Questions about Family Eye Health in Victoria

It is recommended that adults between the ages of 19-64 have a complete exam every two years. Children are free once a year up to the age of 19. Children can have an eye exam as young as six months, but typically start at age three. Perfect timing before they commence any form of schooling. The sooner an eye disorder is detected the quicker it can be resolved positively. Seniors from age 65 and above are also entitled to an eye exam once a year for a nominal fee. During an eye examination, we can detect signs of eye disease and other serious health problems.

Book an eye exam: BC Doctors of Optometry do more than help you see well. During an examination, we can detect signs of eye disease and other serious health problems.

Frame warranties are 12-24 months depending on the manufacturer and lenses up to 24 months depending on coatings. We will repair or replace, if necessary, any lenses or frames that are defective due to the manufacturing process.

Eyewear adaptation: 60 days for single vision 90 days for progressives. If your prescription somehow changes in the next two months, we will replace your ophthalmic lenses with lenses of the same value. Please note that the prescription must be valid at the time of purchase for this guarantee to be honoured.

Every plan is different when it comes to extended benefits and billing options. The best way to find out about your coverage is to contact your provider directly. We do have limited direct billing for Great West Life and anyone who has benefits thru Veteran Affairs, RCMP, Healthy Kids Program, First Nations and Inuit Health and Social Assistance.

There are some eye and health conditions that the BC Medical Services Plan will have coverage for. If you have one of the covered conditions, a referral is not necessary. MSP pays $46.17 towards an eye exam. If the doctors fees are higher, then the patient will have a balance that they would pay themselves. See your family doctor or an optometrist to find out if your condition is covered.

If your eyes check out, look at your enviroment. Distance to the monitor, air quality, contact lens fit, lighting, etc. As eye doctors, we spend almost 20% of our day with folks in similar circumstances. As simple as the problem sounds, it is very frustrating for all involved because there are so many variables. A place to start is to get some artificial tears (for contacts) from your doctor of optometry and bring them to work. When you notice the blur, put a drop in the eye. Let it settle for 5 minutes and see if there is a difference. This information will be a big help to your optometrist in narrowing down the cause.

Transitions are a UV activated lens so unfortunately they will not work in your car due to the UV filter in your car’s windshield.

Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) is one of the most common eye disorders in North America. Redness, burning, itching, blurred vision, light sensitivity, foreign body sensation, grittiness and, in some cases, excessive tearing are all symptoms patients with dry eyes can experience. DES is a result of a disruption of the tear film that covers the eyes, either from decreased tear production (medications, age, hormonal changes, autoimmune diseases), tear evaporation (improper lid closure, decreased blinking), or abnormalities in the components of the tear layer (mucus, watery or lipid (oily) layer glands). While there is no “cure” for DES, it is a manageable condition. I would recommend visiting with your optometrist to discuss dry eye management and contact lens options suitable to meet your needs.

This is a big no no. Not everybody’s eyes are the same curvature and shape thus requiring different size lenses. You could not only damage your eye from the wrong size of contact, but also from a health perspective you could contact infections or bacteria.

I would be surprised if wearing jeweler’s glasses would cause any damage to your vision. It may just be that your glasses are not set at the proper working distance. What it sounds like you need are task-specific glasses, which can be prescribed by an optometrist to optimize your vision at one particular distance. For people who work with jewelry that distance is often quite close up, so the glasses are made with a higher power than an average pair. When you go to see your optometrist, mention to him or her what distance you need to be able to work at, and they can work with you to find the proper strength prescription.

Never use Windex or any other type of glass cleaner! It is harmful to both your lens and frame. The ammonia will break down the coating.

Welder’s flash or arc eye is known as Photokeratitis (akin to a sunburn of the eyes) is a painful eye condition caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Symptoms include pain, excessive tearing, and light sensitivity. The condition is usually managed with a suitable treatment by your optometrist. Healing is usually rapid (24-72 hrs) once the injury source is removed. Although there does not seem to be any long term damage to the eyes or vision, further injury can be prevented by using sunglasses or eye protection (welding goggles) that absorb UV rays.