Mediaplanet As a child, what got you into playing soccer?Kaylyn Kyle To be honest it was my dad who was a professional hockey player that made me to fall in love with sports and then I found soccer.
MP What has the journey been like, starting off in Saskatoon to where you are now?KK It has been phenomenal. I’ve met so many amazing people and visited so many beautiful places around the globe because of my sport. I’ve been extremely lucky and owe everything to everyone that has believed in me. Soccer has taken me abroad to play profes-sionally in Europe. And, over the past few years, throughout the United States in the Na-tional Women’s Soccer League. I have been able to play at the Olympics in London where we brought home Canada’s first Team Sport Summer Olympic medal since 1936, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada this past summer — truly, it’s been incredible.
MP What were the downsides to having to wear glasses during games years ago compared to how far things have come with today’s amazing contact lenses?KK To be honest with you it was difficult. I’d constantly have to be adjusting my glasses on the field — something other kids wouldn’t have to deal with, which meant I wasn’t always focusing on my game. Even years later, when contact lenses first became available, I could only wear them for an hour or two before they started to irritate my eyes and I’d have to take them out.
It is not an issue any more with today’s contact lenses. The ones I wear offer me comfort all day. It feels like I’m wearing nothing on my eyes. So, as opposed to when I was younger, I’m able to focus completely on my game. Even off the field, I travel a lot — so it’s one less thing I have to worry about. They allow me to be the best I can be in any endeavor or goal in life I’m pursuing.
MP You frequently speak to hundreds of young athletes at soccer clinics across Canada. What advice do you give them regarding the significance of healthy, comfortable vision and overall vision health?KK I think it is super important for young athletes to have the opportunity to benefit from a comfortable contact lens. I think back to the beginning of my soccer experience and where we are today. I try and let the kids know they need to tell their parents if something doesn’t feel right with their contact lenses or if they have to use glasses like I did growing up.
In my own case, when I was playing with glasses, occasionally a soccer ball would hit me on the frame and my face would be cut. Unfortunately, at the time it was not an uncommon occurrence. I think nowadays it’s cool that I can tell kids I wear contact lenses and if they’re having trouble with their vision, or they are wearing glasses on the field, they have another option — just like I do.
MP What seems to resonate with young athletes the most when talking to them about their eye health and comfort?KK I think they like to know they are not in this alone — that a player like myself and others have had to go through the same experi-ence they have. I think they appreciate it when we can pass along our knowledge of what we use ourselves when play-ing a game or going to a practice. I am lucky that I came across DAI-LIES TOTAL 1, I had been using another brand in the past and didn’t know how comfort-able I could be in these lenses, all day. If you feel good, you play well. If you play well your team has a bet-ter shot to win. Being confi-dent in your equipment and getting the best — from cleats to contact lenses — is an important part of your overall game.
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Send all inquiries to [email protected]. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve Maclean’s Magazine or its editorial departments.
Kaylyn Kyle, Canadian professional soccer player, Olympian, and vision ambassador, educates aspiring athletes on the importance of contact lens comfort, on and off the field.
PERSONALHEALTHNEWS.CA A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET
C anadians from across the country emerge to enjoy the fresh
air and their regular spring rituals as the warm weather arrives. It also marks the start of Vision Health Month. A time to put a little extra thought into your eyes — considering their care, all they do for you, and what you can do for them.
There’s a lot to consider. Eye relat-ed technologies are one of the fast-est moving sectors, offering Can-adians an array of opportunities and solutions. From managing dry eye, to emerging treatments for wet AMD and cataracts, the options and therapies continue to expand. But then, the eyes them-selves are a wonder. They not only allow us to engage in our external environment, but they afford us a unique internal view of the body.
Eye exams service more than your visionRegular eye exams by a doctor of optometry can help to detect not just eye related problems, but potentially life threatening con-ditions such as brain tumours, high blood pressure, and diabetes. When an optometrists looks in-to your eyes they can see a host of health conditions that may show symptoms in the eyes and could include the following: aneurysms, autoimmune disorders, thyroid
disease, sickle cell disease, liver disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Par-kinson’s disease, and other neuro-logical or brain disorders.
