1066576_western_optical_hansens_optometrist

DRY EYE DISEASE

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 04:15:05 GMT

Did you know that 20% of Australians suffer from Dry Eyes?

What is Dry Eye Disease?

Dry eye disease is a common condition that occurs when your tears aren't able to provide adequate protection for your eyes. The majority of cases of dry eye are not caused by a lack of tears, but rather tears that are of poor quality. This causes the tear film (the protective layer on the front of your eye) to become unstable, thus directly exposing your eye to the elements leading to symptoms of stinging, redness, irritation and even blur.

The most common cause of dry eye is due to the oil producing glands in your eyelids slowing down, clogging up, and in some cases even dying. This can lead to permanent damage to the cornea, the sensitive front layer of the eye, as well as vision loss.

How can I treat Dry Eye?

Regular heat and gentle massage are great ways to improve the function of the oil producing glands and promote a healthy tear film. Another great form of treatment is an oil-based eye drop, which supplements the lack of natural oils being produced. Vitamin A is also effective in restoring damaged corneal epithelium.

What are some common symptoms of Dry Eye?

If you are suffering from the below symptoms, book an appointment with one of our Optometrists today. Optometrist Justin Clunas runs a comprehensive Dry Eye Clinic at our practice, although all of our Optometrists are experienced in treating Dry Eye.

Symptoms:

• stinging or burning

• itchiness (particularly in the corners of the eyes)

• fluctuating vision

• redness

• tired eyes

• mucus around the eyelids, particularly upon waking

• a feeling of grittiness, or the sensation of something foreign in the eye

ALLERGIES AND TREATMENTS

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 03:25:09 GMT

Do you suffer from sore, itchy eyes? You may have an allergic Conjunctivitis or Hay Fever of the eyes!

At this time of the year (especially with all the dust in the air) a lot of us are suffering from allergic reactions. Allergy reactions in the eye are usually due to airborne allergens, contact allergens, and reactions to allergens associated with various microbial agents (bacteria, viruses etc).

Sometimes eye allergies can be due to systemic hypersensitivity. In other words, something that is causing an allergic response in the whole body. Hence the only true way to cure an allergy is either to:

1. Remove the cause of the allergy. This may not always be practical or it may be difficult to isolate a single allergen as the cause.

2. Become desensitised to the particular allergen. Course of immunotherapy provided by an allergist may help desensitise the patient to specific allergens, however, may only be considered in severe cases due to the expense and time involved in testing and the treatment.

OCULAR ALLERGIES are mainly associated with HAY FEVER.

ALLERGEN:

Most common agents are pollens, animal hairs or danders, feathers, mould spores, house dust, insects and scents.

SYMPTOMS:

Patients complain of moderate itching, tearing, burning, and a feeling of pressure behind the eye.
A stringy discharge maybe present. The eyes may be red with slight swelling in the lids and small papillae (little bumps) under the top and bottom eye lids.

TREATMENT:

a) Irrigation at least 5 x daily with lubricating eye drops. Single dose units are very good because they are unpreserved, simple and inexpensive to use. You cannot overuse lubricating eye drops and although they do not cure the allergy they will significantly help alleviate the symptoms.

b) You can also apply cold compresses (cold face washer) on the closed eyes to help relieve the itchy discomfort.

c) Severe symptoms may need a decongestant / antihistamine eye drop.

If you are not sure if you have an allergic conjunctivitis, come in and let us examine your eyes to advise you on the best treatment. You do not need an appointment! We see every sore eye then and there to make sure you do not have any other significant cause of your itchy or sore eyes.

READING EYE MOVEMENT SKILLS.

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 03:25:13 GMT

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CHILD’S READING EYE MOVEMENT SKILLS.

When it comes to reading, one of the earliest skills your child has to learn is how to move their eyes across a line of print without losing their place as they go from word to word or line to line. This is called a Reading Eye Movement (REM) . It is a learnt visual motor skill that we don’t use for any other task. It involves the eyes rapidly jumping (a saccadic eye movement) from word to word. We then do a brief fixation of the word to allow the brain to intrude its meaning (Comprehension) . When we are learning to read we fixate each letter in a word to sound it out. As we gradually develop a repertoire of words that we recognise straight away (sight words) we do fewer fixations and take in more words per fixation. A good reader can comprehend up to 18 characters per fixation (includes spaces between words) . A poor reader needs to fixate ever letter or word.

SIGNS OF POOR READING EYE MOVEMENT SKILLS.

If a child has poor REM they will be slow to read, lose their place often, re-read words or lines, need their finger to keep their place (after age of 7),be slow to copy off the board, and struggle with comprehension and sight word recognition.

We can accurately measure how good your child’s REM is by a standardised Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) Test. We can also train your child’s fine visual motor skills to improve their REM abilities.

WHAT EYE EXERCISES CAN HELP POOR REM SKILLS?

If you think your child has poor REM skills then let us do a full Visual Information Perceptual Assessment (VIP Test) which includes a DEM test. We can design a specific Visual Therapy treatment program to best suit your child’s needs. When you phone, make an on-line appointment or email us to make an appointment please inform the receptionist that you want your child to have a VIP assessment.

Here is a simple Eye exercise can improve REM skills.

THE NEWSPAPER CROSS EXERCISE

AIM:

To develop fluent reading eye movements, to improve focusing and eye alignment stamina.

MATERIALS:

Newspaper or magazine, Red and Black pens.

METHOD:

1. Be seated comfortably with the newspaper/magazine on the desk and reading spectacles on (if required).

2. Select an article that has four or five columns.

3. Have your child scan across each line in the first column without using their finger or pen to get their place and get them to put a stroke (/) through every “a” that they see.

