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An American study claims that Rigid Gas Permeable lenses may slow childhood myopia by nearly 30 per cent (published December 2004 in ‘Archives of Ophthalmology). The researchers from Ohio State University evaluated 116 children between the ages of 8 and 11 years old over a 3 year period, half of them wearing RGP lenses and the rest wore soft disposable lenses. Research into occlusion therapy (patching) at City University has revealed that children only wear the patch for less than half the time for which it was prescribed. The treatment is used to improve amblyopia (lazy eye) and must now take into account this lack of cooperation! A new American study (New England Journal of Medicine, 30-12-04)shows that the drug Macugen is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Macugen is the first in a new class of ophthalmic drugs known as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors and is currently being evaluated by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA). Macugen reduced the risk of progression to legal blindness in the treated eye by half at the end of one year, and the treatment may become available in Europe in 2005/6. A Blackburn optometrist, Peter Worden, has saved a treasure trove of 800 films from the early 1900s from being destroyed. The 26 hours of black and white film show unique footage of early 20th century life in Britain and were made by Sagar Mitchell and James Kenyon, and have been donated to the British Film Institute (www.bfi.org.uk/collections). Three one-hour films were shown in January which made compulsive viewing. Scientists at the University of Liverpool, funded by Alder Hey Hospital, are developing new sight tests to assess how useful, or not, 3D vision is to everyday life and this may have an impact on the current treatment for strabismus (squint). World blindness levels are falling according to the latest official statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Compared to 1994, the number of blindness cases in 2002 has fallen by 8 million to 37 million and 124 million had low vision. More than 82% of all blind people are aged 50 or older, and there are 1.4 million blind children below the age of 15. More than 90% of the world’s visually impaired live in developing countries, and cataract remains the leading cause of blindness.
Private and NHS eye Examinations Whether
you pay privately for your eye examination or are eligible for an NHS
examination, you will receive the same high standard of care. Not
only will your eye examination ensure that your spectacle/contact lens
prescription is up to date, but also the health of your eyes will be
thoroughly checked. Conditions such as
glaucoma,
cataracts,
diabetes and
macular degeneration can be
detected. So regular checks are vital, even for those who don’t need to
wear spectacles! Large
numbers of people who are entitled to free or subsidised tests or
spectacles are not claiming them. Check with the list of eligible groups
below and see if you are entitled to any help.
-Children under 16, or
under 19 if in full-time education
-All people aged 60 or
over
-People on certain
benefits (eg WFTC or JSA)
-Those with an HC2
certificate
-Diabetics
-Glaucoma sufferers and
certain close relatives
-The blind and partially
sighted
-People entitled to
NHS complex lens vouchers If you are not sure of your entitlement, then collect form HC1 from Pinder's Optometrists.
Children’s eyecare and eyeware
Regular eye examinations through childhood and teens (a crucial period of development) can pick up problems, which may result in long-term difficulties if left uncorrected. Remember, a lazy eye by the age of 8 is a lazy eye for life!
We enjoy testing children and try to make it fun for them so that they are encouraged to return time and time again. Young children generally don’t complain about their eyes because they don’t know what their vision should be like, and so parents may never know that there is a problem until it’s too late. In September 04 we launched the ‘C 2 Learn’ initiative involving all the local schools to encourage children to have their eyes tested. 7 out of 10 parents are neglecting their children’s vision, and 1 in 5 children has an undetected eye problem! This is the finding highlighted by the ‘Eyecare Trust’ during National Eye Week (6-12 September 04) along with the decline of vision screening in schools nationally. We at Pinder’s Optometrists wish to emphasise the importance of children’s eyecare in their social and educational development and encourage children to wear spectacles if required. Approximately 80% of a child’s learning occurs visually. Undetected vision problems in children can be a major cause of learning difficulties, and conditions such as squint or amblyopia (lazy eye!) can lead to lifelong problems including possible employment restrictions. Children with dyslexia should always have a thorough eye examination as part of their management. Eye tests for children are FREE on the NHS and ideally should be carried out once a year from the age of three; there is no financial barrier to children’s eyecare. If spectacles are needed, it is very important that children feel comfortable wearing them, otherwise they won’t use them when they should. So you’ll find our practices keep a wide range of attractive frames, designed to appeal to children of all ages. They’re also competitively priced, starting with a free range , and look great on young eyes.
