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.