Carina Eye Care

Hello everyone!
Hope that you have all been well 😊 and enjoying the start of Spring! Just wanted to update this page to let you know that I have been transitioning back from maternity leave. My available times vary quite a bit as I'm trying to balance my time with baby Amelie, as well as accommodate patients whenever possible. So, I am available! But, be warned that there may be a baby lurking in the background who I may need to tend to. The best way to book an appointment is to head to www.carinaeyecare.com.au and click on the "Book Now" link. If you have difficulty finding an appropriate time, do get in touch and I'll try my best to accommodate you. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Best wishes,
Carina

A child with 1 myopic parent is at 3x the risk of myopia when compared to a child with no myopic parents. Meanwhile, having two myopic parents increases that risk to 6x.

Whilst we cannot control whose parents our children get, we can definitely control their environment. The best way to reduce risk of myopia is increased outdoor time!

Interesting statistics of visual habits during the COVID pandemic!

https://www.healio.com/news/optometry/20220118/more-spectacle-wear-less-contact-lens-wear-seen-during-pandemic?

Standard glasses are not the answer for your child if they are myopic, especially if they are under the age of 13. There are much better options for your child that can protect their eyes.

Book an appointment: www.carinaeyecare.com.au
Find out more here: https://carinaeyecare.com.au/Myopia-Control/
And here: http://sydneyorthokeratology.com.au/

How long is your eyeball? This is much more important if you are myopic (short-sighted). The length of your eyeball has a relationship to your risk of potentially blinding eye diseases and dictates what type of eye examinations are necessary to proactively detect these conditions.

26mm is the number that makes a big difference to your risk of visual impairment that cannot be corrected by spectacles.

Book an appointment: www.carinaeyecare.com.au
Find out more here: https://carinaeyecare.com.au/Axial-Length/

What risk does YOU being short-sighted / myopic pose to your children?

If both parents are highly myopic, then this may result in FASTER myopia progression in your child.

We can’t change our genetics, but the good news is that there are evidence-based ways that we can reduce the chance of our kids eyes becoming myopic, or slowing down their progression of myopia.

Find out more here: https://carinaeyecare.com.au/Myopia-Control/
And here: http://sydneyorthokeratology.com.au/

Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful lunar new year of the tiger! May you be blessed with good health, happiness, and prosperity! ❤

Are you an adult with Myopia? (Short-sightedness / wearing glasses to see things clear in the distance) Remember that your eyeballs are still considered myopic even if you’ve had refractive surgery such as LASIK / LASER / ASLA etc.

Here’s a checklist to show how you can look after your eye health better. Being myopic increases your risk of several eye diseases. Regular monitoring can go a long way in detecting the early starts of potentially blinding eye conditions. However, you do need to make sure that the optometrist that you visit has the right equipment to do this.

Book an appointment: www.carinaeyecare.com.au

Don’t let your kids hold their screens or books too close!

Remember when your parents back in the day told you to correct your posture when reading? There’s some truth to this. Ensuring that viewing distance is at least elbow-to-hand distance away is important in reducing the chance of your child’s eyes developing myopia.

My Advice: Minimum distance Harmon's Distance, but the further away, the better

Find out more here: https://carinaeyecare.com.au/Myopia-Control/
And here: http://sydneyorthokeratology.com.au/
Book an appointment: www.carinaeyecare.com.au

Less SCREEN TIME is a great way to reduce the chance of your child’s eyes becoming myopic.

Restrict screen time for kids whenever practical. I know it can be a really tough one, but I’ve witnessed parents do amazing things with restricting screen time! Bush walks, going to the beach, and playing at the park are just a few. These are just guidelines if you’re not sure what is considered appropriate.

My Advice: Less than 2 hrs of leisure screen time a day, and a break every 20min for 20sec

Find out more here: https://carinaeyecare.com.au/Myopia-Control/
And here: http://sydneyorthokeratology.com.au/
Book an appointment: www.carinaeyecare.com.au

More OUTDOOR TIME is a great way to reduce the chance of your child’s eyes becoming myopic.

The research has looked at 90 minutes of outdoor time per day, so my recommendation is at least 2 hours a day to be safe. Remember to team this up with quality sunglasses and a hat. Your child’s eyes will get enough bright light even through their sunglasses.