The staff at Pinder’s encourage children to think ‘specs are cool!’ and if better frames are bought, we will donate 5-10% of the purchase price to that child’s primary school. Such donations will be totalled up at the end of each term, beginning Winter 2004, and sent to the relevant primary / nursery schools. Finally, we are committed to excellence in eyecare for all the community and look forward to the ‘C 2 Learn’ initiative being of benefit to both children and their schools. Pinder’s are indebted to High Oakham Primary School for the competition to design the poster above.
For those who are housebound, Pinder’s offer a domiciliary service from all of our practices. Simply contact your nearest practice who will then make all the arrangements.
 Even
when we are fully booked, Pinder’s Eyecare has a policy of seeing
emergency appointments on the same day, and/or directing you to the
appropriate medical professionals. If you have an eye-related problem,
contact your nearest practice
immediately, who will help you decide which course of action to take.
Ocular Emergencies
Frames
and spectacle lenses
Innovative frame designs and new frame materials are resulting in today’s eyewear being not only functional, but also comfortable and fashionable. This is reflected in our wide range of frames, including designer names from Armani to Versace. Most of us choose a frame to achieve a look that expresses who we are, or would like to be, whether it be sexy, intelligent, glamorous or even anonymous. At Pinder’s, you can feel free to try on a variety of styles, from bold plastic designs to minimalist metal frames. Modern lightweight materials like Titanium lend themselves to rimless or semi-rimless construction, and can look supremely elegant with understated side arms.
The move back to larger, colourful acetate frames and the inclusion of diamanté as in some Dolce & Gabbana eyewear and Swarovski crystal as in Versace frames has taken the designer market by storm with glamour and glitz. The new designs are big, busy, bling….!
As independent opticians, we are free to select the best frames from any manufacturer. We take great pride in searching for the best in style, quality, and value for money so that you are absolutely thrilled with your new spectacles or sunglasses…..after all, we want other people to know that you came to Pinder’s!
Lower picture illustrates benefits of A/R coated lens
As independent opticians, we are able to select the best lenses and lens manufacturers, for example Zeiss, Nikon and Essilor. www.varilux.co.uk In 1991, Pinder’s became a Carl Zeiss Optical Lens centre. Zeiss has a long history of manufacturing high quality optical products, producing not only spectacle lenses, but also lenses for medical equipment, microscopes and binoculars. The Zeiss product range can be seen at www.zeiss.co.uk The recent introduction of specialist ophthalmic lenses that give a much improved performance when reading and using the computer now means that all office workers can benefit from more comfortable vision with fewer episodes of eyestrain or headaches. We specialise in the use of the Zeiss business lens and the Nikon ‘Online’ lens.
Varifocal lenses for our ‘mature’ clients come in such a large range of designs that it is not unusual for a client to have different makes of varifocal lenses for different purposes, making use of the different characteristics of these lenses to their best advantage. The skill of our qualified Dispensing Opticians is essential when such advice is required….just ask! Multi-anti-reflection (MAR) coated lenses can improve the appearance and your standard of vision through the spectacles, provided good quality manufacturers are used and the lenses are looked after properly. Always clean the lenses with a quality solution such as our own Pinder’s solution or other recommended brand and use a clean micofibre cloth (also available at all our branches). You will be thrilled with their performance.
