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About: Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

Dr. Gerlitz was born and raised in Calgary, earning her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alberta. After graduation, Dr. Gerlitz went on to study Optometry at the University of Waterloo. In her final year of study, Dr. Gerlitz interned with ophthalmologists in Florida as part of her Ocular Disease and Therapeutics rotation. This experience inspired Dr. Gerlitz’s passion for managing conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and dry eye.

Posts by Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz:

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Types of Lenses for Glasses: What Are Your Options?

Various lens options exist that cater to different requirements. These include:
– Single-vision lenses
– Bifocal and Trifocal lenses
– Progressive lenses
– Photochromic lenses
– Polarized lenses
– Hi-Index lenses […]

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September 12, 2023
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

ZEISS Lenses: The Complete Guide

Whether you’re looking for eyeglasses for everyday wear or prescription sunglasses to keep your eyes safe in the sun, quality matters. ZEISS has been making quality prescription lenses for over 160 years. They have lens options for many lifestyles, regardless of your vision needs. We all have different vision needs. For example, some people may … Read more […]

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August 11, 2023
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

How to Tell if a Contact Lens Is Still in Your Eye

Many Canadians wear contacts as an alternative to eyeglasses or laser eye surgery. Contacts can offer comfort and convenience while you’re moving through your daily tasks. You could even forget you’re wearing them—until suddenly something changes. Maybe they fell out, or worse, maybe they got stuck. You may panic, rub your eye, try to blink … Read more […]

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July 12, 2023
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

How Do Contact Lenses Work?

When it comes to vision correction, there are several options available, including contact lenses. These small and versatile lenses offer an alternative to traditional eyeglasses, allowing you to have clear vision without compromising your comfort or style. But how exactly do contact lenses work? Contact lenses work by correcting your natural refractive error. They bend … Read more […]

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June 29, 2023
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

What Does 20/20 Vision Mean?

When it comes to maintaining clear vision, there’s a certain term often thrown around during eye exams that may not be well understood—20/20 vision. It’s used by optometrists to describe optimal vision or visual acuity, but what does this term actually mean?  20/20 vision is the term used to describe normal visual acuity (the clarity … Read more […]

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June 29, 2023
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Can I Wear Blue Light Glasses All the Time?

As our lives become increasingly dominated by screens, more and more people are seeking ways to mitigate the negative effects of extended screen time. One popular solution is blue light glasses, which are designed to filter out the blue light emitted by digital devices and may help reduce eye strain, headaches, and other symptoms commonly … Read more […]

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April 28, 2023
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz
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Is Rubbing Your Eyes Bad?

Your eyes are some of the most vital organs in your body. They allow you to perceive the world around you, and without them working at their full potential, you may miss out on a lot. But they can also be delicate and need to be looked after. That’s why eye care and regular comprehensive … Read more […]

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March 2, 2023
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz
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What Causes High Eye Pressure & How to Reduce It

Many people have heard about how blood pressure connects to heart health. This is similar to the way that eye pressure correlates to eye health. For example, high eye pressure increases an individual’s risk of developing conditions like glaucoma. Fluid buildup, eye trauma, medications, and other eye conditions are all potential causes of an increase … Read more […]

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February 13, 2023
Dr. Brent Hopfauf
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Is Glaucoma Hereditary?

Glaucoma can be a risk for your vision, especially with time. This eye disease can lead to severe vision loss if untreated, but many people don’t know its dangers. Several factors can make you more likely to develop glaucoma.   You may be more at risk of glaucoma if your immediate family has a history of … Read more […]

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January 12, 2023
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

What to Expect at a Kids Eye Exam

Children rely on their eyesight to learn, explore, develop, and grow. A child’s eyes change rapidly as they age, which is why experts recommend regular eye exams for growing kids.  But what happens during a kid’s eye exam? Simply put, an eye professional will go through a series of tests to ensure your child’s eyes … Read more […]

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December 20, 2022
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Do Contact Lenses Dry Your Eyes?

Contact lenses can be a great alternative to glasses. They can be more convenient when playing sports, help you look polished, and don’t fog up like glasses in cold weather. Switching between glasses and contact lenses helps keep your vision crisp and clear in any environment. But contact lens care can be high maintenance compared … Read more […]

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December 20, 2022
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

What Can Video Games Do to Your Eyes?