Despite all of the benefits regu-lar comprehensive eye exams can bring, we still see some concern-ing stats in Canada. Vision disor-ders affect 25 percent of school age children, but the majority (61 per-cent) of Canadian parents wrong-fully believe they would be able to tell if their child had a vision prob-lem. A misconception that leads to only 14 percent of Canadian chil-dren under the age of six seeing a vision care professional for a com-prehensive eye exam.
The picture for adults is not much better. Vision loss affecting working-age Canadians is related to reduced productivity, missing
work, and low income. After age 40, the number of cases of vision loss doubles every decade, and triples at age 75. With Canada’s aging popu-lation, the number of visually im-paired Canadians is set to increase by 30 percent in the next ten years.
The national impact of vision lossBut, the future doesn’t have to be dark. Canada spends $19.1-billion on vision loss annually. Imagine what we could do if we were to focus some of that investment on prevention. Addressing the eco-nomic and social impact of vision loss needs to start with a plan. Op-tometrists encourage the federal government to consider a national framework for action towards pre-venting avoidable blindness and promoting vision health.
This approach is consistent with the World Health Organization’s commitment to the prevention of avoidable blindness and vision im-pairment. A vision framework that would cater specifically to patients, especially in high-risk groups such as children, low-income families, indigenous, and aging Canadians.
Patient-focused, integrated, and collaborative delivery models of eye care should be essential to primary health care. By cultivating partner-ships between individuals, NGOs, governments, stakeholders, and in-dustry we can achieve our common goal of an improved eye care system for all Canadians.
Dr. Barry Thienes
“When an optometrists looks into your eyes they can see a host of
health conditions that may show symptoms
in the eyes.”
Dr. Barry ThienesPresident, Canadian
Association of Optometrists (CAO)
This Spring, Remember to Take Care of Your Eyes, so They’ll Take Care of You
Dr. Paul RafuseMD PhD FRCSC,
Associate Professor, Dalhousie University
The Sneak Thief of Vision
INSIGHT
What Canadians should know about Glaucoma
What is Glaucoma and how many types are there? Glaucoma is a condition that causes damage to your eye’s optic nerve and gets worse over time. It’s often associated with a buildup of pressure inside the eye also known as intraocular pressure. Glaucoma is the second most common cause of vision loss in seniors in Canada and can be divided into two groups: primary, where the cause is not known; and secondary, where there is an identifiable cause. More than 250,000 Canadians also have chronic open-angle glaucoma, the most common form of the disease.
Canadians living with glaucoma may be managed by an optometrist and an ophthalmologist, depending on the type of glaucoma they may have. Treatment of glaucoma may include both medical and surgical intervention, and in some cases surgery is the preferred option. For this reason a close working relationship is required between ophthalmologists (medically trained eye physicians and surgeons) and optometrists if patients are to receive optimal care.
Why is it known as the sneak thief of vision? Glaucoma is commonly referred in this way because it causes vision loss initially in the peripheral visual field. It is not until the blind areas expand towards the centre of one’s central vision that they become noticed; however, this may only happen when the second, better eye becomes more involved. For this reason nearly 50 percent of those with glaucoma do not know they have glaucoma and are not receiving treatment.
Who are the most common people to get glaucoma? There are a variety of personal risk factors for the various types of glaucoma. For the common chronic type — called primary open-angle glaucoma — the people most at risk are the elderly, those with a strong family history, or those of African ancestry. A number of findings on a comprehensive eye examination have been associated with this glaucoma — the most notable being an elevated intraocular pressure, a change in the appearance of the nerve to the eye, and loss of side vision.
With respect to treatment or a cure, vision lost to glaucoma cannot be recovered. And, while we can’t truly cure glaucoma, the progression of the disease can be slowed greatly by proper monitoring and treatment. If the disease is picked up early, blindness can usually be averted. Pressure-lowering treatments can involve topical eye medications (i.e., eye drops), laser or surgery. Treatments are tailored to the severity of the disease with surgery being reserved for the more serious cases.
