After struggling with blurry vision for years, I finally realized that it was time to consult with a professional. Simply put, I was tired of dealing with the struggles of acting like I could see when I really couldn't. It was embarrassing, and I just wanted to be able to participate like normal. I was nervous for the eye appointment, but my doctor was incredible. He walked me through every aspect of the exam and calmed my fears about permanent eye damage. This blog is all about working with an optometrist to get the vision experience that you really deserve.
As you grow in age, your approach to your healthcare needs should also shift, even when it comes to eye care. As a result, by the time an individual reaches the age of 40, the eye exam process may begin to look different from the way it did in your earlier years. Learn about some of the areas your healthcare provider may begin to focus on more heavily.
More Frequent Exams
As a general rule, eye exams are recommended to be performed once a year. However, there are plenty of instances when a provider may inform their patient that they only need to have an eye exam performed every other year. Once you reach 40, do not be surprised if your provider gives you a hard once-a-year rule.
Vision changes can occur more rapidly as you age, and as a result, your vision correction needs can noticeably within a year. Waiting two years for an exam could mean that you end up with an expired prescription. More frequent visits ensure your prescription is up to date.
Age-Based Concern Targeting
It is important to keep in mind that a disease of the eye can surface at any age, but as you get older, your risk for these diseases increases. You should expect your provider to spend some extra time checking for any signs of these generally age-based concerns, such as macular degeneration or cataracts.
It is also worth noting that some concerns do not have any prominent symptoms in the early phases, so they can easily be overlooked. Your provider will use a series of tests to help identify a problem.
Effects of Underlying Disease
Again, the older you get, the more common it is for any preexisting health conditions to grow in severity, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Both these diseases can impact your vision and the health of your eyes by causing vision loss and retina damage.
Did you know that during an eye exam, the provider can typically see the effects of these diseases? If you have been diagnosed with any of these conditions, during your eye exam, the team will take extra steps to help identify any effects on your eyes.
If you have questions about what to expect at your eye exam, at any age, it is always best to speak with a member of your healthcare team. They will be more than happy to address all your questions to ensure you get the answers you need.
Share4 December 2020
