Importance of Eye Examination

Sight is one of our most important senses. To ensure that your vision is not compromised, regular eye examinations are essential. This is regardless of age and overall health because the only way to diagnose conditions in the eye in the early stages is with a comprehensive eye exam. By arresting them in the early stages, many eye disorders can be easily controlled and treated.

During a routine eye examination, the doctor will look into a number of aspects of your eye's health. An eye examination can also indicate serious health issues like diabetes, macular degeneration and glaucoma. Some of the conditions an eye doctor looks for during an eye exam are:

• Refractive error: If you already have a prescription this will be checked. In other cases, the strength of the eye muscles is checked for near sightedness, far sightedness and astigmatism which can be corrected with lasik surgery, spectacles or lenses. The earlier a refractive error is corrected, the lower are its chances of increasing. When it comes to children, they often do not realize signs of vision deterioration and hence, an eye examination becomes essential.
• Amblyopia: This is a condition where one eye has a much higher refractive error than the other or where the eyes are misaligned. If this is not treated in time, amblyopia can stunt vision in the affected eye and result in blindness.
• Strabismus: Crossed or turned eyes are termed as cases of strabismus. This is caused by the misalignment of the eyes and can cause problems with depth perception. This can lead to amblyopia and eventual blindness if not treated in time.
• Focusing and communicative problems between the eyes: An eye examination can also determine problems with focusing on objects. With children this can be a sign of underdeveloped focusing skills while in adults it can be a symptom of presbyopia or age related diminished focusing ability. Your doctor will also check how well your eyes work together. If they do not work in tandem, it can cause headaches, eye strains and problems with reading.
• Diseases: By looking at the blood vessels and retina of the eyes, doctors can detect signs of high blood pressure, cholesterol etc. Leaks in the blood vessels or bleeding in the eyes can also be a sign of diabetes or swelling of the macula.
• Age related conditions: As with the rest of the body, the eye tissues and muscles also degenerate with time. Cataract is one of the most common age related issues that affect the eyes.