Why You Should See An Eye Doctor Soon

In this part of the world, the culture of undergoing routine medical checks has not been fully imbibed and this explains why certain diseases which could easily be prevented or treated based on early detection remain in the body until they turn out to be serious enough for hospitalisation or become fatal. One of such routine checks is an eye examination.

It is generally believed that once one’s vision is fine, one doesn’t need to see an eye doctor.  There are also some of the thought that except an eye condition is severe enough to lead to partial loss of sight, it can always be managed and a visit to an eye doctor is unnecessary. Sadly, these notions are not only wrong, but also dangerous. Not only are the eyes the windows to the soul and one of the media through which we perceive the world, they can also provide vital clues as to what is going on inside the body. It has been discovered that besides detection of eye problems, several diseases and health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes can be detected early through examination of the eyes.

A recent study carried out by the United States Vision Service Plan (VSP) Vision Care in 2011 found that eye doctors frequently are the first health care providers to detect signs of chronic systemic conditions. For high cholesterol, this occurred 65 per cent of the time. For diabetes, it was 20 per cent of the time, and for hypertension, it was 30 per cent of the time.

 “It is true that some diseases can easily be detected during an eye exam. When the eye is being examined, there is an unobstructed view of the eyes’ blood vessels, which is where signs of some chronic conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure can be seen. Increased pressure in the eye, bleeding in the retina, and swelling of the optic nerve are some other signs that can be observed. Sometimes, there is actually no need for surgery for a trained eye to detect the signs of these diseases. On the other hand, some people may have certain problems with their eyes, for instance blurry eyes, and think it’s an eye problem, whereas it’s just a symptom of an underlying disease.

“Another example is yellow eyes which could indicate liver disease or a bulging eyes which could indicate hyperthyroidism,” Dr. Bayo Akinlade of the ExtraVision Eye clinic, Lagos State, said.

Regardless of your age or your physical health, it is necessary to have routine eye checks. Apart from obvious reasons such as decreased vision, headaches, eye pain, drainage or redness of the eye, double vision, experiencing flashes of light, floaters (tiny specks that appear to float before your eyes) or circles around light sources, certain people are at increased risk for eye problems and should be examined more frequently. These categories of people, according to Dr Akinlade, include people with a family history of eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataract or macular degeneration; those who suffer from diabetes and thyroid disease (as these diseases also affect the eyes and can lead to blindness); those with a tendency towards high intraocular pressure and anyone who has had an eye injury. He adds that certain medications can affect the eyes and once that is noticed, a visit should be made to the eye doctor.

For those who do not fall into the category of those who definitely should have frequent eye exams, the American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests that routine visits can be made based on this schedule:

•             Young adults should get their eyes checked once in their 20s and twice in their 30s.

•             Adults should get their eyes checked at age 40 with regular follow-ups, depending on their health.

•             Adults age 65 and older should see an eye doctor every one to two years.

•             Children need their vision checked at birth, six months, three years, and before entering school. 

If you’ve never had your eyes examined or it’s been a while since your last visit, it’s time to schedule a trip to the eye doctor. Eye health is very important and it is always better to see an eye doctor and not discover any problems rather than waiting until it is too late.

Know your eye doctors

Ophthalmologist

Ophthalmologists are medical doctors that specialise in medical and surgical care of the eyes. An ophthalmologist is qualified to deliver total eye care, meaning vision services, eye examinations, medical and surgical eye care, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and visual complications that are caused by other conditions, like diabetes. They can perform cataract removals, retinal reattachments and more. They can also carry out regular comprehensive vision check-up.

Optometrist

The optometrist is trained to diagnose and treat vision conditions such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism. These professionals, who are not medical doctors, can do comprehensive vision exams and prescribe contact lenses and glasses, eye exercises, low vision aids, vision therapy, and medications to treat eye diseases. Optometrists do not perform eye surgery and are not trained to care for and manage all diseases and disorders of the eyes.

Who is an optician?

Opticians are eye healthcare professionals who work with ophthalmologists and optometrists to provide vision services related to the diagnosis and treatment of vision problems and eye disease. They assist in providing complete patient care before, during, and after exams, procedures, and surgeries. Dispense of prescription eyeglasses and making adjustments or repairs to glasses are also some of the optician’s primary responsibilities.