Clean your glasses under flowing luke-warm water with a few sprays of anti-reflective lens cleaner or mild liquid dish soup. Rub them dry with a soft cotton or microfiber cloth. If you do use lens wipes to clean your lenses, make sure that they still contain enough moisture to do the job properly. Otherwise they will start to leave a streaky film on the lenses. Eye Etiquette can also give your glasses a deep clean in our ultrasonic glasses cleaner.
It is recommended that adults between the ages of 19-64 have a complete exam at least every two years. Children can have an eye exam as young as six months and eye exams are covered by MSP up until the age of 18. 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 online or call 250.474.1941 to schedule your eye exam. BC Doctors of Optometry do more than help you see well.
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 can now bill to some insurance agencies! Call us at 250.474.1941 to find out if we can direct bill your eye exam or glasses to your insurance agency.
Yes! We proudly offer direct billing for those with coverage under the Department of National Defence (DND) and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). This applies to the member, as well as their spouse. Call us at 250.474.1941 to find out more.
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 environment. 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. There are many different solutions for this problem based on your prescription. Eyezen lenses offer a solution for people who switch back and forth between smart phones, tablets, and computers all day. There are also special computer glasses that are customized for computer and reading use only. Progressive lenses are yet another solution for those who switch back and forth between distance, intermediate and near vision throughout their day.
Some other tips are:
Transitions XTRActive Lenses do change while you are driving a car however they maintain a constant slight tint when lightened. Patients who prefer a darker tinted lens even inside enjoy this feature of XTRActive. If you do not get XTRActive transition lenses they will only tint slightly in the car or not at all. Transition lenses are UV activated and have to be exposed to UV rays before they start to darken. So if you want Transitions in the car – XTRActive might be the right choice for you! With all our Transition lenses you are given 30 days to try them out. If you don’t like your Transition lenses after 30 days we can put you in a Transition free lens at no extra charge!
Dry eye (also known as dry eye syndrome, dry eye disease, or Ocular Surface Disease) 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. Dry eye 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 dry eye, it is a manageable condition. We offer treatments and products that can help minimize you discomfort. Book an appointment with Eye Etiquette 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. Your contact lenses prescription is probably different from your friends. You could not only damage your eyes from the wrong size of contact, but also contract infections from sharing lenses.
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.