Healthy eyes and clear vision are an important part of maintaining your health for everyone regardless of age or profession. For kids eye exams cab be crucial for learning in school and general development, for adults there are just as many reasons and more.
Correct vision is inherently linked to the process of learning. If a child cannot see the board or front of the class clearly, they can have trouble processing the information.
Sports, Social Interaction, and Childhood Vision Challenges
A child who cannot see clearly may have trouble with sports. Whether it is hitting a baseball that is coming at you very fast or trying to judge the special relation of a volleyball moving in a court, proper vision is essential for success in sport. It’s also essential to enjoy playing. Since sports are known to be a major factor in social development of children, this is not a small matter.
Additionally, children who cannot see clearly may have trouble identifying others in crowded areas and from far away. This lack of ability to identify someone in the appropriate special relation can lead to awkward social interactions that can progress into insecurity. As you can see the importance of eye exams for children are layered and many, and as many kids do not know what normal vision is they will not know if they need an exam until they receive one.
For adults the need for clear vision for driving is one of the most important as a visually impaired driver can be a danger to themselves and others. Equally important active adults need clear vision for their work and sports as well as social interactions. Beyond these reasons’ adults need regular eye exams to detect eye diseases and for conditions that can lead to loss of vision. See more about these conditions below.
Reading Eye Exams Become More Important after 40
After 40 many adults are unable to focus on printed material as they did earlier in life. This is an almost inevitable consequence of the changes and loss of elasticity in the eye muscles that are crucial to close focus. By having a reading eye exam done, adults can avoid losing pleasure in reading, and also avoid physical symptoms such as headaches and eye strain.
What is the doctor checking your eyes for?
Your or your child’s comprehensive eye examination should be performed by a licensed eye doctor and should involve careful testing of all aspects of vision. The eye exam goes beyond the traditional screening for visual acuity to determine a prescription for nearsighted or farsighted vision or astigmatism. A profession exam should check for eye diseases and conditions that can lead to blindness. These include conditions such as Amblyopia (lazy eye) or Strabismus where the physical orientation of the eye is misaligned and can cause issues such as crossed eyes.
Common and Serious Conditions that an Eye Exam Can Mitigate
An eye exam is also an opportunity for the doctor to check for glaucoma, generally caused by a build up of pressure in one or both eyes, which can destroy a person’s vision if untreated. Eye diseases that can develop as we age are also a major priority. Macular degeneration, where abnormal blood vessels form under the macula, is particularly dangerous. More common is diabetic eye disease, which can cause blood vessels to bleed into the eye and vision loss. Eye drops are sometimes applied to make the pupils larger so the doctor can see more clearly into the eye. Up to one third of Americans who have diabetes are unaware, further enforcing the need for regular eye exams.
When and how often should eye exams occur?
If you have diabetes you should be checked every year, of the general population every two years is usually adequate until you are 60 at which point it is recommended to have an eye exam every year. If you have a family history of glaucoma it is recommended you get one every year. Children should be checked at least once between the ages of three and five.
What is entailed in eye care and treatment?
Once a proper exam has been completed a treatment plan will be prescribed. These can include; eye exercises for physical conditions, medical treatment for diseases and/or a corrective prescription for eyeglasses, reading glasses or contacts.
Do not take your eye care lightly, annual exams from your Ophthalmologist are important for maintaining the life of your vision and your vision for life!
Jerry Willis is the owner of Lumen Eyewear and the computer glasses and reading glasses brand Visualites. Jerry has years of experience in eyewear frame and lens design and manufacturing of eyewear and is a member of the Vision Council of the United States of America. Lumen Eyewear is also a FDA licensed manufacturer and importer of reading glasses and computer glasses. Visualites is dedicated to bringing its customers products that not only improve their vision but the health of their eyes.