Think back, and you may recall when children and adults spent more time outdoors. But with the increase in digital device usage, more people are spending their time in front of a screen, resulting in digital eye strain. In 2020, 61% of Canadians played video games, with the average age being 34. And with the … Read more […]

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October 11, 2022
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Do Contact Lenses Get Thicker with Prescription?

Everyone deserves quality eye care, and regular eye exams play a critical role in preserving eye health and vision. For those people with vision correction needs, glasses and contact lenses provide staple choices.  Eyeglasses for refractive errors include a lens prescription. With significant refractive errors, one may need a stronger prescription and a thicker lens. … Read more […]

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September 13, 2022
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

What Does Retinal Imaging Show?

Early detection of vision issues is key in protecting the health of your eyes. Comprehensive eye exams, like digital retinal imaging, are quick, painless, and effective ways for eye doctors to view inside the eyes and record any changes that might point to vision or other health issues.  Early eye disease detection makes it possible … Read more […]

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August 16, 2022
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

How Often Should Glaucoma Patients Be Checked?

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60, but it can occur at any age. Sometimes, glaucoma can develop without any symptoms or warning signs, and can only be detected during an eye exam. Eye exams are crucial to keep your eye health and vision on the … Read more […]

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July 12, 2022
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

How Is a Contact Lens Prescription Different Than Glasses?

Believe it or not, you can get multiple prescriptions for corrective eyewear.  Contact lenses and glasses (regular and sun) require different prescriptions. But why? We’ve broken down the differences between contact lenses and eyeglasses so you can make the right choice for your eyes. If you need recommendations, we’re always here to help.  Contact Lenses … Read more […]

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June 22, 2022
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

How To Tell if a Baby Needs Glasses

Vision Health for Infants Infants experience a lot of growth in their early years. They’re learning how to use their bodies, including their eyes. Visual skills are necessary for many everyday things your baby is learning. Visual skills include tracking object movement, recognizing faces, and hand-eye coordination. Every child develops differently. But vision development milestones … Read more […]

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June 22, 2022
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

Can an Optometrist Tell if You Have Diabetes?

Dealing with diabetes can be difficult and might leave you feeling overwhelmed. Early diagnosis and proper treatment can give you the power to manage your diabetes with confidence. There are many ways to diagnose diabetes early, including through regular eye exams.  Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in Canada, so regular eye exams and … Read more […]

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April 12, 2022
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Are Phone Screens Bad for Your Eyes?

Can Phone Screens Damage Sight? Phones have come a long way. From simple communication devices to handheld computers, our phones perform crucial roles in our everyday lives.  We spend a lot of time staring at our phones, but can phone screens damage our sight? There’s a lot of talk about how our digital world changes … Read more […]

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March 22, 2022
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

What Can Cause Red Eyes in a Child?

It’s common to experience redness when the eyes become irritated or another condition affects them. If your child has red eyes, what conditions cause this redness?  Continue reading to learn more about red eyes, including what causes them and some potential eye conditions common in children.  Why Do Eyes Turn Red or Bloodshot?  Red eyes … Read more […]

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February 23, 2022
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Why Does My Eye Hurt When I Blink?

Many factors can cause pain when you blink. In some cases, the pain will regulate itself, and at other times, the pain can indicate something more severe. How do you know when to contact your optometrist?  At Calgary Family Eye Doctors, we want our patients to experience worry-free, clear, and healthy vision. We’ve put together … Read more […]

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February 4, 2022
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

Do Contact Lenses Expire?

Many people choose contact lenses over glasses when they need vision correction. These lenses can help you see clearly without needing frames, but they require more maintenance. Because contact lenses rest on your eyes, do they have an expiration date?  Continue reading to learn more about contact lenses, including if they can expire and how … Read more […]

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January 19, 2022
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Are Floaters in the Eye Dangerous

Eye floaters are a normal part of ageing, but can they be dangerous? Understanding why eye floaters occur can help you know whether or not you should visit your optometrist for an emergency.  Continue reading to learn more about eye floaters, including what they are, how they develop, and if they’re dangerous.  What Are Eye … Read more […]

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January 10, 2022
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

Does My Child Need Glasses?

Healthy Vision for Our Little Ones   We all want our children to be happy and successful in their endeavours, and healthy vision can play a massive part in a child’s overall wellness. Our kids grow up fast, and their eyes develop right alongside them. How can you tell if they’re hitting the correct visual milestones?  … Read more […]

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November 1, 2021
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

What Happens If I Wear My Contacts Too Long?

