"The sense we are most afraid to lose"

Yesterday, the Darling White Lake Centre was pleased to host the latest in our ongoing Live 'n Learn sessions, Dr. Zoe Bonell discussing the importance of eye care. A graduate of Carleton University and Cardiff University in Wales, Dr. Bonell is an optometrist practicing in Ottawa.

After a great buffet lunch put together by the Live 'n Learn volunteers and sponsored by the Highlands North Network,  Dr. Bonell took centre stage.

Over the course of 90 minutes or so, Dr. Bonell discussed many, many aspects of eye care, beginning with the structure of the eye itself. She described common issues and treatments, including many age-related vision concerns such as glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration, stressing the importance of regular eye exams in detecting and correcting these issues. The presentation ended with a series of recommendations/reminders on how to protect our eyes during daily activities, such as safety glasses for DIYers, eye protection during sporting activities, UV protection in sun and snow, etc. As Dr. Bonell pointed out, vision is the sense we are most afraid to lose, yet we sometimes neglect to take the necessary steps to protect it.

It was a very informative session and the Centre thanks Dr. Bonell for taking the time out of her busy schedule to come and share her knowledge and expertise with us. And, of course, we extend our thanks to the many wonderful volunteers at the Centre who continue to make these special events available to our community.