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Why Are Dilated Eye Exams So Important?

Having your eyes dilated during an eye exam may seem like a nuisance. But when you consider the benefits of a dilated eye exam, the temporary blurred vision and sensitivity to light that typically follow are definitely worth it.  

What Are Dilated Eye Exams? 

At some point during a comprehensive eye exam, your optometrist will shine a bright light into your eyes to examine the back of your eye, called the retina. The problem is that bright light causes the size of the pupil’s size to shrink, which makes it hard for the optometrist to see a large portion of the retina. 

That’s why eye doctors apply special eye drops in each eye to keep the pupils open. A dilated pupil allows for a much more accurate assessment of your eye’s structures, including the focusing lens, blood vessels and tissues at the back of the eye called the retina, as well as the optic nerve and macula. 

Dilating the eyes makes it easier for your optometrist to detect the following conditions and diseases: 

  • Cataracts
  • Glaucoma 
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Macular degeneration
  • Retinal tumor 
  • Retinal detachment or retinal tears
  • Eye floaters

It’s important to note that many of these conditions can develop without noticeable symptoms, until they cause vision loss at which point treatment may be more challenging, making dilated eye exams all the more crucial. 

The Dilation Process

First, your eye doctor will apply eye drops to each eye to trigger dilation of the pupil. Your eyes should be fully dilated about 15-30 minutes later. 

Your eyes will remain dilated for 2-4 hours, and during this time you may be sensitive to light. That’s because the larger pupil allows more light than usual to enter the eye. Many patients find it more comfortable to wear sunglasses until their eyes return to normal. 

Reading and using a computer may be difficult with dilated eyes, and your vision may be blurred. Some patients report feeling a tightening sensation in their eyelids, or headaches. 

Dilated eye exams are a crucial part of keeping your eyes healthy. To schedule your comprehensive eye exam, call Lowy & Sewell Eye Care in Concord today!

Q&A

#1: At what age should one have a dilated eye exam? 

You should have your dilated eye exam no matter your age. Most eye doctors will dilate a new patient at their first exam regardless of age to get a baseline of their retinal health.

#2: Will I be able to return to work after a dilated eye exam? 

Everyone reacts differently, so it’s hard to tell. If your job requires you to focus on small print or detail, it may be challenging. Typing and writing may also be difficult with dilated pupils. To be on the safe side, book your appointment at the end of your work day, clear your schedule after your eye exam and only plan to do activities which aren’t visually demanding. 

Contact Lenses Wear & Care Do’s and Don’ts

Contact Lenses & Eye Care in [tokes name='location']

Contact Lenses & Eye Care

Here’s a shocking statistic: According to the CDC, more than 99% of the people who wear contact lenses in the U.S. engage in at least one risky or unsanitary behavior with their lenses!

Contact lenses are a safe and convenient way to correct your vision — as long as they are worn and cared for properly. Engaging in risky behavior when it comes to your lenses can put you at risk of developing eye infections or cause eye damage.

So, if you wear contact lenses, continue reading to learn the correct contact lens protocol. To ask any questions about your contact lenses or schedule a contact lens consultation, call Lowy & Sewell Eye Care in Concord today.

The Do’s of Contact Lens Wear and Care

  • We can’t stress this enough: Do wash your hands! Before touching your eyes or handling your lenses, thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water. After rinsing, dry your hands on a paper towel or clean lint-free cloth.
  • Do disinfect your lenses when you remove them from your eyes, using only solutions recommended by your eye doctor.
  • Do remove your contact lenses before sleeping, swimming, and showering. Contact lenses and water do not mix due to the risk of infection.
  • Do clean your contact lens case weekly with warm soapy water and replace it every 3 months.
  • Do carry a pair of glasses with you in case you need to remove your contact lenses.

The Don’ts of Contact Lens Wear and Care

  • Don’t overwear your lenses. Replace them as often as your doctor recommends. So, replace your monthlies every month, your weeklies every week, and discard daily lenses before bedtime.
  • Don’t rub your eyes while wearing contact lenses.
  • Don’t use tap water or saliva (ever!) to rinse or rewet your contact lenses.
  • Don’t allow makeup to get into your eyes when wearing contact lenses.
  • Don’t share your contact lenses with anyone — seriously, don’t.
  • Don’t wear your contact lenses if your eyes feel irritated or appear red. Give them a chance to de-stress before inserting them back into your eyes.
  • Don’t skip your annual eye exam. Your eyes will thank you.

