Although laser eye surgery has become a low risk and easy-to-execute procedure, it is still invasive.

Gary Rodney, the Founder of Smart Vision Optometry and a leading Smart Vision Optometrist at Eyes InDesign Mosman, discusses an alternative non-invasive surgery to correct and improve vision.

Smart Vision Optometrists resource to non-invasive surgeries in their practice.

Many patients do not qualify for eye laser surgery, as they may have irregular corneas, or other conditions, such as inflammation, and bacterial infections often caused by poor hygiene. Additionally many patients are worried about eye surgery given the burning of the inner layers of myopia correction surgery can have permanent negative effects. Many “laser surgeries involve the burning of the matrix of the inner layers of the corneal tissue to flatten and reshape the cornea to correct vision, however this is not always a once-off fix, because the underlying issues of what caused them to become short-sighted in the first place has not been addressed and so the process may need to be repeated and burnt again,” says Rodney.

Laser surgery, such as LASIK, is invasive to the eye and can cause damage or injury to the eye, such as cornea damage, and may cause other complications such as eye infections and permanent dry eyes.

Invasive surgeries are no longer the only option for vision correction, as smart vision optometrists offer non-invasive methods and procedures.

Smart vision optometrists use vision therapy, therapeutic spectacle and contact lenses to improve comfort, enhance performance and optimise visual development.  Visual therapy is a “non-invasive method used to improve and manage different eye conditions,” says Rodney. This technique involves exercises that help improve the visual system.

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)

Orthokeratology, also referred to as corneal reshaping treatment, is “a non-surgical vision correction alternative,” says Rodney. Corneal reshaping (CR) is a therapeutic process which reshapes the cornea using reverse geometry contact lenses. This flattens the cornea to reduce nearsightedness.

There is “no age barrier to this procedure as it is safe for both children and adults,” says Rodney. The non-surgical vision correction procedure can correct refractive errors such as mild to moderate and even large (in some cases) myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Ortho-K is safe and effective for children as it has been proven to treat myopia effectively. Evidence based practice has made the process very safe provided a minimum standard of care is followed. Thus includes regular checks with your orthokeratologist, tap water never used on the lenses or case at any time, hydrogen peroxide disinfection, 12 monthly lens replacement, and a perfectly fitted lens from an experienced orthokeratologist. The procedure is not effective on certain shaped corneas. “Ortho-K is also suitable for sportsmen and women, swimmers, and simply those who do not wish to wear glasses or contact lenses,” says Rodney.

Like refractive surgeries, Ortho-K gives clear unaided vision, however it has no surgical risks and is reversible. The most important part for children though is the proven effectiveness against minimising myopia progression. So it has a large preventative effect.

The Ortho-K gradually reshapes the front surface of the cornea to reduce myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. The vision retainer is similar to contact lenses, but are worn at night while sleeping.

While asleep, “the lens uses the force of the eyelid and tear fluid beneath the lens to reshape the top of the cornea,” says Rodney. Upon awakening the patient’s vision remains clear throughout the day, without using contact lenses or glasses.

“This procedure is non-surgical vision correction is painless and reversible,” says Rodney. Ortho-K does not permanently change the shape of the eye. “The eye shape will revert to its original state within one to two weeks if the lenses are no longer worn,” says Rodney. However, improvements are visible the day after, and the procedure stabilises after a week. The process for high myopia, astigmatism and hyperopia, can take up to two to four weeks to achieve full correction.

The Ortho-K lens “offers relief from problems associated with contact lenses, such as dry eyes, and dust that may get trapped in and under the contact lens,” says Rodney.

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 Mosman clinic (02) 9969 1600 or the Bondi clinic (02) 9365 5047, alternatively book an appointment online.

Training the Eyes for Sports: As Important as Regular Workouts

The logic is simple. Athletes train their bodies, hoping to reach the peak of their performance, but many of them fail to recognise the importance of training their eyes which are, after all, part of the body and at least as important to their performance as their limbs. 