Dr. Paul Rafuse & Dr. Yvonne Buys
Dr. Yvonne BuysMD, FRCSC,
Professor, University Health Network
MEDIAPLANETA SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET
T he proof is in the science. Nutrition and life-style can help decrease the risk of common eye diseases such as age-related macular de-generation (AMD) and cataracts. What you put on your plate can also help relieve your
burning and watery eyes as studies show foods high in omega-3 fatty acids can help with the management of dry eye syndrome. Let us explore how nutrition plays a role in the prevention of some of the most common eye condi-tions — and what foods and nutrients you should include in your diet everyday to maintain optimal eye health.
Age-related macular degenerationScientists have found a relationship between antioxi-dants and the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, and the prevention of AMD. Eyecare professionals recom-mend most patients with AMD take a supplement to help prevent the progression of the disease, the lead-ing cause of age-related vision loss in North America. In addition to adding supplements to your diet, sci-ence shows that diets high in certain nutrients help
Protect your Eyes with Nutrition
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to reduce the risk of AMD, and that poor diets can in-crease a person’s risk for developing the disease.
If you have, or are at risk of developing AMD, it is im-portant to take the supplement recommended by your eye doctor and to enjoy a diet high in lutein and zeaxanthin — pigments that are found in your retina — and other anti-oxidants. Taking a supplement does not replace a healthy diet, as your body benefits from the synergy of the nutri-ents in food. The Eyefoods plan recommends following the guidelines below to help decrease your risk for AMD.■ Consume a handful a day of lutein-rich leafy green vege-tables such as kale, spinach, watercress, and Swiss chard. ■ Eat two orange peppers per week, two ways — raw and cooked — for a boost of zeaxanthin, lutein, vitamin C and vitamin E.■ Eat four eggs per week, including the yolk, as they are a good source of lutein, vitamin E, and zinc.
CataractsLoad up on broccoli, peppers, kiwi, and citrus fruit to nourish your eyes with vitamin C and help to decrease the risk of cataracts — a clouding of the lens of the eye. You can also decrease your risk of this common con-dition by consuming a diet high in the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. These are found in high amounts in cold-water fish such as wild salmon, rainbow trout, sardines, and mackerel. By avoiding foods with a high glycemic index, such as white bread and sweet treats, it will also help lower your risk of cataracts.
Dr. Laurie CapognaFounder, Eye Wellness, Co-author, Eyefoods: A Food Plan for Healthy Eyes Dry eye
Go fishing for your dinner to help relieve your symptoms of burning, watery, and red eyes caused by dry eye — a condition that can also cause fluctuating vision and light sensitivity. Dry eye is often treated by taking lubricat-ing artificial tear eye drops, however, a holistic approach that addresses underlying causes of dry eye such as inflammation, and helps improve the quality of the tear film provides a better long-term treatment approach. Increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acids through diet or supplements can help with inflammatory con-ditions and help decrease the incidence of dry eye. Eat cold-water fish 3–4 times per week, and choose small-er fish as they are less likely to contain high amounts of contaminants such as mercury and PCBs.
The bottom line: fill your dinner plate with bright-ly coloured vegetables and fruits, and cold-water fish to decrease your risk for age-related macular degener-ation, cataracts, and dry eye syndrome. Engage your optometrist in a discussion about proper nutrition for your eye health to see if you would also benefit from taking an ocular supplement.
Dr. Laurie Capogna
Photos: Eyefoods: A Food Plan for Healthy Eyes
PERSONALHEALTHNEWS.CA A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET
Although light is vital for our survival, some common wavelengths damage our eyes and can lead to severe health conditions and even vision loss. Fortunately there are some simple steps you can take to protect your eyesight.
Most visible light is essential to our well-being and contributes to critical functioning such as improving our memory and cognitive performance and regulating our sleep-wake cycle. However, some visible and non-visible light such as ultraviolet (UV) and blue-violet light is harmful and can lead to sunburn, eyestrain, cataracts, or macular degeneration.
“Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness for people 65 years old and up in North America,” says Dr. Thomas Noël, optometrist and President of Ottawa’s McLeod Optometry Clinic. “Within the last few years, research has started showing us that blue-violet light causes an increase in macular degeneration.”
