In our ever-increasing digital world, digital eye strain is a growing problem, affecting both parents and children alike. It refers to the uncomfortable symptoms that result from looking at screens for prolonged periods. Since the pandemic, one in 3 people in the UK has noticed deteriorated vision because of increased screen time.
Read on to discover the effects of digital eye strain, how it is caused and how blue light glasses can help alleviate symptoms.
Digital eye strain causes
Digital eye strain results when the eyes are intensely focused on a task for a long period. For example, children studying for exams or adults who frequently use digital screens are susceptible to developing this condition.
In addition, some of the main causes of digital eye strain include reading without resting your eyes, exposure to bright lights, driving for extended periods, fatigue, stress and straining to see in dim lighting.
Symptoms of digital eye strain
While digital eye strain isn’t sight-threatening, it can cause prolonged discomfort that can make it difficult to get through the day. Some symptoms to watch out for include:
Headaches
Eye discomfort
Trouble focusing
Red or watery eyes
Blurred or double vision
Dry eyes
Twitching eyelids
Sensitivity to light
The good news is, you don’t have to silently suffer from digital eye strain. Blue light glasses are specifically designed to protect your eyes from blue light exposure. Thanks to a special anti-reflection coating, they’re able to filter blue light rays to stop them from entering your eye and causing potential damage. This reduces glare, provides enhanced clarity, and reduces visual discomfort – all of which contribute to soothing digital eye strain.
Wearing blue light glasses will allow you to have the best concentration possible for when you are working and studying as they help relax your eyes which will improve your sleep and allow your body to function properly.
Get in touch
If you are suffering from any of the digital eye strain symptoms mentioned above, book an eye exam to get a pair of blue light lenses of your own.
Hay fever season is now upon us, causing uncomfortable symptoms for a significant portion of the population. In fact, a study done in 2020 found that hay fever can affect nearly 50% of the UK population, and around 37% reported symptoms for the first time since 2015. Read on for a helpful rundown on common symptoms, and our top tips for hay fever relief.
Do you have hay fever?
There are several symptoms of hay fever you may experience:
● sneezing or coughing ● headache and tiredness ● sore, red, itchy eyes ● an itchy throat, nose, or ears (possibly an earache) ● nasal congestion or a runny nose
What exactly is hay fever?
Hay fever is when your body reacts to the pollen in the air. Pollen is a powder produced by plants and is a part of their reproduction process. As such, the ‘pollen count’, i.e., how much pollen there is in the air, is typically highest from spring to the beginning of September. When your body reacts to pollen, it produces histamine, causing inflammation.
Reactions range from mild to severe and can cause loss of sleep, concentration issues and increased risk of asthma.
Hay fever treatment
Unfortunately, there is no permanent cure for hay fever – only relief. You can try and avoid being outside during high pollen count days by checking your weather forecast, which usually has an indicator for this, or by investing in air filters. However, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to avoid it completely, so we’ve compiled our top 5 tips on how best to manage your symptoms day to day.
Wash your hands before you touch your face. This can reduce the transfer of pollen to your eyes, minimising irritation.
Use eye drops as recommended by our optometrists to help relieve itchy, red, and sore eyes.
Placing a cold, wet flannel over your eyes for 10-15 minutes every day can also provide some respite.
Sunglasses can help, especially wraparound styles which give optimal coverage to block pollen, dust, and other irritants from reaching your eyes.
Use over the counter antihistamines if you find them to be effective.
Putting your clothes straight into the wash after a day out when pollen is rife will help to stop it from transferring to your eyes.
Closing your windows when the pollen count is at its highest if indoors will reduce the chances of it making contact with your eyes. In extreme cases, your doctor may be able to offer immunotherapy, which slowly exposes the body to pollen, allowing you to build up tolerance prior to spring.
Need further info?
While over the counter eye drops may be helpful to some extent, it’s important to remember that everyone’s eyes are different, and that some eye drops contain ingredients which may not be suitable for your eyes, especially if you are a contact lens wearer.
