Author: Andy Willmott

Orthokeratology, commonly known as ortho-k, is a special kind of contact lens that can effectively temporarily reshape your cornea. Think of ortho-k as the orthodontics of the eyecare world, as it involves a temporary reshaping (like dental braces) part of your eye to improve your vision. Here at R Woodfall, we now offer ortho-k treatment in selected clinics as part of our eye care services. 

If you’re curious to learn more about ortho-k, including how it works and who it’s for, keep reading.

Which eye condition is ortho-k used for? 

Ortho-k is used primarily to treat those with myopia (near-sightedness), but new ortho-k lenses may be able to treat other refractive errors such as astigmatism. Myopia is a common eye condition whereby the patient is only able to see objects close to them clearly, as objects in the distance appear blurry. One of the most common causes of myopia is misshapen cornea, which disrupts how your eye is able to focus light. Ortho-k aims to reshape your cornea temporarily, with specially designed contact lenses that are to be worn throughout the night. This can help correct your refractive error, leaving you with improved vision. 

How does ortho-k treatment work and what can you expect? 

This treatment works by reshaping your cornea (the flexible lens in front of your eye), to allow light that enters your eye to focus properly. This effectively helps to correct myopia, but only if you continue wearing your ortho-k lenses at night as instructed. 

To do this, your ophthalmologist will need to examine your cornea in more detail in order to create a specialist lens tailored to you. To do this, they will use a piece of equipment called a corneal topographer to examine the exact shape of your cornea. This examination does not hurt so there is no need to worry. 

After this you will wear your ortho-k lenses at night as instructed by your ophthalmologist. Patients usually notice a difference in a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the severity of their myopia. 

The benefits of ortho-k 

There are several benefits when it comes to this specialist treatment. They include:

• Non-surgical option
• Eliminates the need for contact lenses or glasses during the day
• Corrects myopia (temporarily)

Ortho-k can have a profound effect on the patients daily life, as they temporarily won’t need to rely on eyewear to see clearly. If you think ortho-k may be ideal for you, contact our team today to find out more about how we can help you.

Looking after your eyes at all stages of life is very important, but even more so as you get older. This is because as you reach a certain age, you’re more at risk of developing some eye conditions and diseases due to the natural ageing process. Some of the most common eye diseases are age-related, for example cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Detecting these diseases early on is crucial, as the earlier it’s caught the easier it is to manage it before it can get worse. 

In this blog post we will be discussing the most common eye conditions and how we can detect and manage them. 

Common eye diseases 

Below are some of the most common eye diseases and the signs and symptoms to look out for. Even if you think there is nothing wrong with your vision, it’s always best to have a routine eye exam every now and again, as some of these diseases can go undetected for a long time. 

Glaucoma 

Glaucoma is a common eye disease that happens when the damage occurs to the optic nerve. Glaucoma can lead to vision loss, but this isn’t always the case. A major risk factor involves the intraocular pressure within the eye. If there is too much pressure due to a drainage problem, this pressure can build up and damage the optic nerve. 

Glaucoma can be difficult to detect, in fact most people are unaware they have glaucoma until they get their eyes tested. Opticians can detect glaucoma using a variety of equipment and tests, most commonly a tonometry test. A tonometer measures the pressure of your eye, which can indicate glaucoma.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

AMD is an eye condition that results in loss of central vision. This eye condition occurs when there is damage done to the macular. This damage happens due to age. Symptoms include: blurry vision, loss of central vision, blind spot in central vision, and difficulty recognising faces. 

Diabetic retinopathy

This eye condition results in complications of diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy happens when blood sugar levels cause damage to the eye’s retina, which can result in vision loss. Symptoms of this condition include:sudden vision loss, floaters, eye pain, blurry vision . 

How we detect and treat these eye conditions

Here at R Woodfall, our expert opticians can detect and help manage various eye diseases. It’s very important that you visit your local optician annually, especially if you’re over the age of 40. As some eye diseases such as glaucoma can only be detected by an optician. 

Opticians use equipment such as an OCT scanner to fully examine all areas of your eyes and look for any abnormalities. An OCT scan uses light waves to take 3D images of your eye in its entirety, resulting in accurate pictures of the structure of your eye for your optician to examine.
If you have any concerns about your eye health, please contact us today or visit your local optician.

Dry eyes are a common eye condition that involves having dry, irritable, eyes. This condition is very common and isn’t usually a sign of something serious. Dry eye syndrome or chronic dry eyes are uncomfortable, but there are ways to treat it and relieve you of your symptoms. In this blog post we will be delving into what causes dry eyes, as well as the treatment options and how you can best manage your symptoms.

