How a Routine Eye Exam Can Save Your Life

Routine eye exams are more than a way to get a new prescription for glasses or contact lenses. Regular eye exams can help detect serious health conditions that may go unnoticed. An eye exam can help save your life by detecting these health conditions early. Here are ways a routine eye exam can help protect your life.

Early Detection of Eye Diseases

Various eye conditions can cause vision loss if left untreated. Early detection and treatment can help prevent vision loss and preserve eye health. An eye doctor can use various tests to evaluate your eye health. 

These tests can include visual acuity tests, dilated eye exams, and tonometry, which measures the pressure inside your eye. By assessing your eye health, an eye doctor can detect signs of eye diseases in their early stages when they are most treatable.

Detection of Systemic Health Conditions

Your eyes can provide clues about your overall health. An eye doctor can detect signs of systemic health conditions with severe health consequences. These include high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure. By detecting these conditions early, an eye doctor can recommend you to a specialist for further testing and treatment.

Detection of Brain Tumors

Brain tumors may result in blurriness, double vision, or loss of peripheral vision, among other vision changes. Your eye doctor can refer you to a specialist for additional testing and care if they notice these changes in you.

Detection of Cancer

An eye exam can help detect certain cancers. These include ocular melanoma, a rare form of eye cancer. This condition can be asymptomatic in its early stages, making it difficult to detect without a comprehensive eye exam. 

Detection of Neurological Conditions

A neurological condition like multiple sclerosis, which can impair vision, is detectable through an eye exam. A specialist can conduct additional testing and treatment if an eye doctor notices changes in your vision.

Multiple sclerosis impacts the brain and spinal cord, two parts of the central nervous system. Besides causing vision issues, this condition can lead to many symptoms, like numbness, muscle weakness, and coordination issues.

Monitoring Chronic Conditions

If you have a chronic medical condition, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, regular eye exams are crucial. They let you monitor your eye health. Eye conditions like hypertensive or diabetic retinopathy may stem from these illnesses. 

An eye doctor can assess the condition of your eyes and look for these conditions during a routine eye exam. By doing so, they can help prevent complications and preserve your vision.

Protection of Overall Health

Regular eye exams are a vital part of protecting your overall health. By detecting eye diseases, systemic health conditions, and other health issues early, you can take steps to prevent complications and improve your health.

Conclusion 

A routine eye exam is much more than a vision check. It can detect severe health conditions and potentially save your life. It is essential to have regular eye exams as part of your overall health routine. Call your eye doctor today to schedule your next eye exam.

For more on eye exams, visit Eyecare Associates Optometric Group at our Azusa, California office. Call (626)919-4821 to schedule an appointment today.