Glaucoma is a name given to a group of eye diseases where vision loss is due to the damage of the optic nerve. This can be linked to the build-up of intraocular pressure in the eye. The increased pressure in the eye damages the optic nerve and can gradually worsen.

In this Blindness Awareness Month, Jacqueline Gattegno, a Smart Vision Optometrist at Eyes InDesign Bondi, offers insight into the detection of glaucoma.

Glaucoma is often called “the sneak thief of sight” because the loss of vision may occur before an individual is aware of it. Signs of glaucoma often go unnoticed because there may be no visible or noticeable symptoms. For instance, the loss of vision in the periphery is a common sign of glaucoma, but it often goes unnoticed.

It is important to detect signs of glaucoma as soon as possible as this condition is a common cause of blindness. Regular eye examinations are advised to “diagnose and treat early signs of glaucoma,” says Jacquie.

Jacquie stipulates common signs of glaucoma to look out for which include, “seeing halos around lights, vision loss, redness around the eye, hazy eyes or eye pain”. If individuals are aware of these signs, it may help eye doctors treat the eye before getting worse and prevent rapid vision loss.

While anyone is at risk of developing glaucoma, some people are at a higher risk. Numerous cases of glaucoma are over the age of 40, however, signs of glaucoma can be visible at any age.

People are more likely to have glaucoma if they have “a history of glaucoma in the family, poor vision/myopia, diabetic, high eye pressure or have an injury to the eye,” says Jacquie.

Glaucoma is hereditary, therefore individuals are more susceptible to developing glaucoma if this condition is prevalent among blood relatives.

Individuals with high myopia (nearsighted or shortsighted) are at a higher risk of primary open-angle glaucoma,” says Jacquie.

Traumatic eye injury or operation can lead to glaucoma. “Eye pressure may rise immediately or gradually upon injury,” says Jacquie, and requires constant regulation and monitoring from eye specialists.

Symptoms unrelated to vision should also be adhered to. Studies have shown that people with diabetes have an increased risk and development of glaucoma. “High blood sugar can cause the lens to swell and can cause blurry vision,” says Jacquie. High or low blood pressure, can also increase the risk of glaucoma as it “affects the blood flow to the optic nerve,” says Jacquie.

Glaucoma treatment

Smart Vision Optometrists have a holistic approach to eye care and therefore invasive surgery, which is a permanent disfigurement, is not considered a viable option and would only be suggested in extreme cases as an absolute last resort,” Jacquie said.

Although glaucoma is a permanent condition, there are other ways to keep your eyes healthy. “Regular exercise may lower the pressure of the eye and keep the blood flowing to the nerve,” says Jacquie, “eating foods that are high in antioxidants also help to keep your eye condition healthy”.

Smart Vision Optometry clinics are located in Sydney. Book a Smart Vision Comprehensive Vision Skills Assessment or Advanced Eye Health Test for any child or adult by calling the Bondi clinic (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic (02) 9969 1600, alternatively book an appointment online.

Bacteria live on human skin, and they live on eyelids too. It’s perfectly natural. But when there’s an overgrowth of bacteria on the eyelids and at the base of the lashes, a variety of problems can occur. The bacteria can produce exotoxins that inflame the glands that would ordinarily produce oil as a component of your tear fluid – and the result is often chronic dry eye.

A Relatively Common, but Knotty Problem

It’s not something that gets talked about much, so one may be surprised to find that between 15 and 25 percent of people experience blepharitis. Unfortunately, it’s not a problem that will go away on its own, and although treatment provides relief, people with this condition will probably have to go for repeat treatments from time to time.

When dry eye is caused by blepharitis, special therapeutic devices can help to solve the problem far more quickly and effectively than was the case in the past when eyelid scrubs and topical treatments were the only available way of dealing with the issue.

“Eyes in Design is pleased to be able to offer its patients BlephEx and BlephaSteam – the two most recent advances in the treatment of chronic dry eye,” says Jacqueline Gattegno, a Sydney-based behavioural optometrist. 

In-Office Treatments are Safe and Painless

The new technologies for combatting blepharitis have been thoroughly tested and are approved by authorities around the world. The safe, effective treatments are recommended by the Dry Eye Institute of Australia and are also painless, says Jaqueline. “BlephEx offers a very gentle way to exfoliate the lids and lashes, removing the bacterial debris that causes most eyelid inflammations. BlephaSteam, on the other hand, gently melts the congealed secretions that block oil-producing glands.”

“Eyes in Design has received very positive feedback from patients following these therapies,” says Jacqueline. “Dry eyes and blepharitis often go together and when they do, we are usually able to relieve the symptoms of both problems at once using these technologically-advanced pieces of equipment.”

Healthy Lifestyle Reduces Flare Ups

Although blepharitis is inclined to recur, having a healthy lifestyle can help to reduce the frequency and intensity of flare-ups. “You may notice that your blepharitis is worse after eating certain foods,” says Jaqueline. 

