Moss Vale NSW

Location

The Calaroga Centre is next to Coles (formerly BiLo). Turn off Argyle Street at the traffic lights opposite Leighton Gardens.

Car parking is available at the back of the practice and opposite the council chambers. Wheelchair access is available.

Find Us On Facebook

As a member of our local community, our Facebook page shares the latest information about vision research; great tips for looking after your eyes; interesting optical illusions you can share with your friends; and news about our practice or staff. We always try to keep it fun and interesting. Click this link and join us today.

DIGITAL SCREEN LIFE

Just 2 hours in front of a digital screen can cause your eyes to feel strained and dried out. The average Australian spends 10 hours a day staring at some form of screen.

Learn more about your screen life HERE

Eating For Good Eye Health

There are a number of foods that can help support good eye health. These include, but are not limited to, leafy greens, bright coloured fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, and oily fish.

Eye Health Recipes

Green Smoothie
  View Recipe
216 KB PDF

Poached Salmon and Egg
  View Recipe
168 KB PDF

More information

Talk to your Eyecare Plus optometrist about the importance of a healthy diet and your eye health.

If you'd like to make an appointment please call us on (02) 4868 2233 during business hours or click here to request an appointment via the website.

[Collapse]

See Recipes

Multifocal Lenses That Are Tailored To Your Lifestyle

Not all multifocal lenses are made the same. Traditional multifocal lenses can feel uncomfortable to wear due to the limited focus points designed in the lens.

As our modern lifestyle demands the use of more and more digital devices with different viewing distances, this can create poor neck posture as you need to consistently tilt your chin up and down to focus on objects near and far. If you feel your lenses aren’t the best for your visual needs, it may be time to find something that is more tailored to you.

The award-winning technology in Hoyalux iD multifocal lenses provides clear and natural vision in all directions, wide distortion-free fields of view, and smooth transitions between the reading and distance viewing areas. Each lens is custom designed for each person’s visual needs and requirements.

Hoyalux iD multifocal lenses give you...

• Sharp and focused vision
• Tailored to suit your personal lifestyle and preferences
• Precisely calculated for your frame choice
• Excellent depth of vision and effortless focusing
• Superior image stability

In the image below (click to enlarge), you can see how standard multifocal lenses can restrict your vision where the Hoyalux iD multifocal provides wider fields of view.

Interested in learning more? Visit our practice or call us on (02) 4868 2233 and mention Hoyalux iD.

[Collapse]

Springtime Eye Allergies And What To Do About It!

Eye allergies are your eyes' response to irritants or foreign allergens in your environment. In Spring, our eyes are exposed to common allergic substances like grass and tree pollen.

When the pollen touches our eyes, the body can react by producing a substance called histamine, causing symptoms of eye allergies.

Common symptoms include:

• Watery eyes
• Itchy Eyes
• Gritty Eyes
• Red eyes
• Sore Eyes

To reduce your risk of eye allergies, remember to protect your eyes from allergens as much as possible. This means wearing protective eyewear to shield your eyes when you are outdoors and keeping your house and hands clean.

If you are experiencing any eye allergy symptoms listed above, an optometrist can help you assess the severity of the allergy and provide suitable treatments to relieve the symptoms. This can include eyedrops or an eye compress. Other times, your optometrist may also suggest speaking with your GP or pharmacist about complementary treatments to keep your allergies at bay.

[Collapse]

Sore, Red, Dry, Tired Or Watery Eyes

Dry eye syndrome is a lack of sufficient lubrication and moisture in the eye leaving the cornea (the main lens of the eye) with an inadequate tear film.

This occurs when the eye doesn't produce enough tears, or the tears have a chemical composition that causes them to evaporate too quickly.

Our optometrists are experienced in working with red, sore and watery eyes and can help you determine the cause and the treatment that is appropriate for you.

Our optometrists are experienced in foreign body removal and are therapeutically qualified, which means that they are able to write a prescription for medicated eye drops if they are required.

