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Hughes, Macdonald & Davidson opticians is committed to providing a high quality service, whether it’s a routine eye exam or an eye emergency.

Half of sight loss is avoidable, so know the warning signs, and know when to seek help to prevent irreversible vision impairment.

Conditions like retinal detachment, sever forms of uveitis, certain types of glaucoma, as well as corneal abrasions and infections can all cause sudden and permanent sight loss.

If you suddenly experience the following symptoms, you should contact Hughes, Macdonald & Davidson Opticians or call NHS 111 soon as possible.

• A curtain, veil or shadow in your vision
• Sudden sight loss or double vision
• Acute redness in one or both eyes
• Photophobia (extreme sensitivity to light)
• Severe eye pain
• Suddenly seeing lots of flashes or floaters (little dots or squiggles)

For most, these symptoms will be caused by minor condition that is easily treatable, however its important to rule out serious eye conditions that can lead to sudden or permanent vision loss. Urgent medical attention should also be sought if you have a foreign body in your eye that you can’t flush out at home using an eye wash.

Are you wearing SiHy? Are you interested in trying a one-day contact lens that is healthier for your eyes?

Speak to us about a free trial of Live® one-day contact lenses.

Click here to find out more

4,321 Plastic bottles retrieved thanks to your participation.

CooperVision has partnered with Plastic Bank® to stop ocean-bound plastic by offsetting our plastic consumption through their certified Plastic Neutral programme.

CooperVision purchase credits equal to the weight of the plastic they use in the production of their one-day contact lenses, the blister, the outer carton packaging here in the UK – and an equal amount of plastic is collected by Plastic Bank®

Choosing them is an easy way to have a positive impact on the environment. They are both sustainably manufactured and certified net plastic neutral contact lenses.

• 99% of the plastic we use in the production of the lens is recycled
• 95% of the materials used in our production process is recycled
• The first UK contact lens to be net plastic neutral
• Up to 4 x the oxygen transmissibly of some conventional hydrogel daily disposable contact lenses

Thanks to HMD patient’s choosing these contact lenses, we have retrieved 4,231 plastic bottles from the ocean. 

Varilux® XR  – The Best Varilux Lens Ever

The Varilux® XR Series lens responds to the way your eyes really move, giving you a more natural vision experience. The lens is powered by artificial intelligence, using 1 million data points from eyeglass wearers, so it can predict everyone’s visual behaviour. This means that the lens can optimise how you see, not just your prescription, to bring you instant sharpness, even in motion.

• Instant sharpness, even in motion
• Natural posture, in all circumstances
• Stabilised vision in the most demanding situations
• High visual acuity, even in low light conditions
• Panoramic field of vision

As you move through the day, you’ll experience instantly sharp vision and seamless switches between tasks. That means seeing things clearly at all distances and feeling reactive and stable, even when you are on the go.

“Varilux® XR is the most natural vison of any varifocal I have ever worn.” John Hughes, Company Director and Optometrist

Ask us about Varilux® XR Series

The hay fever season runs from sprint to autumn and affects around 18 million people in the UK. As one of the most common allergic conditions, hay fever is triggered by an allergic reaction to different types of pollen, causing inflammation and symptoms such as sneezing, itchy, runny or blocked nose and difficulty in breathing. Pollen can also set off an allergic reaction in the conjunctiva (the transparent membrane covering the white of the eye) which becomes inflamed causing watery, red and itchy eyes. This may cause your eyes and eyelids to swell and you may also experience a gritty feeling in your eyes.

Managing your hay fever:

• Stay indoors – keep windows and doors closed and keep surfaces clear with a damp duster. Avoid going out in the early evening and midmorning when the pollen count is at its highest.
• Wear sunglasses when you are outdoors – wraparound styles offer more protection from pollen.
• Wear glasses rather than your contact lenses – especially when the pollen count is high.
• Change your clothes and shower regularly – if you have been outside for a while, you may have pollen on your clothes, skin and hair. Taking a shower and changing your clothes can help.
• Rinse your eyes regularly – use a dedicated eye wash to remove any dust and pollen from the surface of the eyes.
• Use a cold compress – if you develop eye symptoms, the cooling sensation can help reduce inflammation and swelling.
• Apply petroleum jelly to your nostrils – this will trap pollen.

Treating your hay fever:

• Anti-allergy eye drops – can be used to help treat eye symptoms, as they target the site of inflammation directly
• Antihistamines are another options with a more immediate effect. These work by blocking the action of histamine released from mast cells during the allergic reaction, they can’t prevent the allergic reaction, they can reduce the severity of symptoms
• Steroid eye drops can be prescribed in severe cases. These are powerful anti-inflammatories but can have serious side affects, such as glaucoma, cataracts and damage to the cornea. They are only available on prescription and monitored to ensure they are safe to use.

If you have concerns, speak to your optometrist.