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Winnipeg Free Press

Regular eye exams key to healthy vision

Winnipeg Optometrists advise that regular exams from an early age are a good practice and can help catch a host of conditions that are otherwise undetectable to the naked eye. Those annual visits should commence when children are one year old. Dr. Nadine Shelton sees all ages at her Corydon Avenue practice, NV Eye Care and Eye Wear. She said many eye problems are undetectable in their early stages, so regular exams are important. This is doubly so for children, where the first five years are crucial for proper eye development. 'Kids don't tell you when they can't see; they'll adapt their life to the vision they have,' Shelton said. 'Even if there is a vision change, they don't know it; they've adapted to it. So if you wait to get your kids' eyes tested till they're 10 or 12, you've missed years of treatment time.' Supplied photo Dr. Carmen Recksiedler practices out of Visual Eyes Optometry in the Manitoba Clinic. Dr. Carmen Recksiedler, who practices out of Visual Eyes Optometry in the Manitoba Clinic, said we learn from watching, so visual impairments can have wide-ranging effects. 'What's also interesting about vision is, unlike our heart or internal organs, our vision requires stimulation to develop,' she explained. 'If that eye isn't getting a clear picture, that part of our vision, of our brain, won't develop. So we need a clear image coming into the retina to simulate normal vision development. 'If there's a difference between the child's eyes, and we get them in glasses so that both eyes are receiving that clear picture, then we can aim for normal vision development.' Many people don't realize that Manitoba Health covers the cost of annual eye exams until people turn 19, and for some people with diabetes. Those interested can find a nearby optometrist at It is recommended to use the same practitioner regularly so that they can observe any subtle changes over time. Exams are easily adaptable for all ages. Instead of letters, young children can be shown pictures, numbers or symbols from different distances. 'We try to make it fun,' Recksiedler said. 'The child's looking at lights, and we're trying to stimulate them to look at us. Often, we'll use little puppets or little toys to get their attention.' Shelton said optometrists check for symmetry between the eyes and muscles, if the eyes move together, the condition of the eyelids, and overall eye health from front to back. Mondays A weekly look at news and events that matter in your communities. 'Often, seeing 20/20 doesn't tell you the whole story,' Shelton said. 'You can look into the eye and see some swelling here or a burst blood vessel here.' Diabetes and eye health are intimately connected. High blood sugar can weaken blood vessels. This can be detected through eye exams. Some cancers and autoimmune diseases, along with retinal degradation and glaucoma, can also be discovered. 'With glaucoma, you don't know you have it until it's kind of too late, because your vision stays pretty good,' Shelton said. 'It's a very slow thinning of the retinal tissue, from the outside in. If nothing's affecting the middle, your vision stays pretty good, but your side vision can start to decline, but you won't notice until it's fairly significant.' Healthy adults up to 64 should have an eye exam every two years. Because risk increases at 65, annual exams should be scheduled. People with diabetes should schedule annual exams. The optometrist reports the findings back to the physician. 'That's one of the most important reasons to come in for a regular eye exam,' Recksiedler said. 'Sometimes we can see these things starting before they affect your vision. The statistic is that 70 per cent of eye disease is treatable. We can prevent vision loss if it is caught early.' Tony ZeruchaEast Kildonan community correspondent Tony Zerucha is a community correspondent for East Kildonan. Email him at tzerucha@ Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.