Studies show that over 90% of people over 65 take an annual eye exam, but this drops to nearly 50% with younger crowds. While vision does tend to deteriorate with age, people should still be ensuring they receive a check-up at least once a year. Are you aware of all the benefits of doing this, and are you making sure your eyes remain in peak condition?
Below we expand on eight of the most important reasons why it is important to get a routine eye exam each year. As you read through, consider what your eyesight is worth to you and whether it would be a good idea to get checked out for your own sake.
1. Detect Eye Conditions Earlier
Receiving a routine eye exam can ensure you keep an eye on your general eye health. By receiving a check-up, you can discover issues that might appear long before they become apparent to the average person.
Many of the most common eye issues that appear later in life, such as cataracts or glaucoma, have a very slow onset. By getting your vision checked every year, eye care specialists can offer detailed evaluations of your eyes. Common tests include checking your visual acuity, checking your eye’s internal pressure, or examining the back of the eye.
Each test the specialist undertakes can find early signs of long-term issues. If they do discover anything, they can then offer you treatment options long before they get worse.
2. Check How Your Vision Changes Over Time
If you only go in for a test when something goes wrong, you will not have a clear understanding of the state of your eyes compared to other years. Because of this, the specialist will not have the ability to make suggestions on what you should do moving forward. As such, they can only make recommendations based on how things are during the test, such as suggesting corrective lenses if necessary.
If, instead, they discover your vision is deteriorating at a steady rate over time, they can look for a cause. They might even have the ability to offer long-term care that can reduce the loss of eyesight or reverse it entirely.
3. Update Prescriptions
If you already use corrective lenses, it is important to understand their ability to help may reduce as you age. This is especially true if your vision deteriorates. They could even cause more eye strain if you no longer need them but continue to use them.
In having an annual vision exam, you ensure you get the most recent prescription for lenses that is relevant to you. You can then have the best eyesight possible for your needs at any time.
4. It Is Not Only Related to Visual Clarity
Eye exams are not only related to how clear your vision is, which is also known as “visual acuity”. They are instead a much more comprehensive analysis of the state of the health of your eyes.
An eye care professional can look at all parts of your eye, including:
- Lenses
- Optic nerve
- Blood vessels
- Retina
- Cornea
If there are issues with any of these, they can offer recommendations related to solving any problems they detect.
Exams that might occur include testing how well your eyes work together, or seeing if you have appropriate depth perception. If the results of these are not as expected, they can then investigate to see if there is an underlying condition that could affect you more in the future.
5. Gain Insight Into Other Health Conditions
Getting your vision checked can offer hints at more aspects of your health than only your eyes. If they detect issues, it may be a hint of a larger problem, such as:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Autoimmune diseases
- Cancer
- Hypertension
- Cardiovascular disease
- Nutrient deficiencies
If you want to have such a detailed understanding of your overall health, you could always visit B-Town Eye Care and book an appointment today.
6. Education on Common Eye Problems
An eye care specialist can converse with you about the current state of your eyes and how you are taking care of them. They will have a large body of knowledge on the best ways to ensure you keep them healthy.
Eye health awareness is an important factor in maintaining one’s vision, and can take many forms. For example, many people are not aware of common eye hygiene practices, such as how to resolve eye issues without rubbing your eyes. They can also inform people about how to replace or clean contact lenses to avoid foreign objects entering the eye socket.
You can also seek out recommendations of what to eat to ensure your eyes get all the nutrients they need. Most experts will recommend you eat vitamin-rich food as well as those with omega-3 fatty acids. These have links to positive eye health and can reduce the likelihood of certain diseases.
7. Stop Existing Problems From Getting Worse
Many issues with the eyes, such as glaucoma or cataracts, will slowly progress. Even with treatment, they may not abate and could become an ongoing issue through the rest of your life. By checking in with a regular eye exam, you can learn about their current state and also get up-to-date info on slowing the progression.
If you receive regular check-ups, your eye specialist can also offer referrals to other treatment locations. They can discuss surgery, therapy, or other options with you should you need it.
8. Lower Stress and Peace of Mind
While it is not a direct effect of getting regular check-ups, ensuring you maintain your eye health can help with stress. You can move forward with the confidence you are doing everything you can to ensure your eyes remain healthy long into the future. Your older self will thank you later.
Book Your Annual Eye Exam
The above information should have convinced you of how an annual eye exam is one of the most important check-ups you can have. Still, there is much more to learn about eye care and healthcare in general.
Our articles have information related to education, health, and many other topics. So, check out our blog today for more on how to improve your life moving forward.
