What are annual eye exams so important?

Most eye doctors recommend an annual eye exam for their patients, and the eye doctors in Amarillo, Texas agree! Waiting until blurry vision or other problems become apparent can be too late. Your eyes are irreplaceable. Once your eyes have sustained certain types of damage, vision impairment and blindness are a real possibility. An annual eye exam can uncover eye problems, general health problems, and catch vision changes early. Contact an eye doctor in Amarillo, TX today and schedule your next eye exam to ensure your eye health is the best it can be.

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Make an appointment every year

Many people make it a habit to have an annual check-up with their primary care physician. They think nothing of scheduling a visit to the dentist once or twice a year for a dental check-up. These routine visits help detect minor problems early before they become major ones.The same thinking needs to go into setting an appointment for your eye exam. Your Amarillo eye doctor can detect a number of eye problems with a routine eye exam. A routine eye exam can detect such eye health issues as:

Changes in your vision

These changes include nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Only through annual eye exams can the type and degree of vision changes be accurately detected and corrected with eye glasses or contact lenses..

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Glaucoma

This eye health issue is a medical condition that causes nerves in the eye to die, and is often due to high eye pressure. These changes can damage the optic nerve and lead to vision loss and blindness. As part of a comprehensive eye exam, your Amarillo eye doctor will check your eye pressure and evaluate you for glaucoma. If needed, they can also treat your glaucoma.
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Cataracts

Cataracts develop due to a clouding of the lens. They can start small and gradually cause vision loss if left untreated. Frequently the change is slow and you might be equally slow in realizing you have a problem. This condition is not uncommon as we grow older so it becomes even more important that you schedule periodic eye exams to ensure your eye health. Most Amarillo eye doctors include a check for this condition as part of your annual eye exam.

Diabetic Retinopathy

People with diabetes can develop blood vessel damage in many areas of the body, including the eye. It is the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. Your Amarillo eye doctor will want to keep a close eye on all of their patients that are at risk for this eye health condition. If you have diabetes or if you are one of the many people that are at risk for developing this medical condition, it is absolutely necessary that you make an annual eye exam part of your health regimen.

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Macular Degeneration

The macula is the part of the retina that allows people to see fine details. When the macula begins to degenerate, people have trouble with common tasks like driving and reading. The onset of this disease can be slow and it will often get worse. Scheduling an annual eye exam will enable your Amarillo eye doctor to detect any changes in your overall eye health and ensure appropriate treatment is timely.

Whole Body Health

A routine eye exam can also detect health problems in the rest of the body. Some conditions found through eye exams include:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High-blood pressure
  • High cholesterol

All of these medical conditions, if left untreated, can become a major problem that can impair vision, lead to blindness, or even become life-threatening. Catching these issues early means being able to treat them and prevent major eye health issues from developing.

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Detect vision changes early

Vision changes usually happen so gradually that most people won’t notice the differences for a while. Then they realize they are having problems focusing either up close or at a distance, possibly both. When you are struggling to focus, you will have difficulties at work, at school, and when doing leisure activities. Catching vision changes early can prevent these problems from becoming more than minor irritations.

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