The purpose of an eye exam is not only to assess your vision. Aside from the quality of your vision, several factors are evaluated during a standard eye exam. These include eye pressure, alignment, and evaluation of the retina, optic nerve, and other vital ocular components.
Most diseases that have the potential to cause blindness do not manifest symptoms until the condition is advanced. When detected, it is always too late to be corrected. Furthermore, some illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, thyroid, and hypercholesterolemia present in various parts of the eye and may be diagnosed early during periodic check-ups.
Knowing what a healthy eye looks like enables for minute changes to be recognized and analyzed for injuries and disorders. Detecting and correcting the beginnings of vision-threatening conditions such as cataract, glaucoma, and other retinal abnormalities. Being diagnosed with other conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, or hypertension, and taking proactive steps to control them.
Importance of regular eye check-ups:
- Regular eye exams are essential for maintaining visual function in both proximal and distant vision. It illustrates the modifications that must be made on a regular basis depending on the improvement or degradation of visual function. Correcting your eyesight increases the quality of your daily life.
- Ophthalmologists also examine patients for eye problems such as nearsightedness and farsightedness. The most effective strategy to determine the risk of nearsightedness and farsightedness is to schedule frequent eye examinations. If diagnosed early, steps may be done to delay the development and lower the chance of developing major eye problems later in life.
- More than 75% of instances of blindness are avoidable if detected early. Having your eyes evaluated may help prevent or reduce the damage caused by a wide range of eye disorders, since more than half of blindness is avoidable.
- Astigmatism, for example, requires cylindrical power, which optometrists identify during eye exams.
- Several eye symptoms and disorders, once formed, are very difficult to treat or, in later stages, irreversible. Hence a thorough examination of the lens retina and optic nerves is very important.
- Glaucoma is characterized as the “silent killer of sight” since most cases have no obvious symptoms. People only become aware of it when they have suffered irreversible visual loss as a result of the progression of glaucoma. Controlling glaucoma and preventing further vision loss becomes quite tough at that point. As a result, frequent eye examinations aid in the early diagnosis of glaucoma risk factors and prevent the condition from causing vision loss.
- Cataract causes the lens of the eyes to become opaque, resulting in hazy and cloudy vision. To restore normal vision, proper eye examination, prompt detection, and lens replacement surgery are necessary.
- A comprehensive eye exam may also detect age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to vision loss.
- Regular eye examinations may reveal a variety of serious health problems. Eye specialists can assess the health and condition of blood vessels in the retina, which are a predictor of blood vessel health throughout the body. Diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolaemia may all be diagnosed by changes in the appearance of the retinal blood supply and blood vessels. Annual checkups are especially important for those who have diabetes or are at risk of developing diabetes. Diabetes is one of the biggest causes of blindness in people. Diabetic eye disease has no obvious signs in the early stages. As a result, only a full eye exam can identify disease symptoms and allow doctors to initiate therapy to avoid vision loss.
- Thyroid abnormalities are indicated by bulging or projecting eyes in Graves disease. Eye irritation may be a sign of an autoimmune disease like lupus. Unusual eye structure can be a sign of eye cancer ( ocular melanoma). Droopy eyelids and irregularly shaped pupils might indicate a neck tumor or an aneurism.
How often should an eye exam be performed?
The frequency of regular eye exams varies with age and the increasing risk of various health issues affecting vision and existing eye problems.
- A child’s first eye examination is performed around the sixth month to ensure visual ability and to discover anomalies such as strabismus, lazy eyes, ptosis or drooping eyelid, cataract, and blocked tear ducts. These disorders, if not addressed promptly, may result in impaired eyesight or visual loss.
- When poor vision and other visual disorders make it difficult for a child to read what is written in books or on the board, the next eye exam is advised right before beginning school.
- Unless otherwise advised, an eye exam every 2-4 years between the ages of 20 and 39 is adequate to keep good eye health.
- Eyesight abnormalities and disorders such as diabetes and hypertension, which may damage vision, are more likely to occur between the ages of 40 and 64. So, at the absolute least, schedule a check-up every two years.
- A routine eye examination is required at the age of 65, and then once a year afterwards. Due to inadequate and poor-quality tear production and diabetic retinopathy, older persons are at a greater risk of vision loss and other disorders such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and dry eye syndrome.
It is important to get regular eye exams to monitor the health of your eyes. Regardless of how keen your eyesight is, scheduling regular eye exams is an essential way to protect overall health and wellness.