Optometry

What is optometry?

For the health of your eyes, the optometrist is the first point of contact. The optometrist is easily accessible: you can go there without a referral letter. He or she can give you specific advice or refer you to an ophthalmologist.

The optometrist examines eye health to detect any eye abnormalities and eye diseases. Previously, only the eye doctor did the eye examination and the optician took care of the glasses and/or contact lenses. The optometrist can do both and much more. The optometrist performs an optometric examination. If it turns out during the examination that further medical treatment is needed, you will be referred via your GP.

In addition to general basic knowledge, some optometrists have specialisations such as examining and treating cooperation problems between the eyes (binocular vision), fitting aids for the visually impaired (low vision) or fitting special contact lenses (e.g. scleral lenses).

At regional level, ophthalmologists, general practitioners and optometrists work closely together. This has the advantage that your eyes get the care they need faster.

The profession of optometrist has officially been included in the BIG Act (Beroepen in de Individuele Gezondheidszorg) since 2000. This makes the optometrist legally recognised as a healthcare professional. Optometrists have each completed a four-year HBO education.

Optometrists who are members of the OVN work according to the Code of Conduct for Optometrists, follow refresher and supplementary training and are mostly registered in the Paramedics Quality Register (nationally recognised quality mark).

Working together to look after your child’s eyes.
Now and in the future.

What is myopia?

Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is the most common eye disorder in the world. With myopia, you can see sharply near but not far. It is expected that 50% of the world's population will have some form of myopia by 2050. Therefore, there is also talk of a myopia epidemic.

Myopia is caused by the growth of the eye. When your eye grows in length, images no longer fall properly on your retina. In most cases, this vision problem is solved with glasses or least-sighted contact lenses. Nothing is then done with the underlying problem, the longer growth of the eye.

The risks

Failing to address myopia is a missed opportunity, because especially in children, that leastness will only increase in the first few years. High minus strength carries risks. In fact, later in life, high least acuity can cause eye diseases such as glaucoma, myopic macular degeneration and retinal detachment. In the worst cases, these eye conditions can lead to permanent vision loss. You therefore want to be able to intervene in time.

^MiSight® 1 day

Fortunately, your child can benefit from innovative technology to make their life easier and slow the progression of their myopia: ^MiSight® 1 day contact lenses from CooperVision. ^MiSight® 1 day with ^{ActiveControl®} Technology not only corrects myopia, they are also the first soft contact lenses proven to slow the progression of myopia in children. When your child wears ^MiSight® 1 day contact lenses, they can see clearly, without the hindrance of glasses, and continue to enjoy the activities they love.

The child-friendly lens

^MiSight® 1 day is made for children: comfort, safety and freedom are paramount. Children as young as 8 who wear the lens were asked about their experience.

• 85% of children reported being able to put the lenses in easily.
• 90% reported that they do not feel the lenses or only sometimes.
• 100% also find them easy to take off.
• 98% have good vision when playing outdoors.
• 90% see sharply with reading, watching TV and homework.
• 88% of parents reported that their children were "very happy" with the whole experience with these lenses.

Binocular vision

Binocular vision is seeing with both eyes. If this has developed correctly and there is optimal stereo (depth) vision, we call this stereopsis. To achieve this optimal stereo vision, both eyes must look at exactly the same point at the same time, so that the so-called corresponding retinal cells of the right and left eyes are illuminated simultaneously.
Even if there is only a slight deviation in this, we refer to it as fixation disparity.

Fixation disparity

When there is fixation disparity, both eyes are therefore not looking at the same point at the same time and stereo vision is reduced. However, there is also no double vision yet. This is because the visual system has the ability, to a certain extent, to merge the images of both eyes into one whole. The area in which this still just about succeeds is called the Panum area.

Asthenopexy complaints

The effort and effort the visual system has to put into this can lead to asthenopean complaints.
These can be all kinds of complaints such as:

• Headache
• Burning eyes
• Difficulty with long reading or other close work
• Difficulty with fast movements
• Poorer vision at twilight
• Neck and back complaints
• Cramped muscles in the shoulder area
• Light sensitivity
• Difficulty estimating distance
• General symptoms of fatigue

MKH Pola-test method

The size of fixation disparity can only be measured using the MKH pola-test method (Measurement and correction according to Prof Haase). The resulting spectacle prescription will be a combination of spherical, toric and prismatic lenses.