Uvetis

Uvetis is inflammation of the uveal tract (choroid, iris etc...). It is relatively common in the western world, with 15 new cases per 100,000 per year.

The most common form of Uvetis is Acute Anterior Uvetis, and symptoms often include a painful red eye and photophobia.

Uvetis can be acute, recurrent or chronic.

There are 3 different types of Uvetis, anterior, intermediate and posterior uvetis.

There are a number of different risk factors such as HLA-B27 (human leukocytic antigen), age, race, previous ocular history, previous medical history, and medications.

There are a number of different causes for uvetis, some cases are associated with infections others with auto-immune disorders and some are just idiopathic (no cause can be found)

The quicker it is treatment is started the better. Most patients are treated with steroids and mydriatics (dilates the pupil).

Ski season.

Heading out on the Ski slopes this winter?

If you are and you’re a contact lens wearer, do you contact lenses have a U.V filter? Many modern contact lens materials incorporate U.V protection. Do you have a good pair of polarised sunglasses or ski goggles for the slopes to help with the glare and to protect your eyes from U.V?

U.V protection is really important at high altitude and when on highly reflective surfaces like snow.

U.V plays a big role in a number of eye conditions such as pterygium, cataracts and even macula degeneration.

Good quality sunglasses or ski goggles are vital in protecting your eyes from U.V damage.

And its even more important that kids have good U.V protection when skiing because they have large pupils and clear crystalline lenses, which means even more U.V reaches their retina.

For more information on which contact lenses incorporate U.V protection or advice on ski goggles/sunglasses please contact us.

Christmas time....

Christmas is just around the corner and lots of us are thinking about that one tradition of exchanging gifts.  If you're stuck for ideas we've got plenty to inspire you, we stock a wide range of accessories such as spectacle cases, cleaning kits, cloths, sprays, sports bands and magnifiers.

If you're looking for something special to give we have sunspecs by Maui Jim, Rayban and Oakley, we can even supply a gift voucher to any value you wish that can be used to purchase any of our products and services.  

Pop in and see what we have to fill those stockings!

Cataracts

The vast majority of cataracts that we see are Age Related.  Over time the lens in your eye changes because of UV light from the sun. Much like UV light can effect your skin,  it can make your lens go cloudy, a bit like fogging up a window.  This makes it difficult to see out.

What symptoms will I get?

For many years you may not notice any difference to your vision.  Your optometrist will detect cataracts up by watching the changing appearance of the lens in your eye, they may also detect a changing glasses prescription.

• Bright lights and headlights may produce glare and be quite dazzling.
• Eventually you will notice cloudy or blurry vision- things you once saw clearly may feel out of focus. 

Who may be more prone to cataracts?

• Diabetics
• Anyone with skin conditions such as Atopic Dermatitis / Eczema
• People who have suffered from ocular inflammation (Uveitis) and been treated with steroid eye drops
• Very short sighted prescriptions (-10.00D or more)

What can be done about them?

Cataracts will only be treated when they affect your vision and you get symptoms of reduced blurry vision.  For a lot of people this is a long time after they were first diagnosed with cataracts.

Cataract removal is a very common usually straight forward procedure.  It does not require an over night stay at hospital, you can be in and out in the same afternoon!

The surgeon will remove your own cloudy lens and replace it with a clear man- made lens.  This has the same effect as cleaning a dirty window, more light will get through to allow a clearer brighter image for you.

*Remember not all blurry vision is caused by cataracts so we always recommend having an eye test if you are experiencing symptoms of blurry vision.

Festive season.

With the festive season fast approaching, many of us have started thinking about planning our party outfits – in some cases some of us have already started shopping for them! But how many of us have thought about how our glasses would go with that gorgeous new frock? Every thought about contact lenses? There are loads of options now available, and daily disposables are ideal for the festive season – especially given you can just throw them away at the end of an evening. And if you’ve tried them before and never gotten on with them, what about giving them another go?

Ted Baker

The Ted Baker Eyewear collection reflects the brand's distinctive and unconventional approach to fashion, and appeals to style-conscious men and women who trust Ted to deliver something out of the ordinary.

In all 3 of our practices we now have a whole new range of

TED BAKER LONDON.

They are a great range with a lovely mixture of metal and acetate frames, in all sorts of colours. We have a teenage range too, with some smaller sized frames ideal for the younger and smaller out there.

