Like all of your sense, your vision is important. You need to look after your eyes and one of the most important aspects of that is by scheduling regular eye exams. Eye examinations can help your optometrist to determine if you have an eye infection, disease or vision problems. Optometrists can often see things developing before they actually do. That allows you to be prepared for the future and keep an eye out for things. Keep reading to learn more about how to care for your eyes, eye examinations, and common vision correction products including contact lenses and glasses.
Eye Health
Taking care of your eyes can help you to see well and prevent certain conditions from developing. There are many things that you can do to help protect your eyes and keep them healthy. A few of the most beneficial things that you can do for your eyes to keep them healthy include:
- Get regular eye exams
- You should have your eyes examined every one to two years to check for changes and conditions. You should also have a comprehensive dilated eye exam to look for damages and issues in the interior of the eyes including glaucoma and macular degeneration.
- Eat healthy
- You should eat a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids to help keep your eyes healthy.
- Wear protective eyewear
- It is very important to keep your eyes protected from various hazards. You should wear safety glasses and shields during certain activities and wear sports goggles for certain sports.
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Being overweight can increase your likelihood of developing certain conditions including diabetes that can contribute to vision loss or eye disease. A healthy weight can allow you to decrease the risk of developing these conditions.
- Rest your eyes
- It is important to give your eyes a break when you are working on the computer or other things that require a lot of focus. To reduce eyestrain, you should utilize the 20-20-20 rule. Using this rule, every 20 minutes that you are focusing on something, you will look 20 feet away from you for at least 20 seconds.
- Practice proper hygiene
- You should wash your hands frequently, especially before and after washing your hands. You should also use the right lenses solution if you are cleaning your contacts.
- Wear sunglasses
- Protecting your eye wearing sunglasses from the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. Make sure that you choose sunglasses that protect you from at least 99% of these rays.
Eye Exams
An eye exam is performed by a licensed eye doctor. The eye doctor may be an optometrist or ophthalmologist. An eye exam evaluates your vision and the overall health of your eyes. Your eye doctor can detect serious eye issues including glaucoma, cataracts, detached retina, macular degeneration and more. Eye examinations may also give warning signs of health issues and diseases including high blood pressure and diabetes.
A thorough eye examination will include the optometrist asking about your personal health and any eye issues you may have. They will also evaluate your vision using an eye chart. This can evaluate your vision for near and far distance using an eye chart. The eye doctor will also test your eyes for presbyopia, nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and other eye conditions. Your eyes will be tested to make sure that they work together seamlessly. An eye pressure test will also be administered which looks for eye conditions including glaucoma. The eye doctor will also do testing of the anterior portion of the eye. The eye doctor will also administer eye drops that make your pupils dilate. This allows for the optometrist to get a better look at the inside of your eyes and look for conditions including cataracts and macular degeneration. If you are looking to wear corrective lenses or have laser surgery done, further testing needs to be done.
Eye examinations are available at independent eye doctor’s offices, group eye care clinics, optical retailers and some large retailers including Walmart, Costco, and Target. The cost of an eye exam varies greatly depending on who is performing the exam and what testing is included. You should make sure that you know what testing is included upfront so that you can determine if the examination includes everything that you need.
If you have health insurance, you should look if your benefits cover any of the cost of the exam. You should also ensure that the eye doctor that you go to participates accepts your insurance plan.
You should have your eyes examined every one to two years to ensure that your eyes are healthy or that you have the correct vision prescription. It is important to ensure that children also get their eyes tested regularly to make sure that their eyes are functioning properly and to detect any vision problems. Seniors should also get regular eye examinations to ensure that their eyes are functioning the way that they should and are wearing the right prescription if they wear corrective lenses.
Contact Lenses
Contact lenses are a popular way to gain great vision without having to wear glasses. Contacts are thin lenses that you put directly on the surface of your eye. Corrective contacts may be monovision or multifocal and are available for those who have myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. It is important that you have an eye examination for contacts to ensure that you are a candidate. Contact lenses are available in daily wears, disposables, extended wear and more. Contact lenses should be worn only as directed to prevent infections or damage to the eyes. Contact lenses can be bought in retail stores, at your eye doctor’s office and online. Contact lenses should be cared for properly including using clean hands only when changing lenses and using the appropriate contact solution for cleaning and when not in use.
Glasses
Corrective glasses can help you to see more clearly by bending the light that enters the eye to alleviate certain conditions. Corrective glasses are available with many different lenses including single vision, bifocal, trifocal and progressive. Glasses may be worn for people who have a variety of eye conditions including myopia, hypermetropia or astigmatism. Corrective glasses can allow you to see clearly and reduce vision-related headaches and issues. It is important that you have an eye examination to get an up-to-date prescription for corrective lenses to ensure that you will get the best outcome possible. You may also want to invest in corrective sunglasses so that you will be able to enjoy clear vision even outdoors or bright conditions.
Corrective glasses are available in many different styles, depending on your personal preference. You can choose from a wide range of materials, colors, shapes, brands, and prices. Corrective glasses can be purchased in retail stores, at your optometrist’s office and online.
Taking care of your eyes can allow you to see more clearly and proactively address any issues.