FAQ

Everyone!  Regular comprehensive eye exams are important for people of all ages, from infants to seniors. This includes those with special needs.  Your optometrist will modify the examination so each and every patient can participate.

Protecting your vision should start early. In fact, we recommend scheduling your baby’s first eye exam at six months of age and then every year after that.  Healthy adults can see the optometrist every two years.

Your optometrist can help you determine the ideal frequency of eye exams based on your needs, age, and overall eye health. Certain conditions, including glaucoma and diabetes, require more frequent checkups, and seniors in good health should schedule visits once per year. Of course, if you are experiencing any urgent eye issues such as infection, inflammation, injury, or sudden vision changes, come in straight away.

Even with perfect vision, regular eye exams are important to monitoring and maintaining your overall health. Some of the most devastating threats to your vision begin without any symptoms.  Routine eye exams can uncover these silent threats, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinal holes and tears, macular degeneration, retinal tumours, and even retinal detachments.  A routine eye exam can also detect signs of other health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, risk of stroke and brain tumours.

During a comprehensive eye exam at Doig Optometry, we’ll take a detailed look at your overall eye health and vision. Here’s a glimpse of what your visit will include:

• Questions about your health, vision, and concerns.
• Advanced diagnostic and digital testing, including photographs of your retina, high-definition scans of your macula and optic nerve, assessment of corneal curvature and thickness if you wear contact lenses, and the pressure inside your eyes.
• External and internal eye health assessment with a slit lamp bio-microscope.
• Refractive error determination and eyeglass/contact lens prescription, if necessary.
• Therapeutic treatment recommendations, if needed.

To ensure your visit goes as smoothly as possible, please bring the following items to your appointment:

• Medication Information: A current list of any medications you are taking, the names of other eye specialists, the dates of any surgeries on your eyes, and information about any family history of eye disease.
• Identification: Your Alberta Health Care card and any other applicable insurance plans.
• Eyeglasses: All eyeglasses you currently use, including both prescription and over-the-counter reading glasses.
• Sunglasses: Any prescription sunglasses you wear.

Contact Lenses and Case: If you wear contact lenses, please wear them to your appointment and bring your contact lens case with you. If you have boxes or blister packs with you contact lens information, bring them, or snap a photo on your phone.  This helps us confirm your lens type and prescription.

The duration of a comprehensive eye exam can vary depending on your individual needs and the complexity of your case. Generally, you can expect the following:

• Children and Teens (under 20): Up to 30 minutes.
• Adults: Up to 90 minutes.

This time frame includes preliminary testing with our advanced diagnostic equipment, a thorough eye health evaluation with one of our optometrists, and a consultation regarding eyewear solutions if required.

Ready to prioritize your eye health? Contact us to schedule your comprehensive eye exam at Doig Optometry today!

Even if you have perfect vision, many “silent” diseases such as diabetes and glaucoma, among others, can be discovered through an eye examination. These conditions can be more easily managed or treated when caught in their early stages. Additionally, many patients are surprised to learn that the headache and/or eye fatigue they are experiencing is directly related to a vision problem. Much like having a regular medical examination, routine eye exams are a part of your overall health and well-being.

Getting a new pair of eyeglasses is both a personal and sometimes necessary choice.

There are certain times when getting a new pair of glasses makes sense.

• When your prescription changes and the update will help you see better
• When a new prescription will give you more comfortable vision
• If you have new visual demands that require specific glasses for a hobby, sport or other lifestyle needs
• When your insurance benefits will allow you to make a claim for the expense
• For fashion, style or just to update your look
• When your eyeglasses are worn out or broken

The Optometrist is a primary care eye doctor, who treats eye health and vision issues needing medications, glasses or contacts. The Ophthalmologist is a specialist treating eye health issues requiring surgery. See your Optometrist first. They will be able to see you quickly and without a referral. They can refer you to an ophthalmologist if your vision issue requires advanced medical treatment or surgery.