4. Then in the second column put a stroke through every “b” that they see.

5. Then in the third column put a stroke through every “c” that they see.

6. Continue with a different letter for each column.

7. Stop after the child has been working for about ten minutes.

8. Now have the child go back to the first column and check to see if he or she has missed any of the ‘a’s.

9. To do this run the red pen along underneath each line, drawing a red line whenever they get to an ‘a’ circle it. It should already have a stroke through it….but everyone misses some of the ‘a’s!

10. When the child is pretty good at doing this, and it could take a few days before they are, have them read the words that they know as they move the pen below the line looking for the ‘a’s.

11. If the child does not know the word, they do not have to read it, but they do still have to check if they have missed any ‘a’s in that word.

12. The pen is not allowed to stop moving.

13. The pen is pulling the eyes along the line of print, the eyes are looking for the letters while the brain is trying to read the whole words that the child recognises.

14. This is not about word attack or sight word skills. If the child does not know a word they just continue moving the pen past it. They only read out the words that they know.

15. The next night, the child might like to start from the letter they were up to from the previous night.

LET'S TALK ABOUT CONTACT LENSES.......

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 03:25:11 GMT

THE MYTHS AND THE REALITY!!

They will get lost in my eye and go around the back and get stuck in my brain.

This is physically impossible, scary thought but cannot happen. the eyelids forma seal onto the eye-globe so they can go no further.

They will pop out spontaneously of if I get bumped on the back of the head, just like in the old movies.

Not happening. Even playing sport or other activities they shouldn't fall out. Even in water it is quite difficult to lose a lens. Mostly they move out of place and we can blink them back into place.

They are uncomfortable!!!

New technologies, new surfacing and design means that the current soft contact lens designs are the most comfortable ever and you will never know they are even in there.

They are difficult to maintain.

Daily disposable lenses are the easiest care yet...put them in, wear them for a day and discard for a fresh pair tomorrow!

They can get stuck permanently.

They will not get stuck but with most lenses remove them before sleep.

They can melt in your eyes!

Unless diving into a volcano, this is impossible...despite the long lived trade stories of welders wearing contacts which melted onto the eyes, this just can't happen.

They will stop you crying while cutting onions.

Actually this one is true. So try some today and "Masterchef" away!

RECOMMENDED SCREEN TIMES FOR CHILDREN

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 23:52:52 GMT

HOW MUCH SCREEN TIME PER DAY SHOULD I LET MY CHILD HAVE?

It really depends on how old your child is! There is strong scientific evidence excessive computer and screen use is associated with a greater risk of developing short-sightedness as well as increased symptoms of eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, and neck and shoulder pain, due to our eyes focusing and aiming close-up for very long periods.

When your child is reading from electronic devices it requires more effort and is more fatiguing than from hard copy such as books.

The Australasian College of Behavioural Optometrists (ACBO) recommends the following guidelines for children using near vision screen equipment AGE

AGE EXPOSURE COMMENTS

0 - 2 Years

None

None, with the possible exception of live video-chatting (e.g., Skype, Facetime) with parental support, due to its potential for social development.

2 -5 Years

1 hour per day or less,

Programming should be age-appropriate, educational, high- quality, and co-viewed, and should be discussed with the child to provide context and help them apply what they are seeing to their 3-dimensional real-world environment. Excessive screen time before the age of 5 may cause delays in development, cognitive delays and poorer academic performance.

5 - 18 Years

2 hours per day or less

Ideally recreational screen time should be limited. Individual screen time plans for children between the ages of 5–18 years should be considered based on their development and needs.

SCREEN TIME AND MYOPIA (SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS): EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT:

Children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to be, or to become myopic, irrespective of how much near work they do, or whether their parents are myopic. Outdoor time has a significant protective effect against developing some types of myopia.
Increased study time of more than 2.5 hours per day can increase the risk of myopia.
More than 2 hours of smartphone use produces greater chances of vision problems, and greater chances of multiple problems.
Most studies on the effects of screen time in children indicate that the odds of visual symptoms increase after 2–4 hours of use.

SCREEN TIME AND EYE DEVELOPMENT: EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT:

Half of children and youths exceed the public health screen time recommendation of 2 h per day or less.
More than 2 hours of smartphone use produces greater chances of vision problems, and greater chances of multiple problems.
Most studies on the effects of screen time in children indicate that the odds of visual symptoms increase after 2–4 hours of use.

REFERENCES:

i Coles-Brennan C et al. Management of digital eye strain. Clin Exp Optom 2019;102:18-29.

ii Hue JE, et al. Reading from electronic devices versus hard copy text. Work 2014;47:303-7.

iii Madigan S, Browne D, Racine N, Mori C, Tough S. Association Between Screen Time and Children’s Performance on a Developmental Screening Test. JAMA Pediatr. Published online January 28, 2019. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5056

iv Yoshimura, M., et al. Smartphone viewing distance and sleep: an experimental study utilizing motion capture technology. Nat Sci Sleep 2017 9: 59-65.

v Mehta, A., et al. Acute Onset Esotropia From Excessive Smartphone Use in a Teenager. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2018;55: e42-e44.

vi Lee, H. S., et al. Acute acquired comitant esotropia related to excessive Smartphone use. BMC Ophthalmol 2016;16: 37.

vii Cheung, C. H. M. et al. Daily touchscreen use in infants and toddlers is associated with reduced sleep and delayed sleep onset. Sci Rep 2017;7:

viii Xiong S, Sankaridurg P, Naduvilath T, Zang J, Zou H, Zhu J, Lv M, He X, Xu X. Time spent in outdoor activities in relation to myopia prevention and control: a meta-analysis and systematic review

ix Huang HM, Chang DS, Wu PC. The Association between Near Work Activities and Myopia in Children-A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2015 Oct 20;10(10):e0140419. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140419

x Po-Wen Ku et al The Associations between Near Visual Activity and Incident Myopia in Children - A Nationwide 4-Year Follow-up Study. Ophthalmology. 2018 Jun 19. pii: S0161-6420(17)33464-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2018.05.010. [Epub ahead of print]

xi Gopinath B et al. Influence of physical activity and screen time on the retinal microvasculature in young children. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2011 May;31(5):1233-9. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.110.219451.

