The Importance of Eye Exams: How Often Should You Schedule One?
The eyes are a window to the soul, revealing many things about your overall health. For this reason, eye exams are essential in preventing vision loss and identifying eye diseases.
A comprehensive eye exam can also help identify early warning signs of more than 270 systemic diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Eye Health
During a routine eye exam, your doctor will ask about your family medical history and any medications you take. They’ll also test your ability to read letters on an eye chart, peripheral (side) vision, color sensitivity, and how your eyes respond to light.
Your eye health is essential. Many eye diseases and conditions, like cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration, can lead to blindness or irreversible visual impairment if detected in their early stages. An eye exam can also reveal other health problems, such as diabetes, lupus, high blood pressure, and hypercholesterolemia, often visible in the retina’s blood vessels and optic nerve. Our eyes give doctors a unique view of our health, so it’s essential to see them regularly.
Eyeglasses
Even if you have 20/20 vision, regular eye exams are crucial. Why? They establish a baseline for your eye health, making it easier to spot any future changes that could signal underlying health issues. Think of it like an early warning system! During a comprehensive exam, your doctor digs deep, reviewing your medical history, checking your eyes’ exterior and interior, and using special tools like a slit lamp to peek inside, the breeding ground for many severe eye diseases. So, how often do you get an eye exam? Ideally, every two years for adults with healthy eyes and even more frequently for those with diabetes, family history of eye disease, or other risk factors. Your doctor can tailor the frequency to your specific needs.
Most eye diseases, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts, have few or no symptoms until they’re in advanced stages. Your doctor will also be able to see the condition of the blood vessels in your retina during an eye exam, which can indicate health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Eye Diseases
Our eyes are windows to our overall health. When doctors examine a patient’s eye, they aren’t just checking for vision problems or updating prescriptions; they also watch for signs of broader health conditions such as diabetes, lupus, and high blood pressure. The same holds for children, as regular exams can catch many eye diseases before they cause permanent vision damage or affect a child’s ability to learn.
Many eye diseases progress slowly and without symptoms, making them difficult for a person to detect themselves. The closer the eye doctor is to a patient, the more likely they will notice these early signs and protect their vision. Children are particularly susceptible to vision issues because about 80% of their learning happens through their eyes.
Contact Lenses
When you wear contact lenses, your eyes require special care to stay healthy. Regular eye exams can help detect problems before they become serious health concerns.
Your VSP network doctor will use tests to check your vision sharpness, determine your prescription strength, examine how the eyes work together, and measure fluid pressure in your eyes. They will also dilate your eyes if necessary for signs of eye diseases or other severe health conditions.
You will need a separate exam for your contact lens fit if you wear contact lenses. This includes additional testing to ensure that your contact lenses are safe to wear, comfortable, and give you clear vision. Every year, a contact lens-specific eye exam is essential to ensure your prescription remains accurate.
Preventative Care
The eyes are windows into a person’s overall health. During a routine eye exam, doctors can look for signs of diseases or conditions that affect the body as a whole.
These include diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions that can cause damage to the eyes and the body. The early detection of these conditions allows for treatment, often before the patient is aware they have a problem.
While most people think of their annual professional eye exam as a way to get new glasses or contacts, it is so much more than that! It’s a great way to keep your vision healthy and is one of the best preventative care measures you can take. You can also help protect your eyes with a diet of omega-3 fatty acids, wearing sunglasses, avoiding UV rays, and monitoring your weight and cholesterol levels.
