What exactly is astigmatism? Sometimes your optometrist may mention this term, but not many people can remember exactly what it is. In general, astigmatism is a term used to describe a specific type of refractive error (also known as your glasses prescription). Astigmatism can cause your vision to be blurry, but that’s not all it […]
I Am Seeing Flashes & Floaters, Should I Panic?
When I was a kid, I thought I had super powers because I could see tiny little dots or strings that nobody else could! I even went as far as naming them (Bob and Alice)! However, I did notice that these dots/strings weren’t always there – only on a bright sunny day or if I […]
Can Smoking Really Cause Blindness?
We’ve all heard how detrimental smoking is to your lung health, but did you know it can severely affect your eyes? When you smoke, the tobacco fumes are absorbed into your lungs and travel to structures throughout your body including your eyes! Smoking contributes to a number of the following symptoms and conditions. Quitting smoking […]
Are Contact Lenses Really a One Size Fits All?
Imagine you wore a special pair of socks. These socks are comfy and great to walk around in all day long. Now imagine you don’t take these socks off, even when you go to bed. Most of us don’t sleep in socks, let alone ones that have already been worn for an entire day. Now […]
Sunglasses, Not Just a Fashion Statement
Imagine you’re getting ready to go to the beach. You’ll probably bring a swimsuit, sunscreen, a towel and of course some sunglasses. Sounds like a pretty reasonable list of items for the beach, right? How about this one, it’s a very cloudy, cold autumn day and you’re getting ready to get some groceries in your […]
Ditch the Itch
Do you ever have an itch you just can’t scratch. Isn’t that one of the most annoying feelings? Have you ever experienced that sensation in your eyes? Itchiness is a very common symptom of allergy. Whether that itchiness is on your skin, in your nose or on your eyes, there’s no denying that allergies are […]
Myopia
I am near-sighted. For a long time (especially before Optometry school), I struggled with what this meant and how to remember the difference between being near-sighted and far-sighted – CONFUSING! Well, I’m going to try to explain it here as best as I can. First of all, when I see the word near-sighted, I think […]
Dry Eye Syndrome – Dry Topic, I Know!
Picture this. You’re sitting in your office staring at your computer screen, there is a fast approaching deadline. You don’t have time to take your eyes off the screen. It’s winter time so the heat is blasting! You find your vision blurring and you blink, which helps for a split second. Then you start feeling […]
OHIP and Cataract Surgery
Looking for the latest updates to OHIP in 2023, please read the “OHIP Changes in Ontario as of September 1, 2023” blog. A cataract is a haze on the lens in the eye (like a smudge on a camera lens) which sits right behind the iris or coloured part of the eye . A cataract […]
Blepharitis
Blepharitis- Red eyes and crusty lids explained Chronic red eyes and crusty lids are commonly due to inflammation from chronic bacterial overgrowth and/or from demodex mite infestations. Acute bacterial or viral infections (conjunctivitis or pink eye) are very different and require appropriate treatment, however the chronic red eyes which bother many patients are easily improved […]
