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The Importance of Having an Annual Eye Exam, Even if You Have Perfect Vision
Our amazing eyes start developing two weeks after conception, are composed of over two million working parts, and help to determine 80% of the things we remember.
Because we rely on them so much, taking care of our eyes should be a top priority. Routine eye exams should be a part of that care, whether we have vision problems or not. To better understand why, let’s explore the basics of an eye exam, how often you need to get one, and why it’s essential for everyone.
If you live in the Montrose or The Heights in Houston, Texas, and you need superior eye care, Dr. Bimal Patel and his dedicated team at Focus Refined Eye Care can help.
Eye exam basics
Eye exams are conducted to observe and test your response to various stimuli and other forms of screening to determine your overall visual health and check for possible problems that are either just developing or are likely to happen in the future. A comprehensive exam generally includes the following tests:
- Visual acuity/ eye chart: everyone remembers looking at the chart with one eye open and reciting the letters they see; this helps determine your quality of distance vision
- Eye pressure/ tonometry tests: problems with intraocular eye pressure can indicate conditions like glaucoma, testing is usually done by blowing a puff of air into the eye
- Refraction tests/ corneal topography: the shape of your cornea can tell us a lot about how well you see; this test can reveal focus and distance problems
- Color vision: to check for color blindness, this test shows you images with colored dots with numbers to see if you can detect them
- Slit-lamp exam: after dilating your eyes, we use a special microscope to see every component of your eye in detail
How often you need an eye exam
You should expect to get an eye exam annually or biannually, depending on your age and quality of vision. Dr. Patel may recommend additional screenings if you have a family history of eye disease, diabetes, or if you’ve had eye surgeries or injuries in the past. If you wear corrective eye devices like glasses or contacts, you may also need exams more often. If you haven’t visited an optometrist in a long time, it’s time to get it on the schedule.
Why everyone needs an eye exam
Even if you have what is commonly called perfect vision (20/20, the sharpest and clearest your eyes can be), it’s important to get regular exams to maintain your eye health and catch a problem in its earliest stage. Changes in vision can result from a wide variety of issues, including hormone changes, climate, aging, underlying health conditions, and medications.
Our eyes are precious and vital to so many of our everyday activities. Making time to visit our expert optometrist on a regular basis is a simple way to make sure they stay healthy for as long as possible — regardless of how well you currently see.
If you haven’t had an eye exam for a while, or you’re due for a visit, make an appointment with Dr. Patel and our caring team at Focus Refined Eye Care today.