An Eye On Safer Sight News, views and more from the team at

Safety Eyewear Express July 2012

TOO many people are

neglecting the health of

their eyes and the warning

is that irreversible vision

problems can result.

A recent survey revealed

that almost half of all Aus-

tralians between the ages

of 18 and 44 have not had

their vision checked in the

past two years.

Certified optical dispenser

with Safety Eyewear Ex-

press, Michelle Bentley,

said there could be serious

implications.

‘‘Too many people forget

about how important eye

health is - until a problem

comes up,’’ Ms Bentley

said.

‘‘By then the damage may

be done.

‘‘Early detection is abso-

lutely vital and that means

regular check-ups.’’

Macular degeneration is

the leading cause of blind-

ness in Australia with one

in seven Australians over

50 affected by the disease.

‘‘Macular degeneration

affects the central part of

the retina and results in

chronic distortion of vi-

sion.

‘‘In some cases there can

even be bleeding and a

rapid loss of sight.’’

Most people will know

of someone who has had

cataracts.

The warning here too is

that, if left untreated,

cataracts can cause blind-

ness.

‘‘The reality is that cata-

racts are fairly common

and are usually found in

older people.

“But there have been

cases of babies being born

with cataracts.

A cataract is a clouding

that develops in the lens of

the eye.

‘‘Cataracts pro-

gress slowly and

bring with them

gradual vision

loss.’’

Ms Bentley said

that there were a

number of steps

that could be taken

to protect the eyes

and guard against

vision loss.

‘‘But few things

are more impor-

tant than regular

check-ups.’’

There are ways and means

to keep our eyes healthy.

For more on cataract

surgery see inside.

And for some easy to

follow healthy eye tips,

check out the article

from SEEgull Sam.

Keep check on eye health

Sharing the vision RETAILERS are keen to

cash in on the resources

boom in Australia...and

that’s not necessarily a bad

thing.

A few years back the only

place to purchase HI VIS

safety gear was from a

specialty shop.

Today you can find at least

some safety gear in most

clothing shops.

It’s become very competi-

tive.

The other day I saw steel-

capped boots advertised by

a supermarket!

There’s no doubt that all

this is being driven by de-

mand and there’s also no

doubt that the competition

we’re seeing is driving

prices down.

And that has to be a good

thing for the consumer.

But it’s one thing to buy

boots, shirts, pants and

jackets from major retail

outlets.

It’s another thing alto-

gether when it comes to

prescription safety glasses.

That’s where you need

expert advice and assis-

tance.

While it’s possible to buy

prescription safety glasses

online from other coun-

tries, it’s not a very smart

move.

For a start, there’s a matter

of standards.

Prescription safety glasses

have to meet a set standard

to comply with work safety

regulations.

If they don’t meet that

standard both the wearer

and his or her employer

could find themselves in

hot water if there’s a work-

place incident.

It makes good sense to deal

with a reputable company

and a company that em-

ploys qualified staff.

Safety Eyewear Express is

a company that ticks all the

boxes...and we back all

that with unbeatable prices.

TOO many people are ne-

glecting the health of their

eyes.

They wait until they ex-

perience problems before

they get checked.

Those problems can in-

clude eyestrain and head-

aches.

The recommendation is

that people should have

their eyes tested every two

years.

When it comes to the pro-

vision of prescription

safety glasses, any script

more than two years old is

unacceptable.

Research, however,

has revealed that almost

half of Australians aged

between 18 and 44 have

not had their vision

checked in the past 24

months.

Eyesight should be guarded

and the eyes protected.

Alongside those regular

checks, it’s a good idea to

know family history.

Combine the past with the

present...eat fresh fruit and

vegies and wear sunglasses.

Remember, you only get one

set of eyes.

It’s worth bearing in mind

too that more than one

million Australians aged

over 50 have some evi-

dence of macular degen-

eration— the leading

cause of blindness in Aus-

tralia.

It results in failing eye-

sight and the late onset of

blindness.

Care, common sense and

regular checks are recom-

mended.

ANY QUESTIONS? If there is something you

would like to know about

prescription safety,

contact Michelle for

accurate, common

sense advice and

information.

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Hunter first for eye surgery

CATARACT surgery pa-

tients at a Hunter private

hospital will be among the

first in Australia to benefit

from a new, state of the art,

surgery guidance device to

ensure more accurate posi-

tioning of lenses.

Hunter Valley Private Hos-

pital (HVPH) is the first

hospital in NSW and the

second in the southern

hemisphere to use the

$65,000 German made SMI

Surgical Guidance Solution,

which only came on to the

market globally last year.

The machine takes a photo

of the eye which is taken on

a USB device into theatre.

This image is then trans-

ferred to theatre with real

time eye tracking ensuring

extremely accurate align-

ment of a lens.

Consultant surgeon Dr

David Manning said the

machine takes the guess

work out of a critical part

of a cataract operation,

which until now has

been done by manual

marking of the eye.

After anaesthetic and once a

patient lies down the eye can

rotate, causing misalignment

of the lens.

