Protect The 'windows to your soul'. How an eye exam can save your life!

We all go into an eye exam thinking that the purpose is to get an updated prescription to get new contacts or glasses. While this is true, there is so much more to an eye exam than that. It is more about the overall health of your eye, as well as the rest of your body. Eye doctors are often the first health care providers to detect signs of chronic systemic conditions. It is good to visit your eye doctor at least once a year. This way the earlier they catch potential problems, the better off you will be.

Let me give you a helpful break down of what the doctor looks for in an eye exam:

Refractive error: This refers to the nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, which can be corrected with glasses, contacts or refractive surgery.

Amblyopia: Also known as "lazy eye". In this situation, one eye fails to achieve normal visual acuity in childhood usually. If not promptly detected and treated, amblyopia can cause permanent vision loss in the affected eye.

Eye teaming: Even if your eyes appear properly aligned, it is possible they do not work as a team. If this is a case, it could cause headaches and eye strain. 

Focusing issues: These can range from incompletely developed focusing skills in children to normal age-related declines among older adults.

Eye diseases: Looking at your eye's blood vessels, retina and other interior structures, your eye doctor can detect early signs of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and more.