No one wants to go to the doctor, including the optometrist. Doctors are no fun. Your vision seems fine so why bother? But regular visits to an optometrist do far more than just update your glasses or contact lens prescriptions. In fact, they’re one of the easiest, least invasive ways to protect both your eyesight and your overall health.
Eyes Change Gradually
Vision loss often happens so slowly that you don’t notice it. At first you notice you’re squinting more to see the street signs or holding your phone farther away to read your text messages (or this magazine). By the time your vision starts to really interfere with your daily activities, the change may already be significant. Annual eye exams catch these shifts early, before they affect your daily life or your ability to pass your driver’s test.
Eye Exams Catch Serious Diseases Early
Optometrists don’t just check whether you need glasses or contacts. There’s a lot more to the human eye than just a prescription. During a comprehensive exam, they examine the external and internal structures of your eye, including the cornea, optic nerve, macula and retina, which can reveal early signs of conditions like corneal dystrophies, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. Many of these diseases have no symptoms in their early stages but can cause permanent vision loss if left untreated. Catching them early often means the difference between simple treatment and permanent vision loss.
Eyes Can Reveal Whole-Body Health Issues
People say that the eyes are the gateway to the soul, but what most don’t realize is the eyes are also the gateway to the rest of the body. The eyes are one of the few places where doctors can directly observe blood vessels and nerves without invasive procedures. This means an optometrist can often spot early signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer and even autoimmune or neurological conditions, sometimes before your primary care doctor does. The things an optometrist can pick up on during an exam are truly astounding.
Children Need Eye Exams Too
Kids rarely complain about vision problems because they assume what they see is normal. Undiagnosed vision issues in children can affect learning and even behavior in the classroom. Early exams help ensure children have the visual foundation they need to succeed in school and later in life. With today’s technology, we can start eye exams for children as young as 6 months old.
The Bottom Line
An eye exam takes less than an hour, but the insight it provides can protect your vision and your health for years. Whether you’re overdue for a checkup or have never had an exam, scheduling a visit with an optometrist is a small investment with a significant payoff. And unlike a visit to your primary care doctor, the chances of you getting a shot or needing a bandaid during your visit are pretty much zero…but you might just leave with some really cool sunglasses.
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