Early detection and treatment of glaucoma

Post author:DrLee
Post published:April 5, 2016
Post category:health
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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

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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!

How Diabetes Can Affect Your Eyes

Post author:DrLee
Post published:November 17, 2015
Post category:health
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An estimated 3.4 million Canadians are living with diabetes, and the number has doubled in the last 12 years. Diabetes causes increasing and fluctuating levels of sugar in your blood, which causes damages to your organs. People with diabetes are 3x more likely to be hospitalized with heart disease, and 12x more likely to be hospitalized with kidney disease, and they account for 70% of non-traumatic lower limb amputations. Diabetes can also affect your eyes, and potentially cause serious vision loss.

Diabetic Retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in Canadians under the age of 65. It occurs when there is weakening or swelling of the tiny blood vessels in the eye, resulting in fluid leakage and bleeding. If left untreated, it can lead to blindness.
Here’s a photo of a healthy retina (left) and a retina with diabetic retinopathy (right)

Did you know diabetes can be first detected through an eye exam? There may be no symptoms in the early stages, so a person like this might still be able to see 20/20 on the eye chart and not notice any visual changes. If you wait until your vision becomes blurry, the retinopathy may have already worsened, and once damage has occurred, the effects can be permanent. That’s why early detection and treatment is critical, so that you can take action to prevent/delay complications and potential vision loss. Risk factors of developing diabetic retinopathy include smoking, high blood pressure, drinking alcohol and pregnancy.

If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, come see Dr. Lee for a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once per year (or more frequently if recommended) to minimize your risk of developing serious retinopathy.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month and we encourage everyone – whether you have the disease or not – to visit Dr. Lee for a comprehensive eye exam. Regular visits are essential to monitor changes in your eyes and either detect diabetes or prevent further complications in your vision as well as your overall health.

If you haven’t been diagnosed, KNOW YOUR RISK of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
If you are over the age of 40, the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) recommends that you get tested for type 2 diabetes every three years, and more frequently if you have any of these risk factors:

A parent or sibling with diabetes
Are a member of an ethnic group at high risk for type 2 diabetes (African, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian and Aboriginal)
Are overweight
Have high blood pressure or high cholesterol
Have been diagnosed with prediabetes
Have polycystic ovary syndrome

Visit take2minutes.ca to take the test and know your risk so that you can take action to stay healthy!

Learn more about how to prevent type 2 diabetes, and diabetes-related complications at the The Globe and Mail’s Diabetes Awareness Month Feature

Resources:
1. More information from the Canadian Diabetes Association
2. National Eye Institute Facts About Diabetic Eye Disease

Cosmetic Contacts Can Damage Your Eyes

Post author:DrLee
Post published:October 29, 2015
Post category:health
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Happy Halloween!
This year, STAY AWAY from costume contact lenses! Even wearing them for a short period of can cause permanent damage to your eyes. This young girl was only wearing the lenses for 4 hours, but the lenses scratched her cornea and caused vision loss. It only takes one bad episode to cause permanent damage.

The risk is much higher with costume lenses purchased over-the-counter or online, because these manufacturers use unknown materials, and the solution may have contaminants which can damage your eyes. Contact lenses are NOT one-size-fits-all, and must be properly fitted by an optometrist. They are medical devices, which means they are subject to specific safety requirements, which your optometrist follows (and the local dollar store/costume store may not).
If you want to try coloured lenses, talk to Dr. Lee about your options – there are many SAFE coloured lenses out there too!

Children’s Vision Month

Post author:DrLee
Post published:October 7, 2015
Post category:health kids
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Did you know? Each year, less than 14% of children entering grade one has had an eye exam by a doctor of optometry. This is despite the fact that an estimated one in four has a vision problem significant enough to impair their ability to learn.

Read how this can affect a child’s learning in the Doctors of Optometry blog post all about Children’s Vision Month

Even if your child has “20/20 vision,” they still need to have an eye exam. The Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends infants have their first eye examination between six and nine months of age, at least one eye exam between the ages of two and five, and annually during the school years.

DOCTORS OF OPTOMETRY BLOG

Children’s Vision Month Contest

Post author:DrLee
Post published:October 6, 2015
Post category:fun kids
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It’s Children’s Vision Month! Enter for a chance to win weekly prizes, including a hybrid laptop and $300 in goods and services from a doctor of optometry. You could also win the grand prize valued at $5,000 – including $2,500 towards your child’s RESP, an HP Canada hybrid laptop and more! Enter at http://www.doccontest.com and help your child see their full potential.

Children’s Vision Month Sweepstakes