Eye Exams for Vision Health
February 2, 2023, 11:46 pm
How is your vision health? Only a comprehensive dilated eye exam with an eye care professional can reveal how healthy your eyes are.
Adults ages 40 and over are at higher risk for developing eye disease, such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and age-related macular degeneration. These diseases may not show any signs or symptoms until they have progressed, so it is important to visit your eye care professional for an exam before you notice signs of a problem to ensure your eyes are healthy. Detecting eye disease in its early stages has been shown to increase the chances of successful treatment and may save your sight.
You are more likely to develop eye disease if you have a family history of eye disease or have diabetes. People with diabetes should visit an eye care professional for a dilated eye exam every year to monitor their vision health. 90% of blindness caused by diabetes is preventable; keeping blood sugar in control can help to prevent the development of diabetic eye disease or vision loss.
If you notice any changes in your vision, including blurriness, spots, dark areas, sudden trouble seeing clearly or loss of vision, contact your doctor or eye care professional as soon as possible.
For more information about protecting your eye health, read the CDC’s Tips to Prevent Vision Loss.
If you need a provider, use CoxHealth’s Find a Physician search feature or call 417-269-INFO.
Sources:
Tips to prevent vision loss | CDC
Common Eye Disorders and Diseases | CDC