Specialty Eye Services in Kamloops BC
Say goodbye to digital eye strain.
Digital Eye Strain
Are your eyes paying the price for spending several hours per day on your smartphone, laptop or work computer? By committing as little as two hours per day to screen time, you are highly likely to show symptoms.
So what can you do? Digital eye strain is an irritating condition, and prolonged exposure to short wavelength blue light (like the kind that comes from your computer monitor) can increase the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. If you spend a lot of time in front of a screen, we recommend lenses with an Essilor Prevencia coating.
Having said that, some serious eye diseases exhibit symptoms similar to eye strain, so visit our practice for an eye health exam and confirmation of your diagnosis before trying to relieve symptoms.
What Causes Eye Strain?
When looking at any object, or reading text, our eyes cleverly focus so that we can perceive that object clearly. Our focusing muscles, when fatigued, struggle to perform this task efficiently and this manifests itself as the known symptoms of digital eye strain.
Using screens forces our eyes to work harder than normal, hence the increase in eye strain across Canada as our daily dependence on screens rises.
Learn to Look the Other Way – Literally
The simplest, easiest and cheapest way to reduce your symptoms is to take a 20-30 second break a few times an hour. Focus on a distant object, relax your eye muscles and then get back to work – this tiny change in routine has been proven very effective for easing mild symptoms.
In fact, most treatment options revolve around simple, easy-to-implement changes:
Desktop ergonomics
f you work at a laptop, your screen is probably far too close to your eyes – this makes focusing even harder for your tiring muscles. Try to have your screen at eye-level, but 2 feet or so away. You can even adjust your colour settings to boost contrast and limit brightness to lessen the load.
Lighting
Glare is a key factor. If you can prevent sun or lamp light from reflecting off your screen onto your eyes, you’ll notice an almost immediate difference. Consider adding soft, warm background lighting in behind your monitor – this helps your eyes focus more naturally, reducing fatigue.
Dark room
It should go without saying (but we never assume when it comes to your eye care!) that you should never use a laptop or smartphone in a dark room. This will accelerate eye strain substantially, as well as making it much harder to fall asleep.
The 20 20 20 rule
It’s easy to remember. Every 20 minutes, take a break from looking at your screen. Pick something that’s roughly 20 feet away and look at it for 20 seconds. This will help keep your eyes from getting tired and limit the damage of staring at a screen.
Computer glasses
The only change which may require some investment, computer glasses are designed to:
- Focus at the optimal distance, which is slightly further than reading prescriptions
- Absorb near-ultraviolet light (optional) as this has been linked to eye health issues
- Absorb unwanted glare
IDENTIFYING DIGITAL EYE STRAIN
While a detailed eye exam is the only way to definitively diagnose eye strain, you should be aware of any of the following symptoms:
- Tired eyes, or an urge to rub
- Headaches
- Whole-body fatigue, even in the morning
- Dry eye symptoms
- Trouble focusing or reading large chunks of text
Particularly if these symptoms are affecting your job, you should come in for an exam. If it is eye strain, we can discuss practical changes you can make to your routine in order to overcome symptoms and, preferably, avoid recurrence further down the line.
Halt myopia progression.
MYOPIA CONTROL
Is your child’s nearsightedness (myopia) increasing every year? We may have a way to slow down or stop that progression in its tracks.
Myopia control is a field of visual treatment which uses advanced techniques to help permanently halt myopia, or at the least slow the elongation of the globe (the main cause of myopia) to a crawl.
To learn more about myopia control, or to start treatment, book an appointment and let’s start the conversation today.
SO WHAT IS MYOPIA CONTROL, EXACTLY?
Myopia (or nearsightedness) is a condition in which the lens of the eye grows and elongates over time. Close-up objects can be viewed more clearly than distant ones, but since the eye continues to grow, the condition becomes more and more pronounced over time.
The Downside To Lenses
The usual method for dealing with myopia is to correct – not treat – the condition by using corrective lenses. Whether it’s glasses or contacts, these re-focus the light entering our eyes such that we can see distant objects or writing clearly.
Unfortunately this is, while useful, just temporary – the eye is still elongating, the problem is still getting worse.
How Myopia Control Works
There are different methods with a shared goal: halting elongation of the eye. If a treatment method can, at any stage, stop this growth, then the condition ceases to be progressive. Your child’s lens prescription may now be stabilized for years, and permanent treatments such as laser eye surgery may become a viable future option.
Methods Of Myopia Control
The two most popular and well-proven techniques are speciality rigid gas permeable lenses (RGPs) and atropine eye drops. Research is ongoing however, and we may not be far away from a definitive way to control myopia, preferably halting it entirely.
- Orthokeratology rigid gas permeable contact lenses – Unlike normal contact lenses, these are worn overnight. These lenses temporarily reshape the cornea, or front of the eye, while you sleep, and are removed upon waking. During the day, light is focused correctly on the retina and the individual experiences clear eyesight without the use of glasses or contact lenses. By repeating this process night after night, the increase in myopia slows down. In some cases, it has been shown to halt growth entirely. As it is completely reversible, orthokeratology treatments do not affect the wearer’s candidacy for laser surgery or other myopia correction procedures in the future.
