I am an Optometrist, Ask me Anything.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Thanks Hesla. I'll buy some Systane and try gel again.

I'm a water-drinking machine so I don't think that's a factor.

With flax seed oils, are you talking about supplements? Like swallow a couple of pills a day?

Yeah... it takes about 4 to 6 weeks to see results.

There is a new dry eye medication on the market called Restasis. It is an option for some people, so if you do not get positive results from my recommendation before you should ask your Optometrist about it.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Sliver

But then my glaucoma would flare up.

False !!
<Insert Dwight Schrute pic here>
Marijuana has a negligable effect on eye pressures.

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by Hesla

As for clearlycontacts.ca themselves they are trying to undermine eye care in Canada by lobbying governments to make it unecessary to have updated prescriptions every two years. In fact, in BC the health Minister and the CEO of clearly contacts are friends and it is not longer required for people in BC to have regular check ups. The CNIB, CMA, Ophthalmologoists, and the various colleges of Physicians and surgeons across the country have come out opposed to this. As of right now the Canadian Optometric Association is compiling a large list of patients who have been diagnosed with various eye conditions that would have been caught with routine exam. The hope is that we can get this overturned as it is a dangerous precident.

I have ordered contacts from them many times, and have never had to give any actually prescription info. I just pick the prescription I need and fill in the base curve etc... all stuff you read off your old box. Never anything that would show I have a current and valid prescription tho....

[Cowperson]

I thought for a second the thread title was "I'm an Optimist, Ask Me Anything" so I was looking for a fun time when I opened this thread but alas . . . .

Anyway, the latest, snazziest, most expensive bi-focals giving the widest range of vision . . . . are they worth the cost?

Cowperson

[photon]

Originally Posted by Hesla

If it has always been that way then it has to do with the ratio of your different cone cells in each eye.

Yeah it's been that way for a long time anyway, certainly have had multiple eye exams since I first noticed it decade(s) ago.

How about night vision? Is there anything that can improve night vision? I really don't like driving at night anymore as I feel I can't see well enough sometimes, like I want to keep my high beams on.

[albertGQ]

My son likes to watch TV sitting close to it. Is it bad for his eyes or only a myth?

[anyonebutedmonton]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Online contact lens sales certainly are fact of life now and Optometrists need to embrace the fact that it is out there and not going away.

The way to think of Online glasses/contacts is like an Outlet mall. You get discontinued or overstock glasses and the lenses are generally inferior to those you can get in a store. As for contact lenses, Online sales have lead to a decrease in contact prices across the board, and that is good for the consumer. In office contact lenses are often within $20 of online for a year supply now, however Optometry offices can offer "warranty" on the contact lenses. That is, if you rip a lens or drop one down the sink the office will provide you with a free replacement. Also, if you are on your last pair and want an extra set to hold you over before you exam, we will happily provide that for you. It is also convenient to get your contacts at the same time as your eye exam.

As for clearlycontacts.ca themselves they are trying to undermine eye care in Canada by lobbying governments to make it unecessary to have updated prescriptions every two years. In fact, in BC the health Minister and the CEO of clearly contacts are friends and it is not longer required for people in BC to have regular check ups. The CNIB, CMA, Ophthalmologoists, and the various colleges of Physicians and surgeons across the country have come out opposed to this. As of right now the Canadian Optometric Association is compiling a large list of patients who have been diagnosed with various eye conditions that would have been caught with routine exam. The hope is that we can get this overturned as it is a dangerous precident.

Totally agree with you that it is a dumb idea to skip over the yearly eye exam simply because you can get glasses and contacts online.

Do you have any evidence that the lenses used in these glasses are of inferior quality?

[albertGQ]

Do optometrists always prescribe glasses so they make money?
I don't know anyone that has been to an optometrist and did not need some type of glasses

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Buff

I'll often take naps with my contacts in my eyes. Usually an hour in length. What kind of side affects could come from this?

It really depends on what contacts your are in. Dailies are a definite No-no. If you refer to my first answer in this thread you will get a list of the lenses that are ok for overnight use. Those ones will also be good for occasional naps.

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by Hesla

It really depends on what contacts your are in. Dailies are a definite No-no. If you refer to my first answer in this thread you will get a list of the lenses that are ok for overnight use. Those ones will also be good for occasional naps.

What about an accidental nap...Say I am on a plane and I happen to fall asleep for 4 hours, if that happens once in a blue moon it can't be TOO bad for you? Monthly disposable, not daily.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

I thought for a second the thread title was "I'm an Optimist, Ask Me Anything" so I was looking for a fun time when I opened this thread but alas . . . .