The ability to see moving objects properly, locate them accurately in space, tracking them as they move, and focusing from one object to the next quickly and clearly are important in sports. Over and above that, being able to see things out of the corner of the eye, the ability to judge speed and distance, and the way in which the eyes direct our bodies, or hand-eye coordination, all contribute to sportspeople’s performance. 

These visual skills may seem like second nature – but so are other elements of sport, like the ability to run. And, as with running ability, training brings improvement. However, it’s an aspect of sports training of which few are aware. One will, for example, hear people saying that they have poor hand-eye coordination with the implied conclusion that there’s nothing to be done about it. According to Gary Rodney, that’s a false assumption. The right training can make a big difference.

Because Everybody’s Different

As with other training programs, there’s no single recipe for success. Gary says that sports vision therapy all begins with individual assessments. The basics come first. While glasses or contacts aren’t a must for everyone, some athletes might need them, so a simple eye test acts as a starting point. 

After that, a behavioural optometrist delves deeper, testing the visual skills that even people with 20/20 vision need in order to perform well in their chosen sports. Specialised equipment is used to test a range of visual skills that aren’t covered by a regular eye examination. The results enable the behavioural optometrist to identify the areas needing work, making it possible to develop an individualised therapeutic training program.

“There’s much more to behavioural optometry than just prescribing glasses,” says Gary, “and it’s not just athletes that can benefit. Some people think they’re just ‘clumsy’ when the real problem lies in their visual skills. Physical performance and visual ability are closely linked, and glasses or contact lenses aren’t always the solution.”

So, for those hoping to do better at sports, and those who aren’t into sport but have noticed issues with hand-eye coordination, depth perception, and so on, vision therapy could be a game-changer in more ways than one. 

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

For more information on 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.

Orthokeratology, or Ortho-K, is designed to guide the eyeball into its optimal shape for focus, potentially reducing myopia or astigmatism. There’s even conclusive evidence that Orthokeratology can slow the progression of myopia in children, a finding that Gary Rodney finds particularly satisfying. 

Strange as the idea of wearing contact lenses by night may sound, Ortho-K has been around for a while, and it has been stringently tested. The notoriously careful FDA in the United States found that 65 percent of patients selected for the treatment achieved 20/20 vision, with over 90 percent achieving a rating of 20/40 or better. 20/40 is considered as being “slightly” nearsighted – a person who may or may not decide to wear glasses. 

The Process

It all begins with an eye examination by an optometrist who has studied the field of orthokeratology – better still if they have been accredited to be a Fellow of Orthokeratology. If an initial examination indicates that Ortho-K can help, he or she will map the cornea’s surface using a corneal topographer. It’s contact-free, much like any other eye test, and the information it gathers will be used to make customised contact lenses.

“Usually, your lenses will flatten and mould the cornea somewhat,” says Gary. “The lenses are hard, but not uncomfortable, especially once you’ve grown accustomed to wearing them.” In the morning, after you remove your contact lenses, the cornea remains flattened for the day, allowing for clearer focus without glasses. “It is just like when you remove a finger ring that has been worn for a while there is an indentation that stays on the finger for the next day. That’s orthok but ion microns of shape change. In most instances, it takes about two weeks to achieve the full shaping process for which each set of lenses is designed,” says Gary. In a complex scenario, the person will go through three sets of lenses since shaping the cornea is a gradual process.

Having reached the desired shape, the cornea can’t be left to itself. It’s best for most people to keep wearing retainer lenses every night, or at least most nights, in order to enjoy being able to see without glasses by day. 

Sleeping with Contact Lenses Can Have Benefits

Gary Rodney says that kids and people with active lifestyles often benefit form Ortho-K. “For example, you shouldn’t surf with contacts, and unless you’re going to get prescription surfing goggles, you can’t do it with glasses either,” says Gary. “Kids, on the other hand, like rough and tumble, and glasses or contacts are less practical by day.”

