Public
FAQ's
Q: Can I get uncorrected sunglasses on my medical aid?
A: No, this is fraudulent and illegal.
Q: Is it good to wear sunglasses?
A: Yes, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors. Sunglass lenses should be optically corrected, and give you good protection from UV rays.
Q: How often should I have my eyes examined?
A: You should have your eyes examined at least once a year, to ensure that you are wearing the correct prescription, as well as being checked for early signs of diseases which could cause severe eye problems.
A: No, this is fraudulent and illegal.
Q: Is it good to wear sunglasses?
A: Yes, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors. Sunglass lenses should be optically corrected, and give you good protection from UV rays.
Q: How often should I have my eyes examined?
A: You should have your eyes examined at least once a year, to ensure that you are wearing the correct prescription, as well as being checked for early signs of diseases which could cause severe eye problems.
Q: What is the difference between an optometrist, an ophthalmologist and an optician?
A: An ophthalmologist is a doctor who has specialised in the treatment of eye diseases, and surgery on the eye. An optometrist is a specialist in vision, trained to provide clear, comfortable vision through the use of spectacles and contact lenses. While optometrists are not allowed to treat any diseases of the eyes yet, they are trained in the detection of all these diseases. An optician (or dis-pensing optician) is a specialist in the dispensing of spectacles, ensuring that the best lenses are provided and are correctly made and fitted.
Q: Can my headaches be caused by my eyes?
A: Yes. Frontal or brow head-aches are most often caused by eyestrain, or because the focus of the eyes is not exact.
Q: What is a pterygium?
A: A pterygium (pronounced te-ri-gi-um) is a fleshy growth on the white outside surface of the eye, caused by dryness, dust and exposure to ultra-violet (UV) light. It is NOT a cataract, and in most cases will not affect the vision. Generally, eye drops are pre-scribed to reduce the discomfort and redness, but sometimes the pterygium is removed surgically if it grows too large or becomes unsightly.
Q: What causes spots or floaters in front of my eyes?
A: These are usually semi-opaque or cloudy specks floating in the jelly of the eye, called the vitreous. The vitreous keeps the eye in shape, provides nutrition and aids in vision. The floaters have normally been there since birth, but if there is a sudden change in these floaters, or they obstruct your vision markedly, it is best to get a professional opinion.
Q: I have cataracts, but am too scared to go for an operation. Why can’t I wear glasses, or use medication to cure them?
A: A cataract is caused by the lens inside your eye becoming opaque, like a misty bathroom mirror. This obstructs your vision, and the wearing of spectacles or using drops will not take the mistiness away. The only treatment is to remove the cataract surgically - a quick and highly successful procedure today.
Q: What is glaucoma?
A: Glaucoma is a disease where the pressure inside the eye (intra-ocular pressure) increases and damages the nerves in the eye that take the message to your brain. These nerves enable you to see, and the damage to these nerves causes blindness.
Q: How long do disposable lenses last?
A: Depending on the make of the lenses, some last for one day, some for two weeks and some for one month.
Q: Is it safe to sleep in my contact lenses?
A: Sleeping in your contact lenses puts you at greater risk of eye infections and corneal ulcers, but depending on the type of lenses you are wearing, occasional overnight wear is acceptable. However, sleeping in them regularly is not healthy.
Q: Can I wear contact lenses?
A: Usually, most people can, depending on your prescription, your visual requirements and your lifestyle.
Q: Why, now that I am over 40 years old, has my near vision worsened, when I could see so well beforehand?
A: The eyes begin to age over 40 years and due to this natural deterioration, they can no longer focus as they used to. The only treatment is to wear reading spectacles.
Q: Will I ever go blind from short-sightedness?
A: No. You can only go blind from diseases of the eyes, and short-sightedness is not a disease, but a physical defect of the shape of the eye.
Q: If I wear my spectacles all the time, will it make my eyes weaker?
A: No. Your eyes adapt to the clearer vision through your spectacles, and as a result your vision feels worse when you take them off.
A: An ophthalmologist is a doctor who has specialised in the treatment of eye diseases, and surgery on the eye. An optometrist is a specialist in vision, trained to provide clear, comfortable vision through the use of spectacles and contact lenses. While optometrists are not allowed to treat any diseases of the eyes yet, they are trained in the detection of all these diseases. An optician (or dis-pensing optician) is a specialist in the dispensing of spectacles, ensuring that the best lenses are provided and are correctly made and fitted.
Q: Can my headaches be caused by my eyes?
A: Yes. Frontal or brow head-aches are most often caused by eyestrain, or because the focus of the eyes is not exact.
Q: What is a pterygium?
A: A pterygium (pronounced te-ri-gi-um) is a fleshy growth on the white outside surface of the eye, caused by dryness, dust and exposure to ultra-violet (UV) light. It is NOT a cataract, and in most cases will not affect the vision. Generally, eye drops are pre-scribed to reduce the discomfort and redness, but sometimes the pterygium is removed surgically if it grows too large or becomes unsightly.
Q: What causes spots or floaters in front of my eyes?
A: These are usually semi-opaque or cloudy specks floating in the jelly of the eye, called the vitreous. The vitreous keeps the eye in shape, provides nutrition and aids in vision. The floaters have normally been there since birth, but if there is a sudden change in these floaters, or they obstruct your vision markedly, it is best to get a professional opinion.
Q: I have cataracts, but am too scared to go for an operation. Why can’t I wear glasses, or use medication to cure them?
A: A cataract is caused by the lens inside your eye becoming opaque, like a misty bathroom mirror. This obstructs your vision, and the wearing of spectacles or using drops will not take the mistiness away. The only treatment is to remove the cataract surgically - a quick and highly successful procedure today.
Q: What is glaucoma?
A: Glaucoma is a disease where the pressure inside the eye (intra-ocular pressure) increases and damages the nerves in the eye that take the message to your brain. These nerves enable you to see, and the damage to these nerves causes blindness.
Q: How long do disposable lenses last?
A: Depending on the make of the lenses, some last for one day, some for two weeks and some for one month.
Q: Is it safe to sleep in my contact lenses?
A: Sleeping in your contact lenses puts you at greater risk of eye infections and corneal ulcers, but depending on the type of lenses you are wearing, occasional overnight wear is acceptable. However, sleeping in them regularly is not healthy.
Q: Can I wear contact lenses?
A: Usually, most people can, depending on your prescription, your visual requirements and your lifestyle.
Q: Why, now that I am over 40 years old, has my near vision worsened, when I could see so well beforehand?
A: The eyes begin to age over 40 years and due to this natural deterioration, they can no longer focus as they used to. The only treatment is to wear reading spectacles.
Q: Will I ever go blind from short-sightedness?
A: No. You can only go blind from diseases of the eyes, and short-sightedness is not a disease, but a physical defect of the shape of the eye.
Q: If I wear my spectacles all the time, will it make my eyes weaker?
A: No. Your eyes adapt to the clearer vision through your spectacles, and as a result your vision feels worse when you take them off.
