Generally, everyone needs a full body checkup at least once a year but there is one very important part of your body that needs to be examined more thoroughly and that part is your EYE. At an eye exam, your doctor checks how clearly you can see, where each eye is looking when you focus on one spot, how your muscles move your eyes around any other signs of eye disease.
According to an article on pennmedicine.org, these are 5 ways to know your eyes need to be checked by an eye doctor.
1. If you don’t remember the last time an eye exam was conducted on you, it most probably has been too long, if at all. These eye exams help catch common eye diseases such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration sooner than later. Without any risk factors, you could get an eye check every two years but if you have risk factors, you may need to go every year irrespective of your age.
2. Such risk factors in the number 1 point include a personal or family history of eye disease, including cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma or macular degeneration, diabetes, which can lead to diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma or cataracts, if you have a job that’s visually demanding, such as using the computer all day, wearing of contact lenses or if you have had eye surgery or an eye injury in the past. If any of this is you, then you need to get an eye exam every year.
3. If your vision is getting worse or everyday it gets harder to read or see near or far objects, then you need to go see your eye doctor. Sraining your eyes can also cause headaches after a long period of time doing things like reading and working on the computer. This occurs as a result of the fact that your eyes don’t focus well enough so they have to work harder than normal. So book that appointment already.
4. You may have allergies without the normal sneezing or stuffy nose signs, but if you are experiencing itchiness, redness, burning or a clear watery discharge, then your eyes could be allergic to something indoors, outdoors such as grass, trees etc or irritants such as smoke or perfume. Eyedrops might be recommended and you many need to visit an allergist who is a doctor who diagnoses and treats allergies.
Extra: If you have any other eye issues such as draining or redness in on or both eyes, eye pain, double vision, if you’re seeing tiny specks that seem to be floating before your eyes or circles or halos around lights and objects particularly in the dark and maybe some flashes of light, then set up that eye appointment today.
