The Importance of Regular Eye Exams

It’s common to assume your eyes are perfectly healthy until a serious symptom occurs. However, many eye conditions don’t show any major symptoms initially. It makes regular eye exams essential for people of all age groups. The frequency should be a little higher for teenagers and the elderly. Another significant benefit of undergoing regular eye exams is that they help doctors detect various systemic conditions. Keep reading to know more.

Eye Conditions Eye Exams Can Detect Early

Comprehensive eye exams at regular intervals are effective at detecting vision problems such as near-sightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), blurred vision (astigmatism), and age-related vision problems such as presbyopia. However, these eye conditions are usually symptomatic, and patients tend to book eye checkups as soon as they experience any of the above problems.

Certain eye disorders remain asymptomatic until the disease progresses. Regular eye exams help detect those at an early stage. Here are a few examples:

Glaucoma: Most people find out that they are suffering from glaucoma only after losing their vision.Glaucoma is the umbrella term for eye conditions responsible for damaging the optic nerve. If left untreated, the condition can lead to complete blindness.

Cataracts: Cataracts are common in the elderly. However, people of all age groups can get it.The condition is characterized by the formation of a cloudy sheath over the actual lens of the eye. The cloudy sheath is formed when proteins forming the lens break down and accumulate in one area. Early detection helps manage the condition better and prevent cataract-induced blindness.

Macular Degeneration: It is also primarily an age-related eye disorder. As its name suggests, the condition occurs due to a damaged macula. People with macular degeneration experience blurred vision or declining central vision. However, those symptoms appear only when the macula is irreversibly damaged.

Retinopathy: This term refers to eye conditions that damage the retina. Retinopathy occurs due to several factors. However, the most common ones are hypertension and diabetes. When the condition progresses, the patient experiences symptoms like floaters, blind spots, and blurred vision. This eventually leads to blindness. A routine eye exam can enable early detection and thereby prevent vision loss due to retinopathy.   

Eye Exams and Systemic Conditions

Eye exams not only detect eye conditions but also tell a lot about our overall health. They help diagnose many systemic conditions. Here are a few examples:

Diabetes: Diabetes can cause a series of eye disorders. If your eye exam reveals that you haveretinopathy, cataracts, macular degeneration, or glaucoma, the doctor will prescribe blood tests for diabetes.

Hypertension: High blood pressure can cause swelling and narrowing of retinal blood vessels. The patient may also experience bleeding in the area.

Autoimmune Disorders: The most common sign of autoimmune diseases is inflammation. Inflammation due to these conditions often begins in the eyes. Thus, going for regular eye checkups helps detect lupus before the disease progresses. Examples of autoimmune conditions that an eye exam can reveal are lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.

Cancers: Melanoma is a tumor known to occur in the eyes. One may also get eye tumors due to metastasis of the disease from another organ. Additionally, people with brain tumors often experience vision issues. Whatever the case may be, your ophthalmologist should be able to identify the abnormalities during a routine eye checkup.

Other Advantages of Regular Eye Exams

Here are some other benefits of going to an ophthalmologist at regular intervals:

Updating Prescriptions: When you get your eyes checked regularly, even minor changes in vision don’t go unnoticed. Your ophthalmologist will check your eyes for vision changes and update your prescription.

Preventing Eye Strain Resulting from Excessive Screen Time: Modern-day humans spend a significant amount of time near the screen. This may result in headaches, eye strain, and dryness in the eyes.

Supporting Child Development: If you want your child to achieve academic success, you must ensure he or she has healthy eyes. That’s because a vision problem is often the main cause of lack of concentration in children. Are you wondering who you should visit to get your eyes checked? Contact Magnet Health NY and share your concerns. They have the best ophthalmologists in the Bronx, New York on their panel. Once your initial eye exam is over, the doctor will tell you how often you should come for an eye checkup.