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January – Glaucoma Awareness Month

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, but unfortunately, many people are unaware of this widespread disease – and miss the one vital step for eye health, an eye exam.

The condition is characterized by permanent damage to the optic nerve, which can lead to severe vision loss over time, known as ‘Tunnel Vision’.

But the unsettling thing about glaucoma is that it often has no symptoms in its early stages, and by the time vision loss becomes noticeable, the damage to the optic nerve is already significant.

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, so what better time than now to shed some light on how people can prevent this sight-threatening disease from harming their vision?

Comprehensive Eye Exams: The Ultimate Step To Protect Your Eye Health

Because glaucoma is often referred to as “the silent thief of sight,” having regular eye exams with your optometrist is crucial for detecting glaucoma early.

During an eye exam, your optometrist will perform a number of different tests to check for signs of glaucoma. These tests include measuring the pressure inside your eye (known as intraocular pressure), assessing your peripheral vision, and examining the health of your optic nerve.

If your eye doctor detects any early signs of glaucoma, they will recommend a treatment plan that may include medication, laser therapy, or surgery.

The earlier the treatment starts, the more effective it is likely to be, and the more vision you may be able to preserve.

Schedule Your Comprehensive Eye Exam Today!

Don’t wait for symptoms to appear, as by then it might be too late.

Regular eye exams are not only for people who have a family history of glaucoma, or for people who are over the age of 60. Anyone can develop glaucoma, and the only way to detect it early is through regular eye exams.

The glaucoma eye exam is painless, and a non-invasive process, but it could make all the difference in preserving your vision.

Don’t let glaucoma be the silent thief that steals your vision. 

Source: optometrist.org

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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