Importance of Routine Eye Exams

Scheduling an appointment for a health evaluation is important. Most people book exams for everything else and exclude their vision. Your eye health should not be overlooked. Instead of the regular vision screening, you should do a comprehensive eye exam every year. An eye exam gives you a thorough look into any problems that may cause vision impairment in the future. Here’s why routine eye exams are important.

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Abnormalities Are Detected Early

When conducting a comprehensive eye exam, your physician can detect abnormalities in time. This is especially good for children. Initial eye exams for children between 6 and 12 months are very important. They help to detect any abnormalities present. The number of children developing myopia at an early age is rising. Children who develop myopia at an early age risk getting threatening conditions in the future such as retinal detachment and glaucoma. When problems are detected early, they are treated before they progress to a dangerous stage.

 

Prevents Vision Loss

In most cases, vision loss is a result of a series of conditions. Regular eye exams can detect these problems and treat them before they become severe. Some conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration can cause permanent vision loss. When they are discovered early, they are treated and the patient can save their vision.

 

Helps to Detect Diabetes

Diabetic patients have vision issues resulting from excess blood sugar in their system. Blood vessels in the retina leak blood and fluid causing the retina to appear yellow and stressed. Regular eye exams can reveal such problems to people who did not know that they had a blood sugar problem.

 

Helps to Detect Cancer

Some types of rare melanoma can present in the eyes. A close examination of the eye can reveal ocular melanoma. Symptoms of basal cell carcinoma, which is a type of skin cancer, can be found on the eyelids. Irregular shaped pupils and eyelids can signify the presence of a neck tumor.

 

Helps to Detect Hypertension

Regular eye exams can help to detect hypertension. Blood vessels in the eyes appear torn or bent for hypertensive patients. If that is not caught and corrected in time, the patient can lose their vision. High cholesterol present in the blood forms a yellow ring around the cornea.

Helps to Detect Autoimmune Disorders

Autoimmune disorders irritate the eyes. Constant inflammation in the eyes can indicate an autoimmune disorder such as lupus. Other thyroid problems such as Graves’ Disease cause protruding eyeballs.

 

Helps to Detect Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a sneaky and dangerous eye condition that leads to vision loss. Early glaucoma does not alert your body that something is wrong. Routine eye exams can help you to catch it early enough for intervention. Once glaucoma reaches the later stages, there is nothing you can do to prevent permanent vision loss. It is only wise to try and catch it during the early stages.


 

If you want to know more about routine eye exams, visit Seabert Eye Care at our offices in Burleson, Texas. You can also call (817) 857-8700 to book an appointment.