For many people, the eyes are so taken for granted that they do not think about having regular eye examinations. However, eye health is very important. After all, a comprehensive examination can not only correct vision, but also preserve vision or even prolong a person’s life. During an examination, the ophthalmologist checks whether the eyes are still healthy and whether the person can still see well. With good vision, a person can live and work better and safer, which significantly increases the quality of life.
- It is important to have regular eye examinations
- Once every two years
- Contents of the eye examination by the ophthalmologist
- For all ages
- Research
It is important to have regular eye examinations
During an eye examination, the specialist examines the need for a correction and the good cooperation of the eyes. In addition, a check-up of the general health of the eyes is performed. Some (eye) conditions such as diabetes mellitus, glaucoma or high blood pressure (the medical term is “hypertension”) can be detected at a very early stage. This early detection is important. The chance that treatment will be successful is greater if the problem is discovered earlier.
Once every two years
It is best to have an eye check at least once every two years by an eye care specialist such as an ophthalmologist, an optician or a contact lens specialist. Even if a person has perfect 20/20 vision, it is recommended that they have regular eye exams. A specialist will advise on the best time interval for the next check-up; For some people, eye examinations may be performed more often. If someone suffers from blurred vision or headaches, the eye care specialist will examine during an eye examination whether this can be remedied with simple exercises or whether vision correction is still necessary.
Contents of the eye examination by the ophthalmologist
First, the eye care specialist asks a number of questions about health, family history, any eye problems and about the person’s lifestyle and work. An extensive eye examination is then carried out, which includes checking:
- the eye movement
- the eye pressure
- the situation of the optic nerve
- the retina (the medical term for this is “retina”)
- the peripheral vision
- color vision
For all ages
Children
Good eye health is of course important for people of all ages. Children and young people use their eyes for the learning process and any vision problems often affect school performance and other activities. For example, as many as 25% of all children between five and twelve years old have an eye problem that has not been diagnosed. Children often do not know that they have poor vision, which makes problems much more difficult to detect. That is why an eye check on a child from the age of four is appropriate. An earlier eye examination is recommended for familial eye problems. This can be the key to good vision.
Elderly
Good vision is also important for the elderly. This can be of paramount importance to continue living independently and the risk of accidents also decreases with good eye health. In addition, older people are more likely to have poor vision due to, for example, macular degeneration, diabetes and other eye disorders. An ophthalmologist can detect and treat this in a timely manner.
Other conditions
An eye exam obviously tells more about the health of the eye, but the eye care specialist can also get an idea about the general health status. In this way, the eyes reveal more about the condition of the arteries and veins. Metabolic abnormalities often often affect blood vessels. An eye exam sometimes even diagnoses an autoimmune disease such as arthritis (joint inflammation) or systemic lupus erythematosus. All this is possible when the disease is still in its early stages. In addition, an ophthalmologist is able to recognize early symptoms of diseases that affect vision, even if there are no vision problems at the time. So eye exams are very important, and not just for the eyes themselves.
Sometimes the eye care specialist detects an (eye) condition based on certain other symptoms:
Headache
Headaches around the eyes and forehead may indicate certain eye and other diseases. Through the eye examination it is possible to detect these conditions, among others:
- an undetected eye tumor such as retinoblastoma
- a nasal cavity infection
- functional disturbances of the eye muscles that cause strabismus (when your eyes are crossed)
- glaucoma (increased eye pressure)
Hypertension (high blood pressure
Hypertension can also be detected with an eye exam. For example, the eye care specialist will see irregular or thickened blood vessels, which is an early sign of hypertension. The influence of high blood pressure on various eye disorders is potentially significant.
Diabetes
Some symptoms of diabetes include changing vision and deposits and small round spots on the retina. The ophthalmologist will also recognize these symptoms during an eye check.
Heart attack
Even the risk of heart attack can be seen by checking the retina. For example, the specialist sees typical narrow retinal veins with a special shape. With this information, correct treatment can be provided quickly so that the risk is reduced.
High cholesterol
In addition, the eye care specialist can detect early signs of high cholesterol during an eye exam. With this information, a person can adjust their lifestyle to avoid the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease or even a heart attack.
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (chronic neurological autoimmune disorder) sometimes presents with visual field loss, double vision (diplopia) and uncoordinated or uncontrolled eye movements (nystagmus). These warning signs can be detected with an eye exam. Of course, such an eye examination can never replace a thorough examination by the GP or a specialist. However, rapid referral may be important for possible treatment.
Research
Science does not stand still: Research is ongoing to detect intestinal disorders and dementia-related disorders via the eye. In addition, research is being conducted into how the eye can remain healthy for as long as possible, which may also be important for the rest of the body.
Even with perfect vision, it is important to have regular eye exams.
read more
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- App HEyeWay: Photos of the eye with the iPhone
- Orthoptist: Detecting and improving eye problems through training
- Suddenly blind or visually impaired. And what now?