We offer a variety of options to accommodate your specific needs, and have optometrists with Independent Prescribing qualifications, who can prescribe medicated eye drops, or ointments after assessing you if they feel it would benefit you.
Don’t suffer in silence! Get in touch with our opticians in Whitley Bay if you need any further advice or visit us in person.
We use our eyes to see and experience the world around us, but what if that wasn’t possible anymore? We often forget how important our eyes are, so if there’s one message we want you to remember as the new year is underway, it’s not to take your vision for granted!
We want to help you maintain great eye health and vision for as long as possible, so here are some of our top tips on how to take care of your eyes in 2023 to improve your vision.
Eat well and eat right
Have you ever been told to eat vegetables and fruits for good eyesight? This is because a well-balanced meal and proper diet can give you the necessary nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc, and a variety of vitamins to promote good vision and eye health.
Why not incorporate citrus fruits like oranges as a healthy snack at the office, add green, leafy vegetables like kale or spinach, or proteins like eggs or nuts to your salads, and oily fish like salmon to your dinner? Your eyes will thank you as this may even lower your odds of developing certain eye conditions and help to prevent type 2 diabetes, which can also affect your vision.
Wear sunglasses
Whether it’s summer or winter, it is important to wear sunglasses all year round. Without this protective eyewear, cumulative UV exposure to your eyes over the years can increase your chances of getting age-related diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration.
Wearing high quality sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection can block their harmful rays from penetrating your eyes and provide more visual comfort in the face of bright sunlight. We recommend wraparound styles for maximum coverage. Not only will you be helping your eyes, but we think sunglasses are always a great addition to any outfit while out and about!
Take screen breaks
We are inevitably spending more and more time continuously staring at computers, phones and tablets, day and night. Too much screen time can cause:
Blurry vision
Chronic neck problems
Dry eyes
Headaches
Irregular sleeping patterns
This is commonly known as digital eye strain. You can help alleviate this at home by trying out the 20/20/20 method – every 20 minutes, look away from your screen at anything 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Kids in particular can benefit from this, but if their screen time is causing persistent problems, we do also recommend investing in kid’s blue light glasses with our popular HOYA Blue Control glasses lenses. Also great for adults, these help to relax the eyes and protect them from the effects of blue light while using screens.
Regular eye exams
We saved the best for last! It’ll come as no surprise to you that keeping up with your regular eye exams are a must for 2023! These enable our optometrists to monitor your prescription and eye health, and thanks to state of the art diagnostic technology, can often reveal early signs of potential problems that you may not have noticed yourself. This means they can take action to protect your vision and provide you with that extra peace of mind.
We’ve had a great year at the practice, and in case you missed any of our favourite moments from the practice, here’s a round-up!
Anth’s marathon run for Heart UK
We’d like to thank everyone who recently supported our Dispensing Manager Anth in running the London Marathon for the charity Heart UK. In 2018 he suffered a very unexpected heart attack caused by a genetic condition that he didn’t know about. The condition can cause very high levels of cholesterol, even in fit people who live a healthy lifestyle. Heart UK’s advice and support were invaluable during his recovery, so this was his way of giving something back to them. He more than managed to achieve this, raising an amazing £2026!
Anth is a valued member of our team, a real people person who always ensures our customers leave the practice delighted with our service, so we’re proud to support him in all his endeavours, especially this one as it was quite literally so close to his heart and are over the moon at how many of you donated money and left words of encouragement too – thank you!
Daisy’s wedding and latest qualification
Daisy not only graduated as a fully qualified dispensing optician in April but also tied the knot this year with her wonderful husband in a beautiful ceremony.
Daisy is one of the core members of our team and always ensures our customers get the best service possible when they come to the practice. A huge congratulations again to Daisy for her qualification and to the lovely couple!
New diagnostic equipment
We’re passionate about investing in the latest technology to help look after your eyes and were excited to introduce two of the latest state of the art devices back in May!
The Henson 9000 is a visual fields screening machine that helps us with the early detection of glaucoma and the ongoing management of established vision loss, while our autorefractor is designed to automatically detect your prescription during an eye exam for even more accuracy.
