The Nova Scotia Association of Optometrists

Happy holidays!

'Tis the season to find gaming consoles under the tree. To help ease the stress of video games on your child’s eyes, check out these tips:http://bit.ly/2qtWzbO

"There are two stories here,” said Bear, co-senior author and Picower Professor of Neuroscience in The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory. “One is that we have further pinpointed where to look for the root causes of amblyopia. The other is that we have now completely blown up what we thought was happening in stimulus-selective response potentiation, or SRP, the synaptic change believed to give rise to visual recognition memory.”

Exploring Vision in the Brain "Pancake Stack" A new study into visual memory and the sight disorder amblyopia has yielded unexpected results.

Common eye injuries caused by mishaps with toys can range from a minor scratch to the front surface of the eye to very serious, sight-threatening injuries. Here's a list of six types of toys you might want to cross off your gift list for young children: http://bit.ly/2pGngdv

Did you Know? A reindeer’s eyes change colour from gold to blue in Winter. This helps their eyes capture more light during the dark winter months.You can learn more here: https://bit.ly/34aerXw

Thinking about buying a digital device for a child this holiday season? Children may be especially vulnerable to computer-related vision problems so follow these tips to prevent computer vision syndrome: http://bit.ly/2PZdHkn

4 Eye Health Mistakes You Might Be Making—and How to Fix Them. If you wear contacts or glasses, you’re going to want to take note! Get some helpful tips from this informative article in Runner's World

4 Mistakes You Might Be Making When It Comes to Your Eyes—and How to Fix Them If you wear contacts or glasses, you’re going to want to take note.

Each year, thousands of children suffer serious eye injuries, even blindness, from toys. Before you make a purchase, check out the Safe Toy Checklist to proactively protect your child's eyes from toy-related injury:http://bit.ly/2qrgFU5

Aging eyes can mean decreased sharpness in our vision, an inability to distinguish between shades, problems with glare, slower adaptation to darkness and reductions in how much of our surroundings can be seen at one time. Any one of these changes increases the risk of a fall and it’s the first consideration in falls prevention. https://bit.ly/35KtbNH

Are you at risk for having pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes? Find out by taking the Canadian Diabetes Risk Questionaire.http://bit.ly/2Mv5lxF

Did you know that diabetes is a leading cause of blindness? Your optometrist can diagnose potential vision-threatening changes in your eye that may be treated to prevent blindness.
https://bit.ly/2sgl7pG

Check out the Diabetic Retinopathy Patient Tool to learn more about your eyes and diabetes:http://bit.ly/33epRJB

Diabetes can cause changes in nearsightedness, farsightedness and premature presbyopia (the inability to focus on close objects). Find out more about how diabetes can affect your eyesight: http://bit.ly/33r5c5l

It's Digital Health Week! Patients with chronic conditions often see more than one health care provider. Digital health means everyone on the health team has access to the patient’s history through connected health. https://bit.ly/2lL3afu

Digital Health Week Digital Health Week (November 11-17, 2019) is an annual celebration and recognition of how digital health is transforming the delivery of care across Canada as more and more of our health care system becomes digital.

It's that time of year again. Protect your office with these quick tips: https://bit.ly/33w9zwi

Do you know how diabetes can affect the eyes? Take this quiz! https://bit.ly/2PTNvre

November is Fall Prevention Month. Small steps can make a big difference for home and workplace safety!
https://www.fallpreventionmonth.ca/

It's Diabetic Eye Disease Month. Did you know that according to the Canadian Diabetes Association, retinopathy affects 23% of type 1 diabetics on insulin therapy and 14% of people with type 2 diabetes? More: http://bit.ly/2VrR09f

What is diabetic retinopathy?

November is Fall Prevention Month!
As we age, so do our eyes. Aging eyes can mean decreased sharpness in our vision, an inability to distinguish between shades, problems with glare, slower adaptation to darkness and reductions in how much of our surroundings can be seen at one time. Any one of these changes increases the risk of a fall and it’s the first consideration in falls prevention.
https://bit.ly/2qolPA0

While eye safety should be a year-round concern, Halloween can pose additional hazards and requires extra caution. Check out these tricks to keep your eyes safe this Halloween: http://bit.ly/2kj6Fth

Some people have switched their phone to dark mode to lessen eye strain but it's not necessarily helpful for many. http://bit.ly/32Zr8ob

Love dark mode? Here’s why you may still want to avoid it Dark mode isn't for everyone. Here's why.

Halloween is a time for spine-chilling attire but following these few important tips will ensure your spooky costume doesn’t have scary consequences! and avoid these hair-raising hazards when planning your Halloween fun. https://opto.ca/news/dont-let-your-halloween-costume-haunt-your-tricks-and-treats?http://bit.ly/2JtJtCc

Vision issues can lead to challenges in learning and development. An optometrist can see what others can't. Comprehensive eye exams help ensure optimal vision and eye health for your kids! https://bit.ly/2MHIPmv

The NSAO Conference & Vision Expo 2019 is happening November 22nd & 23rd. Info and registration: http://bit.ly/2lWzE6A

Currently, there are no regulations in Canada regarding who can apply eyelash extensions or the products that can be used. But there are some precautions you can take to potentially minimize the risks.

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy to take our eyesight for granted. But good vision isn’t a guarantee. Protect your vision by making smart decisions every day with these quick tips: https://bit.ly/1Nq7qmB

"The eyes are the window to the soul—and the body. Eye doctors can tell a lot about your overall health just by looking in your eyes. That's because the eye is the only place in the body that provides an unobstructed view of blood vessels, nerves, and connecting tissue. As a result, eye examinations and tests can provide earlier diagnoses on diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions."

Are the eyes the first clue to diagnosing illness? Eye doctors can often identify certain diseases in the eye before they manifest anywhere else in the body.

Children don't always realize that they are having vision problems and the signs often aren't obvious. A comprehensive exam allows optometrists to see what other's can't. https://bit.ly/2RVQldW

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How much do you know about children's eye health? Test your knowledge with our 4 question quiz! https://bit.ly/2q5MS3b