What is uveitis? The uvea is the coloured part of your eye, which lies beneath the white part of your eye (the sclera). The uvea comprises: the iris – which gives your eye its colour the ciliary body – controls your focussing and produces the clear fluid that fills the…
What is dry eye? Dry eye occurs when your eyes don’t make enough tears, or your tears evaporate too quickly. This can make your eyes feel scratchy or irritated, and in severe cases may temporarily make your vision blurry. Who is affected by dry eye? Dry eye is more common…
What is glaucoma? Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases in which the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, is damaged by the pressure of the fluid inside your eye. It can affect one or both of your eyes and can lead to sight loss if not…
What is astigmatism? Most people’s eyes are round like a football and light focusses on one area of the retina (the thin layer of tissue that lines the back of the eye). If you have astigmatism your eye is shaped a bit like a rugby ball. This means that the…
Beloved British children’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has been re-released with entirely BLURRED text and illustrations to highlight the importance of children’s eyesight. The College of Optometrists has today re-released one of the best known and most popular works of English literature fiction – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland –…
Your optometrist may need to use eye drops during your eye examination. The main types of eye drops used by optometrists during appointments are explained below. Local anaesthetic eye drops Local anaesthetics allow your optometrist to measure eye pressure or remove a foreign body painlessly by numbing the surface of…
Short-sightedness (myopia) Children who are short-sighted have difficulty seeing things that are far away, such as the TV or the board at school. Research suggests that short-sightedness is twice as common in the UK now compared with 50 years ago, and children are becoming short-sighted at a younger age. If…
A short guide to your child’s eyes Key milestones Babies eyes are more sensitive to bolder colours and black and white patterns colour vision improves greatly over the first 3 months after birth are able to focus after a few months. Look out for: A white reflection glimmer in the…
Here are some of the ways winter can affect your vision, or worsen an eye condition, and tips for prevention. Driving in winter In winter you may have more difficulty seeing clearly because the evenings are longer and there is not as much light as in the summer. When it…