Protect Your Sight: Everything You Need To Know About UV and Blue-Violet Light
Blue-violet light is inescapable in our modern world While many people are already aware of the dangers of UV light and have taken precautions toward pro-tecting their eyes, news that blue-violet light can have grave consequences continues to catch people off-guard. This knowledge gap is especially concerning because blue-violet light is not only present out-doors — all year round what-ever the weather — but also in-doors in fluorescent lighting. As well, it exists in the LEDs in-corporated into most modern lighting and devices such as lap-tops, smart phones, and tablets.
“We use our computers and smartphones all the time without thinking,” says Dr. Noël who is also Presi-dent of the College of Optometrists of Ontario. “Over time, that does cause some issues.”
Protect yourself today to save your vision in the futureThere are a number of ways you can protect your eyes and preserve your long-term vision health. Wearing glasses with lenses that offer 100 percent UV protection is an excellent place to start and will help protect you from cataracts. But, what many people don’t know is up to 50
Dr. Thomas NoëlOptometrist, President, Ottawa’s McLeod Optometry Clinic
(1) A new index developed by Essilor, endorsed by independent 3rd-party, certifying the global UV protection of a lens. E-SPF 25 for Crizal Prevencia lenses, except with Orma clear (E-SPF 10). Lens performance only: The E-SPF excludes direct eye exposure that depends on external factors (wearer’s morphology, frame shape, position of wear). Essilor®,
Crizal®, PrevenciaTM, Light ScanTM, E-SPFTM are trademarks of Essilor International SA.
(1)
PROTECT YOUR EYES FROM HARMFUL LIGHT
Crizal Prevencia is a coating that selectively filters blue-violet light for long-term eye health, improved
overall well-being and enduring clarity of vision.
percent of UV rays bounce off the back of the lens and hit the eye directly. It is important to ensure a coating is also applied to the back side of the lens to prevent UV
rays from reaching your crystalline lens. For the most comprehensive protection,
you may choose a lens coating that also prevents blue-violet light
from reaching your retinas and harming your eyesight.
When purchasing sun-glasses, polarized lenses will cut harmful blue light and offer 100 percent pro-tection from UV rays com-
ing from the front; it is cru-cial they also have a coating
on the back side of the lens to prevent UV rays reflecting in
your eyes. Photochromic lenses — the lenses that are clear indoors and
darken outdoors — are an excellent way to ensure your eyes are protected at all times when com-bined with the same coatings as clear lenses.
It is important to protect your eyes at all times to avoid short-term discomfort such as sunburn caused by UV rays or eyestrain caused by blue-violet light, and to protect against long-term damage which can lead to cataracts and macular degeneration.
Bronwen Keyes-Bevan
MEDIAPLANETA SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET
Dry eye is a medical condition that is extremely prevalent in Canada yet many people are not aware they have it. If left untreated, dry eye can lead to infection or in the worst case, affect your vision permanently.
“Dry eye is a very common condition,” says Dr. Michael Kaplan, optometrist at The Eye Care Clinic in Toronto, Ontario. “I guess one of the big issues is that patients believe that a little bit of dry eye is normal but it’s not.”
Symptoms such as a sandy or gritty feeling in the lid, episodes of excess tears following very dry eye periods, a stinging or burning feeling in the eyes, eye fatigue and heavy eyelids, discomfort when wearing contact lenses, or occasional blurriness of vision can all indicate the presence of dry eye.
Connecting the symptoms to the condition“It’s very prevalent and yet patients very often do not connect the symptoms they’re experiencing with dry eye disease,” says Dr. Kaplan.
Tears are composed of proteins, nutrients, electro-lytes, and antibodies critical in maintaining the health of the eye surface and preventing infection. Dry eye oc-curs when the eye does not produce sufficient aqueous or when tears evaporate too quickly. If left untreated, this condition can lead to pain, styes, scars on the cor-nea, and can have a lasting effect on your vision.
In recent years, optometrists have made huge strides in their understanding and treatment of dry eye. There are two kinds of dry eye. Before starting any kind of treatment it is vital patients receive a proper diagnosis.
Aqueous tear-deficient dry eye is a disorder in which glands fail to produce enough of the watery ingredient in tears to maintain a healthy eye surface. Lipid-deficient dry eye occurs when there is an insufficient level of the oily component of tears that slows evaporation and keeps the tears stable. If you think you may be suffering with dry eye, the most important first step is to visit an optometrist.