What causes dry eyes? 

Chronic dry eyes can be caused by a variety of factors, the most common include ageing and hormonal problems. Dry eyes often happen due to an imbalance in the tear film that covers the surface of the eye. The tear film is composed of three layers: an oily layer, a watery layer, and a mucous layer. Each of these layers plays a role in keeping the eyes lubricated and comfortable. When there is a disruption in any of these layers, it can result in dry eyes. Here are some common causes and contributing factors:

Ageing: As you get older, your production of tears decreases, which leads to an increased risk of dry eyes. This is why people over the age of 50 are more likely to experience dry eyes. 

Hormonal issues: Fluctuations in hormones such as during pregnancy and menopause can affect your tear production, resulting in dry eyes.

Poor blinking habits: Staring at digital screens for too long can cause you to blink less, which can increase your risk of dry eyes. 

The symptoms of dry eyes

If you think you suffer from chronic dry eyes, it’s always  best to visit your GP or local optician. Here are the common symptoms of dry eyes:

• Itchiness
• Redness
• Soreness
• Grittiness
• Blurry vision
• Light sensitivity
• Watery eyes 

If you experience these symptoms it’s very likely you have dry eyes.

How to treat dry eyes 

There are a few ways you can treat dry eyes yourself. The recommended ways are:

• Cleaning your eyelids daily
• Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air around your eyes
• Take breaks from your digital screens
• Avoid dry and dusty environments
• Avoid drinking too much alcohol
• Avoid smoking

If your dry eyes don’t get better after a few weeks of treating them yourself, you should visit your doctor or an optician. They can discover the cause and suggest treatment options for you. 
For any questions you may have about our eye care services, contact our team any time.

A main concern we hear from parents is if their child’s screen time could negatively impact their vision or health in general. Our answer is yes, potentially. Too much screen time can affect both children and adults, so it’s important to monitor how long your child spends in front of their screens, and ensure they spend enough time away from them too. 

In this blog post, we will be discussing the importance of lessening your child’s screen time, as well as offering solutions to combat this issue. Here at R Woodfall, our number one priority is caring for our patients eye health, if you have any concern about your child’s vision or your own, please get in touch any time.

Digital eye strain 

Prolonged exposure to digital screens such as tablets, smartphones, and computer screens can cause symptoms of digital eye strain in both children and adults. The symptoms of digital eye strain are as follows: dry eyes, blurry vision, headaches, and watery eyes. If you notice any of these symptoms in your child it could mean that they’re experiencing digital eye strain, and it’s important to reduce their screen time and take them to an optician to seek professional advice. 

Difficulty sleeping 

Another problem that you may notice is your child having problems sleeping at night. If your child is spending too much time looking at digital screens, they will be exposed to a lot of blue light, which can affect their circadian rhythms. If your sleep/wake cycle is disturbed, it can result in difficulty sleeping or staying asleep during the night. 

Limiting screen time to the recommended time limit for your child’s age, and taking the screen away at least an hour before bedtime can solve this problem. 

Poor posture 

Although not particularly affecting the eyes, using digital devices often involves children developing poor posture. This is because children are usually seen hunching over a smartphone or tablet. This can lead to neck and back pain, causing more problems. 

How we can help

Taking your child to the optician every now and then is always beneficial. Our professional eye care providers can help assess your child’s eyes and treat any issues that may arise.

If your child is suffering from digital eye strain then It may be worth opting for blue light filtration lenses, which helps to block out the blue light emitted from digital devices. For more information about our services, feel free to contact our team any time.

Here at R Woodfall, we know what’s best when it comes to all things eye health. This is why we continually stress the importance of looking after your eyes during summer! The sun emits a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, most notably ultraviolet (UV) rays. UVA and UVB rays are incredibly harmful to your eyes after a period of time. In fact, prolonged exposure can cause short-term discomfort and potentially lead to long-term vision problems too. This is why it’s imperative that you pay attention to your eyes in the sun and ensure they’re protected. 

Here’s some of the ways the sun could potentially damage your eyes.

Short term discomfort 

Overexposure to the sun can potentially cause some temporary discomfort or pain to your eyes that you should avoid. 

Photokeratitis 

This temporary condition is like having sunburn on your eyes, it’s painful and uncomfortable and happens when you’re overexposed to UV rays. Symptoms of photokeratitis include: redness, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, and even tearing. 