A warm welcome back for Robyn
During the year, we also welcomed back our Dispensing Optician and Assistant Manager, Robyn from her maternity leave. She was truly missed, and we’re over the moon to have her back as she’s always been a fundamental part of the practice team. If stylish and flattering eyewear is what you’re looking for, Robyn is the lady to see!
Exclusive Tom Davies raffle
Lastly, we held a Tom Davies raffle to support Anth’s London Marathon charity run, giving the chance to win a Tom Davies bespoke frame consultation in practice (worth £500) and get a customised frame (also worth £500) handcrafted by Tom Davies himself!
Our patient Dianne was the lucky winner and had her style consultation with the lovely Tristan from Tom Davies who helped her with choosing beautiful frames from the latest collections. She then had a consultation with Tom Davies himself and went home with a beautiful, personalised pair of sunglasses worth £500!
Thank you for a great 2022!
And that’s a wrap on 2022! A heartfelt thank you to each and every one of our loyal patients for your continued support and custom – we wouldn’t be able to achieve milestones like this without you and look forward to sharing another great year with you at our opticians in Whitley Bay. Happy new year from everyone at Robinson Optometrists!
Many of us spend hours staring at digital screens every day, and it takes a toll on our eyes. In fact, previous research shows that many people spend an average of 8-10 hours a day looking at digital screens or on close up tasks, a lot of these being children, teenagers, and young adults.
If you find yourself experiencing any of the following symptoms after spending time looking at a digital device, you may be suffering from digital eye strain:
Headaches
Neck and shoulder pain
Eye fatigue
Blurry vision
Difficulty focusing
Dry eyes
Irritated eyes
If you think you might be experiencing this, there are a few things you can do to help prevent eye strain. First, make sure that your computer screen is positioned at eye level. Secondly, take frequent breaks away from the screen to give your eyes a chance to rest – we find the 20-20-20 rule works well – look away every 20 minutes, for 20 seconds at something 20 feet away. Finally, try to limit your screen time in general, curbing your use right before bed, and whenever possible during the day in your lunch breaks, or in the evening.
By taking these simple steps, you can help reduce the symptoms of digital eye strain and protect your eyes.
What if my digital eye strain symptoms persist?
If you continue to experience discomfort while using digital screen, it may be worth considering investing in specialised computer glasses for the computer, smart phones, and tablets that are designed to help reduce eye strain and fatigue.
We offer Sync III glasses lenses from Hoya, which are specifically designed for 13-45 year olds who wear glasses for distance vision and spend more than 2 hours a day looking at digital screens or on close up tasks and are experiencing eye strain.
They are essentially an enhanced distance vision lenses which also have a ‘boost zone’ at the bottom of the lens which is slightly stronger and helps your eye muscles to relax and therefore focus more easily for increased comfort and less eye strain. They also come in 3 different strengths, depending on age and the severity of your eye strain symptoms.
Don’t suffer in silence if you have digital eye strain symptoms that won’t go away – our opticians in Whitley Bay are just one phone call or visit away and are always happy to help – speak to one of our friendly team to get advice on your symptoms, find out more about Hoya Sync III lenses, or arrange a
time to visit us and get them fitted into your glasses.
Short-sightedness, or myopia, is a common eye condition which typically becomes apparent in children aged around 8 to 12. Myopia is characterised by distant objects being blurred while close-up objects are clear. This is due to the shape of the eyeball becoming more elongated than it should be, causing light to bend incorrectly in front of your retina at the back of your eye, rather than on it.
Roughly a third of the UK’s population has myopia. This figure is expected to rise to 50% by 2050.
Risk factors
While myopia is still not fully understood, studies have shown that children with one or more myopic parents are more likely to develop the condition.
Screen use may also be a factor. Using a digital screen for extended periods of time forces the eyes to focus predominantly on a close object, which over long periods of time is detrimental to eye health and may increase the risk of developing myopia. With the recent increase in screen use due to Covid-19, particularly among children, this is a pertinent issue.
