Author: hanneszwarts

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20 Year Anniversary

In August 2004 a very young and ambitious optometrist, myself, opened a practice in Ermelo. Not growing up in the town I knew no one and set my sights on winning over the confidence of the community one eye examination at a time. Certainly a laborious process and a bit naïve in hindsight, but as Tony DeLorger writes in his poem : ” -naivety, an innocence without being encumbered by tainting experience or learned biases that subjugate balance
and create confusion and limitations.”

Word spreads fast and soon I was overwhelmed by the support from not only Ermelo and surroundings, but patients from all over South Africa. We relocated twice to more favourable locations and settled in our current location in the centre of town in 2010. I have been blessed with wonderful staff since the start and my first two employees, Ms. Tharina Coetzer and Ms. Miranda Ntlatseng, are still part of my practice a whopping 20 years later! Congratulations to them and a HUGE THANK YOU. I am privileged to have witnessed and partake in immense changes in our profession. Long gone are the days of reading a couple of letters on an old dilapidated eye chart or peaking into eyes with a small little light only to see a tiny view of the back of the eye.

A very young and ambitious Hannes in 2004
Tharina Coetzer and Miranda Ntlatseng

We have state of the art equipment that enable us to look at cross sections of the retina allowing views of individual layers only a couple of micron thick. With all equipment having a digital foundation, patients can see everything that we see inside the eye and information can be shared with colleagues across the globe in a second. Contact lenses exist now which reshape your cornea while you sleep, allowing you to see the next day without glasses.

Multifocal lenses, that used to take two weeks to manufacture, can be manufactured in-house within an hour. Having diagnostic- and therapeutic drug privileges, our practice can diagnose and treat many eye conditions establishing us as a true primary eye care provider. These are but a few advancements in the past 20 years and we can’t begin to fathom what the next 20 years may bring.

Blessed in abundance, I would like to thank:

  • my loyal patients over the years for entrusting me with their most valuable sense, sight!
  • my exceptional staff. I am very appreciative of each employee who tirelessly devoted his/her time , at present as well as in the past, building a trusted and respected eye care practice.
  • my wife Izelde, for always entertaining my sometimes overzealous endeavours, must be exhausting at times.
  • God, for granting me the grace, wisdom and means, to run a successful practice.

Today 20 years later, older and wiser, I am still as passionate as ever about eye care and I look forward to welcoming you as part of my practice soon!

Hannes Zwarts

Watch our video and check out our practice!

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Wiley X Sunglasses – New Models Added!!

Where technology meets comfort and protection.

Introducing the two latest Wiley X models:

Designed to honor Wiley X’s pioneering
founder while providing advanced eye
protection, the WX Founder will become
your new favorite accessory. With
maximum eye protection and a bold,
standout silhouette, the WX Founder
sunglasses are perfect for anyone who
wants to make a statement while seeing
clearly and safely. The robust build
and removable side shields make them
ideal for outdoor adventures or casual
everyday wear.

Conquer your most extreme adventures
with the crystal-clear vision and serious
eye protection the WX Recon provides.
Impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses
and removable side shields give your
eyes uncompromising defense against
projectiles, UV rays, glare, and other
hazards. Built for outdoor enthusiasts,
athletes, and tactical operators who
demand high-performance eyewear
that can withstand hardcore use.

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See the new models in action here.

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First Aid for Eye Emergencies

Knowing what to do for an eye emergency can save valuable time and possibly prevent vision loss. Here are some instructions for basic eye injury first aid.

Take All Eye Injuries Seriously

You can’t always tell when an eye is injured. Some injuries are only obvious when they get really serious, that’s why it’s so important to let an Eyecare Professional examine the eye(s) immediately.

It is also important to remember: DO NOT attempt to treat a serious eye injury yourself.

Common causes of eye injuries include:

  • Punches
  • Blows from hands, balls, and other sports equipment
  • Flying pieces of material from explosions or industrial work
  • Flying objects like bullets, darts, fireworks, bungee cords, and BBs
  • Chemical splashes

Common Symptoms of Eye Injuries

If you notice any of these signs in yourself or someone else, get medical help right away. These are signs of possibly serious eye injury:

  • Ongoing pain in the eye
  • Trouble seeing
  • Cut or torn eyelid
  • One eye does not move as well as the other
  • One eye sticks out of the eye socket farther than the other
  • The eye has an unusual pupil shape or size
  • There is blood in the clear part of the eye
  • The person has something in the eye or the eyelid that tears and blinking can’t remove

First Aid Treatment for Eye Injuries

If You Get Sand or Other Small Particles in Your Eye

Getting sand, dirt, dust or other small natural particles in your eye is usually not an emergency. Our eyes are very good at flushing out these kinds of particles with tears and blinking. Let your eyes try to take care of the particles naturally before doing anything else.