Contact lenses can be a great alternative to glasses. For many people, contact lenses are easy to wear, more comfortable, and more aesthetically pleasing than traditional eyeglasses.  Even though many people prefer contacts over glasses, they do require more maintenance and care. Contact lenses can be a lot more work than glasses and need to … Read more […]

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September 28, 2021
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

What Is an OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) Test?

Not Just A Pretty Picture An Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) test may sound like a mouthful, but the procedure itself is a little more straightforward. An OCT is a non-invasive test that allows your optometrist to take cross-section pictures of your retina using light waves.  An OCT employs a laser (with no radiation) to obtain … Read more […]

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August 17, 2021
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

How Do Optometrists Test for Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in Canada, and you may not even notice anything is wrong until vision loss occurs. If you have undiagnosed glaucoma, how do you identify this disease before your vision is affected?  A series of tests used during a comprehensive eye exam can detect any eye problems. … Read more […]

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July 13, 2021
Dr. Chelsea Gerlitz

10 Common Causes of Blurry Vision

Blurry vision can be caused by all sorts of factors, from digital eye strain to eye conditions such as myopia. Although people experiencing blurry vision may struggle to see clearly or manage their usual tasks, most cases are due to refractive error. If you are concerned about blurry vision, get your eyes examined by your … Read more […]

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June 10, 2021
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

How Too Much Screen Time Impacts Kid’s Eye Health

Are you worried about how screen time is affecting your child’s eye health? The truth is, most children are getting too much screen time, and it can lead to poor eye development and puts your child at risk for developing certain eye conditions, such as digital eye strain.   If you’re concerned about the effects of … Read more […]

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June 7, 2021
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

COVID-19 Update – Our promise to you.

Our promise to you. Wow! What a whirlwind these last few months have been; we’ve all seen some challenges during these unprecedented times. On April 30th our government made the announcement that allied health services can return to offering non-urgent routine care. We are beyond happy to announce that we are open once again, doing … Read more […]

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July 6, 2020
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

COVID 19 and Eye Emergencies

At Calgary Family Eye Doctors we are hoping you and your family are staying safe during these unprecedented times.  If you are on our email list you will already know that we are seeing eye emergencies only, at the moment.  We are currently not providing routine eye exams.  We are dispensing glasses and contact lenses … Read more […]

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April 1, 2020
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Options for elective corrective eye surgery

Have you ever thought about getting elective eye surgery to correct your vision? Many people decide to have corrective surgery to eliminate the need for glasses or contacts. The most well-known type of surgery is laser eye surgery. There are also non-laser surgery options, such as implantable lenses (or ICLs). Types of corrective laser surgery: … Read more […]

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August 8, 2019
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

10 things to remember when wearing contact lenses

Contact lenses are a popular option for vision correction; many people prefer them to glasses. Contact lenses do have several benefits, such as being able to wear non-prescription sunglasses and having better peripheral vision. However, contact lenses are a medical device that sit on your eye (they sit on a layer of tear fluid on … Read more […]

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June 24, 2019
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Presbyopia: an overview

Getting reading glasses sometimes feels like a rite of passage – or, at least, a rite of aging. It’s common to hear of people with perfect vision having to need glasses when they’re in their 50s or 60s. Why does this happen? Do our eyes suddenly worsen after a certain age? Well…sort of. The culprit … Read more […]

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June 7, 2019
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

May is Vision Health Month

May is Vision Health Month! Throughout the month, eye care professionals in Canada and around the world will work to raise awareness about eye health. Good eye health is important for everyone, regardless of age. In fact, we recommend that children go for their first comprehensive eye health exam at six months of age, and … Read more […]

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May 22, 2019
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Eye See You education program launch

We’re very excited to announce the launch of Eye See You, our community outreach and education program for children. It’s designed to complement the province-wide Eye See Eye Learn program, which provides free prescription glasses to children in kindergarten. Since Calgary Family Eye Doctors is a participating clinic in the Eye See Eye Learn program, … Read more […]

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May 8, 2019
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Myopia in children: what you need to know

Approximately 30% of Canadians are myopic, and that number continues to rise. While myopia affects people of all ages, there has been a recent rise in the number of children who are myopic. Currently, about 6% of children between the ages of 6 and 8 are myopic; by the time kids reach the ages of … Read more […]

