If the past two years taught us anything, it has definitely taught us that health is wealth. It has given us the time to truly understand in knowing what is best for ourselves better mentally, physically, and emotionally to maintain our overall well-being, which includes the main organ of our visual system: the eyes. The eyes deserve parallel attention as the rest of our vital organs for it’s central to our quality of life.
One of the common services that Malaysians typically rely on is having their eyes checked on a regular basis or getting new eyewear to match their eye condition. More than 22% of Malaysians visit their ophthalmologist at least once a year to conduct the necessary eye health check and be on top of its condition. It may be surprising for some to note that eye care practitioners are more than capable of providing a vast number of different optical services, including Children’s Myopia Control Management, or prescribing spot-on treatments and solutions like Progressive Additional Lenses, Specialty Contact Lenses, and even more, in order to meet the requirements of each and every patient’s individual visual requirement. These services could provide bespectacled individuals or those who have never conducted any eye examination with more than just the conventional options; rather, they may also present individuals with higher quality and more effective visual aid.
Suyidatina Binti Sulaiman, key optometrist from Malaysia’s leading optical retailer MOG Eyewear mentioned that being aware of your visual needs now is fundamental to upkeep your eye health. “As our day-to-day activities are becoming more visually demanding, including the likes of long hours on digital devices, having to switch our vision between different activities, adaptation to the differing external environment, lifestyle habits (what we consume/do), and more, it is imperative that we do not disregard the need to relook into and ‘train’ our eye stamina. Our eyes are as equally important as other parts of our body and require continuous attention to ensure it is maintained at their best optima. Therefore, it is highly advisable to visit your optometrist on at least a yearly basis for that much-needed eye health assessment. Today’s technology has advanced beyond traditional eye care and so has our optometry practice – hence, we prioritise a tailored assessment to cover both near and far refraction for the betterment of your vision because, in eye care, we care more,” added Suyidatina.
By taking these additional measures to ensure that your eyes are properly cared for, you are reducing the likelihood that you may develop other eye-related disorders such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, and a wide variety of other conditions.
Eye Care for Any Conditions
Refractive error can be divided into Myopia (Near-sightedness), Hyperopia (Farsightedness), Presbyopia and Astigmatism. Through a study done by the National Eye Survey, a joint effort between the Departments of Ophthalmology from top medical universities in Malaysia found that refractive error became an important health issue, making it the most commonly reported vision problem among Malaysian children[1]. In the long run, this will lead to a far more serious issue, since eye problems may have a direct impact on your overall well-being.
Contact Lens Care
Many people are still unaware that contact lenses are considered a type of medical device that must be prescribed by an eye care specialist in order to protect your eyes from potential harm, and delay the occurrence of any existing visual impairments. While contact lenses are among the most reliable, effective and convenient options for corrective eyewear that are now on the market, the chance of getting an eye infection is significantly increased if you do not handle and care for your contact lenses properly. Therefore, getting contact lenses from uncertified sources can be risky without proper guidelines from industry professionals.
As an alternative to conventional glasses, contact lenses may also ease the effect of Presbyopia (gradual loss of your eyes’ ability to focus on nearby objects) which can be treated with the use of multifocal contact lenses. On the other hand, individuals who are suffering from Astigmatism may consult with their optometrist in using toric soft contact lenses, a specially-designed contact lens to create different refractive or focusing power that can help correct either a corneal or lenticular astigmatism. These contact lenses are generally available in daily or monthly-disposable options to fit your budget and lifestyle needs.
In addition to this, the advancement of technologies behind soft contact lenses may also lessen the likelihood of experiencing dry-eye symptoms with the introduction of materials like silicone hydrogel, the rise of ‘water lenses’ and more. There are a number of eye conditions that can be treated with the use of contact lenses including the more advanced orthokeratology treatment. However, you need to always refer to a professional eye care provider for professional contact lens fitting to find your best fit based on your corneal curvature, eye surface condition and lifestyle habits. Furthermore, expert advice is necessary even when selecting the optimum solution for your reusable contact lenses to maintain optimum comfort and safety during wear.