Typically, patients need bifocals to treat presbyopia, a natural condition that leads to the gradual loss of the eye’s ability to focus on nearby objects. Bifocals have two different prescriptions in one lens. A more popular and innovative alternative to bifocals are progressive lenses, which eliminate the sudden difference between two prescriptions and instead allow for a smoother transition without the obvious line.

Glare is always the result of scattered light. In order to eliminate glare when driving at night, try the following:

• Clean your windshield inside and out. Clean your side view mirrors. Clean your rearview mirror. Clean your backup camera. Clean the screen. Clean the plastic over your dash. Use a paper towel or a chamois cloth outside the car. Use a microfibre cloth for inside surfaces. When all your glass and screens are clean, there will be less scattered light to cause glare.
• Dim the lights inside your car. Keep the dash lights bright enough that you can drive safely, but dim them if possible. Turn off the cabin roof lamp. Turn off or dim every possible light inside your car. If there’s less light in your car, there will be less light to scatter and cause glare.
• Clean your eyeglasses using a spray that’s safe for anti-reflective coatings and a clean microfiber cloth. For more tips on how to clean your eyeglasses, see our blog on that topic.
• Get an Anti-Reflective Coating on your Glasses. Reflection is one of the major causes of scattered light. After the light bounces repeatedly back and forth off the surfaces of your lenses, and then goes into the eye, you will experience that scattered light as glare. Anti-Reflective Coatings prevent this.
• Slow Down. If you are experiencing glare, it takes more time for your visual system to process what you are seeing. If you slow down, you’ll have more time to react in an emergency. If the tips listed above don’t eliminate your glare, you should slow down until you can see your Optometrist.
• Book an Eye Exam. If the tips mentioned here don’t eliminate the glare you are experiencing, you should book an eye exam to make sure there is no eye condition that can cause light to scatter within the eye. Corneal swelling or scarring can do that, as can cataracts, and a number of other eye health conditions, so see your Optometrist to make sure you are not dealing with an eye health problem and to seek treatment options if you are.

There are many reasons why you may be seeing glare at night or when using a computer. An eye exam can rule out if it’s a medical or physical condition, which we’ll want to treat as soon as possible. If an eye condition is ruled out, you can alleviate glare at night or when using a computer with the use of appropriate Anti-Reflective Coatings on your eyeglass lenses.

The right eyeglasses frame is a mix of personal style and the recommendation of an expert who can assist you in finding the right eyeglasses that are most flattering to your features. The right eyeglasses should also meet your needs and lifestyle. The good news is, you have hundreds of options to choose from and you can try them on in our office at Doig Optometry.

Pantoscopic tilt is a measurement we take that analyses the angle from the bottom of your glasses (at the cheek) to the top of the frame. Some glasses have flat frames, but most will tilt slightly, so the top portion of your glasses is slightly further from your face than the bottom. For progressive lenses, a slight tilt can assist your vision by contributing to the right kind of magnification effect.

The panoramic angle is the extent to which your glasses curve from the centre (nearest your nose) to the edge. It is more common to see a drastic panoramic angle on sunglasses than it is for reading or distance glasses. The reason so many sunglasses have a panoramic shape is that the curved edges won’t block peripheral vision and are therefore better for physical activities. Wrapped frames will have a different panoramic angle than flat frames, which is why many people choose them.

Blue light glasses have lenses that block a portion of the blue light, especially at the shorter blue light wavelengths of 400-420, and all UV light from going through the lens and reaching the eyes. Ultraviolet and blue light are high-energy forms of electromagnetic radiation. This high energy can damage the retina. The natural lens in our eye prevents most of the UV light and some blue light from entering the eye and reaching the retina, especially as we get older, but having eyeglass lenses that also filter UV and blue light helps to protect the retina from damage from these high energy wavelengths.

Filtering the blue light also helps prevent eye strain and fatigue from the use of digital devices like cell phones and computers for some people. Finally, exposure to excessive blue light in the few hours before going to bed can interfere with sleep onset and quality for some people. Using blue light filtering lenses before bed can counteract this effect.

