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Edmonton Journal
14-05-2025
- Health
- Edmonton Journal
Beyond 20/20: Why an Alberta optometrist urges regular eye exams for overall health
Many serious eye conditions can develop with no symptoms until it's too late, said Dr. Cristy Franco Dr. Cristy Franco is the lead optometrist of the neuro-rehabilitative and pediatric Vision Therapy Clinic at Airdrie Family Eye Doctors. She emphasized the importance of vision care to overall health while speaking at an event hosted by the Alberta Association of Optometrists in Calgary on May 13, 2025. Noah Brennan/Postmedia May marks Vision Health Month, and one Calgary-area optometrist is on a mission to remind Albertans that protecting their vision means looking beyond just how clearly you can see. 'Vision is often overlooked,' said Dr. Cristy Franco, lead optometrist of the neuro-rehabilitative and pediatric Vision Therapy Clinic at Airdrie Family Eye Doctors. 'We don't think about it.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Speaking at an event hosted by the Alberta Association of Optometrists at Major Tom on Tuesday, Franco emphasized that eye exams play a critical role in not only vision care, but overall health. Many serious eye conditions can develop with no symptoms until it's too late, she said. Eye exams: a window into your health Routine eye exams are about much more than having perfect vision, Franco said. 'You might be able to see 20/20, but something might be happening inside your eye that you don't know,' she explained. 'But if we can treat it and catch it early enough, then up to 80 per cent of those conditions are preventable and treatable. 'One in seven Canadians will experience a serious eye health issue in their lifetime,' she said, yet many people delay or skip regular checkups. 'A routine eye exam is about part of your regular eye health, but also a part of your regular overall health,' she added. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Myth #1: 'I see perfectly — I don't need to see an optometrist.' According to Franco, perfect vision does not mean perfect eye health. 'There's a lot of things that are happening that have no signs or symptoms until it's far too late. And at that point, we have a much harder time treating it,' she said. She warned that some conditions develop quietly with no warning signs, and emphasized the importance of early detection made possible through routine exams to prevent and treat conditions. 'Getting in early preventative care, that's the number one thing that we can do,' she said. Myth #2: 'I'd know if my child had vision problems.' Franco warned that many children might have vision issues that go undetected because they don't know anything else. 'A child has never seen in another way, this is how their vision has always been,' she said. 'They don't know what to compare it to.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. She noted that one in four school-aged children suffers from a vision issue, which can have broader impacts on a child's learning and development. Regular eye exams are key to catching these problems, she said. Myth #3: 'Vision loss is just part of getting older.' While a person's vision changes with age, Franco said diminished vision health doesn't have to be inevitable. With proper monitoring and timely treatment, many age-related conditions can be managed successfully. 'Although your vision is changing, (optometrists) are here to keep your vision excellent for you,' she said. 'Vision loss should not be a part of aging.' What can routine exams detect? Glaucoma Known as the 'silent thief of sight,' glaucoma can cause vision loss by damaging the optic nerve. 'You have no idea that there is anything going on with your vision until you have no peripheral vision left,' she said. And by the time it starts to impact your central vision, 'it is far too late,' she added. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Macular degeneration Patients with macular degeneration typically don't see symptoms when they are young, even as the disease starts to develop. But a routine eye exam to check the back of your eye will catch it. 'It might show up just as blurry vision. You might think, 'I need a new pair of glasses,'' she said. 'But what we need to be doing is something a lot more involved than that.' Diabetes Franco said diabetes can significantly impact eye health and show up in many different ways. 'It might look like really great vision one day and then the next day . . . things are blurry,' she said. For somebody else, it can impact the back of their eye without causing any symptoms. 'That's really serious,' she said. 