Understanding myopia
The term ‘myopia’ might sound alarming but it’s something millions of us already live with. As the clinical term for an inability to see distant object clearly, it’s also referred to as short-sightedness or near-sightedness. Myopia levels have almost doubled in the last twenty years, and are likely to double again by 2050, according to research by Johnson & Johnson Vision. As such, it’s important to understand this condition, and how to correct it.
Myopia is often inherited from our parents, and leaves near vision unaffected, but distance vision becomes blurred. Ironically, too much screen time or reading may actually increase the risk of developing myopia, while excessive amounts of time indoors can also be problematic. Even stepping outside for an hour a day is beneficial for overall eye health.
Our optometrists are ideally placed to help, and routine eye tests help track any changes in vision over time. This ensures existing prescriptions are still up to date, while highlighting any concerning developments. Spectacles and sunglasses frames can be combined with most lens prescriptions, for pin-sharp distance vision, with some newer lens technologies able to diminish the effects of myopia over time.
Contact lenses are another option, and the article on page 4 highlights scenarios where contact lenses are especially beneficial. Please ask any member of our team if you would like to know more about vision correction for short-sightedness.
Pitfalls of online purchasing
The human eye is so unique that retinal scans can identify someone as accurately as a fingerprint. As a result, there can be significant vision differences between your left and right eye, from colour vision deficiency to peripheral vision and short or longsightedness.
By using sophisticated equipment to examine each patient’s eyes in detail, our expert optometrists often find unexpected variations. For instance, one eye might have astigmatism, meaning it’s less spherical and more rugby ball-shaped. This is a common reason why prescription strength varies between the two eyes, but it might not be noticeable in normal daily life as the brain prioritises images from the dominant or stronger eye. This also happens if one eye develops a condition like glaucoma, underlining the value of regular eye tests.
Differences in vision may increase with age, as it becomes harder to view objects close up after 45. Varifocal lenses enable people to read close-up text and immediately refocus on more distant objects, or vice versa.
By taking precise measurements for each eye, our expert team can ensure everyone has spectacles or contact lenses that offer optimal vision at varying distances. That’s something off-the-shelf reading glasses (which have the same prescription in both lenses) can’t match.
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The advantages of sports eyewear
Sports eyewear comes in various guises such as snug-fitting swimming goggles, wraparound sunglasses for tennis or impact-resistant spectacle lenses for motorsports. It is usually designed with practicality as the focus, although style doesn’t have to be sacrificed.
The top priority should be pin-sharp vision at varying distances, especially in sports where you’re constantly looking from close objects to distant ones and back again. If you’ve ever tried to cycle while wearing rain-soaked glasses, or hunted through bushes for a missing golf ball, you’ll understand why sports eyewear is of paramount importance to athletes of all levels.
Even setting a new personal best at Parkrun can be difficult if heavy rain is covering your glasses. Water is often the greatest challenge athletes face, which is why amateurs and professionals alike tend to favour spectacle lenses with water repellent coatings. Contact lenses worn behind wraparound sunglasses with 100 percent UV protection are also popular.
How contact lenses can complement glasses
Look around our practice, and you’ll see a comprehensive selection of spectacle frames. We’re passionate about eyewear, from reading glasses to sunglasses. At the same time, there are activities where contact lenses will offer unique advantages. The following are just some scenarios where contact lenses can suit your needs and lifestyle:
- Contact sports. Impact resistant spectacle lenses in toughened frames are impressively robust, but contact lenses are more practical for physical sports like football or going to the gym. Contact lenses are the preferred eyewear for many sports at competitive level.
- Hiking. The driving rain found on hills and moors won’t obscure your vision if you wear contacts.
- Photo shoots. Models often wear glasses nowadays, but contacts won’t reflect the bright lights and flash guns used in studio shoots.
- Outdoor jobs. If you often find yourself moving between internal and external environments, contacts won’t momentarily mist over as glasses sometimes do.
- First dates. Glasses can be sexy, but first dates are all about eye contact and contact lenses may increase self-confidence.
- Photography. Tiny viewfinders on cameras are much harder to see with glasses in the way and are more comfortable with contacts in.
- Construction work. Wearing safety goggles over glasses may feel uncomfortable and might restrict peripheral vision. Contacts resolve both issues.
- Haircuts. Barbers and hairdressers will routinely ask for you to remove your glasses, making it much harder to request changes as they work!