He said the device improves

the accuracy and the stabil-

ity of vision outcomes for

patients.

“This device is particularly

beneficial for people requir-

ing toric lenses to correct for

astigmatism and for multifo-

cal lenses,” he said.

Dr Manning said everyone

eventually gets cataracts and

they are the leading cause

of vision loss among peo-

ple aged 55 and over.

Cataract surgery is the

most performed proce-

dure in the world.

According to the World

Health Organisation more

than 20 million cataract

operations are performed

globally every year, with

200,000 of those carried

out in Australia and New

Zealand.

Noo news is good news

You asked for it...and

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We’ve increased our

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gone for something

special.

Like what you see?

This frame is from

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The company has a

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feathers.

Think style and fashion.

This frame has been fitted with

polarised lenses featuring new

antifog technology.

Want to see more? Go to noo-

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Want to know more? Give us a

call!

Fun, facts and the fantastic

The quality of computer passwords can vary greatly – but some are just bad!

Getting hacked is as easy as “123456″ when you are using one of the worst passwords possible.

Here’s a list of some of the most commonly used passwords…with a suggestion

they should be avoided.

1. password

2. 123456

3. 12345678

4. qwerty

5. abc123

6. Monkey

7. 1234567

8. Letmein

9. trustno1

10. dragon

11. baseball

12. 111111

13. Iloveyou

15. sunshine

16. Ashley

17. bailey

18. passw0rd

19. shadow

20. 123123

22. superman

23. gazwsx

24. Michael

25. football

See, saw

seen…

sure???? At first glance,

your brain will

interpret this

picture in a

certain way.

But take a second

look.

Is what you saw

first the full

picture or only

part of it?

Interesting!!!

Hacking cracking backing slacking

The human eye can detect 10 million colour hues but cannot see ultraviolet

or infrared light. Insects can see the ultraviolet light.

About 80 % of what we perceive comes through the eyes. Our memories

are made 80 % by images. The eye comes with information about the

depth, distance, shape, colour and movement of the objects.

Before you start any potentially dangerous job,

think about protecting your eyesight.

Ensure you wear proper safety glasses because

you only get one set of eyes.

Select glasses that fit well and offer the correct

level of protection.

Always seek professional advice when it comes

to prescription safety glasses.

Forget fashion—safety glasses are all about

protection, not just looking good on the worksite.

Ensure you wear your safety glasses every time,

not just when the boss is watching.

Sight sense with SEEgull Sam

Following are SEEgull Sam’s Top 10 tips to help avoid macular degeneration, cataracts,

blurry “computer” vision and more.

1. Eat greens. Ingesting lots of leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale can help avoid

macular degeneration.

2. Take vitamins. There are supplements made specifically for eye health. Be sure that

they include these: Vitamins A, C, E and B2 and the minerals zinc and selenium.

3. Keep your eyes hydrated. A simple saline solution can help to lubricate and soothe

eyes. (Be sure to check with your doctor if you experience stinging or burning in your

eyes, or a sandy or gritty feeling, or you don’t produce tears when you cry. These symp-

toms could indicate “dry eye,” a condition that needs medical attention).

4. Eat apricots and blueberries. Blueberries are associated with reduction of eye fatigue

and apricots are rich in beta carotene and lycopene, both of which promote good vision.

5. Get plenty of Omega 3 fish oil. It helps clear eyesight and eye health. (Heart-healthy

diets in general tend to be good for the eyes as well).

6. Pamper your eyes. Try placing two slices of soothing cucumber over closed eyes for 15

minutes. It cools and refreshes the eyes.

7. Drink tea. It’s thought that drinking tea might help to deter cataracts.

8. Try Bilberry. This herbal remedy, according to some herbalists, can help to improve

night vision.

9. Wear UV filtering sunglasses. Harmful UVA and UVB rays can contribute to cata-

racts.

10. Give them a break. If you work at a computer, remember the 20/20/20 rule. Take a

break every 20 minutes. For 20 seconds, look at something 20 feet away or farther. This

allows your eyes to refocus and relax and prevents the blurry vision that can occur by star-

ing at a computer screen for too long. (Always check with your health professional before starting any new remedies).

A focus on healthy eyes

Refractive

error Refractive error occurs

when light that passes

through the front of the

eye fails to focus precisely

on the retina.

It causes long or short

sightedness and difficulties

changing focus. Perfect

focussing is unusual and

most people are slightly

long sighted.

Refractive errors typically

develop during childhood,

when the eyes are still de-

veloping.

How common is refractive

error?

Refractive error accounts for

half of all visual impairment

in Australia. Between

200,000 and 300,000 Aus-

tralians have visual impair-

ment as a result of under-

corrected refractive error.

The most common forms of

refractive error are:

> ‘Hypermetropia’ or long

sightedness, occurs when

light focuses behind the ret-

ina causing blurred close

and distance vision.

> ‘Myopia’ or short sighted-

ness, occurs when light fo-

cuses in front of the retina,

causing blurred long dis-

tance vision.

