Category: Eye Health

One of the questions that I most often get from parents during their child’s first eye exam is “what colour would you call my child’s eyes?”  As colour is a perception and unique to the perceiver, I usually diplomatically ask what the parent thinks first about their child’s eye colour.   The iris is the coloured…

Ask anyone who suffers from migraine headaches what they do when they're having an attack, and you're likely to hear "go into a dark room." And although it's long been known that light makes migraines worse, the reason why has been unclear.  Now scientists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) have identified a new…

A simple and inexpensive eye test could aid detection and diagnosis of major neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's at an earlier stage than is currently possible, according to new research by University College London scientists.  The research, led by Professors Francesca Cordeiro & Stephen Moss and published in Cell Death & Disease, demonstrates a new…

Great advances have been made in cataract surgery. It’s one of the safest, most successful procedures performed today. Cataract surgery involves removing a clouded natural lens from inside the eye and replacing it with a plastic one called an intraocular lens implant or IOL.  Traditionally, IOL implants were spherical (meaning the front surface is uniformly curved)…

Blind for nine years, Sharron "Kay" Thornton has just regained her sight through a first-in-the-U.S. surgical procedure at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine.  The procedure -- modified osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (MOOKP) -- implanted her eyetooth in her eye, as a base to hold a prosthetic lens.  “I'm looking forward…

Many parents are surprised to learn children do not have to be verbal or able to read to participate in a complete eye health examination.  Infants can, and should, have a full eye assessment by the age of 6 months. There are certain symptoms that should prompt an earlier examination and these include any concerns…

For many office workers, the fall season means more late nights at the office.  But an increased amount of time spent in front of the computer can lead to vision problems if attention isn’t paid to posture, position, lighting and other environmental considerations. The British Columbia Association of Optometrists urges office workers to take the…

Eye care experts generally agree: Watching television will not harm your eyes or vision if the TV room is lit properly and if you follow a few viewing tips. In fact, there is usually less strain involved in TV viewing than in doing close work such as sewing or reading. But TV watching for long…

Good vision is vital to reading well. And although vision may not be the only cause of reading difficulties, it is one that is sometimes overlooked.  Reading requires the integration of eight different vision skills. Only one is checked by the typical school eye chart test. Quick eye examinations may cover only one or two.…

Protecting the eyes of the future For most children, summer months mean long hours of play outside in the sunshine.  But a few months in the sun can lead to compromised eye health later on if proper UV protection isn’t part of children’s summer routines. The British Columbia Association of Optometrists urges parents to foster…