The Importance of Eye Exams as You Age
At Associated Retina Consultants, we recommend annual eye exams for all our patients. Regular eye exams are an important part of protecting your vision. Taking care of your eyes ensures that you will have good vision as you age.
Staying on top of your health is important at every age, but especially for senior patients. As you get older, your risk of developing eye problems increases. If your vision becomes clouded due to cataracts, you may not be able to see clearly enough to comfortably drive, especially at night. Your risk of macular degeneration and glaucoma increases with each passing year. These conditions can be managed to prolong your sight, but this is easier to do if we catch them early. Even if you need nothing more than an updated prescription for glasses, it’s good to be proactive about your eye health.
A routine eye exam could help you manage your overall health. In Phoenix, your doctor can get a sense of your overall health by checking your eyes. It’s not uncommon in older patients that we find signs of hypertension, heart disease, high cholesterol or diabetes during an eye exam.
Things that may cause eye damage include:
- Health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure
- Extensive computer use
- Excessive Smartphone use
- Chronically dry eyes
- Genetic conditions
- Working around chemicals
- Ultraviolet rays
- Prolonged contact with water
- Eyeglass and contact lens use
- Foreign objects
- Age
Signs that you might need an eye exam include difficulty seeing clearly in certain conditions, such as at night or when you are reading, if you see floaters in your field of vision, if you notice other changes to your vision or if your eyes are dry, red and itchy.
If it’s been a while since you’ve had an eye exam, or you notice changes to your vision, contact Associated Retina Consultants at 602-242-4928 or associatedretinaconsultants.com to schedule an appointment.