Long term conditions 

There are a number of eye conditions that sun damage can contribute to. These conditions are long term, and associated with prolonged UV exposure. 

Pterygium

Prolonged UV exposure can also lead to a condition called pterygium. This condition causes the growth of a pterygium (which is a non-cancerous growth on the conjunctiva) that can extend onto the cornea. It can cause redness, irritation, and, in more severe cases, impact vision.

Cataracts

Cataracts are mainly age-related, but overexposure to UV rays over time is thought to contribute to the development of them. UV radiation has been linked to cataracts, so it’s important to protect your eyes from the sun to potentially help prevent this. 

Cataracts can cause blurry vision, sensitivity to glare, and reduced colour perception.

Protecting your eyes from the sun

During the summer months it’s important that you take precaution when it comes to your eyes. There are a number of ways to protect them from harmful UV rays. Below are a few ways we would recommend you do this:

Wear sunglasses: certain sunglasses block out 100% of all UVA and UVB rays. Here at R Woodfall, we stock a variety of sunglasses to protect your eyes whilst still looking stylish. 

Visit your local optician: Scheduling regular eye exams with an eye care professional is very beneficial to your eye health. Eyecare experts such as ourselves can monitor the health of your eyes and catch any potential issues early.

Limit exposure to the sun: during summer, try to avoid spending extended periods of time outdoors during peak sunlight hours.
By taking these precautions and being mindful of your eye health, you can minimise the risk of sun-related eye damage and maintain good vision over the long term. For more information, feel free to contact our team of professionals, here at R Woodfall.

Blue light is a type of high energy visible light that is emitted by digital devices such as computers, smartphones, and tablets. Prolonged exposure to blue light, especially at night, can potentially disrupt your sleep-wake cycle and have a negative effect on your eyes. The main cause of digital eye strain is from blue light. With that being said, it’s important to keep your eyes protected. 

Here are some strategies to help protect your eyes from the potential effects of blue light:

Use blue light glasses

Blue light glasses are made with a special blue light filter lens that absorbs a large amount of blue light. This stops the majority of blue light from entering your eyes when you wear them whilst looking at screens and artificial lighting. These glasses can then help reduce eye strain and its symptoms, whilst protecting you from the discomfort of prolonged screen use.

Adjust your devices display settings

With most electronic devices, you will have the option to adjust your display settings to reduce the amount of blue light emitted. Simply head to your settings and turn on “night mode” or “blue light filter”, whichever setting your device offers. These features reduce blue light and minimise discomfort from eye strain as well as sleep disruption.

Follow the 20-20-20 rule 

One of the best ways to avoid digital eye strain and protect your eyes against blue light is to look away from your screen every now and then. The 20-20-20 rule involves taking a 20 second break from your screen by looking at something at least 20 ft away, every 20 minutes. This allows your eyes to rest whilst you’re working on a computer for long periods of time.

Ensure you have the right lighting

When working, it’s important to ensure your workplace is well-lit. Avoiding harsh lighting when you can. You should also avoid glare from monitors by positioning them away from direct light sources. This will help reduce the symptoms of eye strain. 
We hope this blog post helped you understand what blue light is limiting your exposure to. It is very important. If you’ve been experiencing some uncomfortable symptoms of eye strain or suspect there is a problem concerning your vision, do not hesitate to contact our team as soon as possible. If not, please make sure you seek professional advice from your local eye care provider.

As you age, eye diseases become a lot more common. As many common eye diseases are age-related. In this blog post, we will be discussing the most common types of eye diseases, their symptoms, and how they are treated. If you think you have an eye condition, then it’s very important to visit your local optician where you can have your symptoms checked out. 

Looking after your eyes as you age is vital to their health. Remember to always protect your eyes from the sun, digital screens, and incorporate nutritious food into your diet. If you do all these things as well as regularly visit your local optician, then you may improve your eye health and may even help prevent the development of certain eye conditions. 

With that being said, let’s delve into the most common eye diseases.

1. Cataracts 

Cataracts occur when the lens of your eye becomes cloudy, making it difficult to see. This happens largely due to age. Cataracts are one of the most common eye diseases, with an estimated 30% of people over the age of 65 having at least one. There is also a chance that you can develop cataracts in both eyes too. 

Luckily, there is a surgery that those with cataracts can have. The risks are minimal, and the surgery helps the patient see much more clearly after they have recovered. 

2. Glaucoma  

This eye disease occurs when there is damage done to the optic nerve. The cause of this is usually when there is too much intraocular pressure within the eye. The main symptom of this is blurred vision and seeing rings in your vision, headaches, and tenderness near your eyes. 