If you’re using digital devices for a prolonged period, the blue light emitting from the screen can cause eye fatigue and impact your sleep. Blue light glasses help minimize the screen that using screens can have on your eyes.

There are many types of lens coatings available. The most popular ones are:

• Anti-reflective coating – Reduces glare and surface reflections. They can also help to decrease eye strain.
• Scratch-resistant coating – Helps create a strong and durable surface, extending the life of your lenses.
• UV protection coating – Helps protect your eyes against harmful UV rays.
• Digital coatings – Blocks the harmful blue light emitted by devices like computers, cell phones, and tablets.
• Polarized coating – Blocks horizontal light waves to minimize glare and reduce brightness.
• Anti-fog coating – Prevents lenses from fogging up.

Eye exams are possible even before a child learns to read! Pediatric eye charts use shapes and pictures, making the process accessible for younger children. We use puppets and colourful lights to direct your child’s gaze.  If your child is too young to speak, our optometrists can still assess their vision by observing how their eyes focus through a series of lenses held in front of them. For extra comfort, children who feel nervous can even sit on a parent’s lap during the exam.

Most children with vision issues appreciate the improvement in their eyesight and want to wear their glasses to see better.  Eyeglasses correct refractive issues by bending light rays to provide clearer vision. While laser surgery can also address some vision problems, it’s not recommended for children, as their eyes are still growing and developing.  Thankfully, eyeglass fashions are very stylish and engaging for kids and most children are excited to wear them.

• Crossed eyes: If one eye tends to drift, particularly when tired, it usually indicates a vision issue.
• Getting very close to screens: Moving too close to the TV or tablet may be a sign of difficulty seeing and could benefit from blue light lenses.
• Tilting the head: Tilting may help the child see better by bringing one eye closer to the object.
• Light sensitivity or fascination with lights: This could indicate trouble focusing or filtering light.
• Squinting: Squinting when looking at objects can signal nearsightedness or farsightedness.
• Excessive eye rubbing: Eye fatigue from visual strain may suggest a vision problem.
• Excessive tearing: Unexplained tearing may also be a sign of a vision issue.
• Clinginess:  Clinginess that is not age appropriate can also result from undiagnosed vision issues, as can a reluctance to explore or to venture out.

Yes, children under eight should wear their glasses full-time unless otherwise advised by their optometrist. “Full-time wear” means throughout the day, with the exception of bath time and bedtime.

Even if your child passes initial screenings, they should have an annual eye exam by an optometrist to monitor eye health and check for any changes in their vision.

Yes.  Some children can outgrow the need for glasses. Mild astigmatism and low amounts of farsightedness may improve over time, possibly eliminating the need for corrective lenses.  Unfortunately, nearsightedness does not decrease over time as a child grows.

For durable, stylish eyewear that keeps up with active kids, explore Nano Vista Kids Eyeglasses in Calgary at Doig Optometry. Designed specifically for children, these frames are built to last while offering maximum comfort. Learn more and book a fitting.

For those who wear sunglasses outside on a regular basis and find themselves switching between sunglasses and prescription glasses, prescription sunglasses are absolutely worth the investment. For driving, laying out in the sun or everyday wear, sunglasses fitted with a script will reduce the need to carry multiple pairs around while protecting your eyes from UV rays.

While many sunglasses can be fitted with prescription lenses, some styles might be trickier to add them in. Some extra curved wraparound sunglasses or odd-shaped frames may not work with higher prescriptions as they may distort your vision. As long as the frame is sturdy and high-quality, most sunglasses are able to be fitted with prescription lenses with ease.

Yes, prescription sunglasses may be covered by insurance, depending on your policy with your health fund. Insurance coverage for prescription sunglasses and glasses varies among providers and insurance plans. To see if your insurance covers prescription sunglasses, you should review your policy or contact your insurance provider directly.

