Having a regular eye exam is crucial in protecting your and your family's eyesight. These exams allow your doctor to detect changes in the front of your eye so alterations can be made to your eyeglass or contact lens prescription. However, your doctor also needs to look at the back of your eye, the retina, to check that it is healthy and not damaged or showing signs of disease.
Many eye diseases, if detected early, can be treated successfully.
Regular eye care can uncover both eye and systemic (entire body) problems. If these problems are left untreated, there is a risk of disability, suffering, and loss of productivity. The goals of an eye exam is to avoid or minimize adverse effects on the eye and vision, as well as to identify potential problems early in order to prevent any problems, which may potentially lead to vision loss.
There are various retinal diseases and conditions of the eye which result in loss of vision.
There are also diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure which can be discovered by examining the eyes. Side effects of drugs may also sometimes be observed during eye examinations. Again, early detection is the key factor in treatment and sight preservation.
Protect your vision and overall health by having regular eye exams.