Eye Examinations: Protecting Your Eyesight and Your Health

                                                                                         

It’s easy to overlook the importance of regular eye examinations in today’s fast-paced society. If you don’t notice any problems with your eyesight, you may think you don’t need an eye examination. But having a regular eye examination at least once a year is essential for your eye health and, in some cases, for your general health as well.

One of the most common eye problems is “computer vision syndrome”, or CVS for short. Anyone who uses a computer screen for more than two hours daily (as most of us do) can develop this condition. Symptoms include headaches, difficulty in focusing the eyes, blurred vision, light sensitivity, and even muscle aches in the neck and shoulder area. Your optometrist can diagnose this problem early and provide you with specially-designed computer glasses to reduce or eliminate the problems associated with CVS.

Most people do not notice deterioration in their vision until it has become very pronounced. This is because changes in vision happen slowly and gradually over time. The difference is never significant enough to be noted from one day to the next, but over time, you may be compensating heavily for a loss of visual acuity. This compensation can lead to headaches and eyestrain. Regular visits to your optometrist can ensure that your vision is always the best it can be.

At every visit to your optometrist, a glaucoma test is run. This test measures the pressure inside your eye, usually by means of a device called a non-contact tonometer. Also known as the “puff of air” test, it measures your eye’s resistance to a small burst of air puffed directly at it, thus determining your intraocular pressure. High intraocular pressure can be a sign of incipient glaucoma, a serious disease that is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. Early detection and treatment can save your eyesight and protect against glaucoma’s degenerating effects.

Eye testing by a qualified optometrist can also detect the early signs of diabetic retinopathy, a side effect of diabetes that can cause blindness. Often diabetic retinopathy goes unnoticed until serious damage is done. It’s especially important for diabetic patients, pregnant women, and other at-risk groups to have regular eye examinations to prevent this disease from progressing unchecked. Laser procedures can delay or arrest the development of this disease, saving your eyesight and your optic health.

Eye examinations are sometimes the first sign of high blood pressure, a condition that can lead to far more serious health problems. Optometrists have saved lives by early detection of high blood pressure during routine eye examinations. While this is not the primary reason to have your eyes checked, it should be a consideration for anyone concerned about their general level of health.

For children, eye examinations are especially important. Many childhood eye conditions are not evident without such examinations; children often lack the experience to notice their own lack of visual acuity, or even serious conditions that can lead to blindness. A regular eye examination will ensure that your child gets the corrective lenses, treatments, or even surgeries that will protect their vision and help them succeed in school and extracurricular activities.

In older people, macular degeneration, or the age-related deterioration of the macular portion of the retina, is a leading cause of blindness. There are treatments that can stave off vision loss and provide clearer vision in cases of macular degeneration, but early detection is essential.

Regular yearly eye examinations can do more than improve your vision. They can protect your eyes from the effects of disease, prevent blindness, promote better health, and in some cases, they can even save your life. With all these benefits, it is obvious that eye examinations should be part of your yearly routine. Your eyes will thank you for it.

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Eye tests are essential in maintaining good vision as you get older, so make sure you visit your local optometrist soon.


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