And, of course, some people don’t want to wear glasses, and either don’t want to, or can’t, wear contacts by day. From a practical perspective, using Ortho-K lenses has a similar effect to glasses or contact lenses. They correct vision but don’t have a permanent effect if one stops wearing them. However, it is used at night, and there are a lot of personal and practical reasons why people choose this option instead of opting for glasses, regular contacts, or surgery to correct their vision.

Most tantalising of all is the possibility that Orthokeratology could slow the progression of myopia, especially in children. “There’s a rise in myopia,” says Gary, “and Eyes in Design is particularly interested in myopia control, particularly in children. Helping them to see better for longer would be the ultimate goal Eyes in Design would like to achieve.”

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

For more information on Orthokeratology and Smart Vision’s approach to myopia management, 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.

The Visual Skills Children Need to Succeed in School

Being able to focus on an eye-test chart isn’t enough. It’s also important to be able to focus at various distances and change focus easily from one distance to another. Apart from being able to focus, eyes need to be able to track from one thing to the next. For example, when reading, the eyes must be able to scan from one word to the next without losing their place. At the same time, both eyes need to be able to work together as a team.

Over and above these basic visual skills, people need the ability to process spatial information, notice small differences between one thing and another, be able to coordinate what is done in relation to what is seen (eye-hand coordination), and be able to associate what is seen with what is heard. 

Any issues with these visual skills will naturally result in problems with schoolwork. Up to 25 percent of children have visual difficulties of one kind or another, so having a thorough eye examination that includes testing of visual skills is a sensible step to take when children struggle at school.

Not all Optometrists Test Visual Skills

Regular Optometrists and eye surgeons (Ophthalmologists) are trained to test how well one can see, but it takes further training to be able to comprehensively test all the visual skills needed to succeed at school. 

That’s why many parents and educators eliminate issues with vision as a reason for children having difficulty with schoolwork too soon. After all, ordinary eye tests may show that a child has 20/20 vision, but without evaluation of the additional visual skills that will allow children to use their eyesight in learning, parents and teachers can mistake visual processing disorders for learning problems. As a result, the real issue is not addressed, and a child may be unable to fulfil his or her true potential.

Steps to Take When Children Struggle to Learn

Gary Rodney acknowledges that although full evaluation of vision and related visual skills can identify issues that are holding children back, other factors may contribute to difficulties with learning. 

If a child is struggling at school, testing of visual and auditory skills are a good first step. Gary’s practice, Eyes in Design, located in Mosman, will also be able to refer parents to the relevant health practitioners if dyslexia or other learning problems are suspected but have not been diagnosed. Even when a formal diagnosis has occurred, addressing any visual skills difficulties will help children to deal better with the challenges they face. 

“Vision therapy is not a panacea,” says Gary. “However sometimes, it’s all that’s needed to get kids on track. After all it has been shown that 80% of how we learn comes through the visual pathway. In other cases vision may not be the cause of the problem, or it may only be a contributing factor. Either way, Eyes in Design’s vision therapists are ready to assist parents in finding the practitioners they need to help children with the learning challenges they face.”

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

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.

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

He says glaucoma comes in various forms and progresses very slowly, sometimes taking as much as 20 years to complete its damage to the optic nerve, a vital part of the communication system between the eyes and the brain, and the one that allows people to see. 

But its slowness doesn’t make it any less of a threat, he says. Instead, with about 15 percent of those who have it eventually losing their vision even if they have had treatment, glaucoma is now considered to hold second place to cataract as the world’s top cause of blindness. 

Glaucoma Seriousness Leads to Many Studies

Glaucoma’s second place position as a potential killer of sight has given rise to a large number of studies in the past few years in an attempt to discover more information about this eye condition, its causes, and how its development and progression is affected by its relationship with other eye problems and people’s behaviour patterns, including sleep. 

“Glaucoma is the result of built-up pressure in the eyes caused by an imbalance between the production and drainage of aqueous fluid. And although the fluid production levels tend to drop during sleep, the imbalance isn’t necessarily rectified. Instead it can be exacerbated, and the intraocular pressure increased, if the body is in a position that blocks the drainage system still further, and it stays in that position for too long,” Rodney says.

