Category: Eye conditions

Should Your Child Switch to Contact Lenses? Pros, Cons and When It’s Safe

Posted on by rpacificador

“Oi, you, four eyes.” Does that sound familiar from your schoolyard days? As children become more active and self-aware, many ask to switch from glasses to contact lenses, especially if they’ve received unkind nicknames. For parents eager to protect their youngsters from playground teasing, it raises an important and often complex question: are contact lenses safe for children, and if so, when is the right time to consider them?

Whether for sport, self-confidence, or practicality, contact lenses for kids are more accessible than ever thanks to technological advances and easier application methods. But choosing the right moment to trade in their frames isn’t simply about their age — they and you will need to balance their maturity, lifestyle, and willingness to care for their lenses responsibly to manage your children’s eye health.

While the idea might feel like a big step into big kid territory, many families find the transition smoother than expected, especially with the guidance from your local Eyecare Plus optometrist. Let’s discuss the potential benefits and challenges, and determine whether contacts are the right choice for your child’s vision and lifestyle.

What motivates kids to switch from glasses to contacts

For many adolescents, wearing glasses becomes a routine part of life. However, it can also be a difficult adjustment for many, particularly as they grow older. It might explain why they frequently and supposedly forget them at home. The reasons are often a mix of practicality and personal preference, which can range from:

  • Confidence and self-image: Some children feel more confident without glasses, particularly during social events, photos, public speaking or school.
  • Sports and physical activity: Glasses can slip, fog up, or break, making it harder for them to participate in their favourite games or sports. Contact lenses for kids offer clearer peripheral vision and stay in place, making them ideal for active lifestyles.
  • Discomfort or inconvenience: Kids may find glasses uncomfortable on their nose or ears, especially when worn all day at school.
  • A sense of maturity: Managing their own vision care can give children a sense of responsibility and independence.
  • Curiosity or peer influence: Some simply want to try lenses because friends wear them, or they’ve heard about others making the switch.

Pros and cons of contact lenses for kids

Deciding when is the best age for kids to wear contacts involves weighing the benefits and the challenges for your child’s maturity level and general attitude. While many adapt well and enjoy the freedom they provide, they do come with responsibilities that not every child may be ready for. Here’s what you’ll need to consider.

Pros:

  1. Improved vision for active lifestyles: Contact lenses provide stable, unobstructed vision during play and sport rather and won’t bounce around their face, slip or fog.
  2. Boosted self-esteem: Children who are self-conscious about wearing glasses may feel more confident and comfortable wearing contact lenses in everyday life or social and school settings.
  3. Better peripheral vision: Contact lenses, unlike glasses, cover the entire eye surface and are not impacted by distortions that may occur wearing glasses.
  4. Avoiding lost or broken frames: Parents know the challenge of keeping glasses intact, in their possession and making sure they get worn.
  5. Support for myopia: Special myopia control contact lenses can slow the progression of short-sightedness, offering both vision correction and long-term health benefits.

Cons:

  1. Requires consistent hygiene: Contact lenses must be cleaned and handled correctly to avoid eye infections. You’ll need to supervise their application until they can be trusted to apply them consistently and independently. Daily disposable contact lenses are a good option to consider as they don’t require cleaning.
  2. Not suitable for every child: Your child’s maturity, lifestyle, and ability to follow instructions are crucial in determining whether they’re ready to wear them regularly.
  3. Initial learning curve: Inserting and removing lenses can take time and patience. Some children may initially struggle with touching their eyes.
  4. Ongoing costs: While contact lenses are very affordable, they need frequent and ongoing replacement. Additionally, specialty lenses, like those for myopia control, may cost more, particularly if lenses are frequently lost or damaged.

What’s the best age for kids to wear contacts?

There is no fixed age when your optometrist will prescribe your children their first contact lenses. Their suitability has less to do with how many candles are on their most recent birthday cake. It’s about their maturity, motivation, hygiene habits, and ability to manage their vision care independently.

While it is more common for children to wear contact lenses from the ages of 10 and 11, some may not be ready until their early to mid-teens. Others might adapt easily at a much younger age, particularly with Mum and Dad’s assistance

Are contacts safe for children?

Contact lenses are safe for all age groups, provided they are worn responsibly and are appropriate for your youngster. During your kids’ eye exam, your Eyecare Plus optometrist will review your child’s vision needs and ask about your child’s maturity. Key signs your child may be ready include:

  • They follow instructions well and have a good sense of personal hygiene
  • They’re motivated to wear lenses and understand how to use them properly
  • They can commit to a routine of lens care, insertion and removal
  • They’ve expressed frustration or discomfort with their glasses in everyday life
  • Their myopia is increasing rapidly and they will benefit from the myopia control contact lenses to slow down this progression

When these behaviours are in place, the conversation shifts from “Should they?” to “How can we help them succeed?” That’s when it’s time to schedule an eye exam for kids and speak with your optometrist about whether contact lenses are their preferred vision care.

Contact lenses are one part of your children’s eye health plan

When arranging your child’s first pair of contact lenses, working closely with professional optometrists, such as those at Eyecare Plus, ensures any eye health plan aligns with your child’s current health and evolving visual needs. Our comprehensive eye assessment goes beyond a simple vision check — it offers a complete picture of your child’s ocular health, visual development, and readiness for contact lens use. During your consultation, the optometrist will:

  • Assess the shape and health of the cornea to ensure it can safely support contacts.
  • Measure tear film quality to determine whether the eyes can stay properly hydrated.
  • Review lifestyle habits, including school routines, screen time, and physical activity, to recommend the best lens type.
  • Discuss personal hygiene and maturity to gauge whether your child will likely manage contact lens care independently.
  • Identify whether monthly or daily disposables are the best contact lenses for kids.
  • Demonstrate proper application and removal techniques.

