Eye exams are an important part of our yearly health maintenance. Not only do ours eyes help us see the world around us, but through eyes we can often see other problems pertaining to our health. Regular eye exams can improve your chances of detecting other health concerns early, including conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
Here are a few ways to improve your eye health:
- Avoid persistent rubbing of your eyes. Rubbing your eyes can damage the outer lens of the eye (cornea), which can greatly decrease your vision.
- Avoid straining the eyes. Straining the eyes can lead to tension headaches and temporary blurred vision.
- Wear UV protection sunglasses while outdoors or while in the car. UV rays can damage the eyes over time, causing early development of cataracts and possibly macular degeneration.
- Use protective eye where while doing yard work or construction. If you have a job that involves working with drywall, sawdust, or other airborne particles use eye protective at work too.
Some eye conditions can come on suddenly, such as acute glaucoma, retina detachment or floaters. Other conditions occur slowly, Cataracts or Keratoconus. Yearly eye exams can often result in identifying early signs.
Any changes to your vision should be reported to your eye care professional immediately. There are many signs of serious vision problems that can be detected early. Ensuring that you pay attention to blurred vision, dry eyes, or constant eye strain will help you preserve your vision. We only get one pair of eyes, so it is important you take care of them.
