A lot of people go too long without seeing an eye doctor. It can be hard to keep up with appointments, but regular checkups with your eye doctor are essential for your visual health. If you’re above forty or have a refractive error that requires a glasses or contact lens prescription, it’s especially important to have regular eye exams.
If you haven’t seen the eye doctor in a while, consider scheduling an appointment this year. Keep reading to learn four reasons you should see your eye doctor this year!
To Update Your Prescription
If you have a refractive error requiring you to wear glasses or contact lenses, you should always ensure your prescription is up-to-date. Your prescription can change, and in some cases, it may be difficult to tell without having your eyes examined.
If you haven’t been to the eye doctor in years, you may be wearing glasses or contacts that don’t fully correct your vision. Visiting your eye doctor for a full, comprehensive exam will allow them to update your prescription while also checking your overall eye health.
To Discuss Vision Changes and Discomfort
Everyone experiences minor eye irritations from time to time. But if you experience persistent eye discomfort, no matter how minor, you should see an eye doctor so they can ensure there are no underlying issues.
One common cause of discomfort is dry eye syndrome, which can make your eyes feel irritated, itchy, and dry. If you talk to your eye doctor, they can diagnose and treat your dry eye.
If you notice any vision problems that don’t go away, like blurry spots of vision or floaters, you should see your eye doctor as soon as possible. Any of these symptoms may be the early signs of a serious eye condition.
To Be Examined for Age-Related Eye Conditions
If you’re over forty, you should see an eye doctor at least once every two years. This is because you’re at risk for age-related eye conditions.
Adults over forty are at higher risk for cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. The older you get, the higher your risk for these conditions.
Many of these conditions also don’t have symptoms until they damage your vision. At that point, any damage is permanent.
Treatment for diseases like glaucoma focuses on preventing further damage, so it’s essential to have these conditions diagnosed as early as possible. Since there aren’t any symptoms early on, the best way to ensure your eyes and vision stay healthy is to visit your eye doctor for routine eye exams.
Talk to your doctor about your risk for age-related eye conditions so you can schedule regular eye exams accordingly.
To Discuss Vision Correction Surgery
If you’re tired of wearing contact lenses and glasses, you can ask your eye doctor about vision correction surgery. Procedures like LASIK are highly effective and low-risk.
Most people make great candidates for laser vision correction surgery. Talk to your eye doctor about whether or not they think vision correction surgery is right for you.
Is it time to visit your eye doctor? Schedule an appointment at Chicago Cornea in Highland Park, IL, today!