The truth is that many designer sunglasses can accommodate prescription lenses, however, most cheap sunglasses can’t. This is because in order to turn normal sunglasses into prescription lenses, the frame needs to have both stability and the necessary structure to support prescription lenses.

Depending on the frames you choose, your script and additional lens features available, prescription glasses can vary in cost. Prescription sunglasses can be affordable, look towards cheaper prescriptible frames to keep the cost down while keeping extra lens features at a minimum.

Progressive lenses offer continuous, clear vision from a distance, through the intermediate ranges, to near without any bifocal lines. Bifocal lenses have an abrupt change between distance and near prescriptions, separated by sharp lines that are easy to see on the surface of the lenses.

Progressive glasses are typically prescribed to individuals with difficulty seeing near and far. This condition is known as presbyopia and usually occurs as people age. Presbyopia is a natural part of aging and typically begins to develop around age 40. Progressive lenses are ideal for eyeglass wearers who don’t want lines on their glasses, but still require distance, near, and intermediate prescriptions available throughout the day.

Learning how to use the different parts of a progressive lens can take some getting used to.  Some new progressive lens wearers experience magnification that can seem like distortion in their vision until they get used to them. This can cause a swimming feeling that usually only lasts two to five days.  If it’s taking longer than two weeks to subside, see your optometrist for an adjustment of your eyeglass frames or a modification of your progressive lens design.

Progressive lenses, like regular prescription eyeglasses, are designed so they can be worn full time.  If there is some initial discomfort, stick with it – consistent wear will help you adjust quicker. We recommend wearing them full-time for about two weeks, and once you’ve completely adjusted to them, you can wear them only as needed, if you prefer.

Yes!  Since progressive lenses are more expensive than single vision lenses, you’ll want them to last.  All our progressive lenses have scratch resistance and anti-reflective coatings.  Upgraded lenses have the toughest scratch resistance, anti-reflection, UV block, and a hydrophobic coating.  Above all this, our premium lenses also shed dust and oil.

Other options, like high energy blue light protection, can be used to customize your progressive lenses to fit your lifestyle and offer you the utmost vision clarity, comfort, and protection.

Yes!  Your sunglasses can be made with progressive lenses whether you choose a fashion tint, a mirror tint, a polarized sunglass, or Transitions brand lenses that lighten indoors and darken outdoors.  Some of these options are not available in bifocals.

Progressive lenses are varied and technically advanced, so you will need the help of an optometrist to choose the pair that will work for you. The team at Doig Optometry can help. We’re passionate about progressive lenses and have an incredible selection of frames, so you can find a pair of glasses you love. Contact us and book an appointment with Doig Optometry eye doctors for more details.

Most people find soft contact lenses comfortable almost immediately. However, rigid gas permeable (RGP) or hybrid lenses may require a few weeks of adjustment. In rare cases, some individuals may not fully adapt to contact lenses.

We offer a complete selection of contact lenses, including daily disposables, extended-wear lenses, toric lenses for astigmatism, multifocal lenses for presbyopia, and coloured lenses for cosmetic enhancement. We also offer specialty Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) and Semi-Scleral lenses.

Soft and RGP lenses require daily cleaning and proper storage, but daily disposable lenses eliminate the need for maintenance because they are discarded after each use.

No, a contact lens cannot get lost behind your eye. At most, it may shift under your eyelid, but your optometrist can assist in retrieving it if needed.

The ideal age depends on your child’s maturity and ability to handle lens care responsibly. Our optometrist can help assess if contact lenses are a suitable option for your child.

Generally, if your child is mature enough to care for their own teeth by brushing and flossing daily, and if they are mature enough to care for the things you have given them in a neat and orderly manner, then they are likely mature enough to follow the rules your optometrist gives them for proper care and cleaning and healthy contact lens wear.

