Contributing to Healthy Eyes & Vision
Visiting for regular eye exams goes beyond just updating your prescription. Eye exams are a proactive measure to ensure your eyes and vision are getting the care they need. Since some eye diseases don’t show early warning signs or symptoms, eye exams are one of the only ways to identify them early before damage is done.
As patients age, different frequencies of eye exams are recommended to ensure their eye and vision health is receiving the care they need. The Canadian Optometric Association recommends the following schedule for adults and seniors:
- Adults (18+) should have an exam every 2 years
- Seniors 65+ should have an annual exam
Your Eye Exam
A regular eye exam is your opportunity to receive a comprehensive view of your eye and vision health. We’ll typically check your visual acuity and identify any refractive errors, like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
In addition to performing the standard tests, we’ll also do the following:
- Discuss your overall health to understand your eye and vision health better
- Perform a variety of individualized tests
- Update vision correction and changes in prescription
- Take time to answer any questions you may have
Common Eye Diseases
During your eye exam, we’ll take time to test for common eye diseases, checking to see if any are developing without your knowledge. As many eye diseases can develop without early warning signs and symptoms, regular eye exams are crucial.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that targets the eye’s optic nerve. The condition can lead to vision loss and complete blindness if not managed early. As glaucoma often progresses with little to no warning signs, eye exams are the best way to identify the condition early, before serious damage is caused.
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in Canada.
Cataracts
In a healthy eye, the eye’s natural lens is clear, allowing light to flow cleanly through. Cataracts occur when the eye’s lens begins to cloud. While this process is bound to happen over time, it can be accelerated by factors such as diabetes, smoking, and obesity. In addition, cataracts can be caused by extended UV exposure. Wearing sunglasses is an effective prevention method.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetes affects all areas of the body, even the eyes. Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease caused by the effects of diabetes on the blood sugar levels in the eye, specifically the blood vessels. If you have diabetes, it’s important you visit for more frequent and diabetic-specific eye exams, as diabetic retinopathy can develop without any warning signs.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in patients over 60 years of age. As the eye ages, the centre part of the retina, called the macula, is at risk of wearing down. If left untreated, vision loss can occur. There are 2 different types of AMD, wet and dry.
Dry AMD is more common but less dangerous (it often occurs first). The dry type of AMD is caused by a buildup of drusen deposits in the macula. As they grow in number, patients may start to experience vision loss.
Wet AMD normally occurs after dry AMD. It’s caused by blood vessels growing and leaking under the macula, causing a patient’s vision to look wavy. Wet AMD is more dangerous than dry AMD.
Supporting Healthy Eyes
Strong eye care starts with regular eye exams. Book your next visit to our practice today!
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At EyeCare Niagara, we value getting to know our patients so we can better understand the scope of their eye care needs. We leverage our knowledge of optical technology as well as frames, lenses, and other treatments to ensure you’re receiving the best care possible.
Our Location
- 318 Ontario St.
- St. Catharines, ON L2R 5L8
Contact Information
- Phone: (905) 685-6515
- Email: [email protected]
Hours Of Operation
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
Our Brands
- Brands
- Frames & Lenses
- Sunglasses
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Eyecare Niagara
- 318 Ontario St.
- St. Catharines, ON L2R 5L8
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P: (905) 685-6515
[email protected]