Get clear answers to your questions about contact lenses, eye conditions and eye tests.
FAQs: Your child’s vision
Contact lenses are an excellent alternative to glasses for wearing whilst playing sport. Contact lenses are often safer as glasses are vulnerable to breakage. Contact lenses also often provide better peripheral vision, which may improve your child’s performance in sports.
If you have noticed your child’s eye/eyes wandering, turning in, out, up or down, your child may have a squint (strabismus). If you have noticed your child’s eye/eyes wandering is important to have your child’s eyes examined by an Optometrist or eye doctor as soon as possible to determine the cause. Children’s vision develops until around the age of 8 years and it is important that any eye problems are detected before this age to prevent sight loss.
There are many types of eye conditions, including those requiring glasses that may be genetically inherited by your child. If you have a family history of any eye conditions it is important that your child be examined as early as possible. Children’s vision develops from birth until the age of 8 years. It is important that any eye problems be detected before your child’s vision finishes developing to prevent sight loss.
Unfortunately short-sightedness cannot be stopped from occurring, however recent research indicates that the progression of short-sightedness can be slowed down by wearing specially-designed contact lenses overnight. This form of treatment is called Orthokeratology or Corneal Reshaping Therapy (CRT).
Orthokeratology has been around for several decades however recent advances in lens technology have enabled it to become an effective method of treatment in the management of short-sightedness. Orthokeratology lenses gently reshape the cornea (clear front cover of the eye) during sleep and provide clearer vision when the lenses are removed.
For more information on Orthokeratology, please make an appointment at The Eye Practice to speak to one of our experienced Optometrists by phoning (02) 9290 1899.
If your child is having trouble differentiating between colours, particularly reds and greens, then they may have a colour vision defect. Colour defects can be inherited genetically therefore if your child has a family history of colour blindness it is important that they are checked by an experienced Optometrist.
There is no one answer to this question. Physically, a child’s eyes can tolerate contact lenses at a very young age. However, it is important to determine that your child is mature and responsible enough to insert, remove and care for contact lenses correctly.
It is best to book an appointment with one of our friendly Optometrists to discuss contact lenses for your child and what is involved in inserting, removing and caring for them. Our Optometrists will be able to advise you if they feel your child is ready for contact lenses.
It is possible to examine a child’s eyes at any age. In infancy, if you suspect your child is not seeing properly, it is critical that you have your infants’ eyes assessed immediately by an eye doctor (Ophthalmologist).
If you have no concerns regarding your child’s vision it is advisable that their eyes are checked around the age of 9 months and then routinely every 2 years thereafter. Children’s vision develops from birth until around 8 years of age. It is critical that any problems with your child’s vision are detected before their vision finishes developing to prevent sight loss.
Watching television for long periods of time can certainly strain the muscles around your child’s eyes causing symptoms of blur and discomfort. It is important that your child takes regular breaks away from the television, focusing at different distances to relax their eyes. If your child is experiencing headaches or eye discomfort related to watching television please make an appointment with our friendly Optometrists for expert advice on (02) 9290 1899.
Working on a computer for long periods of time can certainly strain the muscles around your child’s eyes causing symptoms of blur and discomfort. It is important that your child takes regular breaks away from the computer, focusing at different distances to relax their eyes. If your child is experiencing headaches or eye discomfort related to computer use please make an appointment with our friendly Optometrists for expert advice by phoning (02) 9290 1899.
FAQs: Contact lenses
No. There is a tissue that covers the white part of the eye called the conjunctiva that joins to the inside of your eyelids that prevents anything from passing into the back of the eye. Sometimes your contact lenses (especially soft contact lenses) may slide under your upper or lower eyelid and become difficult to find. If you cannot locate the lens yourself, please phone The Eye Practice immediately for an appointment and one of our friendly Optometrists will remove the lens for you.
