Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness in Canada. Glaucoma is a group of diseases which cause degeneration to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is the power cord which connects the eye to the brain. Glaucoma affects about 2% of the population and is expected to affect much more people by 2030. There is no cure for glaucoma - yet. If we diagnose someone with glaucoma, eye drops and/or surgery is often prescribed to lower the eye pressure and prevent

I get this question more and more these days. Canada is now one of the few countries in the world to legalize recreational Cannabis. Many people have heard or seen reference to Cannabis being good for your eyes and help treat glaucoma. Let's take a look into this a bit more. Cannabis has been promoted to have many health benefits and it is thought that cannabis can treat glaucoma by lowering intraocular eye pressure (IOP). Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve and is t

According to the MS society of Canada, Canada has one of the highest rates of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in the World. MS is an autoimmune disease that attacks the the protective covering of the nerves found in the brain and spinal cord. MS can have many unpredictable symptoms and this includes changes to your vision. Optic Neuritis: Optic neuritis is the inflammation of the optic nerve (aka power cord to your eye) and in 20% of people with MS, optic neuritis is the initial s

Summertime brings long days with lots of sun so many people wear sunglasses more during the summer months. Here are some important things to look for when purchasing sunglasses. 1- Purchase sunglasses with 100% UV protection: UV damage from the Sun can cause problems inside the eye such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Small growths (age spots) on the front of the eye are also associated with increased UV exposure. Wearing sunglasses with 100% UV protection helps keep

Now that the weather is cooperating we can enjoy the great outdoors and watch as the trees, grass and flowers come back to life. As the plants and trees begin to grow many people suffer from seasonal allergies. Common signs of seasonal allergies are sneezing, itching, nasal congestion, coughing and of course itchy and irritated eyes. Oral antihistamines (Claritin, Reactine, Benadryl) can help treat many of the symptoms of seasonal allergies. When it comes to treating itchy

Colour Vision deficiency (CVD) aka colour blindness affects about seven to eight percent of the population. The majority of colour vision deficiency affects males with less than 1% affecting females. Here are some facts on colour vision. 1- Most people with CVD still see colour- they just have a hard time seeing certain colours. Usually red / green are the colours that are difficult for people with CVD to see. 2- Colour Vision is inherited- It is inherited on our X chromo

The human eye is like a giant magnifying glasses. It has a power of about +60 diopters. If the eye has too much curvature or to little curvature for its size that is when someone will need glasses. Here is a breakdown of Myopia, Hyperopia and Astigmatism and what they mean. Myopia: Aka nearsighted. Means you are able to see up close and need glasses to see far. People who are nearsighted have prescriptions with a negative sign in front of them. Essentially their eye has

Laser Vision Correction, commonly referred to as LASIK has been around for quite some time. LASIK was first done in early 1990s. Since then it has become a popular option for people who are looking for the freedom of glasses and contacts. Are you a Candidate? Not everyone is a candidate for laser vision correction. Before you get surgery it is important to make sure you have good ocular health and you are a good candidate for surgery. Laser vision correction involves cha

These three eye care providers play key role in your vision and eyecare. An optician is the person who helps you pick out glasses and works with you to select the best frames and lens designs for your vision needs.   When it comes to frames and lenses there are hundreds if not thousands of different options for you.  Opticians go through extensive training to learn all these options and stay up to date with the latest technology and advancements. An ophthalmologist is a medic

According to the Canadian Association of Optometrists, Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in Canada.  Glaucoma refers to the breakdown of the optic nerve (aka the power cord to the eye).   The exact cause of glaucoma is unknown but it is associated with increased pressure in the eye however, glaucoma can even occur in people with normal eye pressure. Glaucoma causes IRREVERSIBLE vision loss (which can lead to blindness) and usually has no signs or symptoms associated

Hard to believe 2017 is almost over. The winter months bring short days for us.  Living and working in rural Alberta we spend many hours driving to work, to hockey, school, dance, doctors appointments, and Christmas shopping.  In the winter much of this is done in the dark and many people have a very hard time with this.  There are three main things that can play a role in our nighttime vision. Uncorrected refractive error: people with small amounts of astigmatism will notice

November was Diabetes awareness month.  Diabetes can have a major impact on your body and especially your vision.  In fact, Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in Canadians under 50 years old. Diabetes affects the tiny blood vessels in your eye.  With uncontrolled blood sugar the tiny blood vessels located in the retina (back of eye) get weak and they leak blood (diabetic retinopathy).   The leaking of blood vessels can cause major problems and lead to scarring in the

Injuries in the workplace are fairly common. According to the CNIB 700 workers sustain eye injuries EVERY day in Canada. The estimated cost of this is about $80,000 in lost production per day in Canada. 90% of the eye injuries are preventable! Eye injuries can range from corneal abrasions (cuts to the eye), foreign objects in the eye, welding flash and even chemical burns to the eye. Safety glasses are required on most work sites today and help to prevent eye injuries.

Macular degeneration affects 1 in every 6 people over the age of 80. It is the leading cause of vision loss in Canada and the incidence is expected to double in the next 20 years. It is the breakdown of retina tissue in the center part of the retina (macula). In many cases what happens is, our eyes get older they lose their ability to get rid of waste product and the waste product collects in the back of the eye which is called drusen. There are 2 common types of macular de

Good nutrition is important for overall health and wellness, and plays a key role in maintaining healthy vision. Mom always said eat your Carrots. Carrots have always been associated with improved vision and eyesight as they contain beta carotene. Beta carotene is converted by the body and used by our eyes to see light, but there are other nutrients which are just as important to our eye health. Lutein is a key antioxidant found in high levels in the eye. Research indicate

Cataracts are the clouding of the normally clear lens inside our eye. Cataracts commonly affect people as they get older but cataracts can even be seen in infants. Cataracts usually form very slowly with symptoms such as blurry vision, glare and halos. When the cataracts become more advanced cataract surgery can be done. The average age for cataract surgery is about 74 years old and the surgery is usually very effective and successful. We work closely with the surgeon to