Making Regular Visits To The Eye Doctor

Why It's A Good Idea To See Your Eye Doctor Yearly

If you don't need glasses or your vision has remained steady for years, it might seem like it's okay to put off seeing your eye doctor. The reality is, visiting your eye doctor as often as they recommend - typically yearly - is due to a variety of reasons that can help to protect your vision and the health of your eyes. Read on to learn why it's imperative that you don't skip your regular check-ups with your eye doctor.

Eye Pressure

Whether you've known what they were doing or not, chances are your eye doctor has checked your eye pressure in the past. This procedure is typically performed by numbing the eye and then tapping it with a device that reads the pressure of the eye. While sometimes uncomfortable, this process is extremely imperative to protecting the health of your eye.

The pressure in your eyes requires a careful balance. Too much pressure can cause distortion in vision and eye damage. Too little pressure can also cause vision deficits and have negative effects on the circulation in the eyes. Although it may seem like a simple task, this one little test can help to protect you from losing your vision and catch diseases like glaucoma early on.

Catching Disorders Early On

Visiting an eye doctor isn't just about getting glasses if your vision has worsened. It can help to catch diseases - beyond glaucoma - before they progress. These vision impairments include macular degeneration, photokeratitis, and damage to the retina, which can be caused by blue light and other sources.

Whether the damage to your eyes is coming from an external source or is due to a disease, catching the problem early is the key to treatment. Without an early diagnosis, the damage that's done may be irreparable.

Monitoring Eye Conditions Linked to Health Problems

Lastly, your eye doctor can play a role in monitoring your health if you have a health problem like diabetes or high blood pressure. These conditions can wreak havoc on the eyes, and it's important to monitor your eyes to make sure that you're not developing complications. In these instances, your eye doctor may want you to visit even more than once per year. It's best to go along with whatever recommendations they offer in order to maintain and protect your vision.

Visiting an eye clinic, such as Northwest Ophthalmology, is typically an easy and pain-free experience. It's worth it to make a little time in your schedule as often as they suggest in order to preserve and protect your vision.