No. Soft contact lenses will dry out and become unusable. All types of contact lenses should be stored in the appropriate disinfecting solution to avoid infection.
Not all drops are suitable for use when wearing contact lenses. The Eye Practice can advise you which drops are suitable for use with the type of contact lenses you wear.
No. Tap water contains micro-organisms which can be harmful to the cornea (clear front cover of the eye) and lead to infection. Contact lenses need to be cleaned properly and then disinfected with the appropriate solution to avoid infection.
Yes you can. The Eye Practice advises you to insert your contact lenses prior to applying your make-up. This way you can avoid transferring any make-up to the contact lens during insertion and applying make-up will be easier with clear vision!
If you think you have put your lens in the wrong eye, check the vision by covering each eye alternately with your hand. If the vision is blurry, swap your lenses and recheck the vision.
If you suspect that your contact lens has fallen out of your eye, cover your other eye to determine if the vision is blurry or clear in the eye you think the lens has fallen out of. If the vision is blurry, it is more than likely that the lens has either dislodged from the cornea or has fallen out of the eye.
Soft contact lenses can easily flip inside out. If the lens is inside out and you try to insert it you will most likely have difficulty getting the lens in. When they are the correct way around, a soft contact lens will appear as a smooth dish shape.
The Optometrists at The Eye Practice will advise you as to when your lenses should be disposed of and replaced. It is important to adhere to the wearing/disposal time to minimise complications with contact lens wear.
With the recent advances in contact lens technology, more oxygen is able to pass through the lens to the eyes, making them less prone to dehydration. However, the eyes still need a break from contact lenses to allow maximum oxygen to reach the cornea (clear front cover of the eye). Wearing time for most contact lenses is around 8-10 hours. Extended wear contact lenses can be worn continuously for up to 30 days, however The Eye Practice advises that these lenses be removed for at least one full day each week to allow the eyes to breathe.
Many people are unaware that there are contact lenses available for astigmatism. The Eye Practice specialises in contact lens fittings for all types of astigmatism including irregular astigmatism often seen in Keratoconus.
It is important to clean your contact lenses after every wear to avoid infection. Cleaning removes surface debris and bacteria that may adhere to your contact lenses. Prior to cleaning, inserting or removing your lenses it is also essential that you wash your hands thoroughly to avoid transferring infection to the eyes.
FAQs: Glasses
Yes. If you require glasses for different distances there are different options available. You may wish to try bifocals that can be used for reading and distance, trifocals that can used for reading, intermediate and far distance, or multi-focals that can be used for a multitude of different distances.
Yes. We are highly experienced in prescribing specialty lenses for sports including golf, shooting, and prescription goggles for swimming. We can arrange for specialty lenses to be fitted to sports frames for your convenience.
It will usually take less than 1 week to receive your new single vision glasses and 2 weeks for multi-focal lenses. For your convenience, we will phone or sms you as soon as your glasses are ready.
FAQs: Your vision
Our diets have changed significantly over the past few decades and most of us do not get the vitamins and nutrients that we need to keep our eyes healthy. Recent research has indicated that dietary supplements containing compounds such as Omega-3, lutein and zeaxanthin are very good for the eyes in helping to combat dry eye related problems and eye conditions such as Macular Degeneration. The Eye Practice can advise you about specially formulated supplements and the dosage required to keep your eyes healthy.
Whether it is summer or winter you should always wear your sunglasses when outdoors during daylight hours. Protection from UV-light is critical as these rays can cause cataracts, macular degeneration, pterygium and cancer. The Eye Practice’s entire sunglasses range meets the ‘Australian Sunglasses Standard for UV protection’.
Many of our designer sunglasses can be fitted with your prescription lenses to ensure that you enjoy clear, comfortable vision whilst staying fashionable. For people who wish to enjoy the convenience of wearing the same pair of glasses for both indoor and outdoor activities, The Eye Practice offers transition lenses that darken to reduce glare when outdoors.
