Eye Health

Visual Disorders

• Amblyopia

  Amblyopia is a visual impairment commonly known as “lazy eye”. Perceptible at birth or developed a few years later, it affects thousands of children. If treated soon enough, amblyopia can often be cured.

• Astigmatism

  The irregular shape of the cornea, often compared to a football lying on its side, causes this visual disorder. The cornea plays an important part in the focusing of light rays on the retina. People with astigmatism will generally suffer from blurred vision. Wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses can correct this impairment.

• Hyperopia

  Hyperopia is the visual disorder that prevents one the see close objects clearly. They appear blurry and an effort to focus must be made in order to see correctly. This problem is often explained by the eyeball being too short and can be corrected with the use of eyeglasses or contact lenses.

• Myopia

  Myopia is the visual impairment that prevents one the see distant objects clearly. This problem is often explained by the eyeball being too long and can easily be corrected with the use of eyeglasses or contact lenses.

• Presbyopia

  Presbyopia is most often seen in people over the age of 40. It affects the ability to focus rapidly in between distant and near vision. The most frequent signs of presbyopia are the habit of holding reading material at arm’s length, blurred vision at normal reading distance and eyestrain during near vision activities. This impairment can be corrected with the use of multifocal lenses.

• Strabismus

  Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes are unable to be directed towards the same point in space. This visual impairment, generally affecting children under the age of 6, can worsen over time if not treated soon enough. It is caused by a weakness of one or more ocular muscles. Strabismus can be corrected with the use of eyeglasses, with vision therapy or surgery.

• Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS):

  Over the last few years, computers have become a part of daily life. Indeed, whether it is at home or at work, people spend more and more time in front of a computer screen. Visual impairments related to computers have therefore increased. Symptoms: headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision, eye irritation, double vision, dryness or excessive watering of the eyes, ocular pain and excessive blinking. Prevention: This syndrome can be prevented many different ways. Everyone should apply the following tips, as even those with perfect vision can experience these symptoms because of wrong computer use.

  • Position your screen about an arm’s length from your eyes and 20 degrees below eye level.
  • Match the brightness of your screen with your surroundings.
  • Always work in a room with proper lighting.
  • Minimize reflected glare on your screen by dimming the lights in the room.
  • Apply the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes take a 20 seconds break and focus your eyes on something at least 20 feet away (6 meters).
  • Blink often. People tend to blink half as much when they are in front of a computer screen, which leads to dry eyes. Eye drops prescribed by an optometrist can relieve the discomfort.
  • Anti-reflective coatings can be applied to your glasses to protect your eyes from bright or flickering light sources, such as fluorescents. Your optometrist can prescribe eyeglasses specifically designed for computer use.

• Glaucoma

  Glaucoma refers to a group of visual disorders due to increased pressure in the eye, which damages the optic nerve. It is the number one cause of blindness in Canada. Certain forms of glaucoma, such as open-angle glaucoma, do not display any symptoms until the gradual loss of peripheral vision. On the other hand, closed-angle glaucoma is characterized by increased pressure in the eye, leading to pain, blurred vision and seeing halos around lights. Both types of glaucoma can lead to total blindness.

• Conjonctivite

  The three main types of conjunctivitis are infectious, allergic and chemical. The infectious type is caused by a contagious virus or bacteria and its symptoms include: redness in the eyes, inflamed inner lids, watery eyes, blurred vision and a burning feeling in the eyes. The allergic type is generally caused by allergies to pollen, cosmetics, animals, or fabrics. Its main symptom translates in a puss-like or watery discharge around the eyelids. Finally, the chemical type of conjunctivitis is due to pollution, noxious fumes and chlorine in swimming pools and its main symptom is stringy white mucous secretions.

  Treatment:

  • Infectious conjunctivitis caused by bacteria: antibiotic eye drops or ointment.
  • Infectious conjunctivitis caused by a virus: Fought off by your immune system. To relieve the symptoms, artificial tears, antihistamine eye drops or cold compresses can be applied.
  • Allergic conjunctivitis: Cold compresses, artificial tears
  • Chemical conjunctivitis: Remove the cause of the irritation and apply cold compresses or artificial tears to relieve the discomfort.

  Prevention:

  • Keep your hands away from your eyes
  • Wash your hands often (before and after applying eye medication)
  • Do not share pillows, towels, washcloths and makeup

• Cataract

  Cataract is a common ocular disorder, which is most often found in people over the age of 60. It can be due to aging, heredity, an injury, a disease or excessive exposure to sunlight without UV protection. People suffering from this impairment have a blurred vision that does not go away with blinking and a feeling of having a film over their eyes.

• Macular Degeneration

  Macular Degeneration affects a part of the eye called the macula, which is used when reading, driving or recognizing people’s faces. Macular Degeneration blurs or impairs central vision. It is the leading cause of blindness in North America in adults over the age of 55. The disorder is currently incurable, but early detection and taking preventive measures can reduce or slow down the progression of vision loss