Health and happiness
INSTANT+ APPOINTMENT Ophthalmic Director Sajid Patel from Specsavers Shepherd’s Bush, answers your vision questions. (www.specsavers.co.uk)
Vision fix
QI’ve been told that my eight-year-old son has a ‘lazy eye’ and he might need a patch. How will this help?
Hanna, Southampton
APatching the ‘good’ eye is intended to force the brain to pay more attention to the eye that needs strengthening. Unsurprisingly, if your child has been prescribed an
Seeing things
QSometimes I can see a ‘speck’ in my vision that moves when I look in a different direction. Lately, I have more than ever. Should I be worried?
Claire, Leeds
AThis type of visual effect is known as a ‘floater’ and it’s very common. It happens due to small clusters of cells breaking off the inside wall of the eye and floating in the gel that fills the eye. Most are small and move out of your vision very quickly, and you’re likely to see more as you get older. If you’ve only got a few of them, they’re unlikely to be significant, but it’s always worth mentioning them on your next visit to your optician. If you’re experiencing many of them or if they’re accompanied by other visual phenomena, such as lights or a ‘curtain’ across part of your vision, get them checked out urgently by an optician. eye patch for ‘lazy eye’ – or amblyopia, they probably won’t like the experience of wearing it - especially as it prevents them using the eye with good vision. They may not need to wear the patch at all times however, and you should discuss this with the orthoptist or optometrist who is advising you. Children might need encouragement to help them understand why the eye patch will make their vision better.
Bright eyes
QAMy eyes are so sensitive to light that I need to wear sunglasses even on cloudy days. Could there be something wrong? Harriet, Cambridge It could just be that you’re more sensitive to light than other people, but if this is a new thing, it’s possible it could be a sign of cataracts. The symptoms include objects beginning to appear blurry or hazy, night vision being poor, sensitivity to light, double vision, contact lens/ spectacle prescription needing changing often, and a visible lightening of the pupil. The best thing to do to determine if there is something wrong with your eyes is to get a full eye examination and to not ignore the symptoms.