Anyway, the latest, snazziest, most expensive bi-focals giving the widest range of vision . . . . are they worth the cost?

Cowperson

By bifocals I assume you mean Progressives. The answer is YES !!. The big problem with progressives in the past is that they were one size fits all (ie. a lens off the shelf). The new lenses take into account the frame you pick, the amount your eye turns inward with you look down, the distance between your eye and the lens and the way the frame is going to sit on your face when you use the glasses. Your prescription is also put on the back surface of the lens in 5000 different points to give you more left and right vision and remove most of the distortion on the edges.

[Wormius]

I'd like to vouch for the overnight wear contact lenses. The Purevision ones are the most comfortable thing I have worn, and I haven't had any issues sleeping in them for the whole month, and just discarding them as soon as they start to feel a bit scratchy.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by photon

Yeah it's been that way for a long time anyway, certainly have had multiple eye exams since I first noticed it decade(s) ago.

How about night vision? Is there anything that can improve night vision? I really don't like driving at night anymore as I feel I can't see well enough sometimes, like I want to keep my high beams on.

That could be a prescription thing. Someone that is slightly over-corrected or under-corrected may not notice anything during the day, but have problems at night. It has to do with your pupil size and the fact that the prescription actually worsens as you get further out on the cornea. Check the coating on your glasses as well. If you hold the lens up to the light and you see a bunch of micro-lines then the coating is defective. If you have a high prescription and your glasses are out of alignment you may have night vision problems. Finally, if you wear contacts and you have astigmatism that is uncorrected you would also notice night vision issues. Finally there are a few diseases that create night vision problems, but those would have to be diagnosed by an Optometrist.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

I thought for a second the thread title was "I'm an Optimist, Ask Me Anything" so I was looking for a fun time when I opened this thread but alas . . . .

Anyway, the latest, snazziest, most expensive bi-focals giving the widest range of vision . . . . are they worth the cost?

Cowperson

I think I might open up an "ask me" thread to justify my time on here during the work day

[Knut]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

My son likes to watch TV sitting close to it. Is it bad for his eyes or only a myth?

Largely a Myth.

If you are genetically pre-disposed to be nearsighted it can make your sight worsen quicker. However, it will not have an effect on someone that does not have the genes for Myopia.

Some interesting tidbits about Genetics and Myopia....

Less than 1% of Africans are nearsighted, but almost 60% of Chinese and Japanese are. It has to do with selective pressures in the past. Nearsighted Africans likely did not survive long on the plains, while nearsighted Asian's were the scholars and passed on their genes.

Northern Europeans are actually more likely to be nearsighted as well.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Car headlights look like giant balls of light at night, is there anything I can do to deal with this?

[Dentoman]

Originally Posted by Hesla

It is useless... we were jelous that dentists had all the torturing fun.

Originally Posted by Hesla

I am always amazed that people complain about $120 every two years, when the Dentist is 5 x more and he see's you for less time. 5 minutes is not enough time for a thorough eye exam, 20 or 30 minutes is the norm.

What is your issue with dentists?

[Knut]

Originally Posted by anyonebutedmonton

Totally agree with you that it is a dumb idea to skip over the yearly eye exam simply because you can get glasses and contacts online.

Do you have any evidence that the lenses used in these glasses are of inferior quality?

Polycarbonate lenses are used often with online lenses. These are saftety strength lenses that are less dense (better absorption of impact) and thus have poorer optics. Even the best measured lenses will have worse optics than plastic, or glass.

In places that use regular plastic lenses the problem is quality control. Below is a study that gives some information on the quality issues of online lenses/frames
http://www.visionmonday.com/CMSDocum...e%209-2011.pdf

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

What about an accidental nap...Say I am on a plane and I happen to fall asleep for 4 hours, if that happens once in a blue moon it can't be TOO bad for you? Monthly disposable, not daily.

Probably will not cause a problem, but you are increasing your chance of complications like infection/inflammation. If your Monthly disposables are approved for overnight wear then you should be ok.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Do optometrists always prescribe glasses so they make money?
I don't know anyone that has been to an optometrist and did not need some type of glasses

Yes we make money off glasses and contacts. That is a fact. However, we are taught to also do what is best for the patient and only recommend eye wear when it is required. Unfortunately not all practioners follow this practice, but I like to think that most do.

My personal philosophy is that I only prescribe when the patient is having symptoms or to prevent further issues down the road. There is an increased need for eye wear these days however as the increased use of computers has pushed our visual demands through the roof. A small prescription now is an issue, whereas it likely wasnt even a decade ago.