ADLAM & COOMBER BLOG

Sep 24, 2019
2 min

When can my Child Start Wearing Contact Lenses?

It is now quite common for children of around 7 or 8 years old, or even younger, to start wearing contact lenses part time - giving them freedom from glasses to enjoy activities such as horse riding, dancing, rugby or football to the fullest and often improving their confidence. Daily disposable contact lenses are ideal as they are really comfortable and it's reassuring to know that a fresh sterile pair will be used every time. They are made from a smooth soft gel that allows

Sep 24, 2019
2 min

Why Can't You Make the Lenses Stronger?

This is a question that is often asked by patients, or by the family of patients, who are suffering with AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration). AMD affects the part of the eye that deals with detail and close-up vision. So very often, poor reading vision is a symptom of this condition. Now, when they are younger, most patients will have traditionally had problems with reading vision corrected by a change in their reading glasses prescription. We just give the prescription a

Sep 24, 2019
2 min

Protecting our Eyes in the Summer

The summer is finally here and while we all want to enjoy the better weather and longer days there are extra precautions we need to take to keep our eyes healthy and comfortable. We are all now very aware of the extra protection our skin needs during the summer months but did you know we should also be giving our eyes the same care and attention. Starting with the obvious one, sunglasses are the best way to protect our eyes during the summer but choosing the right eyewear can

Sep 24, 2019
3 min

My Child Keeps Needing Stronger Glasses, What can I do?

Myopia (short-sightedness) has become much more common worldwide in recent years and in the UK between 20- 40% of the population are now myopic. The reasons for this are not yet fully understood but we do know that children with two myopic parents are more at risk. Myopic eyes tend to be longer in length and research has shown that this excessive growth may be a response to the visual environment, namely excessive close work (reading and screen use). Research has also shown t

Sep 24, 2019
2 min

What is Ortho-Keratology?

Have you ever dreamt of a safe, reversible alternative to laser eye surgery? I know I have. Orthokeratology (“EyeDream”) is a vision correction therapy that works whilst you sleep – what could be better than that? EyeDream contact lenses correct your vision while you sleep. They do this by applying a controlled shape to the cornea which is the front surface of the eye, eliminating myopia (short –sightedness). The lenses are removed in the morning allowing you to see c

Sep 24, 2019
2 min

What can I do to Keep my Eyes Healthy?

The first, and perhaps the simplest answer is to wear protection against harmful UV rays. This doesn’t mean wearing sunglasses year round but DO ensure your spectacles have UV protection. Most of our anti-reflection lenses, including all of our Neva Max and SmarT lenses will ensure your eyes are protected against daily UV damage. Contact lens wearers should ensure their chosen lens also has UV protection AND wear protective sunglasses to protect the delicate skin area around

Sep 24, 2019
2 min

What is Keratoconus?

Keratoconus (also known as Pellucid) is a progressive non-inflammatory disorder that causes a characteristic thinning and cone-like steepening of the cornea. This steepening results in distortion of vision, increased sensitivity to glare and light and an associated reduction in visual acuity. These symptoms usually appear in the late teens and early twenties. Keratoconus may progress for 10-20 years and then can slow or even stabilize. Each eye can be affected differently. Th

Sep 24, 2019
3 min

Will I Benefit From Optical Coherence Technology (OCT)?

During your sight-test our aim is to assess your vision and, if necessary, use spectacles (or contact lenses) to make your vision as clear as possible. Our other aim is to assess the health of your eyes and detect any defects – OCT (which stands for Ocular {or sometimes Optical} Coherence Tomography) is an invaluable tool used to achieve this. As technology has improved it has helped us to carry out our assessments with much more accuracy. OCT is a perfect example of this and

Sep 24, 2019
3 min

Varifocal vs Occupational Lenses

Varifocal Lenses Progressive Power Lenses (PPL), commonly known as ‘Varifocal’ lenses are generally recommended by Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians when you have a two prescription requirement. Typically, one for distance vision and one for near vision. These lenses are designed in a manner that they have a gradual change incorporated into the strength of the prescription from the top of the lens where the distance portion is set, to the bottom with multiple focal points

Sep 24, 2019
2 min

What Frames Suit my Face Shape?

One of the most common concerns when choosing a pair of new spectacles is choosing a frame that suits our face. If we choose a frame that complements our face shape, we always feel more confident and comfortable wearing our spectacles. Face shapes can be categorised into 6 shapes: Heart, Round, Square, Oval, Diamond and Rectangular. To decipher your face shape, move your hair away from your face, and trace a line from your hairline, down to your chin, then back up your hairli

Sep 24, 2019
1 min

Do I Have to Have Big Frames for my Varifocals?

