You take the time to worry about your heart and your lungs, so why wouldn't you think about your eye health? If you are like most people, it might be because you don't know that much about how to take care of your eyes. Fortunately, I have been working with other people to teach them about eye health for the past twenty years. My father lost his eyesight because of a few bad decisions, and I don't want to see other people go down that path. Read here to learn why you should exercise, eat right, and see your eye doctor regularly.
Improving Your Eye Health
4 Telltale Signs It's Time For An Eye Examination
James Castro
According to the Vision Impact Institute, 60% of the people in the world require vision correction. That's a huge number. Fortunately, 80% of all vision impairments can be corrected or avoided with early detection. Thus, it's important to schedule regular eye examinations to detect any eye problems early and keep your vision strong. Here are four signs it's time for an eye exam.
You're Having Screen-Time Strain
Mobile phones, television, and computer screens can lead to serious eye strain, which eventually develops into computer vision syndrome (CVS). Some common symptoms of CVS include frequent headaches, dry eyes, itchy or burning eyes, eye fatigue, and blurred vision.
Don't hesitate to visit an optometrist for an eye exam if you experience eye strains every time you're on the screen or suspect you have CVS. Meanwhile, try the 20-20-20 rule. After spending 20 minutes on the screen, look away at an object 20 feet away for about 20 seconds. Also, consider reducing the glare and lighting on your gadgets and positioning the screen accordingly.
You Can't See Clearly at Night
If it's getting more difficult to see road signs clearly at night, it could be a sign your farsightedness manifests itself in the dark. Sometimes, you may feel overly irritated by oncoming lights, making it difficult to drive at night. In most cases, anti-glare coatings can solve this issue.
If the discomfort persists even after having specially treated glasses, you may have cataracts. Your optometrist may suggest cataract surgery to implant intraocular lenses inside your eyes; thus, replacing the faulty lenses. After the surgery, chances are you'll no longer need the glasses.
You're Squinting More Than Normal
There is cause for alarm if you're constantly squinting to see well. While doing that may temporarily help you see, it will only cause eye strain and fatigue in the end. Besides, if your squinting is caused by eye discomfort, it could be a sign of corneal abrasion.
Schedule an eye exam with your doctor to learn the cause of your squinting. The severity of your condition will determine the best treatment method. Minor corneal abrasions may be treated using lubricating drops to keep the eye moist and comfortable, while major abrasions may require a bandage contact lens.
You Can't Recall When Your Last Eye Examination Was
Eye exams are just as important as physical and dental examinations. Most eye diseases don't have any symptoms at first and may worsen over time without getting noticed. Regular screening helps to detect a problem early and treat it.
Eye doctors recommend getting an eye examination at least once a year. If you're over 60 or have a history of eye diseases, you may need more frequent checkups. Overall, if you can't remember your last checkup, it's likely the time is due.
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