If you are experiencing changes in your vision, have difficulty seeing during the night, or have other problems that affect your eyes, you should think about receiving regular eye exams at Southside Medical Center in Atlanta, GA. During your examinations, we can provide you with prescriptions for glasses or contacts, address eye problems that you’ve developed, and provide other treatments that will improve your vision.
How Often Should You Get Eye Exams?
When you receive an eye exam, we can use specialized techniques to assess the condition of your eyes and update your prescription for glasses or contacts. The frequency of your eye exams will depend on your age, your health, and other variables. In general, the American Optometric Association suggests receiving one exam at least every 24 months when you are between the ages of 18 and 64.
As you get older, you will become more likely to develop cataracts and other problems that can negatively affect your vision. After you reach the age of 65, we may advise you to get one checkup every year. If you have a family history of eye problems or health issues that affect your vision, you might need to receive more frequent checkups. For example, you should get regular eye exams if you have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Do You Need To Receive Exams if You Have Good Vision?
You may believe that you are only required to get examinations if you use contacts or glasses to improve your vision. However, you can still have dry eyes and experience other health problems when you have good eyesight. In addition, you might begin to develop cataracts, glaucoma, and other eye conditions as you get older. Further, you might experience vision changes that require you to begin using glasses or wearing contacts.
As a result, you should receive regular eye exams during your lifetime. Receiving exams from a healthcare professional will increase your chance of diagnosing eye problems at an early stage. Receiving treatment for these conditions can prevent you from experiencing other eye issues in the future. In addition, you may be more likely to maintain clear vision that will allow you to live independently as you become older.
What Will Happen During Your Examination?
When you have your initial examination at our office in Atlanta, you should be prepared to tell us about any eye strain, vision changes, or other issues that are affecting your eyesight. For example, you should tell us if you feel eye strain when you are reading. If you use contacts or glasses to improve your eyesight, you should bring your prescription to our office. Learning about your prescription will help us analyze the current condition of your eyes.
During your appointment, we will use a variety of different methods to analyze your eyesight and screen for illnesses that could affect your vision. For example, we may use special instruments to look at your eyes. We may also instruct you to use a small device to shield one of your eyes while you read numbers or letters with your other eye.
What Are the Benefits of This Examination?
In addition to diagnosing illnesses, we can update your prescriptions and provide you with many other benefits during your examination.
Addressing Diabetes-Related Issues
Developing diabetes can impact the condition of your eyes and cause you to have blurry vision. In addition, you will have a higher risk of developing glaucoma or cataracts. During your appointment, we can screen for these illnesses and monitor the changes in your vision.
Improving Your Prescriptions
As you get older, your vision may begin to change. This development can cause you to have difficulty reading newspapers or books, and objects that are far away may begin to look blurry. As a result, you might struggle to perform daily tasks when you are wearing your current contacts or glasses. During your exam, we will use specialized techniques to assess the changes in your eyesight.
This assessment will allow us to provide you with an updated prescription. Further, we may be able to give you multi-focal contact lenses that can improve your near and distant vision. When you have clear vision, you will have an easier time working on your computer, doing household chores, and performing other important tasks.
Diagnosing Illnesses
We can diagnose many different eye conditions during your examination. For example, when you are in your sixties, the lens around your eyes may become cloudy and you may begin to experience vision problems. This condition is called cataracts. If you diagnose this problem at an early stage, you will be more likely to enjoy good vision during the later parts of your life.
In addition to developing cataracts, you might experience an eye problem called glaucoma as you become older. This health problem occurs when your optic nerve becomes damaged. We will measure the pressure in your eyes, analyze your field of vision, and perform other tests to screen for this condition during your appointment. If we diagnose this issue, we may advise you to use eye drops or other techniques to address this health problem.
Can You Receive Treatment for Infections and Other Eye Problems?
If you have an eye infection, dry eyes, or other health issues that affect your vision, you should schedule an examination at our office in Atlanta. We can use a variety of techniques to treat these problems.