CORNING
GLARE CONTROL LENSES These lenses are also photochromic, automatically darkening to give extra comfort and protection when outdoors, and then lighten indoors. They are particularly durable and scratch resistant as they are made of glass, and are available in five different filter levels:
A light yellow/orange coloured lens which can be used indoors for reading and television viewing and also helps with fluorescent lighting in stores, particularly useful in optic atrophy and albinism.
A medium range filter with moderate blue light protection but allowing longer wavelengths of lower energy light to pass through. Often helpful in cases of cataract, macular degeneration, glaucoma and optic atrophy.
A slightly bolder orange colour that darkens to brown in sunlight, giving extra comfort and reduced glare in such conditions as diabetic retinopathy, photophobia and retinitis pigmentosa.
This deeper orange-red lens darkens to a deep brown outdoors and is beneficial in cases of intense light sensitivity and poor dark adaptation such as in retinitis pigmentosa and albinism.
Specifically for outdoor use giving extra comfort with minimal colour distortion when other tints fail.
Sunglasses are not just about having a dark lens! They should protect the eyes from potentially damaging strong sunlight. Light from the ‘visible’ end of the sun’s radiation is blocked simply by having a darkened lens, but the harmful UV rays will still pass through, with the potential of causing damage to the internal structures of the eye. The answer is to have a UV filter to block these harmful rays, and so all sunspecs purchased from Pinder’s have a full UV absorber. Pinder’s specialise in the Zeiss Skylet range of superb quality ‘contrast filters’ from Zeiss that not only give a sunglass effect by reducing the light intensity but actually improve the vision with contrast enhancement for optimal vision and comfort.
Zeiss ProGolf 750 tint The ‘Skylet Road’ lens is perhaps the most comfortable driving sunglass lens available, especially when combined with the MAR coating, as it enhances the appearance of the traffic signal colours and break lights whilst muting the blue end of the spectrum to eliminate ‘haze’ in the distance. The ‘Skylet Fun’ lens is a less intense depth of tint for more general use. The ‘Skylet Sport’ lens is a more darkly tinted version of the lens for serious outdoor types. The ‘Skypol’ lens is a combination of the Skylet orange/brown contrast enhancing tint with a polarising element for the ultimate in sailing or driving comfort. The ‘ProGolf’’ lens is so good it just may be able to make an impact on your handicap! If you are tired of having to swap between your every-day glasses and sunglasses, have you considered Photochromics? Photochromic lenses are triggered by UV light, to darken when outdoors. The latest generation lenses (Transitions V) have the fastest reaction times ever. We generally stock a range of superb designer sunglasses from Armani to Versace, so please call in to try them. Also, we have the large range of Royal Pavillion and Dakota sunspecs heavily discounted, all of which are available with your prescription incorporated into the lens. Visit one of our practices to see our full range….we want to help!
SPORTS VISION
We can also fit high performance contact lenses to help improve your enjoyment and performance in your chosen sport. So whether you enjoy water sports, racket sports or martial arts (to name just a few!), visit Pinder’s eyecare to discuss the options available to you….we want to help!
SAFETY & VDU SPECS
If you’ve thought about wearing contact lenses, but somehow never got round to it, then here’s good news. Contact lenses have changed significantly in recent years thanks to new designs and materials, making them much more comfortable, indeed very comfortable. Fitted properly & handled correctly contacts are totally healthy to wear. There are contact lenses available to suit virtually every eye Contact lenses offer you many advantages. Unlike glasses they don’t steam up, slide down your nose, or get in the way when you play sports. Many people also feel they look better by wearing contact lenses and have greater freedom. Many people prefer to buy their lenses by direct debit, to evenly spread the cost of lenses and solutions, and many lenses are now available via a postal service for your convenience.
