Your eyes are more than simply windows to your soul. They also allow you the luxury of seeing the faces of loved ones, the privilege of driving and even the enjoyment of reading into the late hours of the evening. Without your eyes, your life would be a very different set of circumstances where darkness would rule your every waking moment. It then goes without saying that the vision you have been given is a precious commodity that you should protect at every opportunity because once you lose your vision, life as you know it will change dramatically. Fortunately, even in situations where you face the potential for significant vision loss, seeing an eye care specialist can often provide you with options that will help to mitigate or even eliminate the damage occurring to your eyes. The following situations warrant you seeing an eye care specialist at your earliest convenience.
Patients that Need Frequent Visits
Patients who already exhibit vision abnormalities or are showing signs of potential vision problems, caused by conditions like diabetes mellitus and hypertension, will require more frequent visits to an eye care specialist. This is to monitor these situations and take any action necessary to prevent significant vision loss.
When Children Are School Aged
It is generally a good idea to have a school-aged child routinely checked out by an eye care specialist. These are the years when issues with myopic refractive error begin to work towards stabilization. If stabilization is not achieved in your teen years, then you will likely exhibit some degree of myopia in your 20s.
Age 40 and Beyond
When you turn 40, this is when you start to become at risk for more significant eye disorders and diseases affecting your vision. So, it is recommended to be checked out by an eye care specialist once every three years until you reach age 54. At age 54, you should schedule a regular exam once every two years to ensure that the health of your vision remains intact. It would be tragic to lose your vision to a condition like glaucoma or a detached retina, simply because you refused to go in for a checkup with an eye care specialist. It is easier to preserve vision in these situations when the condition is found out in its early stages, not after significant damage has already had the time to present itself and rob you of varying degrees of vision. Also, it is important to remember that you are more likely to experience a cataract in your older years, so this is one cause of vision loss you will want your eye care specialist to monitor closely if one develops.
Contact us today at Southside Medical Center to schedule your consultation and eye exam with one of our eye care specialists.