Frequently Asked Questions – Contact Lenses

 

Q: What are the latest trends in contact lenses?

  • A: Many contact lens manufacturers are now producing “daily” disposable contact lenses. These are lenses that are inserted in the morning and thrown away at night. This style of contact lens wear is both convenient and healthy. With these lenses, patients buy fewer solutions and don’t have to keep up with how old their lenses are and when to change them. Daily disposables are also beneficial in causing less allergy and dryness while reducing the risks of infection. Daily lenses are now offered in all types of prescriptions from distance vision to astigmatism and multifocal/bifocal prescriptions.

Q: Is wearing contacts better for sports activity?

  • A: Yes, wearing contacts provide a wider field of view thus preventing avoidable injuries. Prescription sports goggles work well but when you’re actively sweating your goggles will fog up and start to move around a lot. I recommend contacts a lot for my active patients.

Wearing Daily Disposable Contact Lenses| Lowy & Sewell Eye Care




Enjoy the benefits and comfort of a brand new, clean, crisp pair of contact lenses the very next morning. Contact lens-related infections and eye conditions that result from improper cleaning and storage are a thing of the past. Now, you can enjoy the simple pleasures of crisp, clean, comfortable vision at the start of every day.

What Are The Top Benefits To Wearing Computer Glasses?

Computer Glasses and Eye Exams in Concord

Computer Glasses & Eye Exams

What Are Computer Glasses and Do They Make a Difference?

Many people spend most of their waking hours staring at screens, exposing them to the potentially harmful effects of blue light. In fact, if you’re reading this on one of your screens, you’re exposing your eyes to blue light at this very moment.

All this screen time comes at a price: It can cause headaches, eyestrain, insomnia, and possibly eye disease. Blue light glasses (also known as computer glasses) have been touted to combat these problems head-on. But do they really make a difference to those who spend many hours a day staring at screens?

What Is Blue Light?

Blue light is a color in the light spectrum visible to human eyes — though it doesn’t actually appear blue to the naked eye.

It’s a short wavelength that produces high amounts of energy (from 400 to 500 nanometers) and is often referred to as high-energy visible light (HEV). In fact, any source of visible light emits blue light, whether it’s an artificial source like a digital screen or a light bulb, or a natural one, like the sun.

How Does Blue Light Affect Your Eyes?

It Obstructs the Wake/Sleep Cycle

Prior to the invention of artificial light, the sun regulated our sleep schedules. After sundown, the darkness signals to our bodies that it’s time to produce melatonin, the hormone responsible for enabling us to sleep.

Nowadays, we’re exposed to blue light throughout the day and late into the night. While exposure to any light in the evening hours delays the production of melatonin, blue light waves can be particularly problematic as they radically disrupt these signals, causing less melatonin to be generated.

This essentially throws off our natural body clocks, since the brain associates blue light with daytime, making it harder to fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning.

It May Increase the Risk of Macular Degeneration

A 2018 study by the University of Alcalá suggests that a high level of blue light exposure may increase one’s risk of macular degeneration later in life, which can lead to permanent vision loss.

This is because blue light penetrates right through the cornea to the retina, damaging light-sensitive cells in the retina.

It Can Potentially Cause Eye Strain

Blue light scatters more easily than other visible light. This unfocused light reduces contrast and can contribute to digital eye strain, characterized by headaches, neck pain, and blurred vision.

That’s where computer glasses come in.

Research has indicated that lenses that filter out blue light significantly increase contrast. Computer glasses with yellow-tinted lenses may improve comfort levels when viewing digital devices for prolonged periods of time.

Are There Benefits to Wearing Computer Glasses?

As mentioned above, computer glasses reduce blue light exposure from computer screens and other digital devices. But are they worth getting?

According to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, blue light can cause retinal damage “at greater intensities,” but the amount of light emitted by screens is quite low. Whether there is a cumulative effect requires further research.

Getting Computer Glasses

If you decide to get blue-light blocking lenses, you can find stylish options with or without a prescription. So if you’re farsighted and wear progressive lenses or bifocals, you can get single-lens computer glasses to match your prescription.

You may want to consider getting photochromic lenses, as they provide protection from both UV and blue light, whether indoors or out in the sun. These lenses seamlessly and automatically darken when exposed to UV rays outdoors, and become clear again when indoors.

Lowy & Sewell Eye Care in Concord offers a variety of computer glasses and lenses. Contact us today to discuss the optimal lens features for your lifestyle and get fitted for your perfect pair.

