JJ Van Zyl Optometrists

15/11/2025

Can you see the airplane?
The stereogram above is designed to be viewed wall-eyed, by allowing your vision to focus on a point behind the image.

15/11/2025

Today is International Diabetic day, and, let's have a chat about Eyes - Especially, Eye pain, infections and anything that might affect your vision

Various things can cause eye pain, including corneal disorders, injuries, eyestrain, foreign objects in the eye, glaucoma, and inflammation.
Eye pain may vary depending on the part of the eye affected. Parts of the eye include the cornea, the white of the eye (sclera), and a thin layer that covers it called the conjunctiva. The colored part of the eye is the iris.
It is important to speak with a doctor if someone has persistent or severe eye pain. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can relieve pain and prevent irreversible vision loss.

Eye pain can occur for various reasons, depending on the affected part of the eye. Causes include corneal disorders, glaucoma, uveitis, and endophthalmitis.

14/11/2025

14/11/2025

Diabetics - WHEN did you last have your eyes tested?

LOOK AT some of these statistics from the CDC in the US!

People with diabetes are at a higher risk of vision loss and eye diseases. However, 60% of people with diabetes do not get annual eye exams.1

Statistics

The risk of blindness is 25 times higher in people with diabetes compared to those without diabetes.2
Glaucoma, cataracts, and other eye disorders occur earlier and more often in people with diabetes compared to those without.3
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults.4
Diabetic retinopathy is projected to affect 16 million people with diabetes by 2050.5
Evidence supports that using medication to lower blood glucose levels can reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy by 25%.6
More than 90% of diabetes-related vision loss can be avoided with early detection and treatment.7

Provides guidance for health care providers on promoting eye health for patients with diabetes.

14/11/2025

Tomorrow is World Diabetes Day!

Let me SHARE , MY journey with you - from a PreDiabetic, to HEALTH ( Click on the link below)

Type 2 diabetes, one of the 21st century’s major health issues, is projected to affect 380 million people by 2025.
Often, prediabetes—a state of elevated blood sugar—precedes type 2 diabetes and poses similar health risks without evident symptoms.
Over one-third of individuals in the U.S. and U.K. are prediabetic, but lifestyle changes can help reverse this condition.
There is not accurate statistics available in South Africa, but I suspect it’s even higher!
I am sharing my story with you, on how intermittent fasting, a more balanced diet, and physical activity, changed my life!
For my full story, watch my diabetic video.

Endocrinologist Dr. Thomas Barber highlights that while genetic factors and lifestyle contribute to diabetes risk, even modest lifestyle changes in diet and exercise can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
Personally, I CANNOT emphasise the importance of HIIT ( High Intensity Interval training) enough!
ONE minute of HIIT, might have the same protective effect as 50-100 minutes of moderate exercise! JUST DO some HIIT!





https://youtu.be/q5OB9W1TgDI?si=8or2HXUpDtqiMuT7

Diabetes has serious long-term health impacts, including a significant increase in the risk of heart attacks and strokes among adults.

Simple actions like regular exercise, healthy eating and avoiding to***co can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

On Friday’s World Diabetes Day, World Health Organization (WHO) shares more tips on preventing and treating this chronic disease: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-diabetes-day

13/11/2025

11/11/2025

Why have a Black Friday when you can have a Black November? , ,

10/11/2025

The Hermann Grid Illusion is messing with your mind…
How many black dots can you actually see?
Stare, count, and comment below with your answer — let’s see who spots the most!

10/11/2025

👀 Struggling with headaches, dizziness, or blurry vision—but your eyes seem “fine”?
Try the Visionary Health BVD Assessment App—a quick, free way to check for binocular vision dysfunction.
💡 It’s fast. It’s insightful. It could change how you feel.
👉 Start your checkup now: https://visionary-health-e44f73bf.base44.app

10/11/2025

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08/11/2025

Diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness worldwide, develops when high blood sugar damages the blood vessels in the retina. While it is a significant complication of diabetes, the good news is that with proper management, the risk of vision loss can be dramatically reduced. Here, we discuss affordable, practical diet and lifestyle changes that diabetics can adopt to safeguard their vision and overall health.

1. Blood Sugar Control is Key

Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is the cornerstone of preventing diabetic retinopathy. Chronic hyperglycemia leads to the breakdown of retinal blood vessels, so keeping blood sugar within recommended ranges can delay or prevent eye damage

November is Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month. People with diabetes are more likely to develop blinding eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts. This month, encourage your patients to schedule their comprehensive eye exam!