FAQs

• Minors under 19 are fully covered for an eye exam once a year.
• Seniors 65 and older are partially covered for a full eye exam once a year.
• Patients with certain medical conditions, like diabetes, are partially covered for a full eye exam once a year.
• MSP does not cover eye exams for adults between ages 19 to 64.

Yes. We are set up with most insurance companies and can bill for your eye exam, prescription glasses, and contact lenses.

A comprehensive eye examination will usually take around half an hour.

We recommend that you arrive at least ten minutes prior to your appointment so that we can check you in, collect your insurance information for direct billing, and complete any necessary pre-testing procedures.

We recommend having your eyes dilated during routine eye exams to obtain a complete evaluation of your eye health. If you would like to defer dilation, please let us know when you arrive for your appointment.

Eye dilation is important because it allows the optometrist to get a complete look at the health of your eyes. Dilation is key to diagnosing certain eye conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinal detachment, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

The dilating drops widen your pupil, which heightens your sensitivity to light and causes blurry vision temporarily. This effect can last between two to three hours, and we recommend that you do not drive or operate machinery during this time.

Please bring your B.C Health Care Card, extended health information, previous pair of glasses and/or prescription. You may also want to bring an extra pair of sunglasses to help reduce light sensitivity from the eye dilation.

Laser eye surgery can correct most prescriptions, and it works best for individuals under the age of 45. We usually need reading glasses around this age and laser eye surgery is not able to correct for this. Please call our staff at ClearLight Eyecare to determine if you are an appropriate candidate for laser eye surgery.

Yes! Exposure to UV light can cause several eye conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration, and irritation to the cornea. We recommend wearing sunglasses all year round to prevent harmful effects of UV radiation.

Vegetables such as carrots, yams, and sweet potatoes are excellent sources of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that reduces age-related macular degeneration and cataracts

Leafy greens such as fresh spinach, broccoli, and kale are loaded with antioxidants that protect against the damaging effects of UV rays.

Grapefruit, strawberries, bell peppers are rich in vitamin C, which helps to absorb some of the harmful rays generated by the sun.

Hummus and legumes contain zinc and drive vitamin A to the retina to produce melanin, which protects your eyes against UV light.

Myopia, also known as “nearsightedness”, is when distant objects appear blurry and near vision is clear. Myopia occurs when light focuses in front of the retina.

Hyperopia, also known as “farsightedness”, is when close objects are out of focus and distance vision is clear. However, high amounts of hyperopia can result in blurry vision at all distances. Hyperopia occurs when light focuses behind the retina.

Both conditions can be treated with corrective glasses and contact lenses.

Astigmatism is the imperfection in the curvature of your eye, specifically the cornea. This results in light rays being scattered causing blurry vision, tired eyes, and difficulty focusing. Astigmatism can successfully be corrected with prescription glasses or contact lenses.

A progressive lens allows you to see near, far, and everything in between. This lens is characterized by a gradient of increasing lens power which is added to your prescription. It is an excellent option for individuals who need distance and reading glasses as it combines both lens corrections seamlessly.

Transition lenses or photochromic lenses darken when exposed to UV light. Once you have returned indoors, the lenses will transition back to clear again. They are a convenient option because they function as both regular glasses and prescription sunglasses, saving you the cost of getting separate pairs.

When we spend significant amounts of time in front of our digital devices, our focusing system must work extra hard to sustain clear vision. Focusing on a screen for long periods of time can cause blurry vision, visual strain, and headaches. These symptoms worsen if you have an eye corrected eye condition such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, or presbyopia.