Computer Glasses & Digital Eye Strain | Lowy & Sewell Eye Care

Frequently Asked Questions with Dr. Stephanie Hanson

 

Q: What Are Computer Glasses and Do They Make a Difference?

  • A: Many people spend most of their waking hours staring at screens, exposing them to the potentially harmful effects of blue light. In fact, if you’re reading this on one of your screens, you’re exposing your eyes to blue light at this very moment.All this screen time comes at a price: It can cause headaches, eyestrain, insomnia, and possibly eye disease. Blue light glasses (also known as computer glasses) have been touted to combat these problems head-on. But do they really make a difference to those who spend many hours a day staring at screens?

Q: What Is Blue Light?

  • A: Blue light is a color in the light spectrum visible to human eyes — though it doesn’t actually appear blue to the naked eye.It’s a short wavelength that produces high amounts of energy (from 400 to 500 nanometers) and is often referred to as high-energy visible light (HEV). In fact, any source of visible light emits blue light, whether it’s an artificial source like a digital screen or a light bulb, or a natural one, like the sun.

Quality Frames For Prescription Eyeglasses & Computer Glasses In Cranston, RI. Visit Bing for an eye exam and eyeglasses that match your style.


Are Contact Lenses Safe For Young Children?

Here’s a question we often get at our practice: ‘Is my child too young for contact lenses?’ This is an important question, and the answer may surprise you. 

For children with myopia (nearsightedness), contact lenses can be a convenient method of vision correction. It allows kids to go about their day without having to worry about breaking or misplacing their glasses, and enables them to freely participate in sports and other physical activities. 

Some children and young teens may ask their parents for contact lenses because they feel self-conscious wearing glasses. Contact lenses may even provide children with the confidence boost they need to come out of their shell. Moreover, these days, it is very popular for children to wear single-use one-day disposable soft contacts, since there is no cleaning or maintenance involved. 

Some parents may deny their child’s request for contacts due to concerns about eye health and safety. There’s no reason to worry: contact lenses are just as safe for children as they are for anyone else. 

At Lowy & Sewell Eye Care, we provide children, teens, and patients of all ages with a wide variety of contact lenses. If you’re concerned about the safety of contacts for your child, we’ll be happy to explain and explore ways to ensure maximum safety, optimal eye health and comfort. To learn more or to schedule a pediatric eye exam for contact lenses, contact us today. 

What Are the Risks of Having My Child Wear Contact Lenses?

A study published in the January 2021 issue of The Journal of Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics found that kids aren’t at a higher risk of experiencing contact lens complications. 

The study followed nearly 1000 children aged 8-16 over the course of 1.5-3 years to determine how contact lenses affected their eye health. 

The results indicate that age doesn’t have an effect on contact lens safety. In fact, the researchers found that the risk of developing infections or other adverse reactions was less than 1% per year of wear — which is comparable to contact lens wearers of other ages.

But before you decide that contact lenses are right for your child, you may want to consider whether your child is ready to wear them. During his or her eye doctor’s appointment, the optometrist may ask about your child’s level of maturity, responsibility, and personal hygiene. Since many children are highly motivated to wear contacts, they tend to display real maturity in caring for their lenses. That said, in the initial stages, parents may need to play an active role, as their child gets used to inserting and removing the new contact lenses.  

It’s important to note that just as with any other medical device, contact lenses are not risk-free. Anyone who wears contact lenses has a chance of developing eye infections or other complications with contact lenses. However, when worn and cared for according to your eye doctor’s instructions, contact lenses are low-risk and perfectly safe for children and teenagers.

So, go ahead and bring your child in for a contact lens consultation! We’ll help determine if your child is ready for contacts and answer any questions you or your child may have. To schedule your child’s contact lens fitting or eye exam, contact Lowy & Sewell Eye Care in Concord today.  

The Importance of Eye Exams for Contact Lenses

Are you planning on wearing contact lenses for the first time? Do you need a new contact lens prescription? Are your current contacts not as comfortable as you wish they were? Your eye doctor will perform a contact lens eye exam to ensure that your vision with contacts is clear, comfortable, and safe, providing you with the right lenses for you. 

What is a contact lens exam?

If you wear or want to wear contact lenses, you’ll need an eye exam for contact lenses, in addition to your regular comprehensive eye exam. Special tests are performed during a contact lens exam to evaluate your eyes and vision with contacts. 

