1. Never Miss an Eye Appointment

During routine eye tests, optometrists do basic screening for eye problems that are serious enough to cause blindness if left untreated. Early detection is key to the successful treatment of conditions like glaucoma, so eye examinations are much more than a simple matter of ensuring that glasses prescriptions are still correct. It’s a health check that could save people’s eyesight. 

2. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is the time when the body rests, recuperates, and recovers from the rigors of the day. If they aren’t getting enough sleep, people may notice that their eyes are dry and feel gritty and sore. That’s because tear fluid circulates best when the eyes are closed, lubricating the eyeball. Dry eyes can lead to more serious problems, and they’re not the only eye problem that might be experienced among people who don’t get enough sleep. 

New research indicates that there’s a link between disruption of the circadian rhythm and myopia. Short-sighted people tend to sleep badly and have disturbed sleeping patterns, leading researchers to suggest a link between blue light from screens, disturbed sleep, and myopia. 

So lay off the coffee at night, avoid the TV, smartphone, or computer before bedtime since the light can convince the body that it’s still daytime, get comfy, and get the seven hours of sleep adults need for both eye health and overall health. 

3. Take a Break from the Screen

Looking at screens for long hours can cause eye strain. After all, the muscles that the eyes use to focus are locked into a single position for a long time. People also don’t blink as often as they should when looking at screens, so they might start experiencing dry eyes. 

To overcome this, they might need to remind themselves to blink, but they should also rest their eyes briefly every 5 minutes or so. Simply look at something far away for 2-3 seconds before returning them to the screen. Every 30 minutes for an adult (15 minutes for a child) have a complete 10 minute break from looking at the screen. It’s also worth remembering that the viewing distance for screens may not be ideal for ordinary glasses, so consider getting a special pair that’s made for computer work. 

4. Protect Against UV Light and Workplace Hazards

Those who spend a lot of time outdoors will probably remember the importance of sunblock. But don’t forget to protect the eyes too. Excessive exposure to UV light can cause long-term damage, so wear a good pair of sunglasses. 

When working on tasks that require eye protection, whether at home or at work, be sure to use the correct protective eyewear. Eye injuries are more common than they should be, and they often occur because people have dispensed with eye protection when working with tools. 

5. Eat Well and Drink Plenty of Water

Eating a healthy, balanced diet and drinking enough fluids contributes towards better all-round health. It’s a commonsense tip that everybody knows but not everybody practices. “A great many people are suboptimally hydrated,” says Gary. “An American study found that 43 percent of adults aren’t drinking enough fluids and that places strain on every system in the body as well as the eyes.”

Easy, but Requires Awareness and a Little Commitment

Although Gary’s advice may seem sensible, solid, and relatively obvious, he says that many people simply aren’t aware of the things they can do to take care of their eye health. “Good health requires partnership with healthcare professionals, and optometrists should be on every person’s team along with their GPs and dentists.”

In closing, Gary advises people to act quickly if they experience vision changes or vision-related symptoms. Coupled with the components of a healthy lifestyle, this ensures the maintenance of healthy eyes and could add up to stronger vision and improved eye health in the longer-term.

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

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.

Behavioural optometry offers a proactive approach to eyesight that, in certain cases, reduces the chances of vision problems developing in the first place, and when its precepts are applied to children, its benefits can have particularly far-reaching implications.

It would be a mistake, however, to see behavioural optometry as a field that only benefits kids who need help in putting their eyes to work for them. Sportspeople, office workers, and people with neurological problems are among those who might benefit. Not everyone needs intervention from a behavioural optometrist, but those who do are likely to experience its evidence-based medical benefits. 

Beyond Deciding if They Need Glasses

While behavioural optometrists like Jacqueline Gattegno are able to prescribe glasses and contact lenses when they’re needed, their qualifications and experience have progressed further to include the diagnosis and treatment of issues ranging from poor eye coordination to focusing problems, lazy eye, turned eye and difficulties in tracking texts sequentially. 

Behavioural optometrists are also trained to assess what we do with information from eyes: for example, how we use it to coordinate movements, or how we synthesise visual information and auditory information. Finally, the things people use their eyes for are assessed and linked to skills that can be improved and risks that need to be combatted.

In short, behavioural optometry examines the ways in which we use our eyes, and offers therapies that include but also transcend prescription eyewear in order to help us to use vision more effectively. It can even prevent progressive deterioration in vision that may otherwise have led to a need for glasses or glasses stronger than the ones already worn. 

According to the Australian College of Behavioural Optometrists (ACBO), behavioural optometry has three goals: preventing the development or deterioration of eye and vision problems; treating the ones that are already present; and developing visual abilities, particularly those needed by children to fulfil their academic potential.

Jacqueline confirms: “From children striving to get the full benefit of their education, to active adults who realise that visual training may be as important as physical training in boosting performance, office workers who spend long hours in front of computer screens, and older people who are working to take care of their visual health, behavioural optometry can have benefits,” says Jacqueline. “It all begins with an examination in which your visual skills and needs are assessed.”

Specs, and More Than Just Specs

Apart from prescription eyewear, which is sometimes tinted to help address the impact of certain conditions on the eyes, behavioural optometry offers eye health advice, and therapeutic techniques that help with vision and vision-related challenges.

“The diagnostic methods, the therapies, and the options we offer at Eyes in Design Bondi are not unique,” says Jacqueline, “but the general public is largely unaware of them. If they don’t have problems with their eyes, they don’t need to know. But it is of concern that many adults and children are struggling with unaddressed eye-related issues.”

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.

She said the behavioural optometry approach is far from the standard path followed by optometrists who base diagnoses and treatments on the results of a standard eye test for how clearly each eye sees letters which are 20ft away. 

“The problem for behavioural optometrists is that even those children who get a 20/20 test result which indicates perfect acuity in both eyes, can in some instances not have the functional and perceptual vision skills necessary for learning to read, write, solve math problems, or play sport. Nor does that result necessarily lead to good performance or behaviour in the classroom, or on the sports field,” Gattegno says. 

How Behavioural Optometry Tests for Glitches

Behavioural optometrists test and treat eyes by assessing attention and concentration spans, spatial relationships, performance levels and behaviour all of which, if out of sync, can be the result of a glitch in the complex visual system, and can affect how visual information is processed, delivered, received and applied. 

Teamwork in the Vision System is a Must 

According to Gattegno, teamwork is vital between the many different organs, pathways, nerves and neurons in the visual system. Just one hiccup can result in deficits in visual perceptual and functional skills, distorting people’s understanding of what is happening around them, how they see their place in the world, and how they fit into and function in it. 

These can indicate that the two eyes are not operating properly as a team, both with the brain and with each other. And it can show in the eyes ability to focus on the same level and at the same point when directed at a static object straight ahead, follow and track one that’s in motion; and coordinate when shifting the focus smoothly during changes in distance and direction.

Common signs that these hiccups might be present are difficulty paying attention and concentrating for any length of time, avoiding activities like reading or playing sport and reluctance to engage in answering questions, joining in discussions or taking part in social activities. And those don’t only lead to poor performance and behaviour, but also result in a low self-image, confusion, and a feeling of alienation, Gattegno says. 

Correcting the Dysfunctions

Vision therapy uses a number of approaches to correcting, restoring, or developing the visual skills necessary for normal sight and physical action. Depending on the situation and problem involved, correction can take the form of optical devises, special glasses or prism lenses, as well as using a training programme shared between office and home. All are designed to improve the vision skills and processing of visual information.     

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.