Visual Impairments or Refractive Errors

If you are nearsighted, you can see well up close without correction, but everything is blurry at a distance. Myopia of -3.0 diopters is common; more than -8.0 diopters is less common, and more than -15.0 diopters is rare.

Myopia occurs due to a refractive error in the eye. Normally, light falls neatly on the retina and a sharp image is transmitted to the brain.

In nearsighted eyes, the eyeball is too long or the cornea's refractive power is too strong, causing light to fall in front of the retina, resulting in a blurry image being sent to the brain.

Myopia can be corrected with glasses or lenses with a negative correction.

Myopia in Children

How can you inhibit myopia in children?

To do this, we apply the 20-20-2 rule, i.e. we advise children to

-after 20 consecutive minutes of close work (homework, PC, mobile phone, crafts) to look at least 20 seconds in the distance

-play outside in daylight for at least 2 hours a day

How can you treat myopia in children?

We can prescribe glasses or later contact lenses for children. By wearing special lenses, we can try to slow down the increase in myopia.

If the increase in myopia is too great, we prescribe Atropine drops.

These drops will slightly weaken the eye's focusing ability and dilate the pupil.

Myopia in adults

In adults, we prescribe prescription glasses or lenses.

Or you can opt for a procedure that makes you a lot less glasses-dependent.

All possible treatments for this are offered at the Winksele Eye Clinic, namely laser treatment, additional lens implantation or lens replacement.

During a preliminary examination, based on specific measurements and a detailed discussion with Dr De Blauwe, we will discuss what the options are for you and what the pros and cons of each solution are.

More information can be consulted on the page 'See better without glasses'.

When you are farsighted, you cannot see sharply for far away without correction and even less sharply for near. More than +4.0 dioptres is already less frequent, more than +10.0 dioptres is exceptional

Farsightedness is caused by a refractive error in the eye. Normally, light falls cleanly on your retina and a sharp image is transmitted to your brain.

Farsighted eyes are too short, or the refractive power of the cornea is too small. As a result, light falls behind the retina and a blurred image is transmitted to the brain.

You can correct farsightedness or hypermetropia by wearing glasses or lenses with plus-correction.

Farsightedness in adults: how to treat it?

In adults, we prescribe prescription glasses or lenses.

Or you can opt for a procedure that makes you a lot less glasses-dependent.

All possible treatments for this are offered at the Winksele Eye Clinic, namely laser treatment, additional lens implantation or lens replacement. However, laser treatment is rarely a good solution for farsighted eyes.

During a preliminary examination, based on specific measurements and a detailed discussion with Dr De Blauwe, we will discuss what the options are for you and the pros and cons of each solution.

More information can be consulted on the page 'See better without glasses'.

Astigmatism means that the cornea (the translucent window at the front of the eyeball) is not perfectly spherical. It is shaped more like a rugby ball than a football. As a result, the image is not really sharp for far nor up close, everything is a bit skewed or double. Astigmatism often occurs along with nearsightedness or farsightedness.

Cylinder aberration in adults: how to treat it?

In adults, we prescribe prescription glasses or lenses.

Or you can opt for a procedure that makes you a lot less glasses-dependent.

All possible treatments for this are offered at the Winksele Eye Clinic, namely laser treatment, an additional lens implantation or a lens replacement

During a preliminary examination, based on specific measurements and a detailed discussion with Dr De Blauwe, we will discuss what the options are for you and what the pros and cons of each solution are.

More information can be consulted on the page 'See better without glasses'.

Finally, presbyopia is added from the age of 45.

Presbyopia means being less able to focus on things nearby. With age, the eye's own lens loses elasticity and is therefore less able to accommodate, i.e. focus on things close by. As a result, people who have never worn glasses need reading glasses for the first time from the age of 45, and others have to wear reading glasses on top of their lenses or switch to progressive glasses

Age-related farsightedness in adults: how to treat it?

On top of vergence correction with additional reading correction may be prescribed.

For example, people over 45 often wear reading glasses on top of their contact lenses, or they wear multifocal lenses or multifocal glasses.

You can also opt for a procedure that makes you a lot less glasses-dependent.

All possible treatments for this are offered at the Winksele Eye Clinic, namely laser treatment, an additional lens implantation or a lens replacement

During a preliminary examination, based on specific measurements and a detailed discussion with Dr De Blauwe, we will discuss what the options are for you and what the pros and cons of each solution are.

More information can be consulted on the page 'See better without glasses'.