EyeSense Vision Optometrists

08/01/2026

Since I'm kind of new to Western Australia, there's still a lot of things I need to explore.

Committed to getting to know our state better, my family and I headed south in December.

We expected to see an interesting natural wonder. But we got the bonus of some unexpected creepy crawlies...

About 30 km south of Mandurah you can visit Yalgorup National Park to see Lake Clifton.

Here you'll find thrombolites. A friend who visited us from NSW really wanted to go and see them while she was here, but we never got the chance.

Thrombolites might look like rocks, but they're actually microbial structures.

Tiny living creatures clumping together, and some are even estimated to be 2,000 years old!

It was quite funny how my husband tried to explain to our two-year-old exactly what she was looking at.

I guess it wasn't a total fail. She excitedly repeated his explanation of "animals" in the water for the rest of the day.

But here's a warning:

If you were to go to Lake Clifton in December, prepare to see spiders. 🕷🕷🕷

And I mean hundreds of spiders.

The boardwalk to the lake is covered with spiderwebs filled with Christmas spiders.

To be completely honest, they're quite pretty.

But they're still SPIDERS.

And for an arachnophobe like myself, I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

Make sure to stop by Thorny Devil Craft Beer & Cider. after your visit for a hearty meal, ice cold beer, large green lawns, and rainbow parakeets that steal fries from your table.

What should we explore next?
A - Lancelin Sand Dunes
B - Serpentine Falls

06/01/2026

My toddler and baby aren’t stronger than I am. Except when I try to do this:

Take screens away from them.

Oh. My. Word. The battle is on. 💥💥💥

But can I blame them?

Content is created to condition your brain to expect immediate reward. You get instant gratification because your brain releases dopamine all the time.

(Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that’s associated with pleasure and reward.)

No wonder my children hold on to screen time as if their lives depend on it.

It's even worse on socials…

How often do you watch content from beginning to end?

Seldom, right?

You’ve become so use to rapid, bite-sized content that you’ll scroll past the moment you don’t find it interesting anymore.

But scrolling constantly interrupts and resets your focus.

And you get stuck in a dopamine loop.

Suddenly you can’t pay attention for long or properly take in information. It affects your productivity and your social skills.

Can you imagine how much bigger the impact is on your child?

No wonder they:

👨🏻‍🏫 Can’t concentrate in class
📝 Battle to finish homework
🗣 Struggle to keep a conversation going without getting distracted

That’s why there’s a war on screen time in my house in 2026.

We don’t want to obliterate it. Obviously. We’re living in the 21st century.

But we’re making room for boundaries.

Cue more reading, journalling, conversing, playing, and spending time outside.

Our kids deserve it. So do our brains.

What’s your biggest struggle when it comes to screen time?

05/01/2026

Sometimes a fresh coat of paint is all it takes to start the year right. 🎨

Thank you to EvoCoat for doing an amazing job. 👏🏻

Can't wait to welcome you back at EyeSense in 2026.

Give us a 👍 if you like the new look.

01/01/2026

As a behavioural optometrist, I see people who suffer from eyestrain every single day. And most of them don't even realise it.

Here are 3 super simple habits you can start in 2026 to improve your overall visual health:

🌳 Spend more time outside:

Just find time in your schedule you could go outside. This is especially helpful for children.

When you're outside, your eyes get the chance to focus on objects at different distances. Your eyes get a bit of a "workout" that slows down the progression of nearsightedness.

And natural sunlight helps your body create vitamin D which could benefit your eye health, too.

⏰ Follow the 20-20 rule:

When you work on a screen for 20 minutes, take a 20 second break to look out of your window or at objects across the room.

Why is this important?

Because close-up work is like a workout for your eyes. After each 20-minute set, you give your eyes 20 seconds to reset.

It's an easy change that could prevent your digital eyestrain and even your headaches.

🤓 Visit your optometrist

Changes to your vision aren't dramatic. They're usually slow and go unnoticed.

And eventually these changes affect your work, driving, reading, or even your child's learning.