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March 22, 2019
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Colour blindness: an overview

The world is full of colour. Life is permeated by vivid and brilliant colours, and colour can have an impact on what we see and how we perceive the world. But what if you see colours in a different way than most people? What is colour blindness? Colour blindness is the inability to distinguish between … Read more […]

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February 22, 2019
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Why it’s important to wear sunglasses in the winter

Sunglasses are usually seen as a summer accessory, along with hats and sunscreen. But, just like hats and sunscreen, it’s important to wear sunglasses in the winter. Even though the weather is colder (and snowier) and the days are shorter, UV rays are still hitting us. Here are three reasons why it’s important to wear … Read more […]

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February 12, 2019
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

2019 Prescription Eyewear Trends

New year, new glasses! (Right?) But before you head out to buy your new glasses this year (hopefully at our clinic, of course!), let’s take a look at some of the trends for prescription eyewear for 2019. Shapes A lot of people have glasses that are more neutral in shape (that is, shapes that are … Read more […]

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January 22, 2019
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Glaucoma: The Silent Thief of Sight

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness; in Canada alone, there are over 400,000 people who suffer from glaucoma. It’s called the “silent thief of sight” because it usually occurs with no symptoms. What is glaucoma? Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that affect the optic nerve. Glaucoma occurs when there is … Read more […]

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January 9, 2019
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Diabetes and your eyes

If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, you’ve likely been told that you need to get your eyes checked yearly. Have you wondered why your family doctor is telling you that you need to see your optometrist to help monitor your diabetes? The short answer is that in an eye exam, your optometrist … Read more […]

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January 4, 2019
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Introducing the Dry Eye Clinic

A note: if this post looks familiar to you and you’re a newsletter subscriber, that’s because this post was initially released as a newsletter to our patients. If you’d like to sign up for our newsletter, please sign up here. Do you suffer from dry eyes? Have you tried multiple drops and found only temporary … Read more […]

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December 19, 2018
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Vision Coverage: What is Covered by Alberta Health?

Here is a brief overview of Alberta Health’s vision coverage. Children Alberta Health covers one complete eye exam for children and teens under the age of 19 every benefit year (a benefit year is July 1 – June 30). They will also cover one partial exam and one diagnostic procedure. Please note that Alberta Health … Read more […]

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November 21, 2018
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Five ways your glasses prescription can change rapidly

Diabetes This is probably the most common cause of temporary prescription changes.  In general, if a patient has high blood sugars, they will experience a myopic shift (become more nearsighted).  When their blood sugars stabilize, I will see the opposite change, there will be a hyperopic shift (become more farsighted).  Both of these shifts will … Read more […]

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November 7, 2018
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Children’s Vision Issues

While children may have symptoms that can indicate a vision or eye health problem, it’s also possible for vision issues to be asymptomatic. In these cases, the only way to detect them would be through a comprehensive eye health exam. […]

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October 18, 2018
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Children and Eye Health: The Importance of Regular Eye Exams

October is children’s vision month, so throughout the month, we will be working to bring awareness to children’s eye health. This month, we wanted to talk about the importance of children’s eye exams, and why focusing on their eye health is just as important as focusing on our own. […]

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October 1, 2018
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Digital Eye Strain

It’s no secret that people are spending more and more time on digital devices. After all, we’re very much a plugged-in society. But how does all this screen time affect our eye health? Does it have an effect at all? […]

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August 3, 2018
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Blue Light

So…what exactly is blue light? Essentially, it is a high energy light that is visible to the human eye. All light that we see falls along the visible light spectrum (remember the acronym ROYGBV?). […]

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July 16, 2018
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

Eye Care Missions

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to volunteer with VOSH International to perform ocular examinations for the underprivileged in Belize. It was one of the most incredible and memorable trips I have ever taken. Belize is a beyond-beautiful country with such friendly and kind people. The first few days were spent on the … Read more […]

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June 29, 2018
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

International Eye Care Missions

Volunteering with international eye care missions has changed my life. My inaugural trip was serving as a translator for an eye care team in Guatemala.  […]

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June 10, 2018
Dr. Brent Hopfauf

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Calgary Family Eye Doctors

  • 11th Floor, 1125-10655 Southport Road SW
  • Calgary, AB T2W 4Y1
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