- Atropine eye drops – It is believed that fatigued eye focusing muscles (also one of the causes of digital eye strain) may be responsible for myopia. These eye drops force the muscles to relax, and have performed brilliantly in clinical trials – for the first year. It remains to be seen if atropine drops can have any considerably effect beyond the first 12 months.
Custom eyewear tailored to your lifestyle.
Sport, Safety & Specialty Eyewear
Work with high speed machinery? We can create prescription, protective goggles to keep you safe.
Seasoned sailor but suffer from nearsightedness? Well-secured, water-resistant eyewear coming up. Our polarized lenses will reduce glare on the water without keeping you from properly reading screens. So you’re all set to sit lake-side and read on your tablet.
Digital eye strain giving you trouble but work requires 8 hours before a screen? Your anti-glare, ultraviolet-absorbing lenses and comfortable frames will be ready in a week.
The days of eyeglasses existing purely to help you read the morning paper are long gone – today, we can help you craft sports, safety or speciality eyewear for practically any situation.
SAFETY EYEWEAR – REDUCING THE NUMBER OF WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS
Across Canada, there are hundreds of eye-related work accidents every single day. That’s tens of thousands a year, with many of those requiring serious medical attention to prevent permanent vision impairment or loss.
90% Of Workplace Accidents Are Avoidable
Approximately nine in every ten such injuries in the workplace are avoidable. If you work with chemicals, manufacturing equipment or in any industry where your eyes could be exposed to injury, then you should definitely be wearing protective eyewear.
Ask your employer if there is no system in place – above all else, you must ensure that your eyesight is protected on the job.
SPECIALITY SPORTS EYEWEAR
Speciality frames are always tailored to an exact individual and their precise needs. That said, there are a few rules to which all speciality sports frames will conform.
Comfort
Of course the design must have a precise prescription and be made to suit your activity, but they must also be comfortable. Any distraction would be detrimental to performance, so we always ensure our designs become part of the wearer; that they are barely noticeable.
USING SPECIALITY EYEWEAR FOR VISION TREATMENT
Nearsightedness is a condition which is affecting a growing number of young people across the western world, possibly due to our increased dependence on digital screens. Myopia control is a focus on developing techniques to combat the degenerative nature of nearsightedness.
One of the most popular methods is the use of rigid gas permeable lenses – specialty contact lenses which reshape the cornea while the wearer is asleep called orthokeratology. This totally reversible treatment can work for children and adults, allowing them to be correction-free during the day time.
Grow thick, long eyelashes with Latisse.
Latisse in Kamloops, BC
For most of us, nothing says feminine beauty like long, fluttering eyelashes. With so many lash enhancement products available, you could spend endless time and money trying to get the ideal eyelashes. But how do you know which products are dangerous, which ones are effective, and which ones are just an empty promise?
There’s one product that’s product that’s medically safe and scientifically proven to produce longer, darker, thicker eyelashes. That product is Latisse, and it’s available at Nicola Eye Care.
TRY LATISSE FOR FULLER EYELASHES
Would you like to experience Latisse for yourself? Book an appointment with us and ask if Latisse is right for you.
What is latissE?
Latisse is a simple at-home lash growth treatment that you can apply yourself. This treatment is not makeup; it’s a real medical treatment, and as such, is only available by prescription.
HOW DOES LATISSE COMPARE TO EYELASH EXTENSIONS?
Eyelash Extensions
Some people choose to have eyelash extensions applied; giving them the illusion of longer, fuller lashes. These extensions (usually made of nylon, silk, or mink) are individually glued to your eyelashes. Many people choose this solution because it only takes only an hour or two; however, it can be hazardous to your eye health.
Although eyelash technicians are usually trained in the application process, Canada does not have any regulations dictating who is or isn’t qualified to apply lashes, or what products they can or can’t use. As a result, your eye is vulnerable to potentially unpracticed hands and infection.
Latisse
Latisse has a strong foundation and history of medical research, making it one of the safest lash treatments available. Speak to your doctor if Latisse is right for you!
On top of that, Latisse isn’t artificial; it enhances your own lashes by stimulating your body’s natural growth process. As a result, you’re left with longer, darker, and more natural-looking lashes because they are natural!
How Does It Work?
Your eyelashes go through a natural growth cycle; they sprout, they grow to a certain length and thickness, they remain the same size for a while, and then they eventually fall out.
Latisse works by stimulating your eyelashes natural growth process; encouraging more to sprout, and lengthening the growth phase of the cycle. Because your lashes are given more time to grow with Latisse, they become longer and thicker than they normally would.
You’ll probably notice longer, thicker lashes after 2 months of regular applications.
How Do I Apply Latisse?
You should apply Latisse every night (for the first few months. Your doctor may recommend less frequent treatments as time goes on) after you have removed your makeup and contact lenses.
Using one of the disposable applicators that came with your Latisse, gently dab the solution on the very base of your eyelashes on your top eyelid only. As you blink, the solution will disperse itself evenly, coating your bottom lashes as well as your top lashes.
Once you’ve finished the application, be sure to dispose of the applicator. Do not reuse any applicators.