Many people don't understand the importance of having an eye exam. You find time to visit your family doctor for an annual physical. You manage to take your children to their pre-appointed six-month dental hygiene visits. But are you or your family overdue for a trip to the eye doctor's office? Vision care is often neglected. In reality, how much could we actually accomplish in a day without the precious gift of sight? The eyes function as a window to our bodies. Dilated pupils can reveal the presence of undiagnosed problems throughout the body. Here are four great reasons to schedule a comprehensive eye examination.
Your prescription needs to be checked on a regular basis to make sure your visual acuity is the best it can be. Annoying headaches or general fatigue are often caused by slight over or under corrections of your prescription. In addition, if you spend more than two hours on a computer each day, you may develop a condition known as computer vision syndrome, or CVS. Symptoms of CVS include headaches, focusing difficulties, burning eyes, tired eyes, eyestrain, aching eyes, dry eyes, double vision, blurred vision, light sensitivity, and neck and shoulder pain. CVS is treated with eyeglasses made for computer users.
Many serious eye diseases often have no symptoms. Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes vision loss and is commonly known as the "sneak thief of sight." Conditions such as macular degeneration or cataracts develop so gradually that you may not even realize your vision has decreased. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that may develop in diabetic patients. Early detection of these and other eye diseases is important for maintaining healthy vision.
Uncorrected vision problems in children often cause learning and reading difficulties or contribute to other medical problems such as dyslexia and ADD. Uncorrected vision in children can often cause amblyopia (lazy eye) or strabismus (eye turn) which can cause permanent vision loss if not treated early in life.
4. Eye Fashion Trends
The primary reason for visiting your eye doctor should always be eye health, but there is nothing wrong with having a little fun. Eye doctors who offer eyewear strive to stock the latest fashions and quality eyewear. Lens-making technology continues to improve, as well as scratch-resistant and anti-reflective coatings. If you haven't updated your glasses in a while, you may be pleasantly surprised at the many options available to you today. Sunglasses have also become a fashion accessory...check out your optical for the latest trends and styles.