Daily-wear lenses must be removed before sleep, while extended-wear lenses are made from materials that allow more oxygen to reach the eyes. Depending on the brand, it is possible to wear them continuously for up to 30 days.  Extended, overnight wear of soft contact lenses is the most risky contact lens behaviour for the health of the eyes.  Generally, our doctors recommend against overnight wear whenever possible.  Single use, daily disposable contact lenses are a healthy alternative to extended-wear.

We offer bifocal and multifocal contact lenses to correct both near and distance vision. We’ll work with you to find the best option for your needs.

To book a contact lens fitting, visit our website or call our office. Our team is happy to help guide you through the process and help you find the ideal lenses for your vision.

Any sport requiring safety lens protection can benefit from prescription safety glasses.  If you are wearing safety glasses anyway, why not have them help you see better?

Racquet sports lead to the most common eye injuries in sports.  The squash ball is just the right size to push the eye back and cause a “blow out fracture” of the bones of the eye socket.  Most squash and racquetball players are aware of this and wear their safety glasses.  Paintball enthusiasts are also very good about using their safety glasses.

Risk of eye injury in some other sports are often overlooked.  We have seen serious eye injuries from nerf darts, from the butt of the hockey stick, or from the puck, from the ball used in soccer, baseball, tennis and more recently in pickleball.  We have even been surprised to see a devastating eye injury when the patient’s eye was struck by a badminton birdie.  Although it slows very quickly, when the badminton birdie leaves the racquet it can easily travel at over 200 km per hour.  The world record for speed of a shuttlecock is 493 km per hour.  Wow!  Wear your safety glasses.

In activities other than racquet sports, watch out for your opponents fingers.  For instance, the most common eye injury in basketball is from someone poking their opponent in the eye.

Safety and sports glasses typically feature durable polycarbonate, a tough thermoplastic originally developed in the 1970s for aerospace use. Produced through injection moulding, polycarbonate begins as small pellets that are melted, injected into lens moulds, and compressed under high pressure. Once cooled, the result is a lightweight, impact-resistant lens designed for maximum protection.

Absolutely! Doig Optometry offers both prescription and non-prescription safety glasses. Non-prescription options are perfect for individuals who don’t require vision correction but still need high-quality eye protection during sports or work activities. We carry many incredible brands, including Decot sports glasses here in Calgary.

Most of our safety and sport glass lenses have built-in UV protection to keep your eyes safe from harmful ultraviolet rays. You can also choose additional lens coatings, like anti-reflective coatings, to reduce glare and improve comfort during outdoor activities.  The most important coating on your safety lenses is the scratch resistant coating since sports and safety glasses are exposed to more rough use.  The best scratch resistant coatings also have UV protection built in.

Yes, we offer prescription swim goggles designed to provide clear underwater vision. For those who don’t need corrective lenses, we also carry high-quality, airtight, non-prescription goggles to protect your eyes and enhance comfort while swimming.

Comfort is key in performance eyewear. Our safety and sport glasses include features like adjustable frames, rubber or silicone padding for a secure fit, and lightweight designs to minimize pressure on the nose and ears. These elements ensure your glasses stay comfortable and secure, even during intense activity.

Specialty lenses for tennis players are designed with innovative tints that enhance the contrast between the ball and the background. This makes the tennis ball appear more vivid, helping players track it more easily and react faster, ultimately improving performance on the court.

Our shooting glasses are designed with anti-fog and anti-scratch coatings to maintain clear vision during use. They also have UV400 protection, blocking 99.9% of harmful UV rays.

We offer a variety of sports glasses with interchangeable lenses in different colours, allowing you to customize your eyewear based on specific activities and lighting conditions.

Our sports glasses feature frames with inherent elasticity and soft nose pads to ensure a steady and secure fit, minimizing the risk of slipping during vigorous activities.

We offer fully customized prescription lenses for safety and sports glasses at Doig Optometry. Our optometrists will work with you to design lenses tailored to your vision needs, sport, and lifestyle, ensuring you get optimal clarity and protection. Browse our selection of frames, including Decot sports glasses, and get a great pair of prescription glasses for all your extracurricular activities.