xii Saunders TJ, Vallance JK. Screen Time and Health Indicators Among Children and Youth: Current Evidence, Limitations and Future Directions. Appl Health Econ Health Policy. 2017 Jun;15(3):323-331. doi: 10.1007/s40258-016-0289-3.

xiii Kim J, Hwang Y, Kang S et al. Association between Exposure to Smartphones and Ocular Health in Adolescents. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2016;23:269-76.

xiv Coles-Brennan C, Sulley A, Young G. Management of digital eye strain. Clin Exp Optom 2019;102:18-29.

10 TIPS TO HELP YOUR CHILD COPE USING DIGITAL SCREENS

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 23:35:53 GMT

SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE STRONGLY INDICATES THAT CHILDREN’S USE OF COMPUTER SCREENS, MOBILE PHONES, TABLETS AND OTHER DEVICES CAN CAUSE VISUAL PROBLEMS. HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP REDUCE THIS LIKELIHOOD:-

1. Encourage moderation in near vision screen time - (see recommendations on age related screen time) Studies show that children who spend more than 2 hours a day on screens, and less than 1 ½ hours outdoors, are more likely to become short-sighted. Consider reducing your own screen time as an example to your children.

2. Ensure Good Working Distance - Your child’s posture and working distance are so important as they grow, and device should be no closer than the distance from their nose to their elbow . Never read lying on your stomach, as the viewing distance will be much closer. Excessive, extremely close smartphone use can cause severe eye coordination problems.

3. Change Focus - When reading an electronic document or book, encourage your children to look up and away as they turn the page or after 20mins of screen time. Set your smart phone to or pad to remind them when the time is up. The Hansenoptom phone App also has a great function to do this.

4. Take longer Breaks – For every hour using screens insist your child has a 10min break. Again set a timer to remind your child. Consider Lighting and screen glare - Avoid using computer, phones or tablets outside or in brightly lit areas, as the lighting and glare differences can create strain.

5. Limit use while travelling - Limit the use of computers, phones or tablets while traveling in a car as it can cause eye strain and motion sickness – use the opportunity to look far, play games and enjoy your surroundings.

6. Make sure the screen is not too bright - Adjust the brightness of the device your child is using for the light and circumstances.

7. Use healthy food distractions - Create a distraction that causes your child to look up every now and then or to leave the screen such as giving them (healthy) snacks occasionally.

8. Stop screen use for an hour before bed time - Studies show that screen use just before bed can increase the risk of a child failing to fall asleep and staying asleep.

9 . Don’t get into bad habits - The temptation can be to use a screen as a bay sitting device and allow your child to use your mobile phones or tablet to keep occupied while you want do other things or to quieten them down. The risk is that you may subconsciously condition your child to expect to play on your phone or tablet whenever they are upset or when you are otherwise occupied.

10. Promote regular outdoor activities - When in doubt Children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to be, or to become myopic, irrespective of how much near work they do, or whether their parents are myopic. Outdoor time has a significant protective effect against developing some types of myopia.

NATIONAL EYECARE PLUS CONFERENCE 2018

Sun, 21 Oct 2018 00:28:39 GMT

HERE'S A LITTLE SUMMARY OF WHAT WE GOT UP TO ON THE GOLD COAST IN OCTOBER.

The day started off like any other work day, except we'd be closing early to fill our brains with inspiration and innovation for the future.

Off we went on our REX flight to Sydney, then onto our next flight with Virgin to sunny Broadbeach on the Gold Coast.

It's now Friday, we all wake up eager for the weekend ahead but first a quick trip to the beach followed by a team lunch at the beautiful Kurrawa Surf Club, where we brainstormed ideas and ate too much.

The first event of the Eyecare Plus conference happened Friday night around the moonlit pool of The Star Gold Coast. It was a great night had by staff, suppliers and artists walking around on stilts dressed in an underwater theme.

Early start on Saturday, breakfast followed by registration.

We spent the day in seminars with key speakers on a variety of topics; marketing, operating systems, optical dispensing, technology and of course there was fashion.

After 7 hours of business, it was now time to enjoy ourselves along with the rest of our Eyecare Plus peers at the Roaring 20s Gala Dinner sponsored by Essilor (one of our major lens suppliers in Australia).

Any excuse to dress to impress is something we're fond of, so in true Hansen style, we went all the way.

But wait, the night wasn't over yet! Our team managed to take home 7 separate awards in a range of categories but we're most proud of our Past Director Award (Nick Hansen), Adventure Award (Sandra Van Der Weistus) and Above & Beyond Award (Bernadette Collins).

We took home so much information from this weekend and cannot wait to continue striving to bring you the best in care for your vision for the future.

Thank you,

The Hansen team

THE LEADING CAUSE OF BLINDNESS IN AUSTRALIA

Fri, 25 May 2018 00:39:35 GMT

“Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of blindness and severe vision loss in Australia”

The macular is the central and one of the most important parts of the retina at the back of the eye. Like the film in a camera it is the light sensitive tissue responsible for processing all visual images. The area of the macular is only very small part of the entire retina, less than 1/8th , and yet it supplies almost all the detailed information that we need to function in the world. Even the smallest damage or haemorrhage at the centre of the macular would seriously decrease our ability to see details such words, faces or pass a driving test.

