Regular Eye examinations are just as important as any other type of medical check-up such as visiting your GP or Dentist. Too often people dismiss the importance of an eye check-up if they believe they have no eyesight issues. Eye examinations do more than just check your eyesight. Our optometrists will monitor and look for signs of broader health issues. Early detection of these issues could even save your eyesight or even potentially your life!
Here’s how routine eye examinations can help you keep on top of your overall eye health.
Early detection of eye conditions: Regular eye exams are essential in detecting various eye conditions and diseases in their early stages when they are most treatable. Conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration often manifest without noticeable symptoms in the initial stages. By undergoing routine eye examinations, you can catch any potential conditions early, preventing irreversible damage to your vision.
Prescription updates: If you wear corrective lenses, whether glasses or contact lenses, regular eye exams are essential for ensuring your prescription is up to date. Vision can change over time due to various factors such as age, lifestyle, pregnancy or underlying health conditions. It’s important to prevent further vision deterioration by having an outdated prescription.
Monitoring eye health: Just as it’s important to monitor our overall health through regular check-ups, it’s important to monitor the health of your eyes. Eye exams provide an opportunity for optometrists and ophthalmologists to assess the overall health of your eyes, including checking for signs of infection, inflammation or other abnormalities.
Detection of systemic diseases: Eyes can provide valuable insights into overall health beyond just vision-related issues. During an eye exam, optometrists may identify signs of systemic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and even certain types of eye cancer.
Regular eye appointments can prevent much larger problems later down the track. If these health issues are not detected early, they can quickly progress to a point where treatment options become more limited.
We suggest that adults have an eye test at least once every two years. For those over 50, an eye test should be booked at least once every year. When it comes to young children, we recommend testing them at ages 1, 3 and 5 years of age. However, if there is a family history of myopia (shortsightedness) then more regular checks are recommended. At the very least, children should be tested before they start school. This ensures that any disadvantageous vision problems are detected before your child enters the classroom.
Book your eye examination today with one of our highly experienced optometrists. Our Shire Optometrist practices are conveniently located in Cronulla, Gymea, Jannali and Illawong. To make an appointment, book online at shireoptometrists.com.au/bookings or call our team today.
