The Eye Practice

The human eye is an organ that is truly a combination of, a work of art and scientific genius that most people find intriguing. Human beings have duplicated this organ and its principles to make some practical items such as the camera. 

The human eye is incredibly important. Approximately 70% of what we perceive of the world around us comes from our eyes.

Its therefore important to have regular checkups by optometrists for the eyes so that if they require medical treatment or correctional devices such as contact lenses, then one can get them promptly, before any harm is done. 

               

There are many eye conditions that can affect the human eye over the course of time. Some are as result of carelessness while others are due to age related factors. Other factors such as eye infections are completely unavoidable and hence one can hardly be able to prevent them.

In order to get the best out of the eyes one needs to have them regularly checked in order to be sure that all is well. At the same time corrective items for the eyes such as eye glasses need to be used only when prescribed by a qualified eye care professional. This will protect the wearer from causing harm to their eyes through use of improper eye aids.

More importantly the eyes can be screened for eye-sight threatening diseases like Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy and Cataracts. All of these eye diseases do not exhibit symptoms until very late in the process.

Most optometrists recommend that everyone should attend regular eye examinations; however people with eye problems need to have their eyes examined at least once in a year. This is to preempt any problem that might occur or was in the process of happening that is likely to adversely affect the eyes.

Regular Eye exams for people with known problems will take care of minor issues that might have deteriorated with time to cause greater complications.

Eye problems have become quite common today; this is due to the many issues and pollutants that the modern human is exposed to.

Eye strain is one of the major factors that is known today to contribute a lot to many eye complications. Mostly this is due either to ignorance about how to take care of the eyes or due to the modern pressures of life that have been driving the human race into a frenzy, as they seek to achieve higher and higher goals with excessive reading and computer work.

Another contributing factor to the challenges that are facing these vital organs that human beings rely on so much are the many pathogens that have multiplied and reinvented themselves with the overuse of antibiotics. Eye infections can range from simple irritations to sight threatening conditions that may lead to blindness if they are not addressed.

All these challenges mean that human beings must rise to the occasion and take care of their eyes in order to be sure that they maintain this great gift that is so precious yet so vulnerable to harm from so many areas.

Contact Lenses since the 1970’s have been popular corrective vision appliances. After glasses, contact lenses represent around 8% of the vision correction market in Australia.  In the USA it is over 20%.

Believe it or not approximately 50% of all people that begin wearing contact lenses will discontinue within one year. Most of the time this is because of discomfort.

According to expert optometrists it is quite clear that use of contact lenses and dry eye syndrome can be a troublesome cycle that seems to have no end in sight. On one hand the lens can protect the eye from dust and airborne irritants. On the other hand the lens can dehydrate and create a feeling of roughness and discomfort after a number of hours of wear.

    

Other contributing factors include incomplete eyelids closure, diseases that affect the eyelids (blepharitis) and insufficient tears due to deficiency in the tear-producing glands. It has also been shown that dry eye syndrome tends to occur more in females than in males. One of the explanations that has been given for this occurrence is that women go through more hormonal upheavals than men. A more recent survey has shown that aging increases the possibility of dry eye conditions in males and in females.

Dry eye conditions have baffled optometrists for ages. Most of time any treatment that is offered will be palliative (to try and suppress the irritation) but because the underlying cause is often unknown the dry eyes are only masked with symptoms often returning. 

One of the most popular methods in dealing with dry eyes is to instill artificial tears that top up the natural tears in the human eye. This artificial replacement helps to decrease the irritability and the dry feeling that accompanies the condition. Scratching the eyes due to the irritation is likely to result in a red eye effect due to inflammation. The artificial tears act to lubricate the eyes thus providing relief to the scratchy feeling which may act to give relief in the short term and sometimes in the long term. Wrap around sunglasses also help wearers of contact lenses to deal effectively with the problem of dry eye as they seal the moisture inside the eyes thus preventing their evaporation.  There are many treatments that need to be considered and tried, when it comes to contact lenses causing discomfort.