It’s also worth noting that contacts help manage broader kids’ eye health issues. For example, children with progressive short-sightedness may benefit from myopia control contact lenses, designed to correct vision and help slow its deterioration.

Equally important are follow-up visits. These check-ins allow the optometrist to monitor their fit, comfort, and visual clarity, addressing early signs of irritation, misuse, or eye health changes.

Restore vision and confidence with Eyecare Plus

While not every child may be ready right away, many can safely make the transition with the right support, guidance, and lens choice. From self-esteem boosts and sports-friendly wear to the clinical benefits of myopia control contact lenses, today’s lens options are more advanced and accessible. But every child’s eyes are different, that’s why expert, personalised ocular advice matters.

Our experienced optometrists understand what it takes to ensure a safe and successful wear. Whether it’s your child’s first contact lenses or it’s time for an updated fit, we provide expert care that supports them from their very first pair to every one after. Book an eye test today at your local Eyecare Plus clinic and give your child the support they need to see clearly and live confidently.

Can Multifocal Lenses Help with Digital Eye Strain?

Posted on by rpacificador

Whether checking emails, working on spreadsheets, or scrolling through social media feeds while simultaneously streaming movies, Australians spend more time than ever in front of screens. While this digital shift has brought more conveniences and opportunities for entertainment, it has also introduced a silent, persistent strain on our eyes.

Blurred vision, dry eyes, and headaches are no longer rare complaints, but are becoming more common the longer you keep your eyes fixed on backlit screens. This condition, commonly referred to as digital eye strain, or clinically as computer vision syndrome, is becoming more pronounced every year and with people of all ages.

But what if your eyewear could do more than simply correct your vision? What if the right pair of glasses could make screen time more comfortable? Multifocal lenses, especially modern progressive lenses, are now being looked at not just for reading or distance, but as a way to ease digital eye fatigue. Could they be part of the solution? Let’s take a closer look.

What is digital eye strain?

It is a group of symptoms that occur after extended, and more often, uninterrupted use of digital screens. While anyone can experience it, it’s especially common among people who spend more than two hours a day on computers, tablets or smartphones, which, for most of us, is every day. These symptoms may include:

  • Blurred or fluctuating vision
  • Dry, irritated, or watery eyes
  • Headaches, especially after screen use
  • Eye fatigue or heaviness in the eyelids
  • Double vision during or after device use
  • Increased light sensitivity
  • Difficulty refocusing between distances
  • Neck, shoulder, or back pain related to poor posture
  • Trouble concentrating after extended screen time

Computer vision syndrome isn’t just the result of focusing our eyes on screens — we tend to blink less, which dries out our eyes. Fonts on digital displays often lack the sharp contrast of ink on paper, while glare and poor lighting can also make eyes feel more fatigued. Not to mention that our eyes constantly have to refocus, especially if we shift between multiple screens or glance from a device to distant objects and back again.

Over time, this repetitive strain can lead to visual discomfort and fatigue. Understanding this is the first step toward exploring how to reduce eye strain from screens, and why certain optical solutions like using multifocal lenses for computer use may offer relief.

Why digital eye strain is a focusing problem

To understand why our eyes get tired from screen time, it helps to look at something called visual accommodation, basically, how our eyes adjust their focal range between things that are close, mid-range, and far away. The eye’s lens sits behind the iris and the ciliary muscle surrounding the lens changes it’s shape when focusing on different distances. These ciliary muscles  are constantly working whenever you read a book, check your phone, or glance from your laptop to something across the room. That back-and-forth takes effort, and over time, it can really wear your eyes out, ouch!

The real problem arises when this system is overworked. Digital devices are typically viewed at intermediate distances, not quite close like a book, and not as far as a television. Holding this focal range for extended periods can fatigue the eye muscles, particularly if your lenses or screen setup doesn’t already provide adequate support.

The more your eyes are forced to work without a visual break, the more stress they absorb. And if you already need vision correction, this strain compounds over time. This is where specially designed progressive lenses come in, they offer targeted support for intermediate vision zones.

How multifocal lenses help digital eye strain

Many people are familiar with reading glasses or single‑vision lenses, which correct for one distance, either near or far. However, they can fall short when visual demands span multiple zones. This is where glasses for digital devices come into play.

  • Multifocal lenses are designed to accommodate multiple prescriptions within a single lens, allowing the wearer to see clearly at varying distances. Earlier versions such as bifocals or trifocals typically have visible lines that separate each vision zone, which some wearers find distracting or outdated.
  • Progressive lenses represent a more modern and refined evolution of multifocals. Rather than distinct sections, they offer a seamless transition and a more natural viewing experience between distance, intermediate, and near vision by eliminating the visual jump between lens segments.

When you spend hours each day looking at a screen, your eyes are under continuous pressure to focus at a mid-range distance. Standard single-vision glasses, designed for either close-up or long-distance tasks, do not provide the visual flexibility required for prolonged screen work.

By using multifocal lenses for computer use, the intermediate prescription aligns with the typical position of a computer monitor or tablet, where your eyes need it most, helping reduce the effort required to focus on the screen.

