will include a wide range of checks for diseases which become more prevalent with age. After all looking through they eye is the only way to look inside the body without invasive techniques such as surgery. Care for your eyes and your health, your real wealth.
You have got to hand it to the French for style. Change your look in seconds by changing the sides of your frames. This range are for those who want more. If you want to match or theme your frame look, for your mood or the occasion, you got to checkout a new exclusive designer frames from Dilem. They have a wonderful website and the following video gives you a quick view of what its all about. My first patient to chose the Dilem frame, is my husband!!
He reports – his favourite frame ever – incredibly light, strong and comfortable.
It was recently brought to our attention by an eye specialist that the amount of Ultra Violet radiation emitted by many of the new green energy bulbs is equivalent to being out on a sunny day. Would you expose your eyes to that level of radiation with out UV protection on your sunglasses ?
UV light is widely regarded as one of the causes of cataracts. The invisible UV component of sunlight promotes free radical damage in the lens. The greater the light intensity the greater the UV radiation dosage and resulting damage.
The impact of radiation is cumulative over ones life and thus we see the formation of skin cancers many years after sun exposure.
Some vitamin supplements can help with the prevention of cataracts and macula degeneration, but in most cases cataracts gradually get worse and an operation is required to remove the damaged lens and the insertion of a synthetic lens. These synthetic lenses have improved enormously over the years and one has no longer to wear the bottle bottom lens types in order to have good vision. However the operation is a somewhat uncomfortable experienced for a few weeks during the post operative healing process for many patients.
The Health Protection Agency in the UK have been one of the first to identify the problem with the new bulbs. The industry Lighting group has commissioned further independent research into the claims and have welcomed the precautionary advice issued.
More recently the Australian Government Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency conducted test on a number of well known branded lights and found that of the brands they tested that the bulbs did not created hazardous conditions for most skin types. However they did not address the impact of build up of radiation and the impact on eyesight with regard to development of cataracts.
The most comprehensive literature I can find on this matter suggests that more research is needed to determine if these bulbs can have negative health impacts. Green Facts.org give a reasonably balanced picture on the current status.
In conclusion – if there is danger – why not take the precaution of ensuring that if you work with a compact fluorescent lamp at your desk, make sure its got a cover and that your eyes are protected from any potential UV harm and preferably that you use an encapsulated double envelope such as that on the right of the picture below.
Encapsulated double envelope bulb on the right. Single envelope on the left.
Our Nation may not have been as great as we thought we were, only a short while ago, but we still have much to be thankful for and to be proud of. Many people across the globe are far less fortunate than we are in Ireland. Our designated African charity which seeks to support those who have been much less fortunate by reason of their birth place, is Connect Ethiopia. Connect Ethiopia tries to deal solely with the cause of poverty rather than the consequences of poverty. That is why it is different. Connect Ethiopia understands that; when people trade with each other, each adds value in a way that creates more than the sum of their individual skills and contributions.
One of our contributions this year was a voucher for any frame and lenses in the practice. One very kind supporter of the charity donated €800 towards the our voucher and towards the cause. The lady in question is one of Ireland’s leading lawyers and is a true aficionado of taste and quality and sports what is probably the best wardrobe of eye wear you will ever see.
This is the frame she selected. So watch out and make sure she is on your team.
Luxottica are the largest suppliers of frames in the world. They have most of the big names as part of their brand portfolio, including such designers as Chanel, Bvlgari, Burberry, RayBan, Dolce & Gabanna, and Vogue. We have been one of the first Elite Suppliers for the most exclusive frames not generally available elsewhere.
We are also one of a handful of stockists of Chanel frames and sunglasses. Chanel are the epitome of fashion and style with the top quality manufacture that one would expect from one of the world’s leading fasion houses.
When you buy a pair of Chanel frames – you deservedly expect more. We operate a two year money back guarantee on Chanel sunglasses. Not everyone does …
See what the Irish Times Price Watch has to say about a customer who had purchased Chanel elsewhere in Dublin.
The recent case in which an optometrist saved a mother of three’s life is living proof of the value in having your eyes examined regularly by a qualified Irish optician. Well done to Mr Morrin who carried out his professional duty as a qualified optometrist. Mr Morrin is a registered Optometrist by the Association of Optometrists and by the Opticians board in Ireland, as are most practicing opticians in Ireland.
Opticians are not all the same. Not every person called an “Optician” is a qualified one. However all opticians in Ireland must, by law, employ qualified optometrists who are registered with the Opticians Board in Ireland if they are to professionally examine eyes and issue prescriptions for corrective lenses. If you want to check that your usual “Optician” is a qualified Irish Optometrist, you can check online. This site lists all the opticians in Ireland.
Its up to you to decide where you go, to ensure you get the best service.
The following questions may be helpful in deciding which Optometrist is best for you.
Will your optician give sufficient time (min 20-30 minutes) for a thorough eye examination?
Does the optician’s practice have the latest eye technology to give more accurate readings and record fundus photography ?
Does the optician have a mix of young and mature optometrist staff who combine experience and the latest clinical practices seen in the best opticians ?
Does the optician have sufficient throughput to ensure Optometrists are experienced and have experience with a variety of eye disorders?