“In any event, a healthy, balanced diet helps the body to take better care of itself, so there’s a possibility that a healthier diet and lifestyle will reduce the recurrence of blepharitis. Women should avoid wearing eye-makeup during inflammations, and may later benefit from choosing cosmetics intended for people with sensitive skins.”

“The good news that comes with the development of new technologies for the treatment of blepharitis is that patients can experience longer-lasting relief sooner. Don’t delay blepharitis treatment. Its complications can be severe if it is left to itself, and since you will be in considerable discomfort, seeking relief is the smart thing to do.”

HEAR: Ultra106.5FM Interview with Jacqueline Gattegno – Changes in Eyesight Due to a Rise in Stress Levels

To learn more about dry eyes and how to treat it, visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

That’s because eyes change over time, and just as their joints might be feeling a bit more creaky than they did when they were in their twenties, their eyes aren’t as flexible or as strong as they were before. Here’s what they can expect from their eyes after 40 and what they can do about it. 

1. “Long Arms” for Reading

The lens of the eye flexes to allow for the switch between near and far vision. Over time, it loses its flexibility, and even those who never needed glasses before may find that they need specs for reading. “It’s one of those things,” says Australian behavioural optometrist Jacqueline Gattegno, proprietor of Eyes in Design Bondi. “If you haven’t been going for regular eye tests before the age of 40, you should certainly begin to do so.”

2. Dry Eyes

Every time someone blinks, their eyes are lubricated with tear fluid. There are a lot of different reasons for dry eyes including long hours spent in front of the computer, dry air, and ageing eyes. One can experience dry eyes at any time of life, but once someone is over the age of 35, the chances increase. Women who are experiencing menopause or are past menopause are more likely to get dry eyes than men are, but that doesn’t leave men with one less thing to worry about. They can get dry eyes too. 

Although dry eyes are uncomfortable, they aren’t ordinarily a direct threat to a person’s vision. Nevertheless, one should let an optometrist take a look and see what’s causing the problem. “Special drops can relieve dry eyes,” says Jacqueline. “You can also try helping your eyes by taking fish oil capsules and drinking lots of water.”

3. Reduced Night Vision

In time, the photoreceptors in the eyes begin to age and that means that seeing in poor light becomes more difficult. “An optometrist can’t improve your night vision per se,” says Jaqueline, “but making sure that your eyewear prescription is correct will help to some degree.”

4. Glaucoma

There was a time when having glaucoma meant that the person would experience vision loss – sometimes even total vision loss. Glaucoma is a build-up of pressure inside the eye and it can damage the optic nerve. However, if glaucoma is diagnosed early, it is treatable: one more reason to go for those eye examinations. The older a person is, the more important this becomes. Glaucoma is still a leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 60. 

5. Cataracts

Cataracts form when the proteins in the eye’s lens clump together, clouding the lens and blurring vision. Someone might notice them because they’re seeing halo effects when they look at lights, because their night vision is becoming worse, or because they’re experiencing blurry vision. 

“If cataracts are so bad that stronger glasses can’t restore vision, laser surgery solves the problem,” says Jacqueline. “It’s not a major procedure, and the success rate is excellent. Surgery may sound worrying, but it doesn’t require a stay in hospital, and the chances are excellent that your vision will be better than ever before. It’s definitely not something to be scared of.”

6. Macular Degeneration

The macula is part of the eye, and it consists of light-sensing cells. If the macula begins to degenerate, vision becomes blurry. Left untreated, it is likely to end in loss of vision, but, says Jaqueline, treatments can slow the process, preventing severe vision loss. Macular degeneration affects in the region of 14 percent of people over the age of 80. “It’s not something that affects all people with ageing eyes,” says Jacqueline, “but it’s something to look out for since the damage isn’t reversible.”

Take-Home Message

Eye examinations become even more important once a person is over 40. There’s no need for people to be overly worried about any problems an optometrist may pick up – as long as they’re going for fairly regular check-ups. Some age-related eye problems may require treatment or surgery, but in general, the outlook is good as long as the diagnosis is early.

HEAR: Ultra106.5FM Interview with Jacqueline Gattegno – Changes in Eyesight Due to a Rise in Stress Levels

For more information on eye health, visual skills and therapy, or to book an appointment, visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Behavioural optometrists like Jacqueline Gattegno of Eyes in Design Bondi are experiencing the rise of CVS, or digital eye strain as it is sometimes called, first hand. Her branch of optometry involves further study that helps her to look at how people use their eyes, the visual skills they need to develop, and the therapies they may need in order to use their eyes for the tasks that make up a regular day. 

“The most well-known application for behavioural optometry is developmental optometry, where the way children’s visual skills are developing is evaluated, and any issues that may be holding back their schoolwork are addressed,” she says. “But now, increasing numbers of adults are in need of interventions, and many of them are not aware of behavioural optometry as an option. With Computer Vision Syndrome on the rise, this needs to change.”

