Sunglasses Night in Whitby!

Post author:DrLee
Post published:May 20, 2015
Post category:fun health
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UV protection for your eyes is very important! especially for kids, who are more susceptible than adults to the harmful effects of UV

We’re having our annual Sunglass Night at Whitby Vision Care tomorrow May 21st from 5-7 pm, featuring Kaenon, Nike, Kate Spade, Hugo Boss, Guess, SPY, and more! Come check out some new styles and enter for a chance to win great prizes including Blue Jays tickets! With every purchase, you will also be entered into a raffle for $100 off your next purchase. Now is the perfect time to get your new shades for the summer!

See you tomorrow night!

Click here for more information about the event!

Eye Allergies – How To Get Relief From Itchy Eyes

Post author:DrLee
Post published:May 11, 2015
Post category:health
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Allergy season is coming! In addition to the common sneezing, runny nose, and nasal congestion, many of us also experience watery, itchy, irritated, red, and swollen eyes.

Allergies are caused by normally harmless substances which are seen as a threat to the body, and cause a reaction in the immune system that makes the eyes red and watery. The most common airborne allergens are pollen, dust, mold, and pet dander. Allergies can also be triggered by preservatives in eye drops or certain components in other cosmetics.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you can take some preventative measures such as staying indoors when the pollen count is high, and using an allergen filter with your air conditioner. Wear wraparound sunglasses to shield your eyes from pollen in the air, and drive with your windows closed. More tips for allergy relief here

The release of histamine is part of the normal allergic response. Antihistamines reduce allergic reactions by blocking the effects of histamine. Oral antihistamines are useful for overall allergy symptoms like sneezing, sniffing, and congestion, but topical antihistamine eye drops will target the eye allergy and have fewer side effects like sleepiness, dry mouth, and dry eyes. If your symptoms are mild, over-the-counter allergy eye drops containing antihistamines may be enough to provide relief. There are also combination drops containing antihistamines, as well as mast cell stabilizers which prevent the reaction from starting (rather than trying to block it after it starts). Ask Dr. Lee to recommend a treatment that best suits your needs.

Contact lens wearers may suffer extra discomfort, because the lenses can attract and accumulate allergens and debris. If you don’t want to wear glasses throughout allergy season, talk to Dr. Lee about switching to daily disposables that you discard after one day to avoid build-up on your lenses.

Allergies are very uncomfortable and can last for months. Don’t suffer! Call to make an appointment at the first sign of allergies – getting an early start results in faster relief.

For temporary relief before your appointment, use a cold compress over the eyes for 10-15 minutes, and a few drops of artificial tears or sterile saline solution in each eye to help flush out allergens. Putting the drops in the fridge before instilling them provides additional relief.

How Vision Problems Can Affect Behaviour And Attention

Post author:DrLee
Post published:May 5, 2015
Post category:kids vision therapy
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An under-diagnosed eye problem could be the cause of your child’s temper tantrums and difficulty concentrating in class.
Psychologist and mother-of-two, Kim Knull says a vision problem left her normally happy and easy-going daughter exhausted and prone to temper tantrums.
This can be a major problem in the classroom where up to 80 per cent of learning is visual, said Yeung, and lead to eye fatigue which can send a child looking for distraction. As a result, the condition is sometimes mistaken for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
“Part of my feeling terrible as a parent is that I had no idea how much this was impacting her until it started to get better,” said Knull of watching her own daughter’s recovery. “I couldn’t believe the transformation.” Since beginning vision training, Knull says her daughter’s reading fluency and compliance have both improved, as has her mood. (from the article)

Click Here to read Kim’s story of her daughter’s temper tantrums which she thought were due to a learning or behaviour problem, but turned out to be the result of her eyes not working well together. The vision problem was treated successfully with vision therapy and her behaviour and reading improved!

Children should have an eye exam every year — even if they don’t appear to have any vision problems. Parents should also be on the lookout for red eyes, frequent headaches, rubbing eyes after looking at something closely, or closing one eye to read. CLICK HERE for a list of more red flags for a vision problem

Vision Therapy In The News!

Post author:DrLee
Post published:April 21, 2015
Post category:vision therapy
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Vision problems are not as simple as just being near- or far-sighted!

If your child is experiencing numerous vision problems, including double vision, reversals and skipping words when reading, a comprehensive eye exam and Visual Skills Assessment should be done to get to the root of the problem

Click here to read the article – “Vision therapy helps with learning disabilities, sports vision and traumatic brain injuries”

Her Headaches Were A Vision Problem

Post author:DrLee
Post published:April 10, 2015
Post category:kids vision therapy
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It’s been a busy month, and we added a Vision Therapy graduate to our Hall of Fame!

Before L started vision therapy, she used to suffer from headaches and blurred, double vision every day after school. When reading, she lost her place often and would feel sleepy after a short time. L’s mother noticed her left eye turning out daily at the dinner table. These problems started several years ago, so they went to see an ophthalmologist, who determined that no glasses were needed and gave them some home exercises to do, which did not help. The headaches only got worse.

Luckily, she went to see a new optometrist this year, who referred her for a Visual Skills Assessment with Dr. Lee. They learned that L was suffering from Intermittent Exotropia, which means one eye was drifting out, and therefore the eyes were not looking at the same point in space. This makes the words move around on the page, and split into two. It’s no wonder L was getting headaches every day!

After 5 months of hard work in the vision therapy program, L’s eyes are now straight. Her mother reports that the left eye rarely turns now, and L no longer gets headaches after school! She is now able to read for longer periods of time without headaches and double vision.

Congratulations L! Your hard work has paid off!