> ‘Astigmatism’ occurs

when the curvature of the

cornea or lens is non-

uniform, causing uneven

focus of light rays which

results in blurred or dis-

torted vision.

> ‘Presbyopia’ occurs with

age when the eyes’ natural

lenses lose some flexibility

and are less able to change

focus easily, making close

work more difficult. It is

more common in people

aged 40 years or more.

What are the causes?

The exact causes of refrac-

tive error are still being

studied.

Evidence suggests that

there may be a genetic link.

What treatment is avail-

able?

Visual impairment from

refractive error can be

treated with correctly pre-

scribed glasses or contact

lenses. Laser treatment is

also used to correct refrac-

tive error.

What research is being

conducted?

Associate Professor Paul

Baird heads the Centre’s

Ocular Genetics Unit. As-

sociate Professor Baird is a

molecular geneticist and is

a leading expert in visual

science genetics.

The Ocular Genetics Unit

is conducting a number of

research programs to iden-

tify the genes thought to be

responsible for common

eye diseases. Researchers

recently completed the

world’s largest study of

myopia, using twins.

More information about

our refractive error

research can be found

online at www.cera.org.au

or by telephoning 03 9929

8360.

Eye research needs your

support

Donations can be made to

the Eye Research Australia

Foundation .

LOOK after your safety glasses and they will continue to look after you.

CLEANING: Wash in cold or luke warm water and use a dab of dishwashing liquid.

Dry with a soft tissue or cleaning cloth supplied by S.E.E.. Alternatively splash glasses

with some water from a bottle or tap. Shake them dry. Do not wipe them dry on a dirty

rag or work shirt. Scratches are permanent. Never use lens wipes unless they are certi-

fied by S.E.E. as they often contain harmful solvents which damage lenses.

PROTECTION: Always store your prescription safety glasses in the safety glasses case

provided by S.E.E. And if your job requires you to be constantly taking your glasses off

and putting them back on again, consider using a spec cord. Also provided by S.E.E.

LIFESPAN: Safety glasses are there to protect and that means that, sometimes, they

can come in for some rough treatment, very little of it deliberate. If you do all the right

things when it comes to cleaning and protecting your prescription safety glasses they

should last on average between 12 and 18 months. However, when glasses are inad-

vertently left on a motor vehicle dashboard or on a car seat in the punishing rays of the

sun damage to frames and lenses can result. Manufacturers recommend your prescrip-

tion safety glasses be replaced annually.

Jest a moment…

Jimmy the old snake went to see his optometrist.

"Doc, I need something for my eyes," explained Jimmy. "I can't see well

these days." The optometrist fixed Jimmy up with a hip pair of horn-rimmed

glasses and told him to come back in a couple of weeks for a follow-up

visit."

"I'm very depressed, doc," Jimmy complained.

"What's the problem?" asked the optometrist. "Didn't the glasses help you?"

"The glasses are fine," Jimmy wailed. "But I just discovered I've been living

with a water hose the past two years!

What did the optometrist call his best sale ever?

The answer is…His ideal eye deal!

The teenager lost a contact lens while playing basketball in his driveway. After

a fruitless search, he went inside and told his mother the lens was nowhere to

be found.

Undaunted, she went outside and in a few minutes, returned with the lens in

her hand.

"How did you manage to find it, Mum?" the teenager asked.

"We weren't looking for the same thing," she replied. "You were looking for a

small piece of plastic. I was looking for $150."

If you're cross-eyed and have dyslexia, can you read all right?

Care and protection of your prescription safety glasses

www.safetyeyewearexpress.com.au

30 Fegan Street

(PO Box 173)

West Wallsend NSW 2286

Fax: 02 4955 4216

enquiries@safetyeyewearexpress.com.au

Safety Eyewear Express

When it comes to choosing prescription safety glasses, Safety Eyewear Express

has the range, product knowledge and expertise to ensure that the right choice

is made, first time.

We know safety and we pass on the benefit of our experience to our customers.

And our customer base is growing. Already well-established in the Hunter

Valley, we now have customers in Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria.

But no matter where Safety Eyewear Express sells our guarantee of best price,

biggest selection and superior service will stay the same.

S.E.E. - the difference!

“SIGHT SOLUTIONS WITH STYLE”

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Michelle Bentley

0431 597 951

Gary Bentley

0408 593 807

Prescription safety glasses technology

NEW

Anywhere, Anytime

Across Australia As simple as PPE

P ick a frame that looks and feels right (ask us about samples) P hotograph employee wearing chosen frame E mail photo with current prescription to us and we will do the rest Picture shows how we use our expertise to merge

your photo with the latest technology.

We use the latest computer technology ensuring accuracy and convenience.

And we back that with fast, efficient service at the very best price.

Best price ! Best selection ! Best service !

All glasses we sell comply with safety standard AS/NZS 1337.6

Safety Eyewear Express

0431 597 951 To find out more

CALL NOW (7 days)