CVS: Prevalence, Causes, and Symptoms

Depending on which studies one reads, anything from 64 to 90 percent of computer users experience the effects of Computer Vision Syndrome. Curing it is easy. Remove the computer and the problem is solved. Unfortunately, life isn’t that simple. 

For many, the business of making a living is tied to long hours of computer use, and it doesn’t stop there. Staying in touch with friends and family, transacting personal business, and keeping up with the news could all mean even more screen time over and above the time they spend looking at screens during a standard work day. 

The average Australian, regardless of occupation, spends 5.5 hours a day in front of a screen – and that’s enough time to place them at risk of CVS. Additional factors contribute: workplace ergonomics can be an issue, as can age (users over 40 are more prone to CVS), or the presence of pre-existing vision problems.

The symptoms of CVS include tired, sore eyes, headaches, dry eyes, blurred vision, double vision, sensitivity to glare, twitching eyes, and neck and shoulder pain. They’re all linked to the demands that is unconsciously place on the eyes when viewing screens for long periods. 

Evidence shows that people blink less than they ought to when looking at screens. The muscles of the eye are also forced to concentrate on the nearby screen for extended periods instead of frequently working to change focus from near to far to mid-distance as they would in the natural context for which they were evolved. Glare, particularly blue light glare, is also a factor, as well as the rapid flickering of screens owing to their redraw and refresh process. Then there are pixels – the blurring of edges they cause may seem imperceptible, but the eyes do pick it up and have to work hard to compensate for it. 

Add existing vision issues, glasses that aren’t well-designed to work at screen viewing distance, poor posture, and environmental issues like incorrect lighting or airflows that dry out the eyes into the equation and people have a challenge that their eyes simply can’t cope with comfortably. And although Computer Vision Syndrome symptoms are reversible, many experts are concerned that it may be linked to the worldwide increase in myopia (short-sightedness). 

How Behavioural Optometry Helps

With so many factors playing a role in causing Computer Vision Syndrome, individual assessments and interventions are often required, but there are a few basics we can try observing on our own, says Jacqueline. 

“The 20-20-20 rule is worth trying. After 20 minutes of screentime, spend 20 minutes looking at something 20 feet away. You should also be aware of blinking, and blink often. It can be hard to develop these habits, but they will help in reducing strain on the eyes. Computer monitors should be 40 to 50 centimetres away from your eyes and you should be looking downward slightly when viewing them. Lightning shouldn’t be directly overhead, behind, or in front of you or too bright. Good posture also helps.” 

However, these habits, good as they are, might not be enough to solve the problem. “People may need computer glasses,” says Jacqueline. “They should be made for the screen viewing distance and they may be tinted to counteract blue light. And when eye muscles are severely strained, eye exercises can make a big difference in relieving the symptoms of eye strain.”

“There’s no single solution because everyone’s eyes are different. A behavioural optometrist would be able to evaluate both eyesight and the way in which eyes are used, and both could be important in developing a program to combat Computer Vision Syndrome.”

HEAR: Ultra106.5FM Interview with Jacqueline Gattegno – Changes in Eyesight Due to a Rise in Stress Levels

For more information on vision therapy and how it works, or to book an appointment, visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Not Getting the Message

She says most vision problems, and not only the most obvious and serious ones such as glaucoma, myopia (shortsightedness), macular degeneration and cataract, can affect people psychologically, mentally, and physically. Some of the less publicised eye issues such as eye misalignment, too much or too little convergence of the eyes, and focus difficulties, affect how people view the world and their place in it, as well as how they react to their immediate environment, what happens in it, and the people who live in it. 

“This is not surprising, as the eyes as the primary sense receive about 80% of the information people need to function in their world, and the importance of that information is evident in that the largest part of the brain is consigned to the processing of that information into usable and understandable images,” Gattegno says.

When there is a glitch in the visual system in which the brain processes information about sight received from the eyes into understandable and relevant images that information may be skewed by visual problems. This can result in the processed images returned by the brain being compromised, misleading, and difficult to understand. 

It can also affect visual perception and the skills attached to it, such as the development of motor skills, the ability to track moving objects, and, most of all, the ability to understand what is being seen, and its relevance. Not having these skills can lead to a poor self-image and result in poor function, performance and behaviour. It also doubles the risk of depression and anxiety. 

Getting on the Path to Eye Health

Regular professional eye check-ups, both in the standard form which determines only the acuity of the sight, and in terms of vision checks which look into the perceptual, behavioural and functional parts of vision, play a vital part in ensuring good eye health, both for adults and their children. It’s very important, and possible vision saving, to respond to any signs that suggest there might be visual problems by not waiting for the annual check-up to come round, and consulting an eye specialist immediately.

Gattegno says there are other ways to support eye health, without too much effort. These involve adopting new attitudes and side-lining certain habits, like spending too much time staring at a screen, sitting inside most of the time, and smoking. Increased time spent outdoors under natural light, and fitting in some exercise, are all positive steps to take.

