See better. Look perfect.

Sight is your most precious sense

Once you lose it, even partially, it may be impossible to recover. Your vision can be endangered by many things, but some of the most prevalent causes of vision loss are diseases of the eye. Eye diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and other common conditions threaten the sight of thousands of Australians each year.

We are experts in diagnosing eye disease

Regular comprehensive eye exams are key to the early detection and treatment of these sight-threatening diseases. Early detection and treatment offer you the best hope of not only preventing diseases of the eye, but they also provide you with your best chance of preserving the sight that remains.

Diseases of the eye

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy is a leading cause of irreversible blindness among working-age adults. And because it has no early stage symptoms (changes to your retina won’t happen until you’ve had the disease for several years), it’s vital you come in for regular eye health checks if you suffer from diabetes.

Late-stage symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include blurred vision, eyestrain and headaches. In fact, because diabetes can cause the focusing ability of your eye to weaken or to fluctuate from day to day, it may be our team, rather than your doctor, who first alerts you to a possible diagnosis of diabetes.

We will use various instruments to check for changes at the back of your eye and if we make a diagnosis the condition can be treated with either laser treatment or surgery. Controlling your blood sugar levels can also help ease the condition and slow the progress of the disease.

Glaucoma

There are typically no warning signs or symptoms of glaucoma. It develops slowly, and by the time you become aware of your sight loss, the disease is usually quite advanced.

Glaucoma is often caused by elevated pressure due to a build-up of fluid in the eye. The nerve cells that transmit information from the eye to the brain become damaged. If untreated, glaucoma can cause blindness.

When assessing for glaucoma, Ian Donald and his team will scan and photograph the back of the eye to asses for changes. We will measure the pressure in the eye, and test your field of vision. These tests are comfortable and painless.

Eye drops and medicine are used to treat glaucoma initially, but laser treatment or surgery may be necessary if the pressure in the eye remains high.  We will refer you to an eye specialist for treatment if we consider you might have glaucoma.

Cataracts

A cataract is a cloudiness that can form in the lens inside the eye. If you have cataracts, they will be detected easily at your regular eye examination. You could be diagnosed several years before you have any symptoms.

Late-stage symptoms of cataracts include blurred vision, inability to see in dim light, seeing halos around lights, or vision loss.

We will use an instrument called a biomicroscope to check your eye and if we make a diagnosis, we will refer you to an eye specialist. Cataracts can be removed by surgery.  And the vision outcomes after surgery are most times, excellent.

Macular degeneration

If you have macular degeneration, you might not realise you have a problem until your vision becomes blurred, and then reading and other tasks become difficult.

Early detection and prevention is vital with macular degeneration because the damage is usually permanent and irreversible.

Our team performs a number of tests as part of our eye consultations to enable us to detect the condition in the early stages.

Dry eye

If you suffer from dry eye syndrome, your eyes will probably be red and watery, rather than dry; you may also suffer from blurred vision, sore or stinging eyes, sandy or scratch eyes, and the sensation that something is in your eyes.

Dry eye syndrome is a chronic and typically progressive condition which may not be completely curable but can usually be successfully managed to provide greater eye comfort.

Headaches and vision

Dull pressure behind the eyes, throbbing in the temples or a light pounding at the top of the head – does this sound familiar?

If the answer is yes, you need to have your vision tested. Because when you don’t see well and should be wearing glasses, you will often suffer from headaches.

Ian Donald and his team are trained in headache management. A new pair of glasses may be the difference between living with head pain, or living pain-free.

Refractive errors

There are four main types of refractive errors.
Myopia (short-sightedness)

Most people call myopia short-sightedness. If you’re short-sighted you can’t see distant objects clearly. Symptoms include blurred or distorted vision, squinting or eye pain.

Myopia can be diagnosed as part of your eye examination at Ian Donald Optometrist. We will evaluate your eyes for disease and vision disorders, and assess your need for glasses or lenses.