We very often get asked this question as with a varifocal lens we do have a number of things to consider, for example your occupation or hobbies. The most important thing is the frame fit. As varifocals are a custom lens that are tailored to your individual needs, this means that there are lots of variations that we can use to select the best varifocal for you in order to provide the best possible vision. When varifocals were first manufactured in the late fifties, customisat

Sep 24, 2019
2 min

Mythbusting Contact Lenses! What You Need to Know.

Ever considered getting contact lenses but felt put off by some of the negative myths surrounding them? We’re here to get the bottom of those myths and tell you they’re not true! Contact lenses are a fantastic, cost effective and hassle free alternative to glasses. Let the Myth Busting begin Contact Lenses can get stuck behind your eyes False! It’s physically impossible. A thin membrane around the eye prevents anything from slipping behind the eye and causing any damage. You

Sep 24, 2019
3 min

Mathematics in Optics!

It may not be surprising to hear, as in most subject areas, that there is a substantial amount of mathematics in Optics. Luckily for most of us (or unluckily if you like maths) this maths is ‘hidden’ by using rule of thumb systems, data tables or computer software that does all the work for us. This is also largely true of Optics, though there are some purists out there who prefer the aid of mathematical equations in deriving specific results. I am naturally one of those puri

Sep 24, 2019
3 min

Optical Terms Explained!

It is important that when we communicate with our patients, we use terms that don’t require they qualify as an optometrist! As such, we generally try to avoid the use of jargon and use more end-user friendly terms in their place. However, there remain terms that are inescapably used, but applying a smidgen of etymology will help to de-mystify their meaning. As an aside, the etymology of the word etymology is as follows: ‘etymos’ – true/actual ‘logia’ – study of Bringing this

Sep 24, 2019
2 min

Seeing In The New Year - How To Make The Most Of It!

At the end of each year, we all get the asked same question: “What’s your New Year’s Eve Resolution going to be?” More often than not our answer tends be watch we eat and take it easy on the booze after a good few days of indulging ourselves over the festive season. At David Henderson Opticians, we’re all for making an effort to make healthier choices. This year we want to challenge you to make a couple of extra promises to yourself to safeguard a part a vital part of your ov

Sep 24, 2019
1 min

Socially in Noise

We all believe we are invincible, that with youth comes the ability to rise above all ailments, but we know deep down that things must be protected for our future. In this blog we will discover the true price we may have to pay for the social lives we lead. Sound is nothing more than a wave of air, the bigger the wave, the louder the sound. We have all heard that car sat at the lights, a bass beat booming out of it, but have we ever heard the violin concerto playing in the Ja

Sep 24, 2019
2 min

Why Onions Hassle Women More Than Men: And How to Stop the Tears

So it’s annoying isn’t it? Your eyes stream when you slice through those onions. Every time. And as your eyes fill, it’s harder to see, so you s l o w d o w n, Which is worse, because you just want to get it over with. Why is this? When you cut through onions, it starts a number of chemical reactions which results in a gas that irritates the eyes. Syn-propanethial-S-oxide, to be exact, So why do you cry more than others? Some people have better tears than others - a better m

Sep 24, 2019
2 min

Polarized Sunglasses vs Standard Tinting

Ultraviolet rays from the sun are incredibly damaging to our eyes, so proper eye protection is important at any time of year. However, choosing the right sunglasses is no easy task with so many choices available. Polarized sunglasses are specialized eyewear designed to reduce GLARE from surfaces such as water, snow and glass. First, we need to know what GLARE is. Glare is difficulty seeing in the presence of bright light such as direct or reflected sunlight. It can generally

Sep 24, 2019
2 min

Glasses Cleaning Guide!

Smudges and grease occurrence on your lenses are a common problem when your skin excretes oil and dirt from day to day handling. Using water to clean your glasses should be avoided for metal frames, although washing up liquid is the preferred choice with its’ ability to cut through grime. Soap on the other hand does not have the same qualities and may cloud up the lenses. We recommend solutions that allow your glasses to last longer combining not just better vision but a long

Sep 24, 2019
3 min

Are Computer Screens Damaging our Eyes?

Screens are central to our world these days… With some people spending 8 hours looking at their work screen, interspersed with checking their phone, then another session at home browsing online, can our eyes actually cope with all this screen work? Many of our tasks are screen based. Laptop, iPads, phones, and sat nav systems are just a few. The Stare Factor. Science has shown, that on average we blink every other second, so in a 30 second span, we blink 15 times. When we con