Adult & Senior Eye Exams in St. Catharines

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.

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 (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.