If you somehow have never had a full eye exam, you may have already heard that you need to go because the exam will contain special tests that check for signs of macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other problems that aren't always obvious in their early stages. But there are more conditions that the eye exam can spot, and some but not all of these are eye-related. Here are three such conditions.
Eye Fatigue
As your optometrist checks for your ability to see at different distances and to see what your depth perception is like, he or she can also spot eye fatigue or eyestrain. If you work on a computer a lot and are always staring into a screen, for example, that can make your eyes tired to the point where even looking at non-screen items is a chore. The optometrist can help you identify what is causing the eyestrain and talk to you about coping and prevention mechanisms. You may receive a prescription for glasses meant specifically for the situation that is causing the eyestrain, like glasses for computer work.
Diabetes and Other Chronic Conditions
Diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, thyroid conditions, and more can be spotted in the eye. These conditions can affect the retina, leave fatty deposits, and have other side effects that mark you as having the condition even if you aren't experiencing obvious symptoms. Catching these conditions early is highly beneficial, and getting that eye exam can help you reverse or deal with the conditions when they're in more mild stages. If the optometrist spots these conditions during the eye test, don't ignore them. Contact your medical doctor to further investigate and work out a treatment plan.
Aneurysms
A simple eye exam can also reveal inflammation or bleeding in the eye that's a marker of an aneurysm. This is a medical emergency; if your optometrist spots signs of this, you need to see a neurologist as soon as you can. Aneurysms can be successfully treated if caught early, but if you ignore them, they can be debilitating if not fatal.
If you have more questions about the test or are ready to schedule yours, contact an optometrist's office, like Premier Eye Care & Surgery. Write all your questions down (and leave room to write long answers) so that you don't forget any. Many of the tests that used to cause discomfort or require pupil-dilating eyedrops have been switched out with much easier tests now, so you should not have to take much time out of your day for this.
Share12 April 2016
I knew that my hearing wasn’t as good as it had once been, but I was still upset when my doctor told me that I had a significant hearing loss in both ears, and that I was going to need hearing aids if I wanted to participate more fully in my day to day life. But then I started researching hearing aids. I was thrilled to find out that there were small, barely visible aids that could help me hear without marking me as hearing impaired on first glance. Even better, the hearing aids were much more advanced than I’d thought. The ones that I chose can actually help cancel out environmental noise, like the clatter of a loud restaurant, so that I can focus on conversation with the waitress or the person across the table. My hearing aids have really improved my life.
