How Often Do I Need an Eye Exam?
We recommend that adults have an eye exam every 2 years, and seniors 65 and older should book annual checkups. Vision naturally changes over time, and regular exams can help identify potential issues before they affect your daily life.
Conditions like digital eye strain and dry eyes can be uncomfortable, while many eye diseases, including glaucoma and macular degeneration, develop slowly and without noticeable symptoms.
Early detection is key to preserving both your vision and overall eye health. Even if your sight seems fine, an eye exam looks beyond just clarity. Book your eye checkup today!
The Importance of Regular Eye Exams
An eye exam is one of the best ways to detect potential eye diseases early. With conditions like glaucoma, AMD, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts, symptoms often don’t appear until significant damage has already occurred.
Early detection gives us the best chance to manage or even prevent vision loss. We use our diagnostic technology to detect these conditions in their earliest stages and monitor the progression of your eye health.
Our Diagnostic Technology
To get the full picture of your eye health, we implement different diagnostic tools into our eye exams. Our technology includes:
- Optos California RGB: A wide-field retinal scan for comprehensive imaging of the retina and early detection of eye diseases
- iCare & Goldmann tonometers: For accurate eye pressure measurements, essential in diagnosing glaucoma
- OCT Maestro 2: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides detailed cross-sectional images of the retina to spot macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and other retinal conditions
- Humphrey visual field test: Detects vision loss in the periphery (side vision), crucial for diagnosing glaucoma and other vision-impairing diseases
Learn more about our technology.
Common Eye Diseases & Conditions
Your eye health is essential, and being proactive about it can help prevent future vision problems. Many eye conditions develop without noticeable symptoms, making it easy to overlook potential issues until it’s too late.
At Clarity Optometry, we’re committed to diagnosing and managing a wide range of eye diseases and conditions. From common concerns like cataracts and glaucoma to more urgent issues like flashes, floaters, and foreign body removal, we offer the care you need when you need it.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, often due to increased eye pressure. Left untreated, it can lead to vision loss. The early stages typically show no symptoms, which is why regular exams are critical for detecting this condition before vision issues occur.
Symptoms can include loss of peripheral (side) vision and tunnel vision in advanced stages. Glaucoma can be managed with prescription eye drops, laser treatments, and surgery if necessary.
AMD affects the macula, the central part of the retina, leading to central vision loss. This disease usually affects people over 50 and often progresses slowly, making early detection crucial for preserving vision.
AMD has 2 main forms:
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- Dry AMD is the more common form of the disease and occurs in early, intermediate, and late stages. This form of AMD occurs when the macula thins with age.
- Wet AMD is the less common form of the disease, but it can cause faster and more severe vision loss. Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow in the back of the eye and damage the macula.
Early stages can be managed with lifestyle changes, while advanced cases may require injections, laser treatments, or photodynamic therapy (a laser treatment that targets abnormal cells).
Cataracts develop when the normally clear lens of the eye becomes clouded and can include symptoms like blurry vision, dim vision, and difficulty seeing at night.
If cataracts progress to a later stage and prevent you from going about your daily activities, such as reading or driving, cataract surgery may be recommended.
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that damages the blood vessels in the retina, potentially leading to vision impairment or blindness, especially in those with uncontrolled blood sugar levels.
Symptoms in the later stages can include blurred vision, floaters, and vision loss in advanced stages.
Management typically involves controlling blood sugar, laser therapy, injections, and, in some cases, surgery.
Flashes of light or spots drifting in your vision can indicate changes in the vitreous gel inside the eye. While often harmless, they can sometimes signal a more serious condition like retinal detachment.
Whether it’s dust, an eyelash, or something more serious, foreign bodies in the eye can cause discomfort and potential injury. If you experience any irritation or discomfort, it’s important to seek immediate care to avoid further damage.
Also known as pink eye, this condition causes inflammation of the eye’s surface and can lead to redness, itching, and discharge. It’s important to get a proper diagnosis to determine whether it’s viral, bacterial, or allergic conjunctivitis, as the treatments vary.
Take Control of Your Eye Health Today
The earlier we can detect eye diseases, the more we can do to protect your vision. Regular eye exams at Clarity Optometry can help prevent vision loss, manage existing conditions, and help your eyes remain healthy for years to come.
Contact us to book your next eye exam today and give your eyes the care they deserve.
Come Visit Us
Where to Park
Our office is conveniently located on College Ave West, next to the Guelph Campus Co-operative and across from the OVC Small Animal Clinic. We offer plenty of parking right in front of our clinic. To access our lot, turn onto Borden St., drive behind the building, and circle around to park in front!
Our Address
- 21 College Ave West
- Guelph, ON N1G 1R7
Contact Information
- Phone: 519-822-2710
- Fax: 519-822-7877
Hours of Operation
Your Home for Eyewear
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When it comes to your child’s health, eye care is often overlooked, but it plays a major role in their learning, development, and day-to-day life. Vision problems can affect a child’s ability to read, play, socialize, and concentrate in school. That’s why it’s important to be proactive with early eye exams. At Clarity Optometry & […]
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Clarity Optometry & Vision Care
- 21 College Ave West
- Guelph, ON N1G 1R7
- Phone: 519-822-2710
- Fax: 519-822-7877