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43 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,M ay 2,2019 insidehalton.com Fabio De Rango Pharmacist/Owner DE RANGO PHARMACY INC 2501 Third Line | 905-465-3000 Open 24 hours | 7 Days a Week DE RANGO PHARMACY INC 478 Dundas Street West | 905-257-9737 Canada Post www.shoppersdrugmart.ca Voted Oakville's Favourite Pharmacist & Pharmacy • Patient Counselling • Complete Diabetic Care • Home Visits • Pharmacogenetics • Free RX Delivery Isn't It About Time For A Hearing Test???Isn't It About Time For A Hearing Test??? Come And Visit An Independent, Caring Family Hearing Aid Clinic Latest in technology, models and styles,Latest in technology, models and styles, blue tooth and accessories.blue tooth and accessories. Price ranges from $500.00 to elite levels. All Services, Sales, Hearing Tests, Programming, Repairs, Batteries, Home Visits All Services, Sales, Hearing Tests, Programming, Repairs, Batteries, Home Visits 113 JONES STREET, OAKVILLE, ON • 905-827-2902 Over 25 yearsof knowledgeand experience. Established Since 1979 Lakeshore Paramedical H E A R I N G S E R V I C E S Jennifer Nolan Wendy Caswell Over 35 years of knowledge and experience. A new survey, commissioned by the Ca- nadian Ophthalmological Society (COS), revealed the majority of Canadians (59 per cent) experience symptoms of po- tential eye disease, yet only half of these people (54 per cent) reported they had seen a health care professional. This is particularly concerning as early detec- tion is key in preventing eye disease from progressing or resulting in vision loss or blindness. Ophthalmologists - the phy-blindness. Ophthalmologists - the phy-blindness. Ophthalmologists - the phy sicians that specialize in medical and surgical eye care - are committed to pre- venting vision loss and helping people maintain healthy eyes and vision as they age. With National Vision Health Month happening in May, they are emphasizing the importance of having regular medical eye exams, as part of the ongoing See the Possibilities campaign by the COS to raise awareness about eye health. "We were concerned that a majority of Canadians may be experiencing early symptoms of potential eye disease, yet have not had a medical eye exam," says Dr. Phil Hooper, MD, FRCSC. "Regular, di- lated comprehensive eye exams are im- portant as some serious eye diseases produce no symptoms at all until they are very advanced. If these diseases are caught early, effective treatments are available to preserve vision. This is even more important in those who are experi- encing changes to their vision, who have a family history of eye disease, or have a chronic disease such as diabetes." Eye symptoms reported by Canadians included difficulty seeing at night (27 per cent), problems reading up close (25 per cent), blurry vision (22 per cent), red, wa- tery eyes (22 per cent), seeing flashes of light (10 per cent) and double vision (6 per cent). Some of these symptoms may develop as a result of serious eye disease. When it comes to eye health, knowledge is power, yet awareness of common eye diseases in Canada is low. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the lead- ing cause of vision loss in Canada, yet the majority (51 per cent) of Canadians are not familiar with the disease or the severe damage it can cause. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in Canadi- ans under 50 and diabetic retinopathy af-ans under 50 and diabetic retinopathy af-ans under 50 and diabetic retinopathy af fects half a million Canadians. Even with its strong prevalence in Canada, almost half (41 per cent) of Canadians have never heard of this disease and a third (34 per cent) only recognize the name but not the condition. Other common eye dis- eases, such as glaucoma and cataracts, can be detected through a comprehen- sive eye exam. In the case of glaucoma, if caught early, effective treatments are available to preserve vision. The study also showed that millennials (18-34 year olds) have even lower aware- ness of major eye diseases than the na- tional average and were less likely to see a physician (44 per cent) after experienc- ing common symptoms of potential eye disease. "A common misconception is that regu- lar eye exams are just to correct vision, but they are also key to the overall health of the eye," says Dr. Hooper. Last year, the COS launched the See The Possibilities campaign, educating Canadians about eye health and the im- portant role ophthalmologists play in eye health care. Visit www.seethepossibili- ties.ca to find remarkable patient stories, along with new and interesting innova- tions from Canadian ophthalmologists. health Take care of your eyes during National Vision Health Month