From an early age, preventive measures should be taken to maintain healthy eyes and clear vision. Scheduling regular eye exams and ensuring your family practices good eye care habits at home can go a long way in lowering your risk of developing conditions such as:
- Glaucoma
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Cataracts
- Diabetic retinopathy
Visiting your local Calgary eye doctor can ensure that any signs of such vision conditions are caught early so that treatment and management can begin immediately to lower your risk of vision loss.
Where Can I Find a Qualified Eye Doctor Near Me?
Are you looking for qualified optometrists near you? Blink Eyewear has three branches in Crowfoot, West Springs, and Creekside, offering convenient and quality eye health to patients across Calgary. From eye exams and contact lens fittings to cataract management and glaucoma testing, we are able to meet the eye health needs of your entire family.
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4 Tips to Help Lower Your Risk of Vision Loss
Did you know that approximately 5.59 million Canadians have a major eye disease that could lead to vision loss? While not all eye diseases are preventable, there are some simple lifestyle changes and steps you can take to ensure your eyes remain healthy and lower your risk of vision loss in the future.
This includes:
1. Scheduling Regular Eye Exams
It’s important for everyone, even young children, to have regular eye exams. Visiting a qualified eye doctor at least once a year is critical for protecting your sight and keeping your vision clear and comfortable.
In addition to this, your eye doctor can also detect the presence of eye conditions which may not present any symptoms early on, such as diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma. Through this diagnosis, your eye doctor can help treat the disease early on and limit any vision loss.
A yearly comprehensive eye exam may include:
- A discussion about your family’s medical and ocular health history
- Vision tests to determine if you’re nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism
- Tests to determine how well your eyes work together
- Eye pressure and optic nerve tests to check for glaucoma
2. Stop Smoking
Smoking is not good for your health and it can damage every organ in your body, including your eyes. Did you know that smokers are at a higher risk of developing certain eye diseases, including:
- Age-related macular degeneration. Smokers have triple the risk of developing AMD, which can cause irreversible blindness.
- Cataracts. Smoking doubles your risk of developing cataracts, a clouding of your lens and a leading cause of blindness.
- Diabetic retinopathy. Not only does smoking increase your risk of getting diabetes by approximately 30%, but it also leads to a higher risk of diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to vision loss.
Why It’s Important to Stop Smoking: Smoking is the most preventable cause of vision loss. Even someone who has been a smoker for many years can reduce their risk of health complications by quitting.
3. Always Wear Sunglasses
Wearing sunglasses is about more than making a fashion statement. The right pair of sunglasses will protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays, which can increase your risk of AMD and cataracts.
Top tips for choosing the right sunglasses:
- Always select a pair that blocks 100% of UVA and UVB rays
- Consider wraparound lenses as they protect your eyes from the side
- Talk to your eye doctor about polarized lenses, which can reduce glare
4. Take a Break From Using the Computer
Today, our lives revolve around technology, meaning that many Canadians spend hours staring at a phone or computer screen. This can lead to ocular problems such as eye strain, blurry vision, headaches, and dry eyes.
To minimize the harmful effects of screen use on your eyes, make sure to:
- Talk to your optometrist about adding a blue light filter to your lenses
- Taking a 10-minute break from your computer every 90 minutes
- Blink more to avoid dry eyes
- Check that your eyeglasses prescription is up to date
4 TIPS TO AVOID DIGITAL EYE STRAIN
Call Today
To find out more about our comprehensive vision services, and how our eye doctors can help keep your eyes healthy and your vision clear, visit one of our three branches, Crowfoot (67 Crowfoot Terrace NW, T3G 4J8), West Springs (1009 873 85 St SW, T3H 0J5) or Creekside (12192 Symons Valley Rd NW, T3P 0A3).
Alternatively, you can contact our team at our Crowfoot Branch (403-547-5417), West Springs (403-242-0999) or Creekside (403-516-2292).