Other treatments will be discussed in more detail in later posts.  This is such an important topic that we are setting up a dedicated website to dry eyes called DryEyes.com.au - what else would we have called it?  We hope to have this up and running in a few months.

Another bizarre method of dealing with the dry eye syndrome is to administer allergens, which act to stimulate the production of more tears, which lowers the possibility of dry eye conditions. This is a homeopathic treatment, which even though has potential to stimulate tear production will also cause inflammation and significant potential for itchiness and irritation.  Do we think this is a good treatment - NO!

Before using any eye concoction or corrective measures with contact lenses it is important to consult with an expert optometrist to be sure that the measures or medication is safe and for the common good of the eye. Consulting with such professionals can be the saving step as they are likely to offer only the best treatments, which are long lasting and have lesser side effects to the user.

Even though contact lens wear can be tricky and it is unfortunate that so many people fail, the failure rate would be dramatically less if both the patient and the optometrist work together as a team. Contact lenses are a fantastic lifestyle enhancer and careful diligence maximizes their success rate.

Visit us at The Eye Practice, problem solving contact issues is what we do.  Call us on 92901899 or book an appointment on line.

Contact Lenses are normally just another form of vision correction.  You go to the optometrist with blurry vision and after glasses, contact lenses are the next most common form of vision correction that is chosen.

Contact lenses can have other functions, other than correcting vision blur.

They can change your eye colour from brown to blue. 

They also can protect your eye after being scratched, similar to a bandage.  By placing the contact lens on top of the injured eye (and normally adding antibiotic eye drops to protect the eye from infection) it buffers the eyelid from blinking on the wound.  A scratched eye can be excruciating, so a bandage contact lens can be a godsend!

In a previous post we discussed how contact lenses are in the preliminary stages of adding electrical circuitry which can be used to measure the internal pressure of the eye 24 hours of the day.

Now it seems that accurate eye medicine delivery can be achieved using contact lenses.Does this mean that eye drops could be a thing of the past?  See the video below for an introduction to eye medicine delivery through a novel contact lens design.

The Byrne Lab in the USA has developed polymers that can be moulded into contact lenses.  These contact lenses can be impregnated with therapeutic medication, whether it be for bacterial infection, reducing eye pressure in glaucoma or to reduce inflammation. 

Potentially this could be a tremendous step forward for eye disease management. 

Eye drops have significant disadvantages:

• The patient or their carer has to remember to put the eye drops in the eye/s. Compliance is a huge issue with up to 50% of patients not compliant with any form of disease treatment.  Eye treatment is no different.
• In eye drop form, the drug needs to be in relatively high concentration as the contact time with the treated eye is short.  This is because most of the drop will quickly either spill out of the eye or will be drained away through the nose into the gut.
• Most eye drops need to instilled multiple times per day, in fact in some severe bacterial infections eye drops are required every 15 minutes, around the clock.  Realistically this needs to be done in a hospital environment so is very expensive.

Delivering eye medication through contact lenses has a number of significant advantages:

• Once the medicated contact lens is put in the eye by the treating optometrist or ophthalmologist, the patient does not have to do anything else, so compliance will be no longer an issue.
• Treatment will be more effective, as a calculated dose will consistently be delivered for what ever time frame is required.

Possible pitfalls with this treatment will be:

• Often treatment requires two or more eye drops.  Normally with eye drops, one medication is used followed by the second one 5 minutes later so that they will not dilute each other. Mixing two medications in the matrix of a contact lens will have all sorts of unexpected chemical reactions.
• We suspect multiple medication contact lenses will take significantly longer to get to clinical trials if they make it at all. 

Future eye medicine delivery techniques:

Even though eye drops are a reasonable way to treat most eye issues there certainly is a need for superior methods.  The contact lens delivery method is one such enhancement but this will have strong competition from Nanoparticle technology.  Nanoparticles are microscopic entities that have very specific chemical properties that allow the nanoparticle with the medicine piggybacked on it to more efficiently enter the eye.

