Importance of Routine Eye Exams

When did you last attend a routine eye exam? If you are registered with an eye doctor, you will almost certainly get invited for an eye exam at least once every two years which it the recommendation for most people who don’t have ongoing issues with their eye health or vision. However, many people who receive an invitation for routine eye exams fail to make or attend their appointment. This is because, unless you are experiencing issues with your eyes, you may feel that the exam is unnecessary. What many people fail to realize is that attending your appointments is essential for your long-term eye health and vision.

Here’s what you need to know about the importance of routine eye exams.

 

Routine Eye Exams Are Preventative

You may think that there if there is nothing wrong with your eyesight, you don’t need to attend your routine eye exams. However, these appointments are just as valuable as a preventative measure as they are for you to obtain treatment for an ocular problem.

When you attend an eye exam, even if there is no issue at that time, the results are recorded and used for ongoing monitoring of the health and condition of your eyes. Future results can be compared to previous ones, enabling your eye doctor to track whether there are any patterns developing that may mean that you are at risk of developing an eye disease or problem with your vision. As such, prompt treatment can be arranged before you are adversely affected.

 

Routine Eye Exams Can Detect Eye Diseases

As we know, one of the many things that routine eye exams can be used to detect is the many eye diseases that can affect the health of our eyes. The earlier these conditions are diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome is likely to be for the patient and in some cases, prompt detection and treatment can prevent permanent vision loss. Some of the eye diseases that can be detected in a routine eye exam include:

• Cataracts

• Macular degeneration (AMD)

• Glaucoma

• Diabetic retinopathy

• CMV retinitis

• Eye floaters

• Uveitis

• Keratoconus

• Conjunctivitis

• Retinal detachment
   

If any of these diseases are identified, your eye doctor will be able to advise you on the best course of treatment and support you throughout the process.

 

Routine Eye Exams Can Detect Wider Health Issues

Many people are surprised to discover that examining your eyes can also tell your eye doctor valuable information about your overall health and wellbeing. This is because one of the elements of the examination involves a visual examination of the optic nerve. Situated right at the back of the eye, the optic nerve is responsible for sending messages from the retina (which interprets the light that enters the eye) to the brain. However, the optic nerve can also be affected by some general health conditions which can change its appearance. Detecting these abnormalities, along with various others in the shape, size and color of the structures of the eye, could help your eye doctor to identify a general health condition that you aren’t currently aware of – for example, diabetes, high blood pressure, and sickle cell disease.

 

Our Vision is One of Our Most Important Senses

Whilst all of our senses are important, there is no doubt that we rely on our vision more than any other. From the moment we open our eyes in the morning until we go to sleep at night, we use our eyes to help us live full and happy lives each day. From learning at school to working, from keeping us safe to enable us to make important decisions, our eyes are an extremely valuable tool in our day to day lives. Therefore, doing whatever we can to protect them and our vision is a no-brainer.

Don’t delay – contact our offices in Holly Springs, NC today to schedule your routine eye exam.