Myopia in Children
Children’s vision problems are frequently overlooked because they are either too young to complain or comprehend the true nature of having clear or blurry vision. Even when they do, some parents do not take these complaints seriously, resulting in it to get progressively worse as the child grows older. Children, like adults, are prone to risk of eye diseases like retinal detachment, maculopathy (degeneration of macula), and binocular vision disorder such as strabismus (misalignment of eyes) and amblyopia (lazy eyes).
While it’s possible that the greatest answer for them would be to get glasses to “correct” their vision, children may not feel the same way at times. Myopia, a condition where your vision blurs for faraway objects – if left untreated can greatly impact your child’s golden years of development. This is especially evident in terms of their movement coordination, learning abilities as well as emotional attachment during their growing years. Therefore, parents play an important role in ensuring they receive the ideal support from a trusted eye care provider to complete their visual demands.
Your child’s optometrist may recommend certain types of specialty optical lenses or, contact lenses, as part of a programme called Children Myopia Control, which involves professional consultation and tailored prescription monitored for up to a year at minimum. This programme aims to slow down the progression of myopia and prevent children from becoming Myopic at an early age. Such a programme can be advised after a detailed examination of your children’s eye development, which can be found in numerous advanced optical retailers such as MOG Eyewear, one of Malaysia’s leading optical retailers who are able to assess and evaluate your children’s eye health with the help of paediatric optometrist through a set of specialty test to address this issue amongst children who might be prone to Myopic eye condition.
Progressive Additional Lenses (PALs)
The natural process of aging can result in a gradual decline in both our capacity to see things up close and further out. Progressive additional lenses, also known as PALs, are a remarkable piece of technological advancement that makes it possible to merge several visual needs into a single lens to enhance clarity of vision at all distances. The strength of the lenses “progressively” varies from distant to intermediate to your near vision needs so you can switch between demands effortlessly and comfortably allowing you to read at close range, work at a medium distance, or observe things from afar with just one pair of glasses. In short, progressive lenses accommodate a variety of visual needs in a single lens, while eliminating the need to frequently switch between many pairs of eyewear.
It will take some time for you to be accustomed to PALs. Although some people take longer time to adapt, a vast majority are still able to learn it seamlessly. It has also come to attention that faster adaptation is possible under the guidance of professional eye care practitioners where one is able to try it on physically during the assessment stage in-store and get a feel of it before actually tailoring a pair for your own needs.
Underlying Signs of Wearing the Wrong Eyewear
Eye strain is extremely common, usually occurring when your eyes become tired from intense use. You may also feel eye discomfort in the form of dry eyes or intermittent blurring of vision. These same activities often promote poor posture in your neck and back, which in turn can cause muscle tension and pain in these areas. If left untreated, the demand for focused visual concentration will lead to bad posture because of the need or desire for closer proximity (especially when eye strain is disrupting your sight).
However, a study done by researchers from the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, and Novartis Corporation found that an estimated 3.6 million people in Malaysia are suffering from migraine[2]. Even though some might be caused by stress from work or irregular sleeping schedule, recurring and frequent headaches every few days with no signs of recovering may be a sign that it is the result of incorrect eyewear or lens prescription.
While we tend to assume that these symptoms are caused by their lifestyle and they would tend to use Paracetamol as the common cure, little do we know that wearing the wrong eyewear may be the actual reason behind this issue.
Your eyes play an important role in more aspects of your daily life to create a meaningful and beautiful life. As such, while you rely on your eyes, they would also need to rely on you to take better care of them. There are now more options for you to consider for the future of your sight as eye care providers are able to offer a wide range of eye care treatments for your increasing visual demands.
Through methodical assessment and evaluation, you can find the perfect match of treatment for your eye conditions whether for Children Myopia Management, PALs or even finding the correct contact lenses that suit your eye. With proper consultation from a professional eye care provider, you can be rest assured to enjoy optimum vision through every stage of life.
——————————————————–
