Month: March 2015

Spectacles and Contact Lenses are the only Real Way to See Properly

Recently researchers at Makino Laboratory at Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School and together with researchers at Salus University have discovered that baking soda may have a beneficial effect on our vision.

Bicarbonate (baking soda in the USA) which is used in baking to make cakes rise and come to life does have a variety of uses from cleaning to food.

Apparently, there is evidence that bicarbonate modifies the visual signals generated by rod and cone photoreceptors that detect light.

Clint Makino, Ph.D., director of the Makino Laboratory at Mass. Eye and Ear and an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School explains:

“By opposing the effect of light, bicarbonate limits the size of the photon response and quickens its recovery. As a result, sensitivity to light is slightly lower but our ability to track moving objects is improved.

“An intriguing implication is that vision may change with metabolic state, although further research is necessary for confirmation. It is now known that in some types of retinal diseases, a genetic defect causes cGMP in the rods and/or cones to rise to abnormally high, lethal levels. Once lost, rods and cones are not replaced, so an irreversible blindness is the tragic outcome.”

Although the scientists believe a key to avoiding blindness lies with discoveries such as bicarbonate’s effects on the eye, there can be no doubts that a few pinches of bicarbonate on your cornflakes is not going to correct your vision.

The only way to do this is to have an eye test.  Then once your prescription has been established, you can decide whether you want contact lenses or spectacles.  This is the only sure fire way of ensuring your vision is 20/20.

The bicarbonate discovery is important, no doubt, and eating the right food such as carrots and fish has provable beneficial effects for your eyesight.  On their own however, they cannot restore or ‘fix’ your eyesight to make it 20/20.

So book your eye test with us today.  We have award winning services featured on the BBC Online, and we can bring our years of experience to providing you with better vision.  Eye tests not only help you see, they also detect diseases.

To book your eye test follow this link:  Make an eye test appointment.

Source: Phys.org

Looking after your Vision

In a recent Eye Love My Local Optician survey it was revealed that one in four people have not had an eye test for over two years.  This figure is somewhat surprising given that three out of four of us value our vision more than any other sense.

Those behind  the survey want people to take eye health more seriously by having regular check-ups to the same frequency as we have dental check-ups.

Traditionally, we only visit our optometrist should we notice a deterioration in our vision or we have distinct issues.  The problem with this approach is that often we are treating a condition that has already developed.  As with most medical conditions early detection is key to effective treatment.

Regular eye examinations can detect the presence of eye and general health conditions such as:

•  diabetes
•  retinal conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration
•  cataracts
•  hypertension and raised cholesterol conditions

Some of these conditions will impair the quality of our life, others are potentially life threatening.  If caught early on these conditions can be treated more effectively.  Regular eye examinations can allow these conditions to be treated, in some cases before you even notice any symptoms.

In addition over time, like the rest of our bodies our eyesight can deteriorate. By keeping on top of your eye prescription changes you can have spectacles or contact lenses which will help you maintain your quality of vision.

Eye Health

The reason the eye reveals so much about the general condition of our health, is that it is the one part of the body which an examiner can view living blood vessels  directly. It is for this reason that following our guidelines on how to maintain your eye health is important.

Eye conditions are more common than you think, recently, actress Dame Judi Dench was diagnosed with Macular Degeneration, an eye condition which if left untreated can significantly impede vision.

To schedule an eye examination for a spring clean health check up, simply contact us here and make an appointment with your local Vision Care Medical Eye Centre practice.

Image source: Wikipedia