<![CDATA[Gillian Gervais Optician - News]]>Wed, 21 Aug 2024 01:59:17 +0100EditMySite<![CDATA[Just in!  Chloe designer eyewear]]>Fri, 13 May 2016 10:03:58 GMThttps://www.gilliangervais-carryduff.co.uk/news/just-in-chloe-designer-eyewear
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Joining our designer eyewear collection we are now stocking a wide range of Chloe frames.  
The Chloe eyewear collection takes inspiration from each seasons RTW collection
]]><![CDATA[Blueberry blue light protection for your eyes]]>Fri, 13 May 2016 09:39:30 GMThttps://www.gilliangervais-carryduff.co.uk/news/blueberry-blue-light-protection-for-your-eyes
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PROTECT YOUR EYES FROM SCREEN BLUE LIGHT WITH BLUEBERRY GLASSES

Eye strain can be caused by looking at a screen for two hours.  Like most people these days we are all spending more time looking at screens,- computers, smartphones, video games, tablets and television etc.
These all emit very strong light waves, particularly in the blue spectrum.  Blue light causes sever irritability and restricts sleep.

Looking at a screen for two hours running can lead to eyestrain. The current digital world is boundless and we are constantly connected - smartphones, tablets, computers, television and video games, etc.

Blueberry non prescription glasses filters 40% of blue light helps to reduce blurred vision,glare, concentration difficulty, visual fatigue and the risk of developing age related macular degeneration (ARMD).

In addition to filtering the blue light spectrum blueberry glasses also block 100% of UV rays. This ensures that only beneficial light is allowed through. Blueberry glassed give you perfectly clear visoin.
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At Gillian Gervais Opticians we stock blueberry blue light spectrum glasses in a range of colours ans sizes. Pop in and try them out.

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]]><![CDATA[What You Really Need to Know About Driving At Night]]>Sat, 31 Jan 2015 10:29:29 GMThttps://www.gilliangervais-carryduff.co.uk/news/what-you-really-need-to-know-about-driving-at-nightWhat You Really Need to Know About Driving At Night 
(by Fab over Fifty)

This post is sponsored by EyePromise.

Why YOU probably feel uncomfortable driving at night

Many of us would prefer not to drive at night because our vision just isn’t what it used to be. Changes to our eyes occur gradually, over many years, and we may not even notice them until the cumulative effect kicks in and our vision isn’t what it used to be.

Driving at night, especially when it’s raining,
can be particularly hazardous when drivers
over 40 have vision problems.

Here’s what’s happening:
  • Our pupils shrink and don’t dilate as much in the dark as we age, which reduce the amount of light entering our eyes and can make it seem as if we’re wearing dark sunglasses at night.
  • The cornea and lens in the eye become less clear as we age, causing light to scatter inside the eye, which increases glare and makes it harder to read reflective road signs and other important markings. These changes also reduce the ability of the eye to distinguish subtle differences in brightness during the night hours, causing more difficulty when viewing objects on the roadway.

  • We may test well in the eye doctor’s office but still have a hard time focusing on the road at night, where lighting is poor and we need to perform more complex visual tasks. Age also lessens our ability to see stationary and moving objects, such as cars or pedestrians that could cross the road in front of us, according to the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration.
  • Certain eye disorders, such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, are common with increased age and further reduce our vision, especially when the pupils dilate at night, according to 1999 research published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. These disorders affect 33 percent of all people aged 40 and older, according to The Vision Council.
FACTS

Traffic death rates are three times greater at night than during the day (and adults 65+ are 16% likelier to cause an accident than drivers 25-64, according to a study for the RAND Institute For Civil Justice). As The Fab Over Fifty population continues to take to the roads at night in greater numbers than our parents, the risk of fatal crashes is expected to increase substantially.

  • 1 in 4 drivers are affected by glare, which is caused by high intensity light, such as oncoming headlights.
  • 40% of those over 40 feel uncomfortable driving at night.
  • At night, the lack of light makes it more difficult for even young drivers to identify pedestrians or pot holes.

TIPS
  • Make sure your windshield and headlights are clean, so no dust or residue is blocking your line of sight.
  • Use the “night” setting on your rearview mirror, which dims whatever is going on behind you, so you’re not overwhelmed by extra light.
  • You can help improve your night driving vision with powerful nutrients, zeaxanthin andlutein, which help the eyes absorb excess light and help you maintain your focus.
  • While foods such as leafy greens, eggs, corn and peppers, have trace amounts of zeaxanthin and lutein, only a supplement can provide the right amount of these nutrients to help maintain and improve our eye health. These brightly colored nutrients, in the back of the eye, help us focus on light, colors, and sharp objects. Zeaxanthin and lutein also act as “internal sunglasses” to absorb light and to protect against glare.