Standard prescription glasses can provide clearer vision, but over time, stronger and stronger prescriptions may be required as the condition worsens.
The best solution is myopia management and it’s important to act at an early age to prevent complications related to high myopic prescriptions in adulthood, like glaucoma, or retinal detachments.
Management technology
A lot of research has been conducted into how best to treat myopia in children, and there are options to slow down the condition and help protect future vision.
MiYOSMART spectacle lenses have been clinically proven to slow down the progression of myopia by up to 60% in children. They don’t look any different from other glasses, and are worn just like them, but their design incorporates a myopic defocus effect, which is what helps to control myopia.
These glasses lenses are award winning, and full UV protection, water repellency and impact resistance add to their credentials as the perfect children’s glasses for myopia.
Not just glasses
Children’s contact lenses are also available which have the same non-invasive techniques and outcomes. We offer MiSight 1 day soft contact lenses, again clinically proven to slow down myopia in children, and ideal for active children who don’t want to be restricted by glasses. As 1-day lenses they are hygienic, soft and comfortable to wear, with children as young as 8 able to adapt to them with no problem.
Contact our opticians in Whitley Bay
If you think your child could benefit from myopia management, come and see us in person. We have expert optometrists who are accredited to fit MiYOSMART and MiSight lenses and would be more than happy to help you find the best way to protect your child’s future vision.
Since their invention in 1887 contact lenses have come a long way, and now, more and more people are wearing them.
According to the Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers (ACLM) there are approximately 4.2 million contact lens wearers in the UK. Out of this group, 1.8 million regularly use prescription contact lenses, and 1.2 million use daily disposable contact lenses. Whether you need lenses for distance or near vision, or multifocal contact lenses, advances in technology mean that nowadays most prescriptions can be accommodated.
Why wear contact lenses this summer?
Summer is the perfect time to switch to contact lenses or try them for the first time. Let’s look at why:
They give you a panoramic field of vision, unlike frames which can sometimes obstruct your peripheral view. This is great for driving and can really help when playing sports too
Contact lenses offer a more natural look that goes with any outfit
They are weightless to wear, breathable, and comfortable when cared for properly
Contact lenses don’t smudge or steam up like glasses lenses can do in certain environments
They give you the freedom to wear non-prescription sunglasses, so you don’t have to keep swapping them with your regular specs to see clearly
They do provide UV protection to an extent, helping to protect your eyes in summer
They can be worn full time, or simply for special occasions
Get contact lenses at our opticians in Whitley Bay
Here at Robinson Optometrists, we offer a range of options if you’re interested in trying out contact lenses.
As well as daily disposable contact lenses and multifocal contact lenses we have the latest super oxygen permeable silicone hydrogel lenses. They allow 5 times more oxygen to reach your eye than a standard lens, which means you can wear them for an extended period of time.
Whichever contact lenses you choose, you’ll be well looked after by our team at your contact lens consultation. Our practitioners have years of experience and will always carry out a thorough assessment, working with you to align with your vision and lifestyle needs before recommending lenses to you.
You’ll be taught how to insert and remove your lenses, and our team will be on hand to help until you feel confident enough to do it yourself at home. You’ll then be able to take them away for a free tolerance trial for a week before you make your final decision.
If you opt to wear lenses, you can benefit from our Lens Eyecare Programme, which means all your appointments will be covered by a £7 monthly fee, including eye health assessments.If you’re interested in trying out contact lenses this summer, contact our opticians in Whitley Bay to find out more or book your appointment!
We all know that UV rays can cause damage to your skin, but what about your eyes? Read on to learn about the effect UV light has on your eyes and why you should always wear sunglasses for eye protection against UV rays.
How does UV light affect your eyes?
UV light is a form of ultraviolet radiation, and too much exposure can harm your eyes. There are 2 main types of UV rays that can affect your eyes. UVA has a long wavelength, which means it can reach the retina at the back of your eyes and eventually contribute to the development of serious and irreversible eye conditions. UVB has a short wavelength so reaches the cornea on the surface of your eyes and is associated with the development of short term eye conditions.
