The National Eye Institute always stresses the importance of routine eye exams in children and adults. Getting your eyes checked regularly by a professional eye care provider (ECP) is necessary for your overall health. With a good eye and vision health, you and your family can have a good quality of life. If you want to take the road to better optical health, here’s what you should know about the importance of routine eye exams.

 

Detect Eye Problems

Eye doctors recommend having routine eye exams to spot progressive eye diseases early. Macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts are some of the most destructive eye conditions. Your specialist will look for symptoms such as swelling, redness, and dryness in your eyes. With early detection, your eye doctor can treat these eye diseases. Doing so will delay the progression of any of these conditions and preserve your eyesight.

 

Do More Than Screening

Take note that a routine eye exam is different from a regular vision screening. Schools and motor vehicle licensing departments conduct vision screenings. They do so to see if there is any need for vision correction or a more detailed eye examination. A school nurse, a volunteer, or a pediatrician can perform a regular vision screening. To be certain about your eye and vision health, you should still have a routine eye exam.
 

A professional eye doctor will see if you and your child have eye conditions that vision screenings have failed to notice. The eye tests need special training and knowledge to yield accurate results. With your routine eye exam, symptoms of serious illnesses such as diabetes, thyroid diseases, or cancer can surface. These will also help your doctor give the right eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions.

 

Help Older Patients

Studies show that aging weakens every part of your body, including your vision. Presbyopia and cataracts are examples of the eye conditions that come with age. They can affect your daily activities and your quality of life. Routine eye exams can catch these eye issues right away. You can then receive early treatment to prevent vision loss.

 

Enable Children to Excel

The current pandemic has prevented traditional education from happening. Now, children mostly stay at home and learn through online classes. With good eyesight, your children can learn better and more quickly. During routine eye exams, your eye doctor can spot any developing eye issues. You may already be noticing certain behavioral changes in your child. These usually happen when your child becomes frustrated by not being able to see well. They may even think that what they are experiencing is normal. Routine eye exams can help correct these eye issues and help your child enjoy learning. They may even help make your child happier.


 

You should start routine eye exams as early as you can. Doing so will help you and your family live life to the fullest. At West Texas Eyecare, we always remind our patients to meet their comprehensive eye exam appointments. Please visit our clinics in Fort Stockton and Pecos, Texas. You can also call us at 432-336-3662 (Fort Stockton) or 432-445-3662 (Pecos). That way, we can help schedule your appointment or answer your questions about our routine eye exam packages.

References:

https://www.news-medical.net/health/Importance-of-Regular-Eye-Checks-Procedure.aspx

https://www.ophth.wisc.edu/blog/2017/05/21/eye-health-importance-annual-eye-exams/