This range is also brilliant value as the prices all include our single vision lenses. The junior range are all £125.00 for frame and lenses, and the adult range £150.00.

Do you know anybody who has learning difficulties or difficulty paying attention in class?

In some cases, this may be caused by stress on the visual system. To help in understanding some of the visual skills required for school work, think about the classroom environment. The visual skills required in a classroom setting are numerous and include:

Distance vision – being able to see the board

Near vision – being able to see the words in a book

Focussing flexibility – being able to maintain clear vision while shifting focus from a distant object to a near one

Tracking/eye movement skills – being able to aim both eyes accurately and move smoothly across a line of print or from object to object with ease

Eye teaming – being able to coordinate the two eyes together so that they are precisely directed at the same object at the same time

Eye focusing – maintaining, for long periods of time, completely clear vision whilst looking at near or distant objects

All of these things can be assessed by an optometrist during a thorough eye examination.

Help may be provided in the form of prescribed spectacles or exercises. Beyond this, we are also able to offer assessments to determine whether coloured overlays are helpful – these are sometimes found to be beneficial for people with dyslexia.

Autumn has arrived

As the clocks go back this weekend and we head closer and closer towards winter. A lot of our minds are turning to thoughts of central heating and big woolley jumpers.But how many of us have thought about how our eyes are going to be affected by the change in the seasons.

How many of us with dry eyes suffer more during the winter when the central heating goes back on, I certainly know my dry eye is worse during the winter. Have you thought about what eye drops you're going to use to combat those dry eye symptoms this winter?

What about that low winter sun that catches you right in the eyes when you're trying to drive during the winter. Have you got your sunglasses in the glove compartment?

And how is irritating is it when you have so much rain on your glasses that you can't really see and then you head indoors and they steam up!

Ever thought of contact lenses?

If you want to know more, come and consult our experts.

Blepharitis

More simply described as an inflammation of the eyelids, this condition afflicts many of us.

We know that it can be caused by a chronic infection of the eye lashes and it is more common if you have seborrhoeic (greasy) skin and a less than thorough hygiene routine.

Sometimes it is an acute condition that lasts for a few weeks, others have it continuously with variations in severity over time.

Signs and Symptoms

Flaky debris along eyelashes

Red eyelids

Gritty eyes

Crusty lids especially on waking

Management

Management is key! Depending on the cause of your blepharitis most of the signs and symptoms reduce greatly with some simple steps.

Lid Hygiene

This was historically done with a weak solution of bicarbonate of soda with water, or baby shampoo and water rubbed along lids with a cotton bud to physically remove flakes and debris.

Luckily these days things have moved on with leaps and bounds- there are a wide selection of products designed to comfortably remove the flakes and help heal the skin around your eyes too. These usually come in solution applied with a cotton pad or in handy pre-made wipes.

Take a look at a few of our favourites:

( http://www.spectrum-thea.co.uk/Apps/Content/HTML/ViewContent.aspx?fid=5 )

Hot Compresses

Again back in the dark ages this was commonly done with a flannel dipped in hot water then applied along eyelids to encourage the glands along the lid edges to open up and release their protective oils.

These days some clever doctors have come up with a handy bag, filled with flax seed, that can be placed in the microwave and heated to a set temperature. ( http://www.eyebagcompany.com/ )

It has the same aim as the hot flannel – to open up the glands along your eyelids and encourage them to release these protective oils BUT the the Eyebag achieves this quickly and conveniently. It stays at the same temperature for a longer time, meaning your little glands receive a consistent heat for a more predictable length of time.

Air Pro-optic

  So Light, so comfortable

At Lynne Fernandes Optometrists we have stocked Air pro-optic frames for the last seven years. They are light and comfortable, reliable and simplistic. They are made from surgical steel and are therefore allergy free. Giving an uncompromising quality.

The designs offer deeper shapes for varifocals and bifocals and minimal temples for a rimless or very light semi rimless look. Softer shapes and angular frames are available to compliment each individual wearer.

Along with their timeless styles, delicate pastel shades and fresh colours concept for a woman and offer refined distinction with timeless colour tones for the man.

At Lynne Fernandes Optometrists we can help you choose your new look and will help you find a frame shape and colour that will suit your style.

Air Pro-optic

Back to School.........

The Eyecare Trust warns that as many as one-in-five school aged children has a vision problem that could interfere with their ability to learn - good vision during a child's early years is vital as visual learning accounts for 80 per cent of the learning process.