'If it's impacting the back of their eye, that can lead to scarring, that can lead to long-term issues that we can't do anything about.' Screens This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. With so many people glued to screens in daily life, eye strain and dry eye are on the rise. 'When you're on a device, you don't blink as often. And if you're not blinking as often, then you're not refreshing that tear film,' Franco said. Calgary's dry climate also doesn't help, she said, noting environment plays a big role in exacerbating dry eye disease. 'If you don't take that dry eye seriously, it can lead to scarring and permanent changes in your vision,' she added. 'If it progresses too far, we can't do anything about it at that point.' When should you book an exam? Franco recommends new parents take their child for their first eye exam between the ages of six and nine months, then again between the ages of two and five. Once children are school, she recommends annual appointments to stay on top of any vision concerns. For adults, she recommends seeing an optometrist every one to two years. 'But that really depends on what's going on with your eyes — whether or not you wear contact lenses and what your optometrist is monitoring for,' she said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Once people reach 65, she emphasizes the importance of maintaining an annual exam to catch and treat issues. Routine eye exams are covered under Alberta Health Care for children under the age of 19, and for adults 65 and older. Emergency appointments or those deemed medically necessary are covered for Albertans of any age. Urgent eye issues? Skip the ER Franco said many people don't realize they can go straight to their optometrist for urgent eye problems, including pink eye, sudden vision changes or something stuck in the eye. 'You can actually go to your optometrist for those things,' she said. 'Many optometrists actually hold spots in their schedule every single day for emergency appointments . . . Then you're not having to wait hours in the emergency room. 'If anything is going wrong, don't wait,' she said. 'Call your optometrist and get yourself seen.' Cult of Hockey Politics Cult of Hockey Letters Local News
Calgary Herald
13-05-2025
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Beyond 20/20: Alberta optometrist urges regular eye exams for overall health
May marks Vision Health Month, and one Calgary-area optometrist is on a mission to remind Albertans that protecting their vision means looking beyond just how clearly you can see. Article content Article content 'Vision is often overlooked,' said Dr. Cristy Franco, lead optometrist of the neuro-rehabilitative and pediatric Vision Therapy Clinic at Airdrie Family Eye Doctors. Article content 'We don't think about it.' Article content Article content Speaking at an event hosted by the Alberta Association of Optometrists at Major Tom on Tuesday, Franco emphasized that eye exams play a critical role in not only vision care, but overall health. Many serious eye conditions can develop with no symptoms until it's too late, she said. Article content Article content Routine eye exams are about much more than having perfect vision, Franco said. Article content 'You might be able to see 20/20, but something might be happening inside your eye that you don't know,' she explained. 'But if we can treat it and catch it early enough, then up to 80 per cent of those conditions are preventable and treatable. Article content 'One in seven Canadians will experience a serious eye health issue in their lifetime,' she said, yet many people delay or skip regular checkups. Article content 'A routine eye exam is about part of your regular eye health, but also a part of your regular overall health,' she added. Article content Debunking common myths Article content Article content According to Franco, perfect vision does not mean perfect eye health. Article content 'There's a lot of things that are happening that have no signs or symptoms until it's far too late. And at that point, we have a much harder time treating it,' she said. Article content She warned that some conditions develop quietly with no warning signs, and emphasized the importance of early detection made possible through routine exams to prevent and treat conditions. Article content 'Getting in early preventative care, that's the number one thing that we can do,' she said. Article content Franco warned that many children might have vision issues that go undetected because they don't know anything else. Article content 'A child has never seen in another way, this is how their vision has always been,' she said. 'They don't know what to compare it to.' Article content She noted that one in four school-aged children suffers from a vision issue, which can have broader impacts on a child's learning and development. Regular eye exams are key to catching these problems, she said.
