Beware of Online Eye Exams

Beware of online “eye exams.” This TV station put one to the test, and unsurprisingly, it failed.
Online sight tests are NOT a replacement for a comprehensive eye health examination! Even on their website, it says, “Because our services are not a replacement for an eye health examination, we encourage everyone to obtain a comprehensive eye health exam at least once every 2 years.”
So you pay an extra $40 for just your glasses prescription, which you would get included as part of your regular eye examination, which you need to have done anyways. Also, you have to wait a day for them to email your prescription… which they might not be able to provide you with after all (see video)! At least they refunded her money. Furthermore, contact lenses are a medical device, and cannot be properly prescribed without assessing how they look ON your eyes and whether they are moving correctly.

This doesn’t save you time or money, because you end up paying extra money for a service that is included in an eye exam, and you have to wait a day to get your results…. Sounds like a terrible deal!

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Early detection and treatment of glaucoma

Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide and as many as 4.5 million people are blind because of it. This number will rise to 11.2 million by 2020.

“It’s one of those things that is very advanced by the time people have symptoms. That’s why it’s really important to have an eye exam with a doctor of optometry to ensure it’s being monitored or that it’s caught early and treated so you don’t have vision loss.” – Dr. Maggie Gibb

Click here to read more

Damage from glaucoma starts gradually and subtly, so that by the time you notice any changes in your vision, it is already advanced. The damage is mostly irreversible once it has occurred, so it’s important to detect it early and start treatment early to slow down progression.

If you are…
– over the age of 40
– have a family member with glaucoma
– are of African, Hispanic, or Asian heritage
– have high eye pressure
– have had an eye injury
– have corneas that are thin; or
– have diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure, poor circulation, or other health problems affecting the whole body
…then you are more at risk of developing glaucoma. Come in for a comprehensive eye exam, and talk to Dr. Lee about your risk of getting glaucoma. She will let you know how often you need to come in for follow up exams.

Early detection and treatment can protect your vision. If you haven’t had an complete eye exam in the last 1-2 years, you need to schedule a complete eye disease assessment, even if you don’t need glasses or have any symptoms.

Call (905) 666-4848 to schedule an eye appointment today!

 

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Beware Buying Online Glasses

If you have thought about purchasing your next pair of prescription eyeglasses online, there are a few things you need to know. It’s a custom-made product and very different from ordering any other item online.
Would you order a custom suit or dress with just your height measurement or with only your waist size? Your prescription is only one piece of information that will determine how well you see with your new eyewear. An optometrist is trained in the proper fitting, measuring, manufacturing, and dispensing of eyewear. Click below to see more of what goes into making a pair of glasses
Common complaints regarding improperly ordered or fit eyewear can include headaches, fatigue, an “eye pulling” sensation, nausea, and pain or pressure marks on your nose or around your ears.
A recent study conducted by the American Optometric Association (AOA), the Optical Laboratories
Association and The Vision Council, discovered an alarming rate of nearly half the eyeglasses ordered from online vendors (44.8%) had incorrect prescriptions or safety issues (eg. failing to meet impact resistance standards).

Don’t be a Fool in April (or any other month!)…. BUYER BEWARE!

https://opto.ca/health-library/buying-glasses-online

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Handwriting for better learning and memory

It’s not just what we write that matters, but how. Children read more quickly when they first learn to write by hand, and they are also better able to better generate ideas and retain information.

Printing, cursive writing, and typing on a keyboard were compared in a study of children in grades 2-5. When the children wrote text by hand, they consistently produced more words more quickly, and also expressed more ideas, when compared with the children who wrote on a keyboard. The children with better handwriting showed greater neural activation in areas associated with working memory when they were asked to think of ideas for a composition, as well as a greater overall activation in reading and writing networks.

Physically forming letters when writing is important for learning and memory!

Click here to read more in the NY Times

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