Time will tell which technology takes over from the traditional eye drop approach.

Cataracts have affected humans, maybe since the homosapien first walked the earth.  Even the ancient Egyptians, 2000 odd years BC have documented in hieroglyphics and have left surgical tools assumed designed for cataract surgery in tombs.

We now go forward some 4000 years and cataracts are still very prevalent.  In fact if you live long enough you are bound to get one.

In third world countries sadly, cataract still represents the most common cause of blindness, even though we are used to it being a relatively benign procedure to fix them here.

The biggest contributor to cataract is one's age - can't do much about that. Diabetes,long term use of steroids, trauma to the eyes, long term exposure to ultraviolet light, smoking and significant alcohol consumption are also contributors to cataract formation.

Currently other than removing the lens of the eye surgically and replacing it with an artificial one, there is no other treatment.

            

Wouldn't it be great if there was something that could prevent the development of cataracts.  For a while now it has been known that a protein called Calpain is implicated with cataract development.  An Adelaide based scientific company seems to have developed an eye drop that inhibits the protein.  Human studies still have some time to go but if this great technology comes to fruition the leading eye disease in the world could be a thing of the past.

Getting an eye drop to be effective in the eye and also penetrate the lens is not as easy as it sounds.  There are very complex chemistry pathways that need to be understood and overcome.  These need to be proven in animal models and then transferred safely into human use.  This is a very slow and tedious process.  One might question the need to even develop such a novel eye drop.  After all cataracts are so easy to fix with very few side effects using surgical procedures.  In fact surgical procedures have the advantage of being able to correct any vision problem the patient might have due to wearing glasses for distance vision blur.

Possibly the eye drop to inhibit Calpain and ultimately stop or slow down the development of cataracts might have little use in a society like Australia that has access to sophisticated eye care.  Third world countries though have little access to expert surgical techniques and being able to eliminate cataracts in such a society would have huge health benefits.

In the near future we might be brushing and flossing our teeth to prevent tooth decay and gum disease, while instilling eye drops in our eyes to prevent cataracts from developing later in life.  These same eye drops could be used in third world countries to dramatically reduce the incidence of cataracts, without having to train their doctors in expensive surgical techniques.

Unfortunately just like brushing ones teeth, prevention of cataracts with eye drops will depend on compliance.  Compliance with any medication at best tends to be 50% effective, even when a huge education education process is put in place.  People just forget to do it.

Then again 50 percent is better than no percent!

Laser Eye Surgery has progressed in leaps and bounds since the 80's when it was first introduced.  In Australia the first laser eye surgery procedure was performed in 1991.

When the layperson thinks Laser Eye Surgery, they will normally think of "getting rid of glasses".  There is no doubt that a significant portion of Laser Eye Surgery is done for vision correction but it also has multiple other applications when it comes to eyes from glaucoma treatment, to macula degeneration treatment, to diabetic retinopathy treatment to lately, having application for cataract treatment.

Even though Laser Eye Surgery has many applications in the eye, it is not the same laser that is used in all parts of the eyes.  Different frequencies (colours) and intensities are used.

The latest Laser Eye Surgery uses the Femtosecond laser.  That's all well and good but what is it?  More importantly what are its uses and what advantages does it bring to the table for a prospective patient?

  

The Femtosecond laser has been developed primarily for vision correction.  The larger eye laser centres seem to have upgraded to this technology.  Why?