National Post
01-05-2025
- Health
- National Post
Don't Let Your Eye Health Become a Game of Red Flags
Article content The Canadian Association of Optometrists releases a new 'GetEyeWise' public campaign to raise awareness about eye health, and prompts all Canadians to take proactive steps to preserve their vision Article content Article content OTTAWA, Ontario — During Vision Health Month, the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) is committed to raising awareness about eye health and vision care. With an aging population, increased near-work, and a growing myopia epidemic, the integration of vision care into the healthcare routine for all age groups, from toddlers to seniors, is crucial. Several provincial associations of optometrists ( New Brunswick Association of Optometrists, Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Optometrists, Nova Scotia Association of Optometrists, and The Prince Edward Island Association of Optometrists) and sponsors from the industry – Alcon and CooperVision – support this campaign. Don't let your eye health become a game of red flags. The Canadian Association of Optometrists releases a new 'GetEyeWise' public campaign to raise awareness about eye health, and prompts all Canadians to take proactive steps to preserve their vision. Article content More than 8 million Canadians are currently living with eye disease including Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), cataracts, and glaucoma. Uncorrected refractive error and corneal disease (specifically dry eye) are also major contributors to vision loss. Several factors can impact vision such as family history, age, environmental causes, lifestyle choices, and prolonged use of digital devices. Article content The incidence of vision impairment is increasing with many cases stemming from conditions that are treatable. In Canada, it is estimated that 90% 1 of vision loss can be treated or prevented if detected early. Article content Many people are not familiar with the role of optometrists, the importance of regular comprehensive eye exams, and often overlook them until they notice obvious symptoms. Because many serious eye conditions do not present obvious symptoms initially, waiting for red flags can expose individuals to significant risks. Article content 'Optometrists are at the forefront of vision care, and as primary care health professionals, they support ensuring better health outcomes for all Canadians,' says Dr. Martin Spiro, President of the Canadian Association of Optometrists. 'They diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and disorders affecting the visual system (the eye and related structures). Comprehensive eye exams can also uncover underlying and life-threatening health issues, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, some cancers, brain tumour, and neurological conditions.' Article content The CAO recommends 2 comprehensive eye exams for children starting at six to nine months, then again between the ages of two and five years, and annually thereafter to age 19. Article content After 19, eye development usually stabilizes, allowing check-ups every two years for healthy adults with no known eye or other health conditions. However, after age 65, yearly exams are recommended once again due to the increased risk of eye disease. Article content Eye health is not a game of red flags Article content The new 'GetEyeWise' campaign highlights the importance of prevention and proactive steps Canadians can take when it comes to eye health. By showcasing relatable, everyday scenarios, the campaign raises awareness about the crucial role of regular eye exams in detecting potential issues early. It underscores optometrists as essential primary eye care providers, helping Canadians achieve better overall health outcomes. It will run throughout May on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest and Spotify in both English and French. Article content The Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) is the national voice of optometry. Optometrists are independent primary health care providers and represent the front line of vision health. Optometrists practice in a range of settings: most work in private practice, others work in clinics, hospitals, community health centres, corporate optometry, research, teaching, and administration. Recognized at home and internationally as a leading advocate for the profession, CAO is dedicated to providing leadership and support to its +8,400 members (Optometrists, Students, and Optometric Assistants) to enhance the delivery of healthy eyes and clear vision for all Canadians. For more information, visit Article content Alcon helps people see brilliantly. As the global leader in eye care with a heritage spanning over 75 years, we offer the broadest portfolio of products to enhance sight and improve people's lives. Our Surgical and Vision Care products touch the lives of more than 260 million people in over 140 countries each year living with conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases and refractive errors. Our more than 25,000 associates are enhancing the quality of life through innovative products, partnerships with Eye Care Professionals and programs that advance access to quality eye care. Learn more at Article content About CooperVision Article content CooperVision, a division of CooperCompanies (NYSE:COO), is one of the world's leading manufacturers of contact lenses. The company produces a full array of daily disposable, two-week and monthly soft contact lenses that feature advanced materials and optics, and premium rigid gas permeable lenses for orthokeratology and scleral designs. CooperVision has a strong heritage of addressing the toughest vision challenges such as astigmatism, presbyopia, childhood myopia, and highly irregular corneas; and offers the most complete portfolio of spherical, toric and multifocal products available. Through a combination of innovative products and focused practitioner support, the company brings a refreshing perspective to the marketplace, creating real advantages for customers and wearers. For more information, visit Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