Your treatment options include glasses, contact lenses, or surgery such as LASIK.

Presbyopia – age-related farsightedness

Presbyopia is a common condition that makes vision difficult at a normal reading distance. Presbyopia can be diagnosed as part of your eye examination at Ian Donald Optometrist. We will evaluate your eyes for disease and vision disorders, and assess your need for glasses or lenses.

Your treatment options include glasses, contact lenses, or rarely, surgery such as LASIK.

Hyperopia – farsightedness

If you have hyperopia you can see distant objects very well, but you will have difficulty focusing on objects that are up close. You probably squint to see nearby objects. Reading, writing, computer work, or drawing for long periods of time may cause eye strain and headache.

Hyperopia can be diagnosed as part of your eye examination at Ian Donald Optometrist. We will evaluate your eyes for disease and vision disorders, and assess your need for glasses or lenses. Because a hyperopic personal can see well in the distance, a letter chart test alone may miss hyperopia.

Your treatment options include glasses, contact lenses and surgery, such as LASIK.

Astigmatism

If you have astigmatism, the front surface of your eye, or the lens inside the eye is curved differently in one direction than the other.

Symptoms include blurred vision, headache, fatigue and lack of concentration. Your eyes try, without success, to correct the blur.

Astigmatism can be diagnosed as part of your eye examination at Ian Donald Optometrist. We will monitor the astigmatism to note any changes.

You treatment options include glasses and contact lenses.

Floaters and spots

Floaters and spots are clouded specks within the eye, seen through the field of vision. They appear when tiny pieces of the eye’s gel-like vitreous break loose within the inner back portion of your eye.

They’re tricky – and annoying. You’ll also notice that these specks never seem to stay still when you try to focus on them.

Flashing lights with new floaters can be a sign of a serious eye disorder, like a detached or inflamed retina or a tumour, and it is important to see your optometrist urgently.  In most cases, floaters are benign and don’t require any treatment. Using an instrument called an ophthalmoscope and looking inside the eye, we can detect floaters before you even become aware of them.

If floaters and spots are blocking your vision, we may suggest a vitrectomy, which involves removing the vitreous and replacing it with a salt solution.

Keratoconus

Keratoconus will not make you blind, but is a recessive condition in which the clear tissue on the front of the eye (cornea) bulges outward.

If you’re going to develop keratoconus it will usually appear when you are between 10 and 25 years old. Initial symptoms are blurred vision, short-sightedness and astigmatism, caused by the cornea changing shape as it bulges forward.

Later-stage symptoms you might experience include sudden change of vision, or double vision in one eye, objects looking distorted, bright lights looking like they have halos around them, seeing triple ghost images, and driving discomfort due to blurred vision.

Keratoconus can be diagnosed as part of your eye examination at Ian Donald Optometrist. Because keratoconus is a genetic condition it cannot be treated with drugs, but glasses and contact lenses can give good vision, and surgery can be used to treat severe cases.

Pterygium

A pterygium is not a cancer. It is a growth that starts on the white area of your eye that spreads to your cornea (the clear part of your eye.)

While it is not dangerous, it can look ugly and cause discomfort. When you have a pterygium, your eye may burn, feel gritty or itchy, feel like you have something in it, and look red.

When on the cornea, it could change the shape of the cornea and cause blurred vision. We can diagnose pterygium by looking at the front part of your eye with a special microscope called a slit lamp.

Treatment includes over-the-counter eye ointments or drops, and prescription steroid eye-drops to ease redness, itching, swelling and pain.

If your pterygium becomes painful and interferes with your vision, there are surgical options to remove it.

Are you ready to take the first step towards great eye health?

We provide life-changing vision through innovative technology, knowledge and expertise.

Our skilled team of optometrists and dispensers are here for all your vision needs.

CONTACT IAN DONALD OPTOMETRIST

Pin Shop 2
37 -39 The Corso
Manly
info@manlyoptometry.com.au 02 9977 6700 02 9977 3402