Are eyeglass prescriptions the same as contact lens prescriptions?

No, a prescription for glasses cannot be used for contact lenses. An eyeglass prescription is for lenses that are positioned approximately 12 millimeters from your eyes, whereas a contact lens prescription is measured for lenses that sit directly on the surface of your eye.

The prescription for contact lenses also includes the brand, lens diameter and curvature, which are not part of an eyeglass prescription.

Contact lenses fitting: One size does not fit all

One contact lens size doesn’t fit all eyes. If a contact lens is too flat or too steep for your corneal shape, you may experience discomfort or even eye damage. Your eye doctor will take certain measurements to determine the best contact lens design and fit for your eyes. 

Corneal curvature

This measures the curvature of your eye’s clear front surface (cornea) so the eye doctor can select the optimal curve and diameter for your contact lenses. If your eye’s surface is somewhat irregular because of astigmatism or other conditions, you may require a special lens. 

Pupil and iris size

The size of your pupil and iris (the colored part of your eye) is also important in determining the best contact lens design.

Tear film evaluation

This test evaluates the quality of your tears, to determine whether they will be able to keep contact lenses and your cornea sufficiently hydrated throughout the day. If you have dry eye disease, standard contact lenses may not be right for you. 

Trial lenses

Following the eye exam, you will be provided with trial lenses to verify that the chosen contact lenses offer clear and comfortable vision. This will allow the eye doctor to make any fine adjustments to the prescription.

Contact Lens Eye Exam Near You

Wearing the correct contact lenses for your eyes allows you to enjoy all of the benefits of wearing contacts, while keeping your eyes healthy and comfortable. 

If you’re already a contact lens wearer, visit your eye doctor at least once a year to make sure the lenses are still providing you with optimum vision and comfort.

Contact Lowy & Sewell Eye Care in Concord to book your contact lens eye exam today!

3 Ways Diabetes Can Affect Your Vision and Eyes

Did you know that people with diabetes are 20 times more likely to get eye diseases than those without it? There are three major eye conditions that diabetics are at risk for developing: cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. To prevent these sight-threatening diseases, it’s important to control your blood sugar level and have your eyes checked at least once a year by an eye doctor.

But First, What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that is associated with high blood glucose levels. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps our cells get energy from the sugars we eat. Diabetes develops when the body doesn’t produce or respond to insulin effectively, leaving too much sugar in the blood stream instead. Over time, diabetes can lead to potentially irreversible ocular damage and poor eyesight. However, by taking care of your blood sugar levels and your eyes, you can prevent vision loss.

Annual eye exams are recommended for everyone, but routine screenings are even more important for diabetics. Eye doctors may send diabetic eye health reports to a patient’s primary care physician or internist to adjust medication as needed to prevent complications.

What’s the Link Between Vision and Diabetes?

Blurred vision or fluctuating eyesight clarity is often one of the first noticeable signs that diabetes has begun to affect your eyes. Sometimes, fluid leaking into the eye causes the lens to swell and change shape. This, in turn, makes it difficult for the eyes to focus, resulting in fuzzy vision. Such symptoms can indicate that an eye disease is developing, or may simply be due to imbalanced blood sugar levels which can be rectified by getting your blood sugar back to healthy levels.

If you start to notice blurry vision, make an appointment with Dr. Lowy as soon as possible.

The 3 Ways Diabetes Impacts Vision

Cataracts

While cataracts are extremely common and a part of the natural aging process, those with diabetes tend to develop cataracts earlier in life. Characterized by a clouding or fogging of the lens within the eye, cataracts impede light from entering the eye, causing blurred vision and glares. The best treatment is cataract surgery, which is very safe and effective.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma refers to a group of eye diseases characterized by optic nerve damage. Since it tends to impact peripheral vision first, glaucoma often goes unnoticed until significant damage has occurred. However, routine glaucoma screenings can detect warning signs; early treatment can prevent disease progression and vision loss.

Although there is no true cure for glaucoma, most glaucoma patients successfully manage it with special eye drops, medication, and on occasion, laser treatment or other surgery. The earlier glaucoma is diagnosed and managed, the better the outcome.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the small blood vessels on your retina (capillaries) become weakened and then balloon (microaneurysm) due to poorly controlled blood sugar levels. The resulting poor blood circulation in the back of the eye causes more abnormal blood vessels to grow, which also bleed or leak fluid, and can lead to scar tissue, retinal detachment and even blindness, over time.

