Types of Glaucoma
Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG).

• This is the most common form of Glaucoma and is most associated with those who are older.

 
Secondary Glaucoma.

• Secondary Glaucoma can occur as a side effect of certain medications or an eye injury.

Normal Tension Glaucoma

• Some patients may present eye pressure as being in the normal range but can still be diagnosed with Normal Tension Glaucoma.

Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma

• Commonly known as Closed Angle Glaucoma, this is where the eye pressure rises suddenly and can damage the Optic Nerve.

Congenital Glaucoma

• This is also known as childhood Glaucoma and is present from birth.

Who is at risk from Glaucoma?
Anyone can get Glaucoma and if detected early enough, damage from Glaucoma can be prevented
Age is a factor in diagnosing Glaucoma. It is most common in adults over the age of 70.
Research also shows that Ethnicity can  play a part in who may contract certain types of Glaucoma.
 
Spotting the signs of Glaucoma
Usually Glaucoma occurs slowly and unfortunately the symptoms aren’t always noticeable until some damage to the eyes has occurred.
Having said that, some symptoms are noticeable to patients for example someone may experience blurred vision or eye pain.
Other symptoms can include:

• Blurred or reduced vision
• When looking at bright lights, seeing rings around them
• Sudden, intense eye pain. (may also be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, headaches)
• Red eye

Getting a diagnosis
We always suggest going to see an Optician or Optometrist regularly for your routine appointments as Glaucoma is usually diagnosed following an eye test.
When having an eye test, your Optician/Optometrist may well suggest having an eye pressure test. This is where they examine the front part of the eye. During this test, they will see whether there’s any issues with fluid drainage.
During your eye test, you will also have a visual field test to see if there’s any loss of your peripheral vision
If the professional performing your eye test does suspect Glaucoma, then they will refer you to a specialist for further treatment and diagnosis.
Treatment for Glaucoma
The following treatments are available for treating Glaucoma
 

• Eye drops – The eye drops recommended to the patient will improve any fluid damage
• Laser eye treatment – This is a small procedure completed under local anaesthetic to help lower the patients eye pressure.
• Trabeculectomy. This is a surgical procedure. It’s not as commonly used and a specialist will create a new channel within the eye to help improve fluid drainage.

 

 Have you noticed that you can't focus on a book or magazine like you used to? maybe the words or images are looking a little blurry or out of focus and you need to hold your book out at arms length in order to read what's on the pages?
If that sounds familiar, then you may be showing symptoms of presbyopia.
Although it's a complicated sounding word, there's nothing to worry about as it's a natural part of ageing.
It occurs when the crystaline lens in your eyes becomes harder & this in turn means your ability to focus on near objects becomes harder for you. This usually happens in our 40's and is a gradual decline - even more reason for us to make regular appointments to see the optician! 

As mentioned earlier, it's important you visit your optician. A simple eye test will let you know if your prescription has changed and appointments usually only take 30 minutes or so.
It is also important that you have the right lighting for the tasks you are doing. We have a range of LED lamps and lighting that can help. 
Don't go for the easy option of buying glasses that can be bought without knowing your prescription. Although these are a cheap option, it's important that you get your eyes checked out to ensure you are wearing the right prescription.

We are only too aware of the damage the sun can do to our skin if we leave it unprotected. Sun burn and skin cancer are just some of the damaging effects from UV rays. However, have you ever thought about the damage UV can do to your eyes if not adequately protected?

The month of May is UV awareness month and with that in mind, here at Associated Optical, we wanted to talk about UV protection and how you can help keep your eyes healthy.

Protecting your eyes from the glare of the sun isn't important just to stop them watering or from you squinting to see, it can also help protect your eyes from long lasting future damage.
Sadly, a lot of people buy cheap sunglasses thinking that they will give us adequate protection. However, this isn't always the case. If sunglasses don't have adequate UV protection, they can trick the eye into thinking it's dark outside. Therefore, the pupil will dilate to allow more light into the eye and that can cause more UV to get into the eye than it normally would.

Even on cloudy days, we should wear adequate eye protection but you should be more aware of protecting your eyes from damage if you...

• Work outside (between 10-3 when the sun is at its strongest)
• Drive long distances without eye protection
• Have lighter coloured eyes
• Have a family history of eye issues (including cancers of the eye)
• Suffer from watery eyes which can cause you to strain your eyes
• Work with water, snow and sand without eye protection

Sadly, our eyes can easily get neglected. In order to maintain good eye health we recommend you:

• Maintain regular eye examinations - Unless you have a known history of eye issues, every 18 months to 2 years should be adequate. If you are over the age of 60, we recommend an eye test every 12 months.
• When outside, ensure you wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and wear a hat for added protection from above
• Ensure your sunglasses offer full protection from UV rays. Your sunglasses should block 99%-100% UV radiation.
• Don't forget little ones. Ensure they carry their sunglasses everywhere with them too and that their sunglasses offer full protection for their eyes.