Protection and Diet 

She says protecting the eyes is another vital issue. Ways and reasons to do so include wearing UV blocking sunglasses as a shield against cataract, damage to the retina and the eyelids and growths on the eye, some of which could be cancerous. It is also important to use proper eye protection when playing sports or when doing repairs or projects that could injure the eyes. 

When it comes to diet, Gattegno says that it is best for those with visual problems, diseases or allergies to check with an eye specialist and/or doctor first regarding food and drink choices.

The standard recommendation is to avoid highly processed foods, fast-foods such as pre-packed dinners, burgers, milkshakes, and other sugary drinks, as well as carbohydrates, margarine and fried foods. which can lead to clogging in the thin arteries which supply blood to the eyes. Instead, Gattegno suggests adopting eating habits that involve foods which are low in chemicals, sugar and fat and go for sources which supply vitamins and minerals essential for good eye health and function. 

This includes Vitamin A, which keeps the light-sensing cells in the eyes in shape for collecting visual information, and is found in orange vegetables and fruits like apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes;andVitamin C in citrus such oranges, lemons, grapefruit, some berries, bell peppers and tomatoes. Vitamin E from avocados, nuts, almonds and sunflower seeds, have been shown to slow the progression of macular degeneration and cataract, as well as protecting eyes from too much processed food and smoking. 

Taking a similar role are the two anti-oxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, found in some leafy green vegetables such as kale, turnip greens, spinach,romaine lettuce, peas and broccoli; as well as thezinc in chickpeas, beans, oysters, lean beef and yogurt.

HEAR: Ultra106.5FM Interview with Jacqueline Gattegno – Changes in Eyesight Due to a Rise in Stress Levels

For more information on vision and the importance of eye health, or to book an appointment for a thorough eye or vision check-up, visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Like a growing number of optometrists, she voices concern that the shortsightedness label constantly attached to information regarding the refractive error is possibly sugarcoating the very serious threat myopia holds in terms of its impact on people’s eyes and lives, and that this might lead to many children going through school and life either without knowing they are myopic, or being deprived access to ways to manage or control its progression.

Myopia Does More Damage Than Causing a Blur

Gattegno says that shortsightedness is commonly interpreted as just affecting distance vision to the extent that anything not close-by is seen as a blur, and that it requires no more treatment or control than a pair of single vision glasses that might help remove the blur in their distance vision. It is critical to understand that in progressive myopia, the eyeball actually elongates exponentially. This increases the risk of future eye health conditions, including cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachments and, age-related blindness.

She says this treatment was still considered adequate before the number of myopics started an upward curve a few decades ago, and rose still further this century. This upward curve led eye doctors and researchers to paying closer attention to the incurable and mysterious eye problem and the realisation that myopia involved a lot more than blurry distance vision. With it being identified as being linked to serious vision problems, the focus and variety of new ways to manage it have started to grow. Meanwhile the numbers on the curve have kept soaring at a rate which suggests every second person globally could be myopic by 2050 if it is not controlled.

The Myopia Threat

Depending on what level of myopia a child has, children can be looking at a future which is more than just blurred, Gattegno says. If it progresses into high myopia (and even if it stays at mild or moderate levels), it can affect their lives considerably by changing the way they see the world around them and how to react to it, and it may even take away their sight completely as they get older.

She says that in the short term, myopia can lead to problems with playing sport, learning, and behaviour at school, as well as impacting to a certain extent on other daily activities. It may also affect their self-image and feelings about their place in the world. But however serious these effects are, bigger threats can await them if the progression of myopia is not controlled. In later years they may be faced with the most destructive eye impairments, cataracts, glaucoma, non-age-related macular degeneration, and retinal detachment. 

HEAR: Ultra106.5FM Interview with Gary Rodney – Covid and Myopia: What you need to know!

For more information on eye health, visual skills and therapy, or to book an appointment, visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

She says that the prevention or management of these three best known and recognised eye diseases is of vital importance as all three, if not controlled, can slowly lead to blindness. And, according to studies investigating possible links between inactivity or sedentary lifestyles and eye diseases like glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, even moderate exercise reduced the chances of getting glaucoma by 25%.  Routines involving exercise only every second day significantly lowered the chances of age-related macular degeneration.

But the positive effects of physical exercise on eye health do not stop there, it can also help lessen or remove the impact of general health issues on eye health.

Exercise Can Help More Than the Big Three

According to Gattegno, physical exercise, along with a healthy diet, can lower levels and improve management of many of the most serious general health issues which affect the eyes and vision severely and can also threaten sight over a period of time.

This includes controlling diabetes, which if left to run rampant can lead to retinal damage, and impact on sight by causing swelling in the macula which contains the vital photoreceptor cells that detect light. Diabetes can also lead to high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels; both of which can affect the small blood vessels in the eyes, and also damage the light-sensitive retina. 