How Sleeping Patterns Affect Glaucoma

Rodney says a US study which assessed glaucoma and its progression in close to 7,000 people, all in their 40s, has produced broad insight into the glaucoma/sleep relationship and how it affects the progression of the eye condition. 

The study indicates that what makes the relationship between sleep and glaucoma complicated is that in order to control the progression of glaucoma, the sleep pattern also needs to be controlled. This requires careful planning based on how quickly (or slowly) a person falls asleep; what position that person sleeps in; and exactly how long the sleep lasts. 

A Matter of Time

Sleep latency, or the time people take to fall asleep, holds the biggest threat for those who fall asleep almost instantly and those who take too long to do so. Those who fall asleep in 9 minutes or less after climbing into bed, as well as those on the other extreme, who take longer than half an hour to do so, face double the risk of getting glaucoma when compared with people who fall asleep within the middle zone (between 10 and 29 minutes).

However, Rodney says that the threats don’t stop there. The amount of time they stay closed also seems to affect the level of damage caused by glaucoma.

According to the study’s results those who have glaucoma, and once asleep, stay that way for 10 or more hours a night, treble their chances of optic nerve damage as a result of glaucoma. They also have three times the likelihood of missing areas of vision, in comparison with those who sleep for 7 hours. 

Again, the same applies to those who only manage to sleep for three hours every night. They also face the same three-times odds on missing vision in comparison with the 7 hour a night sleepers.

 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.

Children Under Biggest Threat

He says that because 80% of people’s information is received via the eyes, this lack of functionality can affect how children learn to read, write, study, drive, or play sport, and sometimes even make it difficult for them to recognise people in a crowd. And it can lead to loss of self-esteem and failure to understand the space and world they’re in, and how to live in it.

School children are the most vulnerable to poor functional vision, and the worst hit by its effects. This is not surprising, Rodney says, because every day they are faced with learning new things, 80% of which call for good functional vision skills. But one out of four of them don’t have the necessary skills to do so.

He says the absence of these skills is often overlooked; ignored; seen as bad behaviour; poor performance; or attributed to learning disorders, yet many of these problems can be improved or corrected with vision therapy and training. 

Glitches in the Visual System

Rodney says that for vision to function correctly, so must the entire visual system, which is made up of a number of organs, processes, nerves and pathways. The eyes act as receptors of data on what is seen; the brain receives this from each eye separately via pathways, and processes and combines both reports into one accurate, relevant, and understandable image. But this only happens when both sets of data are the same. If the two reports on the same object don’t match, the brain may ignore one of them distorting the image.

The Skills Needed for Functional Vision

To ensure the necessary match is made involves good coordination between the eyes that allows both eyes to focus on and follow a moving object like a ball on a sports field, track letters, numbers and words across a page, or scan a screen full of information, all in perfect sync and without the head being turned.

Both eyes should also be able to shift focus back and forth between objects in the distance and those close-up without losing clarity when assimilating or copying information that’s on a board or screen.

How to Know if a Child Has Functional Vision Problems

Children may get confused between their left and right sides when it comes to directions; twist or turn their heads from side to side instead of moving their eyes to follow text or numbers across a page; squint or close one eye when looking at a book or screen; hold books or objects very close to their face; lose their place when reading or copying work and use a finger to guide them; forget what they have just read; confuse letters like “d” and “b” and numbers like “6” and “9”; skip words; or battle with handwriting.

Physical and behavioural responses can include double or blurred vision; a short attention span; clumsiness; difficulty throwing or catching balls; poor motor skills and hand-eye coordination; as well as headaches in the forehead or temples or dizziness and nausea. The children may also be irritated, and easily tired.

For more information on functional 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.

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

He says that a British survey by the College of Optometrists showed that overall one in three people who responded to the survey believed their vision had worsened during lockdowns, and 42% of those in the 18 to 34 age group had attributed the eye deterioration to screen time and digital eye strain.