UV radiation affects people of all ages – so no matter how old you are, it’s important to be aware of the dangers and how to protect your eyes and your family’s eyes. The effects of UV exposure are generally cumulative, building up over time, so protecting the eyes from a young age is incredibly important.
Eye conditions caused or worsened by UV rays
Many eye conditions can be caused or worsened by UV exposure, and some of these can lead to eventual vision loss. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of sight loss in people over 50 in the UK, affecting your macula, which is responsible for your central vision. UV exposure increases your risk of developing this disease.
Prolonged UV exposure can also increase your risk of developing cataracts, as well as increasing your chances of developing skin cancer around the eyelids and delicate skin around the eyes.
Photokeratitis is another painful condition that can include temporary vision loss and is caused by prolonged exposure to UVB rays.
Wear sunglasses for protection against UV rays
The easiest way to protect your vision is to wear good quality sunglasses with full UV protection. Sunglasses are not just for summer, either. UV rays can cause damage at any time of year, even on overcast days, so if in doubt, put your shades on.
Now’s a great time to buy new sunglasses, with a huge range of styles available in our opticians in Whitley Bay. We recommend wraparound styles for the best coverage, particularly for children, as they stop sunlight coming in from most angles. We also have a variety of lens tint options and polarised sunglass lenses to reduce glare from the sun too.
We’re always happy to help, so contact us to find out more about our sunglasses range and lenses, or if you have any questions about UV exposure and protection.
With some eye conditions, symptoms such as blurred vision will let you know something’s wrong. But not all conditions have obvious symptoms – and occasionally, by the time you see the signs, it may be too late to reverse the effects. For many eye diseases, early intervention is crucial to preserve and save your eyesight.
That’s where Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) comes in. This state-of-the-art 3D eye CT scan shows a detailed cross-sectional image of the distinctive layers of the retina at the back of the eye, allowing our optometrists to see every detail in high resolution.
What happens during an OCT scan?
A 3D eye scan may sound a bit scary and invasive, but it’s truly not. When you sit down for your examination, all you’ll have to do is place your head on the OCT’s chinrest and look at the camera. The process only takes a matter of minutes, and you won’t feel a thing. Occasionally your optometrist may administer drops to dilate your pupils, allowing them to the back of your eye with even more clarity.
What does the OCT scan show?
The great thing about an OCT scan is that it can detect problems that traditional retinal photography can’t always see. While standard retinal imaging only shows the surface of the retina, an OCT scan shows all its layers, meaning that your optometrist has a much more detailed picture of what’s going on in your eye.
This means that conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma can be detected and treated much earlier if they are visible in areas which retinal photography wouldn’t show.
How quickly do the results show?
The results are instant, and your optometrist will talk you through them and what they show during your appointment. The images are then stored in your patient record so that over time, with regular testing, we can build a highly accurate picture of your eye health and monitor the progress of any conditions or abnormalities, for your peace of mind.
How to book an OCT eye scan
Here at Robinson Optometrists, we’ve got a 3D OCT scan which you can have when you book a premium OCT eye exam, which takes around 50 minutes in total.
We’re one of only a few opticians in Whitley Bay to offer advanced 3D eye scans. It’s available to all our patients, but we especially recommend it for anyone over the age of 40, as well as patients with existing eye conditions, diabetes, or a family history of eye problems like glaucoma or macular degeneration.
Feel free to call us on 0191 251 6102 for more information about our OCT scan, or book your premium OCT eye test in Whitley Bay online here.
It’s been quite the year for all of us with the ongoing pandemic, but there have certainly been some great moments for us. We’re taking a look back at some of our highlights of 2021 and want to share them with you…
Happy birthday to us!
Firstly, we celebrated 30 years in business! From our humble beginnings in 1991, we’ve come a long way and have all our amazing patients and staff to thank for that.
It’s safe to say we had a great time celebrating this milestone achievement!
New team members
We’re pleased to say we’ve had a few additions to our friendly team at our opticians in Monkseaton in the past year!
