Wheildon MacKenzie Optometry

05/31/2026

Smoking has a detrimental impact on every bodily system, including the eyes. Smokers are up to 4 times more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and can see the condition presenting 10 years sooner than non-smokers. The risk of developing cataracts can be doubled or even tripled by smoking, as well as increasing the risk for glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and uveitis. The easiest way to put it is... If you care about your eyes, BUTT OUT!

05/29/2026

It was fun sharing our profession with the high school healthcare class.
We hoped you learned alot.

05/28/2026

Our office will not be opening until 1:30 p.m. on Friday, May 29th, as we are hosting 2 classes of local high school students for education sessions. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause!

05/18/2026

05/10/2026

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body system intended to fight infections instead attacks healthy tissues, causing inflammation and pain. Lupus can cause a number of changes to the health of the eyes. This can range from simple dry eye, affecting 1 in 5 people with lupus, to more serious conditions such as inflammation of several eye structures including the retina, sclera, and iris. If lupus affects the part of the brain that controls sight, this can lead to double vision and difficulty controlling eye movements. Certain medications used to treat lupus, like hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), have a rare side effect of retinotoxicity, causing blurred vision and colour vision issues.

05/10/2026

Wishing a Happy Mother's Day to every mother, mom, mama, mummy, adoptive mom, stepmom, furmom, honourary mom, and every type of maternal person in between!

05/01/2026

The butterfly is often used as a symbol for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) awareness for two very different reasons. The first is that on an MRI scan, brain lesions caused by MS can look similar to a butterfly's wings. Second, and on a more positive note, butterflies represent new beginnings and hope for the future, which are important sentiments for people diagnosed with MS especially in light of the disease's unpredictable nature.

05/01/2026

People with hemochromatosis absorb and retain too much iron. This extra iron can cause deposits in all parts of the eye, which can lead to problems including degeneration of the vitreous (the "jelly filling" inside the eye) and macula (the light-sensitive lining of the back of the eye). Regular eye exams can help catch early signs of these issues and manage symptoms.

04/29/2026

International Guide Dog Day, which is celebrated on the last Wednesday in April each year, marks the International Federation of Guide Dog Associations that was established on 26th April 1989. It's a great opportunity to celebrate the work of guide dogs around the world. It highlights the vital importance of guide dog services in assisting people who are blind or have low vision to live life on their terms by increasing mobility, independence, and social interactions. According to the 2026 press release by the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) "As of the end of 2025, 18,978 guide dogs are actively working worldwide... This represents a modest increase from 18,682 guide dog teams in 2024, marking the first year-on-year growth in working teams since the Covid-19 pandemic. During 2025, 2,600 guide dogs were trained globally."

04/24/2026

Have you heard of Myopia Management? What is it all about?