Exercise Routine Can Be Gentle

She says that as the studies showed, even a gentle but regular stroll through the park can improve and maintain both general and eye health, especially in those with a sedentary lifestyle, and it’s not necessary to overdo it. Walking briskly for 30-minutes every second day can be sufficient. 

“The only catch is that this is not a quick fix which can be applied for a while and then stopped. To keep reaping the benefits it is vital to keep following the programme at least three times a week,” Gattegno says.

Stepping Up the Pace

Most cardiovascular exercises which get the heart pumping and pulse rising, whether carried out in the form of dancing, riding a bike, running or walking, are the most likely to bring about even better outcomes with regard to vision problems.

They increase the flow of blood to both the optic nerve and to the retina, reducing the effects of hypertension (high blood pressure) on the eyes, helping control macular degeneration, and reducing the high intraocular pressure which causes glaucoma, Gattegno says. 

At the same time, hormones and anti-oxidants produced by the body in response to the exercise can also help protect the retinal ganglion cells. The retinal ganglion cells process the sight data received from light rays which land in the eyes and dispatch it to the brain.

HEAR: Ultra106.5FM Interview with Gary Rodney – Covid and Myopia: What you need to know!

For more information on eye diseases, eye health and vision,  or to book an appointment, visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

She says those four senses perform very important roles in the brain’s processing of sensory data into vision that’s accurate, relevant, meaningful, and usable so that people can understand what they see and react accordingly to it, as well as function properly in their surroundings. Without them, the visual image could be compromised, causing the viewer to feel estranged and confused. 

Working as a Team

All five senses are in a team, and intertwined when it comes to how they operate. This makes it not only possible for them and the brain to keep in contact and work together in order to ensure the best processing of sight’s data. Gattegno says it also means that one of them can step in and cover when another, including sight, loses its ability to function properly. With training, the sense of hearing has been shown to assist the blind, and for those who are deaf as well as blind, touch can play an important role in functioning. It’s also possible that if the sense of taste fails for some reason, sight and smell might cause the food to “taste” the same.

Loading the Reference Bank

Their primary role is to help load the various “memory libraries” of specific information gathered by the brain for reference when processing the electrochemical data received from the eyes about what is seen. Their input adds a different variety and nature of information to the data received by the eyes, which is made up purely of colour, light and shape, and affect how the end picture is perceived, interpreted and understood.

How the Senses Work

All five senses collect information in reaction to different specific stimuli and the sensations or vibrations they create. For the eyes (sight) and ears (audition) stimuli are in the form of light waves and sound waves respectively. Taste (gustation) and smell (olfaction), which are closely intertwined, are known as the chemical senses because they respond to chemical stimuli rather than light or sound waves; and textures provide the stimuli to the tactile sense of touch or somatosensation, Gattegno says. 

Touch’s information is converted in mechanoreceptors on the skin before being sent to the brain; sight by the retina from light rays falling on it; hearing from drum-like vibration in the inner ear; smells in the nasal area; and taste in the taste buds on the tongue.

She says that once the data and information is collected, all five senses send their own signals to the brain for processing using sensory neurons and individual sense-specific receptors which accept their messages, and them only, for conversion into electrical signals. 

HEAR: Ultra106.5FM Interview with Jacqueline Gattegno – Changes in Eyesight Due to a Rise in Stress Levels

For more information on eye health and vision, or to book an appointment, visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

She says the consequences of staring at smartphones too much and too long go far further than temporary “computer fatigue”, currently describing the side-effects of screen overtime and the short wavelength blue light screens emit. And not even those who’ve passed the standard 20/20 eye test with flying colours, and show no clear signs of vision problems, are totally immune to it. 

“In spite of this, children are still owning smartphones and using them far more than an hour a day. Instead they are using them almost all the time, whether they’re at school, at home, or even after getting into bed at night. And sometimes those whose eyesight is still developing, have not yet started school, and are still in prams or pushchairs, are doing the same,” Gattegno said. 

New Research Reveals Smartphone’s Threats

According to Gattegno, new research and statistics have suggested smartphones could be contributing to the epidemic levels of myopia, the shortsighted refractive error predicted to affect the vision of 50% of the global population by 2050. And other research has reported finding imbalances similar to those seen in people with mental illnesses in the brain chemistry of young smartphone users who spend a large amount of time staring at them. 

Other studies have linked even one hour a day spent staring at a smartphone screen with a significant rise in anxiety and depression among children. Gattegno says it’s also been associated with a drop in children’s curiosity about the world around them, and an increase in the amount of bad behaviour like bullying, short attention spans, and low performance at school, with most of these attributed to the instant gratification and constant streams of information, sound and colour, provided by mobiles, which could overwhelm the brain and distort the children’s perceptual vision skills.

Tips on How to Lower the Risks

Gattegno says that the best way to avoid these threats, is to reduce the time spent staring at screens by setting boundaries on the time young eyes spend focused on them. 

