Dry eye disease is very common in Canada, especially in the higher prairies and mountainous provinces. It is so prevalent that it is estimated that one out of every three Canadians experience some degree of dry eyes. Many of these occurrences can be easily treated with over the counter eye drops, however there are some […]
Vision Health Concerns
Allergies
While many common allergies have people searching for treatments for skin rashes or nasal congestion, allergies can also affect the eyes in a multitude of ways. Red, itching eyes and swollen eyelids are the most common effects of allergies on the eyes, and rarely if ever pose a threat to vision apart from mild blurriness, […]
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Behind glaucoma and cataracts, AMD, or Age-related Macular Degeneration is one of the major causes of vision loss for Canadians over the age of 65. The macula itself is a small portion of your retina that handles the “straight ahead” portion of vision by using a tight group of cone-shaped that absorb light along their […]
Cataracts
Over 2.5 million Canadians suffer from cataracts in some form, including full vision loss (blackout blindness). Along with glaucoma, it is one of the primary, preventable causes of blindness in North America. As the eye ages, the lens at the front of the eye in the cornea begins to break down and harden. As the […]
Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
Conjunctivitis is the term for an eye condition where the conjunctiva, a thin, clear layer covering the white of the eye as well as the inside of the eyelid, becomes inflamed or infected. This condition can be caused by a wide range of viruses, bacteria, or irritants. The most common cause of red eye is […]
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a serious eye condition that can lead to blindness or vision loss of varying degrees, and is one of the most common, preventable causes of blindness in Canadians. In fact, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, following only behind cataracts. It occurs when fluid inside the eye builds up – […]
Eye Floaters & Flashes
Floaters Eye floaters are those tiny spots, flecks, or dots that drift aimlessly around in your vision, seemingly out of nowhere. While sometimes annoying, most often these eye floaters are not cause for alarm. Floaters occur when the gel that forms the flexible center of the eye, known as the vitreous, begins to age, small […]
Diabetic Eye Disease
Diabetes is a condition that affects up to 2 million Canadians over the age of 12 according to a Statistics Canada report issued in 2010. While the more common effects of diabetes are relatively well known, such as low insulin production and adverse conditions caused by high blood sugar, what is less commonly known is […]