It’s important to visit an eye doctor regularly to ensure vision remains optimal and prevent complications that may arise in the future.
Here are a few reasons why you should visit your eye doctor as soon as you can:
Why Schedule an Appointment with an Eye Doctor?
It can be easy for those that don’t wear glasses to dismiss the idea of needing to see an eye doctor. Often times, people do not realize they need corrective eye care until after they have seen an eye doctor.
Factors for visiting an eye doctor include:
- Decreased or loss of vision
- Experiencing constant headaches or pain in the eyes
- Changes in range of vision, which can include spots in sight, light sensitivity, or difficulty maintaining focus
- Changes in field of vision, such as difficulty seeing near or far away
- Physical changes to the eye, including trauma or lazy eye
- Changes in perception of color, as with colorblindness
- Preexisting medical conditions, including diabetes, thyroid disease, and lupus
Visiting your eye doctor can help reveal the early signs of glaucoma, diabetes, high blood pressure, and arthritis. As individuals age, it becomes more important to visit the eye doctor to receive necessary care.
What Can I Expect from an Eye Exam?
Receiving an eye exam is a routine procedure that checks a variety of details about the individual’s vision. Patients should be prepared with their medical history, current prescription information, insurance card, and a list of questions about the exam.
At the beginning of the exam, patients engage in a series of vision tests, checking sight at close and far distances. Your eye doctor will ask you to recite letters from a Snellen chart, a poster with a random assortment of letters that gradually get smaller from top to bottom. During this portion of the exam, your doctor may also test your ability to view depth and color as well as your peripheral vision.
Next, your doctor will check different parts of the eye for glaucoma using a tonometer. Patients may require medical drops that cause the eye to dilate to allow the doctor to gather a thorough examination of the different parts the eye. It is recommended to have someone available to drive you to and from your appointment, as well as a pair of sunglasses to protect eyes that may still be sensitive to light.
Find Out More
Learn more about when to receive an eye exam by calling or visiting Alabama Vision Center in Birmingham. Schedule your next eye appointment with us.