At Blur Eyecare, we are a team of optometrists and dispensing opticians who know our stuff! We are able to diagnose and manage eye conditions and offer tailored solutions for your eye care needs. We offer eye tests at our Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Rotorua and Papamoa.
In a nutshell, an optometrist is a registered health professional that performs eye tests. An optometrist examines the eye and visual system in order to diagnose, treat and manage eye conditions.
Optometrists can prescribe glasses and/or contact lenses to correct a person’s sight. Therapeutic optometrists can also prescribe medications to treat a number of eye ailments.
If you have any concerns at all with your eyes, an optometrist should be your first point of call. Haidee, Stuart, Shannon and Lynn are our therapeutically qualified optometrists.
A dispensing optician is a registered professional that transforms a spectacle prescription into real life eye wear.
The most important aspect of a dispensers' role is the interpretation of your visual needs and the communication of all options available to you.
The role involves frame & lens selection and all after-purchase services such as repairs. Our dispensing opticians have a keen eye for matching frames to faces and especially enjoy the process of matching your visual needs to the perfect lens solution.
As no two people are the same, no two sets of eyes are the same. Like people, eyes can come in all shapes and sizes. This results in what is known as a 'refractive error' (a need for visual correction by way of glasses or contact lenses.)
In a myopic eye, the image is focused in front of the retina causing objects at a distance to appear blurred. Short sighted people may have difficulties with driving vision, seeing the TV or reading the board at school. In some cases, buying a bigger TV doesn't solve the problem and glasses are needed!
In a hyperopic eye, the image is focused behind the retina. People with hyperopia often experience eye strain and/or blurred vision during near tasks. In some cases, distance vision is also blurre.
Presbyopia is basically an 'old eye'.
With age, the crystalline lens loses its ability to focus or ‘accommodate’ which results in blurred vision at near. Arms aren’t quite long enough anymore? The culprit? Presbyopia. The main thing to realise is that everyone gets presbyopia and it is absolutely normal. Just remember: ‘three things in life that are inevitable are death, taxes and presbyopia’.
Astigmatism is not a disease!
In an eye with astigmatism, the cornea or crystalline lens is toric in shape – i.e. more like a rugby ball than a soccer ball. Astigmatism can occur with myopia, hyperopia or presbyopia. Most people have a little bit of astigmatism.
At Blur Eyecare, ensuring you have the best possible vision throughout your life is what we are all about. Many sight threatening eye diseases are symptom free, so we recommend an eye test every 2 years. As it is sensible to visit your GP for a check up for blood pressure and cholesterol even if you are symptom free, it is also important for regular eye tests even if there are no apparent problems. Having an eye test is something that you should do on a regular basis, especially as you get older. Come in and have an eye exam today. You can book online or give us a call.
Even if you are experiencing no problems with your eyes or vision, a regular eye test can provide genuine insight into your overall health. Recent studies suggest that in the coming years retinal photography will be a better indicator for hypertension (high blood pressure) compared to even taking one’s blood pressure! An eye exam is important to address any visual issues, but it is also important from a health point of view. Therapeutic optometrists are even better equipped than your GP for any eye problems at all, including; red, sore, infected, itchy eyes or any form of eye discharge.
At the end of the exam we will discuss the results with you and any management options/treatment plans.