The smartphones themselves provide some assistance in the form of anti-glare screens and settings which reduce the emission of blue light, which studies now show may actually damage the cornea and impact badly on vision. It’s also possible to adjust the brightness and contrast, as well as the size of the text, all of which go some way towards reducing potential harm to the eyes. Keeping the screen clean and clear of blotchy fingerprints, and teaching children to blink frequently when watching the screen, will help protect their eyes from getting dry and help reduce eye strain, as will ensuring the screen is at least 16 inches away from their eyes while they are watching.

Gattegno says it’s also wise to involve children in other activities which will help their eyes and at the same time distract them from the screen.  Time outside, engaging with nature under natural light and doing some exercise, is the best answer. It also creates an opportunity to implement the 20/20/20 rule of eye care, which recommends that every 20 minutes children should look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds, and take a 15-minute break from any type of screen every 50 minutes.

HEAR: Ultra106.5FM Interview with Gary Rodney – Covid and Myopia: What you need to know!

For more information on screen usage, behavioural optometry, perceptual vision and vision therapy, or to book an appointment, visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

A Vicious Cycle of Anxiety and Distortion

She says the strange relationship creates a vicious cycle in which those living and seeing in anxiety’s mental world, comprised of threats, fear, and the stress these create, can add strain and various levels of vision anxiety to the challenges already facing those whose eyes are misaligned and therefore unable to work  efficiently as a team. This vision problem, which also affects how people see their world, can, in return, increase the levels of anxiety in the already anxious.

According to Gattegno, vision anxiety shows itself in visual symptoms which include light-sensitivity; double-vision; blurs, floaters and shadows; short shifts in brightness; distorted images; and seeing non-existent shapes which may or may not appear to be moving.

Like anxiety disorders and even occasional stress, vision anxiety can occur before, during or after a particularly challenging period or any change in stress levels. It can also appear out of nowhere, stay for a short or long time, and disappear often or occasionally, only to return at another time. It can always affect the same eye, shift from one eye to the other and back, or affect both eyes simultaneously every time.

Anxiety and Eye Misalignments Impact on Perception

“Anxiety changes people’s perception of life, the world and their place in it, and leads to increased feelings of disorientation and confusion, as well as leading to a sense of being overwhelmed, all of which can have an impact on perceptual vision. This, in turn, can affect the visual system, and especially do so when the eyes already have their own form of perceptual dysfunction caused by eye misalignment,” Gattegno says.

“80% of the information we receive about the world, life, and sense of place are processed through the visual pathway. But when there is misalignment the chances are strong that this information would be compromised.”

She says the body’s visual system is based on the eyes working in sync with each other , with each eye sending its own data on what’s seen to the brain for processing into a single understandable image that’s processed  by the mind. But when the eyes don’t work in sync, their individual ‘reports’ may differ, and affect or distort the processing so much that the information from the weaker eye (or both) may be discarded by the brain as being irrelevant and senseless. This, in turn, can affect people’s perception of what they see, and raise the levels of confusion and disorientation which lead to feelings of anxiety and alienation.

Eye Misalignment: A Mysterious Problem

To see well, the eyes need to act as a team which look in the same direction and focuses on the same object. But eye misalignment, one of the most common eye problems faced by children, and affecting around 4 percent of them under 6, can’t do that. Instead it causes one eye, (sometimes both, and less often, alternating eyes) to turn inwards towards the nose, or away from it; look upwards or downwards instead of straight ahead; and in some instances, to move in more than one of those directions at the same time.

Gattegno says the mystery lies in what causes misalignment. Suggested reasons vary from high levels of farsightedness and thyroid eye disease, to injuries, cranial nerve palsies, and birth, brain or eye development problems. And it’s said to occasionally be a mixture of more than one of these.  

Cutting the Bond

Several options are available for treating eye misalignments, including vision therapy, which uses a structured program of training to improve eye coordination and the teamwork between the brain and the eyes; as well as glasses, contact lenses, prism lenses, and eye muscle surgery.

However, she said that although correcting misalignments (and other eye problems) may reduce or remove vision anxiety, it will not cure the anxiety disorder or stress that appears to increase its impact. That requires rest, relaxation, and therapy of a different kind, aimed at treating the disorder itself.

For more information on vision therapy, or to book an appointment for a visual perception test online, visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

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However, according to Australian behavioural optometrists Jacqueline Gattegno and Gary Rodney, many don’t realise that the lack of sleep can have far more serious effects on their eyesight and vision than merely spoiling their aesthetics or their mood, or that some even lead to vision loss.

Why A Good Night’s Sleep is Necessary

According to Rodney, a master of optometry and fellow of the International Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control (FIAOMC), regularly having the correct amount of the right sort of sleep leads to better and clearer eyesight, vision, and eye function. The recommended amount is 7 to 8 hours at night for adults, longer for teenagers, and still more for young children whose eyes are still developing.