Children's eye examinations are free (paid for by the NHS – all the parent needs to do is sign a form in the practice when arriving for an appointment) for all children up to the age of 16 and up to the age of 19 if they are in full-time education. Annual examinations are recommended in most cases.

For all children, we carry out a thorough eye examination which checks for long-sightedness, short-sightedness, astigmatism, eye co-ordination, eye focussing ability and eye muscle function as well as assessing the overall health of the eyes.

Now, as they settle back into school, is a good time to get their eyes checked.

Sport

When it comes to sports and leisure activities, have you considered your choice of vision correction?  Whether you're a weekender or a serious competitor at Lynne Fernandes Optometrists our eye care professionals can help you achieve more from your game.  For some, contact lenses may be an ideal and obvious choice particularly for contact sports or just convenience and practicality - how annoying is rain on your specs! We can also provide a selection of eyewear for a range of activities for adults and children that fulfil your visual requirements and meets the necessary safety standards to give you full protection too.  So, whether it’s just a simple sports band to hold your specs in place or a prescription goggle for swimming, come and talk to us about the best solution to your sporting eyewear needs.

What is Dry Eye?

Dry eye is a condition that affects many of us, the NHS think that between 17-30% of us will suffer its symptoms in our lifetime.

There are two main reasons why we get dry eye:

            1.  Eyes that do not make enough tears

            2.  Tears that evaporate too quickly

However there are many different causes, for example:

• The natural aging process
• Eyelid abnormalities or blinking problems
• Many common drugs e.g 'water tablets' and beta blockers
• Contact lens wear
• Environmental factors e.g smoky atmosphere or air conditioning

Here at Lynne Fernandes Optometrists we realise that Dry Eyes and all the symptoms that go along with them, can cause much discomfort.  So, we decided to set up a dedicated Dry Eye Clinic.

During these appointments we will try to understand what is causing your dry eye through make a detailed assessment of the health of the front surface of your eyes and the quality and quantity of your tears.

Although Dry Eyes cannot usually be cured, we will be able to offer you treatment and advice to help manage and reduce your symptoms.

Contact Lenses

This is the last week before the kids head back to school and the last chance to organise all the back to school things like eye examinations. But have you thought about the positve changes contact lenses could make to your child's life whether its through improved perfomance at sport or just the freedom from glasses.

Age isn't a barrier with children as young as 7 or 8 years old are being fitted. Contact lenses are safer and more flexible than ever. There are lots of different options from daily disposables to re-usuables (monthlies).

We know from studies that children and teenagers experience improved quality of life wearing contact lenses.

Every contact lens assessment is tailored to the child and as independent optometrists we can offer a wide range of contact lens options. We will recommend the best contact lens for your child's eye health, education and quality of life.

We are currently running a free contact lens trial for children for more information contact one of our practices.

Lynne Fernandes Optometrists, 75 Gloucester rd, Bristol, BS8 7AS. Tel no. 0117 942 6843.

Lynne Fernandes Optometrists, 63 High street, Nailsea, BS48 1AW Tel no. 01275 854946

Lynne Fernandes Optometrists, 182a Wells rd, Bristol, BS4 2AL, Tel no. 0117 977 6330

Ted Baker frames

We are really excited to introduce a stylish new range to our practices. Ted Baker began in 1988 as a shirt specialist in Glasgow, and is now a global brand, producing high quality product with  a distintive look and irreverent sense of humour. We are really pleased to be able to offer these frames  to our younger patients, giving the under 19's a designer option which we can offer to them at half price. They are also great for those who want stylish frames but need a smaller size – even at full price they offer excellent value for a designer range. They include a mix of plastic and metal frames, with bold colours, fashionable styling and the Ted Baker logo on the temple.

Oakley

Oakley is one of the biggest selling sports brands. It separates itself from other sports brands such as Nike and Adidas as their product design is about lifestyle and leading optical technology. Oakley has worked hard to ignite imagination through its blend of science and art to make spectacles that appeal to all. It was founded in 1975 by Jim Jannrd, who's first product was motorcycle hand grips, to date Jim has combined motorcyle grip material, 'obtaintium' to his sunglasses, which are designed to absorb perspiration and grip the head securely.

Oakley has also matched excellent quality frames with their lenses in which they have a catalogue to choose from to suit your need whether it is cycling, skiing or everyday wear.