These lenses help mitigate symptoms such as eye fatigue, blurred vision, and headaches by easing the workload on the eye’s focusing muscles. They’re not a one-size-fits-all solution, but for those with presbyopia or existing vision correction needs, they may be among the best lenses for digital eye strain. It also means you don’t need to carry additional glasses, like occupational or computer glasses, your multifocal lenses can manage all your vision needs.

Eye strain prevention tips beyond lenses

While wearing progressive glasses for digital devices can make a huge difference, managing computer vision syndrome often requires a more holistic approach. Small adjustments to your daily habits and workspace can reduce symptoms and help your eyes stay comfortable throughout the day. Here are some proven tips to prevent eye strain:

  • Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet (6 metres) away for 20 seconds to give your eye’s focusing muscles a break.
  • Adjust your screen settings: Ensure your screen’s brightness matches your environment. Increase text size and contrast where needed to avoid squinting.
  • Optimise your workstation: Position your screen about an arm’s length away, with the top of the monitor at or slightly below eye level to help maintain a natural head and neck posture.
  • Control lighting and glare: Use anti-glare filters, position screens away from windows, and consider ambient lighting that reduces contrast between the screen and surroundings.
  • Remember to blink: Blinking keeps the eyes moist and comfortable.
  • Stay hydrated and take breaks: Drinking water supports tear production and eye health. Taking regular breaks helps your eyes reset and reduces muscular strain.

Find relief from digital eye strain with multifocal lenses at Eyecare Plus

Managing computer vision syndrome doesn’t mean you need a permanent digital detox; combining good habits with the proper optical support can make a meaningful difference.

Your eyes work hard every day, often more than you realise. And while digital screens may be here to stay, discomfort doesn’t have to be. With the proper support, including properly fitted multifocal lenses for computer use, you can reduce strain, improve focus, and protect your long-term eye health.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of digital eye strain, don’t wait until it worsens. Book a comprehensive eye test with your local Eyecare Plus optometrist and find out whether progressive lenses are right for you.

The Lifesaving Importance of Regular Eye Exams: Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Miss Them

Posted on by thien

Regular eye exams are just as important as any other type of medical check-up, such as visiting your dentist or your GP. “But I don’t even need glasses or contact lenses,” you may think. “My eyesight is perfect!” Alternatively, you may already have glasses or contact lenses, and don’t see the need to book an eye exam when you’re satisfied with your current prescription. While this may be the case, eye exams actually do more than check your eyesight—the secondary purpose of eye exams is to also monitor for signs of broader health issues. Early detection of these issues could even save your life.

The vital role of routine eye examinations

By making regular eye exams a part of your year-round health routine, you’re not only protecting your vision, but proactively maintaining your overall health. Here’s how routine eye exams can help you maintain your eye health.

1. Spotting early signs of vision problems

Optometry professionals are trained to spot the early signs of vision problems, which can affect various aspects of your visual function, including distance vision and peripheral vision. Through a routine eye examination, optometrists can identify issues that might not yet be obvious to you. Early detection allows for prompt management, helping to maintain your quality of vision and prevent further deterioration.

2. Tailored solutions for vision correction

One of the key benefits of regular eye exams is the opportunity for timely updates to your prescription glasses and
contact lenses. As your vision changes, which it inevitably does over time, these adjustments are crucial for maintaining optimal vision. Regular eye exams mean that you have the best prescription for your glasses or contact lenses.

3. Early detection of eye conditions and diseases

Identifying and assessing eye conditions at an early stage through routine eye examinations is crucial for the effective management and treatment of various conditions. These examinations allow optometry professionals to detect signs of conditions that, without timely intervention, could lead to significant and irreversible vision loss. Early detection is key to managing these conditions effectively, as it can allow for timely treatment and help prevent or slow down the progression of vision loss. Below are key eye conditions that routine examinations can help prevent or mitigate:

  • Glaucoma: A group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, critical for good vision, and often associated with a buildup of pressure inside the eye. Early detection treatments for glaucoma lower eye pressure and prevent significant optic nerve damage.
  • Macular Degeneration: A disease that causes blurring or loss of vision in the centre of the visual field, which is important for activities like reading and driving. Early intervention cannot stop this issue, but it can significantly slow its progress.
  • Diabetic Retinopathy: A diabetes complication that affects the eyes, caused by damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina). Diabetic retinopathy can be managed more effectively when caught early, potentially preventing severe vision loss.
  • Cataracts: Clouding of the eye’s lens that leads to a decrease in vision, which can develop slowly and affect one or both eyes. Cataracts are identified during routine exams, and their progression can be monitored for potential surgical removal when they significantly impact vision.
  • Dry Eye Syndrome: A common condition that occurs when the tears aren’t able to provide adequate lubrication for the eyes. Dry eye syndrome can be managed with various treatments once identified, improving comfort and preventing potential damage to the eye’s surface.

How eye exams can save lives

Did you know that many common diseases first present indicators within the eye? This means that early detection—and therefore, early intervention—is possible through a simple, routine eye exam. This reduces the risk of severe complications and emphasises the importance of regular eye exams. The following common diseases can be detected early during a routine check-up.

Diabetes

Early signs include changes in blood vessels in the retina, which can lead to diabetic retinopathy. Identifying diabetes in its initial stages allows for immediate management strategies to be put in place, such as blood sugar control and lifestyle modifications.