Lets face it. Sometimes some of us can be a little guilty of neglecting our eyes when it comes to self care. We may even have picked up bad habits that we aren't even aware of. The reality is, that when it comes to eye care and our sight, we need to make sure we treat our eyes as a priority and that's why in this post, we're going to discuss the mistakes that you are making when it comes to your eyes. 

How many times have you forgotten your sunnies when nipping out to the shops? It's ok you tell yourself, it's not too bright.   Truth is that UV rays can cause our eyes damage that we won't notice until it's too late. UV rays can damage the macular (leading to issues such as macular degeneration), cause melanomas, cause cataracts and other vision problems.  If you regularly squint in the sunlight, this can cause damage to the sight in the long term. Even in Winter, it's important to ensure you are wearing adequate sun protection for your eyes. Look for sunglasses that offer full coverage for your eyes, sunglasses that block at least 99% of UVA rays.  Here at Associated Optical, we have a range of anti-glare and contrast enhancement glasses that offer protection for your eyes.
REMEMBER - Even on cloudy days, it's important to wear sunglasses!

It's so easy to neglect your eye tests. Some of us don't really remember to book our eye tests until we notice a problem (such as straining to read the writing on the tv) but it's really important to pop a reminder on your phone or in your diary.
Ideally we should have our eyes tested every 18 months (sooner if you have experienced previous issues with your sight). Eye tests don't take up too much time but they really are worth the money you may spend on them. In the UK, some patients will even be able to get their eye test for free or claim back a percentage of the cost from their employers (Please look into this to see if you are eligible) Opticians are highly trained and continue their professional development on a regular basis so you know you are in safe hands. If you are nervous, your optician will work with you to ensure that you are comfortable whilst having your eyes checked.
REMEMBER - After having your eye test, put a reminder in your phone or diary to set up another appointment for a date your optician recommends.

It can be easy to forget about taking your contact lenses out at night. Especially if you are tired. However, sleeping with your contact lenses in can increase risk of eye infections by between 5 & 10 times!
Make sure you wash your contacts in the correct solution and store them as recommended. Never use tap water to clean your contact lenses.

Whilst we're talking about contact lenses, another habit some people mention they do is showering with their contact lenses in. This can cause eye infections or in worse case scenarios - blindness. This is due to amoebas that can easily get onto your contact lenses and then transfer to your eye. 

If you do wear contact lenses, please ensure you change them regularly. If you are a wearer of daily contact lenses, then please replace them on a daily basis and likewise for different types of lens. 
You won't notice it on a day to day basis but your contact lens can easily harbour germs or dirt. Make sure you regularly clean them as recommended and replace them when recommended too.

It's so annoying when a stray eyelash falls into the eye causing pain and discomfort. We then rub our eyes to get rid of that eye lash. Whilst this won't necessarily cause any damage, if you are the type of person who regularly rubs their eyes, this can cause problems such as keratoconus. 
Keratoconus is a condition where your cornea becomes thin. This can affect your vision. Sometimes this can lead to surgery.

Again, germs and nasties can easily get onto our make up . When it comes to our eye shadows, eye liners, mascaras and brushes, we need to ensure we keep them clean and replace on a regular basis.
Make up brushes should be washed on a weekly basis to ensure they are kept clean. Replace your make up brushes every year. 
Mascara should be changed every 3 months, eye shadow every 2 years. However, if you have had an eye infection such as a stye, we would recommend you change your brushes and mascara/eye liner to prevent any cross contamination.

If you would like more information relating to Glaucoma, Please CLICK HERE to learn more from The McIndoe Centre  

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Unless you have experienced them first hand or have a loved one who has experienced cataracts, the likelihood is that you don't know too much about cataracts and what they are. Let alone the treatment available for them.
A cataract is clouding of the lens. Your vision can become blurred due to this cloudiness that the cataract causes at the back of your eye(s).

The three B’s is a simple philosophy for maximising the sight you have by enhancing what you are want to read making items appear bolder, bigger and brighter; with the correct training from a low vision professional , selecting the right products and making simple adjustments,  can make a big, bold difference to how independent you are.

Electronic magnifiers are one of many product solutions which allow you use the vision you have more effectively.  With the inbuilt features of a digital magnifier you can enlarge the size of text, enhance the contrast and increase clarity allowing you to see things clearly.

Fundamentally making the text you are reading appear bigger brighter and bolder.