These extended sleep periods provide adequate time for restoring and renewing the cells, lubricating the eyes, and improving the health of the tissues, nerves and muscles in and around the eyes. Not giving the eyes this vital time for maintenance can result in nothing more than a little discomfort in the short-term, but it can also seriously affect the eyes and visual system, and can sometimes lead to impaired vision or blindness, says Gattegno.

How Lack of Sleep Can Affect the Eyes

• The Eye Spasms and Twitching experienced after a short or restless night’s sleep, probably won’t harm vision permanently, but they can be extremely irritating and distracting at the very least. Rodney says they may also affect the ability to focus, and influence the ability to perform everyday functions such as driving, working on the computer, or reading.
  
• Dry Eye Syndrome is caused when the eyes don’t produce enough tears (or they evaporate too soon) to clean and lubricate the eyes. While this can occur naturally, Rodney says it is also associated with too much time spent watching screens with a fixed focus, and little blinking or eye movement. And it can also result from too little sleep.

He says all these habits limit the tears eyes build up during blinking or sleeping, and affects their ability to circulate them in order to keep the eyes lubricated. The result can cause headaches; itchy, scratchy or red eyes; blurred vision; increased light sensitivity; stringy mucus in and around the eyes; eye infections and eye fatigue. But, when it happens too often, it can also lead to scratches developing on the cornea which covers the eye and protects it against UV light rays, and may even result in total vision loss if left untreated.

• The most severe eye impairments, and the most likely to cause vision loss, flourish in a poor health environment, according to Rodney. Two of the best known are Glaucoma, which builds up pressure inside the eyes to a point where it damages the optic nerve and, starting with the peripheral vision, gradually leads to total vision loss; and Diabetic Retinopathy, which, in reaction to Diabetes 2, damages the blood vessels in the retina, which normally act as the landing point for the light rays delivering information about what is seen for transfer to the brain.
  
• A rarer vision condition, Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (AION), also seems to have a connection with sleep loss, and particularly where the sleep-deprived person has sleep apnea. This causes inflammation in the eye blood vessels, which can also result in vision loss over time.
  

For more information on how to identify and avoid eye conditions and impairments, or to make an appointment for a regular eye check, visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

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Both eye conditions are common in young children, with strabismus affecting about 4% of those under six, and lazy eye impacting up to one out of every two young children, and about 3% of the overall population.

How the Unlikely Pair Do Differ

While the two seem (and are) very closely linked, and sometimes, actually wreak their havoc on perceptual vision together, where they do differ considerably is in how they operate, and in that one of them can cause the other, says Rodney, fellow of the International Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control (FIAOMC). He says strabismus is known to be one of the major causes (though not the only one) of amblyopia, and it’s development into a more severe form, which can ultimately lead to a loss of vision in the lazy eye.

Strabismus, an eye-alignment problem which can start at birth or be acquired later, develops either when body or brain problems interfere with the function and control of the muscles outside the eyeball that are responsible for eye movements; or in the nerves and vision centres which control vision. It leaves the eyes unable to focus on the same space or in the same direction at the same time. Instead it causes one eye (or sometimes both) to move in different directions, turning outwards, up, down, or inwards, while the other looks straight ahead.

The ultimate in rovers, strabismus, unless it’s the very severe constant version, can disappear for some time and even for years, only to return later in life, when muscles have started to weaken, Rodney says.

Amblyopia, labelled as “lazy eye”, usually starts during infancy or early in childhood, and is all about visual acuity or eyesight. It’s the result of poor vision development in one eye (or, occasionally, both), and is often the result of imbalance in the muscles that position the eyes. It blurs vision, and keeps it that way even when wearing spectacles.

Consequences of These Wanderers

According to Rodney, the outcomes of both eye conditions are the same – there’s interference and disruption of the connection between the eyes and the brain which is essential for the visual system to work. When two eyes function normally, the versions of the information they receive from light rays and send to the brain for processing, will match well enough for the brain to complete the process. When the two eyes see differently, their messages will be confusing and less understandable, making it difficult for the brain to interpret or process them.

Amblyopia on it’s own, or when paired with strabismus, becomes a real threat to vision (and itself) when, as often happens, the brain gives up on the eye that continuously sends confused messages, and ends up ignoring it. Instead, the brain favours the eye which consistently sends processable information. This can result in the “lazy eye’s” vision worsening still further, and when strabismus teams up with it, or is the cause of it, total loss of vision in the lazy eye becomes very likely, according to Rodney.

Strabismus, with its wanderings, can negatively affect the depth perception which adds the 3D aspect to viewed objects, as well as impacting on the peripheral (or side) vision, leading to double vision. Other symptoms include jittery vision, eye strain and headaches which make it both uncomfortable and tiring for someone to read, and factors which can be misinterpreted as being evidence of learning difficulties, disorders, or disabilities.