Hypertension

Blood vessel damage in the eye may indicate high blood pressure, often without any other symptoms. Early detection of hypertension can be managed effectively through medication and lifestyle adjustments. This not only helps in preserving eye health, but also reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and kidney problems, significantly enhancing life expectancy.

High cholesterol

Indicators include changes in the blood vessels of the eye or the presence of plaques in the retina. Early detection of high cholesterol through signs in the eye vessels can prompt dietary and lifestyle changes alongside medical treatment to lower cholesterol levels. This can prevent more severe cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes.

Autoimmune disorders

Certain eye conditions, such as uveitis, can suggest an underlying autoimmune disorder. The early identification of autoimmune disorders through eye symptoms allows for timely immunosuppressive therapy, which can control inflammation and prevent tissue damage. In the long run, this can help to reduce the severity of the disorder and the risk of complications, improving the patient’s quality of life.

Thyroid diseases

Eye symptoms, such as bulging eyes or Graves’ ophthalmopathy, can indicate thyroid issues. The early, effective management of thyroid function can alleviate eye symptoms and prevent the progression to more severe conditions, such as vision loss or thyroid storm—a life-threatening state of hyperthyroidism.

The potential risks of neglecting regular eye exams

Nobody really likes going to the dentist. But you book yourself in for regular appointments because you know that checkups can prevent much larger problems later on down the track—such as an expensive crown or even an extraction.

You should treat eye exams in the same way. Regularly booking a routine eye exam can help in the early detection of various eye diseases as well as broader health issues, such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, raised blood pressure, auto immune conditions, or even sleep apnoea. If these health issues are not detected early, then they can progress to a point where treatment options become more limited.

How often should you see your optometrist?

At Eyecare Plus, we recommend that adults have an eye test at least once every two years. For those over 50, an eye test should be booked at least once every year. When it comes to young children, we recommend testing them at ages 1, 3 and 5. At the very least, children should be tested before they start school. This ensures that any disadvantageous vision problems are detected before your child enters the classroom.

If you have further questions about eye tests and what to expect at an Eyecare Plus eye exam, then make sure you check out our eye test FAQ page.

Book an eye exam today with Eyecare Plus

The optometry professionals at Eyecare Plus are dedicated to providing you with the highest level of customer service. We are committed to delivering clinical excellence, which is why we offer Checkup Plus™ eye examinations. These exams generally last for 30 to 45 minutes, and will test for a range of issues, including cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and general physical health.

Find your local Eyecare Plus optometrist and book an eye exam today

Why do My Eyes Keep Watering?

Posted on by ecp_super_admin

Usually, we only think about our tears at the end of a sad movie or when something bad has happened to someone close to us, but we are constantly making them. In fact, it is estimated that the average person produces between 56 and 113 litres of tears every year. In this article we will cover why you might develop watery eyes, the three types of tears, the symptoms, and the surprising causes of watery eyes.

All throughout the day and night, the lacrimal glands (located just the upper eyelids) produce tears that coat and nourish our eyes with every blink. These tears keep our eyes from getting dried out and inflamed and they protect our corneas from damage. Typically, the system works smoothly. But sometimes, we can get too much of a good thing. Like when we get too many tears. Watery eyes are frustrating and inconvenient. 

Three types of tears

The tear system is important, but it can create excess tears. To understand how watery eyes come about, it’s helpful to know that there are actually three different types of tears: emotional, reflexive and basal. 

Emotional tears

When we are overcome with emotion, we produce emotional tears, which are a form of stress relief. Emotional tears contain hormones, including the stress hormone adrenocorticotropic (ACTH). Crying is not just an emotional release, it helps the body get rid of this hormone, and literally pours the stress out of our bodies.

Reflexive tears

When your eyes are exposed to irritants, like smoke or chopped onions, they produce tears in response. These are reflex tears, and they well up in your eyes spontaneously. Reflex tears contain antibodies and enzymes to ward off infection and eliminate irritation. 

Basal tears

Basal tears act like a shield for your eyes. Every time you blink, these tears are spread across the surface of our eyes, constantly nourishing, protecting, and lubricating them.   

The 7 Surprising Causes of Watery Eyes

Watery eyes are a symptom of an underlying problem. Most are fairly common, but here are seven surprising reasons that can trigger watery eyes…

1. You have spent too much time on the computer

It is scientifically proven that people blink less when they are working or just relaxing in front of screens. Remember the 20-20-20 rule to relieve digital eye strain: each time you use your digital device, take a 20 second break from the screen every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away.  

2. Your contacts

If you are wearing your contact lenses for too long or if they aren’t the right fit, it could cause your eyes to overproduce tears in response. 

3. Your makeup

When eyeliner is applied between the eyelashes and the eyes, it can hit the eyeball and cause irritation, which causes tears to flush out the irritation. 

4. Sleep apnoea

Millions of people are affected by sleep apnoea, a chronic condition that interrupts breathing during sleep. Instead of the eyes staying closed throughout the night, they flop open and dry out, which causes more tear production.

5. Environmental factors

It might be too dry where you are. Your eyes are extremely sensitive organs that are constantly adjusting to changes in humidity, heat and allergens in the air, as tears wash away irritants. Chances are, you are overproducing tears because your eyes have noticed a change in your environment before you have. 

6. You have scratched your eye without knowing it

Your sensitive corneas are producing tears in response to a scratch you don’t remember. 