[Collapse]

Keratoconus

Keratoconus is a condition where the cornea changes from its normal spherical dome shape, to develop a protruding cone shape. This causes distorted vision. Keratoconus affects around 1 in 1000 Australians.

Keratoconus can be genetically inherited (around 8% of patients have an affected relative) and is frequently associated with excessive eye rubbing due to uncontrolled ocular allergies.

Whilst keratoconus cannot be cured, it can be managed effectively through using spectacles, hard contact lenses to restore the spherical shape at the front of the eye, or co-managed with a referral to an ophthalmologist.

Our optometrists are experienced in fitting contact lenses specifically for patients with keratoconus.

[Collapse]

Cataract

A cataract is an opacity or cloudiness that forms in the lens of the eye, causing vision to blur at both distance and near.

Cataracts are most commonly caused by long-term exposure to UV light (sun light) but can be caused by trauma to the eyes or some medications.

Cataracts mainly occur in people 50 years and over, but can occur at any age.

Early cataracts may require a change in your spectacle prescription or monitoring, however if your vision becomes too blurred, we will refer you to an ophthalmologist to consider having them removed.

[Collapse]

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a painless eye condition which causes irreversible damage to the nerve of the eye.

Glaucoma was previously known as tunnel vision, however advances in diagnostic technology mean that glaucoma can be detected before vision is lost.

50% of people with Glaucoma in Australia are undiagnosed. People who have a first degree relative with glaucoma are at an increased risk of developing glaucoma themselves. It is therefore important to share a glaucoma diagnosis with immediate family members so their eye care practitioners can better assess their risk.

Glaucoma is also associated with health conditions such as sleep apnoea and poor peripheral circulation such as Raynaud's disease.

[Collapse]

Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is a degenerative retinal disease, which causes painless distortion or loss central vision.

Macular degeneration may affect your ability to see fine detail, drive, read or recognise faces.

Macular degeneration may be inherited, or may be linked to diet and lifestyle choices. For example smoking increases your risk of macular degeneration by four times.

Macular degeneration can be wet (involve bleeding) or dry.

We assess the macula using digital retinal photography and ocular coherence tomography, which can show you the health of your macula on the day of the consultation.

For more information on Macular Disease, follow this link to the Macular Degeneration Foundation.

[Collapse]

Diabetic Eye Disease

Diabetic retinopathy is a term used to describe long-term damage to the retina and blood vessels within the eye associated with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy can cause unwanted bleeding, inflammation and exudate (discharge) within the retina.

Diabetic retinopathy can be sight threatening.

Good blood glucose control can minimise or negate diabetic retinopathy occurring.

We frequently carry out diabetic eye screenings and can refer you directly to our local ophthalmologist for further assessment and treatment if required.

On the day of your appointment, drops will be put into your eyes to open the pupil up, so the optometrist can thoroughly investigate the health of the back of the eye. You will be unable to drive and possibly have reduced ability to read and see up close for 2-3 hours after the drops have been instilled.

[Collapse]

Presbyopia - Loss Of Near Vision

Presbyopia is a loss of flexibility of the lens in the eye which allows us to change from looking at near objects to far objects and back again.

Presbyopia occurs to people in their 40s and results in a loss of ease and clarity of seeing things clearly up close.

Keeping Eyes Healthy

• Get your eyes tested regularly - generally between every 12 months and 3 years is appropriate. Our optometrist can help you determine how frequently is right for you.
• Don't ignore signs and symptoms - if you experience new pain, redness, flashing lights, new floating things in the eyes or loss of vision, don't ignore the signs. Contact our practice so our optometrist can help you determine the cause and prevent potential loss of sight.
• Protect your eyes from the sun - with sunglasses that meet the Australian Standards for UV protection.
• Protect your eyes at work or in the shed - safety eye wear for both home and the workplace is invaluable.
• Don't Smoke - it's bad for your eyes too and significantly increases the risk of macula degeneration.
• Eat a nutritious diet.
• Know your family eye history.
• Take care of your contact lenses.

