Contact Lenses or Glasses?

Many people wear contact lenses for sport, special occasions or simply prefer them to their glasses. Modern lenses have come a long way since the traditional lenses first designed.

A daily disposable lens is exactly as it sounds. A fresh and clear lens is worn each day. Which is clean and has no oil build up. A properly fitted daily lens feels very comfortable, as it's thin and durable. An optometrist will fit them to the curve of your eye and make sure they interact well with your eyes.

There are lenses that can be worn for longer periods of time. At the end of each day, the lens is removed, rubbed and rinsed with cleaning solution and stored for next use. 

High prescriptions are also now catered for. With lenses being able to correct astigmatism and even 'reading' contact lenses. Which like varifocals, have a distance and near part. Meaning you could enjoy a conversation and check the menu without having switch glasses (depending on the suitability of your prescription).

When you think about how much you move around during sports, this is where contacts really shine. As they are fit onto your eye, you have a much bigger field of view. You don't need to look through any gaps, distortion or around a frame. There are no reflections from spectacle lenses and rain drops wont block your vision either, nor will they steam up!

A daily disposable is often preferred if they lenses are only for occasional use, or a for a few hours at sports practice. If your looking for wear your lenses more consistently, maybe on a day to day basis a monthly lens would be more suitable. A monthly lens is as it says on the tin. Wear them for a few hours a day, clean them off and store for the next use. Then at the end of a month cycle, bin them and start a fresh. 

Many parents are surprised to know that we fit children with lenses too. Most children and capable of inserting and removing lenses, they are quick to catch on and given good instruction, handle them safely. Lenses can help with sports at school, for children who need their glasses full time. It can help with their reaction times, confidence and view while playing.

Have you tried the new soft contact lenses? A fan of the RGP hard lenses? We fit contact lenses at all of our practices. 

We also now have recycling bins in our practices, read more about how tiny contact lens materials can break up in the sea.Click Here

UV and you

 

With the recent wave of summer sun, brings an increase of UV. Come rain or shine, we are always susceptible to the harm of UV rays. In the summer months however, exposure is at its peak! Fight for Sight, an eye research charity found only 1 in 2 of us are wearing UV blocking sunglasses. 

Here are 5 tips to reduce UV damage:

Darker lenses don't necessarily mean better protection! Sunglasses aren't equal in their ability to block UV. So a tint can be purely cosmetic with or without blocking UV well.

Tip: Look for CE marks to ensure your lenses meet the European standard for UV protection. 

It's a common misconception that we don't need protection on cloudy days. This may be true for wearing a tint,as it may not be as bright. UV however can penetrate through the clouds, so is still present, even when the sun isn't shining.

Tip: Day to day spectacle lenses can now be glazed to completely block out the sun's UV, therefore preventing long term damage. So now, clear lenses can give full coverage, all year long.

Have blue eyes? It's true that people with blue or lighter coloured eyes are more at risk of UV damage. Which in turn increases the risk of AMD. This is because lighter coloured eyes contain less melanin, a naturally occurring protective pigment.

Tip: Become familiar with the risk factors that contribute to AMD (Read more about AMD here). 

Sand and water are highly reflective, so they increase the UV levels in the surrounding area. If you're visiting the beach or planning a holiday, be sure to have protective sunglasses ready. 

Tip: Polarised lenses are extremely effective at blocking out glare, giving clear, undisturbed vision even on the sunniest of days. 

Our most vulnerable time, is up to the age of 5. After this our lens becomes more adapted to blocking out UV; so we better protect our retina (the camera film like layer, at the back of the eye). Damage done at this age can contribute to the development of cataracts later on in life.

Tip: Making sure your children have the appropriate sun protection, will help to reduce the cumulative effects of UV damage early on. 

If you are frequently exposed to UV, whether walking the dog or vacationing in warmer climates, you should protect your eyes. Be sure your sunglasses provide good vision, a high level of protection and enjoy the summer!

Matheson Optometrists stock a large range of optical quality sunglasses that give excellent protection against UV light giving you safer more comfortable vision in strong sunlight.We can provide plano sunglasses or have them made to your prescription. Prescription sunglasses are available at Matheson Optometrists from £59.95, including frames, lightweight tinted plastics lenses and UV 400 treatment.