Addressing Pink Eye
Pink eye develops when the membrane on the back of your eyelid becomes inflamed. Scientists call this health condition conjunctivitis. Bacteria and viruses can cause you to experience this health issue. If you do not treat this problem, you may suffer from permanent vision problems. After we diagnose this issue, we may advise you to use eye drops or other medications.
Improving Dry Eyes
If your eyes are constantly dry, you might have discomfort when you are reading, watching television, or trying to work on your computer. Sometimes, you will develop this problem because your tear ducts are not providing sufficient lubrication. We may provide you with prescriptions that can decrease the severity of your symptoms. In addition, we may advise you to correct this problem by making lifestyle changes.
Addressing Binocular Vision Issues
If you are suffering from headaches, dizziness, or sleeping issues, you may have a condition known as binocular vision dysfunction. This issue occurs when your lines of sight become misaligned. When your eyes try to fix this problem, they can cause you to experience discomfort and other negative symptoms. Fortunately, we can diagnose this health concern and design a treatment plan for you during an eye exam.
When Should You Use Contacts or Glasses To Improve Your Vision?
If you are struggling to recognize people who are far away from you, cannot enjoy the scenery when you spend time outside, or are unable to watch shows on your television, you might need to start using contacts or glasses to enhance your eyesight. To obtain a customized prescription, you should set up an examination at our office.
After we have used sophisticated technology and techniques to measure your visual acuity, we will create a customized prescription that will enhance your eyesight. If you are farsighted, you might wear glasses when you are reading or using your computer. If you have more significant vision issues, you might wear glasses or use contacts for a longer period of time each day.
Which Option Should You Use To Correct Your Eyesight?
Depending on your specific eye issues, we may advise you to use contacts, glasses, or a combination of techniques to improve your eyesight.
Wearing Glasses
If you are interested in using an inexpensive, easy technique to enhance your vision, you might be a good candidate for corrective glasses. When you purchase a new pair of glasses, you will probably be able to use this item to correct your eyesight issues for many years. As a result, you won’t have to spend large amounts of money purchasing new eyewear.
Further, you may enjoy purchasing fashionable glasses that have stylish frames and attractive lenses. If you frequently work on your computer, we may advise you to use specialized glasses that will help you shield your eyes from ultra-violet light.
Using Contacts
If you are a forgetful person who frequently loses small objects, you may prefer to use contacts to improve your eyesight. When you select this option, you won’t need to keep track of your contacts when you are running errands, attending social events, or spending time at work. You also won’t need to be concerned about breaking your contacts during sporting activities.
How Frequently Should You Replace Your Contact Lenses?
The amount of time that you spend wearing each pair of your contact lenses will depend on your specific prescription. In general, we may give you a prescription for contacts that you should wear for one day, 14 days, or 30 days. When you have worn your current pair of contact lenses for a sufficient amount of time, you should immediately begin wearing a new pair.
If you wear a pair of contacts for too long, debris may collect on your lenses, and you may experience an eye infection. You can lower your risk of developing eye problems by using a smartphone application or other alert system to help you remember to regularly replace your contact lenses.
Should Your Children Receive Regular Examinations?
In addition to scheduling regular examinations for yourself, you should set up appointments for your children. Your child may experience vision changes, develop crossed eyes, or experience other health issues that affect their eyesight. For example, your child may begin to have difficulty seeing the words that their teachers write on blackboards at school.
When we assess your child’s vision, we can give them prescriptions for glasses that will help them complete assignments at school, engage in sporting activities, and complete other daily tasks. In addition, we can begin treating crossed eyes and other medical issues at an early point in your child’s life. Receiving prompt treatment may prevent these health conditions from affecting your child’s vision for a long period of time.
Schedule an Examination
Receiving regular eye exams is an easy and comfortable way to update your prescriptions and screen for health conditions that could negatively impact your eyes. Having an updated prescription will improve your ability to successfully use your computer at work, drive a car, and perform other important tasks that require good vision. To schedule an eye examination, you should contact us at Southside Medical Center in Atlanta, GA.