Yes we can test children's eyes!

Children as young as 6 months of age can be assessed. A great time for a child's first eye test is in the year prior to starting school (4-5 years of age), but earlier is recommended if you have any concerns, or family history of eye troubles. A comprehensive eye examination is recommended even if a child has had a vision screening at pre-school or day-care.

Signs that a child may need an eye test include:-

• Excessive eye rubbing (other than the usual "tired sign" eye rubbing)
• Unusual head postures (turning head)
• Reporting blurry vision
• Excessive fatigue
• Avoiding close tasks such as reading/craft/painting
• An eye that is turning
• A white rather than red reflex in the pupil centre in a photo

Myopia - Short Sightedness

People with myopia have blurred vision in the DISTANCE, whilst close vision can remain quite clear.

People with myopia often feel they need to squint to see objects in the distance or experience difficulty with night driving.

Myopia is most commonly corrected by wearing glasses and/or contact lenses

Hyperopia - Long Sightedness

Hyperopia most commonly affects close or intermediate vision (such as reading and computer screens), however it can affect both DISTANCE and NEAR vision.

People with hyperopia commonly experience head ache or eyestrain with extended periods of near work and can feel quite tired at the end of the day.

Hyperopia is most commonly corrected by wearing glasses and/or contact lenses.

Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a distortion of vision, caused by the shape of your eye not being perfectly spherical. Astigmatism most commonly arrives during puberty and then remains stable throughout life; however it can occur and change as a result of some eye disease.

People with astigmatism experience blur at both DISTANCE and NEAR. They may also experience headache with concentrated reading, easily misread letters or numbers, needing to re-read information multiple times to absorb it, or experience streaking or staring of lights at night time.

Astigmatism is most commonly corrected by wearing glasses and/or contact lenses.

Amblyopia - Lazy Eye

Amblyopia occurs where an eye is not given the opportunity to learn the skill of seeing clearly. This may be through a large uncorrected prescription or an eye turn. The brain is able to acquire the skills of vision most easily before 7 years of age; therefore an eye test at an early age is important to ensure quality lifelong vision.

Strabismus - Turned Eye

Strabismus is where an eye turns. Turns can be intermittent or constant and can even alternate from one eye to the other. Turned eyes can be corrected by wearing glasses, eye exercises or a referral to an ophthalmologist. Our optometrist can help assess which is the best course of action for your child if you are noticing an eye turn.

At Eyecare Plus Moss Vale we are committed to providing the highest standard of eye care, which includes the latest technology in diagnostic equipment for early detection and diagnosis. We also use encrypted email to the local GPs and ophthalmologists to ensure reports are delivered to your medical team swiftly.

Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT)

OCT creates a topographical map of the tissues below the surface of the retina, allowing us to detect early changes to the nerves or blood vessels. This technology assists with detecting conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration before vision loss has occurred, allowing early access to treatment if required.

Digital Retinal Imaging (DRI)

Digital retinal imaging allows your practitioner to compare images of inside your eyes from one visit to the next. This technology assists with early detection of progression or change in the health of your eyes.

Through digital retinal imaging, health concerns, such as increased blood pressure or increased cholesterol levels can be found or monitored.

Medmont Visual Field Screening

Visual field screening allows us to map the sensitivity of the nerves inside your eyes. Visual field screening is used in monitoring of conditions such as glaucoma or post-stroke recovery.

A binocular driving visual field screening is a commonly requested test from the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS).

We use the Australian Medmont Visual Field screening technology.

Pachymetry

Pachymetry uses a small ultrasound to measure the thickness of the cornea.

We have known for a long time that pressure is a factor in early detection of glaucoma. Current research has found that the thickness of the corneas is also an important factor in early detection and diagnosis of glaucoma. Therefore Pachymetry is included in our comprehensive eye examinations.