They have upgraded because it brings some distinct advantages:

1. LASIK, the main laser vision correction procedure requires a thin flap to be made using the top 20% of the cornea.  Older procedures used a mechanical device called a microkeratome.  Even though this instrument was quite accurate it still caused some imperfections.  The Femtosecond laser is able to create this flap more accurately.  We have now seen many procedures with flaps created by the Femtosecond laser. There is no doubt it is a better way of doing Laser Eye Surgery for vision correction.
2. The Femtosecond Laser will eventually do the vision correction component.  Currently the patient needs to be moved to another laser device for this.
3. Corneal Transplants are not that common when compared to other eye procedures like cataract but the Femtosecond laser has been shown to have some application in this highly technical eye surgery area.  The old cornea is normally cut out with a mechanical device called a trephine.  It seems that this now will be relegated to an antique by the Femtosecond Laser.
4. Cataract Surgery has evolved over thousands of years to what is now an unbelievably accurate and safe procedure.  The Femtosecond Laser has evolved into this very mature surgical technique to make it even better. Or so it seems.

Currently at The Eye Practice we follow this technology very carefully as we prefer to refer our patients to the best surgeons, who offer the latest but proven procedures.  We highly recommend laser Eye Surgery using the Femtosecond laser but currently are still following its use for cataract surgery.  It seems that with cataract surgery, there is still a learning curve that many of the surgeons are still going through.

One thing is for sure.  Femtosecond Eye Laser Surgery is here to stay.  Its application will slowly permeate through eye surgery and will have many applications, which will only mean safer and better procedures for those seeking them.  Call us on 92901899 or Book an Appointment Online if you would like to find out whether you are suitable for Femtosecond Eye Laser Surgery.

 

Conjunctivitis, which is also known as Pink Eye, we have discussed in past posts.  It means that the eye or eyes are red and inflamed but does not tell us anything about what caused the conjunctivitis.

One of the most common causes of conjunctivitis or pink eye is a viral eye infection. There are many strains of viruses that can cause a Viral Conjunctivitis.  We need to be clear that antibiotics are a waste of time in treating Viral Conjunctivitis, as antibiotics are only effective against bacteria.

What are the signs and symptoms of Viral Conjunctivitis?

Pink Eye

Watery discharge

Gritty, Itchy feeling

Sensitive to light

Swelling of a gland adjacent to ear (preauricular node)

White spots on cornea (infiltrates) in more significant presentations

               

Pressing around the gland adjacent to the ear (preauricular node, photo on left) will give the eye practitioner a good idea whether you have a viral conjunctivitis, as it is often raised and tender.

Having white spots (infiltrates, photo on right) in the cornea is a sign of the immune system trying to kill off the virus, going in overdrive.  This can be extremely uncomfortable and even causes blurry vision.  Aggressive treatment is normally indicated. 

What is the treatment for Viral Conjunctivitis?

This can vary depending on how intense the presentation and the symptoms are.  We need to remember that if the diagnosis is viral conjunctivitis, then antibiotics are not part of the treatment plan.

Viral Conjunctivitis treatment is normally termed palliative.  This means that anything that is given to the patient is to make them more comfortable.  The disease process in other words just needs to run its course, while the immune system finally recognises the offending virus and over a period of 2 weeks develops an antibody response, which finally kills it off.

Palliative Treatment for Viral Conjunctivitis:

• Cold Compresses - this is probably best done using a gel sporting injury cold pack, that is stored in the freezer.  It needs to be wrapped once in a clean tea towel and then moulded into the eye sockets for at least 10 minutes once or twice a day.

       

• Unpreserved Lubrication - This forms the basis of nearly any eye irritation.  The key though is using eye drops that do not have preservatives.  All too often we see patients that have had all forms of conjunctivitis that is treated with preserved eye drops.  The preservatives can set off an allergic or toxic conjunctivitis.  Instead of having one problem now the patient has two forms of conjunctivitis.  So where possible, use eye drops that have NO PRESERVATIVES!

