A comprehensive routine eye exam is vital in evaluating and maintaining your eyes’ health through the detection, prevention and treatment of vision disorders such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and presbyopia. Yet, some diseases may develop slowly over time without any indication, painful warning or vision loss. A yearly checkup provides an opportunity to screen and treat many general ophthalmic conditions that may develop without any noticeable symptoms, creating a greater risk for complications and health threatening conditions to progress. Your eyes provides your eye doctor with a noninvasive means and opportunity to view your vascular system in an effort to allow for an early diagnosis and monitoring of diseases such as, hypertension or diabetes and can aid in the early detection of macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts. Early detection is necessary to reduce the risk of advanced or irreparable damage and allow for a greater choice of available treatment options.
Children should have regular eye exams between ages 3 and 4 to ensure proper vision development as they grow and to prevent unnecessary interference with their academic potential. The American Optometric Association reports school screenings are not adequate and often miss vision problems. Older adults are often at higher health risk due to their age and overall physical condition and therefore should undergo yearly eye exams to check for macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts. Even if your eyes are healthy, it is best to keep them that way with regular eye exams to detect any health conditions as soon as possible so that any necessary treatment may begin in a timely manner, it may save your sight.