Eye Health
At Moda we understand the importance of making not only stylish decisions, but ones that are best for your overall eye health. Browse our selection of tips and resources below to learn more about keeping your eyes healthy and happy.
Aging Eyes
Our eyes are aging from the day we are born. Many of those who were blessed with “perfect vision” their entire lives are frustrated when reading becomes difficult in their mid-40s. This natural aging process of the crystalline lens and ciliary muscles is called presbyopia, and it happens when the flexible lens in the eye starts to lose its elasticity and become increasingly rigid. These muscles will strain and flex the lens until it is no longer possible to see clearly and reading glasses are required.
Amblyopia
Amblyopia occurs when one eye does not have optimal vision, more often due to a turned eye (muscle problem) or a refractive error (vision problem) from childhood. There are some people who do not develop vision in one eye because of a problem with the retina, optic nerve, or the visual processing centre of the brain. Hence, birth defects or serious trauma to the eye as a child can lead to amblyopia. It sometimes is referred to as a “lazy eye”. The most common treatment for amblyopia is patching the stronger eye to allow the connection to develop between the brain and the weaker eye.
Binocular Vision Disorder
Binocular Vision Disorders are often missed in children and can lead to reduced learning capability. If there is a problem with the binocular vision system of the eye, it can slow a child’s academic development. There are several different disorders of the binocular vision system, ranging from overactivity or inefficiencies in convergence or accommodative muscles, or palsies with the extraocular muscles.
Computer Vision Syndrome
Many of us have experienced symptoms from prolonged screen time, whether at school or at work. Some of the most common signs are evaporative dry eye, as blinking is reduced while staring at computers or mobile devices. Accommodative myopia can also occur, whereby your eyes “adapt” to the near task, thus blurring your distance vision. Headaches around the eyes (eyestrain) and neck pain are also prominent.
Diabetes & Your Eyes
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a set of metabolic diseases in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, uncontrolled sugar levels can cause serious visual impairment and blindness.
Many times, diabetes is seen in the eyes often times before the patient is even aware they have the disease. The retinal blood vasculature is abundant, so we can easily see the blood vessels and get a glimpse of what may be happening within the body. If diabetes is seen in the eye, it is known as diabetic retinopathy and treatment is required.
Treatment is done either with a laser or via drug injections (Avastin or Lucentis). The misconception is that treatment always improves vision; treatment simply slows or stops the progression of the bleeding. It will not reverse any damage that has already taken place, and it will only improve vision in some cases. Hence, the best way to preserve your eyesight if you are a diabetic is to control your blood sugar levels and be examined regularly by your eye care practitioner.
Dry Eye
The surface of the eye requires a tear film to stay hydrated, nourished, and protected. Disruptions in the tear film or ocular surface lead to discomfort and visual disturbances. The tear film consists of three layers, which must be perfectly balanced to ensure clear, comfortable vision. Various factors, such as blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction, contact lens wear, hormonal changes, dehydration, lack of sleep, excessive screen time, environmental conditions, medications, or medical conditions like thyroid issues or arthritis, can impact the tear film.
Dry eye syndrome is often multifactorial, with no single cause, making it one of the most common eye concerns today due to lifestyle, diet, and environmental factors. Effective management requires understanding each person’s unique condition. Natural ways to improve tear production and efficiency are available, and an optometrist or ophthalmologist can provide a tailored assessment and treatment plan.
Floaters
The vitreous humor is a gel-like substance filling most of the eye, composed of water, collagen, and hyaluronic acid. Its structured transparency can change, causing “floaters,” which appear as small threads or spots in vision, often noticed against bright backgrounds. While typically harmless and non-interfering with vision, floaters can be a nuisance. Over time, neural adaptation often reduces their visibility.
However, a sudden increase or new floaters may signal serious issues like retinal detachment, vitreous detachment, or broken retinal vessels. Any such changes should be promptly examined by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Treatment is rarely performed, as the risks generally outweigh the benefits.
Retinal Detachment
The retina is a clear tissue that lines the inside back of the eye. The photoreceptors that make up the retinal tissue are responsible for capturing light and transmitting the electrical information down the optic nerve, which is connected to the visual processing centre in the brain.
If you have a compromised retina, you will not have pain but instead disturbances in your visual field. It may happen with trauma but can very well occur with no cause. It has several symptoms such as flashing lights, sudden onset of floaters, visual disturbances, reduced vision or vision loss and/or shadows in your peripheral vision. These symptoms don’t always indicate retinal detachment, however, if any suspicious changes occur in your visual field, call your optometrist or ophthalmologist immediately.
Being proactive could save your sight, as this is considered a true ocular emergency that can lead to blindness if left untreated.
Strabismus
Strabismus occurs when the eye is not straight in primary position. It often reveals itself before the age of three and can be treated with aggressive therapy and/or surgery. If an eye turns after the age of three, one should suspect a more serious cause, such as stroke, tumor, trauma, or other serious medical condition. This is often also known as “lazy eye,” however when fixating the child may, in fact, have good vision.
Vision Correction Options
Glasses and contact lenses are common methods for vision correction, but there are alternatives for addressing nearsightedness, farsightedness, presbyopia, and astigmatism.
Laser eye surgeries, including LASIK and PRK, use advanced excimer lasers to provide highly precise, customized vision correction. These bladeless procedures minimize risks and have significantly improved success rates. Recently, presbyopic laser correction has become available in Ontario, offering a solution for select candidates based on their lifestyle.
Another surgical option is intraocular lens implants, such as clear lens exchange or implantable contact lenses.
Refractive Error
Myopia (Nearsightedness): Close objects appear clear, but distant objects are blurry due to an elongated eyeball or overly curved cornea. It often begins in childhood, progresses until about age 20, and can be hereditary or influenced by visual stress.
Hyperopia (Farsightedness): Distant objects are clear, but close ones are blurry due to a short eyeball or flat cornea. Symptoms include eye strain and headaches. It requires a comprehensive eye exam for detection and may be corrected with glasses or contacts.
Astigmatism: Caused by an irregular curvature of the cornea or lens, leading to distorted vision. Corrective lenses can address this curvature for clear vision.
Presbyopia: Age-related loss of lens elasticity, starting around 45, causes difficulty focusing on near objects. Reading glasses or magnifiers are typically required.