Frequently Asked Questions

We have the answers for you!

Our staff are committed to making your visit as successful, comfortable, and pleasant as possible. We’ve compiled a list of additional questions about optometry and optometric services to help you better plan for your visit.

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What are the warning signs that my child might need glasses?

It’s important to catch vision problems in children early so they can get treatment before any problems worsen. This is why optometrists suggest taking your child in for an exam as young as possible, or at least before they begin school. However, if you notice your child squinting, covering one of their eyes, bringing electronic devices or other objects closer to their face than is normal, or losing concentration on schoolwork very quickly, make sure to take them in for an eye exam. These signs may signify that your child is in need of refractive correction.

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Should I wear coloured contact lenses?

Colored contact lenses can be a great, impermanent way to change up your look, however, it is important to consider the risks before beginning to use coloured contacts. Above all, be sure to consult your optometrist to ensure your eyes are healthy enough so that the contacts won’t cause any problems. Also remember that colored contacts must be cleaned in a similar fashion to regular contacts, or there is a high risk of infection, so make sure you have the proper contact cleaning supplies on hand. When purchasing coloured contacts, be sure to choose lenses that are not too far from your original eye colour, for the most natural look possible. If they are too different from your natural eye, you may have issues seeing through the opaque colour needed to change your eye colour.

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What is the meaning of the numbers on my eyeglass prescription?

The most common eyeglass prescriptions consist of one number, which can be positive or negative. Negative numbers indicate that a prescription is correcting myopia commonly known as nearsightedness. The more negative the number, the more nearsighted you are. If the number is positive, they are meant to correct hyperopia, or farsightedness. The larger the number is, the more farsighted you are.

Individuals with astigmatism, a condition where light does not focus properly due to the fact that your cornea is not round, will have three numbers on their prescription, written in the form, spherical x cylinder x axis. The spherical number simply referred to the amount of near or farsighted you are, what your prescription would be without your astigmatism. The second number in the cylinder position is either negative or positive and tells the eye doctor what level of astigmatism you have and how your cornea is misshapen. The axis builds on this number, telling us in degrees where the misshapen cornea is in your eye.

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How often should I be going to the optometrist?

This is a question on many people’s minds, as insurance companies tell them one thing and their declining eyesight tells them another. The Canadian Association of Optometrists tells us that different age groups should go at different frequencies.

Infants
(Birth- 2 years old)- First eye exam should happen after a child turns half a year old

Preschool
(2-5 years old) – In this period of life, a child should be taken in for one eye exam, minimum.

School-age
(6-19 years old)- Children this age need one eye exam per year.

Adults
(20-39 years old)- Younger adults only need one eye exam every 2-3 years, as they have stopped developing, but their eyesight has not yet begun to decline.

Adults/Seniors
(40+ years old)- These adults/seniors should return to the yearly visits to monitor for eye conditions associated with old age.

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Can I play sports with my contact lenses on?

Yes, you absolutely can wear contact lenses while playing sports. In fact, eye doctors recommend contact lenses because they are safer. Think about it. The lenses in eyeglasses can break and cause eye injuries. Not only that, but glasses don’t provide peripheral vision, so it is easy to miss a ball coming at your head.

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How do I choose eyeglasses that fit my face shape?

There are seven main face shapes, oval, heart, oblong, square, diamond, round, and triangle. Pull your hair back and take a glance in the mirror to determine the general shape of your face. Tracing the outline of your face with a dry erase marker may help if you’re having trouble figuring it out. Oval faces have extremely balanced proportions, so frames that are wider than the face will suit them well. Faces that are wider at the top than at the bottom are considered to be heart-shaped. Clear glasses that are wider at the bottom, as opposed to the top, will accentuate heart-shaped faces. If your face is long and angular, with flat sides, you may have an oblong face. These faces will benefit from deep frames with details on the temples. Square faces are similar in height and width, with a larger forehead and a robust jaw. Wide frames will soften the angular qualities of this face shape, just as with oval faces. Faces that narrow and the top and extrude at the cheekbones, to taper off again at the chin are known as diamond-shaped faces. Cat-eye frames or any frames that accentuate your eyebrows will complement this face shape. If your face has similar proportions all the way across, and few angles, you may have a round face shape. Rectangular eyeglasses will make your face look longer and more angular. The triangle shape face is essentially a heart-shaped face, flipped upside down. To add width to the top of the face, try glasses with fun colors or detailing on the top half of the frame. Make sure to check out your face shape in the mirror before your next trip to the Optician.

Make an appointment for sight testing or to pick out new glasses! Call our Langley office at 604.532.1158 or contact us today!

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