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Most people don't take regular eye check-ups very seriously. But that is because most people don't know that they can cause serious damage to their eyes by not getting them examined regularly. It often happens that patients come in with the damage already done. If they had gone for regular checkups, they could've stopped the damage from happening. So, people should know when to start getting check-ups and how often they should get them done. This has been standardized by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
It is recommended that adults over 40 should receive check-ups once every 2 years. Those over 50 should do it once a year. If you doubt whether this is necessary or not, you should know that certain diseases can cause a lot of damage within this time period. And for serious conditions like Glaucoma, the frequency of examination needs to be as high as every 3 months!
How Examinations are Done
During a test, the ‘Snellen's eye chart' (containing alphabets going big to small) is displayed at a distance of 20 feet. The patient is asked to identify the letters. If someone doesn't know how to read, symbols are used – which they have to match to cards give to them. For children, the ‘HOTV' test is used. The letters are displayed on the wall and they are given cards which they have to match to the letters.
Newer technology is also used to detect eye problems, such as the digital retinal eye scanner. It gives an accurate, computerized picture of the blood vessels in the eye and it is quick and comfortable for the patient. It gives out essential information needed to detect various diseases like diabetes and glaucoma.
How to Prepare for Examinations
To make sure you have a proper examination, make sure you prepare correctly in advance. You need to have certain things with you when you go to the clinic.
Make a full list of all the problems that you face. Take your glasses, contact lenses and any previous prescriptions with you. Tell the doctor about any previous illness that is somehow related to the eye. If you think something else is also relevant to the problem, always tell the doctor without hesitating. Also, maintain a record of all past surgeries in case the doctor wants to see them. Don't forget to mention problems that your family has a history of.
By telling your doctor everything and giving him all the necessary information, you make sure that you get a proper check-up and a correct prescription. It is usually a good idea to carry your health insurance card with you. You should know that eye care professionals often work in close relations with other health care professionals. This is because many problems of the eye arise from other health issues and also because eye tests can help detect other diseases which need separate treatment.
So by getting regular eye checkups you are doing yourself a huge favor. It will help you catch many problems and diseases before they cause serious damage. So visit an eye care professional today!
Eyes mirror the human heart! It is one of the most sensitive sense organ which is prone to risk. Our eyesight can deteriorate either as a result of disease or injury or it comes naturally with the process of ageing. It might be advised that you systematically visit the ophthalmologist and get a complete eye check-up done. The time period between two consecutive eye examinations should not be more than three years. If eye disorders are not detected at the right time, it can prove to be fatal and result in permanent impairment or absolute blindness.
Experts are of the opinion that most of the eye diseases can be cured and those which are not entirely curable, if identified ahead of time can be kept under control. But any layman might not be able to feel that he is suffering from an eye disorder. This is because all visionary dysfunctions may not necessarily have predominant symptoms. Thus, it is important to get yourself examined by an ophthalmologist at regular intervals.
Basic check-ups generally include tests for colorblindness, visual accuracy and peripheral vision. There are certain other diseases like blood sugar and blood pressure which lead to vision problems. Often it has been seen that patients have gone for eye check-ups and have been diagnosed with other ailment.
Whenever we think of eye examinations, the first thing that occurs to us is we would be asked to read from a chart where alphabets are written. But besides being the most popular, it is also a very basic exercise to detect abnormalities of vision. The size of the alphabets keep getting smaller with every line and one who faces a problem to see things at a distance will not be able to read the smaller alphabets.
While those not being able to read the bigger alphabets have a problem with their near vision. Among the myriad reasons why one must go for eye check-ups, a few are listed below:
• It is essential to go through eye-tests at regular intervals so that any visionary ailment if present can be identified easily. If vision problems remain undiagnosed, it might lead to blindness.
• You must take your kids to the ophthalmologist quite often. Children often develop eye problems which can hinder their education in future. But if detected at an early stage, it can be cured or at least kept in regulation.
• Juvenile diabetes is very commonly found in children these days. It affects the eyesight greatly. Such children must be kept under strict medication. Also, in toddlers aged between 1-5, the most common visionary disorders are crossed or squinted eyes, lazy eyes or turned-out eyes.
• Those who are required to strain their eyes for 10-12 hours a day must also go for regular check-ups. Professionals like drivers and software analysts who don't get even a minute to rest their eyes must take due care of them.
• People who wear spectacles or contact lenses must pay the ophthalmologist a regular visit. Tests would ensure whether an adjustment of vision grades is necessary or not and if they need to change their lenses.
Eye problems can happen to any one. So you must take proper care of your eyes and regularly visit an eye-specialist. Also, people with family history of eye diseases and genetic ailments like diabetes must indulge in regular vision monitoring.