Glaucoma is often age-related, and there are other factors such as family history and ethnicity that can play a part in its development. 

3. Age-related macular degeneration 

AMD for short, age-related macular degeneration is an eye disease that involves your central vision becoming blurred. The macular is responsible for your central vision (your ability to see clearly straight ahead), so when the macular becomes damaged, it can result in your vision becoming blurred and dark spots appearing.

AMD is largely due to age, however, smoking, family history, and being overweight could all contribute to the cause of this eye condition.

Here at R Woodfall, our teams of professional opticians in our practices can help diagnose and catch any eye conditions you may have. With advanced technology, our opticians can examine your symptoms and check for any potential problems. If you’re experiencing any symptoms or simply want a check up, do not hesitate to get in touch with us. We’d be happy to help.

One common question that those with vision problems tend to ask is, how do I know if I need glasses? People need glasses for a variety of reasons at all sorts of different ages. If you’ve gone your whole life without needing glasses, then this could change as you get older. If you’re unsure whether or not you need the help of glasses, we’re here to assist. Below are some of the following signs to look out for that may indicate you need to visit your local optician. 

Blurry vision 

Having blurred vision often is a sign that you may need to have prescription lenses. Blurred vision is a common symptom of a variety of vision problems and eye conditions, but only a licensed professional can assess and diagnose you. Blurry vision is usually associated with refractive errors, which is a general term for a few common types of eye conditions. Myopia and hyperopia (near-sightedness and farsightedness) are all characterised by having blurry vision when trying to focus on objects up close or far away. 

Difficulty driving at night 

Having trouble driving at night could indicate a vision problem that you’re unaware of. For example,  if you notice a lot of glare and street lights seem to be very blurred, it can be a sign of astigmatism. Astigmatism is a refractive error that involves blurred vision, with a common symptom being difficulty driving during the night.

Depending on the severity of it, if you have astigmatism you will need prescription lenses to see better. Toric lenses are the best course of action when it comes to treating and correcting astigmatism. If you believe you have this eye condition, it’s always best to get it checked out. You may need lenses that can significantly improve your vision.

Frequent headaches 

Headaches are a very common symptom of eye strain. If you struggle to see clearly due to an eye condition or digital eye strain (from staring at screens for too long), you can experience headaches amongst other symptoms. 

Eyestrain is a common symptom of refractive errors, computer vision syndrome, and various other eye conditions. So if you’re having frequent headaches as well as struggling to see clearly, you should visit your optician as you may be in need of glasses.

Here at R Woodfall, we can assess your vision in one of our practices and map out a treatment plan for you, for more information please contact us anytime.

Protecting your eyes from the sun is vital for your eye health. The sun, as lovely as it can be, can be very harmful to our bodies if we aren’t careful. You may associate the skin as the main cause of concern when it comes to the sun, but did you know that your eyesight is at risk too? Overexposure to the sun can increase your risk of many eye conditions, which we will be discussing in this blog post. 

At R Woodfall, we have a wide range of high quality UV protection lenses to help protect your eyesight, and also allow you to see clearly and confidently when the sun is shining. In this blog post we will be discussing the risk of overexposure, as well as how UV protection helps prevent this.

Sun damage related eye conditions 

It’s been found that overexposure to the sun may increase your risk of the following eye conditions:

Cataracts

A cataract is a very common eye condition that involves the lens of your eye developing a cloudy patch that obstructs your vision. Cataracts are seen as an age-related condition as most people will develop them when they get older. Luckily, a quick surgery can remove the cataract and allow you to see clearly again. 

As well as age, damage from the sun is a known factor to increase your risk of developing this eye condition.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common eye condition that affects your vision. This is a result of macular ageing. Although this condition occurs due to age, long-term sun damage can also increase your risk of developing this condition.

Photokeratitis 

This condition occurs as a direct result of sun exposure. Photokeratitis is when your cornea becomes damaged due to too much sun exposure. The UV rays damage the cornea which can result in some uncomfortable and sometimes painful symptoms. 

How does UV protection help? 

UV protection is the best and most effective way to protect your eyes from the sun. Wearing your sunglasses every time you’re in the midday sun can really help to protect your eyes and avoid any sun damage. 

This is because UV protection lenses effectively reflect the harmful rays from sunlight away from your eyes. This stops the UV rays from entering your eyes and damaging them. Which is why it’s so important to protect your eyes and invest in quality UV protection sunglasses. 
If you’re in need of some high quality sunglasses that offer the best UV protection, feel free to contact our team today.

