People often assume that eye care is secondary to other forms of healthcare. As a result, only half of the millions of people who are at risk for vision loss have seen an eye doctor in the last year.
The truth is that regular visits to your eye doctor are a crucial form of healthcare. Your optometrist can protect not only your eye health but your overall health.
If you haven’t seen your Houston optometrist in the last twelve months, it’s time to schedule your next appointment. We’re here to tell you why.
Read on to learn ten ways that your Houston optometrist can improve your eye health and, in turn, your overall health.
1. Detecting Vision Changes
Vision changes like myopia (nearsightedness) or hyeropia (farsightedness) can occur at any stage of life, which is why it’s just as important for children to visit an eye doctor as it is for adults. However, even people with great eyesight throughout their lives are likely to experience vision changes between the ages of 40 and 60. An eye exam is often the best way to detect these changes, which can happen slowly and go unnoticed by the patient.
2. Updating Your Prescription
If you already wear glasses or corrective lenses, it’s important to have your eyes checked every year. This allows your eye doctor to adjust your prescription as needed to ensure that you have clear vision even as your natural vision changes. Wearing an outdated prescription can result in eye strain, headaches, and unnecessary discomfort.
3. Treating Eye Emergencies
Sometimes, an annual appointment isn’t enough. Eye emergencies can crop up at any time, including:
- eye injuries or pain
- swelling
- bleeding
- tears or punctures of the cornea or other eye tissue
- chemicals or other substances in the eye
Visiting your optometrist for eye emergencies is important because untreated eye emergencies can lead to long-term or permanent damage that could have otherwise been prevented.
4. Treating Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis (aka pink eye) is one of the most common eye diseases because it is highly contagious. However, there is more than one type of conjunctivitis, and a legitimate diagnosis is required to ensure that you’re pursuing the right treatment. If you believe that you have pink eye, head to your local optometrist rather than trying to self-diagnose and self-treat the symptoms.
5. Detecting Glaucoma
Glaucoma is one of the most common causes of blindness in patients over 60. However, many people can manage their glaucoma and experience little more than gradual vision deterioration. Glaucoma doesn’t always present noticeable symptoms, which is why regular glaucoma tests are crucial in detecting glaucoma early.
6. Detecting Macular Degeneration
The macula is an important component of the retina that allows you to have a clear direct line of vision. There are two common types of macular degeneration that can both result in blurred vision. Early detection of macular degeneration is key because there are treatments you can try before resorting to surgery, which may become necessary over time.
7. Detecting Cataracts
Cataracts are another common eye disorder for patients over the age of 60. Cataracts build up on the lens of the eye, making vision cloudy with or without glasses or contact lenses. Living with cloudy vision can become frustrating and debilitating, but our optometrist can detect cataracts and perform a simple outpatient surgery that replaces the impacted lenses with clear artificial lenses.
8. Detecting Less Common or Subtle Eye Conditions
Glaucoma, macular degeneraiton, and cataracts are all fairly common eye conditions that optometrists treat on a regular basis. However, they are not the only eye conditions that you can develop. Less common or more subtle eye issues include:
- Keratoconus, which causes cornea to thin and form into a cone shape, rather than the typical dome shape
- Ocular hypertension, a build up of pressure in the eye caused by improper fluid drainage
- Presbyopia, a common development of farsightedness that many patients, especially women, can develop with age
Most patients are unlikely to detect the early signs of these eye changes on their own. An optometrist can spot the early signs and prescribe the right treatment methods to prevent serious vision loss or secondary health problems.
9. Detecting Early Signs of Other Health Issues
Eye health is an important part of your overall physical health. However, an optometrist often plays a key role in detecting the signs of diseases and disorders that don’t have to do with the eye, primarily, because of the way these diseases or disorders impact the eye. A few examples include:
- high blood pressure
- stroke
- kidney disease
- heart disease
- diabetes
When your optometrist examines the eye closely, they can make observations about your body’s circulation system. These observations can be key in securing the healthcare you need.
10. Finding the Right Vision Solutions for You
Clear vision is crucial to your health, safety, and day-to-day productivity. However, many people require glasses or contact lenses in order to achieve clear vision. When you aren’t satisfied with your current vision correction wear, it’s time to go to the optometrist for an upgrade.
Finding the right pair of glasses or the best-fitting contacts is important. You deserve to feel good and experience comfort when wearing glasses or contacts.
Schedule an Appointment With Your Houston Optometrist Today
Eye care isn’t secondary to your healthcare. It’s an important part of your overall health. If you haven’t seen an optometrist in the last twelve months, it’s time to schedule an appointment.
If you’re looking for a Houston optometrist, consider EZ Optical. We’re open from 10:30 AM to 7 PM every day of the week. Contact us to learn more about our services and schedule your next eye appointment today.
