Twice a year, you go see your general practitioner just to have a medical exam. ls the same true with an eye doctor? Do you need to check in every year or is this an unnecessary expense that you can avoid until you feel you need to get a new pair of glasses? Believe it or not, there are several ways that an annual eye exam can help you avoid serious illnesses making it a valuable tool for protecting your health.
Detecting cancers and tumors
Did you know an optometrist can be fundamental in detecting some brain tumors? In addition, certain types of cancer are specific to the eye and surrounding tissues. Without an exam from an optometrist, these conditions can be difficult to catch early.
Minimizing headaches and migraines
Instead of spending time and money on neurology appointments or treatments, getting your eyes throughly checked may be the simplest solution to prevent headaches. It is not true in all cases, but when you get headaches that are around your eyes and worsen as you are on the computer or driving for long periods of time. In addition to detecting any refractive problems with your eyes, several types of treatments can be coated on your eyeglasses that will reduce the amount of glare you deal with, therefore reducing the possibility of getting migraines.
Preventing blindness and degenerative eye diseases
Did you know that many people that slowly become blind over time do not realize how serious this can be? Avoiding treatment for blindness can often make getting medical help to get it corrected difficult. Thankfully, common degenerative eye diseases that lead to blindness can be picked up early if regular eye exams are made.
Finding signs of cardio-vascular issues
Are bloodshot eyes a sign of something else? In some cases, they could indicate an underlying health problem. For example, high cholesterol can show up in an eye exam without drawing any blood. High blood pressure can also cause physical changes to the blood vessels inside your eyes.
Eyes can indicate a pre-cursor to diabetes
Signs of diabetes can appear in your eyes years before you get a diagnosis for diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy, for instance, can be a sign that you are having blood sugar problems. When an optometrist does the eye exam and sees the signs of retinopathy, you will be immediately referred to your primary caregiver for more tests.
Schedule your annual eye exam today
Most people have health insurance that covers an annual optometrist visit plus a new pair of corrective lenses. When the time comes to make your annual exam, visit us at The Vision Centers. With 4 convenient locations, we can get you in and out of our offices on your lunch break. To get started, visit us or give us a call. Thank you again for considering us!