As such while Macular Degeneration is a major cause of legal blindness it is also a major cause of visual disability even before getting to that point.

”1 in 7 Australians over the age of 50 has some evidence of macular degeneration and this does increase with age”

There are two types of macular degeneration dry and wet . While the dry causes a gradual decrease in central visual loss the wet form can be sudden with bleeding and new blood vessels forming and needs rapid attention. As with many diseases early detection is very important in deciding the final degree of visual loss.

WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS ?

You are at a greater risk of developing this disease as you get older.

Your risk increases by 50% if you have a family history of the disease.

Smoking increases your chances of developing Macular degeneration by 3-4 times.

WHAT SYMPTOMS COULD I GET?

Any decrease in quality or level of vision could be a sign of Macular Degeneration and if it is occurring early in one eye you may not even notice without checking each eye separately. Any distortion of reading print, poor colour vision, patchiness or loss of central details could be a warning sign.

WHAT CAN I DO TO REDUCE MY RISK FROM MACULAR DEGENERATION ?

1. Don’t smoke. Exercise regularly, and watch your weight and blood pressure.

2. Avoid vegetable oils, especially in processed foods and margarine.

3. Eat fish twice a week.

4. Eat a handful of nuts or more each week… I prefer you to eat those nuts that are better for your heart like walnuts, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachios and almonds, but you can also eat peanuts and cashews as the particular scientific study did not identify which nuts are protective.

5. Eat plenty of coloured fruit and vegetables. (carrot, corn, capsicum, tomatoes and pumpkin as well as leafy vegetables, spinach, broccoli and brussel sprouts).

6. You may use cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, as it seems (on what evidence we have at the moment) to be safe. Don’t use olive oil margarine as it has been chemically changed.

7. Wear UV protected glasses or sunglasses, although there is no clear research evidence to link AMD and UV exposure.

END TRACHOMA 2020

Fri, 18 May 2018 00:47:55 GMT

Orange Daybreak Rotary will work with other Rotary clubs in the area to raise awareness and funds to help eliminate trachoma in Australia. Trachoma is the leading cause of infectious disease globally and Australia remains to be the last leading country with this infectious disease. Trachoma is spread by personal contact (via hands, clothing, bedding or towels) or by flies that have been in contact with an infected person. Trachoma causes scarring to the eyelids which rub on the cornea of the eye resulting in blindness in severe cases. Trachoma is an entirely preventable disease, and infections can be treated quickly and effectively. By preventing unnecessary blindness, we secure a better future for Indigenous Australians.

Orange daybreak wants to motivate each person in our district and as many Rotarians as possible to play an important part in ended Trachoma by 2020. The work of the Australian Government, the Fred Hollows Foundation and Indigenous Eye Health to treat trachoma infections has seen rates in affected communities reduced to complete elimination of the disease. But now, we need to ensure that hygiene practices and the community environments are improved to completely eliminate the disease.

For more information visit: https://www.endtrachoma2020.org.au

To donate visit: https://www.endtrachoma2020.org.au/donate

VINTAGE GLAMOUR

Thu, 19 Apr 2018 02:26:26 GMT

Take a walk with us as we explore the revived style that is, the ‘panto’ frame.

Vintage glamour is something we’ve recently seen slowly start to creep back in and people are loving it. Like clothing, fashion trends come and go, and of recent ’round frames’ have come back with a vengeance, however… it got us thinking about where this style all started.

STYLES COMING BACK A-ROUND…

In the early part of the 19th century a few styles of eyewear worn by men and women were popular, but they all had a similar design element… round.

Why? You may ask, well… to put it simply, it was the easiest way.

PINCE-NEZ

This style literally translates “to pinch the nose”.

Sitting on the bridge of the nose, this style was probably one of the most uncomfortable and impractical. The pince-nez design balanced on the nose and had no temples to support the sides (which naturally made them fall off a lot). Frame designers introduced neck chains and wire ear-loops to make them a little more practical however they still were notorious for falling off. Common materials used to made this style of frame were; wire, horn or leather.

LORGNETTE

This style was also known as the “opera glasses”.

Worn commonly amongst fashionable, high-society women, the lorgnette was easily recognisable by its decorative handle. It consisted of a circular-lens held together with wire and its handle featured etched metal, carved horn and/or encrusted jewels. What made this style even more remarkable was it’s duo lens, meaning there was a different prescription in each lens to focus at two different distances. This is probably one of the most iconic examples of vintage glamour.

UNDERSTANDING GLAUCOMA

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 02:33:39 GMT

Your eye functions similar to an old-style camera. In the camera, the light comes in through the shutter, is focused by the lens, falls onto the film and then it’s processed. In your eye, light comes in through the cornea and pupil. It is focused by the lens, falling onto the film in the eye (the retina) and then goes, via the optic nerve (the nerve of sight), to the brain (the processor) for developing.

For people living with glaucoma, there has been damage done to the optic nerve, causing some of the images captured by the eye to not reach the brain, which can result in progressive vision loss.

This damage that is done to the optic nerve can be caused by injury or by poor blood flow. In most cases, the damage which is done to the optic nerve is from pressure within the eye.

For more information visit Glaucoma Australia .

SUMMER IN AUSTRALIA

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 03:01:31 GMT

Summer in Australia can be loads of fun; beaches, long days, and thongs, but did you know that your eyes may be suffering from too much UV exposure?

THE FACTS

Almost 60 per cent of Australians believe it is only the midday sun that poses the greatest UV threat but this not the case. UV exposure to the eye before 10am and after 2pm may be higher than during the middle of the day due to the suns position in the sky. For this reason it is extremely important that your eyes are protected from UV all day and all year round. Research has shown that a greater proportion of ultraviolet rays can reach the eye from scattered sunlight from clouds and light reflected from the ground and off water.

