Carlisle Mason Optometrists - Your Family's Eyecare Professionals
Do you need an Eye Examination?
Even if you see clearly you may need an eye examination!
The New Zealand Association of Optometrists recommends that everybody has their eyes examined at least once every two years. This is because many vision changes and sight threatening problems, which can be detected during an eye exam, do not cause you any visual problems until the very end!
Recent studies have shown that regular use of computers can cause visual problems including short sightedness, eye aches, headaches and dry eye. Computer users should have their eyes tested yearly.
What happens at a Carlisle Mason Optometrists Eye Examination...
Patient History
Your optometrist starts by asking you some questions about your eyes.
You definitely do not need to do anything to prepare for an eye examination, and these questions are asked to help your optometrist customise the eye examination to best suit you!
Vision
Your optometrist will measure your visual performance for different distances including driving, computer and reading distances to ensure that you see as clearly as possible.
As well as this, there will be measurements of your peripheral vision and of how easily your eyes work together (called binocular vision).
Eye Health
The second part of the examination is designed to check the internal and external health of your eye. Your optometrist will ensure that there are no signs of damage from common sight threatening conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and macula degeneration.
If, at the end of the eye exam, we have found a problem with your vision or health of your eyes, you and your optometrist will create the best solution for you!
Sight Awareness and Eye Diseases
The following information is designed to help you better understand some of the more common eye diseases and conditions. It approximates what sufferers of various eye conditions might actually see. It is important to remember that no two cases are the same. If you are experiencing anything like these symptoms, get your eyes examined immediately.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye condition that can result in too much pressure from eye fluid in the eye. This high pressure can damage the optic nerve and if pressure persists, glaucoma will worsen your sight. When left untreated, glaucoma can cause loss of sight in just a few years. Glaucoma New Zealand reports that 10% of people over 70 will have glaucoma.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration occurs when the centre of the retina is damaged. This part of the retina is called the macula which is the part of the eye that helps you to see fine details. When it is damaged, the vision in the centre of your eye blurs or darkens. Tasks like reading and driving sooner or later become impossile. This eye condition is the leading cause of blindness in seniors.
Cataracts
A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye that can impair your vision. Cataracts occur when there is a build-up and change in the protein in the lens so that it becomes cloudy. This prevents light from passing through the lens causing some loss of vision. Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss.
Diabetic Retinopathy
People with diabetes are at risk of blindness and loss of vision because of the disease. There are 200,000 people with diabetes in NZ. Diabetes can cause changes in the cells of the retina that result in weakness in the walls of the blood vessels. These tiny blood vessels at the back of the eye begin to buldge and leak, oozing blood into the eye. Cellular changes can also cause fats & fluid to leak into surrounding tissue. Resulting damage to the eyes can lead to permanent loss of vision.
Eye Injuries
20,000 New Zealanders suffer eye injuries each year. A significant proportion of these injuries result in severe visual impairment or even blindness.
Leading Optometrists in Auckland, Thames and Tauranga dedicated to serving you
Give us a call today - 0800 678 478
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