People who enjoy excellent vision often wonder whether they really need to schedule an eye exam. But an eye exam is just as much about checking the healthiness of your eyes as it is evaluating how well you can see.
Eye disease is not always accompanied by recognizable symptoms. Waiting for them to appear can put your vision at risk, which is why a regular eye exam is important. It is also an indicator of your systemic health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure. BE EYEWISE- schedule regular eye exam!! >80% of all visual impairment is treatable, preventable or curable, so early diagnosis and care are critical.
Review three reasons why exams are important.
According to the National Eye Institute, many peoples have been diagnosed with these vision issues:
7 million have glaucoma
7 million have diabetic retinopathy
1 million have age-related macular degeneration
24 million have cataracts
Some diseases do not give early warning signs. By the time people notice a difference in their vision, the disease may be in an advanced stage. However, your eye doctor can detect signs of these diseases during a comprehensive exam
Changes in your eyes can affect your sight:
Nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism – These refractive errors can be corrected with prescription eyeglasses, contacts or laser surgery.
Amblyopia – Looking in a mirror, your eyes may look normal, but during a vision exam the doctor may detect amblyopia, a condition where one or both eyes are misaligned or one eye needs higher correction than the other.
Focusing – Children and adults who struggle to focus their eyes can experience problems seeing and reading.
Teaming – For proper vision, both eyes must work together. If they don’t, people may experience headache and eyestrain, and struggle to read correctly.
Strabismus – Described as crossed or turned eyes, strabismus can affect depth perception. If not corrected, amblyopia may develop.
In addition to looking for eye diseases, the eye doctor may detect early signs of other medical problems that require attention. These include diabetes, high blood pressure, some cancers and high cholesterol.