THE RISKS

It is a little known fact that accumulated UV exposure to your eyes can lead to cataracts, macular degeneration, pterygium and skin cancer of the eyelids and around the eyes. Short bursts of unprotected UV exposure can lead to eye pain, irritation and sensitivity to light. All UV eye exposure, regardless of how short, adds up in the long term.

Reduce your UV exposure by simply:

Asking for protective coating to your prescription lenses.
Buying prescription sunglasses with back surface UV protection/buy fitover sunglasses.

Be safe and protected this Summer in Australia, for more information call us on (02) 6362 2222

HANSEN WRAP UP 2017

Tue, 19 Dec 2017 03:09:03 GMT

So as we’re coming to the end of the year and we feel now is the best time to give our Hansen wrap up 2017.

We’ve have had so many exciting things happen this year both in store and with our staff.

2017 WAS A YEAR OF NEW BEGINNINGS AT HANSEN OPTOMETRISTS.

Two of our staff members have had new babies… Congratulations Faith and Bek!
We had two of our staff members complete their Optical Dispensing degrees… Congratulations again to Tilly and Bek.
And we welcomed three new staff members… Emily, Olivia and Liana…

Having now 17 staff, it has been a busy year of training, team building, improving and expanding our professional services.

One of our many highlights in 2017 has been the success of our frame Style Shows and Pop Up frame days. Patients have enjoyed seeing the full range of some great designer showcases, frame ranges and styles that you can’t get from anyone else. Ranges we could not possibly carry all styles in, but can display for a day… so watch this space in 2018.

From all of us at Hansen Optometrist we would like to wish you a Joyous and Peace-filled Christmas and safe New Year.

– Nick Hansen

CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 04:59:05 GMT

Nothing says Christmas time more than a Christmas pudding. Try our hassle free, healthy recipe.

WHAT YOU NEED

500g of mixed dried fruit
2 green apples (peeled and roughly grated)
2 teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest
3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup gluten-free cornflour
3/4 cup rice flour
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
125g Nuttelex Lite table spread (you can find this at Woolworths)
3/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1/4 cup golden syrup
1 egg
2 egg whites
3 cups gluten-free breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons mixed spice
cooking oil spray
2 cups low-fat gluten-free vanilla custard (to serve)

WHAT TO DO

1. Place dried fruit, apples, lemon zest and apple juice in a large bowl. Cover ingredients and leave to stand over night.

2. Sift together flours and baking powder into a separate bowl. Place the table spread, brown sugar and golden syrup in another large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add egg, beat, then add egg whites one at a time, beating between additions until mixture just combines. Add in the fruit mixture, sifted dry ingredients, breadcrumbs, vanilla extract and mixed spice; stir to combine.

3. Spray 12 x 2/3 cup-capacity pudding basins with cooking oil. Line each base with a circle of nonstick baking paper. Divide pudding mixture evenly among basins. Top each with a square of baking paper and a square of foil; secure with either kitchen string or pudding-basin lids.

4. Divide puddings between two large saucepans set on trivets. Fill pans with enough boiling water to reach halfway up sides of basins. Cover pans with tightly fitting lids and boil for 1 1/2 hours, topping up with boiling water as needed. Leave puddings to stand for 10 minutes, then turn out.

5. Spoon 2 tablespoons custard onto each warm pudding and serve.

HONEY AND APRICOT CHICKEN

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 04:38:38 GMT

There’s nothing better than a roast chicken on Christmas day, this recipe could also be substituted for turkey.

WHAT YOU NEED

1 whole chicken
Apricot Stuffing
3 slices whole grain bread (torn into pieces)
2 small kaffir lime leaves
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1 egg
1/2 cup dried apricots (chopped)
honey soy marinade
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1 1/2 tablespoons reduced-salt soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice

WHAT TO DO

1. Preheat oven to specified temperature for size of the chicken you are cooking. Rinse chicken inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Make Apricot stuffing: Place bread into a food processor and pulse into crumbs. Add lime leaves and parsley and pulse again. Add apricots and pulse until combined, then add egg and pulse until combined. Fill cavity of prepared chicken with stuffing. Using a small piece of kitchen twine, tie chicken legs together. Set aside.

3. Prepare Honey soy marinade: Combine all marinade ingredients and heat gently until jam has dissolved.

4. Lift the skin of the chicken at the neck and slide your fingers underneath to separate skin from the breast. Brush or spoon marinade under breast skin on both sides, reserving a little for basting during cooking.

5. Place chicken into a baking dish and baste with remaining marinade. Bake to the time specified for the size of the chicken you are cooking, basting frequently during cooking. Remove skin before serving.

BEAN, ASPARAGUS AND FETA SALAD

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 03:34:04 GMT

Make your side dish healthier this Christmas with this simple recipe sure to be a hit.

WHAT YOU NEED

For Salad

2 large handfuls of asparagus (trimmed and cut in half)
400g of green beans
1 small red onion (finely sliced)
75g reduced-fat feta cheese

For Dressing

1 1/2 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh dill (finely chopped)
pinch caster sugar

WHAT TO DO

1. Mix together the ingredients for dressing in a separate bowl.

2. Blanch beans and asparagus in boiling water (until bright green and slightly tender). Drain and rinse under cold water.

3. Place beans, asparagus and onion into a large bowl and toss with dressing.

4. Serve.

WATERMELON AND MINT FRAPPE

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 03:24:26 GMT

We can’t forget the drinks on Christmas day! Try our refreshing watermelon and mint frappe sure to cleanse and relax.