Megan, our new optical assistant, joined our practice in January. Daisy also started in January as our new student dispensing optician and is now fully qualified – a fantastic achievement!
Both Megan and Daisy have had previous experienced working with opticians, and it’s been wonderful to have them both on board this year.
If you book an eye test at our opticians in the Whitley Bay area, you might see our talented optometrist Hayden Hamilton, who started with us in May. Hayden graduated in 2014 from Glasgow Caledonian University, before specialising as an Independent Prescriber.
Having her join in a part time role means we’ve been able to run 2 clinics for 6.5 days a week – allowing us to see more of you – our valued customers. Hayden is a keen rower and traveller, but most of all loves meeting people, which definitely shows, as she’s been a huge hit with our patients so far. We feel very lucky to have her as part of the Robinson’s team!
Looking for a new pair of glasses? With more than 30 years of experience in optics, Tracy Tweddle, who joined us in May, will definitely be able to help you find the perfect pair.
We also had another optometrist, Andrea Turnbull, join us in November. Andrea is passionate about optometry and brings a wealth of experience to the role. She’s also a real people person – all qualities that make her a real asset to our team.
Not strictly a new team member, but we like to think of her as one (!) – baby Lottie was born in June to Robyn, our assistant manager and dispensing optician, and her husband Simon. She is absolutely gorgeous and a bundle of joy – we can’t wait to see more of her next year!
New myopia control lenses
2021 has been a year of investing in more innovative products for the practice too. One of these is MiYOSMART – special spectacle lenses from one of our lens suppliers, HOYA, which are clinically proven to slow the progression of myopia, aka short-sightedness, in children.
Myopia is a growing epidemic worldwide, with kids in particular starting to develop it at younger ages than previously seen. As it gets worse over the year, it can lead to a host of other potential serious vision problems in adulthood, like glaucoma and retinal detachments.
This is why using myopia management methods like MiYOSMART from an early age has become so important, as it helps you as parents to protect your child’s future vision and eye health.
Fitted and worn just like normal glasses, MiYOSMART lenses are ideal for kids, offering UV protection, impact resistance and anti-glare technology too.
Optix conference
There have been some exciting events too; one was the Optix conference at Celtic Manor, which Nigel, Anth and John had the privilege of attending. They were lucky enough to hear some amazing inspirational speakers, including Sir Chris Hoy MBE and Duncan Slater.
In 2009, Duncan Slater was on patrol in Afghanistan when his vehicle hit an IED. Rather than a life confined to a wheelchair, Duncan chose double amputation. Eight months later he completed a charity cycle ride from Lands End to John O Groats. He has since gone on to ski to the South Pole and complete the toughest race on the planet – Marathon des Sables, in aid of Walking With The Wounded.
Sir Chris Hoy was truly inspiring too – the epitome of dedication and modesty; an exemplary individual who showed us what can be achieved with the correct mindset.
Nigel, Anth and John were proud to have been part of the fundraising dinner, which raised £30k – a figure that was matched by the hosts – Optix Software.
Whitley Bay Girls Sports Club sponsorship
We’re all about supporting our local community, which is why we also sponsored the U12 Lionesses team for a third season. We’re thrilled to see how far they’ve come since they first started 2 years ago – in fact, this year, they were playing in the Premier Division!
They’re always welcome here at our opticians in Monkseaton!
Sea2See frames
On the eyewear front, we’re pleased we’ve just started stocking the brand Sea2See as part of our commitment to becoming an eco-friendlier practice. Sea2See works with fishermen to collect plastic from the sea, before processing it to create beautiful frames. This means you’ll be able to support environmental protection in style! Feel free to visit us and view the collection in the new year.
Thank you to our loyal customers
Lastly, a special thank you to you – our loyal customers who have helped to make 2021 the success it was. Let’s hope 2022 is an even better year!
If you’re looking to book an eye test in the Whitley Bay area for the new year, or need to contact our practice for any other eyecare or eyewear needs, please do get in touch with our friendly team.
