What is herpes simplex keratitis? Herpes simplex is a very common virus which may remain inactive in your nervous system for many years. It causes no symptoms until some factor, such as poor health, disturbance of your immune system, or certain drugs cause the virus to become active and travel…
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 visual disturbance? Visual disturbance is when you experience a short spell of flashing or shimmering of light in your sight. The symptoms normally last around twenty minutes before your sight returns to normal. Usually, there is no headache during the visual disturbance. A visual disturbance should not be…
25 March 2019 The hay fever season has arrived earlier than usual this year and The College of Optometrists is advising sufferers to treat their allergy, before their symptoms arise, to minimise the effects. To help identify when you might expect to experience symptoms of hay fever, The College of…
What is low vision? Low vision is when – even with glasses or contact lenses – you are unable to see in sufficient detail to enable you to easily perform daily activities. If you have severe low vision, you may be eligible to be certified as having visual impairment (partially…
BBC, 18 February 2019 “This week’s news story about the woman who had gene therapy to try to halt the progression of AMD is very exciting. AMD is the leading cause of blindness in the UK; a treatment which could preserve vision in patients who would otherwise lose their sight…
Daily Mail, 28 January 2019 You may have read the Daily Mail article on pinhole glasses and whether they really improve your vision (28 January 2019). This was the advice our Clinical Adviser, Daniel Hardiman-McCartney FCOptom, had to offer: “A lot of people dismiss pinhole glasses outright, but that’s not…
Daily Mail, 18 December 2018 You may have recently heard about the resurgence of the ‘sungazing’ trend, a practice which has claimed to provide many benefits over the centuries. Some proponents, with millions of followers on social media, have encouraged others to try it, with claims that it may improve…
BBC, 14 January 2019 You may have seen the BBC’s article on lens replacement leading to ‘blind patches’ (14 January 2019). The story focuses on the deterioration of an artist’s vision after lens replacement surgery to treat cataract. The current investigation focus on the legal implications for those experiencing “opacification”…
It is important to have regular check-ups to make sure that your contact lenses are still suitable for you, and are not damaging your eyes. Your optometrist will tell you how often you need to have check-ups, as this will depend on factors such as the type of lenses that…