WHAT YOU NEED

6 cups of peeled, chopped seedless watermelon
4 cups of crushed ice
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

WHAT TO DO

1. Blend 3 cups watermelon, 2 cups ice, half the mint leaves and 1 tablespoon lime juice until smooth; repeat process with remaining ingredients.

2. Pour frappé into 6 cocktail glasses and serve immediately.

CHRISTMAS TREE POPS

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 03:18:21 GMT

Kick back after Christmas dinner with one of our refreshing Christmas tree pops.

WHAT YOU NEED

12 x 10cm cream-horn moulds
4 metres foil
12 wooden sticks or skewers

BERRY POPSICLES

1 cup of seedless red grapes
75g of raspberries (fresh or frozen)

KIWI -FRUIT

1 cup of seedless green grapes
1 kiwi fruit (peeled)

WHAT TO DO

1. Press a small ball of Blu-Tack onto the narrow end of each cream-horn mould to seal.

2. Scrunch foil into a large cake tin. Arrange horn moulds upright in foil, narrow-end down, adding more foil for support, if necessary.

3. To make Berry popsicles, blend red grapes and berries in a blender or food processor until mixture is smooth. Divide mixture among 6 cream-horn moulds and insert a wooden stick (or skewer) into centre of each.

4. To make Kiwi fruit popsicles, clean blender or processor. Repeat Step 3 with green grapes and kiwi fruit, then divide mixture among remaining 6 moulds.

5. Transfer cake tin to freezer for 3 hours, or until mixture in moulds is frozen. Remove tin from freezer. Hold frozen moulds under cold running water for a few seconds, avoiding sticks, to help loosen. Serve popsicles immediately.

THE LATEST ON MYOPIA

Mon, 13 Nov 2017 06:02:50 GMT

WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT MYOPIA?

In Australia right now, 17% of all 17 year olds are myopic… with this percentage only being 15% only 10 years ago!

By 2050, 50% of Australia’s population will be short sighted!

Myopia is where the eyeball grows longer so that the lens in the eye is no longer focusing on it… in other words the eye sees a blurry picture when looking into the distance. Myopia cannot be cured as the eyeball shape cannot be made smaller.

If I am short-sighted what are the chances of my child developing it?

A child with two myopic parents is at a six times greater risk of becoming myopic than a child with no myopic parents.

A child with one myopic parent is at three times greater risk .

This can be true even if you (the parent) didn’t become myopic as a child.

Myopia can occur without any family history and the younger it occurs the more likely it is to progress to high myopia.

What are the complications of high myopia?

High myopes (power > -4.00D) are more likely to develop serious vison threatening conditions such as retinal detachments, macular holes, retinal bleeds ( Choroidal neovascularization) and glaucoma.

WHY ARE MORE CHILDREN DEVELOPING MYOPIA?

GENETICS?

A child with two myopic parents is at a six times greater risk of becoming myopic than a child with no myopic parents.

A child with one myopic parent is at three times greater risk .

This can be true even if you (the parent) didn’t become myopic as a child.

Myopia can occur without any family history and the younger it occurs the more likely it is to progress to high myopia.

BUT … Genetic changes happen too slowly to explain this rapid change and the soaring rates in myopia that have been documented all over the world.

THE ENVIRONMENT?

The high rise in myopia has mirrored a trend for children in many countries to spend more time engaged in reading, studying or screen based usage (computer and smartphone). This is particularly the case in East Asian countries, where the high value placed on educational performance is driving children to spend longer in school and on their studies.

There has been many studies that have consistently documented a strong association between measures of education and the prevalence of myopia.

BUT … the only environmental factor that was strongly associated with risk was time spent outdoors.

The leading hypothesis is that light stimulates the release of dopamine in the retina, and this neurotransmitter in turn blocks the elongation of the eye during development.

The present recommendation is that children need to a minimum of 2 hrs per day outdoors to reduce the risk of developing myopia.

TREATMENT

The best treatment options will depend on your child’s particular myopia profile.

Recommendations may involve changes to habits or vision training (eye exercises).

If you are myopic but your child is not, eye exercises or glasses maybe the best option at reducing risk of developing myopia.

Once a child becomes myopic they will require glasses or contact lenses for clear vision and to slow or stop the rate of progression.

Myopia control is the area of science dedicated to slowing down or stopping the progression, or worsening of myopia in children and young adults. The following table is a compilation of over 30 research papers on myopia control, published up to and including 2013:

BEHAVIOURAL OPTOMETRY

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 08:23:46 GMT

WHAT IS BEHAVIOURAL OPTOMETRY?

Did you know that 80% of learning is through vision?

Behavioural optometry is more than just checking if you can see clearly. It is an expanded area of practice because it takes into account visual motor and visual information processing skills.

We take a holistic approach to ensure that your visual system has the strength and stamina to keep up with all visual demands.

We do this by assessing how the eyes and brain processes visual information, and use it to measure how this processing affects performance and behaviour.

Our exams include a comprehensive review of learning related skills: focusing, teaming, tracking and vision information processing skills

Behavioural optometry is a whole-body approach to vision care. The way that you interpret what you see does not depend solely on how clear your eyesight is. A behavioural optometrist has a special interest in vision beyond the eye-ball.

Your behavioural optometrist will not only consider the treatment of any eyesight difficulties but also the benefits of prevention, protection and enhancement of your visual system in order to improve all aspects of your visual performance. Some behavioural optometrists focus on particular areas of practice such as children’s vision, sports vision, education and learning difficulties, stroke and head injury, parkinson’s disease or even preventing short sightedness.