7. Ironically, it could be dry eye

One of the most common reasons for watery eyes is chronic dry eyes. And although patients are routinely surprised to learn their eyes are watering because they are dry, the explanation makes sense. Because of an imbalance in the tears that are being produced, your eyes get irritated, which causes the overproduction of tears to fix the problem, which continues the cycle.

If your dry eye symptoms persist, make an appointment with your local Eyecare Plus optometrist who can determine the underlying cause and develop a treatment plan to address it.

Symptoms of watery eyes

Simply put, the main symptom of watery eyes is excessive water in your eyes. Your eyes feel overly moist, tears pool up, or spill onto your cheeks and your vision can be blurry. 

Watery eyes is formally known as ‘epiphora,’ and it can be caused by many reasons, but usually, it comes down to a problem with your tear drainage system or overproduction. That is: either your eyes aren’t draining tears properly, or your eyes are producing too many tears. If you have insufficient tear film drainage from the eye they can overflow onto your face.

Drainage

In the inner part of the eyelids near the nose, we have tear ducts. These little openings act like storm drains for tears, the tears drain from your eyes through tiny openings (called ‘puncta’). Blocked tear ducts are the most common cause of watery eyes. 

Problems with our tear ducts is a common cause for watery eyes in older people. 

As we age, our eyelids often sag away from the eye, making it hard for tears to move through their proper path toward the drainage ducts. Then the tears just pool up in the eye and drip out instead of draining away down the tear ducts. While the condition can sometimes be addressed medically, sometimes it is just the result of getting older. 

Overproduction 

Anything that irritates the eyes can cause the production of tears. Often allergies or viral infections– like conjunctivitis (‘pink eye’) or any type of inflammation can cause watery eyes to persist for several days. In other cases, the overproduction of tears is triggered by an injury, a scratch, or debris in the eyes. 

There are also a number of surprising things that can cause your eyes to water (see our list of ‘7 Surprising Causes of Watery Eyes’ above).

Watery Eyes Treatment

Treatment of watery eyes usually involves medication, removal of irritants or unblocking the blocked tear duct. For many people, their watery eyes are a mild case of epiphora, and they get better without treatment. 

However, if watery eyes are affecting your ability to see clearly, or your eyes are painful and will not stop watering, schedule a consultation with an Eyecare Plus optometrist nearest you. 

Your local Eyecare Plus optometrist will be able to examine your condition, determine the underlying problem and offer you the best and most appropriate treatment options for your watery eyes.

Why is My Eye Twitching?

Posted on by ecp_super_admin

Most adults have experienced the annoyance of a twitching eye. Usually, it goes away on its own after a few seconds or minutes. But sometimes – very rarely – an eyelid twitch is the sign of a more serious underlying condition.

Eyelid twitches or eyelid spasms can affect the upper or lower eyelid, but most frequently, it only affects the lower eyelid. Eyelid twitches are more common in middle-aged women, but no one knows why.

Why is my Eyelid Twitching? Blame the orbicularis oculi.

Eye twitching happens when the fine muscles of the eyelid (called the ‘orbicularis oculi’) involuntarily and repeatedly contract. The medical term for this is ‘eyelid myokymia.’

Many of the triggers of eyelid twitching are lifestyle related. Some of the known causes are…

Eye Strain

Long periods of staring at your computer screen and bright lights cause eye twitches as you hold your eyelid muscles tightly for extended periods of time. Remember the 20-20-20 rule, take a 20 second break from the screen every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away. 

You need an eye test

If your eyelids frequently twitch when you’re reading or focusing close-up, it could be a sign that you need a new prescription for your glasses. In cases like this, your eye muscles are doing extra work to provide the focus you require. This extra burden can create minor spasms of the eyelid muscles.  

Stress

The link between stress and an eyelid spasm is well known. Stress causes muscle tension, muscle spasms and micromovements from extended muscle tension. Sometimes you might even notice the stress in your facial muscles, it can appear as facial spasms or just eyelid spasms. This causes eyelid twitch.

Often others notice your eye twitches before you do because they show your stress condition to others. Although life is often stressful, and hard to get away from, it’s important to do what you can to treat the underlying cause. Activities such as exercise, yoga or hobbies are often recommended as good ways to lower tension and stress. 

Lack of sleep

The eyelids are the most sensitive muscles in the body, especially the upper eyelid, so even small imbalances can disrupt them. When you don’t get an adequate amount of sleep, your eyes feel tired and the muscles will twitch.

Dry eyes

Irritated, gritty, dry eye conditions that create eye irritation can contribute to eyelid twitching. Dry eye lubricants are often prescribed to moisturise the eyes which will, in turn, relax the eyelid muscles and stop the twitching.

Caffeine

The most commonly used drug in the world, caffeine, can increase your heart rate and elevate your metabolism. Caffeine can also trigger your facial nerve, especially the upper eyelids causing our eyes to twitch. Your sensitive eyelid muscles are much more susceptible to the effects of caffeine than most other muscles in the body. If you find your eyelids twitching frequently after use of caffeine, lower the amount and frequency.  

Drugs or medications

Some medications can cause eye twitching and eyelid spasms or minor eyelid twitches. If you are concerned that a drug you have been prescribed causes eye twitching, ask your health care provider about the ocular side effects.

Like any other changes to your body, it is helpful to keep track of when your eyelids are twitching, always check for minor eye twitches and to make a point of noticing any of the contributing factors. 

