Would you like the convenience of daily disposable contact lenses? Do you spend a lot of time working on your computer or in an air conditioned environment? Or perhaps you would like to try contact lenses for the first time? Alcon’s Dailies AquaComfort Plus contact lenses are the perfect, hassle-free, daily contact lenses! Alcon's Dailies AquaComfort Plus contact lenses offer blink activated moisture for all-day comfort and are the perfect starter contact lenses. They are daily disposable lenses, and a healthy option for your child. These single-use lenses can help establish great wearing habits for younger wearers just getting started...

Macular Degeneration, also known as age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), is a common condition that affects vison. It is one of the leading causes of vision loss around the world. Macular Degeneration affects the part of the eye known as the macula which is the small central area of the retina that helps to maintain our sharpest vision. The health of the macula determines our ability to read, drive and to perform any other detailed visual task. When the macula starts to deteriorate images are not received properly and this causes vision to deteriorate. In the early stages of the disease,...

It is a well-known fact that too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause health problems like sunburn and skin cancer. Did you know that overexposure to UV rays can damage our eyes? Overexposure to the suns UV rays has been linked to serious eye problems. These include cataracts, growths on the eyes, macular degeneration and cancer. UV rays can also damage the skin around our eyes. Overexposure to UV rays can lead to constant squinting of the eyes which can increase signs of ageing and cause wrinkles. Just like other areas of our body, the skin...

Although unseen, blue light is everywhere! The largest source of blue light is the sunlight and being outside in the sun all day is where most of us are exposed to it. There are also various other sources of blue light. These include digital devices like computer screens, smartphones, tablets and televisions. It is well documented that exposure to blue light is important for good health, however research also shows that too much exposure to blue light can damage our eyes. This is because blue right is not efficiently filtered by our eyes and it is able to penetrate all...

Inside each one of our eyes there is a natural lens. This natural lens is clear and it is situated behind the colored iris. This lens is flexible and changes shape to focus light so that we are able to focus on objects both close-up and far away. When we are young, this lens is soft and flexible however as we age, the lens becomes more rigid and so it can’t focus on objects as easily as it did before. This makes it harder to read, work at a computer or to do other close-up tasks. This age-related loss of...

Astigmatism is a common and treatable eye condition. Our eyes are shaped like a ball. In a normal eye the front surface is round like a football. If you have astigmatism the eye is shaped more like an oval rugby ball. This could sometimes lead to blurred vision which can lead to eye discomfort and headaches. Astigmatism frequently occurs with other vision conditions like myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness).People can be born with astigmatism or it may develop later on in life. Sometimes astigmatism may develop following an eye injury or eye surgery. Astigmatism can’t be prevented but it can...

Most people enjoy both contact lenses and spectacles. There are some individuals who do not like contact lenses. Many reasons are given such as discomfort, poor vision, too much work, I can’t put my finger in my eye, etc. Contact lens wear comes with great responsibility and care should be taken to always have the best fit, prescription and cleaning regime. Annual eye examinations are important to monitor the health of the eye and fit of the lens. Spectacles are easy, you simply clean them and wear them when required. The ultimate is to be able to wear both types...

Before selecting a spectacle frame, you need to know your face shape. There are seven common face shapes. Square, round, oval, heart, rectangle, diamond and triangle. To know your face shape, you need to look in a mirror, tie back hair that might be obstructing the outlines of your face and use a non-permanent marker to trace your face, on the mirror, along your hair- and jawline. Look at the drawn shape paying attention to the forehead, cheekbones and jawline.   Face shapes: Oval shaped face – your jawline is narrower than the forehead and your features are balanced all...

Contact lens wearers often believe that feeling discomfort when wearing contact lenses is normal and they often blame it on the environment, tired eyes, long days…. Everything except their contact lenses. Alcon’s’ DAILIES TOTAL 1s are more than just a contact lens. They are the most comfortable contact lenses which have been created to date. They are the only contact lenses which combine excusive water gradient material with special SmarTears Technology, so that you feel like you’re wearing no lens at all. DAILIES TOTAL 1 contact lenses create a cushion of moisture on your eye making them so comfortable, you’ll forget...

Last week we looked at some common causes of eyelid inflammation. Maintaining clean eyelids plays a crucial part in preventing infections and in maintaining a healthy eyelid margin. In fact, just like the rest of our body, our eyelids should also be cleaned from time to time. This is especially important for people who suffer from the common condition blepharitis which is inflammation of the eyelid margins.     The formation of our natural tears plays a very important part here. Our tears are made up of a balance of oil and water. This balance is so delicate that anything...

Our eyelids are thin folds of skin which cover and protect our eyes. At times our eyelids can appear to be red, inflamed or even swollen. Besides affecting our appearance, a swollen eyelid could also affect our vision if it is severe enough. In the majority of cases the swelling should subside within 24 hours however if it lasts longer than 24 to 48 hours you should speak to your pharmacist or doctor. The following are 6 common cause of swollen eyelids:   1. Allergies When your eyelids are swollen and your eyes are red, itchy or watery the cause...