FUNCTIONAL VISION PROBLEMS CAN’T BE DETECTED BY VISION SCREENING

Did you know that 1 in 4 children have an undetected vision problem that affects their ability to learn? According to the American Association of Optometry vision screening was found to miss 73% of visual problems in children! It is feared that our reliance on vision screening may be too little, too late. The association goes on to explain that vision screening has plagued education, serving as major factor in a child’s inability to perform and conform to the demands of school. A child lacking in visual skills may have problems reading, writing, or even behavioural issues even if they have so called “20/20 eyesight”.

Nearly all tasks a child is asked to perform in the classroom depend on good visual skills; visual skills that can only be assessed through a behavioural optometrist eye exam. We don’t only assesses for clarity of vision, but also functional visual skills such as eye tracking, eye focussing, eye teaming, and visual information processing.

So is your child cool for school? Has their ability to process visual information in the classroom been checked? Let our behavioural optometrists’ help you find out.

GOALS OF BEHAVIOURAL OPTOMETRY

Once a functional visual problem has been detected, a behavioural will then they aim to:

Prevent vision and eye problems from developing, not just treat the symptoms.
Provide Treatment for vision problems that have already developed (eg: eye turn, lazy eye short sightedness etc).
Develop and Enhance the visual skills needed in the classroom, work place, when playing sport and having fun.

Your behavioural optometrist may recommend one or more of the following:

Education and Advice to help improve and maintain good vision and prevent or reduce developing visual problems.
Prescription of appropriate therapeutic or corrective spectacles.
Vision Therapy to enhance and develop functional visual skills.
The use of tinted or coloured lenses.

CONVERGENCE INSUFFICIENCY

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 13:41:33 GMT

WHAT IS CONVERGENCE INSUFFICIENCY?

Convergence Insufficiency occurs when an individual has difficulty keeping both eyes turned in and pointing at the same thing when they are doing near work.

This is not eyesight or muscle problem but rather an adaption to the stress of keeping the two eyes turned in ( Converged) for long periods. The ‘brain” chooses to let one eye drift out and suppresses the image from the that eye (so no double vision) and hence alleviates stress of keeping both eyes turned in.

HOW DO WE TEST?

The diagnosis of with Convergence insufficiency is based on 4 main clinical criteria:

1. When the eyes drift out (Exophoria) more at near than in the distance.

4 prism Dioptres.

2. Receded Near Point of Convergence.

Can’t turn both eye in to fixate something inside 6 cm form their nose.

3. Reduced ranges of maintain single clear near vision.

Called near Base out Fusional Ranges.
15 prism base out cause loss of fusion.

WHAT CAUSES THIS PROBLEM?

The reason for the development of a Convergence problem are not fully understood. There are two theories that have been suggested but not scientifically proven as yet:

1. Poor convergence development :

Due to genetics or poor natural development.
With the commencement of school and having to do more prolonged near work (like learning to read) this problem then becomes apparent.

2. The volume of prolonged near work has out stripped the stamina to cope with it.

This can also happen in the adult eye, especially if you are doing a lot of stressful near centred task (eg new job involving more close work, study, prolonged computer work, fine sewing etc).

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

The symptoms associated with Convergence insufficiency are usually related to the task that produces the stress, i.e. prolonged near centred tasks. The symptoms may include, but are not limited to the following:

Visual Stress Symptoms . (Red eyes, sore eyes, transient blurry vision and/or headaches.
Difficulty Sustaining Near Visual Attention . (may actually avoid near task)
Abnormal Posture Adaptations such as pulling books closer.
Occasionally double vision or the letters moving or running.

WHAT IS THE TREATMENT?

Double blind studies done in 2008 showed that:

Visual Therapy intervention was the most successful treatment (72%).
Doing Pencil Push Ups was successful in 43% of cases.
Computer Convergence Training was successful in 33% of cases.

We use the following treatment strategy:

1. Training Spectacle lenses for all close work.

These are a little like braces on crooked teeth that gradually straighten the teeth and are then are removed.
The training lenses help alleviate or reduce the visual point stress and allow the individual to develop better convergence stamina.
The more they are worn for near work the sooner better convergence abilities are developed, the sooner the spectacles are no longer needed.

2. Eye Exercises. (Visual Therapy)

Visual Therapy on its own is slow to improve stamina problems for the simple reason that for every half hour of therapy might be done at night time; the child/adult has usually been doing 5 or 6 hours of “Anti-therapy” during the day (i.e. demanding close work causing near point stress and the eyes drift apart.)

DURATION OF TREATMENT:

Generally the training lenses are needed to be worn for all close work including computer work, reading, classroom work etc. They are not for outdoors, TV or for constant wear.

The Golden Rule: If you can touch it with your hands you should have your training spectacles on to see it.

Most need the training spectacles for 12 – 18 months before we can reduce or eliminate the need to wear them anymore.
We will do a 6 week review to ensure the training lenses are developing better convergence abilities.
If there is little or no change after this time Visual Therapy will also be considered.
This is only needed in about 40% of cases.
Visual Therapy requires between 4 to 6 in-office visits (2-3 weeks apart) along with home based activities been done between visits.
NB: These are generalised guidelines and each case may need to be evaluated on the individual basis. Treatment duration will depend on the particular patient’s condition.

LEMON TUNA AND ASPARAGUS SALAD

Mon, 09 Oct 2017 00:19:52 GMT

Here we have a perfect, light meal for those long Spring days. Enjoy.

WHAT YOU NEED

2 large eggs
200g asparagus
160g tuna in spring water
1 red onion
125 Cannellini beans (from a can)
Half a lemon (for zest and juice)
1 tablespoon of chopped dill
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

WHAT TO DO

Place eggs in water to boil
Whilst eggs are boiling, steam your asparagus til soft
Mix other ingredients in a bowl
When eggs are boiled and asparagus is soft, leave to cool and roughly chop and put into salad

CONGRATULATIONS BEK

Thu, 03 Aug 2017 00:28:09 GMT

We just want to give a huge congratulations to Bek! We are so excited to announce, our Optical Dispenser Bek has now completed her Certificate IV in Optical Dispensing!