How Lockdown Impacted on Vision

“The escalation in eye problems since the pandemic started in 2020 isn’t surprising. Lockdown regulations and the virus itself led to increased stress and anxiety levels; mandatory indoor lifestyles, and less exercise and outdoor time. It also brought about a huge increase in the frequency and length of exposure to cell phones and screens, as more and more people worked, taught their children, or sought entertainment, while “staying at home”. And all of these factors are known to contribute to eye problems,” Rodney says.

“Treatments and regular eye check ups were also disrupted. This is partly due to a reluctance to go to eye clinics for fear of Covid-19 infection, which research shows affected close to 60% of people surveyed. And many hospitals postponed eye surgery, especially with regard to cataracts, one of the biggest causes of eye impairment and vision loss in those over 40, and even more so in those over 60.” 

Lockdowns’ Effect on the Myopia Epidemic

Rodney says that pre-Covid-19, nearsightedness was already affecting billions of people worldwide, and predictions were that by 2050 it would be impacting on every second person globally. But Rodney says the results of an on-going study, which has gathered data on myopia since 2015 from more than 120,000 Chinese children between 6 and 13 years old, paints a dim picture of what’s now being called “quarantine myopia”. And this may lead to the 2050 prediction being raised considerably higher. 

The 2020 data showed a more than three times faster increase in the number of children between 6 and 8 who had myopia or were likely to get it, when compared with data collected in the previous five years. When compared with 2018 data, the numbers for six-year-olds rose from 5.7% to over 20%; from 16.2% to 26.2% in seven-year-olds; and from 27.7% to 37.25% in those who were 8. The study also detected an acuity shift of 0.3 diopters (or units of refractive power) towards the refractive error.

According to Rodney, myopia doesn’t stop at causing severe loss of distance vision, and allowing clear sight only when objects are seen close up. It also impacts on myopics’ learning abilities; mental, physical and psychological health; and increases the progress and severity of the world’s worst eye diseases, including cataract; glaucoma; retinal detachment; non-age-related macular degeneration; as well as blindness in the elderly.

For more information on vision problems, or to make 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.

Turning Lives and Function Upside Down

Brought about by a glitch in the visual processing system, spatial relation problems can quite literally turn children’s lives around, upside down, and back to front; as well as leading to a number of actions and responses which might be labelled mistakenly as bad behaviour; physical and social clumsiness; or learning difficulties (especially when it comes to maths, reading, and writing).

Rodney says spatial relationship problems can affect the way children stand, how they walk, dance, or play; as well as their ability to concentrate, solve problems, recognise shapes, and make sense of numbers and letters.

“Children who haven’t fully developed their vision-spatial relationship skills have a lot in common with those who try to identify, place and join together the pieces of a puzzle game. If placed together correctly, the puzzle pieces would provide a beautiful picture. If it’s never finished, and instead is left partly completed on the table, the resultant picture will continue to be confusing, disorientating, and isolating for as long as it lies there.

For those with vision-spatial relation difficulties, the table is the world, the unfinished picture is their place in that world, and the missing pieces represent their lack of understanding of where they and objects around them fit into the picture, how close they are together, and what shape they are. And this creates more and longer-lasting confusion together with a feeling of being isolated from the world around them,” Rodney says.

A Glitch in the Toolbox

According to Rodney, deficiency in visual-spatial relations is not really a vision dysfunction, but rather a missing gap in the toolbox of vision skills which ensure that all the necessary data the brain needs to process the information is sent to it by the eyes.

The brain, more than half of which is devoted to processing information, relies on its “libraries” of previously processed data to confirm or challenge the accuracy of new messages from the eyes. Special attention is paid to the construction, colour, location and environment involved, so as to give the finished image a meaning that’s relevant and understandable.

However, Rodney says that is precisely the sort of information those with visual-spatial and perceptive vision problems are unable to provide. This is because of their inability to understand shapes and their differences; locations and movement-based activities; the distance between objects, and directions like up and down, as well as left and right. And because of that, neither can they understand how to organize groups of objects, words, letters or numbers in a synchronized way, any more than they can “organize” their physical or mental relationship with them.

For more information on visual skills and their importance, and their therapy, 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.