5 Tips For Recognizing You Need To See Your Ophthalmologist
Do you remember the last time you saw your ophthalmologist? Are you aware of the last time you had your eyes examined?
Getting your eyes examined regularly is important for your eye health. Seeing your ophthalmologist is important because they can get you an updated prescription for glasses or contacts.
They can also check and see how healthy your eyes are. Even if you can see clearly and do not think you need to see your eye doctor, you still should.
Having healthy eyes ensures that you have a good quality of life. Keeping your eyes healthy reduces your chances of developing headaches.
It also makes you more able to concentrate while working or in school. Not sure you know when to see your ophthalmologist? Keep reading for 5 tips to recognize when you do!
1. Your Age
As time passes, aging is inevitable. Your vision will change and that means you become more likely to develop eye conditions. Age can impact the decision to dilate your eyes during an eye exam.
Once you hit 40, you’re more likely to develop eye diseases. A great example of this is cataracts.
The older you get, the higher your risk of developing them becomes. Adults under 64 years old should get eye exams every two years unless they have refractive errors.
If you’re 65 years of age or older, you should see your eye doctor for an annual eye exam. This is the time to look for cataracts and other conditions.
2. Blurry Vision or Sudden Vision Changes
Have reading or watching TV become difficult because your vision is blurry? This is a good sign that it’s time to see your ophthalmologist.
You can develop nearsightedness or farsightedness, which can cause you to develop blurry vision. The only way to correct your vision is to go to your ophthalmologist.
If you suddenly develop blurry vision, see halos around lights, experience headaches, double vision, or any other vision change, see your ophthalmologist. Sudden vision changes can be a sign of something being wrong with your vision.
3. Colors are Hard to Identify
Were you able to see colors with ease before and now find them hard to identify? This could be a reason to see your eye doctor.
For some, it means that you are going colorblind. This typically happens to men. But if colors look faded, then it could mean that you are developing cataracts.
No matter what, seeing colors differently or not at all means that you should see your ophthalmologist.
4. Your Eyes are in Pain and are Red
Do you spend a lot of time looking at digital devices? Are your eyes red or irritated after too much screen time?
If your eyes hurt or are constantly red, it could mean that your eyes are dry, strained, or there could be a bigger problem. You could have an eye infection or could be developing a serious eye condition.
Even if you have eye strain, it would be best to see your ophthalmologist and have your eyes checked out.
5. You Have Glasses
You need to get your eyes examined on a regular basis. It is not a one-time thing. If you wear glasses, you should see your ophthalmologist at least once a year.
Walking around with an outdated prescription does more harm than good for your eyes.
Do any of these things sound familiar? Schedule an appointment for an eye exam at Complete EyeCare West in Columbus, OH with one of our talented ophthalmologists!