Yes you can. If you are suffering from headaches, blurred vision or eyestrain we can help. It is important to make an appointment for an eye exam at The Eye Practice so that the underlying cause of these symptoms can be identified. If your eye symptoms are related to certain types of eye muscle weakness or imbalance we have easy and effective exercise programs that can be prescribed to combat the symptoms of eyestrain. Please phone The Eye Practice to make an appointment with our friendly Optometrists for expert advice on (02) 9290 1899.
Reading in poor light can certainly strain the muscles around your eyes causing symptoms of blur and discomfort. It is important to read in good light and that your lighting is positioned correctly. The Eye Practice can advise you on what type of lighting is best for reading and how you should position lighting to take the strain off of your eyes.
Watching television for long periods of time can certainly strain the muscles around your eyes causing symptoms of blur and discomfort. It is important to take regular breaks away from the television, focusing at different distances to relax your eyes. If you are experiencing headaches or eye discomfort related to watching television please make an appointment with our friendly Optometrists for expert advice by phoning (02) 9290 1899.
Working on a computer for long periods of time can certainly strain the muscles around your eyes causing symptoms of blur and discomfort. It is important to take regular breaks away from your computer, focusing at different distances to relax your eyes. If you are experiencing headaches or eye discomfort related to computer use please make an appointment with our friendly Optometrists for expert advice by phoning (02) 9290 1899.
FAQs: Eye tests
In most instances you can claim part of your consultation fee back from Medicare. The amount of the rebate depends on how long it has been since your last eye examination but is typically around $70. To thoroughly assess the health of your eyes we usually carry out additional tests that are not claimable on Medicare. Prior to your first appointment we will send you an information pack with the details of these.
Yes we can. Please bring your private health fund membership card and we can process any claims on the spot using our electronic HICAPS system.
If you are new to The Eye Practice, or if you have not been seen for over 12 months, your appointment will take approximately 1 hour. Review appointments are generally shorter.
Your eyes should be examined by an experienced Optometrist at least once every 2 years. If you are a contact lens wearer, then your eyes should be examined every 12 months to ensure that the lenses are still fitting correctly and that they are providing you with the best vision possible.
The condition of your eyes can change over time. Some eye conditions develop gradually therefore their signs and symptoms easily go un-noticed. It is important to have regular eye exams in order to pick up any change as early as possible to ensure that any problem can be treated before it affects your vision. Supported by the latest technology, The Eye Practice is able to detect eye conditions in their early stages before signs and symptoms appear. Our highly trained Optometrists are also able to pick up other signs of underlying health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Please bring to your appointment any glasses, sunglasses or contact lenses that you wear. If you wear contact lenses, please bring the name of your contact lens care system (i.e. cleaning solution). Please also bring a list of any medications you are taking and ask your family about any history of eye disease or health conditions that may affect the eyes.
Some eye conditions can be hereditary therefore it is important for you to know your family history. If you have a family history of an eye condition then we may need to examine your eyes more regularly to ensure that we can treat any early signs of a condition before it affects your vision.
It is important that we ask you about your general health both past and present as underlying health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can affect your eyes. Certain medications can have visual side effects or may cause headaches therefore it is important that you bring a list of any medications you are taking to your appointment.
At The Eye Practice we do much more than just test your eyes for glasses and contact lenses. Supported by the latest technology, our highly trained Optometrists thoroughly assess the health of your eyes inside and out. We are able to pick up the early signs of eye conditions before your vision is affected. We listen carefully to your eye concerns and consider all different types of treatment options.
Although we usually avoid doing so in most cases, we may need to put drops in your eyes in order to examine your eyes thoroughly. Certain types of drops are used to dilate/enlarge the pupils therefore you may feel more sensitive to the sun and glare until they wear off. Dilating drops wear off after approximately 2 hours so it is a good idea to bring your sunglasses to wear after your appointment to reduce the glare.