Get your eyes checked at least once a year, for vision changes, or more frequently if you have issues.

]]><![CDATA[A day in the life of an optician in Carryduff]]>Mon, 29 Sep 2014 15:37:54 GMThttps://www.gilliangervais-carryduff.co.uk/news/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-optician-in-carryduffhttp://www.lisburntoday.co.uk/news/features/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-optician-in-carryduff-1-6320324
Gillian Gervais runs Gillian Gervais Opticians and Eyewear based in Carryduff.

The mother of three boys has been running the business for 20 years. After graduating from Cardiff University she worked for several opticians before setting up on her own.

Gillian has recently moved to new premises on the Ballynahinch road.

I get up at 6.45am, get myself ready and the three boys sorted for school making sure they have their bags, kits and boots. The two eldest boys usually have pre-school rugby to go to and then I’ll take the youngest one to school on my way to work. One of my receptionists will have the shop opened by the time I arrive.

Each day will vary, as some days you will have a very busy schedule and other days you may not. That’s part of the fun and variety of being an optician.

The day is predominantly sight tests and contact lens checks/fits. My patients are aged three - 90. Some may need to be fitted for specialty lenses, like bifocals, while others may want prescription sunglasses or reading glasses. As well as instore checks I do offer home visits and these are free to people who are housebound and over 60.

In between appointments I write referral letters to patients doctors and hospital eye departments as I regularly have people with glaucoma, cataracts hypertension diabetes and even strokes and tumours.

I find the medical side of my job extremely fulfilling but I also enjoy the fashion side of glasses.

I’m always trying to keep up to date with trends and making sure we have a wide and varied range of frames such as diesel guess Roberto cavalli ray bann Oakley and soon Mont Blanc Swarovski and Prada.

I enjoy it all, everything is so varied so I rarely find myself doing the same thing repeatedly. I’m interested in the constant changes in technology that I can use to help my patients, whether it’s as part of an eye test, their contact lenses or new materials for their glasses. We also have the express option of providing you with nocturnal Ortho-K technology. This is a non-surgical method of correcting short sightedness by reshaping your eyes on a temporary basis. We’re one of the few providers of Ortho-K in Northern Ireland and are proud to offer a glasses and contact lens free choice during the day.

I really enjoy running my own business. I like helping people - vision makes a huge difference to people’s lives and sometimes they don’t even realise that until it’s fixed.
]]><![CDATA[Revolutionary contact lenses that work at night so these teens don't have to wear glasses by day]]>Mon, 22 Sep 2014 15:26:42 GMThttps://www.gilliangervais-carryduff.co.uk/news/revolutionary-contact-lenses-that-work-at-night-so-these-teens-dont-have-to-wear-glasses-by-dayhttp://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/revolutionary-contact-lenses-that-work-at-night-so-these-teens-dont-have-to-wear-glasses-by-day-30603850.html
They are the inseparable best friends who share everything, including a love of sport, and now together they are enjoying the freedom of not having to wear spectacles, thanks to revolutionary new contact lenses.

Ahead of National Eye Health Week this week, 12-year-olds Abbey Pollock and Alex Kelly have had their lives transformed in the past few months by the new nocturnal lenses which have allowed the girls to put their glasses away for good.

The new Ortho K lenses are worn at night when the children are sleeping and work to temporarily correct their vision so that they don't need to wear their glasses the following day.

The Methody first formers, who live in Carryduff and also share a love of the band One Direction, are only now aware of just how challenging playing sport had been when they depended on their glasses.

Both girls play hockey for Belfast Harlequins. Alex is also a judo champion with a host of top UK and Ireland awards, while Abbey is a keen gymnast.

Even though both have excelled in their sports, they now are thrilled to be playing with the added advantage of being able to see clearly for the first time – not just the hockey ball, but for Alex her judo opponent, while for Abbey the gymnastic bar is in much sharper focus.  The girls love the fact that they no longer have to worry about forgetting their glasses when they leave home.

Their lenses were fitted at Gillian Gervais Opticians in Carryduff. Gillian was one of the first opticians to bring the new lenses to the province and is still only one of a handful of companies to offer them.

It's only in the past year that the full benefits of the lenses have been realised and only now that word of their express life changing advantages is starting to spread.

Nocturnal lenses are unique contact lenses that take away your short sight while you sleep. They do this by gently changing the shape of your eye in a controlled way.

All contact lenses change your eye in this way but nocturnal lenses are made to suit your eye precisely and enhance the effect to correct your vision.
]]><![CDATA[Introducing Marc Cain...]]>Mon, 01 Sep 2014 11:40:35 GMThttps://www.gilliangervais-carryduff.co.uk/news/introducing-marc-cainWe're pleased to announce that we will be stocking Marc Cain frames.  This is a short video promoting the Marc Cain autumn / winter collection.
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