Anti-inflammatory treatments for Viral Conjunctivitis:

Inflammation which is caused by the aggressive immune response of the eye in defense against the viral infection is what is responsible for all the symptoms that the patient perceives.  What we need to remember though, is that it is the inflammatory response that ultimately will kill off the virus.  It is a balancing act for the treating therapeutic optometrist to try and keep the patient comfortable, whilst allowing the immune system to do its job.  If anti-inflammatory treatment is chosen, it sometimes means being on treatment for a few months and weaning off gradually.  Stopping the eye drops too quickly sometimes can cause a rebound reaction.

• Corticosteroid eye drops - these are very effective in relieving most of the annoying symptoms of viral conjunctivitis.  This is especially true if white spots (infiltrates) affect the cornea.  There are various strengths of steroid eye drops starting from unpreserved prednisolone to the king of steroid eye drops Prednefrin Forte.
• Non-steroidal eye drops - these also suppress inflammation but are not as potent as steroids.  If possible non-preserved eye drops should be given to avoid irritation from preservatives.

Novel Treatment for Viral Conjunctivitis:

A new treatment for Viral Conjunctivitis seems to be using a single treatment of Iodine solution (Betadine 2.5% - 5% concentration).  Iodine solution is very irritating to the eye so anaesthetic must be used before the treatment.  Once the eye is anaesthetised (takes 30 seconds), a few drops of Iodine solution are instilled, the patients is asked to move the eye around and blink to make sure all parts of the eye are covered.

After 60 seconds the eye should be rinsed out carefully with unpreserved saline solution.  Steroid or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops should then be used for a few days to keep things comfortable.

This treatment has not been investigated fully to date and treatment protocol is still being investigated, but it seems that it will revolutionise Viral Conjunctivitis treatment.

If you have a red irritated eye, the best follow up is an appointment with a certified therapeutic optometrist.  Dr Jim Kokkinakis is available for conjunctivitis appointments usually on the same day.  Call 9290 1899 or BOOK AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE NOW.

Eye Strain symptoms require careful evaluation before any treatment plan is instigated.  We have made a big deal about excessive computer work and reading as a primary source of Eye Strain (also known as Asthenopia).  Even though this is true and in some cases there is no underlying eye problem that can measured.  Eye Strain often occurs even though the patient has a perfect eye examination.  It is just overuse of the eyes similar to repetitive strain injuries of limbs.  In fact there is a condition called ocular tendonitis, which not well documented in the medical literature, which also is a form of eye strain - this will be discussed in further detail in the future.

Even though these days Eye Strain is on the increase due to overuse of the eyes doing computer work and reading, Eye Strain still exists in the traditional form caused by eye muscles and a focusing system that is not co-ordinating properly.

Trying to discuss this topic in one post would be impossible, but what we will try and do is introduce some basic concepts and then expand on these concepts in later posts, while also discussing treatment strategies.

             

Eye muscle imbalances, if problems are perceived by the patient, are usually fatigue related.  The part of the brain that processes vision is called the visual cortex.  If the eyes are misaligned significantly, double vision will occur.  The brain does its best to not allow this to happen, as it is disorientating.  The brain therefore will push the eye muscles to force the eyes into a corresponding position to eliminate double vision.  This in turn causes eye muscle fatigue and eye strain (or asthenopia).

A sudden change in eye muscle balance that causes double vision occasionally can be a serious issue.  Typically this will occur in an adult and even though rare, can be a sign of a stroke, aneurysm or a tumour compressing one or more of the eye muscle nerves.  Luckily this is not common, but sudden double vision always needs to be investigated in case it is something more serious.

Eye muscle imbalances in babies or children can sometimes lead to the eyes being "crossed" and causing one of the eyes (usually the less dominant eye) to become "lazy".  "Crossed" eyes is called strabismus and "lazy" eye is called amblyopia. This is treated with a combination of glasses, eye exercises and occasionally patching of the dominant eye.  If this does not provide a satisfactory result then straightening eye muscle surgery can be considered.

If the eyes do not "cross" but the eyes are under strain to continue to see without double vision then there are various categories of imbalances.  The following list is not complete but definitely covers the majority of eye muscles imbalances:

• Convergence Insufficiency - this is very common and easily treatable with eye exercises.
• Convergence Excess - this is also common but typically responds better to reading glasses.