This could potentially help when speaking with your eye care professional to see if they can determine a pattern which can provide the key to alleviating the problem. 

More serious conditions

It is worth repeating – usually, (almost always), eye twitching is temporary and nothing to worry about. In fact, worrying about it can exacerbate the frequency of it.

However, when eye twitching is persistent, lasts longer than a week, a visit to your local Eyecare Plus optometrist is recommended.

Your Eyecare Plus optometrist will be able to differentiate the eye twitch from more serious conditions that could require further treatment.

Eyecare-Plus-Optometrists-Eye-Test

Why should I look out for cataracts?

Posted on by ecp_super_admin

First off, what is a cataract?

Right behind the pupil in your eyes is one of the most important parts of your eye’s anatomy: the lenses.

Made up of water and proteins, these lenses bend and focus light to create sharp images. Your ability to see depends on these lenses being transparent and flexible.

As we age however, the protein in these lenses slowly begins to get stiff and coagulate. This makes the lenses cloudy, like you are looking through a frosty windowpane. That is what a cataract is.

Cataracts can happen in one or both eyes, but they don’t spread from one eye to the other. By the age of 80, most people either have cataracts or have had surgery for cataracts.

Symptoms

At first, you might not know you have cataracts. Over time, however, your vision gets dull, blurry, hazy, or less colourful. It becomes harder to see – and drive – at night. Cataracts don’t hurt, but they can cause discomfort because your eyes are more sensitive to light.

The good news is, vision correcting cataract surgery is one of the most common and safe procedures performed in Australia.

If you are looking out for cataracts, there are things you can do that will slow down their development.

Sunglasses for you and your children

The easiest, most inexpensive cataract-prevention method is – wear UV-blocking sunglasses.

Eye cataracts develop slowly and cumulatively, and, because of that, it is important to remember that the hours, weeks and years of unprotected exposure to UV rays of the sun add up.

When outdoors, be SunSmart: wear a hat, and slide on some UV-blocking sunglasses, like the ones you will find at Eyecare Plus locations.

Statistically, children get more UV exposure than adults. And because their eyes are still maturing, they are less effective than adult eyes at filtering out harmful effects of UV rays. Choose a pair of durable, comfortable sunglasses for your children and make wearing them a part of their routine. Then, set a good example by consistently wearing sunglasses yourself.

Self-care and cataracts

No matter what your age, there are definitely ways to prevent cataracts and slow the progression of cataracts.

Optometrists and doctors agree, what’s good for the body is good for the eyes. In other words, to keep your ability to focus, keep the focus on your overall health.

  • Eat healthy.

Eat plenty of fruit and green leafy vegetables – especially spinach and broccoli.

  • Stay fit.

There is a link between obesity and eye disease. If you are carrying too many extra kilos, the body’s immune system can get overwhelmed, which can harm lens proteins. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise can make a difference.

  • Don’t smoke.

Smoking doubles your risk of developing a cataract at an earlier age, and, the more you smoke, the greater the risk.

Get regular eye check up

Too many people wait too long between eye checks. Because cataracts grow slowly, it is hard to notice any changes in your vision. All adults should get an eye exam once every two years until age 65, and every year after that.

Your Eyecare Plus optometrist will use a slit lamp microscope to examine your lenses and catch a developing cataract early. In the early stages of cataract, the lost eyesight can be helped with eyeglasses, magnifiers and stronger light.

Like the rest of your body, your eyes lenses change as you age. Although we can’t slow down time, everyone has the ability to make choices necessary to minimize the impact and delay the onset of cataracts.

Macular Degeneration Case Study: 90-year-old Pastor Ron Clarke OAM

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A Story of Life Saving Eye Injections

As the most common age related eye condition macular degeneration (AMD) is responsible for half of all blindness and severe vision loss in Australia.

For those over the age of 50 years about one in seven (1.4 million) Australians have some evidence of the disease. An estimated 156,000 are diagnosed with neovascular (wet) AMD which requires regular eye injections to prevent permanent loss of sight.

Ninety-year-old Pastor Ron Clarke OAM is one of those people.

Pastor Ron Clarke leads a busy life which would exhaust anyone half his age.

He’d be in Big Trouble

If the Government cut the Medicare rebate for his eye injections, the life Pastor Clarke is leading would have changed dramatically with the possibly that he could even have gone blind.

An independent Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review Taskforce for Ophthalmology recommended that the Medicare rebate for sight saving eye injections be cut by 69%. Thankfully Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, and the Shadow Minister Mark Butler, have both committed their support of the Macular Disease Foundation Australia’s (MDFA) call to reject the proposed recommendation to cut the Medicare rebate on sight saving treatment. So, whichever party forms the next Government, the proposed cut will not be adopted.

People receiving sight saving treatment like Pastor Ron would be very thankful for this decision.

Pastor Ron has lived most of his life with only 15-20% vision in his left eye, relying on good vision in his right.

Twelve years ago, he was diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) in his good eye and now he needs injections every four weeks to maintain his eyesight.

Despite officially retiring in 2015, Pastor Ron maintains a global online ministry with 3,000 subscribers.

But he would not be able to continue preaching if he could not afford his sight-saving eye treatment.

“I’d be in big trouble. I don’t know how I’d manage,” Ron admits.

“My ministry and activity on the internet depend on my sight. It’s my life. If I lose that, I may as well give up and move into a residential nursing home.”