Treat, educate, and healOptometrists will conduct a thorough eye examina-tion and upon diagnosis will perform individualized treatments, educate patients on appropriate treat-ment, and recommend an ongoing care plan. Treat-ment can include applying warm compresses to heat and soften the glands and the use of lid wipes to clean away dead cells and oil build-up. Optometrists will also advise patients on the correct fatty acids to con-sume. Fatty acids such as omega-3 are unregulated in Canada and it can be very difficult for individuals to know the right kind to use to help treat dry eye. Your optometrist can help educate you and recommend an ongoing care plan.
“It’s like brushing your teeth. If you have plaque and you stop brushing your teeth you run the risk of getting gum disease and losing a tooth,” says Dr. Kaplan. “Likewise with dry eye, if you don’t treat the problem, you’re likely to develop a problem later on and the results can vary depending on how severe it is.”
Bronwen Keyes-Bevan
From Diagnosis To Treatment
The Key Things You Need To Know About Dry Eye
Dr. Michael KaplanOptometrist, The Eye Care Clinic
PERSONALHEALTHNEWS.CA A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET
By 2050 the world’s population over 60 will have doubled to two billion, making age-related illness an even greater challenge for society.
That’s why we’re seeking to help people stay healthier and more active in later life, be it through more targeted treatments for cancer and cardiovascular conditions, solutions for eye diseases, or ways to keep those with arthritis moving. Because life shouldn’t stop at 60 – not by any means.
To find out how our innovations are helping to change lives for the better, visit www.bayer.ca
A s Canadians age, they become at risk for a host of health problems, with one of the most common and insidi-ous being loss of vision. One of the leading causes of vision loss in the elderly is Age-Related Macular De-
generation (AMD), which attacks the centre of the ret-ina, where the most important vision cells reside. For sufferers of AMD, particularly wet AMD, new medic-al developments are providing a wealth of treatment choices that can preserve their vision.
“There are two different types of macular degen-eration, dry and wet,” explains Dr. Netan Choudhry, Director of Vitreoretinal Surgery at the Herzig Eye In-stitute. “In the dry form, people develop small protein deposits in the retina called drusen, which leave pot-holes in the retina that manifest as dark spots in the patient’s vision. The wet form, which can arise from the dry form, is a little bit different. In this form, ab-normal blood vessels begin to grow like a weed from the deep tissue in the retina. These vessels bleed, caus-ing fluid accumulation under the retina, which dam-ages the vision cells if left untreated.”
Though wet AMD is less common than dry AMD (comprising 10–15 percent of total cases), it has a more dramatic prognosis, resulting in complete central
vision loss if untreated. “In the old days wet AMD was devastating; everybody lost central vision,” says Dr. Alan Berger of St. Michael’s Hospital. “Prior to about 2005, with the treatments we had available at the time, only one to two percent of patients saw any visual improvement while 90 percent went downhill. With the advent of
the anti-VEGF drug injections, we now have 90 percent seeing stability of vision or improvement.”
Today, there are two Health Canada approved anti-VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) drugs on the market for wet AMD and other retinal diseases. Both are known to be safe and effective, however it is important for physicians to be able to choose the best treatment for each individual patient. “As we have moved forward, we have developed more options,” says Dr. Choudhry, “in some cases one option may provide the opportunity for a more relaxed injection schedule than another.” Further, some specific subtypes of wet AMD may respond differently to one over another. There’s no one best treatment for everyone at this stage, which is why having access to multiple therapies is so important to physicians and patients.
The good news is wet AMD is now almost entirely manageable with early intervention and access to the full range of approved treatments for the one in twenty-five Canadians currently living with this condition, and the many more who will develop it as they age. Can-adians can look forward to a bright and clear old age with minimally invasive care — so long as this freedom of choice remains available and new innovative treat-ments continue to develop.
D.F. McCourt
“For the one in twenty-five Canadians currently living
with AMD... the good news is this condition is now entirely manageable.”
Dr. Alan R. Berger MDCM, FRCSC
Vitreoretinal Surgeon, St. Michael’s Hospital
Dr. Netan ChoudhryVitreoretinal Surgery,
Herzig Eye Institute
No One-Size-Fits-All Treatment for Macular Degeneration
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