Unfortunately, many older adults typically underestimate how critical a yearly, routine eye exam is for their health. After all, if their glasses are working fine, they may believe that they can avoid the expense of what they believe is an unnecessary visit to the eye doctor. However, something that you must keep in mind is that a routine eye exam isn’t important not just for vision but also for early detection of diabetic eye diseases and MS (Multiple Sclerosis).
Following is a quick summary of a few ocular and systemic conditions that can be found during a yearly, routine eye exam.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a progressive and degenerative optic nerve disease. This can lead to a loss in peripheral vision as well as eventual total vision loss. Because glaucoma typically has no early pain or other symptoms to let you know something is going on, a routine eye exam is critical to identify this condition.
Cataracts
This is another very common eye condition seen in older patients. As we age, the lens of the eye becomes less flexible and cloudy, which results in blurry/foggy vision as well as sensitivity to light. If a routine eye exam uncovers visually significant cataracts, the condition can be treated with an outpatient surgery.
Diabetic Retinopathy
This is another condition of the eye that typically has no warning signs early on. However, unfortunately, it is the most common cause of adult blindness in North America. Diabetic retinopathy is the result of retinal blood vessel changes.
The blood vessels end up swelling and therefore leaking fluid. By having routine eye exams, including dilation of the eye, your optometrist in Toronto can identify this condition early on.
Understanding what typically happens during an eye exam, from basic vision checks to specialized imaging, can give patients more confidence about booking regular visits. If you’ve never had one before, here’s a breakdown of what to expect at your first eye doctor visit.
Hypertensive retinopathy
Hypertension can cause damage to many body parts, including the heart, kidneys, and the blood vessels in the retina. This results in narrowing of the retinal blood vessels, which leads to bleeding in the back of the eye and ultimately swelling of the optic nerve in advanced stages. Routine eye exams can help identify this condition early on.
For older adults who may not notice symptoms right away, simply searching for an eye exam near me can be the first step to ensuring that these silent conditions are detected before they cause lasting vision damage.
If you have a particular concern and would like to see one of our doctors for an examination or a consultation, please contact our 360 Eyecare clinic to book an appointment with one of our optometrists today.
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