For more information on strabismus, amblyopia, or the ways that vision therapy can be used to treat them without surgery, or to make an appointment for a regular eye check, visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

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Not All Normals are Normal

According to Gattegno, children, and often those around them, are totally unaware that there’s a vision problem, and are therefore unlikely to realise that vision errors could be behind low learning performance, and unexpected classroom behaviour which doesn’t seem to be in sync with the child’s personality traits or cognitive development.

She says children don’t really see their vision as being anything but normal, because they haven’t experienced anything else. And while they may realise that they don’t see or experience things the same way their classmates do, they may tend to be reticent about discussing it with those around them, so many parents and teachers are left in the dark.

Getting to the Bottom of Behaviour Problems

Rodney, founder of the Smart Vision Optometry system based in Sydney, says vision problems impacting on learning skills and classroom behaviour often involve focusing and eye-tracking issues, or a lack of teamwork between the eyes. These can affect the way children see their lives and how they function in them, and they can certainly impact on their understanding or perception of what is seen in the classroom, and how they react to it.

He says that to work perfectly the visual system needs uninterrupted and perfect teamwork between the eyes and brain. The eyes harvest information provided by light rays and transmit it to the brain, where this information is decoded and processed into understandable and usable images. Any glitches in this system or shortfalls in the teamwork can bring about a similar outcome to that of a single player who’s out of form on match-day and so causes a sports team to lose a match which seemed like a certain win.

Rodney says that, similarly, the out of sync behavioural patterns could be indicating that at least one team player is not performing well in the visual team, resulting in children having difficulty paying attention or concentrating; avoiding certain activities like reading or playing sport; and being reluctant when it comes to answering questions or really engaging in classroom discussions.

Vision Testing and Therapy May be the Solution

Fortunately, he says these patterns, and the vision problems causing them, can be identified by testing for visual perceptual and functional skill deficits, and any eye deficiencies which could be causing them. And in many cases these can be corrected using vision therapy provided this intervention is done timeously. 

On the other hand, relying solely on regular eye-tests could mean that these vision dysfunctions and impairments, which affect the way people see objects and interpret what they are seeing, can go untreated, or be misdiagnosed as a neurodevelopmental disorder such as ADHD, or other learning disorders like dyslexia.

For more information on behavioural optometry, perceptual vision, vision therapy and its importance, or to book an appointment for a thorough eye or vision check-up,visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

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How Vision Therapy Works

Rodney, a fellow of the International Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control (FIAOMC), says the therapy, sometimes called the “physiotherapy” of vision, is aimed at correcting any hidden (and often unnoticed) glitches in the visual function system and visual processing system which can impact negatively on how people understand, and perform in, the world around them.

And it’s not just a few that face living with the consequences. Statistics suggest that a minimum of 25% of young children are likely to have to deal with undetected and often misdiagnosed vision problems during their first years of schooling. 

Tracking Down the Dysfunctions

According to Rodney, these dysfunctions can’t be identified by taking a standard eye test but can be detected by testing functional and perceptual visual skills and assessing behavioural abnormalities which seem to be out of sync with personality types. He says any irregularities in these can lead to difficulties in learning; reading; sports; concentrating or paying attention. They may also impact on motor-skills and physical development, bring about perceptual and functional confusion regarding a person’s place in the world, and skew their understanding of what’s going on around them.

He says that often these problems are brought about by eye conditions like crossed or lazy eyes; poor eye-teaming and/or eye-tracking skills; depth perception problems; and ocular muscle or focusing dysfunctions, to name just a few.

With such a wide variety of causes, therapy programmes cannot be standardised but instead have to be custom-designed to meet each person’s individual needs. And as the programme is not (nor meant to be) a quick fix, it may involve multiple consultations, special spectacles, regular training using software in the clinic, and a fair amount of time spent at home exercising eye muscles, and learning to identify visual information more accurately relative to age norms.

Results Shown in Case Studies

Rodney says the outcomes revealed in case studies which have tracked training programmes carried out at his Smart Vision Optometry clinics, show noticeable positive changes in perceptive vision, functioning, and performance.

One such case study records how an 8-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who had spent most of her life in a wheelchair, was finally able to stand up straight and unassisted for the first time after completing two of the three blocks of her therapy programme. She had also caught up with her classmates from being two years behind in reading, was comfortably handling maths and starting to take part in class discussions. The next step, Rodney said, is for her to walk unaided, and he believes that moment won’t be far off as her eye-tracking and depth perception problems lessens still further and her understanding of the concepts of space improves.

Another case study tells the story of three siblings, all of which underwent vision therapy some years apart to help treat different problems. The oldest was battling with reading; the middle child, a girl, suffered debilitating headaches; and the youngest finally admitted to his teacher that he couldn’t read the writing on the blackboard in class. In all three cases, the therapy had positive outcomes.   

For more information on vision therapy and how it works, visit the Smart Vision website: Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visit Myopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visit Orthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up, click here or Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.