Eye care

At this time of year, snuggling up on the sofa is oh-so-tempting and with Netflix at our fingertips, box-set binging is even more enticing. But do you get sore eyes whilst watching television? On average, we watch 40 hours of television over the festive period in Britain*. While your eyes won’t go square, your vision can suffer: eye strain, dry eyes, headaches. So, with ‘streaming season’ almost underway, be sure to follow our top tips. Break free The thought of taking a break from your favourite show may seem impossible, but if you can take a break, your eyes will thank you for it. Simply remember this easy rule: 20-20-20. During every 20 minutes of any type of screen viewing, take a 20 second break and look at something 20 feet away. This exercise will keep your eye muscles fighting fit. Space is your friend With large, HD screens commonplace in most living rooms, space is your friend when preventing eye strain. For a 40-inch TV, position yourself around 2-3m from your screen. A 50-inch display will allow you to move slightly further back, approximately 2-3.5m. Be pragmatic though – if you’re squinting at a distant screen, or you feel you’re too close, adjust your spacing to improve comfort and eliminate these symptoms. Lighting & ambience Watching TV in the dark should be avoided – trust us, you’ll be able to watch your favourite festive films for longer! When the room is dark your pupils dilate, allowing light to penetrate your eyes more easily, causing pain and eye strain due to glare. Consider having a lamp in the corner or turning on the main light in the room. TV glasses Just as many of us have reading glasses, television glasses can improve vision. Ask your optician’s advice if you have prescription lenses – they may recommend wearing your glasses for watching television, especially if you wear your glasses for distance tasks. An antireflection coating may also improve visual comfort and reduce eye strain. Ask your Qualified Dispensing Optician about maximising your vision today. Room to manoeuvre The placement of the television compared to windows can also play a factor during longer viewing stints. Draw the curtains to minimise glare on the screen, without the room being totally dark. It’s also important to keep the TV level to your line of sight, preventing you from craning your neck and looking upwards, which can strain your eye muscles. Eat. Sleep. Drink. Repeat. Staying hydrated is vital for optical health, avoiding eye strain and dry eyes, especially if you plan to indulge in lengthy sofa sessions. The same goes for your diet – eating a balanced diet is great for your optical wellbeing. Rest and recuperation is also very important. After a box-set marathon your eyes need time to recover, so getting a solid 7-8 hours of sleep is highly recommended. Book today Whether you’re concerned about your vision health or not, we recommend regular Ultimate Eye Examinations. Book an appointment online or call our Dedicated Patient Support team on 0800 40 20 20, where our team will be happy to help. *OnePoll.com Survey, 2017

Eyesight problems affect both young and old. Here’s a quick overview of the most common eyesight problems that can affect school-age children. The kids are back to school and the chaos of the summer holidays has given way to the chaos of term time. But if the summer holidays were too hectic to arrange your children’s medical check-ups (and don’t worry, you weren’t alone!) then term time could be the perfect opportunity to take a peek at the calendar and book an eye test for the little ones. It’s essential to make sure your kids have regular eye tests as they grow to diagnose any conditions as early as possible. Here’s a quick reference sheet listing some of the most common problems we see in children’s eye care. Hypermetropia (long-sightedness) When someone is long-sighted, they can see distant objects more clearly but have more difficulty seeing things up close. If untreated, your child can develop further associated eye problems such as a squint or a lazy eye. Hypermetropia can affect your child’s education, especially with reading and concentrating for long periods of time. Myopia (short-sightedness) People who are short-sighted have difficulty seeing distant objects but can see more clearly up close. The condition is very common and often begins between the ages of around 6 and 13. If your child sits really close to the TV, complains of headaches, is always rubbing their eyes, or has to sit at the front of the classroom to see the board properly, they may be short-sighted. Astigmatism Astigmatism is a distortion in the vision. If the surface of the eye is not perfectly rounded but shaped more like a rugby ball, we have astigmatism. This can cause headaches, blurry vision and eye strain. Hypermetropia, Myopia and Astigmatism are all managed with spectacles or contact lenses. Amblyopia (lazy eye) Children are particularly at risk of amblyopia when one eye is more long-sighted than the other. The eye with the stronger prescription can become lazy and fail to develop properly. Around 1 in 50 children develop a lazy eye and it’s difficult to treat after the age of six, so the earlier this is found - the more successful treatment is likely to be. Strabismus (squint) Squints are where the eyes point in different directions. It can either come and go or be present all the time. There are various ways to treat a squint, from corrective glasses to surgery and it’s important to get diagnosis and management as soon as possible as the condition can cause further problems as your child gets older (such as amblyopia). Colour vision deficiency More commonly known as colour blindness, the condition is usually inherited and inhibits the ability to distinguish between different colours correctly. If you are concerned about your child’s colour vision, a quick simple colour vision test can be carried out as part of a routine eye exam. Many of these conditions need to be managed early before the problem becomes more serious, but they can be tricky for parents to spot. That’s why we recommend children’s eye exams by the age of three and then at least every two years after. Book today At Leightons we are specialists in family eye care. Book an appointment with us today, either online, over the phone on 0800 40 20 20, or at your local branch. We can advise you on the best type of children’s prescription glasses, special prescription goggles for playing sport, and other treatment plans depending on your child’s requirement. More information: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/eye-tests-in-children/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lazy-eye/