Find out more here: https://carinaeyecare.com.au/Myopia-Control/
And here: http://sydneyorthokeratology.com.au/
Book an appointment: www.carinaeyecare.com.au

What risk does YOU being short-sighted / myopic pose to your children?

If a child has one myopic parent, they have a 3x increased risk of becoming myopic.

If a child has two myopic parents, then they have a 6x increased risk of becoming myopic.

We can’t change our genetics, but the good news is that there are evidence-based ways that we can reduce the chance of our kids eyes becoming myopic, or slowing down their progression of myopia.

Find out more here: https://carinaeyecare.com.au/Myopia-Control/
And here: http://sydneyorthokeratology.com.au/

Thank you to all my lovely patients who have spoilt me this Christmas! 🎄 Never have I received so many goodies before! You are all a joy to look after. A special thanks to the little boy and girl who were super keen to find out when I was going to open my present, suggesting Christmas Day would be a good idea. I'm not one huge on gifts, so this was my one and only saved for this morning 🥰 My favourite part is the drawing of checking Santa's eyes! 🎅 Merry Christmas, everyone! 💖

Ever wondered what screens are doing to your teenager's eyes? One thing that might be happening is causing their eyes to dry out. Traditionally, dry eyes were mainly noted in an older population, but it's now becoming much more prevalent in young ones too!

https://goodvisionforlife.com.au/2021/12/03/extended-screen-time-linked-to-drying-out-teenagers-eyes/

With Christmas coming up, you might be wondering what to prepare for a meal together with loved ones! Here's a wonderful bunch of recipes from the Macular Disease Foundation with delicious meals that are also super nourishing for your eyes. https://www.mdfoundation.com.au/resources/macula-menu-christmas-recipes/

Don't forget to use up your health fund optical cover if you haven't already for 2021! Have you sorted out your prescription sunglasses for the summer? Your new out-of-lockdown glasses? Been thinking about trying contact lenses out? There's no better time :)

Book an appointment www.carinaeyecare.com.au before the end of the year!

$50 free voucher for first time MyAcuvue app download special is back for summer! Contact me for further info so that you can take advantage of this awesome offer.

Book a contact lens consultation www.carinaeyecare.com.au

Great news that the 7 year study about the daily disposable contact lens designed to help slow down myopia (short-sightedness) in children has no apparent rebound effect! The positive effects have lasted after stopping treatment.

https://www.mivision.com.au/2021/11/positive-seven-year-misight-1-day-study-results/

How the COVID pandemic lockdowns have affected Australian children’s eyes.

Optometrists spot ‘new pandemic’ of post-lockdown short-sightedness Working from home and homeschooling are being blamed for an increase in eye problems among adults and children.

It's been a while since my last post thanks to the lockdown. I'm so grateful for what appears to be returned normality in NSW at the moment, and it's been lovely seeing more patients again.

Carina Eye Care is open for routine eye care, although those without double vaccinations will require a COVID negative test within 72 hours of their appointment.

Here's a lovely article about orthokeratology from a wonderful colleague. Enjoy!

https://theconversation.com/what-is-orthokeratology-and-will-it-help-slow-the-deterioration-of-my-childs-eyesight-171826?fbclid=IwAR2epOXzDa6NxaZzUdyhhVy05MbkPOq3JRiNhJmlIEWW3XPnDmnvuaNL3ew

Convenience just got better for those with iPhones / Apple Watches who have optical cover with Bupa, Medibank, NIB, GU Health, and HBF! You can now set up your devices so that you can claim from your health fund without your physical card.
https://www.hicaps.com.au/apple

Eye Tips 4 Kids 👀👧👦

Here's a great infographic from Myopia Profile to help families remember what they can do to look after their eyes. Don't forget your hat and sunnies too! 🧢🕶️

🌞 Spend at least 90 minutes a day outdoors while being sun smart
🕒 Every 20 minutes, take a break for 20 seconds
🤦 Keep forearm distance between eyes and book/screen
📱 Less than 2 hours screen time after school and don't sit for too long

Fun Fact! 😄
📚 🎵 A new study has found that patients who listened to music before cataract surgery had fewer hypertensive events during cataract surgery than patients who did not listen to music beforehand. Therefore, potentially reducing the chance of complications during surgery!