Regular appointments with an optometrist can help ensure good eye health. If there is an issue, whether with vision or the eye's overall health, they will provide solutions or management techniques that also improve quality of life. Therefore, the importance of these checkups is not to be overlooked—and they typically take less than an hour to complete.
A routine eye checkup includes various exams that test short- and long-distance vision, peripheral vision, eye pressure, the cornea's shape, the retina's health, the lens's state, and the optic nerve's health. The goal is to determine how well the patient can see and whether any eye conditions or diseases are present. For instance, testing peripheral vision may reveal astigmatism, while an eye pressure test helps diagnose glaucoma.
Since these checkups can reveal crucial health information, the American Optometric Association recommends that adult patients receive one at least every two years. However, patients with certain risk factors, such as a family history of eye disease or those wearing prescription glasses, should get an eye checkup yearly. Patients who have had refractive surgery may benefit from annual checkups as well.
The health advantages of eye checkups also serve as reasons why they are important to maintaining eye health. Take a closer look below.
An eye checkup is the first step in improving vision through prescription glasses or contact lenses. This involves two tests: the visual acuity test and the refraction exam.
In a visual acuity test, the optometrist will examine various aspects of the patient's vision to determine whether the patient would benefit from glasses or contacts. The patient will read different letters off an eye chart. If it is determined that the patient has a vision problem, the optometrist will then move on to the refraction exam to create a custom prescription.
While patients may find corrective lenses at their local pharmacy or online, using these instead of custom lenses could make one's vision worse. The generic prescription may need to be lowered for the patient's vision problem.
Vision is not the only thing an optometrist looks at during an eye checkup. As mentioned, they will evaluate the health of different parts of the eye to detect eye diseases. Some common examples include cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. The earlier these diseases are detected, the more likely it is that the patient will retain their vision.
If an eye disease displays symptoms during an eye checkup, the optometrist can recommend treatment and management options to slow its progress. For example, with cataracts, the only way to save one's vision is to remove the cataracts surgically. Glaucoma has less invasive treatment options, however, such as medications and laser therapy. Whatever the condition, an optometrist will discuss personalized treatments in detail upon diagnosis.
Reap the benefits of routine eye checkups. Schedule an appointment with our optometrist today. We help patients in Carmi and the surrounding areas improve and maintain their vision.
Request an appointment here: https://www.carmieyecare.com or call Carmi Eye Care at (618) 374-0513 for an appointment in our Carmi office.
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