Can’t remember the last time you saw an eye doctor or had an eye exam? It’s probably time for your next appointment!
Keeping regular annual eye exams is an important part of staying healthy on a holistic level. Not only is it important to keep your vision current, but your eyes can give you insight into the rest of your health.
There are many conditions that can affect the eyes before other symptoms show. “The eyes are the window to the soul” is more than a poetic phrase.
They are often the first way to catch early stages in diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of regular eye exams!
Eye Exams and Aging
Eye exams become even more important as we age. The effects of presbyopia become noticeable around the age of 40. Presbyopia occurs when our aging eyes lose their ability to focus on near objects.
Wear glasses? Comprehensive eye exams are key when it comes to your ability to see! Even if you already correct your vision, our eyes continue changing as we age.
A comprehensive eye exam is also a crucial component when deciding if someone is right for LASIK. Cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration are common afflictions in aging adults.
Seeing your eye doctor regularly is one of the best ways and sometimes the only way to manage these. You can schedule an appointment today with Takle Eye Group in Locust Grove, GA.
Eye Exams and Youth
The health of our eyes is also an important part of the successful development of children. Eye doctors recommend that children have three comprehensive eye exams before beginning school.
Nearsightedness is becoming more and more prevalent in children. Children are set up for success if nearsightedness and farsightedness are caught early. This is better than the alternative when a child cannot see what they are learning.
Staying Healthy Year Round
There are many things you can do to help keep your eyes healthy between eye exams. It’s important to keep your eyes shielded from UV rays when outside by wearing sunglasses. Make sure they have a high or 100 % UV level of protection.
Nutrition plays a big part in your eye health as well. Eating foods high in vitamin D and C and omega 3 fatty acids reduces your risk of developing eye conditions. Commonly these are macular degeneration and cataracts. Suffer from dry eye or night blindness? Add more zinc and vitamin A to your diet!
Even exercising on a regular basis will help keep your eyes and vision healthy. If you ever notice sudden changes in your vision, make an appointment to see your eye doctor ASAP.
Symptoms to watch out for include blurriness, halos, double vision, or pain. These can be symptoms of serious issues and shouldn’t be ignored.
Above all, you only get one pair of eyes, so it’s important to take good care of them!
Ready to come in for an eye exam? Contact Takle Eye in Griffin, Georgia for your appointment today!
Glaucoma affects 2.7 million Americans aged 40 and over. While this eye condition is often associated with age, glaucoma can develop earlier.
In fact, it can start developing in someone’s forties. Glaucoma has few noticeable symptoms and is often diagnosed once vision loss occurs.
Glaucoma is a degenerative eye disease. Untreated glaucoma will result in eventual blindness, but the condition is treatable! Keep reading to learn more about this eye condition!
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness
Glaucoma is one of the top causes of blindness worldwide and is second behind cataracts. Glaucoma affects about 2.7 million Americans. Cataracts affect 24.4 million Americans.
Both conditions begin developing as early as a patient’s forties. The big difference between cataracts and glaucoma is there’s no cure for glaucoma. If someone has a cataract, they can have it removed by undergoing cataract surgery.
Vision lost to glaucoma can’t be restored
Early detection and glaucoma treatment is key to minimizing vision loss. Unfortunately, any vision lost to glaucoma is gone for good.
It’s only through regular eye examinations that you can stay ahead of glaucoma. If you are diagnosed with glaucoma early, there are treatment options to consider.
With an early diagnosis, you can save more of your vision being lost to glaucoma. This makes it essential for adults who are 40 and over to see their eye doctors regularly. With comprehensive eye exams, you can stay a step ahead of glaucoma!
Why a dilated eye examination is so important
Your eye doctor will need to dilate your eyes during your eye examination. By dilating your eyes, it is the best way to detect early-stage glaucoma.
Without dilation, the chances are high your eye doctor could miss signs of glaucoma. Nobody likes getting their eyes dilated, but it’s a necessary part of getting eye exams!
How often do you need an eye examination?
How often you will need your eyes examined depends on both your age and your risk level. It’s best to discuss this with your eye doctor.
If you know that you are “high risk” for developing glaucoma, you should go at least every one to two years. For people that are not at high risk, you should still go every few years.
Ultimately, ask your eye doctor if you’re unsure about how often to get a comprehensive eye exam.
Who is at risk?
The simple truth is that every adult 40 and over is at risk of developing glaucoma. Higher risk individuals are people who have a family history of glaucoma.
Other people at higher risk are those that are of African American or Hispanic descent. If you have a condition like high blood pressure or diabetes, you are also at a higher risk for glaucoma.
It’s rare, but babies and young children can also develop congenital glaucoma.
Glaucoma treatment options
Glaucoma might be one of the top causes of blindness, but it is also very treatable in its early stages.
Treatment options include prescribed eye drops, special pills, and laser eye surgical procedures. How your glaucoma will be treated depends on how severe your intraocular pressure is.
Concerned that you may have lost vision due to glaucoma? Schedule a consultation at Takle Eye Group in Griffin, Georgia today!