The above discussion relates to eye muscle imbalances that are horizontal in nature (across).   If only life was that simple.  There are also categories of eye muscle imbalances that are vertical (up and down).  Then there can be a combination of horizontal and vertical imbalances.

So there we go, we have just skimmed over a huge topic.  We will return with more information about Eye Strain and Eye Muscle Imbalances in the future.

In the mean time if you are experiencing Eye Strain that is getting you down we are only a phone or click away.  Phone 9290 1899 or CLICK HERE for an APPOINTMENT.

Diabetes mostly today is a lifestyle disease.  Obesity, lack of exercise and poor diet has created a huge issue in society.

From an eye and vision perspective a condition called diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in an age group under 50 years of age.

What is diabetic retinopathy?

The back of the eye is called the retina.  It has a very intricate and important blood vessel system. Diabetes over time significantly impacts the ability of this blood vessel system in transporting blood and oxygen and nutrients around.  This in turn slowly will degenerate the retina, which is responsible for vision.

 

Diabetic retinopathy can consist of the following signs when your optometrist looks at the back of your eye:

1. Microaneurysms
2. Blot and dot haemorrhages
3. Exudates - signs of poor blood flow
4. New blood vessels at the optic disc - new vessels are created due to low oxygen supply in the retina.  The body creates thes to keep the retina functional.
5. New blood vessels elsewhere - these new blood vessels are very fragile and can haemorrhage and cause dramatic damage.
6. IRMA - Intra retinal microvascular anomalies
7. Macular Oedema - this is swelling at the macula area

Diabetic retinopathy is treatable if found in its early stages. Referral to a retinal specialist is preferable, when treatment is finally indicated.

From the signs listed above it might seem easy to diagnose diabetic retinopathy.  If it is in the advanced stages, this is probably true, but in the early stages it is important to look carefully and with the correct equipment.  It is also important to make sure that dilating eye drops have been used so that the pupils of the eyes are opened up to maximum size.

Pupil dilatation allows the observing eye practitioner to see the retina (back of the eye) significantly easier. Digital Retinal Photography and retinal scanning using instruments like Stratus OCT, Cirrus OCT or other OCTs allows more detail to be analyzed and therefore a more accurate diagnosis to occur.

Bottom line is that diabetic retinopathy indicates a compromised retina and probably the rest of the body.

Ultimately the best treatment for diabetic retinopathy is to control the diabetes as diligently as possible.  This might sound obvious but the problem is that having diabetes does not cause any significant symptoms unless sugar levels are going haywire.

From an eye perspective a yearly dilated retina examination is your best defense against this disease process.  Are you diabetic? Have you had your retina examined within the last year?

Call The Eye Practice on 9290 1899 or Book Online Now.

The Eye Practice has experienced optometrists and all the equipment necessary to get the management of your eyes right.

DRY EYES like Eye Strain is an epidemic - Why?

Before we try and answer this question lets describe why the eyes need to be wet.

Eyes are made up of living cells.  Cells are made up of primarily water so being in a wet environment helps them function.  The coloured part of eye called the iris has a clear window in front of it called the cornea.  It is imperative for the corneal cells to be wet so that they remain clear and transparent.  If this window (cornea) loses its transparency good quality vision is also lost.

The eye is also wet so that if debris or germs enter the eye, they are able to be washed out.  The eye is able to defend itself against irritation and infection by increasing its water supply via extra tears.  It is not surprising then that the smallest bit of dust in your eye will set off the water works!  It is also normal if the eye is infected that it appears "glassy" due to the extra tears that have been produced in the eye to try and ward off the infection.

 

For many reasons the eyes need to have enough moisture to function at their best.  Dry Eyes though seem to be an increasing problem that at least half the people seeking an eye examination complain about to our optometrists at The Eye Practice.