If you’ve gotten metal, glass or other man-made materials in your eye, that can be more serious. These kinds of objects can become embedded in the surface of the eye and cause ongoing irritation and more damage.

  • DO NOT rub the eye.
  • Blink several times and allow tears to flush out the particle.
  • Use eyewash, saline solution or running tap water to flush the eye out.
  • See a doctor or go to the emergency room as soon as possible if you can’t get the particles out of your eye or if it still feels like there’s something in your eye after you’ve gotten the material out.

If You Get Hit in the Eye

  • Gently apply a small cold compress to reduce pain and swelling.
  • Don’t use steaks or other food items. These can get bacteria into the eye.
  • DO NOT apply any pressure.
  • If a black eye, pain or visual disturbance occurs even after a light blow, immediately contact your Optometrist or Doctor. Even a light blow can cause a significant eye injury, like a retinal detachment.

If Your Eye Has Been Cut or Punctured

  • Gently place a shield (protective cover) over the eye. The bottom of a paper cup taped to the bones surrounding the eye can serve as a shield until you get medical attention.
  • Do not press the shield against the eye.
  • DO NOT rinse with water.
  • DO NOT remove any objects that are stuck in the eye.
  • DO NOT rub or apply pressure to eye.
  • Don’t take aspirin, ibuprofen or other non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs thin the blood and may increase bleeding.
  • After you have finished protecting the eye, get emergency medical help.

Chemical Burns and Splashes In the Eye

  • Immediately flush the eye with plenty of clean water.
  • Seek emergency medical treatment right away.
  • Look for information on the chemical that got into the eye as some chemicals cause more eye damage than others.

Eye Scratches

Housework and sports are two of the most common causes of eye injuries. But even cooking or playing with your dog or cat can get you a scratched eye. You might have symptoms right away or the symptoms may start or get worse hours after the injury.

  • Don’t rub your eye. Rubbing your eye can make the scratch worse.
  • Don’t touch your eye with anything. Fingers, cotton swabs and other objects won’t help remove any foreign objects and could hurt your eye more. The object that caused the scratch may be gone even though you still feel like something is in your eye.
  • Don’t wear your contact lenses. Wearing your contact lenses will slow the healing process and could cause complications, like contact lens-related infections.
  • Don’t use redness-relieving eye drops. Over-the-counter redness-reducing eye drops can be painful if you have an eye scratch and they won’t help you heal any faster.
  • Do wear sunglasses. If your eye is sensitive to light because of the scratch, sunglasses will make you more comfortable while you heal.

For All Other Eye Injuries

Injuries other than grit in the eye or small scratches to the eye should be considered potentially serious.

  • DO NOT touch, rub or apply pressure to the eye.
  • DO NOT try to remove any objects stuck in the eye.
  • Do not apply ointment or medication to the eye.
  • Over-the-counter eye drops can be more painful or make the injury worse.
  • Prescription medications should only be used for exactly the condition they were prescribed for, not for emergency treatment.
  • See a doctor as soon as possible.

Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology

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SALICE – vedi italiano “see italy”

1919

Cavalier Vitaliano Salice founded the company in Musso, a small town on the shores of Lake Como. In its first years of life, the company produced glasses cases and, later, glasses for safety at work.

1945

The headquarters was moved from Musso to Gravedona, where it is still located today, places not far from each other and in which the family is strongly rooted. At the end of the Second World War, the production of eyewear models for motorcyclists began.

1950 – today

In the years of the Italian economic miracle, Salice definitively completed the conversion of production into sunglasses, now increasingly considered as a sought-after accessory.

Today Salice is a young and dynamic company, animated by team spirit and belonging, which puts the product at the center of everything according to the ancient principle of quality at the right price. The very intense relationship with retailers and consequently also with the needs of the end user is allowing us to profitably navigate often difficult economic and market phases.

We are proud to offer Salice eyewear now to our patients. Many models come with extra lenses for protection in poor light conditions and most models also have an option to purchase as photochromatic- or polarized lenses. Salice offers various prescription options by means of a special lens carrier inserted into the frame that can be purchased separately.

La moda passo, lo stile resta

Coco Chanel

Fashion fades, style remains

Visit Salice Occhiali’s website

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Eye Exams for Children

The importance of Paediatric Eye Exams

While it is common practice for paediatricians to conduct a brief vision screening at your child’s annual physical, it is important to emphasize that these screenings are not a substitute for a thorough examination performed by an Optometrist.

