Our vision is the most essential sense of our body. Therefore, its safety and health should be of the utmost priority.
“We need to be concerned about our eye health and safety, to reduce the risk of impared vision, ocular diseases, and blindness. Remember, prevention is better than cure,” stressed optometrist Alicia Wong Lee Sia, the founder of Eye Street Optometrist.
“Imagine waking up one day with no vision, a complete blackout. It will be too late to worry about the safety and health of your eyes.”
According to Wong, public awareness of eye health and safety is low. She recommends having a primary eye test done once, or twice, a year.
“You may need to have your eyes tested more frequently, every three to six months, if you have a medical condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure.”
“It is important to consult a qualified eye care practitioner, such as an optometrist, because we can provide accurate prescriptions and help choose the lenses that best suit your eye condition and lifestyle.”
Apart from a prescription, optometrists can monitor eye health through eye examinations, and are trained to detect possible threatening diseases.
“We will then advise them on the best action to care for their eyes. And if we find any issues which require further examination or treatment, we will refer them to eye specialists or ophthalmologists.
“As primary eye care practitioners, we want to prevent irreversible vision loss. This is why we do primary eye screening and invest in all these eye diagnostic equipment.”
Wong said contact lenses allow users to see, feel, and play well.
“Contact lenses can correct most vision problems and move with the eye for correction, which can feel and look natural.
“They also provide a wider field of view and better peripheral vision than glasses due to the lens being in contact with the eye. They also eliminate the irritation caused by being able to see the edge of a spectacles frame.
“Contact lenses also provide users with choices in terms of aesthetics – coloured lenses that match their look and image for the day. They allow individuals to maintain a natural appearance without glasses, or if they choose to, to change the appearance of their eyes with coloured contact lenses.”
Moreover, she said, well-fitted contact lenses stay in place on the eyes, and therefore, were a better option when playing sports or engaging in outdoor activities.
“Studies have also shown that specially-fitted contact lenses may help slow the progression of near-sightedness (myopia),” she added. – The Health