Now, your annual eye exam could pick up any changes to your vision before they become a problem.

So, remember to book an appointment with your optometrist this year.

3 small habits that can have a major impact on your vision.

Found this useful? Make sure to share it with a friend.

31/12/2025

Out with the 2025, and in with the 2026 🎉

30/12/2025

Happy birthday to you, Steve 🥳

24/12/2025

'Tis the season... 🎄

23/12/2025

My 10 favourite sightings during our Kruger National Park visit... 🦁🐘🐆🦏🐃

Most of the trip was dominated by grey and rainy days & wet and slippery dirt roads.

But that didn't stop these amazing animals from making an appearance.

Number 6 was my favourite sighting this time round.

Because seeing predators is a bonus. But seeing and endangered predator is even more special. 🤩

Which one is your favourite?

22/12/2025

18/12/2025

The Kruger National Park in South Africa is my favourite holiday destination. Without a doubt. Here are 9 reasons why:

Look, I love living in Australia.

But taking over the practice this year intensified my need to go on holiday.

And going on safari is one of the things I miss most about South Africa.

Anyone who’s been on one knows exactly what I mean.

As we entered the park again today, I was reminded why I'm crazy about it and why my heart longs for the next visit as soon as we leave.

🌳 Entering the park gates

It’s a feeling you can’t explain. Your body relaxes, but the anticipation hits you at the same time. And you remember why this place is magic.

🐘 Elephant mud baths

Elephants are my favourite animal. Watching them taking a mud bath, especially right next to the road, will always be on top of my list of things to see in the Kruger.

😲 Not knowing what waits beyond the bend

In the bushveld, no two days are the same. Some are slow, others are thrilling, all are beautiful. But imagine driving along a mundane road, rounding a bend, and then… A pride of lions blocks your way! Doesn’t get much better than that.

🐆 The dopamine hit when you spot a leopard

These majestic big cats can be notoriously skittish. Have you ever spotted one? Yes, it’s an instant mood lift. And bonus points if you’re the only car at the sighting.

🦅 The African soundtrack

Few things stir the soul as much as hearing a fish eagle’s cry in the distance, the relentless buzzing of cicadas on a hot day, or a hippo’s laugh while you overlook the river.

🚗 Cars pulled to the side of the road

You immediately sit up straight if you see a bunch of stationary cars ahead. That usually means one thing: You’re about to witness something goooood.

⏰ No alarm clocks, just clattering guinea fowls

Relying on nature to wake you at the break of dawn is an exchange I’m always down for.

🥃 Winding down with a glass of Amarula

Nothing beats ending your day with this delicious African drink, sitting next to a crackling fire, and watching the sun set over skyline-shaping acacias.

😴 A glorious night’s rest

As I turn off my light, I’m engulfed by darkness. It’s quiet, but not too quiet. And I can close my eyes knowing a peaceful 8 hours of undisturbed sleep awaits.

I’ve probably never appreciated the Kruger as I do right now. I’m glad to be back.

What’s your number 1 holiday destination? Let me know in the comments below. 👇

16/12/2025

Give your kids the gift of boredom…

Yip, you read that right.

In this day and age, it’s easy to fill every quiet moment with a screen.

And let me be clear:

I’m not saying screens are the enemy. My kids get screen time, too.

But removing boredom altogether may not do your kids any favours.

Unfixed boredom makes your child’s brain do wonders. They start to get lost in thought, imagine, problem-solve, and create.

Boredom is often the starting point of:
📝 Creative writing
🃏 Inventing new games
🤹‍♂️ Discovering new skills
👭 Making new connections

And limited screen time gives your child the opportunity to develop necessary visual skills…

Eye coordination, depth perception, and focus all develop by interacting with the real world.

Will it be easy at first?

Probably not.

But enforcing restrictions on screen time and allowing boredom, you give your child the opportunity to think critically, explore creatively, and strengthen both their cognitive and visual development.

Try it and see what your child discovers when the screens are turned off.

What is your child’s favourite screenless activity?