CARING FOR YOUR EYES
Quality Eyecare Service
At Insight Optometrists, we combine highly skilled professionals with state-of-the-art optical technology. We take the time to assess your eye health and vision and will discuss with you the best alternatives to help you see clearly now and into the future.
As part of the commitment that we offer all our patients, we have introduced digital retinal imaging as part of a routine eye test for children. In adults it assists in more advanced retinal examinations. This is the latest in diagnostic equipment, producing a high quality digital image of the retina, which can be used to detect early signs of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Many eye conditions do not present obvious symptoms until irreparable damage has occurred. An eye test does not only test your vision, but more importantly it tests your eye health. Regular eye tests can help to detect many eye conditions in their early stages so treatment can begin.
We test for the following:
» Eye Examinations;
» Glaucoma;
» Cataracts;
» Age related macular examinations;
» Diabetic Retinopathy;
» Contact Lenses;
Refractive errors
The most common eye disorders are refractive errors, which mean that the image of the object a person is looking at is not focussed properly onto the retina (the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye).
For perfectly clear vision, the image of a viewed object needs to be focussed onto the retina, just as a camera has to be focussed properly in order to take a clear picture.
If the image is not focussed exactly on the retina, then the image will be blurred, just like an out-of-focus photograph. In this case, the person is said to have a refractive error.
Refractive errors occur when there is a mismatch between the length of the eye, and its optical power. These mismatches usually originate during childhood, when the eyes are growing. The exact causes of refractive errors are still being studied, but it is known that both hereditary and environmental influences can affect their development.
Most people have some refractive error, but in most cases the error is small, and does not cause any problems. In fact, the average person is slightly longsighted.
Refractive errors can usually be corrected using spectacles or contact lenses. There are also surgical techniques which can be used to correct refractive errors.
There are four main types of refractive errors:
Myopia
Myopia, commonly called shortsightedness, is a condition in which light is focussed in front of the retina, resulting in blurred vision. Shortsighted people can often see reasonably clearly at short distances, but will not be able to see distant objects clearly.
There is currently no cure for myopia, but spectacles, contact lenses and refractive surgery can all provide good distance vision for people with myopia.
Hyperopia
Hyperopia or longsightedness is a condition in which the optical components of the eye are not strong enough, and so light is not focussed onto the retina. This results in blurred vision that is usually worse at shorter distances.
People with hyperopia often have reasonable vision in the distance, but may find that their vision is blurred or that they experience feelings of eyestrain or headaches when doing near work such as reading.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a condition where the optical power of the eye varies depending on the angle of light passing through it. Astigmatism produces blurred vision at all distances.
It is usually due to the shape of the cornea (the front surface of the eye). If the curvature of the cornea is not the same in all directions (like the side of an Australian football) it will bend the light passing through it by different amounts depending on the direction of the light, producing astigmatism.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is the gradual reduction in the amount that the eye can change its focus. The changes are the result of the continued growth of the biological lens inside the eye, and are a normal part of ageing.
Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable between the ages of 40 and 50 as an inability to focus on near objects. People in this age group often find that they have to hold things further away to see them clearly.
Presbyopia can be corrected by an optical prescription specifically designed for close work. This can be provided in many forms, including reading glasses, bifocals, trifocals and progressive lenses (multifocals).