We specialise in contact lenses, and fit a wide range of designs and materials, with different wear modalities; to best suit your actual eyes and also your needs. We take great care to help you choose the best lens for you, teach you how to handle them & with regular after care, give you healthy wear. SOFT- Made from pliable materials, which make them extremely comfortable and easy to adapt to. They contain up to 80% water. Special toric-shaped lenses can be used if your prescription contains astigmatism (due to the surface of your eye being more oval than round). The latest silicone-hydrogel soft lenses allow upto 5 times the amount of oxygen to reach the cornea (front of the eye) making them safer and easier to wear all day with fewer symptoms of dryness because they don’t need as much water (e.g. Acuvue Advance, Ciba Vision O2Optix).
RIGID GAS PERMEABLE (RGP) - Made from firmer plastics, they are easy to clean, very durable and give excellent vision. They are often prescribed for people who have higher degrees of astigmatism (oval-ness of the eyeball).
RGP lens MULTIFOCAL - At around 45 years of age, most people notice their near-vision deteriorating. Multifocal contact lenses are one way to correct this. UV FILTERS- These lenses block up to 90% of harmful UV rays thus protecting the eyes. COLOURED - Match your mood with changes to your natural eye colour. You see through a clear area in the centre of the lens, while the surrounding area can give a discreet colour change or a sensational fashion statement (www.wild-eyes.com).
DAILY WEAR- The lenses are worn daily, but taken out every night to be cleaned. They are put back in again the following morning. They are usually replaced every 2 weeks or monthly. DAILY DISPOSABLE- You wear them for a day and then throw them away, saving the need to clean & store them. These can be ideal for occasional use as well as for regular wear. EXTENDED WEAR- The very latest in lens material technology, they allow a high percentage of oxygen through to the eye. This allows the lenses to be worn constantly for up to 30 days without any compromise to ocular health and then replaced with a fresh pair.
Contact lenses are not for everyone. But with modern materials and designs, most people can now enjoy the freedom of clear and comfortable vision without glasses and the latest silicone-hydrogel materials have made them safer and easier to wear than ever before. They are not complicated to look after and need not be expensive to maintain. If you’re interested, call us now for a free trial appointment with a contact lens specialist. General tips on handling soft lenses:
How To Insert Your Lenses 1. Place the wet, clean "right" lens on the tip of the index or middle finger of your dominant hand (if you're right-handed this would be your right hand) and pull down the lower lid with the middle or ring finger of the same hand. Use your other hand to hold the upper lid firmly open.
2. Look directly at the lens or look directly
into a mirror and place the lens directly on the cornea (the large
colored circle in the center of your eye).
Removing the lens: Look up. With middle finger, hold down lower lid. Use forefinger to slide lens to lower part of eye. Pinch lens with thumb and forefinger and remove without excessively folding the lens.
Cosmetic tips
In an incident: contamination from cosmetics should be treated with contact lens cleaning solutions only.
In order to continue providing the best quality service, fundus cameras have been installed throughout the Pinder’s practices since 2000. These cameras take a digital photo of the back of your eyes, and with a zooming capability of over x50 a more thorough detailed retinal examination can be made without the constant discomfort of a bright light being shone in your eyes. Pigmented lesions can be monitored for any change in size or appearance that may be suggestive of a malignancy, or conditions such as diabetes and glaucoma can be more accurately monitored over a period of time with successive photos taken. Indeed, the government have acknowledged the benefits afforded by, and recommended the use of these digital cameras in monitoring diabetic retinopathy, but as yet have not made provisions to fund their use and so a small charge will be made.
Above: image of a ‘benign’ choroidal naevus
There are 37 million blind people in the world and a further 124 million classed as visually impaired. In the UK alone there are around one million registered blind and partially sighted people, and many more who although not registered, suffer from visual loss. Most of these have some degree of vision, and may benefit from an LVA. So what are Low Visual Aids? An LVA is any piece of equipment used by people with low vision to enhance their sight. These aids may be: OPTICAL- eg magnifiers and telescopic devices.