Did you know that there is a wide range of optical lenses to treat every vision problem? From correcting refractive errors to protecting your eyes from the sun, there’s a type of lens to help solve your vision problem, and improve your eye health. Here at R Woodfall, we have a wide range of high quality lenses that are made to help correct and protect your vision from the moment you put them on. 

If you’re curious to know more about the different kinds of lenses and how they function to fix your eye health, keep reading as in this blog post we’ll be discussing some of the different types of lenses we offer at R Woodfall, in more detail.

Single vision lenses 

Single vision lenses are a common type of lenses that are designed to treat refractive errors. A refractive error is a common type of eye condition that involves light not being able to focus as it should on the retina. The most common types of refractive error are myopia (near-sightedness) and hyperopia (far-sightedness). These two vision problems make it difficult for the person to either see objects up close, or objects at a distance. 

Not being able to see clearly can impact your daily life significantly, which is why those with a refractive error are prescribed corrective lenses. A common type of corrective lens is a single vision lens. Single vision lenses are designed to help with just one vision problem. They contain just one prescription, allowing for clear vision for those with one refractive error. 

If you have one eye condition such as near-sightedness for example, you may be prescribed a single vision lens to help correct your vision and allow you to see much more clearly again.

Varifocal lenses 

Varifocal lenses, or commonly referred to as progressive lenses,  differ slightly to single vision lenses. These lenses allow for more than one prescription at the same time, which is a fantastic solution for those that struggle with both myopia and hyperopia at the same time. Varifocals reduce the need for you needing multiple pairs of glasses for each vision problem, which is very convenient. 

If you have more than one refractive error then you will most likely be told you need a pair of varifocal lenses to help you see clearly and smoothly, every day. 

Photochromic lenses 

Photochromic lenses are special lenses that help protect your eyes from UV light. They often combine the effect of sunglasses with a single vision prescription lens, to help keep your eyes protected from the sun as well as allowing you to see clearly. 

Photochromic lenses are very convenient, as they provide a solution to constantly having to swap your prescription lenses for sunglasses in the summer months.

For more information about the types of lenses we offer, get in touch with our friendly team of professionals.

Refractive errors are a group of very common eye conditions that many people experience in the UK. Many refractive errors affect children as young as 6, and stay with them well into adulthood. In this blog post, we will be discussing the different types of refractive errors and the treatment options available. If you suspect that you or your child may have a refractive error then it’s important to visit your local optician as they can help fix this issue before it worsens. 

The different types of refractive errors 

Here are the common refractive errors that most people are already familiar with. If you have any of the following symptoms you should visit your optician as soon as you can.

Myopia

More commonly known as short-sightedness, myopia is a common refractive error that is characterised by not being able to see things at a distance clearly. Those with myopia report having blurred vision when trying to concentrate on objects far away from them. 

The main symptoms of myopia include: blurred vision, headaches, rubbing eyes, difficulty concentrating on things at a distance. These are the key symptoms to watch out for in children too, as myopia is a common eye condition that affects young children. Myopia usually develops anywhere between 6-13 years old. 

Hyperopia 

The opposite of myopia, hyperopia (or commonly called far-sightedness) is when those affected struggle to see things up close to them. This condition affects being able to read things up close, or concentrate on objects nearby. However, objects in the distance are still seen clearly. 

The symptoms of hyperopia are similar to that of myopia and other refractive errors. The main symptoms are: blurred vision on objects up close, headaches, eye strain, difficulty concentrating on tasks up close.

Astigmatism 

This refractive error occurs when light enters the eye and focuses on more than one place on the retina. This results in blurred vision, especially in dim lighting. Those with astigmatism often struggle driving at night due to glares, which is very dangerous. If you suspect you have astigmatism you need to visit your local optician and receive treatment before you can drive again.

The symptoms of astigmatism include: blurry vision, eye strain, headaches, squinting, and difficulty seeing clearly at night.

Why do refractive errors happen?

Refractive errors occur due to having a misshapen eyeball or cornea. If your eyeball is too long or short, this causes eye conditions such as myopia and hyperopia. Having a misshapen cornea is the cause of astigmatism.

Treatment for refractive errors 

Corrective lenses are the best option when it comes to treating refractive errors. Here at R Woodfall, our optician practices offer a range of quality lenses, contact lenses, and frames to provide you with the best support. 
For more information about refractive errors and the treatment options we offer, contact our friendly team today.