Importance of periodic eye exams

Regardless of your age or physical well-being, an annual eye exam will help identify any problems at an early stage and take treatment for the same. Periodic eye exams check for common ailments, assess how well your eyes are working, and measure as an indicator of your overall health.

For children, vision and eye health is a fundamental part of the learning and development stage. Vision problems underscore developmental delays or learning problems. If any of these factors, such as premature birth, personal or family history of eye disease, serious injury, etc., increase your child’s risk. A regular examination and appropriate evaluation is required for all infants and children under 5 years of age.

Just like our body, our eye also weakens as we age. The eye disease occurs mainly in humans at the age of 40 years. From ages 40 to 65, an eye exam is required every two to four years. Presbyopia, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration are common age-related eye diseases that lead to vision loss and dependency.

In the periodic eye examination, doctors will not only test for nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, but also detect diseases such as Amblyopia- What happens when the eyes are misaligned? squint- turned eye defect, other diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and other diseases that develop due to high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

A regular comprehensive eye exam is one of the best ways to protect your vision because it can detect problems at their earliest stage. People who spend long hours in front of computer monitors, welders, those who work on micrometers, etc. required a regular examination to determine the need for prescription lenses for eyeglasses. The doctors will also provide tips and advice on proper care and glasses for certain specific jobs.

Here are some basic eye exam procedures:

1. Medical history – Initially, the doctor or optometrist will review your past and current medical history, and medical history within the family to determine your eye health status.

2. Visual acuity test- As a baseline, the optometrist tests the clarity of your vision using an eye chart to determine your current visual sharpness.

3. Ocular Motility Test- It is tested to see how well your eyes and visual system work in terms of movement, reflexes, and tracking.

4. detect refractive error – As part of this step, a phoropter or similar device is used to determine the refractive error rate and determine the standards and measurements of the glasses, if necessary.

5. Biomicroscopy- A slit lamp is used to shine a high-intensity light into the eye to facilitate examination of the anterior segment of the human eye, including the conjunctiva, iris, natural lens, and cornea.

6. ophthalmoscopy- It is a test that allows your optometrist to see inside the fundus of the eye and other structures (including the retina, optic disc, macula, and fovea). This helps detect symptoms of conditions such as retinal detachment or glaucoma.

Regardless of your age or physical health, annual eye exams are important for clearer vision. In addition to the routine checkup, it is also important to take care of your eyes by exercising regularly, eating a nutritious diet, and following a healthy lifestyle.