DeonOptom is a family optometrist based in Norwood, Johannesburg.
What is Cerebral Palsy? Cerebral palsy occurs due to damage to the motor cortex of the brain, which can happen before or soon after birth. This damage typically results from a lack of oxygen to the brain, whether before or after birth, leading to irreversible harm to the motor cortex. Cerebral palsy can arise from…
Multifocal spectacle lenses have been around for many years, yet I often encounter patients who are hesitant about using them. Some have heard negative feedback from friends, while others have tried multifocals in the past and had a poor experience. In many cases, these patients switched back to single-vision lenses before addressing key issues that…
While glasses can make you see clearly, they are not always the complete solution for every visual challenge. In some cases, choosing the right design of lenses—such as accommodative support lenses, which offer extra power for near work, or adding prism lenses to correct eye alignment—can help make vision more comfortable. But there are situations…
As a parent, you are naturally vigilant when it comes to your child’s well-being. However, caring for your child’s vision can sometimes be overwhelming. At our practice, we’re here to assist you in looking out for signs that might indicate potential visual issues in your child. Key Visual Signs to Watch for in Children Several…
It’s that time of year again—Halloween is just around the corner! Dressing up in spooky costumes is always fun, and one trend that continues to rise in popularity is wearing coloured or scary contact lenses to complete the look. But before you pop into a costume shop to grab those “cool” lenses, let’s talk about…
A question I often hear from parents is, “When is the right time to test my child’s eyes?” The answer to that is simple: now. A child is never too young to have their first eye exam. The Importance of Early Eye Exams In my practice, I see babies as young as six months old,…
It seems there are still many misconceptions about contact lenses—even within the optometric industry. It’s time to move forward and embrace modern technology, which has revolutionised the way we correct vision with contact lenses. Correcting Astigmatism with Contact Lenses One of the most common myths is that astigmatism cannot be corrected with contact lenses. While…
When a child struggles with handwriting—whether it’s unusually large, very small, or consistently messy—there can be many contributing factors. Of course, aspects like holding the pencil correctly, having sufficient hand strength, and developing fine motor skills (the connection between the brain and the hand) play crucial roles. But another key factor that often gets overlooked…
I’ve always struggled with ball skills. As a child, I avoided them at all costs, which unfortunately led to a lot of ridicule from the other boys. Back then, I assumed it was because I lacked talent and wasn’t cut out for sports. No one encouraged me to practice or improve my ball skills, so…
The Misunderstanding of Farsightedness What is Farsightedness?If you search for “farsightedness” or “long-sightedness” online, you might come across a definition like this: “Farsightedness or long-sightedness is when distant objects are clear, and near objects are out of focus or blurry.” But this isn’t always the case, especially in young children and young adults. Understanding Accommodation…