Optometrists utilize specific clinical and diagnostic tools and assessments to determine your child’s ocular health and visual abilities. Since many learning skills are dependent on the strength of visual skills such as binocular vision, accurate eye movements, the ability to see distant objects, etc., doctors recommend that children have their first eye exam even before reaching school age.

Vision Screening vs. Comprehensive Eye Exams

Many schools conduct vision screenings to identify any vision problems that may affect a child’s ability to learn.

Even if your child has passed a school vision screening, it is still strongly recommended to schedule a comprehensive eye exam. Vision screenings do not check for all the vision problems that can affect children.

When should my child have their first eye exam?

Optometrists recommend that children have their first eye exam at six months of age to ensure that their eyes are developing normally.

After this initial visit, doctors recommend that you bring your child for a second eye exam every year or at least by age 2 or 3, and then again before they start school.

Eye exams for infants (6 months to 2 years)

Babies by six months of age are tested for eye focusing skills, color vision and depth perception.  The Optometrist will usually perform tests to determine pupil responses, how the child fixates and follows an object and preferential looking.

Eye exams for preschool children (2 to 5 years)

At this age, children are learning to color, draw, cut paper, stack blocks, build with Lego pieces, play with balls, and more! A comprehensive exam for preschool children usually includes a series of tests for visual acuity, lazy eye, stereopsis (3D vision), eye tracking, convergence, colour vision and ocular health.

All of these visual skills are vitally important for the healthy development of an infant and to prepare them for the school years ahead.

Young children are constantly learning new skills that will prepare them for when they learn to read and write. Visual skills, such as, visual perceptual skills, eye-hand coordination, fine motor skills, etc., are also essential for learning and academic success.

If you notice that your child is showing any signs of developmental delay, or if your child has difficulty recognizing shapes, colors, numbers, or letters,  inform your eye doctor— a developmental delay may signal a vision problem.

Schedule an eye exam with your Optometrist so they can detect and diagnose any vision problems your child may have.

Eye exams for older children (6 to 18 years)

A comprehensive exam for an older child is similar to that of a younger child, but includes additional tests of specific visual skills that are essential for reading, learning, and even sports performance.

Many children have difficulty in school, either academically and behaviourally, because of undetected visual problems.

Children with reduced visual skills may also experience physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and eye strain.

What is Myopia?

Myopia (nearsightedness), is a common refractive error that affects millions of children and adults worldwide. Myopia causes an inability to see distant images clearly.

Myopia affects up to 42 percent of all school-aged children.

It is often hereditary, and typically begins in childhood when the eyeballs are growing rapidly. Myopia develops when the eye grows too long (front to back), or the cornea and/or lens is too curved for the length of the eyeball. A myopic eye focuses an image at the front of the retina, instead of directly on the retina, causing blurry distant vision and clear near vision.

Myopia tends to worsen until the child reaches teenage years, and then begins to plateau at around age 20, when the eyes stop growing.

Signs and symptoms of Myopia include:

  • Squinting when reading the board or watching TV
  • Sitting at close proximity to the TV or computer screen
  • Sitting at the front of the classroom to clearly see the teacher and board
  • Holding books close to the eyes
  • Disinterest in playing sports that require distance vision

Myopia is typically corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses.

What is Hyperopia?

Hyperopia (far-sightedness) is a refractive error that causes an inability to see near objects or images clearly.

Hyperopia affects 13 percent of children between ages 6-17.

A hyperopic eye focuses an image behind the retina, instead of on the retina, resulting in distorted or blurry vision.

Hyperopia is an inherited vision condition that can develop in childhood, or later on in life. Although most cases of hyperopia develop because it runs in the family, complications in utero or early childhood such as illness or trauma to the eye, can increase the risk of hyperopia.

Syptoms of Hyperopia include:

  • Near images or objects appear blurry, distance vision is clear
  • Difficulty reading
  • Headaches or fatigue after near vision activities (reading, writing, computer use)
  • Eye strain
  • Difficulty focusing on near objects
  • Squinting
  • Holding books at arm’s length
  • Inward eye turn when trying to focus

Hyperopia can usually be corrected using corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses.

How often should my child have an eye examination?

It is important for an Optometrist to monitor their ocular health and development of the visual function. If your child does not need any vision correction, you can follow this schedule:

  • Between 6-12 months
  • Between 2-3 years
  • Between 4-5 years
  • Annually, from age 6 and above

If your child presents with a refractive error or reduced visual skills, your Optometrist might recommend more frequent eye exams to determine if there have been any vision changes since the last visit.

Source: optometrists.org