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Comprehensive Eye Exams: Top Reasons they are Important

February 11, 2021

When was the last time that you had a comprehensive eye exam? The American Optometric Association recommends that all adult patients have a comprehensive eye exam at least every two years unless otherwise stated by your eye doctor. After the age of 65, this should be increased to annual appointments.

 

Going to an eye exam when you don’t currently have any concerns about your eyes or vision may seem like a waste of valuable time, money, and resources. However, there’s a number of extremely good reasons why experts believe that these visits are important. Here are some of the top reasons why you should make attending your comprehensive eye exams a priority.

 

Comprehensive eye exams can detect sight-threatening diseases

There are many different diseases that can affect our eyes. Unfortunately, many of them don’t cause symptoms until they are fairly well advanced, by which point there could have already been irreversible damage done to your vision. Comprehensive eye exams are designed to look for the changes and abnormalities in your eyes that occur when you develop eye diseases so that they can be diagnosed and treated promptly. Some of the eye diseases that can be picked up include:

 

-       Cataracts: a condition characterized by the clouding of the natural lens of the eye.

-       Glaucoma: which occurs when pressure builds up inside the eye, causing irreversible vision loss.

-       Age-related macular degeneration: a condition that develops slowly owing to the natural deterioration of the cells in a part of the eye called the macula.

-       Keratoconus: which is characterized by the thinning and bulging of the front part of the eye called the cornea.

-       Cancer: of the eye or the skin around the eye.

 

Studies estimate that as much as 50% of vision loss is preventable, and regular comprehensive eye exams are one of the best ways of ensuring that your eyes and vision are monitored and that preventative action can be taken against sight loss if necessary.

 

Comprehensive eye exams ensure that your vision is as clear and accurate as possible

Unsurprisingly, one of the main reasons why people visit their eye doctor is to have their vision assessed. Near-sightedness, also known as myopia, is the most common reason for people to need to wear glasses or contact lenses, although there are also other refractive eye problems that cause patients to need prescription lenses. A visual acuity test, which looks at how well you can see at different distances, is probably the most well-known element of a comprehensive eye exam and will let your eye doctor know if you would benefit from wearing glasses or contact lenses. And since many refractive eye errors like myopia are progressive, treatment is essential to prevent them from getting worse. If your vision stabilizes, it may be that you are a good candidate for laser vision correction surgery in the future, which could allow you the freedom of living without glasses or contact lenses.

 

Comprehensive eye exams can detect significant health risks

Many people are surprised to learn that it isn’t just eye and vision problems that can be detected at your comprehensive eye exam. In fact, there is a range of tests that are performed that can detect certain general health conditions that you might not be aware of. This is because many of these conditions can directly affect the structures of the eyes. Some of the health problems that can be identified during a comprehensive eye exam include:

 

-       Diabetes

-       High blood pressure

-       High cholesterol

-       Cancer

-       Thyroid disease

-       Multiple sclerosis

-       Lupus

-       Rheumatoid arthritis

-       Sexually transmitted diseases

-       Brain tumor

 

Detection of these issues can ensure that you get prompt support from medical professionals, which could limit the impact that they have on your day-to-day life.

 

 

If you would like to learn more about why comprehensive eye exams are important, or to schedule your appointment. We have multiple locations and are a full-service eye and vision center serving the Tri-State area. Call Vision Center South today at (888) 660-2738.

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