Four Ways Seeing an Optometrist Can Help You and Your Vision
Vision is one of the most important senses that a person can have, yet it is often taken for granted up until the point that noticeable vision changes have started to occur.
For some, these vision changes may be brought on by age, while others may be due to extended screen times, overexposure to sunlight, illness, or even certain living conditions. When we experience negative changes in our vision, our first thought is often to seek out an optometrist.
The problem with waiting until there is already a noticeable issue is that the potentially permanent damage has already begun to occur. Here are some of the advantages of seeing your local Vancouver eye clinic on an annual or biennial basis.
Table of Contents
Detecting Vision Changes, Even the Slight Ones
Even if a person has 20/20 vision the last time they visited their optometrist, it is still a good idea to go in for a vision check-up every 2-3 years, as vision can rapidly change during that time due to a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:
- Age
- Cataracts
- Diabetes
- Dry Eyes
- Migraines
- Inflammation of the eye
- Malnutrition
- Head trauma
- Glaucoma
- Strokes
- Vitamin Deficiency
Having an outdated prescription, even a slight one, can also cause issues such as chronic headaches, dizziness, soreness and strain in the eyes, and of course, blurred vision.
Preventing Diseases
As previously mentioned, certain diseases can cause vision impairment. Some of these diseases and disorders can be detected early on and even prevented before they worsen and become an issue. More than just eye-specific issues, optometrists are also able to detect other conditions, such as higher blood pressure, aneurysms, and diabetes, all based on various signs from within your eyes.
Lifestyle Suggestions
How we live our daily lives has a massive impact on our physical health, including our eyesight. As such, an optometrist can help guide you through various lifestyle changes that can help to improve your vision or maintain good eye health. Some examples of these suggestions may include:
- Nutritional information for foods good and bad for the eyes.
- Prescription medications can have side effects related to vision.
- Information on how smoking can negatively impact vision.
- Tips for avoiding eye strain in daily activities such as looking at screens, reading, and sun exposure.
Preventative Care is Cheaper
Like most medical conditions, it is far cheaper to prevent conditions related to the eye than it is to treat them later after the condition has already occurred.
If vision changes and conditions are treated early on, they typically are resolved with solutions such as glasses, contacts, or certain medicines. When certain vision problems are left untreated and allowed to get to a worsened state, these problems may require a far more extensive and expensive treatment such as laser therapies or surgical interventions.
In summary, by making an appointment every few years with your optometrist, you can help to prevent diseases, save money, avoid potential surgeries, and keep your eye health at its peak physical state for as long as possible.
