Monday, June 22, 2015

Air Optix Colours

The NEW Alcon Air Optix colours monthly contact lenses have been launched and are available now at Mortimer Hirst.


This is the most oxygen permeable coloured contact lens available on the market. There are 9 natural looking, beautiful colours available in power ranges +6.00 to -8.00.

If you are after a subtle colour change there are 5 colour options; Pure Hazel, Green, Blue, Gray, Brown.

If you are after a vibrant colour change there are 4 colour options; Honey, Gemstone Green, Brilliant Blue, 
Sterling Gray


The colour change is achieved by 3 components;
1. The outer ring which defines and emphasises the outer edge of the iris
2. The primary colour which transforms the eye colour
3. The inner ring which brightens the eye colour and adds eye colour depth

Consistent comfort is provided throughout the whole day with Air Optix colors due to the dual action of the coloured pattern being embedded into the back surface of the contact lens and the plasma surface moisture protection technology.



To help you decide which eye colour change you are after, there is an AIR OPTIX COLORS Colour Studio available http://www.airoptix.com/colors/colors.shtml. This allows you to “virtually try on” all the different colours. Mortimer Hirst clients have found this Colour Studio very useful prior to their Air Optix Colours contact lens assessment. Please call the friendly team at Mortimer Hirst to book your Air Optix Colours contact lens assessment today.  


Monday, June 15, 2015

Maintaining Good Eye Health

Regular eye examinations are an essential part of maintaining personal health and well-being, they are not just for people experiencing difficulty with their eyesight. Prevention of eye disease is best and our Optometrists and Contact Lens Specialists can offer advice on ways to guard your eyes against the harmful effects of conditions that may run in your family history, due to your work environment or due to the environment we live in.

Sun protection is crucial for young and old as chronic UV exposure can contribute to the aging processes of the eye. UV blocking sunglasses are recommended not just in summer but all year round to protect the cells on the eye surface and within. Mortimer Hirst customizes lens tints to suit your activities or provide options in polarized lens materials that enable more comfortable viewing in high glare. They can also advise on which contact lenses are manufactured with a UV blocking capacity.

Mortimer Hirst also offers preventative lenses offering protection against harmful blue light. Emitted by the sun and also by artificial light sources such as LEDs and computers or smartphones, chronic exposure is a risk factor in retinal cell degeneration which can contribute to the development of cataracts and Age Related Macular Degeneration.

A diet rich in antioxidants has a proven protective role in maintaining healthy cells within the retina. We should aim to eat plenty of leafy greens and fresh fruit daily, a handful of nuts a week and 2-3 servings of fish a week.

During an eye examination our clinical team look inside your eye to make sure the pathway that light travels is clear of any obstructive elements and that the light detecting cells and supporting structures at the back of your eye are working optimally. According the World Health Organisation 75% of the world’s blindness is preventable. Early detection is key in guarding against more serious outcomes.

Your optometrist will be looking to detect the earliest signs of conditions such as Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration, amongst others, by using a series of diagnostic tests, examination and imaging tools. Some of these checks can pick up systemic conditions such as Diabetes, Hypertension and Hypercholesterolaemia.

Monday, June 8, 2015

New 1-Day Multifocal Contact Lenses

Mortimer Hirst is pleased to announce they are among the first practices in the world to offer the latest in technology 1-Day ACUVUE MOIST MULTIFOCAL contact lenses for presbyopia.


After age forty the human eye loses the ability to focus (accommodate) for near vision. People comment their arms are getting too short, they need to hold things further away to read and that they need more light to read especially when tired.

Traditionally people have used reading glasses, bifocal or multifocal spectacles. Various contact lenses have been prescribed to correct this malady but each has their pros and cons.

When we age we need stronger near prescriptions and at the same time our pupil size reduces. This creates problems with multifocal contact lenses.

The new 1-Day ACUVUE MOIST MULTIFOCAL have 183 unique, tailored lens designs for varying prescriptions, reading additions and optical zones to counter these changes over time.

Optometrist and Contact Lens Specialist Alan Saks was part of the initial launch in Sydney.

Mortimer Hirst are among only four practices in New Zealand to have pre-launch access to this exciting new presbyopic contact lens option.