Importance of Eye Injections

Sight-saving eye injections for wet AMD help many Australians like Pastor Ron retain their independence and stay in their own home, rather than moving into residential care.

“This treatment has kept me out of full-time care,” Ron says.

 May is Macula Month, the time of the year when Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA) raises awareness of macular disease.

 

Saving the Sight of Australians – Prevention and Treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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Before sight-saving eye injections arrived in Australia in 2007, most people diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) went blind – sometimes quite rapidly.

Fifteen years later, Australia is a world leader in the treatment of wet AMD. This major breakthrough has transformed the lives of so many, saving the sight of thousands of Australians, who have been able to maintain their vision and continue to enjoy full, active lives long after their diagnosis.

What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration (or ‘AMD’) is a disease that affects people 50 years or older and causes progressive loss of central vision and affects people’s ability to read, watch TV, and recognise faces. It is responsible for half of all blindness and severe vision loss in Australia.

About one in seven (1.4 million) Australians over the age of 50 years have some evidence of AMD.

There are three stages of macular degeneration: early AMD, intermediate AMD, and late AMD.

Late AMD can be further divided into two classifications: neovascular, sometimes called wet, macular degeneration (wet AMD) and atrophic, sometimes called dry, macular degeneration (dry AMD) or geographic atrophy.

How to Reduce AMD risk

To reduce the risk of getting AMD or slow its progression if you have already been diagnosed, follow these four tips.

  1. Regular Eye Exams

To detect AMD early you need to have an AMD eye examination at least every two years if you are over the age of 50, then once a year when you reach 65. Early detection opens the window for early sight-saving treatment, if necessary.

Smokers

  1. Stop Smoking

have a three to four times higher risk of getting AMD compared to non-smokers. The disease will occur five to 10 years earlier for people who smoke.

  1. Exercise

Exercise can reduce the risk of developing late AMD by 79%. As AMD  is associated with ageing, people who are physically active are also more likely to be ‘biologically’ younger than those with a sedentary lifestyle.

  1. Eat a Health Diet

Eat a macula-friendly diet including fish two or three times a week, dark-green leafy vegetables, and fresh fruit every day, a handful of nuts each week, low GI carbohydrates, and limit the amount of fats in your diet.

60 Seconds Could Save Your Sight

Developed by MDFA, Check My Macula is a short online quiz that helps you to understand your individual risk factors of macular disease. It then helps you book an eye examination – including a macula check – with your local Eyecare Plus optometrist.

Sixty seconds could save your sight – one minute and five simple questions is all it takes to discover your personal risks. Once you know your risks of AMD you can then take early action to preserve your vision.

Overcoming Barriers

For the estimated 156,000 Australians who have wet AMD, regular sight-saving eye injections can help slow or prevent permanent vision loss. It is critical that patients receiving eye injections for wet AMD continue with their treatment.

However, for far too many, the barriers to continuing treatment can be insurmountable – cost, transport, and the physical burden being the main issues. Sadly, because of these factors, about one in five patients stop their treatment inside 12 months, and more than half give up within five years, increasing their risk of permanent vision loss or blindness.

May is Macula Month, the time of the year when Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA) raises awareness of macular disease.

A 2020 MDFA patient survey revealed 29% of respondents receiving eye injections have considered delaying or stopping eye injections due to cost, while 35% have cut down on expenses like food, medicine and even mortgage payments to afford them.

“We look forward to the day when every patient in Australia has the best chance of benefiting from treatment and retaining vision for the rest of their lives,” MDFA CEO Dee Hopkins says.

MDFA is committed to continuing our advocacy work to increase access to sight saving treatment.

If you would like to find out more about macular disease talk with your local Eyecare Plus optometrist or drop into the MDFA website to hear passionate stories from patients about their journey with macular disease.

Photokeratitis: Sun Damage to the Eyes

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It may surprise you to learn our eyes can get sunburned.

We should all know by now how important it is to apply sunscreen to protect our skin from the harsh and damaging effects of the sun’s Ultraviolet (UV) rays.

It is a message that is drummed into Australians every summer.

Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, with the age-standardised mortality rate expected to soon reach 4.0 deaths per 100,000 persons (5.6 for males and 2.6 for females).

Whilst we know to slop on sunscreen and slip on a hat, we often don’t think about how important it is to protect our eyes from sunburn as well.

Yes, our eyes can get sunburnt.

When our eyes get sunburned, it is called ‘photokeratitis.’ It happens when the thin surface layer of the clear front of our eye (called the ‘cornea’) is damaged by the harsh UV light from the sun.

The surface layer of your eye is made up of thousands of nerve endings. It is extremely sensitive and can easily be damaged. When too much UV light hits this layer, it becomes inflamed and irritated, which causes sensations of burning or itching. This is photokeratitis.

Symptoms of Photokeratitis

Just like when your skin is sunburned, usually, by the time you notice you have symptoms of photokeratitis, the damage has already been done.

Often, people don’t even notice the signs of eye damage from the sun until several hours after it is too late.

Symptoms of photokeratitis include…

  • Redness or pain in the eyes
  • Light sensitivity
  • Gritty sensation in the eyes – like you have sand in your eyes
  • Watery eyes
  • Swollen eyelids

The good news is that short-term photokeratitis is temporary and usually goes away within a few hours.

Treatment of Photokeratitis

If you are experiencing symptoms of short-term photokeratitis, the best place to be is indoors.