This is a tremendous achievement for Bek and we are really proud of her.

WHAT IS AN OPTICAL DISPENSER?

An Optical Dispenser fits and services optical appliances such as lenses and optical frames. They also interpret optical prescriptions from both optometrists and opthalmologists (eye doctor). They are an important part of the eye care team, and are the ones who check that the lenses are correct and suitable for the patients needs, and that frames are fitting correctly.

WE WEREN’T DISAPPOINTED!

Tue, 25 Jul 2017 00:47:52 GMT

WE WEREN’T DISAPPOINTED!

WE’RE SO PUMPED TO BE BACK INTO THE WORKING WEEK AFTER A BIG WEEKEND AT ODMA 2017.

For those who don’t know, ODMA is a massive optical fair that took place at the convention centre in Sydney this year. At this convention you get to see the latest and greatest in optical fashion, eye testing technology and lenses! And boy, we weren’t let down.

This year was a big one. There was a lot of launches across the board in both lens technology and eyewear. Hoya has developed lens called Enroute which will provide a more relaxed driving experience for wearers, which I myself am extremely excited to try due to the amount of driving that I do.

In eyewear, we are seeing a massive trend in vintage style frames. This includes; round, clear, and gold double bar frames (pretty much what your uncle wore back in the 70’s).

We have brought back heaps of inspiration, and new well known brands that we cannot wait to share it with all of you.

We will be launching Maui Jim OPTICAL frame and lenses in store, as well as Tom Ford, brand new Dilem with even more temples to pick from then ever before and Salvatore Ferragamo sunwear, just to name a few.

Stay tuned everyone, big things arriving in store VEEERRRRYYYYYY soon.

-Tilly

AN ARTISTIC MASTERPIECE

Mon, 01 May 2017 00:52:45 GMT

COCO SONG

Truly an artistic masterpiece, Coco Song’s collection of eyewear are beautifully manufactured creations which recall the mysterious culture of East Asia. They pay respect to the Chinese culture using precious stones and icons fluent throughout their mythology.

Every frame is handmade using high quality Italian acetate, being limited edition and encased with unusual materials such as feathers, silk, and pressed flowers. Some models even use silver plated metal medallions, encompassing Asian mythological creatures such as dragons to give them an extra something.

Coco Song embodies expressiveness throughout the language of colour and design. They also use symbolism through their range, with the most obvious one being their trademark, a star which symbolises rebirth.

This beautiful collection is in store now.

Stocks are limited so don’t miss out, see in store today.

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 00:57:33 GMT

FEMININE, BOLD, RISQUÉ, CONFIDENT...

A few words that perfectly summaries the individuality that is Chantal Thomass lunette.

Each model in her range carries the signature lace, pin-up panther print, or soft bow. These beautiful elements create a vintage feel with that subtle risque vibe.

Her feminine modern day cats-eye and round shapes are timeless and bound to suit any face.

Perfect to release that inner romantic, and just in time for Valentines Day.

Discover the collection online now or see in store, you don’t want to miss out on this.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS MATTER

Mon, 19 Dec 2016 01:02:15 GMT

FIRST IMPRESSIONS MATTER

The moment you see something, you subconsciously form an impression, so it only makes sense that when someone sees you they also form an impression. People make impressions, it’s apart of our nature, whether it be about the way you look, the way you talk or even the way you stand. Believe it or not but you only get 7 seconds to make an everlasting impression on someone, and this initial thought will never change, which is a scary thought. It is really important that you’re making the right impression when you meet them, especially if it’s for a job interview.

Choosing the right frame can be harder than you think, a lot of thought goes into making the right decision and is something we pride ourselves in here at Hansen Optometrists. We ask the right questions and take the time to find the right frame for not only where you are, but where you want to be as well. This is why we will show you what your frame says about you and the communication that comes across without saying a word at all.

KIDS AND THE SUN

Tue, 25 Oct 2016 01:06:39 GMT

WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE DAMAGE IS THAT THE SUN CAN DO TO OUR SKIN, A BURN, OR WORST CASE BEING A SKIN CANCER, BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR EYES?

Children spend a lot more time outdoors than adults which means they are more exposed to UV radiation at a young age. A child’s eyes are more susceptible to UV damage than adults, this is because the lens inside a child’s eyes has more trouble with filtering high-energy rays. Up to half of a person’s lifetime exposure to UV radiation can occur before the age of 18 which is alarming because excessive exposure to UV radiation has been linked to cataracts and other eye problems.

HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT SET?

Be careful when choosing sunglasses for your child. There are a lot of different places out there where you can get children’s sunglasses from but not all of them will be giving you a product that will protect your child’s vision.

You need to look for the following things when choosing the right sunglasses;

1. Make sure they’re 100% UV protectant – this is extremely important and the reason for getting sunglasses in the first place.

2. Make sure they’re fitting your child correctly – if they’re too big or too small your child won’t wear them.

TECHNICAL LUXURY

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 01:21:35 GMT

WEARING GLASSES HAS NEVER LOOKED THIS GOOD.

Porsche Design is always pushing the boundaries of their brand and now has its own collection of high end sunwear and optical frames. These frames are sleek and stylish, which is something quite refreshing in men’s fashion. In the passed few years in men’s fashion brands have focused primarily on a sporty and “geek sheik” style, so you can understand why we were so pumped when we saw this collection.

Targeted mostly at Men, this collection uses technical luxury, innovation to create a harmonious combination of design and luxury without compromising function.

Unconventional, timeless and purist, see this awesome brand in store today!