Often there are no symptoms until the advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy, where patients may begin to see spots and missing patches in their vision. Retinopathy can be treated through surgery and eye injections, but the best way to prevent this disease from progressing is to regularly have your eyes screened.

The good news is that diabetic eye disease can often be prevented with early detection, proper management of your diabetes and regular diabetic eye exams. Contact Lowy & Sewell Eye Care in Concord to set up your eye doctor’s appointment today.

Why Does Your Eye Doctor Dilate Your Pupils for an Eye Exam?

If you’ve been following the guideline to have regular eye exams, then you’re probably familiar with having your pupils dilated. Why does your eye doctor do this?

By dilating your pupils, the eye doctor can get a better view of your inner eye structures – so the eye exam is more comprehensive and more detailed. While the back of your eye can be seen through an undilated pupil, it cannot be examined as fully.

A full evaluation of your macula, retina and optic nerve is possible through dilated pupils. In many common eye diseases, such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, these are the parts of the eye that exhibit signs of a problem. Also, health conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes can often be detected on these parts of the eye.

What happens when the eye doctor dilates your pupils?

Your eye doctor or a technician will insert eye drops into your eyes; it takes 20 – 30 minutes for them to take full effect. Then, your eye doctor will use a lighted microscope to inspect your eyes.

Initially, you may feel a slight stinging when the drops are first inserted, but the discomfort is typically minor and short-lived. For a few hours afterwards, your eyes will be extra-sensitive to light and vision may be slightly blurred. Wearing sunglasses can help manage this sensitivity. Dilation usually wears off within four to six hours.

Even though getting your pupils dilated for an eye exam may feel like a nuisance, it enables your eye doctor to check your ocular health and overall body health with much more accuracy. So the benefits are clear! Contact an expert eye doctor near you to schedule an eye exam.

At Lowy & Sewell Eye Care, we put your family’s needs first. Talk to us about how we can help you maintain healthy vision. Call us today: 905-738-6680 or book an appointment online to see one of our Concord eye doctors.

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Diabetes Awareness Month – Learn about Diabetic Eye Health in Concord

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, a time to learn more about diabetes of all types – type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.

Everyone knows the word “diabetes,” but can you define the condition? Diabetes is a disease characterized by higher than normal glucose levels in your blood. Blood glucose is what fuels your body, and it comes from the food you eat. When blood sugar flows through your bloodstream, insulin is needed to help it enter your body cells so it can be used for energy. However, if you have diabetes, your body may make insufficient insulin or not be able to use the insulin properly. As a result, all that sugar stays circulation in your blood – unable to be converted into energy.

Diabetes can be managed very well through diet, exercise, and taking medication. Without controlling diabetes by keeping blood sugar levels within the parameters recommended by your doctor, the high blood sugar can damage many organs – including your eyes. Staying healthy by following your personalized diabetes management plan and making sure to visit your eye doctor for regular eye exams, you can pave your path to good vision and eye health!

Diabetic eye health & diabetic eye disease

To state the facts – diabetes-related eye disease can lead to vision loss, but if you have diabetes, you can minimize your risk of developing diabetic eye disease. Taking charge of your health and visiting our Concord eye doctor for regular eye exams can help prevent these diseases from developing.

Diabetic eye disease comprises several ocular conditions:

  • Diabetic retinopathy – occurs when the small blood vessels in your retina bleed and leak
  • Macular edema – swelling that occurs along with retinopathy; it happens when the retinal blood vessels in the macula (central region of the retina) leak and lead to inflammation
  • Cataracts – a clouding of the lens in the eye, which can cause blurry vision
  • Glaucoma – increased intraocular pressure, which damages the optic nerve and can cause loss of peripheral vision

Diabetes eye exams

With regular check-ups by our Concord eye doctor, you can help prevent eye problems or keep the problems minor. One mistake that many people with diabetes make is to assume that a diabetes eye exam is only necessary if they notice any symptoms. This couldn’t be further from the truth! A comprehensive eye exam is the only reliable way to detect several eye conditions that can cause vision loss, such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts. Early detection of these problems can make the difference between effective, successful treatment and damage to your vision. During your dilated eye exam, the eye doctor will use high-powered magnification to inspect the inner tissues of your eye thoroughly, checking the retina for signs of diabetic retinopathy and checking the optic nerve for any damage.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines:

  • People with type 1 diabetes should have their first diabetic eye exam within the first five years
  • People with type 2 diabetes should visit their eye doctor for the first diabetic eye exam immediately after diagnosis. Type 2 diabetes can remain undetected for years, and vision damage can occur during this time.
  • Women with gestational diabetes should have an eye exam during the first trimester of pregnancy

After the first diabetic eye exam at Concord, our eye doctor advises all adults with diabetes to visit yearly for a comprehensive dilated eye exam.