Their lenses are made from Plutonite which is a form of olycarbonate lens but thinner, lighter and visually better. Oakley have designed their lenses to give you the best clarity of vision (centrally and peripherally).

Why not come and have a look at our range of Oakleys and consult our Oakley specialists Robyn and Emma.

Designer frame summer sale starts TODAY

Designer frame summer sale starts TODAY.

Designer frames and sunglasses from £69.00.

We have Versace, Prada, D+G, Vogue frames with up to £20off. Some lovely Kenzo (designer) frames with up £100 off. Polo frames also have £10 off.

ByWP

ByWP - We get quite excited about innovative frame design! Our new range of stainless steel styles are so ingeniously understated, without pins or screws to lose!  We love the subtle colours available in satin or gloss finishes, the classic shapes will suit every face and skin tone.  Ultimately comfortable to wear with soft silicon nose pads, very lightweight indeed. Whether you're looking for a style that is fashionable, functional or both, these frames tick all the right boxes!

LaFont

Lafont – We have a fantastic new range this year, which are handmade in Paris!

This ranges offers a sophisticated style with beautiful shapes and colours, which are totally different from traditional designs. Many of the stunning plastic frames have been manufactured using a laminating technique to give the unusual effect of two-tone colour! Whether you fancy a Leopard print design or a more subtle tortoiseshell colour there is a design for everyone!

Our business manager Kerri wears the Audace Model, it has beautiful lazer cut sides – Look out for her!

June was National Glaucoma month. Glaucoma is a condition that most people have heard have but don’t necessarily know that much about.

Glaucoma is the name given to a group of conditions in which the optic nerve suffers damage at the back of the eye. Definitions vary internationally: in the UK this damage is defined as Glaucoma when it causes a characteristic peripheral visual loss. It is often, but not always associated with raised pressure inside the eye.
Without treatment, the loss of vision usually gets worse over the course of many months or several years. The loss of vision in glaucoma is permanent, but with early treatment, the damage to vision can be minimised.
Most patients with glaucoma are not aware of problems with their vision. This is because the central vision (for reading and recognising people) is only affected when glaucoma has advanced to a late stage.
For most glaucoma patients, the main effect of the condition is the inconvenience of taking eye drops.

Even when central vision is still good, glaucoma may affect the vision needed for driving and getting about. Blindness from glaucoma is rare. If blindness does occur, it is usually because the glaucoma is already advanced when it is first diagnosed, because the eye pressure has not responded well to treatment or because patients have not taken their drops regularly.
At Lynne Fernandes Optometrists we can conduct different levels of assessment. A routine eye examination will pick up Glaucoma through 3 main screening techniques.

1. Measuring intraocular pressure
2. Assessing visual fields
3. Assessing the optic nerve

We also offer more detailed assessments under our EyeSense scheme. These will pick up smaller changes meaning Glaucoma may be diagnosed earlier. This is obviously a good idea.
Also many of our patients who are treated for Glaucoma by the NHS use EyeSense as a safety net to allow for possible variability in NHS follow up appointment delays.
What are the different types of glaucoma?
Adult glaucoma falls into two categories – open angle glaucoma and closed angle glaucoma. These categories are subdivided, according to whether the cause is unknown (primary glaucoma) or known i.e. the high eye pressure is caused by other conditions of the eye (secondary glaucoma).

Fire last saturday

Its lovely to be back in the practice today after all the drama on saturday. We're all still in shock over the fire last saturday, it all happened so fast and was so dramatic. I was based in the Well's practice and was shocked to hear all the tales from the gloucester road team. It seems everything was normal one moment and the next there was thick black smoke bellowing up gloucester road. Over safety concerns the practice had to be evacuated which mean't we had to close the practice for the rest of the day on saturday. Happily we're back to normal today (normal opening hours).

National Eye Health Week

This week is National Eye Health week. Vision is one of our most vital senses and one that we fear losing the most yet very few people realise the importance of regular sight tests. Sight tests are not just about prescribing glasses anymore they are vital health checks as well. It is essential to pick up any problems as early as possible as it is often easier to manage in the early stages.

 It is important for everyone to have a sight test at least every 2 years but it is even more important if you are:

-         under 18yrs old

-         over 60yrs old

-         diabetic

-         family history of glaucoma

-         someone with a learning disability.

The national screening committee recommends that all children should have a sight test at age 4-5yrs to assess their vision and future requirements.

