News

Winter Driving Tips

As the leaves fall off the trees and the Christmas adverts make their way on to the television, we’ve had to accept that it is winter. The winter months can pose many dangers, particularly for drivers. The icy roads and shorter daylight hours can be extremely dangerous for driving. Another issue is the winter sun, the low angle of the sun can mean that your sun visor doesn’t offer protection from the bright light. In a recent report from the Department of Transportation, it was stated that around 3,900 people a year are injured in accidents caused by being dazzled by bright light from the sun or car headlights.Glare caused by the sun affects everyone, but it especially affects those

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How Your Eyes Work At Night

It is widely known that your eyes need light to see. Your sight begins when light enters the eye, the light triggers light-sensitive cells in the back of your eye. This causes signals to be sent from the optic nerve to the brain which is what makes us see.So, if we need light to see, how can we see in the dark? Our eyes can let us see things around us in an incredibly wide range of lighting conditions, from incredibly bright to almost pitch black. This is due to different parts of the eye working together to ensure that you can see in different settings.In dark conditions, three parts of the eye work in unison to allow us to

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How to Look After Your Eyes this Winter

The temperature outside is swiftly dropping which means winter is nearly here. The cold weather can have a detrimental effect on your eyes. During the winter months, the number of people suffering from conditions such as dry eye rises drastically. This is because the drop in temperature outdoors makes the air become colder and drier. With the reduction of moisture in the air, the surface of the eye loses moisture due to evaporation. As a result, the eye becomes dry and does not produce sufficient tears to keep the eye moist. Dry eye can cause sensitivity to light, a sting and burning sensation in and around the eyes, difficulty driving at night-time and blurred vision. There are various things you

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The Pros and Cons of Contact Lenses for Children

Recently we have had more and more enquiries about children’s contact lenses. Some of the more frequently asked questions we receive are; What age can my children wear contacts? Are they safe? What type of contacts should my child wear? At Harrold’s, we have a large range of contact lenses available for children. Generally, it is recommended that children should start wearing contact lenses between the ages of 11 – 14 years old, however, children as young as age 8 are able to wear them. Every child is different and therefore, each child will start wearing contacts at different ages. It purely depends on their maturity and level of personal hygiene, in order to keep their eyes safe. If you

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Why You Should Choose an Independent Opticians

Why You Should Choose an Independent Opticians

When it comes to choosing an optician you should choose somewhere that will provide you with high-quality, personal service as well as valuing your custom. High street optician franchises often don’t offer a very personal service, generally, you will always see a different optician who will only know your eyesight history by glancing at a screen before seeing you.With an independent opticians things work a bit differently. Here’s why you should choose an independent optician’s for your next eye test! Not Just a Name – Because franchise opticians have so many people on their books, often they won’t remember you personally. Generally, you are just a name and number in a database. At an Independent Opticians, your optometrist will get to

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Why It’s Important for Children to Have Regular Eye tests

Why It’s Important for Children to Have Regular Eye tests

Did you know that more than 50% of sight loss is preventable if you have regular vision tests? This is also true for children. In a survey of 1,200 parents, 25% had never taken their school-age children for an eye test. This means that children are at risk of sight damage from a preventable issue. If diagnosis of visual problems , such as amblyopia (lazy eye) is delayed, treatment is much less effective. The survey showed that one of the main reasons their child didn’t have an eye test before starting school was due to the belief they thought their child would receive an eye test at school.Some schools do offer eye screenings,though increasingly not all schools offer them anymore.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Eye Tests

Frequently Asked Questions about Eye Tests

At Harrold’s Opticians, we regularly get asked similar questions regarding eye care throughout all of our stores. There are so many different information sites about eye care online, it can be difficult to get a straight answer.That’s why we have decided to compile a list of our most frequently asked questions, to help you get the answers you need! 1. Why are eye tests so important? – We regularly see people who haven’t had an eye test in years, they haven’t noticed a difference in their eyesight so didn’t see the need for an eye test. You may not have any pain or symptoms with underlying eye conditions, an eye test can detect any problems and pick up signs of eye conditions

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The Perfect Lenses for the Office

The Perfect Lenses for the Office

In the last ten years, technology has revolutionised the way we work and the way that we spend our free time. Outside of work, the average person spends a considerable amount of time looking at a screen, either a laptop, tablet, games console or smartphone device and this puts extra strain on our eyes. If you are also working in an office, where a lot of your day is spent working at a computer then your eyes are under even more pressure. Office workers can go on to develop Computer Vision Syndrome (or Digital Eye Strain) which can lead to eye discomfort and vision problems.   How to look after your eyes at the office There are a number of ways to

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Are your eyes getting enough sleep?

Are your eyes getting enough sleep?

As many of you may agree, getting into bed after a long day in work can be extremely satisfying. But with the unpredictability of modern-day life, we understand it’s difficult to measure your sleep pattern in comparison to expert recommendations. Having a good night’s sleep allows your eyes to frequently replenish and rejuvenate which result in you feeling more energetic during the day. If you don’t allow your eyes to rest adequately, it may result in problems such as dry eyes, eye strain. Which leaves you with the question, are your eyes as healthy as you think ? If you are a member of the restless night club and need some help, here are some simple top tips that may improve the

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