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Greetings!
The back-to-school rush has ended and we are enjoying an extended summer season with some great weather!
This month, we'll discuss the special testing we do for our many patients who wear contact lenses, Dr. Brent Hopfauf shares some info on "nearsightedness", and some surprising research on a common sleep condition (if you have it, you'll want to come and see us for an appointment!) |
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Contact Lens Wearers Need Extra Care Annually
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The first element in our Mission Statement at Mountain View Optometry is to " Protect your Vision". For this reason our doctors will run additional tests and procedures each year to ensure that our contact lens wearers maintain healthy eyes and good vision.  The added stress on the eye's surface when a contact lens is worn comes from three areas: - Less oxygen: Wearing a device on the surface of the eye does reduce the amount of oxygen the eye receives, making it more vulnerable to health problems on a number of levels.
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What Causes Myopia (Nearsightedness)
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Myopia is defined as vision problem that causes images to  become blurry at a distance. When light focuses improperly on the back of the eye (the retina) images in the distance are blurry while images near to you remain clear. This is the reason why myopia is also called being "nearsighted". The number of people who are myopic is staggering and is on the rise. In the last 40 years the percentage of the population with myopia has gone from 25% to 41.6 % in North America and in countries in East Asia those numbers are even higher. In fact in Taiwan an astounding 80% of the population is myopic! |
A Sleep Disorder That Can Cause Blindness?
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 A relatively common sleep condition appears to be linked to the world's second-leading cause of blindness, according to a recent study published in the August 2013 issue of the journal Ophthalmology.
People with sleep apnea, a disorder that causes disrupted breathing during sleep, were found to be almost twice as likely to develop glaucoma versus those without the condition. The study was conducted between 2001 and 2004 on 1,000 patients with sleep apnea.
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World Sight Day at MVO is October 17
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Again this year we will be raising funds for Optometry Giving Sight (OGS). OGS is the only global charity that specifically targets the 600 million people worldwide who are blind or visually impaired because they cannot access or afford vision care services.
Last year we raised over $8,000 at MVO, good for 2nd place across Canada among hundreds of practices who participated. We are aiming to raise $10,000 this year, with your help!
Here's how you can participate:
- Book an exam on World Sight Day (October 17) - our doctors will be donating professional fees from this day toward the World Sight Day Challenge.
- During the month of October, you can add $5 to your invoice to support OGS - every $5 donated gives you a chance to win one of several great prizes donated by our generous local business community partners.
- Bid on a silent auction item - donated by our generous industry partners - and get a great deal on eyewear and contact lenses!
- Come to our Bake Sale (both locations) on October 17 - our awesome staff will be bringing in all kinds of goodies to support OGS.
Thanks for helping us reach our goal this year, and we'll see you in October! We look forward to seeing you at your next visit, and discussing how the newest eye care technology can help you see better as well as protect your vision.
Sincerely,
Dr. Michele Naruszewicz
Dr. Tom Wilk
Owners
Mountain View Optometry |