At Lowy & Sewell Eye Care, we put your family’s needs first. Talk to us about how we can help you maintain healthy vision. Call us today: 905-738-6680 or book an appointment online to see one of our Concord eye doctors.

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Fall is Here! Do You Wish You Could See the Leaves Changing Colour?

We offer specialized glasses for colour blindness in Concord

As autumn pushes the year forwards, everyone oohs and ahs over the fiery tones of the changing fall leaves set against a vivid backdrop of summer greenery. But if you have colour blindness, whether you visit or live in a location with fall foliage, you probably suffer from a feeling of missing out. At Lowy & Sewell Eye Care, we understand – and we can help brighten your view of the world.

Despite the name, colour blindness has nothing to do with going blind. It is a vision condition, more appropriately called colour vision deficiency, in which the ability to discern colours is compromised. While colourblind individuals usually don’t see a stark black and white picture of the surrounding scenery, they do see colours differently from most people.

How do I know if I have colour blindness, and who gets it?

Colour blindness is not rare, affecting millions of people around the world. According to current statistics, about one in every 12 men in the United States is colorblind and one in every 200 women. (And yes, that is a possible reason why so many men ask for help when matching their tie to their shirt!)

Typically, colour blindness is inherited – so blame genetics if you can’t make out all the hues of the rainbow. Also, it can be present from birth, show up during childhood, or make a sudden appearance in adulthood. Other than genetics, colour blindness can also be due to chemical or physical damage to parts of the brain that process colour cues, to the eye itself, or to the optic nerve. As cataracts develop, they can also dim and dull your colour vision.

If you notice that colours don’t look distinct to you, a specialized eye exam using diagnostics to test uvision in our Concord eye care centre can diagnose this disorder. Contact us to book an appointment with our eye doctor.

What causes colour blindness?

You need to understand the basics of colour vision in order to understand the loss of this ability. Our Concord optometrist explains that your eyes and brain partner to see all the properties of light. When you see reflected light, you see colour – and the particular colour depends on how long the reflected wavelengths of light are. For example, a red rose is only red because it reflects the long wavelengths of red light, absorbing all others at the same time.

In order to see all of the light around you, your cornea and lens focus the wavelengths onto the retina at the back of your eye. There awaits millions of photoreceptors – called rods and cones – which are cells that are sensitive to light. The rods and cones contain photopigment molecules that absorb light, and this process triggers electrical signals to be conveyed from the retina to the brain.

Rods respond more powerfully to dim light, and cones react more forcefully to bright light. Also, cones contain one of three different photopigments, making them sensitive to red, green, and blue light wavelengths. That means in order to see all the hues that are out there, you need all your cones to function fully and properly. When there is a defect in the genes that produce your photopigments, congenital colour blindness results.

Is there only one kind of colour blindness?

No, there are three main types:

  1. Deuteranopia, most common, is a form of red-green colour blindness
  2. Protanopia is another form of red-green colour blindness that affects the ability to discern between blue and green and between red and green
  3. Tritanopia, also called blue-yellow colour blindness, causes people to get confused between blue and green or violet and yellow

What’s the treatment for colour blindness?

While there’s no magic bullet to cure all colour blindness, specialized lenses and advanced optics are now available to enhance your ability to precisely differentiate between colours. Called “colour blind glasses”, this eyewear is crafted with amazing technologies. Basically, the lenses have built-in, customized tints that filter out certain wavelengths of light – giving you a more accurate perception of the spectrum of colour tones.

We are always excited to see the reaction of patients who put on colour blind glasses for the first time in our Concord eye care clinic. Suddenly, traffic lights make sense and flowers bloom in more than one shade!

Ready to see not only the trees, but the vibrant red and green of the leaves too? Book a colour blindness eye exam and consultation with our experienced eye doctor at Lowy & Sewell Eye Care.

At Lowy & Sewell Eye Care, we put your family’s needs first. Talk to us about how we can help you maintain healthy vision. Call us today: 905-738-6680 or book an appointment online to see one of our Concord eye doctors.

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