You should always visit your optician if you have any concerns about your vision at any stage.

If you’re not able to go to the opticians due to a physical or mental illness they can come to you.

Some people are entitled to help from the NHS towards their sight test and cost of spectacles. For further information look at http://www.nhs.co.uk/.

Grand re-opening of Lynne Fernandes, Gloucester road.

Saturday May 7 was buzzing.
Our Gloucester Road practice held an open day to celebrate it's new look and it's gorgeous new collection of frames.
We had over 500 people visit and enter 3 competitions....and the response to the new look was fantastic
Roger Owen the original optometrist, also popped in. Actually he was so excited and proud of the way the practice has been developed he stayed all afternoon exuding his well loved charm and reminiscing with long standing patients.
Gerard Fernandes, director said: " It's a delight to be able to show off our teams hard work to the local community. We're positive Lynne Fernandes Optometrists will continue to the place for eye care on the Gloucester Road and today will show our community how we will find and display spectacle designs that are as unique as our amazing Gloucester Road community"

Grand re-opening

Grand re-opening of Lynne Fernandes Optometrists, Gloucester road this saturday (7.5.2011). Come along and see the beautiful new store. Food and drink available on the day.
Goody bags for everyone who books an appointment or purchases a pair specs on the day. There will be a raffle on the hour and at the end of the day with the chance to win a pair of designer sunnies. There will also be a number of other competitions running throughout the day. For anyone who orders a pair of spectacles they will receive 10% off their purchase.

THE BIG FIT!

THE BIG FIT is happening tomorrow in our practice on gloucester road. Every thought about wearing contact lenses but not sure if you would get on with them well now is your chance. Come along to our practice on gloucester road tomorrow and give them a try. We are open from 9am to 4.30pm.

Sun protection for young eyes

Research conducted over the last 30yrs has shown that many serious eye conditions associated with aging are in part a result of cumulative exposure to UV over a lifetime. Children are especially at risk because of the time the spend outdoors, large pupils, and a clear crystalline lens. For example 75% of UV is transmitted through the crystalline lens of a child under 10, but only 10% is transmitted by the crystalline lens of someone older than 25yrs.

We always ensure that children wear adequate sunscreen but few children wear sunglasses to protect their eyes as the risks of ocular damage from UV has not been as adequately communicated.

What you can do to help protect your child from the sun:

• Never let them look directly at the sun
• Always wear good quality sunglasses that are marked with CE or BS EN1836:2005. We have a number of suitable sunglasses in the practice suitable for young children and teenagers.
• UV has been implicated in a number of eye conditions later in life such macula degeneration, pinguecula, pterygium and development of cataracts.
• It is important to make sure your children wear their sunglasses both during the summer and the winter.

The wearing of sunglasses is especially important will children are involved in water and snow sports because of the increased exposure to UV.

March

Its almost a whole week since we had lots of little people coming to explore our lovely new practice on Gloucester road. And just like the last time the most exciting area was the instore lab which the kids found absolutely fascinating - seeing how glasses are made. Its reassuring to see that over half the kids have had sight tests but it also shows we have a way to go to ensure that all children have a sight test before they even start school and continue to have one every 1-2yrs. It was also interesting to see that about 2/3 of the children wear sunglasses, so parents are becoming more aware of the damage that sun can do to young eyes.

We can't believe its almost a month since the lovely new Gloucester road practice re-opened, it looks so lovely and bright now.

When one door closes, another opens....

A picture of our lovely shop on Gloucester road, empty and ready to be refurbished.

We've relocated across the road for the duration of the re-fit, hopefully you've been able to find us there.

Our first day back is the 28th of February so do pop in and have a look.  We are also planning a bigger opening event in early March that is not to be missed!

temporary new home

Lots of changes are set to happen over the next few weeks as the gloucester road practice is refreshed. Yesterday saw us relocating - not that far away- to across the street. We've brought all our lovely frames and sunglasses with us - so its a home away from home. And we can still spy across the road at all the wonderful changes that are being made.

school visit

Yesterday, saw lots of 'little people' in the Gloucester road pratice as we had some kids from a local school come and visit us. They were very enthusiastic...and we thoroughly enjoyed having them visit.

Gloucester road

Yesterday was an eventful day in the gloucester road practice - there were some tears as we waved goodbye to our old reception desk (its going to a good home)....with even more changes set to happen over the next few weeks.