Your focus should be on making yourself as comfortable as possible while allowing time for the eyes to heal.

If you are a contact lens wearer, remove them. Place a moistened cloth over your closed eyes to relieve discomfort. Resist the urge to rub your eyes, as it will only further irritate them and slow down the healing process.

If your photokeratitis symptoms persist for longer than a day, contact an Eyecare Plus optometrist.

Prevention of Photokeratitis

Prescription sunglasses are your best protection against exposure to UV light.

When the Cancer Council of Australia introduced its ‘Slip Slop Slap’ campaign in 1981, millions of Australians heeded the advice of ‘Sid the Seagull’ and slipped on a shirt, slopped on sunscreen and slapped on a hat to reduce the risk of sunburn and skin cancer.

In 2007, the Cancer Council updated the slogan to ‘Slip Slop Slap Seek Slide.’ Now Sid encourages us to seek shade and slide on our sunglasses too. This is great advice, especially for children, whose delicate eyes and skin are more susceptible to UV damage.

Remember: UV prevention starts when you and your children are leaving the house. Put on UV-blocking sunglasses and a hat before you walk out the door. The longer your eyes are exposed to UV light, the more severe the eye sunburn symptoms will be.

Yes, your eyes can get sunburned in winter!

Unfortunately, as winter approaches, many of the safe sun habits people practice over summer start to drop away. And while UV rays are the strongest during the summer, they can damage your eyes throughout the year.

It is important to remember that even on overcast days in winter, UV is still present. To be safe, follow the Australian Cancer Council’s advice: ‘Think UV, not Heat.’ It is a very good and powerful message.

Sunglasses: Buy the Australian Standard

The safety standards for Australian-made sunglasses, which are higher than international standards, were set to ensure that all Australians have access to adequate protection against the damage UV light can do to our eyes.

All sunglasses sold by Eyecare Plus optometry practices nationwide are guaranteed to comply with the latest Australian safety requirements for sunglasses.

Speak with your Eyecare Plus optometrists about the frames you are considering ensuring they are adequate for the activities you are involved in (volleyball, skiing, long-distance running, reading at the beach, etc.).

What is the UV index?

Australia experiences some of the highest UV levels in the world. You can see the sun’s light and feel its heat, but you can’t see or feel UV radiation. Because of that, the World Health Organization invented the UV index to provide people with a daily UV forecast and help them decide how much time to spend in the sun and what protection to use.

The UV index predicts UV risk on a scale from 0 (minimal risk) to 11+ (very high risk). Basically, the higher the UV index, the greater the risk of sunburn and photokeratitis. The UV index used throughout Australia conforms with the World Health Organization’s guidelines.

The daily UV index in Australia is a part of most weather forecasts, or you can find more details about the daily UV index through:

In general, when the UV index for your area is above 3, sun protection measures (‘slip, slop, slap, seek and slide) are recommended.

If you have questions about sun damage to the eyes, contact your local Eyecare Plus optometry practice.

The 7 Common Childhood Eye Problems

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It is important for a child’s development that they get their eyes checked regularly.

A child’s eyes grow and develop rapidly in the early years. Detection of eye problems early on will reduce potential long-term vision problems which can lead to problems in the child’s school performance, social interaction, and self-esteem.

One in five children live with undiagnosed eye conditions.

Here are seven common childhood eye conditions that an eye exam can detect. Whilst most conditions are rare, only a regular eye exam can catch them early.

Your Eyecare Plus optometrist has the experience and skill to detect and treat these conditions.

1. Refraction

When the eye has trouble bending light to reach the retina (back of the eye), this leads to blurry vision. Your Eyecare Plus optometrist will look for refractive errors like myopia (short-sightedness), astigmatism (imperfect curve of the cornea) or hyperopia (longsightedness).

2. Eye injuries

Children are prone to accidents, and this includes eyes. Common eye problems are a scratched cornea or a foreign body in the eye, such as wood or glass or metal shavings.

3. Paediatric Glaucoma (congenital)

Glaucoma is associated with high pressure within the eye which can damage the optic nerve. Early detection and treatment are essential for positive outcomes.

4. Paediatric Cataracts

A cataract is the clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye. Usually associated with older adults, it sometimes occurs in newborns.

5. Conjunctivitis

More children than adults get conjunctivitis, which is an infection that causes redness of the white part of your eyes. It can be contagious, or it may be caused by an allergy.

6. Strabismus

Strabismus is a misalignment of the eyes, when one eye may be turned outward, or inward or upward or downward. If detection and treatment is delayed, it can lead to a condition called amblyopia (‘lazy eye’) and cause vision loss.

7. Amblyopia

Also known as ‘lazy eye,’ amblyopia results from a miscommunication between the eyes and the brain, leading to one or both eyes developing abnormally. Approximately three out of every 100 children have it. If detected early, amblyopia treatment has a high success rate.

Our Commitment to You

Eyecare Plus is committed to patient care.

To ensure we follow correct COVID protocols patient appointments times are staggered to prevent over-crowding or long queues in the waiting rooms.

All Eyecare Plus, optometrists, dispensers and staff wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including gloves, masks and eye protection.

All Eyecare Plus locations undergo thorough cleaning and disinfection procedures and all optometrists, dispensers and staff are vaccinated.

All patients are required to wear a mask to appointments. If you don’t have a mask, we will provide one for you.

We care about your family’s overall health.

Contact your local Eyecare Plus optometrist to book an appointment.

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