NON-OPTICAL- eg angle-poise lamps and typoscopes. ELECTRONIC- specially adapted computers and CCTVs. Pinder’s Optometrists are one of the few optical practices in the North Notts area accredited to supply (at no cost to the client) one from a selection of magnifiers. This will be supplied following a consultation with one of our qualified optometrists, where your requirements and capabilities will be discussed. You simply need to be registered with a GP in the North Notts area. If you, or anyone you know would benefit from the scheme, then contact your nearest branch of Pinder’s Eyecare for specialist advice from a low vision aid practitioner
Old Glasses and Vision Aid Overseas We want your old glasses! If you have old spectacles that are no longer needed and they are in good condition we will be pleased to forward them to Vision Aid Overseas. This is an optometric charity that distributes the spectacles to areas of the world that has little or no eyecare service of it’s own. The spectacles are cleaned, measured and graded for their optical power at various prisons in the U.K. Then teams of volunteer optometrists fly to various locations around the world, setup temporary clinics and test the sight of many hundreds of local people a week and issue the nearest donated spectacles to those people needing them. Over 400,000 patients have been screened and last year 90 trained volunteers went abroad to carry out 14 projects in countries such as Ghana, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso. They examined 20,200 patients and dispensed 14,700 pairs of spectacles. Many cases of functional blindness have been restored to normal vision within 20 minutes! So please bring in your old glasses and give new vision to someone else.(www.vao.org.uk).
Eyeplan is an innovative new optical program that could further improve the quality of care and value for money that you and your family receive from Pinder’s. In return for a small monthly fee, membership of the Eyeplan program assures you: -Never pay for an eye examination or consultation, however frequent. -No charge for digital imaging. -No charge for visual field examinations. -Significant reductions of up to 50% on current price levels for spectacles and contact lenses. -Huge savings of up to 50% on all additional pairs. -Insurance against damage to lenses and frames. (Loss of spectacles is not covered.) In short, this scheme is another way for you to pay for our best eyecare. Also if you like to have rather better lenses and frames, or perhaps change them more frequently, then you will make big monetary savings. For further information on Eyeplan, contact your nearest branch.
Hear Here!
Hearing
loss can affect anyone in society and, in fact, according to the Royal
National Institute for Deaf People, there are more than eight million
people in the UK today with some degree of hearing impairment. Please contact your nearest branch of Pinders to arrange an appointment.
Optometrist Hannah Mulcaster (backrow 1st right) tested 20 children from Chernobyl and provided much needed spectacle corrections for four of them. Pinder’s optometrists have provided and will continue to provide free examinations and heavily subsidised spectacles (where needed) to those children from Chernobyl when on holiday with their caring ‘host’ families in Mansfield. These generous Mansfield folk ensure that 3 or 4 weeks ‘time-out’ for these desperate children can give an extra year or two towards their otherwise shortened lifespan, and we congratulate and thank you all.
Normal sight or emmetropia means that you can see clearly at all distances because the light focuses correctly on the retina at the back of the eye.
Short sight or myopia means you can see clearly close-up but distance objects may appear blurred. A distance object focuses short of the retina. Your prescription will show a minus sign (-) in the ‘sphere’ part of your test result. You will possibly need glasses for many everyday activities such as driving, watching TV or sports.
Long sight or hyperopia means that close-up objects (and sometimes distance objects) may be out of focus, depending on age and amount. A distant object focuses longer than the retina position.In this case there will be plus sign (+) in the ‘sphere’ part of your prescription. You may need glasses for reading, computer use, driving and TV viewing.
Astigmatism occurs when the shape of the eye is more oval like a rugby ball, rather than spherical like a football and can cause blurred or distorted vision at all distances. In this case there will be numbers recorded in the ‘cylinder’ and ‘axis’ parts of your prescription. You may need to wear glasses all the time depending on the amount of astigmatism. Presbyopia occurs in our mid-40s onwards when the natural crystalline lens inside the eye loses its flexibility so that it becomes difficult to focus on near objects. In this case there will be a figure in the ‘near’ or ‘intermediate’ part of your prescription and you will probably need glasses for reading.
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