About Your Eyes
AMD
Age-related macular degeneration affects the central portion of your vision. There is a small area at the back of the eye known as the macula which is responsible for seeing centrally and fine details clearly.
In healthy eyes, this is void of any deposits, fluid, or bleeding. As you get older wear and tear can occur to the back of your eye resulting in a build-up of deposits under the macula. The risk is increased with UV exposure, smoking, and family history.
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We always screen you for AMD at our clinic. If you wish we can book you an OCT test for AMD, this is a highly sophisticated scan that can detect AMD at least 2-4 years earlier than conventional sight tests.
At any point if our optometrists feel you will be eligible for ADM treatments, your optometrist will discuss this with you in detail, and should you wish, we will refer you directly to the eye hospital for further consultation. To book an appointment to discuss further please click below.
Cataract
Inside the eye there is a clear structure called the lens. The lens’ role in the eye is to help focus light onto the back of your eye. A cataract is formed when the lens becomes hazy and cloudy preventing light from reaching the back of your eye. This can result in blurred vision, glare and colour desaturation. You are more at risk if you are elderly, have had exposure to harmful UV and/or smoke. It can occur in younger people who are taking steroid medication, are diabetic or have had an injury.
We always screen you for cataracts at our clinic. At any point if our optometrists feel you will be eligible for cataract operations, he/ she will discuss this with you in details and should you wish, we will refer you directly to the eye hospital for your operation. To book at appointment to discuss further please click below.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Having uncontrolled diabetes for a prolonged duration can affect many organs in the body and a key one is the eye. The effects of this condition can appear at the back of the eye called the retina. The retina is the light sensitive tissue that detects light allowing us to see. In healthy eyes the retina is usually orange and void of any fluid or bleeding. In diabetic eyes you can get bleeding and an accumulation of fluid due to damaged blood vessels.
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Unfortunately, NHS no longer use optometrists for diabetic retinal screening, however we are happy to screen you privately using a more advanced OCT system than that available on the NHS. To book a private diabetic screening appointment.
Myopia
Myopia is commonly referred to as short-sightedness. Within the eye there is a lens that focuses light onto the back of your eye called the retina. This allows you to see clearly at distance and near. With myopia the light is focussed in front of the retina due to the eye being too long or the front surface of your eye being too steep. This results usually in good vision for short distances but blurred vision for far distances. It is corrected with spectacles.
We offer several comprehensive myopia management options for our young patients, using both contact lenses and glasses. To book at appointment to discuss further click below.
Hyperopia
Hyperopia is commonly referred to as long-sightedness. Within the eye there is a lens that focuses light onto the back of your eye called the retina. This allows you to see clearly at distance and near. With hyperopia the light is focussed behind the retina due to the eye being short or the front surface of your eye being too flat. This results in good vision for far distances but not very good vision for short distances. It can result in eyestrain/headaches with prolonged near work.
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Hyperopia in children can cause the eyes to squint or become lazy over time. A child may not complain or show symptoms if the prescription is not high but is still likely to cause lazy and squinting eyes. Sometime eye tests at school are not sufficient to pick us these problems. Therefore, a thorough and a regular eye test at the optician is the best option for your child.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a common condition resulting in blurred and distorted vision at near and far. Within the eye there is a front clear window that focuses light onto the back of your eye known as the cornea. In non-astigmatic eyes the cornea’s curvature is usually regular like a football shape. In astigmatic eyes the cornea’s curvature is irregular and like a rugby ball shape. As a result of this, light in not focussed properly onto the back of the eye. This cause you to find an image, light or an object to be more stretched or be more focused in orientation. This can be particular problem for those who drive at night of use VDU/computers or read for long periods.
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Just like hypermetropia, astigmatism can be missed during a school sight test. Therefore, we recommend you have your child’s eye examined if the complain of any discomfort with their eye.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia usually occurs in people over the age of 40. Within the eye there is a clear lens which focuses light onto the back of the eye. In order to do this successfully the lens must be very flexible. With presbyopia, age related changes occur to the lens resulting in it being less flexible and makes it difficult to focus at near. This results in blurred near vision. Patients may report having to hold objects further away. It is easily corrected with reading spectacles.​
There are many options for correcting presbyopia, from a simple reading glass to wearing bifocals or varifocals. This choice mainly depends on your visual needs and your lifestyle demands. The difference between bifocal and varifocal is the line separating your reading vision from your distance vision. Bifocal has a distinct line separating your distance vision from your reading vision.
Varifocals do not have this like as the power from your distance vision to your reading vision is graduates in a smooth curve. This graduation can cause distortions in your peripheral vision and cause narrowing of your vision, this especially occurs with poorer quality varifocals. We can offer you cheaper varifocals however we specialise in varifocals lenses that tailored to your needs and are made with the highest quality materials and designs. This is to give you the best possible vision
without causing significant disruption to your lifestyle. There’s is also the option of contact lenses varifocals built on advanced technology. To discuss further please book in an appointment with or varifocal lens specialist.
Glaucoma
The nerve which sends information from your eyes to the brain is called the optic nerve. Glaucoma occurs when there is damage to the optic nerve resulting in a gradual loss of peripheral vision. You are more at risk of developing glaucoma if your eye pressure is high, if there is family history and if you are of Afro-Caribbean descent. Other risk factors include injury, diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure and steroid medications.
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We always screen you for Glaucoma at our clinic. If you wish we can book you an OCT test for glaucoma, this is a highly sophisticated scan that can detect glaucoma at least 3-4 years earlier than conventional tests. At any point if our optometrists feel you will be eligible hospital referral for glaucoma, your optometrist will discuss this with you in details and should you wish, we will refer you directly to the eye hospital for further consultations. To book an appointment to discuss further please click below.
Dry eye
The tear film is made up of 3 layers. The inner layer closest to the eye in called the mucin layer and helps to stick the other tear layers to your eye. The middle layer is the watery layer which provides moisture and the outer layer is an oily layer preventing the tears from evaporating quickly. In dry eye the eye does not produce good quality tears or they evaporate too quickly. This results in irritated, uncomfortable, and slightly red eyes.
Dry eye condition is a complex eye condition. This requires thorough examination and a detailed management plan. We run a dedicated dry eye clinic. To book your appointment click below.
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There are many other conditions that can affect your eye. Some conditions visibly affect your eye and causes symptoms. Some conditions may be dangerous but may not cause any symptoms or show any signs unless the disease is significantly advanced. Therefore, at Guys Optician we offer you comprehensive eye examination, and tailored examinations, specific to your requirements and needs. This is to help us identify any eye conditions that may be affecting you as soon as possible, so that you may receive an early consultation and treatments for your conditions from the eye hospital without delay. To learn about other eye conditions, please click the link below.