The most severe form of dry eye is called Xerophthalmia.  This is caused from vitamin A deficiency in under developed countries and in particular affects children. 

Luckily for us in Australia it is not an issue.  What is an issue though is that many people complain of the following symptoms:

• Gritty eyes
• Sore eyes
• Stinging eyes 
• Itchy eyes - although this is often allergy
• Sensitive to glare

There are basically two forms of dry eye:

1. Evaporative dry eye.
2. Aqueous deficiency dry eye.

The first is caused to to lack of oil in the tear film and the second is caused due to lack of water in the tear film.  These types and their respective treatments will be discussed in future posts.

 

At The Eye Practice we believe there seems to be a significant increase in the number of people complaining of dry eye because many more people are working in front of computer screens and in air-conditioned environments.

Studies have shown that when the average person is doing computer work, their concentration increases and with this a reduction of blinking occurs.  Blinking is required to create tears to lubricate the eye.  In fact it has been estimated that when someone is working on a computer screen their blinking rate reduces down to 30% of what is normal.

To make matters worse most people that are working in front of computer screens are doing so in dehumidified air-conditioning.  This also dehydrates the surface of the eyes, which in turn creates irritation.

Dietary factors could also play a role and once again smoking rears its ugly head.  Smokers seem to suffer more from dry eye.  Another huge group of dry eye sufferers are contact lens wearers.

Treating dry eye at The Eye Practice is one of our specialities.  We can treat it from many perspectives.  If you think you have a problem with dry eyes call us and make an appointment as soon as practical.  Dry Eyes causes significant discomfort and reduces productivity.  Call us on 9290 1899 or BOOK AN ONLINE APPOINTMENT.

 

 

Glasses or Spectacles are used by at least half the population now.  Some people only need to wear them occasionally; others need to wear them from the minute they wake up, to when they go to bed.

Some spectacle prescriptions are simple and some can be very complex.  Getting them just right involves:

• Designing the prescription to work in the environment the patient needs.
• The frame needs to fit properly.
• The lenses need to be as thin and as light as possible.
• The lenses need to be fitted accurately relative to the frame and the pupil centres.
• Explaining normal adaptation issues.
• Recognising that the glasses have been made incorrectly.
• Choosing shapes and colours that complement a persons look.

 

The lens on the left labeled 1.74 is a thinner and a lighter profile than the one on the right labeled 1.50.  These lenses are both the same prescription.  Obviously the thinner lighter lens is the preferred option.  Make sure you are given all options. 

Often patients, once they have had their eyes tested, will ask for their prescription thinking that they will either get the same glasses made elsewhere cheaper or they will have more variety to choose from elsewhere.

Taking your prescription elsewhere is rarely a good option for the following reasons:

1.  Cost is not an issue - complete glasses are available for under $99
2. Glasses can be made for your health fund rebate therefore no out of pocket cost. The same as other optical outlets.
3. When top quality lenses are required from The Eye Practice they will be sourced from Germany, France or Japan NOT China, which is where most of the corporate companies obtain lenses from.
4. If you have trouble getting used to your new glasses, who will be responsible for adjusting the prescription.  If the glasses are made by The Eye Practice we will warranty the lens adjustment 100%.
5. If you are looking for something unique and most importantly fitted precisely to you face this will be difficult to achieve at the corporate entities.  The staff on the floor are usually trained in sales and not the intricacies of spectacle manufacture.
6. The optical industry is slowly being deregulated. This means that untrained people are allowed to not only sell glasses, but also make them, with no concept of accuracy.

Always make your glasses at the same place you have chosen to examine your eyes.  They are by far the best people to advise you about what you need from a functional and a lifestyle perspective.  If you have the perception that they will be expensive, you will be surprised if you just ask to keep to a budget.  Usually the best option will be more expensive, I think we all understand that.  Reasonable glasses can still be made a budget price at The Eye Practice.